Thanks for stopping by the Lunch Room today to "listen in" on my chat with Dana Cameron, real-life archaeologist and author of six books in the Emma Fielding archaeological mystery series. Ashes and Bones will be released August 2006.
JB: Given the rather detailed information in the FAQs section of your website, I'm going to try to ask some different kinds of questions. Inquiring minds want to know!
You've traveled extensively throughout your life, not only for book tours and conferences, but also with your family as well as for both work and pleasure. Where are some of the most interesting and/or exotic places you've visited and why did you go there?
DC: The most exotic was Moorea, in French Polynesia, which was stunningly beautiful: incredibly clear water, jagged volcanic peaks — even the rainstorms were exquisite. We stayed in the first hotel ever built on the island and our room was a little hut over the water, with no A.C., no television, no radio, no clocks, no telephone. Perfect.
The most culture shock I experienced was the year I spent in England studying archaeology. We really are two cultures separated by a common language. It was a tremendous — and fun — learning experience, fueled by cheese, beer, and Latin epigraphy.
Spain was fantastic and I love Paris. Wherever I go in Europe, I try to find Roman ruins. It's amazing to see how much impact they had on the world, and to see their imprint on the landscape 2000 years later.
JB: What's the most unusual or fascinating thing you've ever found on a dig? What was its historical significance?
DC: No gold or jewels, alas; the things an archaeologist gets excited about tend be pretty mundane looking. The most unusual was probably a scale weight I found, which would have been used to measure precious metal or drugs, anything small and valuable. It was tiny, only about a centimeter square, and beautifully made, so it was a fitting artifact to find on a rich merchant's property when Salem, Massachusetts was a busy port. I also found a reference to a scale and weights it in his probate inventory, so I could date it to before the 1740s. It was a great example of connecting what you find in the ground to the actual person who used it! [awesome!]
The most historically significant was also one of the most ordinary. A tiny white trade bead (it looked a lot like a Tic-Tac), was found near the remains of a post. The post by itself, could have been any period. But the bead right next to it helped date the structure to the early 17th-century, confirming the early nature of the site.
JB: (Wow. That is so cool.) You developed a love for reading at an early age. Who were some of your favorite authors?
DC: The library had this series of biographies of historical figures that I devoured in grade school. Thing is, I realize now most of the anecdotes I remember from them were probably made up; I'm not sure there is any way of knowing those things could have happened! But those books made a huge impact on me. Loads of Nancy Drew. I read Louisa May Alcott's books over and over, mostly because I liked the sense of history, but also because she showed there was no one way of being a girl, and there were no "all bad" or "all good" characters. Andre Norton and Shakespeare I discovered in junior high, and I read a lot of science fiction, especially Robert Heinlein and Harlan Ellison, in high school. I read tons of plays, too; I liked trying to figure out how to translate words to actions — and vice versa. Still do.
JB: Let's talk about Emma Fielding for a minute. You delineate several distinctions between the two of you in your FAQs, but I'm going to ask you the same question I asked Susan McBride - can you tell us some things about Emma that aren't in the books?
DC: That's an interesting question — and hard, because Emma is usually pretty open with other people, and brutally honest with herself, so the reader gets to see a lot of what goes on in her head. Emma probably hasn't told anyone that after her breakup with her boyfriend in college, she was in a reckless state of mind: When the CIA was recruiting on campus, she went to an interview. Nothing came of it, obviously — at least, not back then. Also, she doesn't admit that when her husband, Brian, annoys her, she's thinking that people who've been dead for 400 years are more fun and less trouble to deal with.
JB: Are the Madam Margaret Chandler ideas still cooking on the back burner?
DC: More than cooking! "The Lords of Misrule," my first short story and Margaret's first appearance as a lead character, will be published in Sugarplums and Scandal (Avon) this November. It's a great collection: stories from three mystery writers and three romance writers, all with a holiday theme, a little romance, and a little mystery thrown in. I'm also revising the novel I wrote for Margaret, as well as planning the second and third. Every once and a while, I just need to take a trip back to the 18th century.
JB: Describe your ideal writing atmosphere.
DC: I do my best writing in my office with the door shut, my notebook computer and the A.C. on, and five hours of solitude with the iPod cranked to whatever playlist is getting me through the book I'm working on. Ashes and Bones, the sixth book, required music (from bands like The Killers, Bush, The Prodigy, or Echo and the Bunnymen) that evoked dark and wily thoughts, so it was best I was locked away from the world. Other than that, as long as I've got a notebook and a Pilot pen, I'm happy. I can work on ideas on the beach, on a train, in the theater, in a loud restaurant, but in writing the story, I hide myself away.
JB: What's your favorite kind of chocolate (dark, milk, light)?
DC: Dark. There's this amazing place in Harvard Square, L.A. Burdick's, that does ridiculously good dark chocolate. But I'm helpless, bereft of will and self-control, in the face of Rowan's Fruit Pastilles. It's a good thing I don't get to England all that often ...
JB: Do you consider yourself a movie buff? If so, what kinds of movies do you like best? If not, what other things do you do for fun?
DC: I don't know if "movie buff" is the right term; I'm not familiar with loads of old movies and classics, but I sure am opinionated about what I watch! Like the historicals have to have more than costuming going on and the action movies have to have a plot to match the fight scenes (though I will always make an exception for John Woo or Jackie Chan). I've mentioned in my blog, that my favorite movies, in no particular order, are: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Bourne Identity, Shakespeare in Love, Impromptu, and Sense and Sensibility.
We've actually already covered most of what I like to do for fun — books, travel, movies. I'm a foodie and am into wine. I adore museums and live for any kind of research, though lately, that's less about being lost in a library than it is learning how to shoot or doing interviews for the thriller I'm working on.
JB: I'm so glad we have more of your delightful and intelligent stories to look forward to! Thanks so much, Dana, for stopping by the Lunch Room today!
DC: Thanks for asking such great questions, J.B.!
Visit Dana's website at www.danacameron.com. Dana recently began blogging with the Femmes Fatales, of which she has been a member for about two years. She is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and the American Crime Writers League.
7.31.2006
Getting with the program ...
Alternate Post Titles:
Making Up for Lost Time
Two for the Price of One
The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get ...
It seems that lately I've been very bad about my time management. Nyeh [she shrugs]. Can't be helped. Some days you just do what you can do and don't worry about the rest. So today you get two treats - 1) Me, doing my rambling thing with no definable topic point in sight; and 2) Dana Cameron (interview to be posted shortly). I can pretty much assure you that she will be far more interesting than I today.
I've mentioned before that I see and hear all kinds of interesting things on my walks around our neighborhood. There is an older gentleman who walks every day, without fail, and goes about 7 or 8 laps around our street. That's 10 miles. Rain or shine. He wears a floppy straw hat when the weather's contrary, but he's out there. Such discipline - I think there's a lesson to be learned here.
Then there's the guy who walks every day, but probably only because his doctor told him to. He does just the back stretch (about 3/4 mile), up and down, up and down and then he's done. With a cigar in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. I wonder whether his doctor forgot to tell him to cut back on the tobacco and caffeine, too ...? Mr. Cigar, meet Mr. Straw Hat. Observe. Learn.
I walk for a lot of different reasons, any of which you could guess and probably be right. Mostly I like observing my surroundings, soaking up nature and all that stuff. It makes me appreciate what I have, being fully aware that life will pass you by faster than you can blink.
Speaking of which, The Tall One - my firstborn - turned 17 yesterday. She was excited, happy, smiling the whole day. I spent most of it remembering the day of her birth. But that's another story.
If you're checking early today, I'm glad you're here, but come back again in a little while for my interview with author Dana Cameron. I'll wait until tomorrow to tell you to read a book.
=) JB
Making Up for Lost Time
Two for the Price of One
The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get ...
