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shalannaToday's orts (useless pieces of information that may still amuse you):
* * *
How many people out there knew that in "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks (the one about the big bookstore crushing the independent store that's a kind of remake of "Shop Around the Corner"), the book that she's reading to the kids at story time is by Roald Dahl? When I first saw that flick (the other night on AMC, blush, because I never saw it when it was all popular and junk), I knew it was Dahl at once. What I didn't know was WHICH Dahl . . .then I realized it was the mouse-in-candy-jar incident from his autobiography, _Boy_. *grin* They don't have that in the credits, do they? I wouldn't know, 'cause the dang cable channel squashes down those credits and puts a promo on the screen so you can't read what the songs were.
* * *
I'm so disappointed . . . all of a sudden this morning at the end of their show, "Connected Coast to Coast," Ron Reagan and Monica Crowley said goodbye and said that their show was ending! We watched it whenever we were at home at 11 AM and were sitting down at the table or working in the kitchen. And that's why it didn't get the ratings, I suppose--most people are at work, off to lunch, doing errands, in class, or what-have-you at that time.
But I've noticed the news networks are getting rid of several reporters and many independent-thinking people. That's not the only good show that's gone. (sigh)
* * *
SF writer Robert Sheckley passed to the next world this morning. Farewell, another friend. We'll miss him.
* * *
In happier news, Peter Noone is still hot. Rrrr! Herman's Hermits was one of my favorite bands in childhood (when I first became aware of rock and roll, anyway--before that, I was indoctrinated with folk music and novelty songs.) Also, he stil has a fantastic sense of humor (you know that droll dry British wit.) On the website, it says, "Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone Concert Dates--Lock Up Your Grandmothers!" *hee* Guess I'm still a Noonatic.
Micky Dolenz hasn't fared quite as well (in the good-looking category, at least). Now, wait a minute--I couldn't win the Miss Sweet Potato Queen contest these days MYSELF, so I'm not sayin' anything to be tacky. I'm just sayin' that like my aunt Franny, he may have been rode hard and put up wet, but we still LOVE him. Micky was my favorite Monkee and sang lead on most of the Monkees' songs because he had the Paul McCartney voice. I loved him madly and way more than I loved Paul McCartney. (This was from ages 7 to 10, after my infatuation with Alvin of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" faded but before I discovered Bobby Darin and hard rock, which is now known as "classic rock" because we're oldies ourselves now.) It's kind of sad that he and his sister play racetracks and casinos (sigh--I checked their tour dates, and nothing's near Texas at all) instead of Reunion Arena now, but maybe he saved some of his Monkees money and lives happily on his yacht now. Hope he's happy. I'm still listening to all of his work. I found a place I could buy a CD of his live concert with his sister and some of his books, so I'm hoping Santa doesn't get mad at me for spending money on myself. And again, I'm not saying it's a BAD thing to have to play smaller venues. It's just gotta be a little frustrating, since the Monkees sat on top of the world for a while there. Well, anyway. Whatever.
* * *
I always wanted to be in a secret society. As an only child, I had to develop imaginary friends to play "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." with. The Girl Scouts was definitely a capital-c Club, but wasn't very secret, as we wore our uniforms to school every Tuesday and had our meetings in the school cafeteria after school at 3:45. So I never made it into Stink & Clones or Butt & Zones or whatever the secret SMU society is. *sigh*
Yet I managed to remember that The Knight Agency was having a live chat with author Diana Peterfreund last night. Her first novel, due out soon, is about a girl (that's the term THEY used--I would have said "college-age woman" or "collegiate" or even "coed" if you will, not "girl," but they got all upset when I mentioned that) who gets into a secret society at Yale, and the plot has a lot about conspiracies.
I don't know when they have time to do their paperwork over there, because the transcript is already up! But you have to join their Yahoo group to see the files. Go to their website (which I linked in the proper HTML way up there, not here on the words "their website" the way you're not supposed to do) for details.
I got to ask a couple of questions.
And:
Not everyone will get that last bit. It's from Robert Anton Wilson and the Illuminati trilogy. The word FNORD is central to his conspiracy theories. But that's too much to go into. You could look it up (but don't bother unless you really are into conspiracy theories that aren't films with Mel Gibson . . . that was a fairly well-constructed film, too, except I wished they could have used a word other than "Geronimo." That was silly.)
I'm still a bit skeptical of getting on a romance list and asking to exchange work. I've been in critique circles with category romance authors before. They have a little checklist to go down to make sure you're keeping up the sexual tension, et al, and that's not appropriate for other kinds of books. Also, whenever I deal with romance writers, they want me to rewrite stuff so it's as florid as the stuff in some published category books.
Seriously. On the GEnie RT critique group, they used to tell me to do stuff like change "The smell of burned piecrust filled the kitchen" to "The stink of burned piecrust assaulted her nostrils as she entered the kitchen" and such like. Ever since then, I've had an aversion to having my nostrils assaulted. Plus, that doesn't really describe the same event.
