Yesterday, I had a job interview downtown for a major investment bank for a long-term temp assignment working for a group of research analysts. I don't really know downtown very well, so I asked the counsellor to give me either the cross streets or an exact address for where I was going apart from just telling me 'New York Plaza'. Do you know what she told me? She told me to look it up on Mapquest! Now, since she's the one giving me the information about the job, don't you think it would be a good idea for her to give me the correct information, not make me look it up myself? When I told her that I didn't have Mapquest, not having easy access to the Internet, she told me that it was somewhere near the Staten Island ferry! Yeah, that helped alot.
That's not the only thing I don't understand. Here are a few things I just don't get.
1) Why do men feel the need to spread the legs wide when they're sitting on the train? Are they advertising? Well whatever they're advertising, I'm not buying. Train seats are small enough as it is, without having to share space with someone else's legs as well. How hard could it be to just close your legs a bit, so that people can sit down.
2) socks or pantyhose with sandals. This I just don't get, particularly socks. It's just not a good look, and if your office makes you wear pantyhose in the summer, don't wear sandals, it just doesn't look right. And doesn't it defeat the whole purpose of wearing sandals?
3) Now that Heidi Klum is married to Seal, does she stop having a last name? Is she just Heidi now?
4) Diddy, formerly known as Puff Daddy, and P.Diddy. Was it absolutely necessary to make the MTV video awards all about you? Giving away a watch, giving $100,000 to charity to the best-dressed male and female, dragging poor MC Hammer out of retirement, and another long-drawn out tribute to Biggie, just to show off your mediocre dance skills?
5) Does Pam Anderson ever wear clothes?
6) Jessica Alba in Honey. Was she supposed to be black? What were they thinking?
7) Redheads who die their hair blonde. What is up with that? Bette Midler, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Kidman have all died their hair blonde. Natural redheads are extremely rare. If you are a redhead you stand out in a crowd. Why mess with that?
8) Young stars who go from normal to emaciated in a heartbeat. You can't tell me that Nicole Ritchie and Lindsay Lohan got that thin just from eating right and exercising.
9) Birth - the movie. This was probably the creepiest, nastiest, most uncomfortable, borderline Mary Kay Letourneau movie I have ever seen. I have no idea what Nicole Kidman or the director was thinking when they made this movie. All I know is that I had to take a bath afterward.
These are just a few of the things that I just don't get. There are more, but I'm running out of time on the computer.
In the meantime, write on!
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Facing your fears
I admit it, I've been procrastinating on writing lately because I've been afraid to write. I know the manuscript that I've been sending out, needs not only major revisions, but it's missing something, and I'm not quite sure what it is. I worry that I'm never going to fix the problems, and that I should just move on and let this manuscript go, but something keeps bringing me back to it. Nora Roberts said that she wrestles her novels to the ground, that she never gives up on a story, and I guess that's how I feel about this book.
I've gotten over my fear that I could never write another book, by writing the paranormal that I wrote at the beginning of the year, so that's one fear down.
The new manuscript that I've been toying with the past couple of months, I'm afraid to write it, despite the fact that I know that I have a great high concept idea, and that the book could be the one that sells.
Why am I so afraid? Well, this book is different from all the other books that I've written. It's more personal, and I'm afraid that I don't have the skills to balance the humor and the serious parts of the book.
I read Dixieland Sushi by Cara Lockwood recently, which is a little bit similar to what I'm writing, and I just loved the way that she wove in the humor with the more serious themes of the book, what it was like to grow-up, half-Asian in the deep south. So of course, that just intimidated me more.
I haven't been idle. I did read the critique that one of chapter members wrote after he read the first 100 pages of Nearly Famous. I agreed with most of his comments, so now I have to go back in and fix the first 100 pages, which will now be sans 6, that I'm now cutting. So it's a start. And I've certainly be occupying my time doing research for the book. I just need to sit down and give myself permission to write crap. I still want to try and have the rough draft down in a month, but I just need to remind myself that it doesn't need to be perfect yet, it just has to be written.
Of course, I could always work on that other paranormal that I've been kicking around. I also have to get off my butt in terms of emailing the 4 agents that still have my partial. It's been over 2 months now, and I haven't heard anything which could be a good thing or a bad thing. I just have to get over my fear of being rejected and find out what's going on, before I implode.
I've gotten over my fear that I could never write another book, by writing the paranormal that I wrote at the beginning of the year, so that's one fear down.
The new manuscript that I've been toying with the past couple of months, I'm afraid to write it, despite the fact that I know that I have a great high concept idea, and that the book could be the one that sells.
Why am I so afraid? Well, this book is different from all the other books that I've written. It's more personal, and I'm afraid that I don't have the skills to balance the humor and the serious parts of the book.
I read Dixieland Sushi by Cara Lockwood recently, which is a little bit similar to what I'm writing, and I just loved the way that she wove in the humor with the more serious themes of the book, what it was like to grow-up, half-Asian in the deep south. So of course, that just intimidated me more.
I haven't been idle. I did read the critique that one of chapter members wrote after he read the first 100 pages of Nearly Famous. I agreed with most of his comments, so now I have to go back in and fix the first 100 pages, which will now be sans 6, that I'm now cutting. So it's a start. And I've certainly be occupying my time doing research for the book. I just need to sit down and give myself permission to write crap. I still want to try and have the rough draft down in a month, but I just need to remind myself that it doesn't need to be perfect yet, it just has to be written.
Of course, I could always work on that other paranormal that I've been kicking around. I also have to get off my butt in terms of emailing the 4 agents that still have my partial. It's been over 2 months now, and I haven't heard anything which could be a good thing or a bad thing. I just have to get over my fear of being rejected and find out what's going on, before I implode.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Bad Day for Bloggers
So there I was, sitting at the library catching up on my celebrity gossip (People, Jude Law cover story, apparently he's an incredible cad who cheated on Sadie during their marriage with various women, but we knew that didn't we?), when my eye was caught by an article that made my blood run cold.
What was this article that sent shivers down my spine? Well, it was an article about employees who had been fired from their jobs for blogging. Yes, for keeping an online journal just like this one. Of course, I should mention that the three employees that were interviewed weren't exactly blameless individuals. All three had blogged about their jobs. One woman had actually posted pictures of herself in her Delta airlines uniform. The lone guy was fired from Google after two weeks. Apparently he thought the company would be cool with his blogging about the inner workings of Google, since they own blogger, but he was wrong.
Jolie in NYC lost a new job at Seventeen magazine, after she was fired by Ladies Home Journal. She was actually about to give her notice at LHJ, when she revealed that she had been approached by a local newspaper who wanted to write about her blog. Don't cry for her, however, she's now represented by the William Morris agency, although she has the nerve to have a button for donations on her site.
I'm facing personal bankruptcy, and I still don't have a donation button, because frankly I would feel wrong soliciting donations on my blog, but hey I may just have to change my feelings on that one.
The moral of this article was basically, if you're blogging, don't write about your job. The article intimated that companies may start having a 'no blogging' policy in their personnel contracts. When I worked at MTV, I never once mentioned the company in my blog, despite the fact that there was alot of really juicy stuff that I could have blogged about. After I was let go by Barclays, I personally deleted every reference to the company from my blog.
2) Don't blog at work, wait until you get home (just to be on the safe side) and 3) don't tell anyone at work that you do blog.
Big brother is definitely watching you.
