Thursday, February 27, 2014

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY



Drum roll please.

It is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This is a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of youtube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:


This one is for M.J. Joachim at Effectively Human:


This one is for Dianne K. Salerni at In High Spirits:


This one is for klahanie:


This one is for CW Martin at Tilting at Windmills:


This one is for David List at Regarding Silexare:


This one is for Stephen T. McCarthy at FERRET-FACED FASCIST FRIENDS:

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Have you heard about Grunsday? (AKA my review of The Eighth Day)

I have been nervous about posting a review for Dianne K. Salerni's gem of a book The Eighth Day. In fact, I am still nervous given that I have yet to write a word.

Before I get down to the brass tacks of the review, I want you to know how this all happened. Dianne offered the opportunity on her blog for anyone who was interested to receive Arcs or Galleys (that copy printed by the publisher before the "real" book comes out) from her publisher, HarperCollins, for review. I immediately stuck up my hand and said, "Me. Send one to me."

That book looks like this:



I settled in to read *just a bit* of The Eighth Day and finished it in one sitting. It is one of those books I simply could not put down. The story begins with 12 year old Jax Aubrey attempting to settle into his new life with his guardian, Riley Pendare. The unfortunate truth is that Jax doesn't care much for Riley and would rather be living with his mother's cousin. The next day he turns 13, and life as he knew it will never be the same. He goes to bed Wednesday night and the next day everyone is gone. Jax is certain that the zombie apocalypse, or something equally bad, devastated the world while he slept. 24 hours later Thursday dawns and everything is back to normal.

One week later it happens again.

This time, he runs into his guardian, Riley Pendare, and finds out that he is a Transitioner who lives in an extra day of the week: Grunsday. There are also people like his neighbor, Evangeline, who only live on Grunsday.

All of the people who live on Grunsday are descendants of the legendary King Arthur, Merlin, and the knights of the round table. Powerful magic created Grunsday and powerful magic is at work now to free the people trapped in that Eighth Day. If they succeed, everyone who lives in the other seven days will be lost.

The Eighth Day is targeted to Middle Grade readers, but it easily crosses over for YA readers. This story is so engaging that I think people of all ages will enjoy it!

I give The Eighth Day 5 Stars and an "A" grade.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

How Loud Are You Living?... Take Two.

Happy Saturday peeps! I promised that I would be back with the results from Battle of the Bands. 26 of you wonderful souls took the time to listen to both versions and vote. Woohoo! Many of you gave nods to Ryan Adams but still voted for Oasis. So, even though Oasis won this battle, it was by no means a shut-out, and I think some of you were torn about how to vote. Final tally (without my vote) is Oasis with 16 and Ryan Adams (not Bryan Adams) with 10. My vote obviously doesn't change the outcome, but I am casting mine for Ryan Adams. I think he is a better singer. The slower tempo allows me to really feel the message. "And all the roads we have to walk are winding. And all the lights that lead the way are blinding. And there are many things that I would like to say to you but I don't know how. Maybe you're gonna be the one saves me. After all, you're my wonderwall."

Come back again on the 1st and we'll play Battle of the Bands again!

If you are familiar with Arlee Bird's blog Tossing It Out, you probably remember when he went on a tear a month or two ago about stats, blogs going viral, and all things that relate to those two topics. I hadn't checked my stats in forever and now I am doing it every other day. I am so suggestible! Now every time an old post pops back up in my Top 5 posts of the day, week, etc. I feel compelled to go read it. My fifth most popular post of all time, I'LL HAVE A MOCHA VODKA VALIUM LATTE TO GO PLEASE, once again made my Top 5 this week.  I think that post was so popular because of this graphic (which I didn't use in the post):



I wrote that post the first year I began blogging (2010), so I had to reread it. I considered reposting it here. You can Click Here to read it. However, in that post I reference the previous two posts and the comments generated. So, I read those, too.

I was struck by how much has changed and how much remains the same in all three of these posts. The first was this one (which I am going to reprint for your reading pleasure) is titled HOW LOUD ARE YOU LIVING?  I am including a link if you want to read the comments:)

HOW LOUD ARE YOU LIVING?

This brain has been very full of lots of "stuff." In fact, sometimes I get so much stuff going on up there that it is like someone opened a puzzle and threw out all of the pieces. Yeah, like that's fun. I've never been a big puzzle fan to start with and now I am trying to sort through them in my head. My mom pulled me into her reading room to tell me that she read this little quippy thing: indigestion of the brain. She says, "Maybe you can blog about it."

