Julia London's Blog, page 43
March 3, 2012
And the Winner Is…
Terry! Congratulations, Terry, you won an autographed copy of The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount!
Thank you all for playing along yesterday. And remember, if you're in Texas, and you'd like some tea and some gourmet mini cupcakes, the place to get those will be at The Bookstop in Round Rock on Sunday, 4pm. I am hosting a tea, and the bookseller will have all the Hadley Green books for sale, plus you can pre-order a signed copy of The Seduction of Lady X!
Click on this link for directions and details for the tea.
Have a great weekend, and don't forget, if you are looking for something to read, The Revenge of Lord Eberlin is on shelves NOW.
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March 2, 2012
I Forgot
That today is my day to blog. So I've got nothing. I guess I am just going to have to do a little contest instead. Everyone who comments will be in the running to win an autographed copy of The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount! Just answer a few questions:
1. That last person I said, "I love you" to was _____
2. If I was starting a new book today, it would be _____
3. My favorite go-to comfort food when I am feeling down is ______
4. I spend less than two hours or more than two hours every day on the internet
5. The last thing I bought just for me, because I love me, was _______
I'll go first:
1. two little kids
2. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
3. Brownie
4. More than two hours
5. Very Expensive Running Shoes 
Happy Friday, everyone!
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March 1, 2012
A BAKER I AM NOT
I enjoy cooking–being in the kitchen, putting meals together, discovering new recipes. I'm fascinated by shows like Chopped, where chefs can take an oddball assortment of ingredients and come up with a spectacular meal. I absolutely cannot do that (although I wish I could) and it's on my Bucket List to someday take cooking classes.
So while I can usually cook up a nice dinner, I've discovered that baking is a completely different thing. And that while I'm a competent cook, I'm a lousy baker. Yeah, I can make decent cookies–but only after I normally overcook the first cookie sheetful (is that a word?). And cakes? Fuggetaboutit. My sister is a fabulous baker. Seriously fabulous. She used to bake cakes for restaurants. This gene has completely bypassed me in the family pool. Sis makes an incredible carrot cake with the best cream cheese frosting on the planet. The cake is light and moist, and the frosting has just the right amount of sweetness. She gave me recipe. Now, I must say, my frosting came out good. But the cake? Blech. So I called my sister:
Me—my cake sucks. I followed the directions EXACTLY, yet it was an epic fail. I'm cursed.
Sis—What's wrong with it?
Me—instead of being light and fluffy like yours, it's dense and about a quarter of an inch high. It's like a squashed carrot brick.
Sis—it could be your baking soda and baking powder are old. How long have you had them?
Me—(blinking in confusion) Uh, I don't know.
Sis—more than a year?
Me—Well…yeah. Probably more like 5 years. Maybe ten. Maybe I got them when I first got married.
Sis—I think we've solved the problem.
Now who the heck knew you had to replace baking soda and baking powder every few months? Not me! WHERE are these things written down? Nowhere! It's just not fair. Armed with this new Baking Secret Knowledge, I toddled off to Publix and got new stuff and tried again. I whipped up the carrot cake batter with my fresh baking powder and baking soda and anticipated great results. But instead of a cake, I thought it might be fun to make cupcakes instead. I love cupcakes! Everyone loves cupcakes! It'll be perfect!
Not so much.
That's the day I learned that cupcakes require a MUCH shorter cooking time than a cake. And that if you actually do bake cupcakes too long, they look (and taste) like hockey pucks.
As I said, a baker I am not. But I am determined. I'm going to attempt that carrot cake again and I shall not fail! (Actually, I most likely will, but again–I am determined!).
Are you a good baker–or are you like me (in a word—hopeless)? What is your greatest cooking/baking success? How about your greatest cooking/baking disaster? Have you ever taken a cooking class? Have any great cooking/baking tips to share? (Please do–I need all the help I can get!)
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February 29, 2012
My sordid past
Note the cigarette and bottle of beer.....
I've been doing a lot of rearranging in my garage these days, and in the process, I came across the picture to the left. That's me back during my freshman year in college.
Lest you jump to the same conclusion as my poor, put upon father, let me explain:
I started out as a journalism major, but switched to film after I worked on a local production called Splatter, featuring some of the stars of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The basic premise was the frat boys versus the genetic mutants, and the movie was eventually released as Future Kill.
You can still rent it, and it has truly awesome poster art done by none other than Giger (think Aliens).
Isn't the artwork cool?
Anyhoo, I saw an ad for auditions for cast members, and I went down and told them that what I really wanted was to be on the crew.
They "hired" me (as in let me work for free) but after a few weeks they actually put me on the payroll. I was a PA, a Production Assistant, and it was my job to do just about everything.
I was working nights for the film, going to school in the morning, and doing my work-study job in the afternoons. I was averaging about 5 minutes sleep a night.
It was awesome.
Screenshot from IMDB. There I am. Julie Beck. Whoo hoo!
So, anyway, at one point the production needed even more extras and I was recruited. My role was to sit in a doorway and look all strung out so that the frat boys could pass me as they entered. Brilliant, eh?
