Kate Rothwell's Blog, page 34
June 11, 2011
"Every actor writer in his heart believes everything bad ...
"Every actor writer in his heart believes everything bad that's printed about him." — Orson Welles
June 6, 2011
SBD
Oh, man, I thought this book would be good, but this heroine's over-reacting at the mo. She's major martyr because her parents were killed when she was 3. Now, 23 years later, she's got all the PTSD symptoms -- as if she'd witnessed the murder and clearly remembered the people who died. She's crying all the time and in shock and has just thrown up again after encountering the man who just got out of jail (and who might not have done it).
The thing is, the first description of her as someone who waits for the bad stuff to happen any second -- that one makes sense. It fit her circumstances. She had no memory of the event or her parents but it left a real, and believable scar. Operative word here is scar, not bleeding, pulsing wound directly related to the events. That's just not something that works for a regular person who was 3 when the bad stuff when down.
Those first couple of chapters of Scent of Rain and Lightning were really promising. But then the story switched to melodrama and weird back story stuff -- lots of stuff in there that seemed kind of lazy (lots and lots of POV switches etc and that "little did they know" stuff.).
But listen, despite the whining, I'm still addicted to reading because the woman can tell a story, but I no longer think it's extraordinary.
The thing is, the first description of her as someone who waits for the bad stuff to happen any second -- that one makes sense. It fit her circumstances. She had no memory of the event or her parents but it left a real, and believable scar. Operative word here is scar, not bleeding, pulsing wound directly related to the events. That's just not something that works for a regular person who was 3 when the bad stuff when down.
Those first couple of chapters of Scent of Rain and Lightning were really promising. But then the story switched to melodrama and weird back story stuff -- lots of stuff in there that seemed kind of lazy (lots and lots of POV switches etc and that "little did they know" stuff.).
But listen, despite the whining, I'm still addicted to reading because the woman can tell a story, but I no longer think it's extraordinary.
June 1, 2011
not really SBD
When is Robin Hobb going to write another Rain Haven book? I want it, now. I went looking and I think there are more coming out but I'm not sure. If her publisher didn't pick up more of the series would she self-publish? I hope she would, but with help! HELP THE BOOKS.
I just got a book from amazon that could have been fabu. It could have been a madcap Capra movie, it could have been a A Contendah. . . . but it turned out to be something less than wonderful.
That baby screamed for an editor. There were issues of all sizes and shapes, big stuff like characters who were inconsistent and repeated plot points (food in fights once per book), and way too many typos along with dumb stuff that like "six am in the morning" that an editor would catch.
I got all indignant thinking that hey, this is why we need editors in our lives.
But wait! This book is from a small press! I felt the urge to tell them they need to hire better editorial help--and I looked them up to make sure I never accidentally subbed to them or the horse they ride around on. Turns out Outskirts Press is self publishing. So now I'm going back to being indignant. That story didn't get the help it deserved.
This sort of sad condition, of potential glimpsed and lost, is going to be true more often than not now. It makes me want to go back to bed and give up. Naw it makes me want to kiss an editor and buy her a beer.
Publishers, pay those editors. They suffer to keep the reading safe and painless for the rest of us.
I just got a book from amazon that could have been fabu. It could have been a madcap Capra movie, it could have been a A Contendah. . . . but it turned out to be something less than wonderful.
That baby screamed for an editor. There were issues of all sizes and shapes, big stuff like characters who were inconsistent and repeated plot points (food in fights once per book), and way too many typos along with dumb stuff that like "six am in the morning" that an editor would catch.
I got all indignant thinking that hey, this is why we need editors in our lives.
But wait! This book is from a small press! I felt the urge to tell them they need to hire better editorial help--and I looked them up to make sure I never accidentally subbed to them or the horse they ride around on. Turns out Outskirts Press is self publishing. So now I'm going back to being indignant. That story didn't get the help it deserved.
This sort of sad condition, of potential glimpsed and lost, is going to be true more often than not now. It makes me want to go back to bed and give up. Naw it makes me want to kiss an editor and buy her a beer.
Publishers, pay those editors. They suffer to keep the reading safe and painless for the rest of us.
May 27, 2011
voting on the inessential matter of my hair
It's not quite on the scale of asking the interwebs whether or not I should have children -- but I've been collecting hair opinions on twitter. In about 20 minutes, I'm getting a hair cut. Lots of them cut har, har.
I don't have strong opinions because I don't look at myself and I don't spend hours messing with my hair. It's nice that other people do have opinions that they're sharing. I feel less invisible.
Here's the thing: my hair hasn't failed me. Boobs, bod, face, they're all heading south, literally. The metabolism has ground to a halt--all that weight I lost? Every pound has come back, hello.