I am thinking, "Who needs to blog about it? I am living with it. It's called insomnia and I have it nearly every night." However, indigestion of the brain is pretty quippy, so I do have to give her points on that one.


I started reading a blog by Lucy March about a month ago. Maybe more. Maybe less. Time has lost all meaning for me. I backdoored into a published writer's blog, and that led to another, and another, and then literary agents, and the list goes on. I wish that I could say that after extensive research I found these excellent websites. Nope. It was sheer luck, because I don't have a clue what I am doing on here. It is six months now, and I still don't get this site. That is really sad and I know it, but I am really shooting for honesty here and that is the truth.

Anyway, back to Lucy March... she is a published writer, so I checked out her site. I was really into my novel at that time and adding writers left and right. Turns out she is a published writer. Well... what I noticed immediately was that I was jumping into the middle of a story. Anyone who knows me, knows that I cannot stand that. For instance, if a TV show comes on and I miss the first season for any reason, and then it becomes this big hit, well I sometimes don't watch it until it is 1) almost over 2) completely over, or 3) not at all. And then it means I am buying it on DVD and playing catch up because I have to watch it IN ORDER. A story is meant to be read/told/watched from the beginning. So... in terms of Miss March's blog, that meant I had to go back to the beginning and start there. It turns out this wasn't a writing blog. It was a blog written by a writer, but it wasn't tips on improving your writing. This was a blog about rebuilding your life. This was real and honest and real. I know that I said real already, but she was throwing it out there. I was riveted.


I started reading four or five blogs at a time. My brain really couldn't process any more than that. In one of the more recent ones I read she says this, "The definition of adulthood is no longer caring what other people think." That hit so hard that I wrote it down in my notebook. It was an "aha" moment. It was a light bulb moment for her, as well. People who are people pleasers tend to twist themselves up to make other people happy. In some cases, the other people don't even know this is happening. In some cases, they do, and they take advantage. Either way, when you relegate your opinion about what you think to second, third, fourth, or tenth place, you get lost. You just keep stashing pieces of yourself away until you are unrecognizable even to yourself. You become what someone else wants you to be. Oh, the misery. Everyone knows this story doesn't have a happy ending.


So, Miss March is rebuilding. I thought about that while I was reading. How many times have I tried to rebuild since I got divorced? I have lost count. For the longest time, my ex-husband was still yanking my chain with his kids. It was the same old crap. The only difference was that he lived at a separate address. But I was still all tied up in knots. Well, I could go through each case of rebuild over the last five years, but they weren't rebuilds, they were false starts. Why didn't they work? "The definition of adulthood is no longer caring what other people think." I had been stuck in that loop de loop for so long that I didn't know how to get out.


I started a myspace, but my ex insisted on being my friend. Was it my space? No. I started a facebook page. He friended me. This time I put the hammer down. No. However, we did have some mutual friends. I started blogging. One of them copied and pasted one of my blogs and emailed it to him. The blog was about me, but also about him. Sometimes you can't tell your own story without telling his. He got pissed and threatened to not let me see the kids. I could feel myself falling back into the same old patterns. This was pre-Lucy March. However, I was ready to tell him to be the one to explain things to them. In other words, I was ready to draw my line in the sand. You can't devocalize someone. He eventually calmed down. However, I got a blogger account and pretty much stopped blogging on facebook. The truth was that I still didn't want to be in his face. I wanted to be free to write how I felt without having to deal with him and his crap. So, I quietly pulled up my stakes and moved. I still occasionally post stuff on facebook, but nothing that will put his knickers in a knot.


I mentioned it earlier, but my blog following was smaller, so fewer of you got to appreciate it. So, I will bring it up again. H-Girl wanted to see Taylor Swift in concert for her birthday. Her dad said okay and said she could bring someone. She chose me. I tell you what, people, no one was more surprised than me. Events turned out really awesome in that one of her openers was sick and so Taylor went on EARLY. Woohoo. Anyway, she has all of these fairly elaborate costume changes. So, to keep the audience entertained she runs video footage. I pulled this off of youtube; it is in concert footage. People, I laughed my ass off. It was priceless. Had I known that it was part of the show, I would have paid for the tickets. I was on the aisle, and I was practically rolling. I think my ex-husband got the idea, but he never said a word. Again ~ priceless. Now, I ask you... how can a teenager be so smart and a grown woman be so stupid? That is a rhetorical question. I really don't want any answers to that one.