What was this article that sent shivers down my spine? Well, it was an article about employees who had been fired from their jobs for blogging. Yes, for keeping an online journal just like this one. Of course, I should mention that the three employees that were interviewed weren't exactly blameless individuals. All three had blogged about their jobs. One woman had actually posted pictures of herself in her Delta airlines uniform. The lone guy was fired from Google after two weeks. Apparently he thought the company would be cool with his blogging about the inner workings of Google, since they own blogger, but he was wrong.
Jolie in NYC lost a new job at Seventeen magazine, after she was fired by Ladies Home Journal. She was actually about to give her notice at LHJ, when she revealed that she had been approached by a local newspaper who wanted to write about her blog. Don't cry for her, however, she's now represented by the William Morris agency, although she has the nerve to have a button for donations on her site.
I'm facing personal bankruptcy, and I still don't have a donation button, because frankly I would feel wrong soliciting donations on my blog, but hey I may just have to change my feelings on that one.
The moral of this article was basically, if you're blogging, don't write about your job. The article intimated that companies may start having a 'no blogging' policy in their personnel contracts. When I worked at MTV, I never once mentioned the company in my blog, despite the fact that there was alot of really juicy stuff that I could have blogged about. After I was let go by Barclays, I personally deleted every reference to the company from my blog.
2) Don't blog at work, wait until you get home (just to be on the safe side) and 3) don't tell anyone at work that you do blog.
Big brother is definitely watching you.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Rome
Okay, I've just found yet another TV show that I could easily become addicted to, HBO's new series Rome. I was lucky enough to see a preview screening of the first two episodes this past Thursday, and it was excellent. I might have to subscribe to HBO now or find someone who has it to tape it for me.
The cast was superb particularly James Purefoy as Marc Antony, and Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd as the two Roman soldiers who unwittingly get involved in the fall of the Roman republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Polly Walker is the mother that no one would ever want to have. The only thing that confused me is why Cato wore dark blue and no shirt compared to all the other members of the senate.
The only thing that bothers me is that critics seem to want to compare Rome to the Sopranos and there really is no comparison, other than the fact that the Sopranos are Italians and Rome deals with Romans (they weren't called Italians yet since Italy wasn't a united country until the 19th century).
Rome is all about power, who has it, who wants, how to get it, how to keep it. There's backstabbing galore, lots of skanky sex, names familiar to anyone who has read Julius Caesar in high school or was forced to take three years of Latin and read Caesar's Gallic Wars in the original (that would be me).
The only show that you can really compare Rome to is the late seventies Masterpiece Theatre presentation of the BBC's, I, Claudius which made a star out of Derek Jacobi and Sian Phillips. Think of Rome as the prequel to I, Claudius since it deals with events that led to Octavian becoming Augustus Caesar.
Who can forget Livia's speech to the Roman gladiators, or John Hurt's performance as Caligula, or Derek Jacobi discovering that his beloved Messalina was nothing but a whore. Like I, Claudius, Rome is filled with British actors that look vaguely familiar to anyone who has spent too much time watching BBC America or Channel 13.
I adored I, Claudius when it was first shown on American television. The program even got me to read Robert Grave's books, I Claudius, and Claudius the God. I can still remember finishing I, Claudius in my room at the Pollack residence halls in Edinburgh where I was staying on my teen tour of the UK.
The only American TV programs that Rome could concievably be compared to are Dynasty and Dallas, soap operas about the power plays and backstabbing among the rich and even richer.
If you don't have HBO, find a friend who does to tape it for you, because you won't want to wait until it comes out on DVD.
The cast was superb particularly James Purefoy as Marc Antony, and Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd as the two Roman soldiers who unwittingly get involved in the fall of the Roman republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Polly Walker is the mother that no one would ever want to have. The only thing that confused me is why Cato wore dark blue and no shirt compared to all the other members of the senate.
The only thing that bothers me is that critics seem to want to compare Rome to the Sopranos and there really is no comparison, other than the fact that the Sopranos are Italians and Rome deals with Romans (they weren't called Italians yet since Italy wasn't a united country until the 19th century).
Rome is all about power, who has it, who wants, how to get it, how to keep it. There's backstabbing galore, lots of skanky sex, names familiar to anyone who has read Julius Caesar in high school or was forced to take three years of Latin and read Caesar's Gallic Wars in the original (that would be me).
The only show that you can really compare Rome to is the late seventies Masterpiece Theatre presentation of the BBC's, I, Claudius which made a star out of Derek Jacobi and Sian Phillips. Think of Rome as the prequel to I, Claudius since it deals with events that led to Octavian becoming Augustus Caesar.
Who can forget Livia's speech to the Roman gladiators, or John Hurt's performance as Caligula, or Derek Jacobi discovering that his beloved Messalina was nothing but a whore. Like I, Claudius, Rome is filled with British actors that look vaguely familiar to anyone who has spent too much time watching BBC America or Channel 13.
I adored I, Claudius when it was first shown on American television. The program even got me to read Robert Grave's books, I Claudius, and Claudius the God. I can still remember finishing I, Claudius in my room at the Pollack residence halls in Edinburgh where I was staying on my teen tour of the UK.
The only American TV programs that Rome could concievably be compared to are Dynasty and Dallas, soap operas about the power plays and backstabbing among the rich and even richer.
If you don't have HBO, find a friend who does to tape it for you, because you won't want to wait until it comes out on DVD.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Things I'm grateful for
Since yesterday, I blogged about what a crappy time I've been having, I thought that today, I would list the things that I am grateful for.
1. I'm grateful for my parents. Although they are no longer with me, I still believe that I feel their presence, and that they protect me, sort of guardian angels. They weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they gave me much love and a great deal of encouragement. They believed that I could do or be anything that I wanted to be.
2. I'm grateful that I have a place to live, a roof over my head, that I can still afford. Another legacy from my parents.
3. I'm grateful to my friends, both past and present. For putting up me with in all my moods, for being their for me, for teaching me how to be a friend. Even those friends who are no longer in my life, for whatever reason, still taught be a valuable lesson.
4. I'm grateful for the NYPL for having computers that I can use on a daily basis, to send out resumes, read my email, and to update this blog. Also, for allowing me the opportunity to read as much as I want without breaking the bank, and also for the DVD and video collection that keeps me entertained catching up on all the blockbusters that I refused to spend $10.50 for.
5. I'm grateful to my chapter for electing me President. Although I may bitch and moan and complain sometimes, I'm grateful for their support and their faith in me. And also their friendship.
6. I'm grateful that I live in one of the greatest cities in the world. Yes, it's expensive, yes, Times Square has turned into Disneyland, but I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world (apart from London). Just the sheer madness of the city keeps me alive and kicking.
7. I'm grateful to all the men that I have loved in my life, from my first boyfriend to the last great love of my life (thus far) for helping me to become the woman that I am.
8. I'm grateful (knock on wood) that I have never had a serious accident, that I have never had a life threatening disease, that I've never broken any bones or needed to spend anytime in the hospital as a patient since the day I was born.
9. I'm grateful for unemployment insurance.
10. Most of all I'm grateful for being alive.
1. I'm grateful for my parents. Although they are no longer with me, I still believe that I feel their presence, and that they protect me, sort of guardian angels. They weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they gave me much love and a great deal of encouragement. They believed that I could do or be anything that I wanted to be.
2. I'm grateful that I have a place to live, a roof over my head, that I can still afford. Another legacy from my parents.
3. I'm grateful to my friends, both past and present. For putting up me with in all my moods, for being their for me, for teaching me how to be a friend. Even those friends who are no longer in my life, for whatever reason, still taught be a valuable lesson.
4. I'm grateful for the NYPL for having computers that I can use on a daily basis, to send out resumes, read my email, and to update this blog. Also, for allowing me the opportunity to read as much as I want without breaking the bank, and also for the DVD and video collection that keeps me entertained catching up on all the blockbusters that I refused to spend $10.50 for.
