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shadowkat1. I've been following the Scalzi Kitten Saga - where Scalzi's daughter and her friend found four kittens behind her friend's apartment, living in his old car. Eventually one of them (black tuxedo kitten) expired due to the hazards of living outside, so they chose to snatch the remaining trio and put them somewhere safer - namely Scalzi's basement guest room. So Scalzi is asking if anyone wants them, or they'll most likely try to find homes for two of them, send them to a no-kill shelter, and possibly adopt the third.
I don't know they don't all look like kittens in those photos, they look like cats. The only one that resembles a kitten is the calico.
The Scalzi Kitten Saga
One person wanted the calico, and was arranging transportation to pick it up. But the rest were stating - eh, can't get to Ohio, or they have enough cats already, thank you very much.
I'm glad he's in Ohio. I do not need the temptation. Those kittens would be miserable with me. I have no space for cats. Or any pets for that matter.
2. Well, Eatly was a disappointment
Today was lovely, crisp blue sky, warm with a cool breeze, in the low eighties. I most definitely did not require the jacket that I was wearing. It had been in the upper fifties low sixties this morning, hence the jacket. I decided to get a salad at Pret (spinach, white bean pesto, walnuts, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and avocado), with a gluten free tiramisu for desert from Eatly. I first went back to my desk to eat the salad, and then took off for Eatly - basically for a walk, and to see what they had. I got back around 1:10pm, left at 12:27 pm. It was a 15 minute walk. But I also spent at least 15 minutes in the store, then took ten minutes to get back at a brisk pace. I got a denim tote with space to hold a wallet and phone, also the aforementioned tiramisu. It is ridiculously hard to find gluten free tiramisu.
I was disappointed in Etaly. It did not have gluten-free fresh pasta. It has fresh pasta, just not gluten-free. And lacked much in the way of gluten-free items overall. There were no gluten-free baked items, no cookies. A few pastries were gluten free - but they were of the flourless variety. I may someday, come back to sample, but I wasn't in the mood. They have a lot of specialty chocolates - which I had no interest in (yay!). It's taken a while to wean myself off of my chocolate addiction - I think matcha lattes and decafe cappuncinos have helped in this regard.
I couldn't find any pastas dry or otherwise that was gluten free, and only found the same stuff I can get elsewhere. Being gluten-intolerant does have its advantages though - it keeps me from sampling or buying things that will sky-rocket blood sugar or make me fat. So there's that.
The store did have a good fish, produce, and gelato selection - but I can get all of that at home, and cheaper, why cart it from work? I wanted the freshly made pasta, but alas, they won't make it gluten free. Assorted health food stores near me are much better bets in this regard. I can get from them, and well Whole Foods, and Trader Joes.
Spent more than I should - but I liked the denim tote bag with the inside pocket. Very useful. I could use that for work.
3. How to get a television pilot for a historical series about a 16th Century Indian Harem made, when you are a fifty-something self-published writer and have just written your first television screenplay?
Ex-college roommate - you know the one who self-published the chronicles about the 16th Century Harem? She's now written a screenplay with help from a screenwriting mentor.
" So we finished writing a screenplay for the pilot. We have the whole pitch deck. An executive read it and gave us her feedback. Basically, she said it would be a hit, if anyone had the courage to produce it, which no one has (in mainstream media). Her suggestion - make it ourselves. Put it out on social media. Okay, then...next stop... Angel Investors!"
I considered advising her to try a Kick-Starter campaign, but decided against it. Everyone and their dog plus a few cats have attempted that to date. There's too many of them.
She has a web site, a blog about 16th Century practices and the research she's done on 16th Century India, and a couple of short stories if you want to check it all out for yourselves.
I can't really comment on the books or the blog or the stories - since I've not taken the time to read any of it? I did get the first book. (See? I've been supportive of ex-college roommates creative endeavor.) I haven't read it - because it's a genre that doesn't interest me. Historical period drama isn't a genre that I have much tolerance for. I need a mystery or something to pull me into it. The history itself, I'm skeptical of. I'm a frustrated historian's daughter. My father taught me that history is often in the eye of the historian and embellished or rearranged to meet their personal agenda. I honestly think we have no idea what happened in the distant past.