Anyway, it gave me a whole new admiration for Taylor Swift that I didn't have pre-show. There is this voice in my head saying, "If she is strong enough to not care what people think in public, how can you be so 'walk on eggshells' in private? You don't live in the public eye. Newspapers don't care what you do." All of this was still processing (I am a slow processor), when I listened to Not Afraid and got my dose of Marshall Mathers. Here was one more person living right out there in public. Just throwing it out there. In Taylor's case, she is this sweet girl, who hasn't hurt anybody. In other words, life hasn't smacked her good yet.

 In MM's case, it isn't such a pretty picture. In Lucy March's case, she isn't blameless, either. She is coming to terms with all of the things that she did wrong that brought her to where she is now. Publicly. All of these people are publicly claiming their crap. Their weakness. Their fear. What they did right. What they did wrong. And in the case of Lucy March, MM, and me... we are all on this journey of reclamation. Reclamation of our lives. We are all telling our truth in order to get our lives back. The difference lies in how we tell it. MM is really living out loud. LM is living fairly loud. I am living anonymously and hoping that my ex-husband doesn't find my site.

I am reminded of a quote from the movie She's Having A Baby. It is at the beginning (the wedding scene) when the parents and grandparents are on both sides of the aisle. No one seems to be all that happy about this wedding. One of the grandpas says, "People don't mature anymore. They just stay jackasses all their lives."

Bray.

**Updates:
Lucy March has taken down that blog and replaced it with a blog strictly about writing. 
I no longer give a rat's ass what my ex-husband thinks and his ability to yank my chain is over. That doesn't mean I go out of my way to hurt him, spite him, or make him miserable, either.
And most of my friends In Real Life, including my ex, still don't know about this blog.  So, I am still not living all that loudly.... hmm.
That Taylor Swift video still makes me smile. As in hugely. Shouldn't do bad things. Bwahahahahaha.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY

Before I unleash today's HERE'S TO YOU post, I want to take a minute and remind you to vote in The Battle of The Bands if you missed it. You can CLICK HERE to listen and vote. I will publish the results on 2/22/14.



Drum roll please.

It is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This is a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of youtube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:


This one is for Yvonne at Writing My Life Away!:


This one is for A Beer For The Shower:


This one is for Rebecca Green Gasper:


This one is for Susan Gourley/Kelley at Susan Says:


This one is for Jasmine at A Yellow Rose of Texas:


This one is for Brianne P at Thinking The Lions:


This one is (also) for Brianne P at Thinking The Lions:



This one is for cube at The BLOG:

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

All Things Writing ~ Susan Says




Welcome to another addition of All Things Writing. I have a special guest here today to share her thoughts on GENRE. Susan Gourley/Kelley has published novels in multiple genres and crossover genres. If you aren't following her blog, I urge you to give her a read. Her blog is one of my favorite stops in this Blogger journey. She doesn't write solely about writing, but covers a broad range of topics... including writing.

Susan, thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts today.  Without further ado... Susan Gourley/Kelley from Susan Says.... 

Some Hard Speculation

My last two romances and my current WIP are all science fiction novels. My publisher labels them futuristic, and they are that, but I prefer the science fiction label because I, well, I love science. Though my college major was health and physical education and my masters is in health education, I also carried a minor in science. I even taught biology one year. So when I write my futuristic romances, there is some real science in there along with the science I crafted during my world building.

When people talk about science fiction novels they often distinguish between them using the words, hard-core versus soft. There are many ways to describe those two types of writing but I taught high school for quite a few years so I know how to make things simple.

In hard-core science fiction, a large portion of the story is about the technology and how it’s used. There may be long descriptions of guns or space vessels. Battles may be determined by the level of advancement in an enemy’s weapons. The characters take second place to the plot’s factors in the futuristic world.  Usually the story revolves around the ‘hard’ sciences like chemistry, physics and astronomy. Writers and readers of hard-core term biology, psychology and ecology as vague or soft sciences.