It seems that lately I've been very bad about my time management. Nyeh [she shrugs]. Can't be helped. Some days you just do what you can do and don't worry about the rest. So today you get two treats - 1) Me, doing my rambling thing with no definable topic point in sight; and 2) Dana Cameron (interview to be posted shortly). I can pretty much assure you that she will be far more interesting than I today.
None of us knows what the next change is going to be, what unexpected opportunity is just around the corner, waiting a few months or a few years to change all the tenor of our lives.
-- Kathleen Norris (1880-1966) US writer
I've mentioned before that I see and hear all kinds of interesting things on my walks around our neighborhood. There is an older gentleman who walks every day, without fail, and goes about 7 or 8 laps around our street. That's 10 miles. Rain or shine. He wears a floppy straw hat when the weather's contrary, but he's out there. Such discipline - I think there's a lesson to be learned here.
Then there's the guy who walks every day, but probably only because his doctor told him to. He does just the back stretch (about 3/4 mile), up and down, up and down and then he's done. With a cigar in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. I wonder whether his doctor forgot to tell him to cut back on the tobacco and caffeine, too ...? Mr. Cigar, meet Mr. Straw Hat. Observe. Learn.
I walk for a lot of different reasons, any of which you could guess and probably be right. Mostly I like observing my surroundings, soaking up nature and all that stuff. It makes me appreciate what I have, being fully aware that life will pass you by faster than you can blink.
Speaking of which, The Tall One - my firstborn - turned 17 yesterday. She was excited, happy, smiling the whole day. I spent most of it remembering the day of her birth. But that's another story.
If you're checking early today, I'm glad you're here, but come back again in a little while for my interview with author Dana Cameron. I'll wait until tomorrow to tell you to read a book.
=) JB
7.26.2006
What It's All About
Recap of the Weekend: Two games Saturday, one game Sunday, one game Monday. We lost the first two games but finished well, winning the two bottom-bracket games on Sunday and Monday. And there were a few college coaches hanging around so the weekend wasn't a total wash. Our team's sponsors made up programs with the girls' profiles and the coach handed them out all over the place at the tournament. Keep your fingers crossed.
Today I am by myself. The WGH has loaded all three kids into my van and they're going to Holiday World for a day of roller coaster rides and water park fun. I am not a coaster rider. I've ridden a few too many in my lifetime. I have control issues, you know? When I'm on one of those things, I feel very out of control, and I do not like to feel out of control. The kids love them, just like their father. There must be a coaster gene or something. I do not have the coaster gene.
So, I'm taking advantage of another day of solitude. BMWs meet tonight so I have to work on my pages from the WIP. JT and I spent some quality time on the phone yesterday*, working through some of my POV and narrative issues. For tonight's section I'm going to concentrate on getting further into my characters' heads and stop being "J.B. telling the story", as JT so eloquently put it. By the time this book is finished and I manage by the grace of God to get it sold, when you read the acknowledgments page, you may fully expect to see JT's name at the top of the list of those people without whom this would not be possible ... yada, yada, yada. Seriously, I couldn't do it without her. I'm writing the book, but she's the one making it better. She's the one who keeps me from saying, "Okay, that's it, I'm done, I can't write for garbage, I give up." The WMVR does that, too, but from a reader's perspective. She loves my writing (if you don't count the first draft of this WIP, which is now being rewritten in a completely different tone), and I wouldn't have finished even the first book without her encouragement. The two of them keeping after me, this is why I do this. That's what it's all about.
*[aside] Went almost the entire day yesterday without Internet - horrors - after being gone for four days, how many emails did I come home to? 172. Yikes.
And this. Every so often a writer will receive a "fan letter" that makes the whole effort worth it. I received such a note in my email over the weekend, and when I wrote this very nice lady back I asked her for permission to share the story with you, which she granted. So here it is, slightly edited for length and content, but mostly verbatim:
What are the chances, indeed. How often does God orchestrate such a seemingly "coincidental" event? The last time I saw my friend was at our high school reunion a couple of years ago, and we've corresponded only briefly, a time or two, since then. He lives out West now. This is one of those stories that makes you think, "No way!" but then there it is. Everything happens for a reason, and I believe that with all my heart. My heartfelt thanks go to this "new fan" for sharing this amazing story with me. Like I said, this is what it's all about.
My spirits lifted, I am off to tackle this WIP with renewed vigor. One of these days, Alice ... we might have a finished book to pitch.
In the meantime, I received yet another rejection recently on my third book. This leaves two agents I haven't heard back from yet out of the 15 I've queried. So what now? I'm thinking it might be time for a rewrite on that one. Even The Tall One said it wasn't as good as Mozart, right? So I have to fix it. But first things first, which is the current WIP. The BMWs don't know it yet, but we are a mere six chapters from the end of this thing.
That's when the real fun will start.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Today I am by myself. The WGH has loaded all three kids into my van and they're going to Holiday World for a day of roller coaster rides and water park fun. I am not a coaster rider. I've ridden a few too many in my lifetime. I have control issues, you know? When I'm on one of those things, I feel very out of control, and I do not like to feel out of control. The kids love them, just like their father. There must be a coaster gene or something. I do not have the coaster gene.
So, I'm taking advantage of another day of solitude. BMWs meet tonight so I have to work on my pages from the WIP. JT and I spent some quality time on the phone yesterday*, working through some of my POV and narrative issues. For tonight's section I'm going to concentrate on getting further into my characters' heads and stop being "J.B. telling the story", as JT so eloquently put it. By the time this book is finished and I manage by the grace of God to get it sold, when you read the acknowledgments page, you may fully expect to see JT's name at the top of the list of those people without whom this would not be possible ... yada, yada, yada. Seriously, I couldn't do it without her. I'm writing the book, but she's the one making it better. She's the one who keeps me from saying, "Okay, that's it, I'm done, I can't write for garbage, I give up." The WMVR does that, too, but from a reader's perspective. She loves my writing (if you don't count the first draft of this WIP, which is now being rewritten in a completely different tone), and I wouldn't have finished even the first book without her encouragement. The two of them keeping after me, this is why I do this. That's what it's all about.
*[aside] Went almost the entire day yesterday without Internet - horrors - after being gone for four days, how many emails did I come home to? 172. Yikes.
And this. Every so often a writer will receive a "fan letter" that makes the whole effort worth it. I received such a note in my email over the weekend, and when I wrote this very nice lady back I asked her for permission to share the story with you, which she granted. So here it is, slightly edited for length and content, but mostly verbatim:
Dear Ms. Thompson,
The most amazing thing happened recently and pertains to your book, The Blue Frog.
I am a mystery buff, and over the years friends and family have given me endless new novels by various mystery genre authors - and I am ashamed to say that too many are still sitting on my over-stuffed bookshelves unread.
Anyway, about three years ago a dear friend gave me a book called The Blue Frog (he liked the title, and the book was recommended by a friend) for my 40th birthday. Like too many books before it, it ended up on the bookshelf - unread until time permitted - and was forgotten. Well, my "Mystery Reading Club" has a rotation where each year each member has to "find" a "new" or "unknown to us" mystery author so that we can try someone new! SO, this month it was my turn, and having far too little time to dart off to the bookstore I decided to scour my own bookshelves for just such an author. As luck would have it I came across the book given to me three years prior by my friend.
I put the book in my satchel and thus had it with me for my birthday party last week. At that birthday gathering was my family, and mostly other old-time friends, but there was one new friend as well. (This is where it gets interesting...) The man who gave me the book three years previous was one of the party guests last week and I noticed the book in my bag so I pulled it out to show him that I was FINALLY getting around to reading the book he gave me ... and it all seemed very serendipitous and fun since he had given it to me on my birthday ... and as we were talking about the book, the "new" friend sitting across the table said, "Hey, wait a minute! I went to high school with the woman that wrote that book!!!"
