Julia London's Blog, page 11
March 25, 2013
Bling and Dreams
A happy shivering spring to all. Things have been hopping in my camp between the day job and the writing. So needless to say, time a flown. But then I’ve been having fun as well. I’m learning at fifty-two that all work and no play makes Jenni a dull girl. Thus, I’ve decided that even though I don’t get that dusty corner scrubbed or it takes me twice…well maybe three times as long to write a book now, I’ve gotta have my bling and dreams and live a little. Last week I got a taste of both.
I went out to LA with two of my friends who work with my charity, Rising Phoenix Charitable Foundation (rpcf.org). We had several business meetings to attend. Two of which were to solidify Chris Mann (Chrismannmusic.com) and Aaron Hendra (Aaronhendraproject.com) to give a private performance at our charity Gala on June 8, 2013 at the MGM in Las Vegas. They are both a go and I am so every excited about it. So if you find yourself in Las Vegas on June 8th or know folks in Las Vegas, everyone is invited! Please spread the word!
If you know me, then you know I usually wear something with sparkle somewhere: a belt buckle, a purse, bling jeans, sequined or shiny tops, etc. There’s never dull duds with me. LOL. But I went the extra mile while out in LA and had deep red glitter polish put on my nails. You see I was dressing up for an extra special event. One last thing we had to do before flying home and back to real life. I went to the LA premiere for the movie Olympus Has Fallen! It was a blast.
Loved the movie. It was nonstop action that seriously kicked bad-guy a$$. So some might not like it, but I did. I am kind of quirky. I cannot handle horror–all of that bad stuff happening and the bad guy winning most of the time if not all of the time. But give me an action hero who is going to win the day no matter how hard it gets and I am in all the way. The premiere was awesome. Director Antoine Fuqua spoke and the movie rolled. Then the after party rocked. I got to meet a lot of the cast from the movie, but the best thing was meeting and getting my picture taken with super nice Katrin Benedikt (http://www.facebook.com/katrin.benedikt.9) and Creighton Rothenberger (http://www.facebook.com/creighton.rot...), the man and wife team who wrote the script for the movie. A champagne toast to them both! Which leads me to the dream part of my blog. Someday, I hope to have a script made into a movie or a TV series. LOL which means I need to get back to writing while I am not at my day job.
Tell me what your Bling and Dreams are!
Happy Reading to all
Much love and bling dreams,
Jennifer St. Giles
Remember every day to dream, believe, create, inspire, love, and heal.
Olympus Has Fallen
Share this:
March 23, 2013
It’s when they start talking back that you need to worry
It’s 12:30 and I am sitting on my couch, pouting over my laptop.
I glare at the lanky imaginary figure sprawled on the love seat opposite me. “You are not being cooperative.”
The character shrugs his shoulders. “Well, you shouldn’t have spent all that time watching those Luke Goss movies. If you’d turned off the Netflix while you were trying to write earlier today, maybe you’d be asleep right now.”
“What does that have to do with the fact that you’re turning out to be an awkwardly naughty Geek God type instead of the Captain of Industry type I planned you to be when I proposed this book to my agent? How do I write loves scenes for you? You’re like the unholy child of Sheldon Cooper and Loki.”
“It has nothing to do with your characterization problems. I just like to point out that both Death Race prequels are in your top 10.”
Angrily tapping the delete key with one hand and making a rude gesture with the other, I grumble, “Quiet, you.”
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
“You’re not doing what I want you to do!” I cry. “I had this whole quiet alpha Male personality planned for you, to compliment the other two heroes in the story. But every time I open your mouth, you’re all shy. Your love interest is already shy. It’s shy squared!”
The figure grins at me, making the imaginary equivalent of “I have an idea” jazz-hands. “Maybe I’m not shy. Maybe I keep my own council. I’m just waiting for the right time to say the right thing.”
I purse my lips. “That’s not bad.”
“Maybe I’m a smoldering volcano of quiet authority, all of that simmering bossiness just bubbling under the surface,” he adds.