The hair has some grey in it, but I don't mind that. I still have a lot of it, it's thick, it grows the way its supposed to.
Curse you for your inevitable betrayal, body. Thank you for hanging on, hair.
Which of the two do I want to chop bits off of? Not the agreeable, obligingly curling one. But of course the other isn't up for choppage.
I don't have strong opinions because I don't look at myself and I don't spend hours messing with my hair. It's nice that other people do have opinions that they're sharing. I feel less invisible.
Here's the thing: my hair hasn't failed me. Boobs, bod, face, they're all heading south, literally. The metabolism has ground to a halt--all that weight I lost? Every pound has come back, hello.
The hair has some grey in it, but I don't mind that. I still have a lot of it, it's thick, it grows the way its supposed to.
Curse you for your inevitable betrayal, body. Thank you for hanging on, hair.
Which of the two do I want to chop bits off of? Not the agreeable, obligingly curling one. But of course the other isn't up for choppage.
May 24, 2011
May 19, 2011
SBD early
I must be in a mellow mood because I'm enjoying nearly every book I pick up.
Here is my favorite:
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. I listened to it and the reader was pretty good. She didn't intrude so we got the story without extra drama. It's a peculiar mix of styles, deep third point of view, then some unnamed person's report of Frankie along with what had to be footnotes explaining references.
I noticed some people over at Amazon objected to the interruption of the story with the notes from some omniscient story teller, not to mention the notes from whoever had written the reports. I wish I had a print copy--I bet it would be easier to know where we are with the story.
The story was full of rich kids at a boarding school. For once I believed it. These were really the rich kids I've met (I went to private school in DC and there were some of these people there). The boys acting like boys was spot on, endearing, full of themselves, funny and flat out stupid. That would have been enough but Frankie was also a treat. She wasn't easy or nice, and she was fairly unpleasant about the people she used to associate with (the geeks). She was probably in need of counseling. But I rooted for her all the way. Considering how picky I am about self-absorbed heroines, it had to mean she was a full-fledged person. It was odd how she drew upon Wodehouse and his Drone's club for inspiration because her view of life was a great deal darker than his music hall world.
I wish Beth, Rachel and JMC would read it and get back to me with their opinions. They're good readers, as in the insight they give usually makes me say, huh, hmmm, yah, even when I don't share the opinion.
Bonus read: There were references to a book about pranks and I ended up buying a copy of the book. How can you resist a title like If at All Possible, Involve a Cow
Here's a book I began to read and didn't like: Long Hard Ride, a freebie over at Amazon.
I'm always up for smut--or I thought I was--but this book annoyed me. It seemed to want us to accept things that made no sense if you stopped to think (which I don't usually do with this sort of book, but ....). Some girls were sluts but our heroine wasn't--that sort of thing. The world was too simplistic. When the hero thought about all the reasons he wanted her and no other girl, he thought about the stuff anyone with the lack of gag-reflex and tight holes could do for him. He'd get all dreamy about how her lips that would feel so fine on his man-parts. She was supposed to be special because she was a brain, but I didn't see that big brain in action much. Then again, I haven't finished reading it yet. I might. The voice is fast and easy.
I sure would be sad if I was entirely off smut but more and more it looks that way. Alas.
Here is my favorite:
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. I listened to it and the reader was pretty good. She didn't intrude so we got the story without extra drama. It's a peculiar mix of styles, deep third point of view, then some unnamed person's report of Frankie along with what had to be footnotes explaining references.
I noticed some people over at Amazon objected to the interruption of the story with the notes from some omniscient story teller, not to mention the notes from whoever had written the reports. I wish I had a print copy--I bet it would be easier to know where we are with the story.
The story was full of rich kids at a boarding school. For once I believed it. These were really the rich kids I've met (I went to private school in DC and there were some of these people there). The boys acting like boys was spot on, endearing, full of themselves, funny and flat out stupid. That would have been enough but Frankie was also a treat. She wasn't easy or nice, and she was fairly unpleasant about the people she used to associate with (the geeks). She was probably in need of counseling. But I rooted for her all the way. Considering how picky I am about self-absorbed heroines, it had to mean she was a full-fledged person. It was odd how she drew upon Wodehouse and his Drone's club for inspiration because her view of life was a great deal darker than his music hall world.
I wish Beth, Rachel and JMC would read it and get back to me with their opinions. They're good readers, as in the insight they give usually makes me say, huh, hmmm, yah, even when I don't share the opinion.
Bonus read: There were references to a book about pranks and I ended up buying a copy of the book. How can you resist a title like If at All Possible, Involve a Cow
Here's a book I began to read and didn't like: Long Hard Ride, a freebie over at Amazon.