5. I'm grateful to my chapter for electing me President. Although I may bitch and moan and complain sometimes, I'm grateful for their support and their faith in me. And also their friendship.
6. I'm grateful that I live in one of the greatest cities in the world. Yes, it's expensive, yes, Times Square has turned into Disneyland, but I still wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world (apart from London). Just the sheer madness of the city keeps me alive and kicking.
7. I'm grateful to all the men that I have loved in my life, from my first boyfriend to the last great love of my life (thus far) for helping me to become the woman that I am.
8. I'm grateful (knock on wood) that I have never had a serious accident, that I have never had a life threatening disease, that I've never broken any bones or needed to spend anytime in the hospital as a patient since the day I was born.
9. I'm grateful for unemployment insurance.
10. Most of all I'm grateful for being alive.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Swimming in Muck
I can't write. I don't mean that I'm incapable of writing, I mean that my life is so much in the crapper right now, that I can't muster up the will to sit down in front of the computer and write.
I don't know about other people, but when I'm depressed or upset, I can't write. Other people seem able to get through their personal crises and continue to write, but not me. Getting out of bed in the morning is hard when you're suffering from depression, letting alone trying to write about other people. This blog is about all I'm able to manage at the moment.
When my father died five years ago, I lost six months of writing time because I was grieving. When my brother passed, I was in a writing workshop, so I managed to push through and write the seven pages that were required but it was tough, let me tell you, and I don't think that what I wrote was particularly good.
Right now, I'm treading water, trying to get my head above it, and not drowning, so all my focus is on that. I've been so consumed with my own crap, that I completely screwed up a really great friendship, because I couldn't think about anything other than my own needs. A friend really needed me to be there for her, but I just couldn't do it. My mind was too consumed by me, me, me.
Doesn't that just suck, which is another contributing factor to my not being able to write anything beyond the most mundane of subjects like gossip and royalty.
I'm an incredibly emotional person, a water sign, and my emotions fluctuate like water, sometimes calm, sometimes stormy, mainly choppy waters. So, until I feel calmer, like my life is under control, I can't write anything fictional.
So bear with me everyone. My entries might be a bit weird for awhile until I sort things out. I have a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C, and then rock bottom plan which chiefly consists of my either selling a kidney on the black market or selling my underwear over the internet (Hey, don't judge me! A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do). Hopefully, it won't come to that.
I don't know about other people, but when I'm depressed or upset, I can't write. Other people seem able to get through their personal crises and continue to write, but not me. Getting out of bed in the morning is hard when you're suffering from depression, letting alone trying to write about other people. This blog is about all I'm able to manage at the moment.
When my father died five years ago, I lost six months of writing time because I was grieving. When my brother passed, I was in a writing workshop, so I managed to push through and write the seven pages that were required but it was tough, let me tell you, and I don't think that what I wrote was particularly good.
Right now, I'm treading water, trying to get my head above it, and not drowning, so all my focus is on that. I've been so consumed with my own crap, that I completely screwed up a really great friendship, because I couldn't think about anything other than my own needs. A friend really needed me to be there for her, but I just couldn't do it. My mind was too consumed by me, me, me.
Doesn't that just suck, which is another contributing factor to my not being able to write anything beyond the most mundane of subjects like gossip and royalty.
I'm an incredibly emotional person, a water sign, and my emotions fluctuate like water, sometimes calm, sometimes stormy, mainly choppy waters. So, until I feel calmer, like my life is under control, I can't write anything fictional.
So bear with me everyone. My entries might be a bit weird for awhile until I sort things out. I have a plan A, a plan B, and a plan C, and then rock bottom plan which chiefly consists of my either selling a kidney on the black market or selling my underwear over the internet (Hey, don't judge me! A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do). Hopefully, it won't come to that.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Raving about Royalty
I love Royalty. I free admit it. The English royal family are fascinating to me. I love reading about Charles, Camilla, Diana, the Queen, Princes William and Harry, even the minor royals like The Duke and Duchess of Kent, Gloucester, and Princess Michael of Kent. I pick up anything that has them on the cover. And I don't just love the English Royal Family. I love the royal family of Monaco most of all. Prince Albert, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. Poor Princess Stephanie, her life hasn't gone right since the car accident that killed her mother, Princess Grace, Grace Kelly of Philadelphia, oscar winning actress and Princess.
I'll even watch shows about the other royal families of Europe. E! did a two hour special on the young royals. Guess who watched? Me, that's who. Even though Greece doesn't have a monarchy, I'm still interested in what's going on with the exiled royals in England. Even though the former King of Greece doesn't have a country, he's still treated like a King and invited everywhere. Of course it helps, when your sister is married to the King of Spain, and your sister-in-law is the Queen of Denmark. They certainly can't let you starve and live in less than swell digs.
Maybe I just have tiara envy, all those crown jewels just make me salivate. Not that they get to wear them all the time, but who can go to the Tower of England and look at the crown jewels and not wonder what a crown would feel like on your head. Maybe it's all the fairytales I read as a kid, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella. They all landed their own prince, even Beauty and the Beast.
Of course their lives are not their own. They're on display constantly. Even the royal families of Denmark, Holland, and Sweden get their fair share of publicity. They're often unhappy (Princess Diana, the Duchess of York, Princess Grace etc.) but they have to appear to be happy, although nowadays there isn't as much shame about getting a divorce. Ask Princess Stephanie or Prince Joachim of Denmark.
I especially love movies and books about royalty. Not just biographies but fiction as well. Although the Prince & Me starring Julia Stiles was ridiculous. 20/20 did a special on the young royals, and showed Prince Frederik of Denmark a clip from the movie which is supposed to be about the Crown Prince of Denmark, although in the movie Denmark has a King which is doesn't in real life. The Prince was highly amused by the fictional Prince of Denmark. Loved the Princess Diaries movie, despite the changes they made to the book, but the sequel looked like it was filmed on Disney's backlot at Epcot.
My favorite royalty books are the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot and Nicole Burnham/Niki Burnham's royalty series for Silhouette Romance and Pocket Books. They are the only two who come even close to replicating what probably really goes on behind palace walls.
Now WE has a series called American Princesses. Only it's not really about Princesses, it's about 10 American women who get to live in a fabulous manor in England, schmooze among high society and attend Ascot and the winner gets $50,000 and a title, like Kathryn Falk's title, Lady of Barrow.
I so wish I could be on this show. I would run rings around these women. I have never seen so many completely clueless women in my life. They give new meaning to the phrase ugly americans.
Anyway, does anyone have royalty fantasies?
I'll even watch shows about the other royal families of Europe. E! did a two hour special on the young royals. Guess who watched? Me, that's who. Even though Greece doesn't have a monarchy, I'm still interested in what's going on with the exiled royals in England. Even though the former King of Greece doesn't have a country, he's still treated like a King and invited everywhere. Of course it helps, when your sister is married to the King of Spain, and your sister-in-law is the Queen of Denmark. They certainly can't let you starve and live in less than swell digs.
Maybe I just have tiara envy, all those crown jewels just make me salivate. Not that they get to wear them all the time, but who can go to the Tower of England and look at the crown jewels and not wonder what a crown would feel like on your head. Maybe it's all the fairytales I read as a kid, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella. They all landed their own prince, even Beauty and the Beast.