Needless to say, we were all stunned and amazed at the unlikely situation. Not only did he know you, but that I had the book in my bag at that party! WHAT ARE THE CHANCES!? What a small and amazing world! God truly does work in mysterious ways!
So, now I am enjoying your book, and soon so will my Mystery Reading Club friends. I hope you have enjoyed hearing about this. I am enjoying reading your book, and I see from my internet searching that you have a second book! - I will be ordering The Mozart Murders next!
What are the chances, indeed. How often does God orchestrate such a seemingly "coincidental" event? The last time I saw my friend was at our high school reunion a couple of years ago, and we've corresponded only briefly, a time or two, since then. He lives out West now. This is one of those stories that makes you think, "No way!" but then there it is. Everything happens for a reason, and I believe that with all my heart. My heartfelt thanks go to this "new fan" for sharing this amazing story with me. Like I said, this is what it's all about.
My spirits lifted, I am off to tackle this WIP with renewed vigor. One of these days, Alice ... we might have a finished book to pitch.
In the meantime, I received yet another rejection recently on my third book. This leaves two agents I haven't heard back from yet out of the 15 I've queried. So what now? I'm thinking it might be time for a rewrite on that one. Even The Tall One said it wasn't as good as Mozart, right? So I have to fix it. But first things first, which is the current WIP. The BMWs don't know it yet, but we are a mere six chapters from the end of this thing.
That's when the real fun will start.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.21.2006
The Last Road Trip
The folks rolled in late last night with The Tall One and Little Bit in tow. Today we're regrouping, getting ready for our final road trip of the summer, to the last basketball exposure tournament. Reportedly there will be upwards of 200-400 college basketball coaches roaming the tournament sites. Let's hope my kid plays to her potential. Hey, if someone wants to offer up a scholarship for her to play ball, we'll not be turning our noses up, you know?
My week of solitude was fairly productive. Yesterday I turned a rather graphic, over-the-top sex scene into something completely readable and evocative. I paid attention in class.
The laptop is going with me on this trip, as are a couple of books I need to read. We'll see how much I get done between games. I think the WGH is looking forward to a little sightseeing while we're there if we can squeeze it in. If I can post from the road, I will. If not, I'll be back Wednesday.
Look for my interview with author Dana Cameron on July 31.
Read a book while I'm gone. It's good for you.
=) JB
My week of solitude was fairly productive. Yesterday I turned a rather graphic, over-the-top sex scene into something completely readable and evocative. I paid attention in class.
The laptop is going with me on this trip, as are a couple of books I need to read. We'll see how much I get done between games. I think the WGH is looking forward to a little sightseeing while we're there if we can squeeze it in. If I can post from the road, I will. If not, I'll be back Wednesday.
Look for my interview with author Dana Cameron on July 31.
Read a book while I'm gone. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.19.2006
Another One Bites the Dust
For you who are in my generation, that title should mean something to you (well, duh). It might even mean something to those of you who are younger but listen to classic rock. Ba-da-doont-doont-doont, da-doont-doont-doont-da-doont ... okay, yeah, well ... er, never mind. (Admit it, you were singing along.)
For the literary circle, this means I have eliminated yet another character from the WIP. I liked the guy, really, but I finally came to grips with the fact that he's rather extraneous, that is, he does not absolutely need to be in the story to further the plot. Sometimes ya just gotta let go.
Day Three of Solitude begins as soon as I drop off The Boy and his Band Buddy at school for band camp. The WIP is actually starting to look like something I can work with.
More tomorrow.
Read a book!
=) JB
For the literary circle, this means I have eliminated yet another character from the WIP. I liked the guy, really, but I finally came to grips with the fact that he's rather extraneous, that is, he does not absolutely need to be in the story to further the plot. Sometimes ya just gotta let go.
Day Three of Solitude begins as soon as I drop off The Boy and his Band Buddy at school for band camp. The WIP is actually starting to look like something I can work with.
More tomorrow.
Read a book!
=) JB
7.17.2006
Four Days of Quiet Solitude
Shhhhhh ... do you hear that? It's quiet at my house. I have four days of solitude while the rest of my family is off doing various and sundry things, all of which I have already mentioned in previous posts. These next four days I have bookmarked to devote to the major rewrite of the WIP.
This is a challenge I'm up for. Mozart is cranking on the CD player (Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216), the hot water is on, and I'm ready to write.
My posts this week will probably be of the short and sweet variety, but I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
This is a challenge I'm up for. Mozart is cranking on the CD player (Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216), the hot water is on, and I'm ready to write.
My posts this week will probably be of the short and sweet variety, but I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.16.2006
On the Road Again
Sans Willie, of course.
I'm thinking Mother and Dad might get a kick out of the fact that I'm writing this post at their house. Hi, you two, and thanks again for giving us a place to land last night.
We have a long day ahead of us. Two hours from here to take The Tall One to volleyball camp, then 5-1/2 hours home, and we all have to get up early tomorrow - the WGH has to work and The Boy has band camp. Little Bit will be the only one sleeping in tomorrow (she's staying with the folks this week).
Mother is making quiche (if I could describe the aroma without drooling all over the keyboard, you'd smell it too). We only have quiche at Mother's house, although I probably could make one at home if I had the burning desire to. Hmmm ... burning was probably a poor choice of words, there, considering my past kitchen experiences. I'm an excellent cook, really I am. I just get distracted too easily. I think that might be a curse for us writers.
For now I'm off to play travel agent. And Mom, of course. I'll wax philosophic again when we get back home.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
I'm thinking Mother and Dad might get a kick out of the fact that I'm writing this post at their house. Hi, you two, and thanks again for giving us a place to land last night.
We have a long day ahead of us. Two hours from here to take The Tall One to volleyball camp, then 5-1/2 hours home, and we all have to get up early tomorrow - the WGH has to work and The Boy has band camp. Little Bit will be the only one sleeping in tomorrow (she's staying with the folks this week).
Mother is making quiche (if I could describe the aroma without drooling all over the keyboard, you'd smell it too). We only have quiche at Mother's house, although I probably could make one at home if I had the burning desire to. Hmmm ... burning was probably a poor choice of words, there, considering my past kitchen experiences. I'm an excellent cook, really I am. I just get distracted too easily. I think that might be a curse for us writers.
For now I'm off to play travel agent. And Mom, of course. I'll wax philosophic again when we get back home.
In the meantime, read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.14.2006
Let's Do Lunch! Interview with Robin Burcell
I am so, so lucky to have the very gracious and witty Robin Burcell, author of the SFPD Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie series (as well as a new forthcoming series that we'll learn about today), as my guest in the Lunch Room:
JB: (I'm quoting from your website here.) Your first book was a romance about a police officer. That book, WHEN MIDNIGHT COMES (HarperPaperbacks, 1995), was a finalist in both the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart for Historical and the prestigious Rita for Best First Book. What prompted you to switch from Romance to Mystery?
RB: (Chuckling at the memories--I can laugh now...) Essentially what happened was that I made that first elusive and extraordinary sale, and I turned to my husband and said--and this is a quote--"I have my foot in the publishing world door. We can have that second child now." Except I had twins. And, well, romance was not exactly high on my priority list. I didn't--couldn't--write for a couple of years, though I tried. And what I found out was that murder and mayhem seemed to be much easier to write at this point in my life, so I scrapped the romance and penned my first mystery. Which is still in the darkest recesses of an antiquated Apple LC with a whopping 8 MB of memory. (Which tells you that this occurred way back in the mid-nineties.) When the twins were about two, I started in earnest on the first book in the Kate Gillespie series, and realized that this was the genre I wanted to write. (My other clue was all the dead bodies that kept finding their way into my romances...)
JB: COLD CASE, the fourth Kate Gillespie book, came out in 2004. Are we to see more of Kate in the future (I hope, I hope)?