I'm always up for smut--or I thought I was--but this book annoyed me. It seemed to want us to accept things that made no sense if you stopped to think (which I don't usually do with this sort of book, but ....). Some girls were sluts but our heroine wasn't--that sort of thing. The world was too simplistic. When the hero thought about all the reasons he wanted her and no other girl, he thought about the stuff anyone with the lack of gag-reflex and tight holes could do for him. He'd get all dreamy about how her lips that would feel so fine on his man-parts. She was supposed to be special because she was a brain, but I didn't see that big brain in action much. Then again, I haven't finished reading it yet. I might. The voice is fast and easy.
I sure would be sad if I was entirely off smut but more and more it looks that way. Alas.
May 16, 2011
weighing the pros and cons
PROS:
He--
brings me coffee every morning
is the father of my kids.
has the only steady income in the family
has health insurance too
makes me laugh nearly every day
is smart
has a runner's body, if you know what I mean and I think you do
is often my best friend and has been almost 28 years.
CONS:
He--
won't let me get a cat. Well. He might well let me get one, but it can't live with him.
* * *
I'll get back to you on what I decide. I really want a cat.
He--
brings me coffee every morning
is the father of my kids.
has the only steady income in the family
has health insurance too
makes me laugh nearly every day
is smart
has a runner's body, if you know what I mean and I think you do
is often my best friend and has been almost 28 years.
CONS:
He--
won't let me get a cat. Well. He might well let me get one, but it can't live with him.
* * *
I'll get back to you on what I decide. I really want a cat.
May 14, 2011
after a day at a lil conference
Q: What did you get from this conference, Kate? Anything worth sharing?
A: Jennifer Fusco is amazing. Jessica Andersen and Jennifer Fusco are a perfect team. Eloisa James still does a good keynote, although she did end with a standard/traditional note after avoiding the heck out of that for most of the rest of the speech. Sarah from Smart Bitches is funny, even after all these years. It's only right and proper that Toni won the Ipad though I wanted that baby, bad.
Q: What about the industry? What about trends yadayayada? Anything useful?
A: Not that I can recall. Except don't mix your professional and personal and lay off the whining.
Q: Was it as bad as you'd expected?
A: Naw, it never is. But I don't want to do that again. Until the next time. Oh, GOD. RWA is soon. No, I can't bear it, no, n--whoops, that's not whining.
Q: Any advice?
A: Don't bother pitching for yourself. have Corrina Lawson do it for you.
A: Jennifer Fusco is amazing. Jessica Andersen and Jennifer Fusco are a perfect team. Eloisa James still does a good keynote, although she did end with a standard/traditional note after avoiding the heck out of that for most of the rest of the speech. Sarah from Smart Bitches is funny, even after all these years. It's only right and proper that Toni won the Ipad though I wanted that baby, bad.
Q: What about the industry? What about trends yadayayada? Anything useful?
A: Not that I can recall. Except don't mix your professional and personal and lay off the whining.
Q: Was it as bad as you'd expected?
A: Naw, it never is. But I don't want to do that again. Until the next time. Oh, GOD. RWA is soon. No, I can't bear it, no, n--whoops, that's not whining.
Q: Any advice?
A: Don't bother pitching for yourself. have Corrina Lawson do it for you.
May 9, 2011
one of my mother's day cards
this showed up in my email with subject line "Assignment" after some major arm-twisting.
Andrew D.
MOTH 1000
Professor Rothwell
5/8/2011
The Psychological Effects of Mother's Day on Vicenarian Males
Once again Mother's Day has rolled around, and just in time for most young men to finish their semesters at college and come home. Just in time for tired young men, scourged by the merciless lashes of academia, to return home simply wanting a time of rest and recuperation, a break from the vicissitudes and troubles of scholastic life. Alas, for many such youths, men just beginning to spread open their buds to the radiance of adult life, no such time of rest awaits them. Instead, they return home, and realize that some arbitrary power has declared that their first weekend home, when they should be doing nothing more than sleeping, eating, and watching tv on the couch, a holiday dedicated to those who squirted them into this troublesome world. Such young men generally exhibit an extreme apathy and a staggering sense of self pity, as if the entire world should weep for them. But, are such theatrics deserved? Do these young men really suffer, or should they just get off their asses and make a stupid card? I would argue that they should. Thesis: Here is your card, and have a Happy Mother's Day.
May 6, 2011
today is the day.
You're supposed to go enter the contest in which you might possibly win:
$20 gift certificate from Amazon
An ebook from Summer.
It's today only and could it be any easier to enter? No, it really couldn't.
$20 gift certificate from Amazon
An ebook from Summer.
It's today only and could it be any easier to enter? No, it really couldn't.
