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1.Rainy most of the week. And the insane downstairs neighbors have turned on the heat when it is 60 degrees outside. Tempted to send an email to the landlord to complain, but will refrain. Opened a window instead.
2.Behind on my tv viewing, because I've been reading at night instead. Lost in pulp fiction. Gotta love it. Although the getting lost in a book thing...appears to be hereditary.
Momster: I haven't done anything all day today but read. Didn't go to the gym, nothing. I feel so guilty.
Me: You know this is oddly reassuring...apparently the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree -
Momster: Had troubles getting into the book and it just took off-
Me: Yeah, I know what you mean. Then you just can't stop reading the thing. This must be hereditary.
Momster is reading a literary historical novel called Time In Between by a Spainish novelist, about a dressmaker who becomes a spy during WWII. And, guess what? It's not about the holocaust. I know, go figure.
3. Since I can no longer read personal blogs (aka live journal and/or dreamwidth) at work due to the evil device known as Websense which blocks them, I've been reading the NY Times and book reviews/movie reviews at lunch. Which isn't all that different than what I was reading on lj to be honest - it's just on sites that aren't considered entertainment.
Read a fascinating interview yesterday with Ridely Scott and Damon Lindenoff on Promethus, the new sci-fi flick coming out this summer via Scott. First he's done since Blade Runner. Ridely Scott is my favorite sci-fi film director. This one delves deeper into the mythology of the Alien verse. And it stars Naomi Rapace as an archeologist named Elizabeth Shaw who goes off on an expedition to hunt down an alien race that may or may not be responsible for humanity's origins. It also stars Guy Pierce, Charize Therone (as a cool and nefarious corporate head), and Michael Fassbender as an artificial lifeform (aka robot). Scott states in the interview that the idea behind Promethus is to follow a loose thread from his original Alien film that no one else picked up on, and he'd hoped Cameron would in Aliens, but Cameron is too much of a logician to get into mythology. (True, that's the problem with Cameron, he's not that interested in world-building, so falls on cliches a lot, see similar problems in Whedon's work - which makes sense since Whedon fanboys Cameron. I, as you all know, fangurled all three, but think Ridely Scott is the genuis of the bunch. The fact that Scott is executive producing The Good Wife, only furthers my case.) The loose thread is who was the huge humanoid pilot with his chest cavity exploded carrying the dangerous biotechnical weaponery in Alien? And why was he doing it? And why did he land on that planet? Also, Scott wants to explore the notion that Kubrick often did...do we really want to meet our maker?
4. The other thing I read was a review of 50 Shades by a frustrated and rather jealous, literary writer living in Conneticut. She got blasted in the comments and sort of deserved it actually, poor dear. I do feel her pain. When you work your ass off writing an book, struggle to get it published, only to see someone like James or Meyer become an instant best-selling novelist/phenomena a la Jacqueline Suzanne or Judith Krantz - you sort of want to pull your hair out in a fit of fury. Although not that sorry - the woman is doing well, has several books published and won several awards. But she does write rather boring "mid-life" crisis whine books. That's what I call them at any rate. I can't read them. When I read I want to escape the depressed and lonely whiner in my head, not reinforce it. I'm guessing from the sales figures and replies to her review that I'm not alone in this sentiment? ( Read more... )
That said...the review reminded me of two separate tales that I feel the sudden need to share with all of you, whether you want me to or not:
1. 1989, Senior Year, College - burning the midnight oil literally in the computer room located in the basement of the library. ( Me and Spike's look-a-like discussing the merits of the English Literary Canon - trust me the title of this is more interesting than the story. )
2. 1995, NYC, Editorial Offices of Random House - Informational Interview with Robert Loomis, Senior Editor for John Grisham and Emily Praeger. I've gotten the interview through kid-bro, whose girlfriend (later wife)'s dad is living with Emily Praeger.
Loomis tells me two things that I've never forgotten.
*( Speak from your heart and you will sell )
* The best-sellers, the pulp novelists like John Grisham, Danielle Steele, Sydney Sheldon, Judith Krantz...they make it possible for us to represent the Emily Praeger's. Without them we wouldn't be able to afford Emily or other nitch literary works that need to build word of mouth and are quieter stories and better written. If it weren't for Grisham, Emily would most likely never get published.
I've never forgotten that. Keep that in mind when you want to rant and rave about the latest pop best-selling novel. It made it possible for that other book you loved, the one you had to hunt for, to get published.
I've learned or been reminded of a few things regarding art appreciation, taste and culture this month.
( Five Things I've Learned About Taste - watch out, I'm in lecture mode, sure to become all didtatic and tiresome...I might even lisp. )
I found that out reading the 50 Shades reviews...it's like everyone read a different version of the same book - I've yet to find a reviewer who read the one I got, although there was one who came close on Amazon - who stated, well at least in this book they talk to each other - they communicate and have conversations and do so honestly. They don't lie. It's a relief, said the reviewer, and refreshing to see this, finally. I agree.
90% of romance novels, mystery novels, thrillers, and literary novels - have misunderstandings - the characters don't talk to each other. I often want to shake the characters and the writers. Damn-it - have these characters TALK. How hard is that? Are you afraid to do dialogue? Dialogue - good dialogue is a bit of a fight - it's two people jockeying for control of the conversation and what they want to reveal. I think a lot of writers need to read more plays. I'm guessing James is good at dialogue because her hubby is a television script writer and read the book, and she works in TV. You can tell. So many literary writers suck at it. Or don't do it at all. Making me think - dialogue is a lost art.