And can only speculate based on the scant items available to us.
I'm also not sure she can get away with a series about 16th Century India, when she's never been to India, is not Indian, and isn't from that culture?
India writes about 16th Century India and has a vibrant and successful movie and television industry.
But what do I know?
I do know that it is close to impossible to get a television show adapted and produced from a book or series of books. Successful writers have tried and failed. (And unsuccessful, self-published ones - like my Dad). Maria Doria Russell to Dorothy Dunnett have tried. So too has Janet Evanovich, who is a best seller, and Jim Butcher - also a best-seller. It's frigging hard to do. You have to have someone with a lot of money and more importantly connections, get interested in the property to get it off the ground. Someone who knows the right people. Hollywood is an insular town and a brutal one.
All you need to do is look at all the properties Gellar is trying to get off the ground. There's another former friend/acquaintance, who did successfully get a series of novels published, and even had someone option the movie rights, Daisey Ridely did, and nothing happened.
It's not that it can't happen. Anything is possible. But it's very very difficult. We live in a world of too much content, too many distractions, and too many people trying to produce and promote similar and competing properties. And people have limited attention spans. Also, let's face it - how many people are really that interested in 16th Century Indian Harems?
I posted this - because I'm curious what other people think? What do you think about the possibilities of this working or taking off?
4. Department Q has been renewed for a second season! Netflix finally got around to renewing it.
Executive producer Rob Bullock said he had a "really wonderful response" to the news of the second series.
"It is going to be loosely based on the second book in Jussi's series," he said.
"And much like season one, we will take the book and the gold that's in that book but then go off and tell our own stories alongside it."
I'm happy about this. I liked the characters and wanted more story. It felt unresolved.
5. Mother informed me that the Australian Detective Series that TV Talk had rec'd and I couldn't find - has popped up on Hulu, High Country - I'm guessing this is part of Disney's distribution deal with the BBC, because they've picked up a bunch of other British BBC mystery series as well.
I'm happy, it means I don't have to stream Brit Box to see some of them.
And I really wanted to see High Country. They also have the Tunnel, and the Fall, and the Secrets of Mr. Whitcher.
6. Online - FB touted a new Disney Tween Buffy Series named Vampirina (not to be confused with Vampirella, which I, alas did) based on the acclaimed books, about a secret vampire girl who wants to go to a school for the performing arts to pursue music (yes, it's a musical). Accompanied by a 600 year old ghost. She's in secret. Uhm, how is this a Buffy show? It sounds more like Wednesday meets Hotel Transylvania by way of High School Musical? I don't see anyone over the age of 14 watching it?
Buffy was a show about a teen tasked with killing vampires and demons, while trying to juggle high school, but honestly, none of the cast were really teens (with the possible exception of 3 of them), and they only did high school for three years. So, it was about a young woman fighting vampires. It was targeted at teens, but since the writers were in their late twenties and early thirties, didn't really have kids or care, and were writing about their own nightmares - it was more twenty-something - thirty-something show about a young woman slaying her personal demons.
7. They cancelled Dexter:Original Sin on Paramount after one season. Not surprised. I watched an episode of that - it wasn't that good. Also, it's Paramount - which is undergoing a merger and shakeup. Also, Original Sin didn't do that well, and they brought back the original series - which did better, and had Michael C. Hall. Prequels are rarely successful. Let's face it - the audience isn't that interested. Also, in the case of Dexter, we already got the flashbacks in the Dexter series.
But, Gellar's television curse continues. Buffy to date is the longest series she's had on the air. Everything else she's tried since Buffy has either not flown/been picked up for full series, or was cancelled after just one season. The Crazy Ones may have made it two seasons? No, Williams committed suicide in the middle of it - it was one season. I don't have a lot of faith in the Buffy Revival entitled: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - New Sunnydale surviving, I may be wrong. Gellar's track record hasn't been exactly stellar. From the original cast? Boreanze has done the best, with Hannigan not that far behind. Everyone else, with the possible exception of Head, has stumbled. Let's face it - Television and Film are impossible industries. Few succeed in them.
***
It's late. Time for bed.