I ignore him, tapping on the keys. “Leave the metaphors to me. Amateur.”
****************************************************
So, obviously, I’m having trouble with the male lead character in my latest book. Most of the time, my characters come to me fully formed. I don’t have to select an archetype and pattern them after it. I know who they are from the start. But because I’m writing a “mega-romance” involving three couples, I tried to make each character different so that each couple was distinctive.
Unfortunately, my hero, Deacon, is not following the pattern I selected for him. Somehow, in my head, his responses to the heroine and other characters come out with a completely different personality all together. I have never had a character take on a life of his own before, especially to the point where I have imaginary arguments with him. Does this happen to anyone else?
Share this:
March 22, 2013
Weekend Reading: Menus
Yeah, you read that right. Menus. I’ve been away from home all week delighting in all kinds of treats that I only allow myself while I’m away (with a few exceptions). Cupcakes. Pastries. Plus, I’ve been walking to work it off, so I say I’m allowed. It’s a working vacation, so not all fun and games. But plenty of great meals and treats.
What are you reading? Help me out with some recommendations for readers because I’m at a loss this week. xox
Share this:
March 21, 2013
A Near-Extinct Species
I had a close encounter last night with a near-extinct species – an honest-to-gosh, actual bookseller! We had dinner (which turned into 3 hours!) and discussed the market, publishing, publishers, authors and, most importantly, BOOKS! And not just romance novels but lots of other kinds, too. This particular bookseller is an outstanding one — Cathy Genna was just named RWA Bookseller of the Year!– but it reminded me of other booksellers who influenced me and my buying habits.
I remember when I’d just discovered romance novels – while pregnant with my youngest son, I found that I absolutely could not read my normal favorite books – at that time I was very, very into Stephen King and Dean Koontz. But during that pregnancy, those books really bothered me. Nightmares followed reading those, so I looked for something historical while doing my grocery shopping. The book I found, set during the 1066 Norman conquest of England, was Julie Garwood’s THE PRIZE. Oh, Royce! Ah, Nicola! What a story! I read it in less than two days and went back searching for more Julie Garwood books.
And so it began.
But I didn’t get into full-romance-reader-buyer mode until a couple years later when I found a very special bookseller in a local chain bookstore. We struck up a conversation about this book and that one and I left with an armful! My husband came to dread my visits there because the bookseller always had more suggestions about which romance I should try next. I blame her for my out-of-control TBR mountains which resulted from rapid accumulation of BOOKS! LOL!(and my habit hasn’t stopped yet!)
How about you? Was there a bookseller or friend or someone else who encouraged you into reading and especially reading romances? Who pushed or helped you on the road to what and how much you read now?
Share this:
March 18, 2013
How Quickly it Goes
So a long long time ago, I stayed up late reading a paperback novel (imagine!) but soon succumbed to sleep. The following morning I awoke and immediately grabbed the book to continue reading (yes, it was that good). Imagine my shock and dismay when I realized I couldn’t read the words on the page.
Oh my gosh, thought I. I have been stricken by some awful disease, and shall no doubt be blind by nightfall. I ran to the phone, concentrated on the little numbers, and called my doctor. Who immediately fell into peels of laughter (okay I’ve eliminated the two days I had to wait for him to call me back for the benefit of the story) and informed me that I was forty.
FORTY. Apparently the worst disease of all.
He went on to tell me that my eyesight would continue to decline as I grew older, necessitating the use of glasses. Pictures of my grandmother and her constantly missing glasses filled my head, and I hovered on the edge of panic for another two years, tromboning books and menus until I could pull them into focus. And then one day—my arm simply wasn’t long enough. It was time for glasses.
Fast forward to present day. And sadly I am here to tell you that my doctor was right, the deterioration continues. And now I find myself with a new dilemma—one which I’m sure has plagued my vision-impaired friends for always, but it’s new to me and it’s annoying.
I am standing in the shower and I reach for my shampoo bottle (which is identical to my conditioner bottle) and the people that make said shampoo and conditioner have printed the much needed identifying words too darn small for my poor now much older eyes. So I spend time every shower trying to figure out which is which. And sadly they do look a lot alike.