RB: Kate actually makes an appearance in my next book, THE FACE OF A KILLER, which comes out in two houses late 2007 (Poisoned Pen is doing the hardcover in August, and Avon/HarperCollins is publishing the paperback in October.) This book starts a new series about an FBI agent/forensic artist, Sydney Fitzpatrick. And that's not to say that I've given up on Kate. I fully intend to revisit her series in the future, once I get a couple of Sydney's adventures on the record.
JB: During your years in the field, you must have encountered lots of tense and/or dangerous situations. Are any of the scenarios we see Kate in taken from real life?
RB: Absolutely. Many of the things Kate sees and feels, I've seen and felt. That was one of my goals--to bring a realistic but entertaining portrayal of police work to the page. But by the same token, I've never shot anyone, nor have I ever worked in San Francisco. I don't deal with a mob boss on a daily basis (at least not to my knowledge.) I've been married to the same guy over two decades now, never been divorced, have three children. Yet I tend to make my protagonists divorced, childless, and/or never been married and childless. As far as crimes, etc., no book is realistic. If any cop shot as many people as our favorite fictional cops do, they'd be ripped from the streets and put behind a desk, if not retired altogether. But I'm not sure that's exactly the question you asked... When I experience horrific things, the feelings that course through me, such as when I'm holding a knife-wielding man at gunpoint, my finger going in/out on the trigger, knowing that his life is in my hands... Or when someone gets shot and dies, and I'm standing there helpless... Or dealing with victims of senseless crimes, wondering what would have happened if I'd gotten there sooner, made a different decision... That's what I bring to the books. The other stuff is just made up.
JB: Can you share a story from your law enforcement days that was particularly significant or memorable for you?
RB: The most memorable? It depends on what day it is, what street I'm on. My husband and I were driving to the movies one day on a route I don't normally take. I looked around me at the houses and realized that I could point out each house I'd been in, or some street corner, and often what crime took place there, especially if it was a significant crime. Funny thing is that before I became a cop, I'd look at houses differently. Oh, this house always grows the most beautiful tulips come spring time. That house has such a lovely front porch. Now it's: I was in that house on a domestic violence case. That house is where we took our knifing victim. There is where I stood holding a man's leg that was connected by a single tendon after a motorcycle accident. Frankly, I'd like to go back to looking at the tulips and the front porches. Might happen if I move out of this city--someday.
But significant and memorable? I can answer that in a heartbeat. I was standing in line at a bakery several years ago. A woman came up to me, certain I didn't remember her. (I did.) She simply wanted to thank me for arresting her husband who had been abusive to her, and had molested her daughter who was developmentally delayed. The reason why I remembered her? Because at the time I made the arrest, she accused me of ruining her family, ripping it apart, falsifying the charges against him. At the time, I'd like to say it didn't bother me, but it did. Despite this, I knew this to be a common problem in these types of cases, so I didn't take it personally. But to have her come up, years later, thank me out of the blue, tell me how wonderful her daughter was doing now that she was out of that situation--something she couldn't recognize at the time--I was able to look her in the eye and say that her simple thank you was what made my job worth it. And truly, I'll remember that for the rest of my life. The thanks come few and far between, and I remember each and everyone I received. Some weren't necessarily for such grave reasons, but when they're heartfelt, you can guarantee it means something to me--made my job worth it.
JB: Tell us a little bit about COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors). Have you seen the benefits of this organization in your personal experience?
RB: When my first mystery was bought, it was just a few weeks after one of our officers, Rick Cromwell, had been killed in a motorcycle accident by a man he'd ticketed for being an unsafe driver, did an emergency revoke of the man's license, and had sent to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles for an emergency evaluation to see if he should even be driving. The DMV did the evaluation over the phone, gave him his license back. Just a short time later, that same man made an illegal turn out of a driveway and killed this very same officer. (How the DMV won that lawsuit on appeal, I'll never know.) But the long and short of it was that I realized that so many officers go out on a daily basis, putting their lives on the line, and I thought, here I am, writing about this stuff, surely I can give back? I decided that COPS was a good organization, helping the families and children of officers killed in the line of duty, with counseling and scholarships. I can't say enough about the organization, except that I hope I sell a gazillion more books to help out their scholarship and camp funds.
JB: Folks, please take a minute to check out COPS - it's a great cause if you're so inclined.
Time for the fun/silly questions. Coffee or tea? Chocolate milk or orange juice? Beer, whiskey or wine (or non-alcoholic beverages, as the case may be)?
RB: Coffee or tea? Did you not even read the books? (Just kidding!) I like mochas. But I didn't want anyone to think Kate was me, so I made her like lattes. But then I had people coming to my signings, bringing me lattes, saying: We knew you'd like them, because Kate liked them! Which is why I had to switch Kate's habit in a later book. [I remember that!] If people are going to spend their hard-earned money on drinks for me, I should at least point them in the right direction! As for alcoholic drinks, I like microbrewery beers, such as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I don't like domestic beer at all. My drink of choice is probably a gin and tonic--a bit on the weak side. And if anyone wants to buy me free stuff, I like diamonds.
JB: You're looking a little different these days (saw some pix from ThrillerFest). What prompted the change?
RB: Can you say: three kids, too much stress at work equals gray hair? [um, yes, as a matter of fact ...] I found that blonde covers up the gray much easier and longer than when I had darker hair.
JB: If you had one, what was your favorite stuffed animal when you were a kid?
RB: I had this snake... It was one of those long stuffed, plush things, with leopard spots... (Maybe if my parents had bought me that Easy Bake Oven and that "life-like" baby doll I always wanted, I might have ended up in a different occupation.)
JB: Last question. What is the one question you wish someone would ask you in an interview, and what would your answer be?
RB: Interviewer: Just so happens I'm friends with (fill in the blank with famous person's name.) Is it okay if we make a movie about your series, and pay you a gazillion dollars?
Me: Yes.
JB: Dang, I never would have thought of that. Brilliant. ; ) Thanks so much, Robin, for stopping by the Lunch Room!
Robin Burcell is a multiple Anthony award nominee and winner of the 2002 and 2003 Anthonys for Best Paperback Original Novel as well as the Barry Award for Best Paperback Original in 2000. With 20 years experience in law enforcement, Robin has worked as a police officer, a detective and a criminal investigator, as well as an FBI-trained forensic artist and a hostage negotiator. Author of the SFPD Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie mystery series, she now writes full-time.
JB: (I'm quoting from your website here.) Your first book was a romance about a police officer. That book, WHEN MIDNIGHT COMES (HarperPaperbacks, 1995), was a finalist in both the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart for Historical and the prestigious Rita for Best First Book. What prompted you to switch from Romance to Mystery?
RB: (Chuckling at the memories--I can laugh now...) Essentially what happened was that I made that first elusive and extraordinary sale, and I turned to my husband and said--and this is a quote--"I have my foot in the publishing world door. We can have that second child now." Except I had twins. And, well, romance was not exactly high on my priority list. I didn't--couldn't--write for a couple of years, though I tried. And what I found out was that murder and mayhem seemed to be much easier to write at this point in my life, so I scrapped the romance and penned my first mystery. Which is still in the darkest recesses of an antiquated Apple LC with a whopping 8 MB of memory. (Which tells you that this occurred way back in the mid-nineties.) When the twins were about two, I started in earnest on the first book in the Kate Gillespie series, and realized that this was the genre I wanted to write. (My other clue was all the dead bodies that kept finding their way into my romances...)
JB: COLD CASE, the fourth Kate Gillespie book, came out in 2004. Are we to see more of Kate in the future (I hope, I hope)?
RB: Kate actually makes an appearance in my next book, THE FACE OF A KILLER, which comes out in two houses late 2007 (Poisoned Pen is doing the hardcover in August, and Avon/HarperCollins is publishing the paperback in October.) This book starts a new series about an FBI agent/forensic artist, Sydney Fitzpatrick. And that's not to say that I've given up on Kate. I fully intend to revisit her series in the future, once I get a couple of Sydney's adventures on the record.