In soft science fiction, the story revolves around the characters and their growth and personal challenges. The world around them may be filled with big guns and fast space ships, but the plot is about the personal battles and struggles of the characters. Writers and readers of this kind of science fiction never call it soft but usually will call it by one of its subgenres like dystopian, steampunk, or perhaps space opera.

There are fans of both types and some fans who overlap when a novel manages to combine both intriguing technology and world building with vibrant, engaging characters. One point I should make is that hard-core or soft, the science can be just as realistic in either type of writing.

In my science fiction romances, I try not to break any real laws of physics, but if a novel is going to involve space travel, some science must be invented. A long-burning fuel source would be needed for space travel, so my intergalactic space vessels use a mineral called crystallized iron. But one of the metals they need to build their technologies is iridium. And just like on Earth, the deposits my characters discover are from meteor strikes. It’s still a rare element in my futurist setting as dramatized in my most recent release, The Marine’s Heiress.

A lot of the science I use in my Recon Marine series is biology, specifically genetics. Mankind is discovering new things about our genetic codes and how our DNA determines our intellect, ability to fight diseases and more things about our health and well-being. My Recon Marines have been genetically engineered to be perfect soldiers. The drama ensues when the marines decide they no longer want to be used as weapons of war.

The definitions I’ve applied to science fiction are my own opinions and you know what they say about those. I’m sure a hundred writers could come up with one hundred different descriptions. Speculative fiction is a term that covers a lot of area so maybe we should use that one. 



The Marine's Heiress, Book #2 of The Recon Marines, takes up the story of Vin. If you read the first book, you know who Vin is. At the end of the first book, Vin left his marine brothers, alone in his anger and need for revenge. The second book will delve further into the origins of the genetically enhanced soldiers and the people responsible for their creation and downfall. Can there be a happily ever after for a man who believes his one chance at a normal life has been lost.

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Battle of the Bands ~ Wonderwall

Before we jump into Battle of the Bands, I want to take a moment and remind you that HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY did actually go off on Thursday. I haven't been round to all of the pages of those with dedications, so there could be something there for you!

Love Is In The Air ended yesterday. So many tears of sadness... mostly mine, while some of you are cheering. Finally new content on this blog!


Today is the 15th and that means it is time for another round of Battle of the Bands!

**fireworks explode**

The song for today's battle is Wonderwall (hence the blog title). It was originally performed by the band Oasis and has been covered several times. I am going to share my favorite cover of the song here and let you decide if it is better than the original.

So, let's just listen to the music, shall we???

Take it away Oasis...


Versus Ryan Adams.

Take it away Ryan Adams...


And that is all there is to it. Listen to them both and decide which one is YOUR favorite. Place your vote for your favorite along with a long or short explanation as to the why in the comments. On the 22nd (next Saturday), I will post the results. So, you have one full week to listen and vote!!!!

Other battles can be found by clicking the following links, so be sure to visit them and cast your votes there!



Friday, February 14, 2014

Love Is In The Air ~ Just Say Yes



Have you checked the date? It's February 14. Valentine's Day. It is FINALLY here. ::raucous whistle blowing::

Some of you have elaborate plans that I hope you share, simply because I have NO plans and I fully intend to live vicariously through you. You don't mind, right?
 
This is the LAST Love Is In The Air posting. I know that MANY of you are thinking, "Thank God. This is the worst series she has run on this blog. I was over it two weeks ago. Make that the second worst series. By far, the worst series was that debacle on fictional crushes. The only good thing about that atrocity was that it didn't last as long." (You can read about it here and here and here and here and here  and here if you missed it.) Here's the thing: I have noticed that you haven't been around. No reading. No commenting. And... I've missed you, too. Seriously. That wasn't my usual snarky sarcasm in play. I have missed you!

Some of you have faithfully clicked on most of these posts and commented (Hello Alex, you are the bomb) even if you didn't watch my clips.   Some of you have been Hit and Miss (Robyn, Dianne, Susan, Steven, Stephen, Julie, and that list goes on). I am now almost certain that Brianne P. and I are the only ones who will miss these posts when they're gone. Three cheers for my new blogging buddy Brianne! Sometimes we really do find one another at the BEST times.

Wherever you fall into this spectrum, I want to take this moment and tell you that I SEE YOU. I miss you when you're not here and I love it when you are. You are important to me. You are important. Period. Valentine's Day is about Romantic love, true, but I think it is also about just letting people know that you see them, hear them, appreciate them. Thank you for making my world a little bit brighter with your comments and posts.

