I can count the number of ‘good’ video game movies on one hand, but why is that? There are dozens of video games with rich backstories and interesting characters, so the backbone of a great story is already there. So why are these stories largely ignored?

Throughout my writing journey, I’ve met plenty of inspiring people, including Jeanine Frost. She probably doesn’t remember me, but she had a huge impact on my writing journey. I’ve also met a handful of ‘crazies’ along the way. While the ‘crazies’ were annoying, they provide great material to write about. I met the crazy I’m writing about today during the research phase of my writing career, back when I was still deciding what I wanted to do with my book.

During my writing journey, I decided I couldn’t sell books without social media, so I set up a Twitter account…

Aside from keeping up with the odd Kardashian, I don’t care about celebrities, but younger me was constantly keeping up with celebrity gossip. I read the magazines in the grocery store and even kept up with some celebrities online. At the time, I had a crush on Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, and I spent a lot of my time learning about him online. I even created a fan site for Good Charlotte, where I talked with other fans.

One day, I was at the grocery store, and I glanced over at the gossip magazines, only to see something that…

Shortly after I decided that I wanted to write professionally, I set up a Twitter account. I did my best to make it stand out. I added a quirky bio, a banner, and a picture of myself. I was a bit unsure of using my picture and thought maybe I should get someone to make a cartoon version of me. I have always looked younger than I was, which made me afraid that people wouldn’t take me seriously, or that I would attract weirdos. I did attract weirdos. …

I once dated a man who wouldn’t allow me to read or explore any of my other hobbies. Whenever I tried, he’d come into the same room as I was in and talk to me. It was as if the book in my hands had turned invisible. If he weren’t talking to me, he’d ask me to make him food or try to get me to watch a movie or do whatever he wanted to do at the time. Sometimes he’d even enter the kitchen (which was connected to our living room), just to open the fridge multiple times and…

I have had a love for Mortal Kombat since the first time I stuck a quarter in one of the original arcade games. I’ve played every game, watched every movie, and I’ve even written about Mortal Kombat once or twice. I also consider myself to be the one person who enjoys Mortal Kombat Annihilation, so I should have been excited about the reboot, but I wasn’t. Every piece of media I saw related to the new movie raised new concerns.

RELATIONSHIPS

“You pee on yourself too!” he yelled at me. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and his face was twisted into an expression of pure anger. I’d seen this familiar stance too many times, so I knew to brace myself for our next argument.

“No, I don’t. Most people don’t,” I replied, calmly.

The exchange above might seem like something two children would say on the playground, but it was an argument I had with my 28-year-old ex-boyfriend. We were in the middle of breaking up and I decided to tell him that I knew he was…

Dear Woman Who Got Me Fired,

I can’t deny that you’ve crossed my mind often since I encountered you. I was already having trouble when you came into my workplace and started throwing your adult temper tantrum. You were angry because there were security tags on the thong flip flops that your daughter wanted to try on. The flip flops were a couple of sizes too small for your daughter’s feet, but both of you thought the tiny security strip was the reason your daughter’s size eleven feet weren’t fitting in a size eight or nine.

I was a few…