JB: During your years in the field, you must have encountered lots of tense and/or dangerous situations. Are any of the scenarios we see Kate in taken from real life?
RB: Absolutely. Many of the things Kate sees and feels, I've seen and felt. That was one of my goals--to bring a realistic but entertaining portrayal of police work to the page. But by the same token, I've never shot anyone, nor have I ever worked in San Francisco. I don't deal with a mob boss on a daily basis (at least not to my knowledge.) I've been married to the same guy over two decades now, never been divorced, have three children. Yet I tend to make my protagonists divorced, childless, and/or never been married and childless. As far as crimes, etc., no book is realistic. If any cop shot as many people as our favorite fictional cops do, they'd be ripped from the streets and put behind a desk, if not retired altogether. But I'm not sure that's exactly the question you asked... When I experience horrific things, the feelings that course through me, such as when I'm holding a knife-wielding man at gunpoint, my finger going in/out on the trigger, knowing that his life is in my hands... Or when someone gets shot and dies, and I'm standing there helpless... Or dealing with victims of senseless crimes, wondering what would have happened if I'd gotten there sooner, made a different decision... That's what I bring to the books. The other stuff is just made up.
JB: Can you share a story from your law enforcement days that was particularly significant or memorable for you?
RB: The most memorable? It depends on what day it is, what street I'm on. My husband and I were driving to the movies one day on a route I don't normally take. I looked around me at the houses and realized that I could point out each house I'd been in, or some street corner, and often what crime took place there, especially if it was a significant crime. Funny thing is that before I became a cop, I'd look at houses differently. Oh, this house always grows the most beautiful tulips come spring time. That house has such a lovely front porch. Now it's: I was in that house on a domestic violence case. That house is where we took our knifing victim. There is where I stood holding a man's leg that was connected by a single tendon after a motorcycle accident. Frankly, I'd like to go back to looking at the tulips and the front porches. Might happen if I move out of this city--someday.
But significant and memorable? I can answer that in a heartbeat. I was standing in line at a bakery several years ago. A woman came up to me, certain I didn't remember her. (I did.) She simply wanted to thank me for arresting her husband who had been abusive to her, and had molested her daughter who was developmentally delayed. The reason why I remembered her? Because at the time I made the arrest, she accused me of ruining her family, ripping it apart, falsifying the charges against him. At the time, I'd like to say it didn't bother me, but it did. Despite this, I knew this to be a common problem in these types of cases, so I didn't take it personally. But to have her come up, years later, thank me out of the blue, tell me how wonderful her daughter was doing now that she was out of that situation--something she couldn't recognize at the time--I was able to look her in the eye and say that her simple thank you was what made my job worth it. And truly, I'll remember that for the rest of my life. The thanks come few and far between, and I remember each and everyone I received. Some weren't necessarily for such grave reasons, but when they're heartfelt, you can guarantee it means something to me--made my job worth it.
JB: Tell us a little bit about COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors). Have you seen the benefits of this organization in your personal experience?
RB: When my first mystery was bought, it was just a few weeks after one of our officers, Rick Cromwell, had been killed in a motorcycle accident by a man he'd ticketed for being an unsafe driver, did an emergency revoke of the man's license, and had sent to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles for an emergency evaluation to see if he should even be driving. The DMV did the evaluation over the phone, gave him his license back. Just a short time later, that same man made an illegal turn out of a driveway and killed this very same officer. (How the DMV won that lawsuit on appeal, I'll never know.) But the long and short of it was that I realized that so many officers go out on a daily basis, putting their lives on the line, and I thought, here I am, writing about this stuff, surely I can give back? I decided that COPS was a good organization, helping the families and children of officers killed in the line of duty, with counseling and scholarships. I can't say enough about the organization, except that I hope I sell a gazillion more books to help out their scholarship and camp funds.
JB: Folks, please take a minute to check out COPS - it's a great cause if you're so inclined.
Time for the fun/silly questions. Coffee or tea? Chocolate milk or orange juice? Beer, whiskey or wine (or non-alcoholic beverages, as the case may be)?
RB: Coffee or tea? Did you not even read the books? (Just kidding!) I like mochas. But I didn't want anyone to think Kate was me, so I made her like lattes. But then I had people coming to my signings, bringing me lattes, saying: We knew you'd like them, because Kate liked them! Which is why I had to switch Kate's habit in a later book. [I remember that!] If people are going to spend their hard-earned money on drinks for me, I should at least point them in the right direction! As for alcoholic drinks, I like microbrewery beers, such as Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I don't like domestic beer at all. My drink of choice is probably a gin and tonic--a bit on the weak side. And if anyone wants to buy me free stuff, I like diamonds.
JB: You're looking a little different these days (saw some pix from ThrillerFest). What prompted the change?
RB: Can you say: three kids, too much stress at work equals gray hair? [um, yes, as a matter of fact ...] I found that blonde covers up the gray much easier and longer than when I had darker hair.
JB: If you had one, what was your favorite stuffed animal when you were a kid?
RB: I had this snake... It was one of those long stuffed, plush things, with leopard spots... (Maybe if my parents had bought me that Easy Bake Oven and that "life-like" baby doll I always wanted, I might have ended up in a different occupation.)
JB: Last question. What is the one question you wish someone would ask you in an interview, and what would your answer be?
RB: Interviewer: Just so happens I'm friends with (fill in the blank with famous person's name.) Is it okay if we make a movie about your series, and pay you a gazillion dollars?
Me: Yes.
JB: Dang, I never would have thought of that. Brilliant. ; ) Thanks so much, Robin, for stopping by the Lunch Room!
Robin Burcell is a multiple Anthony award nominee and winner of the 2002 and 2003 Anthonys for Best Paperback Original Novel as well as the Barry Award for Best Paperback Original in 2000. With 20 years experience in law enforcement, Robin has worked as a police officer, a detective and a criminal investigator, as well as an FBI-trained forensic artist and a hostage negotiator. Author of the SFPD Homicide Inspector Kate Gillespie mystery series, she now writes full-time.
7.13.2006
My Toughest Critic
Probably not who you think.
Most writers I know say we are our own toughest critics. I discovered yesterday afternoon that my oldest daughter is tougher on me than even ... well, me. I. Ahem.
We were on our way to the movie theater for our family night (saw Cars - if you haven't seen it yet, go - it's terrific), and we were talking about various and sundry things. I mentioned Joe Konrath's assertion from Tuesday night that he is living his dream, and that I want to be there someday, and The Tall One pipes up from the back seat, saying that if I want that to happen, then every book I write from now on has to be as good as, if not better than, The Mozart Murders. (I knew she liked it - after all, she did call me an "evil little genius" when she finished it - I just never realized how much. Last night she said, "It was a really good book, Mom, and if you'd had a real publisher you would have sold a lot more of them." There's a whole 'nother story in that "real publisher" comment, but we won't talk about it just now.)
Huh?
Granted, you might immediately assume something to the effect of, this is a young person, not my "target audience", etc. Not true. Yes, she is young (as she keeps reminding us, she'll be 17 in 17 days). However, she reads on an adult level, way more adult sometimes than I think she should, but there it is. She, and a lot of readers like her, are my target audience.
So to live up to these tough standards, I have to not only rewrite the book I'm working on, but also the one I'm shopping. Cringe. My critic said last night that it was good, but not as good as Mozart. You're killin' me, kid.
I mentioned yesterday that our Sisters meeting was "disrupted" (in a very good way) by Joe Konrath on his drive-by tour. We were supposed to have been discussing She Walks These Hills, but in light of the lovely surprise it was decided that we'd put off the discussion until next month. I did enjoy the book, very much, but now I'll have to rely on my failing short-term memory to be able to discuss it intelligently come August.
Little Bit and I are heading into town for her orthodontist appointment. Today may be one of those days that finds me scrambling for time to write, but my plan is to try to get some time in on the WIP and carry forward from the rewritten opening.