Happy Valentine's Day friends!

**********
I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.



Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

************
This scene is from a TV Show. Actually, it is from one of my favorite TV shows. I am always astounded by the extreme lack of footage available on YouTube from this show. Ally McBeal is the show in question. I have written about this show on several occasions and the post Take Me To The Car Wash is actually one of my most-read posts of all time. Ironically, I think that this post is a better one.  That indicates that a significant portion of the rest of the world misses this show, too. Anyway, that show really hit its stride when they brought on Robert Downey, Jr. to play Larry Paul (Ally's love interest). And when RDJ relapsed with drugs and went to jail (and left the show, of course) it was devastating. Obviously for RDJ, but also for the show. Ally, as a character, never recovered and the show didn't recover either. Fortunatley, RDJ did recover and has gone on to bloom with his career.  But, getting back to Ally McBeal and Larry Paul...

Roll the footage...
<


Doesn't Robert Downey, Jr. look so young???? He was such a cutie. That isn't to say he isn't a handsome man now. Okay. I am stopping. I have rambled enough.

Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal) went on to play Kitty in the TV Show Brothers and Sisters. In that show, she fell for Senator Robert McCallister (Rob Lowe). I love this clip for two reasons.... one is that it is hilarious and the other is that it actually takes place on Valentine's Day!

Roll the footage...



I love the repartee between these two. Just makes me smile.

My last clip to close this day (and series) out was going to be from The Movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. However, YouTube didn't have anything that I felt was "big" enough to be a finisher... even though that is an excellent romantic comedy... and you should watch it if you haven't.  Instead, I am leaving you with footage from This Movie...

Roll the footage...

I'll take that as a Yes.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

HERE'S TO YOU THURSDAY


Drum roll please.

It is Thursday and that means it is HERE'S TO YOU day!  All in all, the best day of the week here on YOUR DAILY DOSE. Why? Because it's a celebration for YOU.

If you don't know what this HERE'S TO YOU stuff is about, let me explain.  This is a weekly event landing typically on Thursdays.  The best (or worst) part is that I am not going to explain why I chose "whatever" footage for each of you. If, you watch your footage and are scratching your head at the end, well that means I didn't do a very good job. However, all is not lost. You can email me at rarichards68@gmail.com and ask me what I was thinking when I chose that particular piece of footage off of youtube and connected it to you. And then I will tell you. Then I will start sending up prayers that I haven't offended the crap out of whoever is on the receiving end of that email....lol. Because, honestly, I will tell you right now... I admire all of you enormously so I really hope that doesn't happen.

Also, this is not an exclusive venture by any means. I hope that you will take the time to watch ALL of the footage because I don't pick bad footage:-) I also hope that you might check out the blog of the person I dedicated the footage to because they are pretty darn awesome. If you haven't figured this out yet... I pick the footage based on something that you've written or something that I've gleaned from your personality. Think on that for a while... If you are having trouble watching the entire video (meaning it is being cut off on one side), click on it a couple of times and it will take you straight over to youtube. If you click on the four squares at the bottom corner of the video, it will enlarge it to fill your screen. The escape key will bring it back to normal size. The back arrow will bring you back to my page.

Now, let's get this PARTY STARTED!!!!

This one is for everyone:


This one is for Red Shoes at Red Shoe's Chronicles:


This one is for Susan at I Think; Therefore, I Yam:


This one is for JJ The Disconnected Writer:


This one is for Jasmine at A Yellow Rose of Texas:


This one is for Dianne K. Salerni at In High Spirits:


This one is for Karen Walker at author karen walker...following the whispers:

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Love Is In The Air ~ Those Three Little Words


Only two more days, including today, of romantic clips. Tomorrow is HERE'S TO YOU day and Friday is Valentine's Day. Wow.

Now I will have to dig deep and come up with new material for this blog. No worries, though. The A to Z Challenge will be here before we know it and then the fun doesn't stop for an entire month!!!

Are you participating in the April A to Z Challenge? Have you chosen your theme? Written your posts? In other words, are you ready to rumble???

**********
I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.


Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

************

I suspect that many of you didn't watch the TV Show that I am about to feature here. It was another show that only lasted one season and then the network yanked it. I am beginning to equate the quality of a show with the shortness of its run. Obviously, there are exceptions to that rule. The truth is that it is really tough for a show that doesn't follow a CSI format to make it . In other words, the staple is now crime drama. This is beginning to feel like a rant for my TV Blog (TV Junction Function) so I am going to just stop. Now.