I don't know they don't all look like kittens in those photos, they look like cats. The only one that resembles a kitten is the calico.
The Scalzi Kitten Saga
One person wanted the calico, and was arranging transportation to pick it up. But the rest were stating - eh, can't get to Ohio, or they have enough cats already, thank you very much.
I'm glad he's in Ohio. I do not need the temptation. Those kittens would be miserable with me. I have no space for cats. Or any pets for that matter.
2. Well, Eatly was a disappointment
Today was lovely, crisp blue sky, warm with a cool breeze, in the low eighties. I most definitely did not require the jacket that I was wearing. It had been in the upper fifties low sixties this morning, hence the jacket. I decided to get a salad at Pret (spinach, white bean pesto, walnuts, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and avocado), with a gluten free tiramisu for desert from Eatly. I first went back to my desk to eat the salad, and then took off for Eatly - basically for a walk, and to see what they had. I got back around 1:10pm, left at 12:27 pm. It was a 15 minute walk. But I also spent at least 15 minutes in the store, then took ten minutes to get back at a brisk pace. I got a denim tote with space to hold a wallet and phone, also the aforementioned tiramisu. It is ridiculously hard to find gluten free tiramisu.
I was disappointed in Etaly. It did not have gluten-free fresh pasta. It has fresh pasta, just not gluten-free. And lacked much in the way of gluten-free items overall. There were no gluten-free baked items, no cookies. A few pastries were gluten free - but they were of the flourless variety. I may someday, come back to sample, but I wasn't in the mood. They have a lot of specialty chocolates - which I had no interest in (yay!). It's taken a while to wean myself off of my chocolate addiction - I think matcha lattes and decafe cappuncinos have helped in this regard.
I couldn't find any pastas dry or otherwise that was gluten free, and only found the same stuff I can get elsewhere. Being gluten-intolerant does have its advantages though - it keeps me from sampling or buying things that will sky-rocket blood sugar or make me fat. So there's that.
The store did have a good fish, produce, and gelato selection - but I can get all of that at home, and cheaper, why cart it from work? I wanted the freshly made pasta, but alas, they won't make it gluten free. Assorted health food stores near me are much better bets in this regard. I can get from them, and well Whole Foods, and Trader Joes.
Spent more than I should - but I liked the denim tote bag with the inside pocket. Very useful. I could use that for work.
3. How to get a television pilot for a historical series about a 16th Century Indian Harem made, when you are a fifty-something self-published writer and have just written your first television screenplay?
Ex-college roommate - you know the one who self-published the chronicles about the 16th Century Harem? She's now written a screenplay with help from a screenwriting mentor.
" So we finished writing a screenplay for the pilot. We have the whole pitch deck. An executive read it and gave us her feedback. Basically, she said it would be a hit, if anyone had the courage to produce it, which no one has (in mainstream media). Her suggestion - make it ourselves. Put it out on social media. Okay, then...next stop... Angel Investors!"
I considered advising her to try a Kick-Starter campaign, but decided against it. Everyone and their dog plus a few cats have attempted that to date. There's too many of them.
She has a web site, a blog about 16th Century practices and the research she's done on 16th Century India, and a couple of short stories if you want to check it all out for yourselves.
I can't really comment on the books or the blog or the stories - since I've not taken the time to read any of it? I did get the first book. (See? I've been supportive of ex-college roommates creative endeavor.) I haven't read it - because it's a genre that doesn't interest me. Historical period drama isn't a genre that I have much tolerance for. I need a mystery or something to pull me into it. The history itself, I'm skeptical of. I'm a frustrated historian's daughter. My father taught me that history is often in the eye of the historian and embellished or rearranged to meet their personal agenda. I honestly think we have no idea what happened in the distant past.
And can only speculate based on the scant items available to us.
I'm also not sure she can get away with a series about 16th Century India, when she's never been to India, is not Indian, and isn't from that culture?
India writes about 16th Century India and has a vibrant and successful movie and television industry.
But what do I know?