2.Behind on my tv viewing, because I've been reading at night instead. Lost in pulp fiction. Gotta love it. Although the getting lost in a book thing...appears to be hereditary.
Momster: I haven't done anything all day today but read. Didn't go to the gym, nothing. I feel so guilty.
Me: You know this is oddly reassuring...apparently the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree -
Momster: Had troubles getting into the book and it just took off-
Me: Yeah, I know what you mean. Then you just can't stop reading the thing. This must be hereditary.
Momster is reading a literary historical novel called Time In Between by a Spainish novelist, about a dressmaker who becomes a spy during WWII. And, guess what? It's not about the holocaust. I know, go figure.
3. Since I can no longer read personal blogs (aka live journal and/or dreamwidth) at work due to the evil device known as Websense which blocks them, I've been reading the NY Times and book reviews/movie reviews at lunch. Which isn't all that different than what I was reading on lj to be honest - it's just on sites that aren't considered entertainment.
Read a fascinating interview yesterday with Ridely Scott and Damon Lindenoff on Promethus, the new sci-fi flick coming out this summer via Scott. First he's done since Blade Runner. Ridely Scott is my favorite sci-fi film director. This one delves deeper into the mythology of the Alien verse. And it stars Naomi Rapace as an archeologist named Elizabeth Shaw who goes off on an expedition to hunt down an alien race that may or may not be responsible for humanity's origins. It also stars Guy Pierce, Charize Therone (as a cool and nefarious corporate head), and Michael Fassbender as an artificial lifeform (aka robot). Scott states in the interview that the idea behind Promethus is to follow a loose thread from his original Alien film that no one else picked up on, and he'd hoped Cameron would in Aliens, but Cameron is too much of a logician to get into mythology. (True, that's the problem with Cameron, he's not that interested in world-building, so falls on cliches a lot, see similar problems in Whedon's work - which makes sense since Whedon fanboys Cameron. I, as you all know, fangurled all three, but think Ridely Scott is the genuis of the bunch. The fact that Scott is executive producing The Good Wife, only furthers my case.) The loose thread is who was the huge humanoid pilot with his chest cavity exploded carrying the dangerous biotechnical weaponery in Alien? And why was he doing it? And why did he land on that planet? Also, Scott wants to explore the notion that Kubrick often did...do we really want to meet our maker?
4. The other thing I read was a review of 50 Shades by a frustrated and rather jealous, literary writer living in Conneticut. She got blasted in the comments and sort of deserved it actually, poor dear. I do feel her pain. When you work your ass off writing an book, struggle to get it published, only to see someone like James or Meyer become an instant best-selling novelist/phenomena a la Jacqueline Suzanne or Judith Krantz - you sort of want to pull your hair out in a fit of fury. Although not that sorry - the woman is doing well, has several books published and won several awards. But she does write rather boring "mid-life" crisis whine books. That's what I call them at any rate. I can't read them. When I read I want to escape the depressed and lonely whiner in my head, not reinforce it. I'm guessing from the sales figures and replies to her review that I'm not alone in this sentiment? ( Read more... )
That said...the review reminded me of two separate tales that I feel the sudden need to share with all of you, whether you want me to or not:
1. 1989, Senior Year, College - burning the midnight oil literally in the computer room located in the basement of the library. ( Me and Spike's look-a-like discussing the merits of the English Literary Canon - trust me the title of this is more interesting than the story. )
2. 1995, NYC, Editorial Offices of Random House - Informational Interview with Robert Loomis, Senior Editor for John Grisham and Emily Praeger. I've gotten the interview through kid-bro, whose girlfriend (later wife)'s dad is living with Emily Praeger.
Loomis tells me two things that I've never forgotten.
*( Speak from your heart and you will sell )
* The best-sellers, the pulp novelists like John Grisham, Danielle Steele, Sydney Sheldon, Judith Krantz...they make it possible for us to represent the Emily Praeger's. Without them we wouldn't be able to afford Emily or other nitch literary works that need to build word of mouth and are quieter stories and better written. If it weren't for Grisham, Emily would most likely never get published.
I've never forgotten that. Keep that in mind when you want to rant and rave about the latest pop best-selling novel. It made it possible for that other book you loved, the one you had to hunt for, to get published.
I've learned or been reminded of a few things regarding art appreciation, taste and culture this month.
( Five Things I've Learned About Taste - watch out, I'm in lecture mode, sure to become all didtatic and tiresome...I might even lisp. )
I found that out reading the 50 Shades reviews...it's like everyone read a different version of the same book - I've yet to find a reviewer who read the one I got, although there was one who came close on Amazon - who stated, well at least in this book they talk to each other - they communicate and have conversations and do so honestly. They don't lie. It's a relief, said the reviewer, and refreshing to see this, finally. I agree.
90% of romance novels, mystery novels, thrillers, and literary novels - have misunderstandings - the characters don't talk to each other. I often want to shake the characters and the writers. Damn-it - have these characters TALK. How hard is that? Are you afraid to do dialogue? Dialogue - good dialogue is a bit of a fight - it's two people jockeying for control of the conversation and what they want to reveal. I think a lot of writers need to read more plays. I'm guessing James is good at dialogue because her hubby is a television script writer and read the book, and she works in TV. You can tell. So many literary writers suck at it. Or don't do it at all. Making me think - dialogue is a lost art.