Moonlight, starring Alex O'Loughlin, is the show I am featuring. If the actor's name sounds familiar to you, he now plays Steve McGarrett on Hawaii Five-O (see notes about crime drama above). However, I am just glad that he is on the small screen at all. Moonlight had so much potential. One of the reasons I like this scene so much is because Mick says those words that every woman longs to hear: "You were right all along."

Roll the footage...



The next clip is from the Movie He's Just Not That Into You. IMDB sums up the plot like this: "The Baltimore-set movie of interconnecting story arcs deals with the challenges of reading or misreading human behavior." The characters in this clip, Alex and Gigi, have been circling each other since the film began. He notices her dating mis-steps and coaches her on Dos and Don'ts, as well as explaining if a guy does (insert example) he's just not that into you.  Of course, she fell for him and he rebuffed her. So she moved on. She has just come back from a date with another guy and...

Roll the footage...



There it is again... the words that every girl wants to hear: "You were right."

Sweet, sweet music.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

All Things Writing and Love is In The Air ~ I Could Fall In Love With You



Since this is still The Beginning of The Week, and I want to dedicate something each week to All Things Writing, this post is going to blend some writing questions with my Love Is In The Air business.

As a writer, I have learned so much reading your blogs, reading books, and even watching TV shows and movies.

I think it was Dianne K. Salerni at In High Spirits who wrote a post a while back about how she was struggling with the current novel in her series. She made a choice back in the first book that wasn't making the writing easy later on. However, that choice was already out there (and in print), so she couldn't go back and change it. The only thing to do was figure out how to go on from here.

TV shows, more than movies, face this same dilemma. Any show that has story that carries over from week to week (a serial) is up against this same wall. One of the surest ways to send a TV show to the cancellation block is to ignore the history in favor of telling the story you want to tell. Novelists run this same risk because the result is the same. With a TV show, viewers become disgusted and Change The Channel. With novels, word of mouth circulates that it is full of plot holes, not true to the story, etc. and people Don't Buy.

How do we avoid this with our own writing? I remember one person suggesting (Misha Gerrick, maybe?) that anyone writing a serial reread everything you've already written so that those old choices are fresh in your mind. It is one way to avoid revisionist history. It also reminds you of who your characters are given their choices/beliefs/value system.

You may be thinking... I am not a series writer, so this doesn't apply to me. I remember Alex J. Cavanaugh saying that he never intended his first book to become a series, but that is what happened. So, I am thinking it is best to Never Say Never. You can draw your own conclusions;)

You may be thinking... I am not a writer (period), so this doesn't apply to me. True, but you probably read, watch TV shows and/or movies. Can you think of a specific book series, TV series, or even a movie that didn't remain true to choices made earlier? Did it recover later or die a painful death? Tell me about it. I do want to know!

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I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.


Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

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The clips from today are from the TV Show Private Practice. Shonda Rimes, writer of Grey's Anatomy, decided to spin off one of the main characters from that show. Addison Montgomery moved to LA and a new medical drama was born. And died. In order to have the same sort of bizarre cases that you get on Grey's (which takes place at a major metropolitan hospital) you actually need a major metropolitan hospital. A private practice just doesn't cut it. So, everyone's medical qualifications became a hindrance after the first year (with the exception of our main character who actually was a surgeon).  What did Shonda do to solve this MAJOR problem? She reinvented them all. It was insane. It was stupid. It plunged the show into a downward spiral that ended in a painful death. In the meantime, the show was (mostly) successful at interpersonal relationships and quirky characters.... where Shonda excels as a writer. In other words, it still made good romance. If you want a lesson on how not to write a series, watch Private Practice. So many lessons there.

Now. let's pluck the gems from the ash, shall we?

Addison and Jake. Let me just say that if a man ever said this to me, I am fairly certain my knees would give out and I would be this puddle on the floor. Oh boy.

Roll the Jake footage...


"You know why I asked how you felt about me? Because I could fall in love with you, Addison. I could buy a house with you, I could make a baby with you, in a test tube, or however, But, I could be with you.But, when I go in, I go all in. And I can't do that while you're pining after another man. You're NOT READY for what I have to offer." 