Make up did my hair, someone found me a t-shirt and vest, and I was plunked down with a cigarette and a beer.
It was fun.
I'd become friends with the production photographer, and so he gave me a still of the scene, and also took a close up of me (that I seem to have misplaced–and is even more dramatic as there's some wild facial make-up that doesn't show in the still posted above).
I promptly sent the photos to my father who hadn't seen me since I'd started college (since I was living a life that involved absolutely no free time).
And that, I thought, was the end of the story.
Except it wasn't. Because about two years ago, I was having a conversation with my dad at his new apartment. He recalled that he had a folder of "Julie's kid stuff" that he wanted to give me now that space was at a premium since he and my stepmom had downsized. In the folder was one of those pictures. I made some comment about how fun working on the film had been.
Blank stare.
Uh, Daddy, you did know I'd been working on a movie, right?
Nope. He hadn't. For decades — decades! — my dad thought that his well-behaved little girl had fallen in with "the wrong" crowd during college.
What can I say? Daddy was relieved to know the truth…and I got a great story to tell!
how about you? Any entertaining family misunderstandings to share?
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February 28, 2012
Academy Awards 2012
Billy Crystal came back to host and give us a presumably good show (mediocre in reality, not bad but not exciting). The Artist won. Jean Dujardin won. Meryl won. Christopher Plummer won. Octavia won. What else do we need to know?
Who wore what! Of course. The gowns! The glam! The gah, what was she thinking? Let's discuss! For easy reference, you can head over to my Pinterest page to see my Best Dressed, Worst Dressed, and Oscar 2012 (for everything in between) boards. But in case you don't want to hike it on over there, I'll cover some basics here.
First off, poor Natalie Portman, probably sleep deprived from caring for her baby boy Aleph, presented the Best Actor Oscar because she won last year. I was hoping it would go to Clooney.
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George, with flavor of the month Stacy Kiebler (gorgeous in Marchesa).
Alas, no. The French guy, Jean Dujardin, from the Artist won. Which is fine really because a) I love to hear the accent and he will present next year and b) his name is so fun to say. But back to Natalie. I think she thought she was appearing to star as Laurey in a revival of Oklahoma!
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In Vintage Dior. With Polka Dots.
And Curly paid no attention to her because he was with his hot Italian wife (in a bad choice of dress) and trying to figure out if J-Lo Annie really did or did not have a nip slip while presenting.
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Colin Firth. Just because. You're welcome.
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Just a girl who can't say no... to tight dresses.
But enough about last year's winner (Natalie). Did our Oscar-nominated Best Actresses take my earlier advice and get it right? We can refer back to earlier Whine Blog Oscar's Leading Ladies to see how we did.
To jog our memories, I said that Glenn Close, who tends to go frumpy and black, needed something feminine and sexy and I recommended a color, maybe… gold? Well! Hm. Seems another contender took that advice (we'll see Meryl in a minute) and Glenn stuck with black. But… she did stick with a feminine and sexy silhouette. Under that jacket.[image error]
Vavoom, curves! (Zac Posen). I can even understand the tuxedo jacket. It's a bold, masculine addition, a counter-statement to the girliness. And also, a solution to cover up aging arms that is a little different than the usual sheer sleeve. Plus, it reminds us that she played a guy in her nominated role, but she's still all woman underneath it all. Bravo, Glenn Close. That is quite a statement.
Next: Viola Davis.
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In Vera Wang.
Viola made the daring choice to go with her natural hair, her husband's suggestion. Love! Love her like this, love the bold green color and the fit of this dress. My last suggestion was that she get a little help with her red carpet look, but she has proven that she needs no help at all. Shine on, Viola Davis. I'm sorry you didn't win (though I love that Meryl won). Octavia Spencer, by the way…
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Hot stuff, baby! In Todashi Shoji. She hit all the right notes this award season, and she won. Woot!
Oh, Rooney Mara. Rooney, Rooney, Rooney Mara. Last time, we said she was too safe, always in black, or maybe the occasional white. I wanted to see Rooney loosen up and get some color. But.
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She stuck with white. Givency Couture. That looked like she jumped in a river, let the fabric sag and air dry, then put it back on. Plus, severe bangs.
Rooney could have done so much better. Like Michelle Williams! Who seemingly listened to our advice to lighten up, be girly and pretty and fresh and free, without being kooky and dotted with daisies. Great choice!
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In Louis Vuitton.
Unlike. Yes. I have to say it. I hate to say it. Meryl Streep. Our winner! In Oscar-winning gold. Love that she wore gold. Love that she doesn't look too wacky. But I still wish the dress fit her better. She could look So. Amazing. And instead she's just… not a total train wreck. Oh Meryl. I love you. And I loved your speech. But call Helen Mirren and get her stylist's name. Please.
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In Lanvin.
My favorite of the night, Penelope Cruz.
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Perfect dress (lavender Armani), perfect hair (soft finger waves), perfect jewels (Chopard diamonds).
There we have it. What did you think? Best dressed (I also loved Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain)? Worst dressed (Melissa Leo?). Winners? Billy Crystal's hosting? Angelina's leg pop? Gwyneth's cape? [image error][image error][image error][image error]
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Bam!