Yes, yes, YES to the sentiment redaxe expresses here.
How many people out there knew that in "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks (the one about the big bookstore crushing the independent store that's a kind of remake of "Shop Around the Corner"), the book that she's reading to the kids at story time is by Roald Dahl? When I first saw that flick (the other night on AMC, blush, because I never saw it when it was all popular and junk), I knew it was Dahl at once. What I didn't know was WHICH Dahl . . .then I realized it was the mouse-in-candy-jar incident from his autobiography, _Boy_. *grin* They don't have that in the credits, do they? I wouldn't know, 'cause the dang cable channel squashes down those credits and puts a promo on the screen so you can't read what the songs were.
I'm so disappointed . . . all of a sudden this morning at the end of their show, "Connected Coast to Coast," Ron Reagan and Monica Crowley said goodbye and said that their show was ending! We watched it whenever we were at home at 11 AM and were sitting down at the table or working in the kitchen. And that's why it didn't get the ratings, I suppose--most people are at work, off to lunch, doing errands, in class, or what-have-you at that time.
But I've noticed the news networks are getting rid of several reporters and many independent-thinking people. That's not the only good show that's gone. (sigh)
SF writer Robert Sheckley passed to the next world this morning. Farewell, another friend. We'll miss him.
In happier news, Peter Noone is still hot. Rrrr! Herman's Hermits was one of my favorite bands in childhood (when I first became aware of rock and roll, anyway--before that, I was indoctrinated with folk music and novelty songs.) Also, he stil has a fantastic sense of humor (you know that droll dry British wit.) On the website, it says, "Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone Concert Dates--Lock Up Your Grandmothers!" *hee* Guess I'm still a Noonatic.
Micky Dolenz hasn't fared quite as well (in the good-looking category, at least). Now, wait a minute--I couldn't win the Miss Sweet Potato Queen contest these days MYSELF, so I'm not sayin' anything to be tacky. I'm just sayin' that like my aunt Franny, he may have been rode hard and put up wet, but we still LOVE him. Micky was my favorite Monkee and sang lead on most of the Monkees' songs because he had the Paul McCartney voice. I loved him madly and way more than I loved Paul McCartney. (This was from ages 7 to 10, after my infatuation with Alvin of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" faded but before I discovered Bobby Darin and hard rock, which is now known as "classic rock" because we're oldies ourselves now.) It's kind of sad that he and his sister play racetracks and casinos (sigh--I checked their tour dates, and nothing's near Texas at all) instead of Reunion Arena now, but maybe he saved some of his Monkees money and lives happily on his yacht now. Hope he's happy. I'm still listening to all of his work. I found a place I could buy a CD of his live concert with his sister and some of his books, so I'm hoping Santa doesn't get mad at me for spending money on myself. And again, I'm not saying it's a BAD thing to have to play smaller venues. It's just gotta be a little frustrating, since the Monkees sat on top of the world for a while there. Well, anyway. Whatever.
I always wanted to be in a secret society. As an only child, I had to develop imaginary friends to play "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." with. The Girl Scouts was definitely a capital-c Club, but wasn't very secret, as we wore our uniforms to school every Tuesday and had our meetings in the school cafeteria after school at 3:45. So I never made it into Stink & Clones or Butt & Zones or whatever the secret SMU society is. *sigh*
Yet I managed to remember that The Knight Agency was having a live chat with author Diana Peterfreund last night. Her first novel, due out soon, is about a girl (that's the term THEY used--I would have said "college-age woman" or "collegiate" or even "coed" if you will, not "girl," but they got all upset when I mentioned that) who gets into a secret society at Yale, and the plot has a lot about conspiracies.
I don't know when they have time to do their paperwork over there, because the transcript is already up! But you have to join their Yahoo group to see the files. Go to their website (which I linked in the proper HTML way up there, not here on the words "their website" the way you're not supposed to do) for details.
I got to ask a couple of questions.
12/8/05 21:16:26 shalanna
Were you ever in a secret society? Or was that just something you always wished you could do? Also, where did you find critique partners? I can't find any pros to exchange with, and most ppl don't know what to look for.
12/8/05 21:17:01 Diana
CPs are a trial and error thing. One of my CPs and I hooked up through my local chapter of RWA. We exchanged books, and both hated the other's work. A few months later, we went out to dinner together and talked about OTHER projects, and both got really excited.
12/8/05 21:17:22 shalanna: *grin*
12/8/05 21:17:23 Diana: My other CP, Marley, was part of a larger group of CPs I met through EHarlequin about two years ago. The group failed, but Marley and I kept on, especially after we met at the RWA conference and hit it off. I don't tend to trust people fully until I meet them in person. So that's important. But trial and error. Marley is the best. She pitched Secret Society Girl for me before she'd even read it. She just "knew".
Neither of my CPs, by the way, are published YET. Marley is another of Deidre's clients, so I expect any day now. My other CP has won a billion awards, but she has a problem with actually SUBMITTING. We have to get on her about that.
And:
12/8/05 21:48:01 shalanna
How did you know when you were through with revisions? I could go on tweaking forever. Truman Capote once spent a morning putting a comma in, and the afternoon taking it out. So when do we say, "It's in final form!" Often I just get sick of the thing and say I can't stand to look at it again. . .. but there must be a better way! Some people do a draft that's almost like a screenplay, then go back to add color and "senses," then go back to add thoughts and descriptions. Layering. Is that your way, or not? (It's not mine either--I just think of bits I need to put in or fix)
12/8/05 21:48:19 Diana: Um, it's done the first time when it's on deadline. [Her first book was sold on a partial, and she started out on deadline!--SC] It's done with editor requested revisions when I've resolved or explained everything Kerri [Her editor at Bantam Dell--SC] asked about. Before it's contracted, it's done when you are taking in and putting out commas or when you can't stand to look at it. Kerri can tell you how I'd still change things if I could.
12/8/05 21:49:21 shalanna: You're Mozart, I'm Beethoven--**GRIN** Yours just poured out, mine is worked over like the Bayeux tapestry (GRIN) But I want to hear about the secret society. There was a conspiracy during the last election, you know--both candidates were Yalies from You Know What and Bones.
12/8/05 22:04:13 Diana: yes, shalanna. That was definitely an inspiration, that both Bush and Kerry were Bonesmen. You'll see in the book. This book is all about conspiracy theories ... anything you've heard of.
12/8/05 22:05:03 shalanna: Conspiracies? FNORD I know of no Illuminati
Not everyone will get that last bit. It's from Robert Anton Wilson and the Illuminati trilogy. The word FNORD is central to his conspiracy theories. But that's too much to go into. You could look it up (but don't bother unless you really are into conspiracy theories that aren't films with Mel Gibson . . . that was a fairly well-constructed film, too, except I wished they could have used a word other than "Geronimo." That was silly.)
I'm still a bit skeptical of getting on a romance list and asking to exchange work. I've been in critique circles with category romance authors before. They have a little checklist to go down to make sure you're keeping up the sexual tension, et al, and that's not appropriate for other kinds of books. Also, whenever I deal with romance writers, they want me to rewrite stuff so it's as florid as the stuff in some published category books.
Seriously. On the GEnie RT critique group, they used to tell me to do stuff like change "The smell of burned piecrust filled the kitchen" to "The stink of burned piecrust assaulted her nostrils as she entered the kitchen" and such like. Ever since then, I've had an aversion to having my nostrils assaulted. Plus, that doesn't really describe the same event.
Yes, yes, YES to the sentiment redaxe expresses here.
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-10 03:03 am (UTC)Right now, Smashmouth has to pay him royalties for the "So I saw her face - I'm a Believer" song
I used to LOVE watching the Monkies TV show. Mickey had the voice, but they all had alot of charisma.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 02:33 am (UTC)But "I'm a Believer" is by Neil Diamond, so he's the one who'll get any royalties from the Smashmouth cover . . . (they also covered some other song I loved from that era recently, I think). I still hope that Micky gets some money from the CDs that sell now and from others who cover various songs. He wrote "Randy Scouse Git" on the "Headquarter" album, and perhaps "Goin' Down" and a few others, so there's a possiblity. The first two albums that the Monkees made were mostly songs by Neil Diamond, Boyce and Hart ("Last Train to Clarksville"), and other hitmakers. Mike Nesmith wrote several of the country-flavored songs on later albums. He went on to have a solo career, but I didn't really follow it. mea culpa.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-10 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 02:26 am (UTC)I am the only other person who doesn't really care much for SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, either. At least she doesn't get run over by a taxi. But it just didn't ring true for me.
Old movies have this winsome quality about them. You know they're removed from reality, but they show the way that we wish things COULD be, the way we want them to end. They show the ending that resonates for us and fulfill their story promise (more often than newer films, IMHO). I know they're sometimes sappy, but ten to one I'll like an older film way more than a remake of it and more than a comparable new film.
We did see the remake of STEPFORD WIVES and thought it was kind of cute, though, especially in the first 2/3 before it got outlandish (around the time that you thought the wife went voluntarily to be turned into a robot) and tried to say that you could just press the UNDO button from afar and fix everything. . . .
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 11:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-14 08:50 am (UTC)...and yet I do it anyway... LOL
pie crust
Date: 2006-01-07 02:49 am (UTC)It sure doesn't!
Good grief. I'd probably say "The kitchen was full of burnt piecrust smell" or "The kitchen smelled of burnt piecrust" or "She hurried back to the kitchen -- woops, the piecrust had burnt." Which atleast sounds kind of romancey. Or maybe "The whole kitchen was thick with smoke -- burnt piecrust probably."