I do know that it is close to impossible to get a television show adapted and produced from a book or series of books. Successful writers have tried and failed. (And unsuccessful, self-published ones - like my Dad). Maria Doria Russell to Dorothy Dunnett have tried. So too has Janet Evanovich, who is a best seller, and Jim Butcher - also a best-seller. It's frigging hard to do. You have to have someone with a lot of money and more importantly connections, get interested in the property to get it off the ground. Someone who knows the right people. Hollywood is an insular town and a brutal one.
All you need to do is look at all the properties Gellar is trying to get off the ground. There's another former friend/acquaintance, who did successfully get a series of novels published, and even had someone option the movie rights, Daisey Ridely did, and nothing happened.
It's not that it can't happen. Anything is possible. But it's very very difficult. We live in a world of too much content, too many distractions, and too many people trying to produce and promote similar and competing properties. And people have limited attention spans. Also, let's face it - how many people are really that interested in 16th Century Indian Harems?
I posted this - because I'm curious what other people think? What do you think about the possibilities of this working or taking off?
4. Department Q has been renewed for a second season! Netflix finally got around to renewing it.
Executive producer Rob Bullock said he had a "really wonderful response" to the news of the second series.
"It is going to be loosely based on the second book in Jussi's series," he said.
"And much like season one, we will take the book and the gold that's in that book but then go off and tell our own stories alongside it."
I'm happy about this. I liked the characters and wanted more story. It felt unresolved.
5. Mother informed me that the Australian Detective Series that TV Talk had rec'd and I couldn't find - has popped up on Hulu, High Country - I'm guessing this is part of Disney's distribution deal with the BBC, because they've picked up a bunch of other British BBC mystery series as well.
I'm happy, it means I don't have to stream Brit Box to see some of them.
And I really wanted to see High Country. They also have the Tunnel, and the Fall, and the Secrets of Mr. Whitcher.
6. Online - FB touted a new Disney Tween Buffy Series named Vampirina (not to be confused with Vampirella, which I, alas did) based on the acclaimed books, about a secret vampire girl who wants to go to a school for the performing arts to pursue music (yes, it's a musical). Accompanied by a 600 year old ghost. She's in secret. Uhm, how is this a Buffy show? It sounds more like Wednesday meets Hotel Transylvania by way of High School Musical? I don't see anyone over the age of 14 watching it?
Buffy was a show about a teen tasked with killing vampires and demons, while trying to juggle high school, but honestly, none of the cast were really teens (with the possible exception of 3 of them), and they only did high school for three years. So, it was about a young woman fighting vampires. It was targeted at teens, but since the writers were in their late twenties and early thirties, didn't really have kids or care, and were writing about their own nightmares - it was more twenty-something - thirty-something show about a young woman slaying her personal demons.
7. They cancelled Dexter:Original Sin on Paramount after one season. Not surprised. I watched an episode of that - it wasn't that good. Also, it's Paramount - which is undergoing a merger and shakeup. Also, Original Sin didn't do that well, and they brought back the original series - which did better, and had Michael C. Hall. Prequels are rarely successful. Let's face it - the audience isn't that interested. Also, in the case of Dexter, we already got the flashbacks in the Dexter series.
But, Gellar's television curse continues. Buffy to date is the longest series she's had on the air. Everything else she's tried since Buffy has either not flown/been picked up for full series, or was cancelled after just one season. The Crazy Ones may have made it two seasons? No, Williams committed suicide in the middle of it - it was one season. I don't have a lot of faith in the Buffy Revival entitled: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - New Sunnydale surviving, I may be wrong. Gellar's track record hasn't been exactly stellar. From the original cast? Boreanze has done the best, with Hannigan not that far behind. Everyone else, with the possible exception of Head, has stumbled. Let's face it - Television and Film are impossible industries. Few succeed in them.
***
It's late. Time for bed.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-23 02:55 pm (UTC)My father who was self-published, has had people try to option film rights or television rights or sell his books after his death, driving my mother nuts. She keeps saying no. LOL!
Someone responded to ex-college roomate's post on FB, stating she should keep passing it around, after all it took the Beatles a long time to get a recording contract. And I thought, yes, but the Beatles had been playing gigs for a good ten years, they were a band, and that was in the 1960s - also it wasn't an album of songs from a different culture?