Of course their lives are not their own. They're on display constantly. Even the royal families of Denmark, Holland, and Sweden get their fair share of publicity. They're often unhappy (Princess Diana, the Duchess of York, Princess Grace etc.) but they have to appear to be happy, although nowadays there isn't as much shame about getting a divorce. Ask Princess Stephanie or Prince Joachim of Denmark.
I especially love movies and books about royalty. Not just biographies but fiction as well. Although the Prince & Me starring Julia Stiles was ridiculous. 20/20 did a special on the young royals, and showed Prince Frederik of Denmark a clip from the movie which is supposed to be about the Crown Prince of Denmark, although in the movie Denmark has a King which is doesn't in real life. The Prince was highly amused by the fictional Prince of Denmark. Loved the Princess Diaries movie, despite the changes they made to the book, but the sequel looked like it was filmed on Disney's backlot at Epcot.
My favorite royalty books are the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot and Nicole Burnham/Niki Burnham's royalty series for Silhouette Romance and Pocket Books. They are the only two who come even close to replicating what probably really goes on behind palace walls.
Now WE has a series called American Princesses. Only it's not really about Princesses, it's about 10 American women who get to live in a fabulous manor in England, schmooze among high society and attend Ascot and the winner gets $50,000 and a title, like Kathryn Falk's title, Lady of Barrow.
I so wish I could be on this show. I would run rings around these women. I have never seen so many completely clueless women in my life. They give new meaning to the phrase ugly americans.
Anyway, does anyone have royalty fantasies?
Monday, August 22, 2005
Random Thoughts
Hey! This is just another quickie in between sending out resumes. It sucks when you only get 45 minutes to use the internet. You start to realize just how much you rely on the Internet, and exactly how much time you really spent everyday on the computer doing absolutely nothing, and how much I really miss it.
So, Madonna had a riding accident shortly before her 47th birthday. Ouch! This is why I don't ride anything that is significantly bigger than me, that can kill me if it fell on me. What is ironic is that Madonna, after telling the media that she was having Rocco in an American hospital because British hospitals were so antiquated and Victorian, had to rely on a British hospital after her accident. Hmm! Just makes you think doesn't it?
P. Diddy has changed his name to just Diddy. Apparently the P was coming in between his fans. Yes, he actually said that. Another WTF moment in the world of celebrities.
Anyone surprised that Courtney Love was ordered back into rehab? I watched just a bit of her the Comedy Central roast of Pamela Anderson, and it was clear that Courtney was either drunk or was back on drugs again. I feel sorry for her daughter, who has to watch her mother struggle with this disease.
And RWA has managed to piss people off once again. Doesn't it seem like every week, you see on the message boards or on the blogs that RWA has done something? First is was the graphical standards, then it was the definition of romance, then it was the debacle of the RITA awards in Reno, the non-mention of Vivien Stephens who founded the organization, TTQ ridiculous apology, and now the Medallion Press open letter to TTQ about Medallion being taken off the RWA approved list. Apparently they found out not from RWA, but from the message boards. How awful is that?
I know how hard it is to be a President. I'm only the President of a local chapter and in less than 9 months, we've lost two members because of internal problems. Being President means that you sometimes have to make unpopular decisions, because I don't think I've seen a President in the 8 years I've been a member who has managed to piss off so many people in such a short amount of time. That takes skill.
So, Madonna had a riding accident shortly before her 47th birthday. Ouch! This is why I don't ride anything that is significantly bigger than me, that can kill me if it fell on me. What is ironic is that Madonna, after telling the media that she was having Rocco in an American hospital because British hospitals were so antiquated and Victorian, had to rely on a British hospital after her accident. Hmm! Just makes you think doesn't it?
P. Diddy has changed his name to just Diddy. Apparently the P was coming in between his fans. Yes, he actually said that. Another WTF moment in the world of celebrities.
Anyone surprised that Courtney Love was ordered back into rehab? I watched just a bit of her the Comedy Central roast of Pamela Anderson, and it was clear that Courtney was either drunk or was back on drugs again. I feel sorry for her daughter, who has to watch her mother struggle with this disease.
And RWA has managed to piss people off once again. Doesn't it seem like every week, you see on the message boards or on the blogs that RWA has done something? First is was the graphical standards, then it was the definition of romance, then it was the debacle of the RITA awards in Reno, the non-mention of Vivien Stephens who founded the organization, TTQ ridiculous apology, and now the Medallion Press open letter to TTQ about Medallion being taken off the RWA approved list. Apparently they found out not from RWA, but from the message boards. How awful is that?
I know how hard it is to be a President. I'm only the President of a local chapter and in less than 9 months, we've lost two members because of internal problems. Being President means that you sometimes have to make unpopular decisions, because I don't think I've seen a President in the 8 years I've been a member who has managed to piss off so many people in such a short amount of time. That takes skill.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
The End of the Road
Well, it's Thursday, and which means that it's been 3 days since my last rejection. Keep your fingers and toes crossed that I have nothing more innocuous in my mailbox this afternoon than my missing RT Book Club magazine. I can't believe how late it's been this month, bloody Mercury in Retrograde screwed everything up.
I finally managed to finish my President's letter for the month, only 3 days late, which is good for me. The one thing that I find tough about being President of my local chapter is the monthly President's letter for the newsletter. You're probably thinking how can she blog every day (practically) and have such a problem with a measly letter.
Well, on my blog I can write about pretty much anything, including my obsessions with Reality TV and British actors. Somehow I think the members are expecting a little bit more from me than that. I try to inspire the members every month, give them useful tidbits about writing gleaned from my own life, or something interesting historically relating to the theme of the month.
This month, I wrote a column about pitching. Since we have our annual Wine & Cheese Reception also known as the Golden Apple Awards, I thought I would share some useful tips when pitching to an editor and agent. Fortunately the reception is a little less nerve-wracking than the editor and agent appointments at National, but it can still be pretty strange.
What normally happens is the members stand on one side of the room and the editors and agents end up standing on the other side, and neither the twain shall meet as it were. My job when I was the Wine & Cheese chair was to make sure that both sides mingled, so I would end up shepherding unsuspecting members over to Ms. Agent or Editor and introducing them, making sure to mention what they might be writing, and then let them take it over from there.
After awhile, and after much wine, people tend to loosen up a bit, and members feel more comfortable pitching their novels to the captive editor or agent.
I can't believe that summer is almost over and I've done almost nothing on writing my new novel apart from scribbling 25 pages. Hopefully now that I'm done with my newsletter writing, I can get down to the serious business of editing Nearly Famous to send out, and get cracking on my new manuscript. I still have four months to write two new books. I think I can do it if I write them simultaneously. That would make 3 books in one year. Not quite Nora Roberts output but getting there.
I finally managed to finish my President's letter for the month, only 3 days late, which is good for me. The one thing that I find tough about being President of my local chapter is the monthly President's letter for the newsletter. You're probably thinking how can she blog every day (practically) and have such a problem with a measly letter.
Well, on my blog I can write about pretty much anything, including my obsessions with Reality TV and British actors. Somehow I think the members are expecting a little bit more from me than that. I try to inspire the members every month, give them useful tidbits about writing gleaned from my own life, or something interesting historically relating to the theme of the month.
This month, I wrote a column about pitching. Since we have our annual Wine & Cheese Reception also known as the Golden Apple Awards, I thought I would share some useful tips when pitching to an editor and agent. Fortunately the reception is a little less nerve-wracking than the editor and agent appointments at National, but it can still be pretty strange.
What normally happens is the members stand on one side of the room and the editors and agents end up standing on the other side, and neither the twain shall meet as it were. My job when I was the Wine & Cheese chair was to make sure that both sides mingled, so I would end up shepherding unsuspecting members over to Ms. Agent or Editor and introducing them, making sure to mention what they might be writing, and then let them take it over from there.