Wish me luck.
Oh, and read a book. It's good for you, you know.
=) JB
Most writers I know say we are our own toughest critics. I discovered yesterday afternoon that my oldest daughter is tougher on me than even ... well, me. I. Ahem.
We were on our way to the movie theater for our family night (saw Cars - if you haven't seen it yet, go - it's terrific), and we were talking about various and sundry things. I mentioned Joe Konrath's assertion from Tuesday night that he is living his dream, and that I want to be there someday, and The Tall One pipes up from the back seat, saying that if I want that to happen, then every book I write from now on has to be as good as, if not better than, The Mozart Murders. (I knew she liked it - after all, she did call me an "evil little genius" when she finished it - I just never realized how much. Last night she said, "It was a really good book, Mom, and if you'd had a real publisher you would have sold a lot more of them." There's a whole 'nother story in that "real publisher" comment, but we won't talk about it just now.)
Huh?
Granted, you might immediately assume something to the effect of, this is a young person, not my "target audience", etc. Not true. Yes, she is young (as she keeps reminding us, she'll be 17 in 17 days). However, she reads on an adult level, way more adult sometimes than I think she should, but there it is. She, and a lot of readers like her, are my target audience.
So to live up to these tough standards, I have to not only rewrite the book I'm working on, but also the one I'm shopping. Cringe. My critic said last night that it was good, but not as good as Mozart. You're killin' me, kid.
I mentioned yesterday that our Sisters meeting was "disrupted" (in a very good way) by Joe Konrath on his drive-by tour. We were supposed to have been discussing She Walks These Hills, but in light of the lovely surprise it was decided that we'd put off the discussion until next month. I did enjoy the book, very much, but now I'll have to rely on my failing short-term memory to be able to discuss it intelligently come August.
Little Bit and I are heading into town for her orthodontist appointment. Today may be one of those days that finds me scrambling for time to write, but my plan is to try to get some time in on the WIP and carry forward from the rewritten opening.
Wish me luck.
Oh, and read a book. It's good for you, you know.
=) JB
7.12.2006
Writers = Real People
My little Canadian sister has posted brilliantly over at Killer Year today. Couldn't have said it better myself. Read her words of wisdom here.
Also found a gem over at The Playground. Absolutely some of the best advice and inspiration I've read in a while. If you don't read anything else today, read this. It is SO worth it.
Due to my disorganizational skills my interview with Robin Burcell will be delayed just a tad. She was working on a deadline and I was working without a brain. Not a good combination. Anyway, it's coming up soon, so stay tuned.
Speaking of writers being real people. I had the pleasure of meeting one J.A. Konrath last night. What a hoot that guy is. Very funny, very down to earth, and very gracious. Mr. Konrath (Joe to his friends) is doing a whirlwind national tour, visiting a planned 500 bookstores over a two-month stretch of time. He's concentrating this trip on the booksellers - meeting, schmoozing, signing stock. No formal signings or anything, just what he calls "the publishing equivalent of drive-by". He popped in to our Sisters in Crime meeting to regale us with his tales of getting published, and we discovered he's really a pretty neat guy. He even showed us his ... well, I'd better not say anything about that. He likes to spring that surprise on folks during his talk. If you haven't met his protagonist, Lt. Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels yet, go pick up a copy of his first book, Whiskey Sour. He promises it's worth your time.
This is really cool. MJ Rose, whose book The Delilah Complex blew me away, is all about promotion, for herself and other writers. (Check out her blog, Buzz, Balls & Hype, at the link to the left.)
MJ is doing a thing very similar to Joe, but where he is traveling the country in an SUV, she's doing it through cyberspace. MJ is promoting her newest Dr. Morgan Snow novel, The Venus Fix (this is a video clip/trailer, so turn up your speakers), by doing a virtual tour of the blogosphere. It's called "The Venus Fix Summer Buzz Promotion". Count me in, MJ! Let me tell you, folks, this lady knows how to buzz books!
Apparently I did a good job with the rewrite of the WIP's opening because I got some serious kudos from JT. Now if I can just carry that forward for the rest of the story ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Also found a gem over at The Playground. Absolutely some of the best advice and inspiration I've read in a while. If you don't read anything else today, read this. It is SO worth it.
Due to my disorganizational skills my interview with Robin Burcell will be delayed just a tad. She was working on a deadline and I was working without a brain. Not a good combination. Anyway, it's coming up soon, so stay tuned.
Speaking of writers being real people. I had the pleasure of meeting one J.A. Konrath last night. What a hoot that guy is. Very funny, very down to earth, and very gracious. Mr. Konrath (Joe to his friends) is doing a whirlwind national tour, visiting a planned 500 bookstores over a two-month stretch of time. He's concentrating this trip on the booksellers - meeting, schmoozing, signing stock. No formal signings or anything, just what he calls "the publishing equivalent of drive-by". He popped in to our Sisters in Crime meeting to regale us with his tales of getting published, and we discovered he's really a pretty neat guy. He even showed us his ... well, I'd better not say anything about that. He likes to spring that surprise on folks during his talk. If you haven't met his protagonist, Lt. Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels yet, go pick up a copy of his first book, Whiskey Sour. He promises it's worth your time.
This is really cool. MJ Rose, whose book The Delilah Complex blew me away, is all about promotion, for herself and other writers. (Check out her blog, Buzz, Balls & Hype, at the link to the left.)
MJ is doing a thing very similar to Joe, but where he is traveling the country in an SUV, she's doing it through cyberspace. MJ is promoting her newest Dr. Morgan Snow novel, The Venus Fix (this is a video clip/trailer, so turn up your speakers), by doing a virtual tour of the blogosphere. It's called "The Venus Fix Summer Buzz Promotion". Count me in, MJ! Let me tell you, folks, this lady knows how to buzz books!
Apparently I did a good job with the rewrite of the WIP's opening because I got some serious kudos from JT. Now if I can just carry that forward for the rest of the story ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.11.2006
In Absentia
So, didja miss me?
Sorry I haven't been here for a few days. We've had a lot going on at our house. The trip to the 'Sip was fun. Even though our little team didn't win a single game, they played four terrific second halves. I was proud of my kid. Not many 6'4" girls can beat everybody else down the floor. That's something her coach thinks will get her noticed. Keep your fingers crossed. The really BIG exposure tournament is coming up in a couple weeks.
Last night The Boy and I went up to meet their new band director. I'm thrilled to say that my son is kinda excited about band again. We really, really like the new guy, and we're looking forward to what he's going to do for the program. Band camp is next week (whoa - short notice, but that's okay), as is volleyball camp for the Tall One, and Little Bit is going to stay with my parents in Indy for the week.
Gasp.
Except for the WGH's day off, I'm going to be by myself. S'pose that means I can get some writing done???
Did I mention that JT and I had a loooooonnggg talk about the WIP and we're going to completely rework the thing? The plot isn't changing but the dynamic is. More on that later. Right now I have a newsletter to put together. By noon. It's 9:30. Sigh.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
Sorry I haven't been here for a few days. We've had a lot going on at our house. The trip to the 'Sip was fun. Even though our little team didn't win a single game, they played four terrific second halves. I was proud of my kid. Not many 6'4" girls can beat everybody else down the floor. That's something her coach thinks will get her noticed. Keep your fingers crossed. The really BIG exposure tournament is coming up in a couple weeks.
Last night The Boy and I went up to meet their new band director. I'm thrilled to say that my son is kinda excited about band again. We really, really like the new guy, and we're looking forward to what he's going to do for the program. Band camp is next week (whoa - short notice, but that's okay), as is volleyball camp for the Tall One, and Little Bit is going to stay with my parents in Indy for the week.
Gasp.
Except for the WGH's day off, I'm going to be by myself. S'pose that means I can get some writing done???
