Tag: favorite 2012

It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite book of 2012 was. For this question, some interpreted as best book published in 2012, others answered it as their favorite book they read in 2012. We accepted either version.

Ted Boone

The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M. Banks, Wool (Omnibus) by Hugh Howey, and Among Others by Jo Walton (don’t ask writers to pick ONE favorite book!)

Kevin Wohler

I’m going to be honest here. My favorite book of 2012 has been Monster in My Closet, by R.L. Naquin. I’m not just saying that because she’s in our group. She’d forgive me if I picked something else. The truth is, of the few NEW books I did read this year, it was the only one that left me feeling I could read the sequel immediately.

Christie Holland

It’s a tie between The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Both very different. Both fantastic.

Larry Jenkins

Broken Harbor by Tana French. Every book she has written has broken my heart in some way, and I love her for that.

Jack Campbell, Jr.

Hugh Howey’s Wool. I don’t read many new books. I don’t like to pay inflated prices for new releases, and there are only one or two authors that I can’t wait long enough to find their book on a used shelf somewhere. I certainly don’t read as much science fiction as I used to. Enter Hugh Howey and Wool. Howey wrote Wool as a short story and released it directly through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing System. Howey’s silo world became an overnight success, leading to the release of parts two, three, four, and five of Wool, and their release as a single omnibus edition. Since then, it has been followed by the prequels First Shift and Second Shift. If you like dystopian science fiction, Wool is waiting for you. Ridley Scottbought the film rights. Yes, that Ridley Scott. The original short story is free on Kindle, but you can pick up the omnibus (stories one
through five) for $5.99.

Sara Lundberg

I’m a few years behind on most new releases – there were several 2012 books I wanted to read but didn’t get to – so pickings are slim. Luckily, I think I probably read the two best books of the year. The first one being our very own R.L. Naquin’s Monster in My Closet. Of course I am obligated to mention it because she’s my fellow Confabulator and friend, but in all honesty, it was the best book I read all year. It helps that I’ve watched her series evolve over the past three years, so it was incredibly rewarding to be able to read the finish product. A close second, though, was the third book in another one of my favorite series: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price. It’s in the same genre – urban fantasy – which I just can’t get enough of these days. Honorable Mention goes to the anthology that my own story was published in, Shadows of the Mind. Lots of good tales of horror in there. That was it for 2012 for me.

It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite movie of 2012 was.

Jason Arnett

The superhero films were EXCELLENT this year. Avengers and Dark Knight Rises were both very satisfying films to me.

Larry Jenkins

Full disclosure: I love movies, but I don’t get to see near as many as I would like. That being said, I really enjoyed The Cabin in the Woods, which is not so much a horror film as it is a film about horror films. If you’re more the indie film type, I’d recommend you check out Safety Not Guaranteed. It’s a nice film with both a mystery and a heart, and I appreciate movies that ask me to think and feel at the same time.

Kevin Wohler

Asking me to pick my favorite movie of the year is like asking a mother to pick her favorite child (“B-b-b-but.. I love them all!”). Even so, there’s one movie that I have gushed about more than any other this year. And it’s not The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises. The truth is, my favorite movie this year has been John Carter. Yes, it was ripped apart by harsh critics. Yes, it failed to be the box office blockbuster Disney wanted it to be. But the truth is, this was a marvelous movie. It’s visually stunning. It’s epic in scope. It’s a great adventure. The only flaw in John Carter is that it had a horrible marketing team. That, and it should have been titled John Carter of Mars (focus groups be damned).

Ted Boone

The Avengers.

Christie Holland

It’s a tie between The Avengers, because of Joss Whedon and the flawless way he juggled a huge cast and kept every character true to themselves, and The Hunger Games, because it was a wonderful adaptation of a YA novel and hopefully ensures that other adaptations of YA novels are treated with just as much respect.

Jack Campbell, Jr.

Skyfall. This one was tough for me. I absolutely loved Cabin in the Woods. The Dark Knight Rises was epic. The Avengers was everything I hoped it would be. Wreck It Ralph proved again that Pixar is the hottest studio in animation history. However, 007 and I have a long history. I spent so many hours watching James Bond movies with my dad. I read Ian Fleming’s books in junior high. Skyfall does James Bond the right way. It’s by far the best Bond movie in years, and one of the best in the franchise’s history.

Sara Lundberg

I am one of the biggest Joss Whedon fans in the world, so tied for second place are The Avengers and Cabin in the Woods. He’s finally made a name for himself in the mainstream with his work on The Avengers, which he pulled off amazingly. Cabin in the Woods was a horror movie, yes, but like all of his horror, it makes you think and also makes you laugh, which I think are two key components of horror that most people forget. But my hopes are high for the release of The Hobbit, because The Hobbit is something from my childhood and the movie will hopefully be as magical as it was when I was young. It holds the number one spot until I see it, at least.

It’s the end of the year, so we’re asking the Confabulators what their favorites of 2012 are. This week, they tell us what their favorite song and/or album of 2012 was.

Jason Arnett

If you look at my iPod, it’ll tell you that the soundtrack for The Dark Knight Rises is tops for the year. I liked Fiona Apple’s new album but I haven’t listened to it enough to have a real opinion. As for songs, I’ve gotta admit that Adele’s Skyfall theme was pretty damn cool.

Ted Boone

I haven’t bought a lot of music this year. Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions as well as Milk Famous by White Rabbits, I guess.

Sara Lundberg

I fell in love with the song “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men earlier this year. I went and bought their mp3 album, My Head is an Animal,  which I never do because I very rarely buy music anymore, but it was cheap, and I love just about every song on there. Also really loved most of the Black Key’s album El Camino, my favorite song on there being “Gold on the Ceiling,” which is currently my ringtone.

Kevin Wohler

I’m not much for pop music these days. My satellite radio is usually tuned to an oldies station or Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. That said, this year I “discovered” The Explorers Club, a band out of South Carolina. Their 2012 album Grand Hotel is a throwback to the pop music of the 1960s. My favorite track on the album is “Grand Hotel/Go For You.”

Christie Holland

Theatre is Evil by Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra. There’s not a song on that album I don’t love.

Larry Jenkins

Some Nights by Fun. I absolutely love this album, and the song “One Foot” seems like a great tune to listen to if you’re gearing up for a fight. At least it makes me want to punch somebody.

Jack Campbell, Jr.
Stone Sour: House of Gold and Bones Volume 1. This is the first half of a dual release project for Stone Sour. Volume 2 will be out in 2013. I’ve been a fan of Stone Sour for some time. I hosted a metal show on KURE at Iowa State University back when Slipknot first hit big. It was a fantastic time to be a loud rock fan in Iowa. I’ve had a special place in my heart for Slipknot ever since.
Stone Sour falls into that, as well. Fantastic band.