After awhile, and after much wine, people tend to loosen up a bit, and members feel more comfortable pitching their novels to the captive editor or agent.
I can't believe that summer is almost over and I've done almost nothing on writing my new novel apart from scribbling 25 pages. Hopefully now that I'm done with my newsletter writing, I can get down to the serious business of editing Nearly Famous to send out, and get cracking on my new manuscript. I still have four months to write two new books. I think I can do it if I write them simultaneously. That would make 3 books in one year. Not quite Nora Roberts output but getting there.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Important Lessons from Masterpiece Theater
Despite the title, I'm actually blogging about writing today, and what I've learned from the Masterpiece Theater production of The Woman in White.
I took out The Woman in White from the library a few weeks ago to watch. I had seen the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in London and I was anxious to see a version that didn't have crap songs. Russell Baker, who introduced the movie, mentioned that Wilkie Collins, the author, had been a great friend of Charles Dickens and had written several of his novels for publication in one of Charles Dicken's magazines.
What does this have to do with writing? Well, back then, most of Dickens' novels as well as most novels were serialized in magazines, meaning they came out in monthly installments. There's a great story about readers waiting at the docks in New York for the latest installment of The Old Curiousity Shop, wanting to know if Little Nell lived.
Since the stories were serialized, the authors had to come up with bang-up endings for their installments to keep the readers clamoring to read more, to make the wait for the next month's installment a highly anticipated event. Think of JK Rowling. She understands perfectly the idea of cliffhangers. Even though she wraps up each installment of the Harry Potter novels, she still leaves enough dangling loose ends to make you long for the next book, impatiently waiting for the two to three years she's taken in between books.
It got me thinking about the manuscript I'm currently revising. Do all my chapters leaving you wanting to find out what happens next to my main character? Do I have enough highs and lows? Are you with her on her journey? Frankly at the moment, I think I lose the reader in the middle of the book. I have a very flat chapter that I don't know what to do with. It's that sagging middle all over again.
So, I'm trying to take a leaf out Mr. Dickens and Mr. Collins book, to make sure that my book is a rollercoaster ride.
I took out The Woman in White from the library a few weeks ago to watch. I had seen the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in London and I was anxious to see a version that didn't have crap songs. Russell Baker, who introduced the movie, mentioned that Wilkie Collins, the author, had been a great friend of Charles Dickens and had written several of his novels for publication in one of Charles Dicken's magazines.
What does this have to do with writing? Well, back then, most of Dickens' novels as well as most novels were serialized in magazines, meaning they came out in monthly installments. There's a great story about readers waiting at the docks in New York for the latest installment of The Old Curiousity Shop, wanting to know if Little Nell lived.
Since the stories were serialized, the authors had to come up with bang-up endings for their installments to keep the readers clamoring to read more, to make the wait for the next month's installment a highly anticipated event. Think of JK Rowling. She understands perfectly the idea of cliffhangers. Even though she wraps up each installment of the Harry Potter novels, she still leaves enough dangling loose ends to make you long for the next book, impatiently waiting for the two to three years she's taken in between books.
It got me thinking about the manuscript I'm currently revising. Do all my chapters leaving you wanting to find out what happens next to my main character? Do I have enough highs and lows? Are you with her on her journey? Frankly at the moment, I think I lose the reader in the middle of the book. I have a very flat chapter that I don't know what to do with. It's that sagging middle all over again.
So, I'm trying to take a leaf out Mr. Dickens and Mr. Collins book, to make sure that my book is a rollercoaster ride.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Smells Like Teen Spirit
You all know by now that I watch way too much reality TV, but I had to write about this TV show I watched last night called Super Sweet 16 on MTV.
Teenagers often get a bum rap, and this TV won't change that image. What is this show about? Over the top Sweet 16 parties. I'm talking parties that cost more than my apartment, and 4 times what I make in a year. Yes, those kinds of parties.
Last night's episode featured Sophie, a teen who lives in West Palm Beach, FL. To call Sophie a diva is an insult to divas everywhere. Sophie is more like a combination of Damien from the Omen, and the little girl from the Bad Seed.
I'm not joking. I've never seen a more vile, obnoxious, disrespectful, whiny, belligerant, self-absorbed teen in my entire life. Sophie wanted to have a Moulin Rouge birthday party because it's her favorite film, and damn it, everyone was going to cater to her needs, if she had anything to say about it. Her mother hired a stylist to help her pick out her birthday dress to the tune of $10,000! Just to pick out a freakin' dress.
She wouldn't let her mother see any of the dresses that she was trying on. Even though her mother (who works as a vet. Apparently there are no other vets in West Palm Beach or this woman charges a fortune for her services) was footing the bill, Sophie treated her like a servant. There doesn't seem to be a father in the picture, so Sophie is a spoiled only child used to thinking that the world revolves around her.
Girlfriend is in a for a rude awakening one day! The only birthday party seemed to be a power trip for her. She deliberately shows up at school in a white Rolls-Royce to deliver the birthday invitations herself, and then gets into a fight with a girl who grabbed an invite, although she wasn't invited.
The whole thing was distasteful. I felt sorriest for the Mother who paid $180,000 for this extravaganza. Let's do the math, that's the equivalent of 4 years at Harvard.
Afterwards, the teens from the first season were discussing the reaction that they got for their parties from viewers. Amazingly, most of the reaction was negative! One of the girls said that it of course wasn't their fault that their parents wanted to throw them extravagant parties. How could they say no?
Easily, chiquita. Just open your mouth and let your lips form the word NO.
I didn't have a sweet 16 birthday party, precisely because I didn't want my parents wasting money on a big party. Instead, I asked them to take me to dinner at the Rainbow Room, after we saw a Broadway show (Bob Fosse's Dancin). Much champagne flowed.
So, are teen parties out of control? What was your sweet 16 like? Enquiring minds want to know.
Teenagers often get a bum rap, and this TV won't change that image. What is this show about? Over the top Sweet 16 parties. I'm talking parties that cost more than my apartment, and 4 times what I make in a year. Yes, those kinds of parties.
Last night's episode featured Sophie, a teen who lives in West Palm Beach, FL. To call Sophie a diva is an insult to divas everywhere. Sophie is more like a combination of Damien from the Omen, and the little girl from the Bad Seed.
I'm not joking. I've never seen a more vile, obnoxious, disrespectful, whiny, belligerant, self-absorbed teen in my entire life. Sophie wanted to have a Moulin Rouge birthday party because it's her favorite film, and damn it, everyone was going to cater to her needs, if she had anything to say about it. Her mother hired a stylist to help her pick out her birthday dress to the tune of $10,000! Just to pick out a freakin' dress.
She wouldn't let her mother see any of the dresses that she was trying on. Even though her mother (who works as a vet. Apparently there are no other vets in West Palm Beach or this woman charges a fortune for her services) was footing the bill, Sophie treated her like a servant. There doesn't seem to be a father in the picture, so Sophie is a spoiled only child used to thinking that the world revolves around her.
Girlfriend is in a for a rude awakening one day! The only birthday party seemed to be a power trip for her. She deliberately shows up at school in a white Rolls-Royce to deliver the birthday invitations herself, and then gets into a fight with a girl who grabbed an invite, although she wasn't invited.
The whole thing was distasteful. I felt sorriest for the Mother who paid $180,000 for this extravaganza. Let's do the math, that's the equivalent of 4 years at Harvard.
Afterwards, the teens from the first season were discussing the reaction that they got for their parties from viewers. Amazingly, most of the reaction was negative! One of the girls said that it of course wasn't their fault that their parents wanted to throw them extravagant parties. How could they say no?
Easily, chiquita. Just open your mouth and let your lips form the word NO.
I didn't have a sweet 16 birthday party, precisely because I didn't want my parents wasting money on a big party. Instead, I asked them to take me to dinner at the Rainbow Room, after we saw a Broadway show (Bob Fosse's Dancin). Much champagne flowed.
So, are teen parties out of control? What was your sweet 16 like? Enquiring minds want to know.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Murphy's Law
You know, Murphy's Law, whatever can go wrong will go wrong? Well, that's the story of my life.
Take yesterday for example. After a week of New York being like the 9th rung of Hell, the heavens opened up and it poured. Guess who didn't have an umbrella? Yep, that's right me. I arrived home after a pleasant afternoon spent at the Brooklyn Historical Society to discover that it was pouring down rain, not just cats and dogs but I swear I saw Noah building the ark.
So what does a diva do? Well she hightails into to Rite-Aid and spents $10 on a new umbrella of course! I know it was extravagant considering I'm unemployed but it sure beat standing in a smelly train station for 40 minutes waiting for the rain to cease and desist.
Oh, by the way, when did the apple pies at McDonalds start sucking? I used to remember that they were great. Maybe I'm just remembering the way they were 20 years ago which was the last time I ate one.
Received yet another rejection letter. Boo-Hoo! I'm still optimistic though. 5 more agents still haven't responded back yet.
Read what was supposed to be a romance this weekend, but clearly wasn't. How did I know? Well despite the romance cover you could tell because:
a) the author name dropped more brands than the Neiman-Marcus catalog.
b) the hero was so peripheral to the action, you could have cut him completely and the book wouldn't have suffered. He only existed to flatter the heroine and to give her a mind-blowing orgasm.
Despite this I enjoyed the book. The author managed to make the self-absorbed heroine surprisingly likeable, but it still wasn't a romance.
Why do I bring this up? Well, it's like going to McDonalds and ordering a Big Mac and getting home to find that you got a Veggie burger instead. You may like the Veggie burger, you may even order it the next time your at Mickey D's but it's not what you ordered.
If I buy a romance novel, that's what i expect to get when I open the book!
Take yesterday for example. After a week of New York being like the 9th rung of Hell, the heavens opened up and it poured. Guess who didn't have an umbrella? Yep, that's right me. I arrived home after a pleasant afternoon spent at the Brooklyn Historical Society to discover that it was pouring down rain, not just cats and dogs but I swear I saw Noah building the ark.
So what does a diva do? Well she hightails into to Rite-Aid and spents $10 on a new umbrella of course! I know it was extravagant considering I'm unemployed but it sure beat standing in a smelly train station for 40 minutes waiting for the rain to cease and desist.
Oh, by the way, when did the apple pies at McDonalds start sucking? I used to remember that they were great. Maybe I'm just remembering the way they were 20 years ago which was the last time I ate one.
Received yet another rejection letter. Boo-Hoo! I'm still optimistic though. 5 more agents still haven't responded back yet.
Read what was supposed to be a romance this weekend, but clearly wasn't. How did I know? Well despite the romance cover you could tell because:
a) the author name dropped more brands than the Neiman-Marcus catalog.
b) the hero was so peripheral to the action, you could have cut him completely and the book wouldn't have suffered. He only existed to flatter the heroine and to give her a mind-blowing orgasm.
Despite this I enjoyed the book. The author managed to make the self-absorbed heroine surprisingly likeable, but it still wasn't a romance.
Why do I bring this up? Well, it's like going to McDonalds and ordering a Big Mac and getting home to find that you got a Veggie burger instead. You may like the Veggie burger, you may even order it the next time your at Mickey D's but it's not what you ordered.
If I buy a romance novel, that's what i expect to get when I open the book!
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Britmania
Another shorty but goody from the desk of The Lady Novelist.
I received another 'Dear Author' rejection letter the other day, that wasn't even personally signed. It was a Xerox copy. Ouch! Still, I have 4 more agents to hear from, and one editor, plus another agent wants an exclusive on my partial, and the one agent who wants the full.
I was feeling a little down, so I took out a Colin Firth movie to watch called Fourplay. It was horrible, but it was still Colin Firth, so I felt a little better.
Amazing how watching a favorite actor can perk up your day, and since I'm such an Anglophile, I thought I would list my top ten favorite Brit Actors (in random order).
1. Jason Isaacs - You've probably seen him as Mel Gibson's nemesis in Patriot, or as Hook in Peter Pan. I say he has the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen, and he's a good actor to boot.
2. Hugh Laurie - How I love my Hugh. I've been a fan ever since I saw his work on Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster, but House proves that he's more than just a comedic actor. He manages to be prickly, arrogant, intelligent, scruffy, and yet sexy all at the same time.
3. Daniel Craig - A brit flying under the radar at the moment, but tipped to be the next James Bond. He was excellent in Sylvia with Gwyneth Paltrow and as the lead in Cake. Sexy but dangerous. Yummy!
4. Sean Bean - He usually plays villains but he was a wonderful Odysseus in Troy. Anyone who hasn't seen him play Sharpe needs to hie thee to a video store or Netflix.
5. Rufus Sewell - Yes, he looks somewhat like that Edvard Munch painting the scream, but he has that voice, and those deep green eyes, and wavy dark hair. Also plays villains very well. What is it with Hollywood casting Brits as villains all the time?
6. Jonathan Cake - Diamond Girl was the first time that I saw him, and I thought who is that tall drink of water? Sexy, handsome, but rugged. Must be that broken nose from playing rugby at Cambridge. Very sexy in Baby Doll in the West End. Also usually plays creeps, villains, and assholes.
7. Gerard Butler - Mary knows what I'm talking about! Forget Dracula 2000, watch him in Phantom of the Opera. I saw Phantom 3 times on Broadway, twice with Michael Crawford who originated the role, and Gerard made me forget him completely. He's the best thing about Timeline, and the last Lara Croft movie (sorry Angelina). There's something very playful about him, that makes him very sexy.
8. Clive Owen - How could I forget Mr. Owen? This is the man who should be the next James Bond hands down. He's good-looking but not in a pretty boy way, sexy and very dangerous. It would hark back to the James Bond from the Sean Connery days. I can't wait to see the movie that he made with Jennifer Aniston, Derailed.
9. James Purefoy - Marc Antony in HBO's new series Rome. Beautiful chocolate brown eyes, rangy body but not too skinny. Lovely voice (must be all the vocal training that they get at drama school). First came to America's attention in Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon (rent it, it's worth viewing).
10. Colin Firth - the man. The only reason (besides Hugh Grant) that I've watched Love Actually, Pride and Prejudice and both Bridget Jones movies innumerable times. Watch Another Country with Rupert Everett to see where it all started.
Of course, there are other brits that I adore, Timothy Dalton (what's he been doing lately?), Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, Robbie Coltrane (yes, I said Robbie Coltrane, Hagrid from Harry Potter! Watch Cracker, and you'll see what I mean), but these are my top ten Brits of the moment.
Who are your favorites?
I received another 'Dear Author' rejection letter the other day, that wasn't even personally signed. It was a Xerox copy. Ouch! Still, I have 4 more agents to hear from, and one editor, plus another agent wants an exclusive on my partial, and the one agent who wants the full.
I was feeling a little down, so I took out a Colin Firth movie to watch called Fourplay. It was horrible, but it was still Colin Firth, so I felt a little better.
Amazing how watching a favorite actor can perk up your day, and since I'm such an Anglophile, I thought I would list my top ten favorite Brit Actors (in random order).
1. Jason Isaacs - You've probably seen him as Mel Gibson's nemesis in Patriot, or as Hook in Peter Pan. I say he has the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen, and he's a good actor to boot.
2. Hugh Laurie - How I love my Hugh. I've been a fan ever since I saw his work on Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster, but House proves that he's more than just a comedic actor. He manages to be prickly, arrogant, intelligent, scruffy, and yet sexy all at the same time.
3. Daniel Craig - A brit flying under the radar at the moment, but tipped to be the next James Bond. He was excellent in Sylvia with Gwyneth Paltrow and as the lead in Cake. Sexy but dangerous. Yummy!
4. Sean Bean - He usually plays villains but he was a wonderful Odysseus in Troy. Anyone who hasn't seen him play Sharpe needs to hie thee to a video store or Netflix.
5. Rufus Sewell - Yes, he looks somewhat like that Edvard Munch painting the scream, but he has that voice, and those deep green eyes, and wavy dark hair. Also plays villains very well. What is it with Hollywood casting Brits as villains all the time?
6. Jonathan Cake - Diamond Girl was the first time that I saw him, and I thought who is that tall drink of water? Sexy, handsome, but rugged. Must be that broken nose from playing rugby at Cambridge. Very sexy in Baby Doll in the West End. Also usually plays creeps, villains, and assholes.
7. Gerard Butler - Mary knows what I'm talking about! Forget Dracula 2000, watch him in Phantom of the Opera. I saw Phantom 3 times on Broadway, twice with Michael Crawford who originated the role, and Gerard made me forget him completely. He's the best thing about Timeline, and the last Lara Croft movie (sorry Angelina). There's something very playful about him, that makes him very sexy.
8. Clive Owen - How could I forget Mr. Owen? This is the man who should be the next James Bond hands down. He's good-looking but not in a pretty boy way, sexy and very dangerous. It would hark back to the James Bond from the Sean Connery days. I can't wait to see the movie that he made with Jennifer Aniston, Derailed.
9. James Purefoy - Marc Antony in HBO's new series Rome. Beautiful chocolate brown eyes, rangy body but not too skinny. Lovely voice (must be all the vocal training that they get at drama school). First came to America's attention in Vanity Fair with Reese Witherspoon (rent it, it's worth viewing).
10. Colin Firth - the man. The only reason (besides Hugh Grant) that I've watched Love Actually, Pride and Prejudice and both Bridget Jones movies innumerable times. Watch Another Country with Rupert Everett to see where it all started.
Of course, there are other brits that I adore, Timothy Dalton (what's he been doing lately?), Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, Robbie Coltrane (yes, I said Robbie Coltrane, Hagrid from Harry Potter! Watch Cracker, and you'll see what I mean), but these are my top ten Brits of the moment.
Who are your favorites?
Friday, August 12, 2005
The Color of Love
Hey everybody!
Another short post since I have only 27 minutes left on the clock on my computer here at the library.
I just wanted to share a book with you that you may not have heard of, and not just because Sandi spoke to our chapter last Saturday. It's called The Color of Love, by Sandra Kitt. This book was first published over ten years ago, and it's in it's 9th printing! The story of Leah Horn and Jason Downey, two people who meet quite by accident but whose lives are affected forever by their meeting.
Sandra Kitt was the first African-American author to have a African-American romance published by Harlequin American way back when the line first started in the 1980's. Her book Adam and Eva will be reprinted by Harlequin for the third time next year. She's also written books for BET, St. Martin's Press, and Signet/NAL.
The Color of Love, one of the first interracial romances ever published was optioned by both HBO and Lifetime. Why it hasn't been made into a movie is beyond me (personally I see Sanaa Lathan and Christopher Meloni in the roles).
If you've never read a multicultural romance or novel beyond Terry McMillan, pick up a copy of The Color of Love. You'll be glad that you did.
Thanks for reading!
Another short post since I have only 27 minutes left on the clock on my computer here at the library.
I just wanted to share a book with you that you may not have heard of, and not just because Sandi spoke to our chapter last Saturday. It's called The Color of Love, by Sandra Kitt. This book was first published over ten years ago, and it's in it's 9th printing! The story of Leah Horn and Jason Downey, two people who meet quite by accident but whose lives are affected forever by their meeting.
Sandra Kitt was the first African-American author to have a African-American romance published by Harlequin American way back when the line first started in the 1980's. Her book Adam and Eva will be reprinted by Harlequin for the third time next year. She's also written books for BET, St. Martin's Press, and Signet/NAL.
The Color of Love, one of the first interracial romances ever published was optioned by both HBO and Lifetime. Why it hasn't been made into a movie is beyond me (personally I see Sanaa Lathan and Christopher Meloni in the roles).
If you've never read a multicultural romance or novel beyond Terry McMillan, pick up a copy of The Color of Love. You'll be glad that you did.
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Houston, we have a problem
Hey!
Sorry I haven't blogged over the past few days. Life has a funny way of getting in the way. After several days of trial and error and yelling at the phone company, I finally discovered that the reason why my phone wasn't working was because my computer modem is kaput, busted, no more, it has ceased to exist, it is an ex-modem (for all you Monty Python fans).
Until I can afford either a new computer or a new modem, I'm forced to use the computer at the public library, which only allows me to use the computer for 45 minutes a day. Yes, 45 minutes a day. Doesn't that just suck?
So much for job searching at the moment, plus I have to work on the invitation list for our Wine & Cheese reception.
Plus Peter Jennings died this week, and I'm majorly bummed out. I know it's not like I knew him personally but he came into my living room for over 20 years. He was the only news program that I really watched, and the fact that he died of lung cancer just brought back memories of all the people I've lost in my life to smoking related diseases.
Okay, off my soap box. I probably won't be blogging except for a couple of times a week, and I won't really be able to read other people's blogs, which majorly pisses me off. I feel cut off from the on-line world right now.
In the meantime, keep on blogging, and I'll try to find a time that I can play catch up.
Thanks for reading!
Sorry I haven't blogged over the past few days. Life has a funny way of getting in the way. After several days of trial and error and yelling at the phone company, I finally discovered that the reason why my phone wasn't working was because my computer modem is kaput, busted, no more, it has ceased to exist, it is an ex-modem (for all you Monty Python fans).
Until I can afford either a new computer or a new modem, I'm forced to use the computer at the public library, which only allows me to use the computer for 45 minutes a day. Yes, 45 minutes a day. Doesn't that just suck?
So much for job searching at the moment, plus I have to work on the invitation list for our Wine & Cheese reception.
Plus Peter Jennings died this week, and I'm majorly bummed out. I know it's not like I knew him personally but he came into my living room for over 20 years. He was the only news program that I really watched, and the fact that he died of lung cancer just brought back memories of all the people I've lost in my life to smoking related diseases.
Okay, off my soap box. I probably won't be blogging except for a couple of times a week, and I won't really be able to read other people's blogs, which majorly pisses me off. I feel cut off from the on-line world right now.
In the meantime, keep on blogging, and I'll try to find a time that I can play catch up.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, August 05, 2005
When one door closes, another opens
I couldn't resist posting a picture of the guy who won Kept. For those people who have more important things to do like reading, having a life, writing, Kept was a show on VH-1, where Jerry Hall, ex-wife of Mick Jagger, got to choose among 12 American men to see who would be her Kept man. The winner receives $100,000, a luxury Penthouse, a great car, and just has to be Jerry's walker I'm guessing for a year. No, not her toy boy or her gigolo, just take her to events, parties, so she doesn't have to show up alone.Seth, the winner, is a 34 unemployed guy who was living on his parents charity until he ended up being recruited to do this show. During the 10 episodes, he was nothing more than just himself, he made Jerry laugh, he called women broads, admitted that he knew nothing about culture (he'd never seen a play), he drank too much, was adolescent, in short he acted like a rock star. Jerry admitted that she had an attraction to bad boys and that's why she chose Seth.