Did I mention that JT and I had a loooooonnggg talk about the WIP and we're going to completely rework the thing? The plot isn't changing but the dynamic is. More on that later. Right now I have a newsletter to put together. By noon. It's 9:30. Sigh.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.06.2006
Road Trips & Tea Kettles
I mentioned a few days ago that I have a new tea kettle, courtesy of the Queen of Shorts. I used it for the first time this week, and I learned that it does not whistle. It sings. It sounds like the penultimate strains of Haydn's Duet for Two Flutes when it really gets steaming. At least now I won't burn my house down.
The girls and I leave in the morning for our Mississippi road trip, the first of three consecutive weekend excursions that will involve driving greater than four hours one way. For this trip, Little Bit has been instructed to take something to do as we will be at either a hotel or a basketball game all weekend. The child is heck on wheels when she's bored. I'm taking a couple of books, of course.
My triplets are coming down from their post ThrillerFest highs and starting to delve into life's little ponderable questions. Here's JT's Killer Year post, and Brett's lament about the shortage of his reading-for-pleasure time. Amen, brother and sister.
Speaking of reading, I'm nearly finished with the current SinC-MidTN summer reading selection, She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb. So far I'm enjoying it, but I'll post my thoughts after I've finished it. Ought to make for a good discussion next Tuesday.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
The girls and I leave in the morning for our Mississippi road trip, the first of three consecutive weekend excursions that will involve driving greater than four hours one way. For this trip, Little Bit has been instructed to take something to do as we will be at either a hotel or a basketball game all weekend. The child is heck on wheels when she's bored. I'm taking a couple of books, of course.
My triplets are coming down from their post ThrillerFest highs and starting to delve into life's little ponderable questions. Here's JT's Killer Year post, and Brett's lament about the shortage of his reading-for-pleasure time. Amen, brother and sister.
Speaking of reading, I'm nearly finished with the current SinC-MidTN summer reading selection, She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb. So far I'm enjoying it, but I'll post my thoughts after I've finished it. Ought to make for a good discussion next Tuesday.
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.05.2006
The Critic's Corner #2
Rumor Has It
Warner Bros.
PG-13
97 minutes
available on DVD
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Ruffalo
Jennifer Aniston leads an all-star cast in this romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner. Recently engaged, aspiring journalist Sarah Huttinger (Aniston) still isn't sure what she wants from life. But on her way home to attend her sister's wedding, Sarah meets an Internet billionaire (Kevin Costner) who reveals some long-buried secrets about Sarah's family that put a whole new spin on her past – and may change the direction of her future.
It's hard to imagine that a movie with a cast like this could be anything but terrific. Sadly, it just didn't quite live up to my expectations. Individually, the performances of the lead actors weren't really all that bad, although Aniston's character was too much of a train wreck to make her sympathetic. Ruffalo, if somewhat two-dimensional, was his usual puppy-dog cute, Costner in a tux sparks an approving lift of my left eyebrow every time, and Shirley MacLaine effused with her customarily caustic wit. Collectively, however, this cast just didn't jive at all.
There was so little chemistry between Aniston and her two leading men (Ruffalo and Costner) that I kept wondering what the casting director was thinking. Any spark that one would expect to be there between a sexy older guy like Costner and a sexy younger woman like Aniston just ... well, wasn't. MacLaine's portrayal of Aniston's grandmother reminded me a little too much of her role in Mrs. Winterbourne, a movie I rank as one of my favorites.
While the premise of Rumor Has It had potential, the script was flat and uninspired. I thought I was going to scream if one more person said, "Can I ask you a question?" (I think every character had that line at one point or another.)
The best part of the whole movie was the ending, but the last two minutes were so predictable that the emotion from the film's one truly good scene (between Sarah and her father) was lost – I feel sure that the only tears in the place were in Aniston's eyes. Normally stuff like that just chokes me up, but this time it just didn't do anything for me. I actually told my daughter, who was watching the movie with me, exactly what was going to happen. And, of course, it did.
As I was reading some of the comments on the movie's profile on Netflix, I discovered I wasn't alone in my disappointment. This movie could have gone the way of the dodo bird and the world wouldn't have missed a thing.
Warner Bros.
PG-13
97 minutes
available on DVD
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Ruffalo
Jennifer Aniston leads an all-star cast in this romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner. Recently engaged, aspiring journalist Sarah Huttinger (Aniston) still isn't sure what she wants from life. But on her way home to attend her sister's wedding, Sarah meets an Internet billionaire (Kevin Costner) who reveals some long-buried secrets about Sarah's family that put a whole new spin on her past – and may change the direction of her future.
It's hard to imagine that a movie with a cast like this could be anything but terrific. Sadly, it just didn't quite live up to my expectations. Individually, the performances of the lead actors weren't really all that bad, although Aniston's character was too much of a train wreck to make her sympathetic. Ruffalo, if somewhat two-dimensional, was his usual puppy-dog cute, Costner in a tux sparks an approving lift of my left eyebrow every time, and Shirley MacLaine effused with her customarily caustic wit. Collectively, however, this cast just didn't jive at all.
There was so little chemistry between Aniston and her two leading men (Ruffalo and Costner) that I kept wondering what the casting director was thinking. Any spark that one would expect to be there between a sexy older guy like Costner and a sexy younger woman like Aniston just ... well, wasn't. MacLaine's portrayal of Aniston's grandmother reminded me a little too much of her role in Mrs. Winterbourne, a movie I rank as one of my favorites.
While the premise of Rumor Has It had potential, the script was flat and uninspired. I thought I was going to scream if one more person said, "Can I ask you a question?" (I think every character had that line at one point or another.)
The best part of the whole movie was the ending, but the last two minutes were so predictable that the emotion from the film's one truly good scene (between Sarah and her father) was lost – I feel sure that the only tears in the place were in Aniston's eyes. Normally stuff like that just chokes me up, but this time it just didn't do anything for me. I actually told my daughter, who was watching the movie with me, exactly what was going to happen. And, of course, it did.
As I was reading some of the comments on the movie's profile on Netflix, I discovered I wasn't alone in my disappointment. This movie could have gone the way of the dodo bird and the world wouldn't have missed a thing.
7.04.2006
Happy Birthday, America
In honor of U.S. Independence Day (which I distinguish from Canada's Independence Day, July 1, because I do have a friend from Canada - hi, Sandra!), here are some bits and pieces I received in my email this morning that I thought enough of to share with you ...
Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!
July 4, 1776 -- In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king. The declaration came 442 days after the first volleys of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.
The Declaration of Independence was largely the work of Virginian Thomas Jefferson. In justifying American independence, Jefferson drew generously from the political philosophy of John Locke, an advocate of natural rights, and from the work of other English theorists. The first section features the famous lines, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The second part presents a long list of grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion.
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve a Virginia motion calling for separation from Britain. The dramatic words of this resolution were added to the closing of the Declaration of Independence. Two days later, on July 4, the declaration was formally adopted by 12 colonies after minor revision. New York approved it on July 19. On August 2, the declaration was signed.
[source: This Day in History (HistoryChannel.com)]
What are you doing to celebrate today? I'm not much into fireworks, at least not live, up close and personal. I really like watching the ones on TV - the National display is great, and I enjoy the show on our local NBC affiliate. I can enjoy the lights and hoopla without the noise and the crowd.
However you celebrate today, if you celebrate today, have fun and be careful. It's good for you!
=) JB
Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!
ooo
U.S. DECLARES INDEPENDENCE:July 4, 1776 -- In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king. The declaration came 442 days after the first volleys of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.
The Declaration of Independence was largely the work of Virginian Thomas Jefferson. In justifying American independence, Jefferson drew generously from the political philosophy of John Locke, an advocate of natural rights, and from the work of other English theorists. The first section features the famous lines, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The second part presents a long list of grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion.