"I could get ready." 

"That would be nice."

One of the funniest things about Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice was the usage of elevators for the BEST conversations. I have never in my life experienced sexy elevator talk. **Damn damn damn.**

Moving on to the most consistently excellent couple on this show... Cooper and Charlotte. While everything else collapsed around them, they were the characters that always remained TRUE TO THE STORY. This scene dates back to when they are just starting out as a couple. Charlotte is a love-battered weary soul who excels at self-sabotage. Cooper knows this about her. He calls her on her stuff and expects her to do better (she does).

Roll the Cooper/Charlotte footage:



What could have been the best relationship, Amelia and James, didn't save the ship. It had already broadsided the iceberg and was going down. The best they could do was make the sinking a bit more enjoyable.  The James character didn't even join the cast until the last season, and they were cancelled mid-way through, so this couple never got the screen time fans would have liked. They were fun, funny, and real in some ways that others weren't. Their problems weren't big soap opera problems. They looked a lot more like what average people face (for the most part). Take this scene... It cracks me up every time.

Roll the James and Amelia footage:



"I'm pretty sure it's not the first time. Just think back to the best sex you've ever had."

Hahahahaha.

Have a good Tuesday everyone!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Love Is In The Air ~ I Vow To Fiercely Love You



Valentine's Day is Friday. Are you ready? Is your Romance Well full to overflowing? If not, maybe some of these clips will help get you In The Mood.

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I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.




Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

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I don't know if it was where I was in my life, or the TV Show, but I cried through the first season of Everwood. Every episode. I bought it on DVD when it was on sale and then bawled like a baby every time I watched it. What does that have to do with this clip? Not a darn thing. This scene happened in season two or three and I was past the crying stage by then. This is a very sweet scene between the teens on that show, Ephram and Amy. If you think that they look familiar, but you didn't watch Everwood, they are now on OTHER TV shows. Everwood... one of the best Family Shows that has been on in the last twenty years.

Roll the footage...


I went on the hunt for these romantic scenes weeks ago, so it shocks me how I still get a kick in the gut when I watch that one. Why do work so hard to pretend to not show our feelings?  Amy summed that up spectacularly. "It should be easier." Yes, it really should.

This next scene is from a Movie that I recently watched called The Vow.  This is another movie based on a True Story. At the beginning, the couple is sitting in the car (parked) and they are rear ended by a truck. She sustains a brain injury and has no memory of her husband. As in none. The last thing she remembers is being in school and loving SOMEONE ELSE. As in someone not her husband. This scene is poignant because it shows how much they do love one another... and he spends the entirety of this movie trying to live these vows for a woman who doesn't remember him... at all. We should all be so lucky to marry someone who will go the distance like that.

Roll the footage...



I am going to finish off your Romantic Boost for today with a Movie clip that I am *pretty sure* you have seen. It really doesn't need an introduction or my two cents. Of course, that has never stopped me before, so why should today be different?  Why do I like this scene? I think when you realize that your life is truly better with someone in it, be brave enough to claim it. To say it. Isn't that what makes for a great love... a person who brings out your best?  And because they do, it feels like...

Roll the footage...


"Just shut up. You had me at hello."

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Love Is In The Air ~ Crazy Stupid Love



Today I am choosing FUN romantic clips. Romance should be fun. Even funny. Bring on the fun, I say.

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I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.



Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

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The O.C. Did you watch it? No? Well, no matter. This scene is still fun. All you need to know is that the girl, Summer, is wildly popular and the guy, Seth, is NOT. However, I love love love him. He is geeky cute and gets the best dialogue of anyone on this TV Show. Who doesn't love it when the prom queen falls for the science geek? Or any geek really?


Cue the fun OC Footage....


"Acknowledge me now or lose me forever." Did your inner geek just stand up and burst into applause? Yeah, mine too.

This next clip is from The Movie Crazy Stupid Love. This is another scene that makes me laugh. When we step outside of our comfort zone and do Crazy Things sometimes the best things happen. Of course, sometimes you end up in jail next to a hooker who wants to educate you in the ways of people pleasing. But, that is another story movie. If you haven't seen this movie and you want something to make you smile... rent it, buy it, watch it online. Crazy Stupid Love. Perfect for Valentine's Day or any day really.

Cue Crazy Stupid Love..


I am still chuckling. How about you?