And forget about reading the instructions (stop laughing, sometimes there’s more to a conditioner than just squeezing it out into your hands). The print is even smaller than a pill bottle. So what? Now I have to wear my glasses in the shower?
SIGH.
What about you? Are your eyes still spry? Can you read a sign at the end of your block (I still can do that, thankfully)? And what the heck do you do to be able to read the conditioner bottles? Inquiring minds and all that…
Share this:
March 15, 2013
Weekend Reading: Stroke of Genius
Crispin Hawke, a brilliant sculptor, is revered by the ton. His works are celebrated in every fashionable parlor, and tales of his fiery bed skills whispered behind every fashionable fan.
Grace Makepeace is determined to wed a titled lord, but her Bostonian bluntness leaves much to be desired among the well-heeled London crowd. To gain their acceptance, she commissions the incomparable Crispin Hawke to sculpt her hands—and he offers love lessons on the side.
Crispin schools Grace in flirting and the delights of the flesh. But when she catches the eye of a marquess, he realizes he’s done his job a little too well. And suddenly he knows Grace is the one masterpiece he cannot bear to be parted from.
Can an artistic genius transform an American heiress into the most sought-after Original without falling for her himself?
Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJ8XYI2/?tag=httpwwwmiamar-20
_____________
ALSO: Bonus! Now only $.99 for a limited time! ERINSONG by Mia Marlowe.
“Abrilliantly told tale…Erinsong is romantic, emotional, verymemorable and will leave readers wanting more. A lush and richly developedhistorical with vivid detailing and forbidden love..A movingportrayal of love conquering all, Erinsong is a ‘keeper.’ Bravo, Ms. Marlowe!” —HistoricalRomance Writers
Read an excerpt here: http://miamarlowe.com/books/erin.php
Mia loves to connect with readers and other writers. Find her at http://www.miamarlowe.com , http://twitter.com/Mia_Marlowe and http://facebook.com/MiaMarloweFanPage !
Share this:
March 14, 2013
The Perils of Backstory (Mia Marlowe)
Today, we’re welcoming a guest Whine Sister, author Mia Marlowe:
First, thanks so much for having me here, Whine Sisters. In the spirit of the whine, I’m going to get a beef off my chest.
It’s been a while since the DH and I went to see The Hobbit, but I find myself still thinking about it. Mostly as a cautionary tale to myself. You see, I wondered ahead of time how they were going to transform Tolkien’s slim page-turner into three movies. The answer was . . . backstory.
Backstory is the totality of what’s happened to a character before a story begins. Psychologically, it’s interesting to a writer because it explains how and why the character is in his present situation and it’s information we absolutely must know if we’re to craft a character that breathes on his/her own.
But it’s frankly deadly to a story. It grinds the action to a halt. It runs the risk of losing the reader (or the viewer) because often backstory is laden with other characters we don’t see in the current tale and haven’t got a shred of emotional investment in.
Plus as a Tolkien lover, I had to wonder where they were coming up with some of the stuff with which they padded their movie. It certainly wasn’t all in the original Hobbit. They borrowed freely from the Lord of the Rings, but there were still a number of things I didn’t recognize. I hope it was in Silmarillion (a less well known collection of Tolkien myths he wrote in order to make use of the Elven languages he created) but I don’t know for sure.
All I know is not even Tolkien’s editor felt equal to making changes in his manuscripts. I wonder at the audacity of the creators of The Hobbit movie in adding so much to his original tale merely to create three movies when one would have sufficed.
The Hobbit movie is a warning for writers. It perfectly illustrates why backstory should remain mere wisps, occasional hooks and brief recollections. We need to let our characters live in the moment for the most part and let our story unfold without being dragged to a standstill by flashbacks.
Will I go see the next two Hobbit movies? Yes, if I want my marriage to continue to be the source of bliss it is today. The DH is a die-hard Tolkien junkie and any time he can visit Middle Earth, he’s a happy camper. And frankly, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield is enough to get me into the theatre. But I won’t go hoping for tips on story structure. I know there’ll be nothing I can use.