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve a Virginia motion calling for separation from Britain. The dramatic words of this resolution were added to the closing of the Declaration of Independence. Two days later, on July 4, the declaration was formally adopted by 12 colonies after minor revision. New York approved it on July 19. On August 2, the declaration was signed.
[source: This Day in History (HistoryChannel.com)]
ooo
On This Day in History: In 1826, in one of history's notable coincidences, former Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died, 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. [source: History & Quotes from ArcaMax Publishing]ooo
Click here for today's BC comic. It's a hoot.ooo
Little Bit is off with a friend to watch a 4th of July parade in a tiny town in the southern part of our county. Everyone else in my house? Still asleep. Ah, peace and quiet. I'm going to read a book.What are you doing to celebrate today? I'm not much into fireworks, at least not live, up close and personal. I really like watching the ones on TV - the National display is great, and I enjoy the show on our local NBC affiliate. I can enjoy the lights and hoopla without the noise and the crowd.
However you celebrate today, if you celebrate today, have fun and be careful. It's good for you!
=) JB
7.03.2006
Quality Time with the Desk
Friday night at the Supper Club, the WGH made the comment that as soon as I take the dog out in the morning I make a beeline for the study and my computer.
He's right, of course. (I won't make any cracks here about it being the only time because really, it's not.)
This (approximately) 10-by-12 room is my ... what word do I use? It's not my whole life, but it's close. It is, at times, my sanctuary. My hidey-hole. The place I come to get away from the non-stop three-ring circus that is my real life. (Really, I have witnesses to the fact that my day-timer is the scariest thing they've ever seen.)
This room is where I work, both at the job I actually get paid to do, and the one that someday I hope I'll get paid to do. It's where I balance my checkbook, write out cards to my friends. There are stacks of books everywhere in this room - atop the two bookcases, on the floor, on my desk - books that constitute my TBR pile as well as the ones I'm supposed to review. The CD player is tucked into one corner, in the space between my writing desk and my computer desk. And there are a few open spots here and there around the room where chances are good you'll find a cat - or three - curled up asleep.
Everything I need to do "my thing" is in this room. And I do venture out occasionally - the kitchen and bathroom are downstairs, after all. But the WGH is right in saying that this is where I head first thing in the morning. Where else would I go?
Today I need to spend some quality time with my writing desk. I know it's somewhere under this stack of papers and books. I just have to find it.
Most recent addition to the Reading Room list (see left): Susan McBride's The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club. The third Debutante Dropout installment has more emotional depth than we've been accustomed to seeing in this series - the focus is on the relationship between Andy and her mother, Cissy - and really qualifies this as a chick lit mystery, with more emphasis on the "chick lit". The best part about it is that the mystery element is rather subtly intertwined into the bigger picture, so that by the time you get to the end of the book and get what's going on, everything suddenly makes perfect sense. Envision a very pretty pink balloon that starts out small and gradually gets bigger and bigger until it pops, and then you discover it was filled with jigsaw puzzle pieces, and those pieces fall neatly into place right in front of you. Tres cool.
Music of the Moment: Le Damnation de Faust, Op. 24: Rakoczy March (Berlioz)
Coming Soon: More from the Critic's Corner, plus my interviews with authors Robin Burcell and Dana Cameron. Stay tuned!
Now, for that quality time I owe my desk ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
He's right, of course. (I won't make any cracks here about it being the only time because really, it's not.)
This (approximately) 10-by-12 room is my ... what word do I use? It's not my whole life, but it's close. It is, at times, my sanctuary. My hidey-hole. The place I come to get away from the non-stop three-ring circus that is my real life. (Really, I have witnesses to the fact that my day-timer is the scariest thing they've ever seen.)
This room is where I work, both at the job I actually get paid to do, and the one that someday I hope I'll get paid to do. It's where I balance my checkbook, write out cards to my friends. There are stacks of books everywhere in this room - atop the two bookcases, on the floor, on my desk - books that constitute my TBR pile as well as the ones I'm supposed to review. The CD player is tucked into one corner, in the space between my writing desk and my computer desk. And there are a few open spots here and there around the room where chances are good you'll find a cat - or three - curled up asleep.
Everything I need to do "my thing" is in this room. And I do venture out occasionally - the kitchen and bathroom are downstairs, after all. But the WGH is right in saying that this is where I head first thing in the morning. Where else would I go?
Today I need to spend some quality time with my writing desk. I know it's somewhere under this stack of papers and books. I just have to find it.
Most recent addition to the Reading Room list (see left): Susan McBride's The Lone Star Lonely Hearts Club. The third Debutante Dropout installment has more emotional depth than we've been accustomed to seeing in this series - the focus is on the relationship between Andy and her mother, Cissy - and really qualifies this as a chick lit mystery, with more emphasis on the "chick lit". The best part about it is that the mystery element is rather subtly intertwined into the bigger picture, so that by the time you get to the end of the book and get what's going on, everything suddenly makes perfect sense. Envision a very pretty pink balloon that starts out small and gradually gets bigger and bigger until it pops, and then you discover it was filled with jigsaw puzzle pieces, and those pieces fall neatly into place right in front of you. Tres cool.
Music of the Moment: Le Damnation de Faust, Op. 24: Rakoczy March (Berlioz)
Coming Soon: More from the Critic's Corner, plus my interviews with authors Robin Burcell and Dana Cameron. Stay tuned!
Now, for that quality time I owe my desk ...
Read a book. It's good for you.
=) JB
7.01.2006
The Supper Club
Life in common among people who love each other is the ideal of happiness.
-- George Sand (1804-1876), French writer
So now I'm feeling guilty for keeping him from a meal, although he assures me it was not entirely my fault. And I'm thinking, okay ... is it a good thing that I write what folks find interesting enough to read and get lost in for an hour and a half? The short answer? Heck, yeah.
Truth be told, I do the same thing. If I'm reading something (email, blogs, a book) and it has my attention, time gets away from me faster than you can say Bob's your uncle. Other things get left in the shadows - like the tea kettle (which I now have a replacement for thanks to my fellow BMW, the Queen of Shorts), breakfast, lunch and dinner (who needs to eat? oh, right, the kids), the housecleaning (there's a whole 'nother topic for you).
The way I see it, life is too short to waste on worrying about things, and sometimes it's okay to get lost in the moment. If you're spending your time doing something that makes you happy, what's wrong with that? I love to read. I love to write. The more time I spend doing both of those things, the happier I am.
The WGH is a musician by training and talent. By day (and sometimes night) he manages a grocery store, but recently he's become involved with the Nashville Pipes and Drums band, an awesome group of bagpipers and drummers who compete and perform on a national level. In case you didn't know, there is a difference between a drummer and a percussionist (percussionists can read music). The WGH is a percussionist, and a really, really darn good one. I've been worrying for years because he's never really had something that he can do just for him. I have my escapes - friends that I can just run off and do things with, my writers' group, my Sisters in Crime group. He doesn't have "a best friend", didn't have any kind of like-minded group that he could socialize with. Until now. Now he has what he calls "a hobby" - and it involves doing something that he's been doing since he was six years old. The music is a part of him, and he loves it as much as he loves anything else. Whether he's happier, he hasn't really said, but I know it's something he enjoys, and I love to see him doing things he enjoys.
I thought Mr. Sands' words were a fitting synopsis of how I envision our lives. The WGH and I share things as a couple, and we share things with the kids as a family, and yet all five of us are our own individuals, and that individuality brings something to the group that makes us better as a whole. How blessed we are to be living the ideal, and that stretches beyond our family to our friends as well.
I promised my Supper Club friend that just for him I would throw in a "Music of the Moment" that was a little more contemporary than Tchaikovsky or Bizet, something with more drums and guitar than percussion and strings.
How about Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth? Or Van Halen's Jump? Just got a double dose on my favorite classic rock station (yes, I do listen to more than just classical music - just not when I'm writing).
Do something today that makes you happy. It's good for you.
=) JB
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