I have to say after all the bashing that RWA has come in for over the past week, the way the chicklit chapter and other members have come together to support Marianne Mancusi is nothing short of heart-warming and touching. It makes me proud to be a member of RWA, despite all it's flaws.
I have some good news for a change. I came home last night to find a letter from an agent requesting my full manuscript. Granted it was addressed to 'Dear Author' but it was a full request so I'm not knocking it.
After losing my job, I had an interview for another one with the same company which I think in the long run will suit me better, so things are looking up on the home front.
I'm also kind of excited about the innovations that they've added to Harlequin's Blaze. They've shifted the emphasis from the sexual relationship, to emphasize the romantic relationship, and they're looking for more chick-lit voices in the line, as well as experimenting with some paranormal and time travel elements. Apparently they're looking for a great Vampire novel, so if anyone out there who likes the novels of Angela Knight, wants to try a Vampire Blaze, they're looking for it.
Now, I have to get cracking. I have some more revisions to make before I mail in my manuscript.
Have a good weekend and stay cool!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade!
Well, another day without a rejection letter from any of the agents that still have my partial, which is a kind of victory, since my life went into the crapper yesterday. But I think things might be picking up because my horoscope for the next week in Time Out Magazine was particularly good. Check it out
Aren't they fabulous shoes? Jimmy Choo's to be exact. I've mentioned my shoe addiction before, but I just figured out that if I stop buy coffee every day from the evil empire aka Starbucks, and cut out buying tabloid magazines (but what would I have to blog about?), and basically cut out fun, I could probably buy these shoes for 1/2 price at the Needless Mark-up outlet. Be still my heart!
I'm between books right now. Does anyone have any recommendations?
'The new moon on 8/4 will attract new people and work situations which will continue for months to come. And with your career guru investigating more lucrative situations, the most insignificant decisions or meetings will impact the future of certain ventures. If you avoid the dramatic aspects on Mon. 8/8, give yourself 48 hours of time off for good behavior.'
How cool is that?
Aren't they fabulous shoes? Jimmy Choo's to be exact. I've mentioned my shoe addiction before, but I just figured out that if I stop buy coffee every day from the evil empire aka Starbucks, and cut out buying tabloid magazines (but what would I have to blog about?), and basically cut out fun, I could probably buy these shoes for 1/2 price at the Needless Mark-up outlet. Be still my heart!
I'm between books right now. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
When you think life can't get any stranger
I was planning on blogging today about the obsequious little troll with the Napoleon complex that works for the head of the group I work for, and his obnoxious 'my poop doesn't stink because I work for the big boss' attitude, or the brouhaha over the RITA ceremony at Nationals this past weekend, but then I wandered over to the Literary chicks blog and saw the news that Marianne Mancusi, author of A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthurs Court, and the blog Cosmos and Chat, came home from the conference to find that her house had burned to the ground due to a freak accident (it was hit by lightning).
Everything is gone. Fortunately no one was hurt, her dog was over at her mother's house. When you read something like that, it makes my petty problems with the garden gnome seem inconsequential and small.
Alesia Holliday, one of the Literary Chicks, is spearheading a drive for writers and friends to donate books to rebuild Marianne's library. She'll be posting an address where people can send books in the next few days.
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow with hopefully something a little more cheery!
Everything is gone. Fortunately no one was hurt, her dog was over at her mother's house. When you read something like that, it makes my petty problems with the garden gnome seem inconsequential and small.
Alesia Holliday, one of the Literary Chicks, is spearheading a drive for writers and friends to donate books to rebuild Marianne's library. She'll be posting an address where people can send books in the next few days.
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow with hopefully something a little more cheery!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
And she's off!
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Yes, I've started writing my new novel, which needs a better title than Matzo Brei and Chitlins (It sounds like a cookbook). So far, I have a grand total of 7 pages! Hurray me. Only, 368 pages to go. Yikes! I'm hoping that this word count meter which will be a visual reminder to me and you all of my progress.
My tentative goal is to have the book finished by September 22nd which is when our Golden Apple Awards reception is here in New York. RWA NYC every year hosts a reception in September for the publishing industry. It's great for those of our members who can't afford to attend Nationals or even the NJ conference, to be able to meet and schmooze with editors and agents. We also give out awards for Best Author, Editor, Agent, Publisher of the Year, Bookseller and this year for the first time, we're giving out an award for Best Librarian. We also give out a Lifetime Achievement Award. I was reception chair for 3 of the 4 years that I was on the board before I became President, and it's a lot of work.
My first year, the day of the reception was September 11th.
Been blog surfing again. Love seeing all the pictures from National and hearing all the news. Congratulations to Lani Diane Rich for winning the RITA for best first novel. You rock Lani. We're drinking in New Jersey. Also, to Evelyn Vaughn who won the RITA for best novel with romantic elements for her Silhouette Bombshell. Also, congratulations to the rest of the RITA and GH winners. You can find all the RITA and GH winners here.
Also, I read that Blaze author, Jo Leigh got married while she was in Reno. Congratulations!
More confusing info from Kate Duffy. Kate Duffy doesn't mind if you send her a partial of a novel that you haven't finished because then she can tell you if it's worth continuining and save you time. Now maybe this is just me, but if I sent Kate Duffy a partial and she rejects it, I'm not going to abandon the book, because hey, someone else may like it and buy it. Considering that I once submitted a partial to Kate, after meeting her at the LIRW luncheon, and I got a form rejection letter, excuse me if I take her words with a small grain of salt!
Monday, August 01, 2005
Monday Morning Meltdown
It's seriously hot here in New York. The weather report says that the temperatures are going to be hovering around 90 degrees all week with like 80% humidity. Someone help me! So, I've included a picture of a hot guy to make you all even hotter!I've been cruising blog land catching up on all the industry gossip from people who have been at the RWA conference. Apparently, traditional regencies are dead (they've been predicting that for years now. I guess they're finally right now that Kensington has killed their Regency line), hot books are even hotter, paranormal is in, medievals are making a comeback, and publishers are looking for deeper chick-lit instead of the light funny books that have been coming out the past couple of years.
There has also been alot of confusion about whether or not you need an agent. Jennifer Crusie wrote in RWR, that you should target a specific editor at a house with your novel. Kate Duffy says that you need a publishing contract before you can get a top agent. Color me confused!
Right now I'm targeting agents, because once an editor has passed on my book, and it'll be very hard for me to get them to look at it again, although I did send my partial to Natasha Panza at TOR, and I'm contemplating Medallion Books once I get my marketing plan in shape.
Received another rejection from an agent. This one wasn't even a 8 x 10 piece of paper, but a generic rejection slip! Which was an improvement over the rejection postcard I received once from another agent who shall remain nameless. This agent has been all over every conference, RWR for the past several years, claiming to be looking for new clients etc. But every author I know who has submitted to this agent, has gotten their manuscript returned before they closed the mailbox with a rejection postcard.
Right now, I'm reading Donald Maass workbook for How to Write the Breakout Novel. I thought I would do the exercises while I'm writing the first draft of my latest WIP. I haven't been to his weekend workshops, I can't afford the $245, but I did read his book and there was alot of good information.
Does anyone have any favorite writing books?
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