How about you? Have you read a book or seen a movie that pulled you back into your characters’ pasts too often? Leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle version of Mia’s newest release!
________________________________
Stroke of Genius
Crispin Hawke, a brilliant sculptor, is revered by the ton. His works are celebrated in every fashionable parlor, and tales of his fiery bed skills whispered behind every fashionable fan.
Grace Makepeace is determined to wed a titled lord, but her Bostonian bluntness leaves much to be desired among the well-heeled London crowd. To gain their acceptance, she commissions the incomparable Crispin Hawke to sculpt her hands—and he offers love lessons on the side.
Crispin schools Grace in flirting and the delights of the flesh. But when she catches the eye of a marquess, he realizes he’s done his job a little too well. And suddenly he knows Grace is the one masterpiece he cannot bear to be parted from.
Can an artistic genius transform an American heiress into the most sought-after Original without falling for her himself?
Buy link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BJ8XYI2/?tag=httpwwwmiamar-20
_____________
Mia loves to connect with readers and other writers. Find her at http://www.miamarlowe.com , http://twitter.com/Mia_Marlowe and http://facebook.com/MiaMarloweFanPage !
Share this:
March 13, 2013
My Odd Obsession
I’m obsessed with blue. Specifically aqua blue.
I present my laptop cover, phone case and even lotion container as evidence:
I could blame my bud, Jacquie D, who suffers a similar affliction, but she’s been devoted to the color for years. Her freakin’ house is aqua. (On the inside, not out. At least not yet…)
So why me all of a sudden? I’ve made no conscious decision. Why that color? I do have a fond memory of the water in Mexico, but that vacation was 3 years ago. And I like things that come in Tiffany boxes. (But I haven’t seen one of those in years.) These are the phenomenon that I sincerely hope science people are looking into. Maybe it falls into the category of brain quirks. Didn’t they used to say doctors only understand 10% of the brain? Or is it that we only use 10%?
Either way, I’m stumped.
Have you ever turned around and realized everything around you is the same? Do you think color obsession is contagious?
Share this:
March 11, 2013
Who’s Your Favorite James Bond?
I confess that I was dubious when I first heard that Daniel Craig would be the “new” James Bond. But he won me over in Casino Royale. And while I hated the one that came next, I thought Skyfall redeemed the franchise. And I have to say, Daniel Craig is, well, yummy.
But Sean Connery will always be my fav, and it warms my heart that my girls love watching the classic Bond films!
Who’s your favorite of the men who’ve played Bond?
(BTW-posting from the WordPress app on my iPad ….we’ll see how the formatting looks!)
Share this:
March 10, 2013
Weekend Reading: Greeting Cards
Sadly, yes, I’ve had a busy weekend, never got around to choosing a Weekend Read for Friday (sorry!) and the only thing I’ve had time to read this week is the rack of greeting cards at my grocery store, where I selected a card for my husband. Today’s his birthday. 
There are some pretty funny greeting cards out there. Also, lots of sentimental ones. Some creepy, some cheesy-rhymey. I’m always that fairly frantic woman standing in the middle of the card rack picking through them, trying to decide.
In the end, I usually go generic and bland and add my own short message, worried that the funny one strikes maybe the wrong note, or someone else’s words aren’t going to cut it to express my own feelings. But I always thought that writing cards would be a good gig. I know nothing about it, except that Adam Sandler played a guy who aspired to write greeting cards in Mr. Deeds. 
And his genius work that helps him break into the field? “Hard to breathe/Feels like floating / So full of love my heart’s exploding. / Mouth is dry / Hands are shaking / My heart is yours for the taking. / Acting weird / Not myself / Dancing around like the Keebler elf. / Finally time / for this poor schlubb / To know how it feels to fall in lub.” So, it can’t be that hard, right?
Do you love getting cards? Sending them? Do you tend to go for the funny, the sentimental? What are you reading?
Share this:
