OOPS! NAUGHTY!

One of the main reasons for this blog is to do a little self-monitoring of my own writing and I just realized that I haven’t even addressed that yet. I think I have gotten side-tracked and am just enjoying the aspect of writing, whether it is a story or a blog. Oh well, I believe it is the mantra of the unpublished writer – there’s always tomorrow.

Watch THIS!

One of my favorites right now is Stardust and I cannot wait to own this movie on DVD. I am not sure why it grabbed me and pulled me in (though the leading actor is a hottie and who can complain about something with Michelle Pfeiffer – I love her and have forgiven her for Frankie and Johnny). I thoroughly enjoyed this movie so much that I rushed right out to get the book and read it. Another enjoyable book. It was interesting to see how much they changed from the book to the movie (and it was significant), but the changes made sense to me to make the movie book. Both are enjoyable and worth the time.

3:10 To Yuma. I have to admit, I am not always the biggest fan of westerns. I thought Unforgiven was okay, but not spectacular, I didn’t really like Dances with Wolves, Silverado, and many of the other great westerns of our days. Some of the old John Wayne ones, I have to admit I enjoy, but wonder if some of that has more to do with childhood nostalgia than taste (my friend Ed would probably shoot me for that one). But I enjoyed 3:10 To Yuma – it actually took me a little longer than I thought it should to become interested in it, but once I was interested, it grabbed me and had me sitting on the edge of my seat.

I am really looking forward to the new movie coming soon Across The Universe – it’s listed as ‘not playing in your area’ but doesn’t have a release date – but it really looks like my type of movie. August Rush is another that I am loving the previews for and looking forward to getting to see.

I was thrilled to get an old family favorite that was on HBO or Showtime a lot when we first got cable called O’Hara’s Wife. I recently obtained it from my Blockbuster Total Access and was tickled to get to see it again – the ending still makes me sob. I need to find the song that is played throughout it that starts out ‘somebody lied to me…’

I also watch a lot of television - but it just seems too early in the season to start listing the shows I am watching, it would probably be easier (but much less interesting) to list what I am not watching. Maybe another day.

LISTEN TO THIS!

My favorites that I can’t stop listening to right now (when I am not listening to a book) are the new Rascal Flatts – I was disappointed in their last cd – it only had one song that I absolutely loved, and I know there were some hits from it, but it wasn’t up to the standards set by their earlier cd’s. This one I believe makes up for it, my favorite song so far – No Reins, least favorite – Bob that Head.

Melissa Etheridge’s new cd is amazing, I am so excited she came out with something new – and talk about someone who rewards her fans for their long wait – there are 16 tracks on this cd. Favorite song on it Message to Myself – funniest song Threesome – her wife, Tammy’s blog talks about this song and how it came to be.

A friend gave me a copy of Celine Dion’s new cd – not the one that is coming out in November, but one that came out earlier this year and is in French. It’s not being released in the US – which is unfortunate. I think there are people like me who simply love her voice and even though I don’t understand a word of the cd (you would think I would have a better grasp with 2 years of friend over 25 years ago in high school, but I don’t). I love this cd and am thrilled to be hearing her voice again.

Queen Latifa's is nice - not into the rap stuff, so this is a pleasant surprise.

Reba's Duet's is fantastic. I love Reba - with her first song being that duet with Kelly Clarkson, I feared it would be a cd full of remakes, but it isn't. I haven't investigated, but my initial thought is that all song's but Kelly's are new ones. I love the cd - the duet she does with Justin Timberlake is wonderful, as are several others on the cd. Her duet with LeAnn Rimes is really nice too - LeAnn has one coming out soon that I am interested in also. The duet with Faith Hill is really nice too - a little sad, it's two women singing about being married to a police officer.

CD's I am looking for in the next month: Brooks and Dunn: Cowboy Town, Faith Hill: Hits, Matchbox Twenty: Exile on Mainstream, Josh Groban: Noel, LeAnn Rimes: Family, Sara Evans: Greatest Hits, Jennifer Lopez: Brave, Toby Keith: A Classic Christmas, Santana: Ultimate Santana, Carrie Underwood: Carnival Ride, and finally, Celine Dion's Taking Chances.

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Okay, I have to admit, I am a firm believer in the importance of reading the book – I love holding the book, seeing the words on the page, noticing the type of paper that was used as well as the type of print that they used in the book. I don’t know it is Anne Rice (because we are like this – self high five-ing in the air, then jumping a little to bump chests while throwing our arms down to our sides and back a little so as they will not get in the way) who got me interested in this aspect, or if I was always interested in it. Now don’t start quizzing me, I don’t sit there and fact check to learn the type style and the paper used, I just know if I like it or not. For those of you who are not Anne Rice aficionados – she would often identify the paper she chose for the book and the type of print – she would often explain why she had felt it was appropriate.

Anyway – I do love the actual book, but lately I have become almost obsessed with audio books. I have used them in the past, but found the changing of the tape to be too annoying, lol. Especially when tapes went out of style. Then came cd’s and I still couldn’t really get into it, but now we are in the age of the MP3 player and I love my ZUNE!!! I have been loading audio books on it and I love it. I often still own the book I am reading, because I really do love that piece of the book, but during the work day and while I am driving I listen to the story (oddly enough these times do not tend to actually work out for me pulling out a book and picking up my reading, however, my ZUNE – oh yea!). Only the unabridged versions, so when I want to read it, I can find my place in the book.

Currently I am in the process of reading Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman. I was reading their book Black House – and while I believe the two books were written so they could be independent from each other, I was noticing some reference back to The Talisman, and I thought, I should go ahead and read it first. I tried reading it years ago when it first came out, but it didn’t grab me at the time, so I moved on. (Often when I am not passionate about reading a book, I pretty much give them the first 50 pages to pull me in, or I put it away for another day).

I am also reading Dean Koontz’s One Door Away From Heaven. I have recently become very focused on Mr. Koontz and his books – I have been a fan of his for a long time, but sometimes feel the endings become a little too ‘feel goody’ and I don’t always need that in a thriller. I believe until recently his book Lightening was my favorite of his – and now I am a huge fan of Odd Thomas. I hope when they put that onscreen (and I believe it is a story that was meant to be put onscreen) they do it justice (unlike many of Koontz’s made for television movies that have come out). Odd Thomas is one of those characters who grabbed me in right away – I thought I wasn’t going to like him (I have no idea why), but I grew to love him. The first two of the Odd Thomas series were my favorites and I shed some tears at the end (okay I sobbed like a little girl pushed off of the teeter-totter at school) of the first one, and the second one provoked tears, too. The third didn’t grab me as much, but I enjoyed the new direction we are being led (I hope – I pray there will be another Odd Thomas book).

And lastly (I tend to have several books going at the same time), Gregory Maguire’s new book, What the Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy. I am fascinated by the way this man has been able to keep the fairy tale alive in new and inventive ways.

I love to read (and write), I just wish that I ran with a circle that read some of what I am reading - not a lot of people who are able to discuss it. I had fallen away from reading too many books - last year I realized that it probably had more to do with my eye-sight than I had thought (when you have to hold the book 2 feet away, put your glasses on the edge of your nose and look down at the book as it is angled just right - time for reading glasses or -shiver- bi-focals). I am finding more people that have read some of what I am reading - would love to find/start a reading group which is interested in the books I am reading (when I want to read them - lol - too much to ask, I am sure).

(downtown) Omaha LitFest

I attended it this past weekend and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I admit that I did not attend the first day as it was the announcement of the Omaha Reads book (and I admit 10 a.m. was too early for an extra day off). Then I planned on going down but had so much to do around the house and when I saw it was a day of poetry readings, I was honestly okay with missing out on it. It is exciting to note that the Omaha Reads book is one by Timothy Schaffert who is also the man who is in charge of the (downtown) Omaha LitFest. His book The Singing and Dancing Daughters of God was chose as the book Omaha is reading this year.

The second day I was up early (okay I didn’t make it there by 10 a.m. either, but I did get there in time to enjoy some of the first panel of the day. The panel thing was very interesting to me – I loved the topics and heard some very interesting and dynamic speakers. Some of the topics I enjoyed most were: Literary Failure and Literary Feuds: The Panel about Anxiety; Up from the Gutter: How to Cultivate a Cult Following; The Grimm Reality: The Panel about Re-inventing the Fairy Tale; and Sex in the Library: The Panel about Canoodling on the Page.

There were really some dynamic personalities up there:

The first on who really grabbed my attention was Sean Doolittle who writes what appears to be mystery detective series, I was drawn to purchase one of his books because I was really drawn to his personality. He wasn’t afraid to hold back, seemed like a very opinionated and just a fun guy. You know the kind of person you meet and think ‘I’d like someone like him in my circle of friends.’ Hopefully that’s not to stalker-like.

Another writer who grabbed my interests and oddly enough ended up on three of the panels that I sat in one was Dallas Hudgens, – who has one published book and another coming out soon. His book is one that I will eventually purchase and read. I heard a couple of short readings from him (the opening paragraph and the lovemaking scene – which I have to say was so descriptive, but subtle and for a straight scene – it really aroused this gay man.)What was facinating was I don't think he used any of the typical descriptions for making love and yet it was so arousing. He was rather amusing when he shared that he has written two books and many other credits, and 'only one love scene,' yet here he sat on the panel about 'canoodling on the page.'He totally provoked in me a challenge to write my own love scene without being so obvious.

Amy Guth appears to have a great cult following already and I could really see why - hers was one of the first blog’s that I rushed home to read and will definitely get a posted on this blog (as soon as I remember how to do that). Her books are appealing too, but I have to admit will not rush to be in my reading pile because they appear to be more along the lines of ‘chic-lit’ to me. I might totally offend her saying that, but…

Carolyn Turgeon has me totally enthralled with her new book that will be coming out in the future – it’s about Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother – who switches places with Cinderella as she falls in love with the prince and wants her happily everafter – I am so excited for this approach. This is one of the most creative aspects of writing that I believe to be out there right now – taking stories with know and doing a ‘other side of the story.’ Gregory McGuire does an exceptional job of this in Wicked and Tales of a Evil Step-sister.

Debra DiBlasi was very intriguing also – it happened that I sat a table away from her at JAZZ when I snuck away for lunch and while I had a feeling she was one of the writers who would appear on a panel – I didn’t have the courage to approach and ask. Her writings are very unique and experimental, but one of those that I know I will find myself having to check out.

Jami Attenberg was another author who grabbed my attention. I liked what she read and some of the things she had to say. Like I say, 'she grabbed my attention,' but I am not sure where I stand with her. There was one panel she sat on where it appeared she tried to come off as too much of an expert and it was her way or no way. She had an 'interesting' debate with another woman on the panel which was more than a little frustrating for me as an observer - because it came across as if she was dismissing the other womans thoughts and views on the subject matter and she took a 'stand' against something the woman said (which I think had to do with sex on the pages also depends some on the age of the reader - and that is stated rather loosely). I do think she has some interesting things to say though, and worth checking out. She has an amazing website that impressed the hell out of me.

Monica Drake was another author I found interesting. But some of that was the history she comes with and who she knows she is friends of Chuck Palahniuk who wrote The Fight Club and many other greats - she talked of his website, which if I remember right, just ended up winning the an award from Writer's Digest for self-promotion and the many other things it does. She spoke of his site - The Cult which you can take all sorts of writing lessons and such for really reasonable prices. She was thrilled when he asked her to teach a class on there at one time.

I can already not wait for next year. My only ‘concerns’ were that it would be nice to have the panels in rooms so the outside distractions would not affect the ability to hear as much. I would almost like to see more opportunities for the published to interact with the non-published. At this time I don’t see any ways that that could happen – but the panels were pretty much back to back and I am sure I would be in the same boat – but the published appeared to be drawn to each other and the few moments for interactions that there were, the awkwardness of approaching a group of the published to ask questions or share thoughts, seemed too awkward.

It was interesting when I was riding up the elevator with a couple of the authors – and one woman comment on what a ‘imposter?/phony’ she felt like when she sat on the panel. The other guy commented that that is not a feeling that goes away for awhile – he has been doing this for awhile and he stills feels that way when he’s expected to present as if he were an expert.

My thoughts and hopes – one day I will be there on a panel. I can’t wait.

Getting to Know Me...

I have done some blogging in the past and have one that is a little more risqué – sharing a little more about myself than I really want my family and co-workers knowing about. (If you are really interested – you can email me for it and I might share with a select few – it’s just been a while since I have posted on it - for a numerous amount of reason - so I hesitate to get you intrigued by it). Anyhow, I am starting this blog that focuses on the arts – both mine and what I am interested in.

I am trying to become more disciplined in my writing, so this blog for my writing website (http://www.writebrainit.net), will ideally aid in this. I hope to do a few things with this blog – share some of what has captured my interests at the moment and share how my own writing is progressing.

The website is on hold for awhile – at least until I figure out what I want to do with it and learn how to design it. I had a website – writebrainit.com with a couple of friends/co-workers in the past – where we showcased some of our writing and attempted to promote some other writers, contests and websites. The buddy that was the webmaster of the site let the domain expire and we have had hell getting it back, they are no longer interested in running the website together, but I thought of the name and loved it, so I am hoping to maintain it. However, I have just recently learned that the way contests and publishers are going – the majority of them are now considering that anything published online, is considered published. This frustrates me to no end because now much of what I have written in the past, is limited in the markets I can present it to. Oh well, it’s all about the learning isn’t it.

I have a lot that I have planned to write for the blog, but will probably spread it out a little as I don’t want to set up potential readers to expect daily blogs…but 'wouldn’t it be lover-ly.' (Name the movie).