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February 27, 2012
And the Diagram Prize goes to……
Okay, so, I'm not blogging the Oscars. I figure that Sherri will give us the fashion deets, and I have to say, I thought the whole slate of nominees was sort of a yawner. There were no big scandals, no big surprises, no "WTF?" when the nominees were read. It was all very boring.
So instead of blogging movies, I decided to blog books, more specifically, the Diagram prize, a prestigious award presented by The Bookseller magazine to the oddest book titles of the year. Without further ado, let's announce this year's nominees…
A Century of Sand Dredging in the Bristol Channel: Volume Two
Yes, the world was left salivating, much like a teenage girl awaiting Twilight the movie, starring Justin Bieber, when we were treated to Volume TWO of the century of sand dredging in the Bristol Channel. I'm dredged with anticipation myself, when I contemplate Volume III, Sand Dredging at World's End, featuring Johnny Depp in the title role, as a wacky sand dredger, torn between his long-lost pirating days and the allure of the shiny sands…
Cooking with Poo
This is a Thai tome, and I believe that TMZ is reporting on the Meryl Streep Version of the novel, where she immerses herself in a foreign land, only to find that yes, all of those sh*&*y cliches are true.
Estonian Sock Patterns All Around the World
Much like the British invasion of the 1960s, we are experiencing an Estonian Sock Pattern invasion, of which all the fashion mags have YET to remark on.
The Great Singapore Penis Panic: And the Future of American Mass Hysteria
I missed this particular event, and am distressed that the mainstream american media once again chose to ignore not only the great panic, but the future of American Mass Hysteria as well. Once again, this once magnificent nation is falling behind the rest of the world, bankrupting our mass hysteria reserves, leaving no hysteria for our children to enjoy. Tis a sad, sad, non-hysterical day in America…
Mr. Andoh's Pennine Diary: Memoirs of a Japanese Chicken Sexer in 1935 Hebden Bridge
Another job, outsourced to the Japanese…. The Chicken Sexer union, a once proud organization, brought to its knees by the harsh regulatory environment that surrounds the US Chicken Sexing industry. So Sen Santorum, where do you stand on the chicken sexing, huh?
A Taxonomy of Office Chairs
Ah, yes, the quiet beauty of the office chair at rest. A thorough investigation of the unremarked species. It's biology, relation to the other chair genus, feeding and mating habits. This detailed treatise follows the chair's evolutionary track through the wilds of the modern office environment. I only hope the researchers will be expanding their scope to cover the genetic ancestor, the desk, and the symbiotic relationship between the two.
And the last nominee (and certainly the least)…
The Mushroom in Christian Art
So many times in Christian Art, we see Jesus, angels, representations of God, or visions of heaven, and yet, how can we overlook the smallest of God's creatures, the meek fungi that is delicious when saueteed in a succulent wine sauce? A book that was far too long in the making…
So, which book are you putting on your TBR pile? What is the oddly titled book that you'd like to see written? Could it be, The Revenge of Lord Eberlin?
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February 24, 2012
Talking flooring…
I've been in Texas for a few days, helping out around the house, doing the chaffeur thing and getting new carpet installed in my parent's house, and whew, I was sweating the color. We had ordered the carpet last week, but the sales guy didn't leave a sample, so the color was only stuck in my mind, and it's very hard to imagine a new floor color in the room with any accuracy. And it was my Mom and Dad's house — not mine. So if I screwed up, well, there are few things worse than screwing up your Mom and Dad's house — at least for me. When I was a kid, this was no big deal, but now the idea of making my parent's do extra work to cover my mistakes is enough to give me severe nightmares. It's not that my parents are tough on me, it's actually the opposite. They've always been very generous and forgiving, which of course makes it worse.
When I was in my 20s, I got a group of us to paint their kitchen cabinets from a dark wood stain to white. It was a great idea, but I had no idea what I was doing, and we didn't put down primer, so a few weeks later, the paint started to peel and Mom and Dad had to repaint the kitchen. Agh. They were so nice. They never said a word. And I would look at that peeling paint, and it was like feeling my own skin peel off the cabinet doors. (Sorry for the horrific visual, I've been watching Face-Off on SYFY network). I think that was my worst screw-up, or at least it's the worst that I can remember, I'm sure there was more.
Anyway, the carpet got installed yesterday and at first I was nervous. It was a loop, not a traditional pile and the color was sort of this dirty oatmeal color. But then they moved the furniture back in, and WOW. Okay, if I do say so myself, it's a brilliant choice. It's light enough to make the room look brighter and biger, flexible enough to blend in with the blue couch and chairs, and it's got enough brown in it that it won't show dirt easily and yet still not loook brown. Yay!
And the carpet is really really soft. We were rolling on it last night (as people are wont to do on new carpets) and it's so cool! It actually makes me want to get new carpet at our house in New York. We have a few rooms that need new floors put down, and I know this great color….
So what do you think of carpet? Favorite carpet colors? Do you hate shag, love shag? Are you a berber babe? (Iam). And do you sweat the decisions that you make for your parents, too, or am I just a totally neurotic paranoid person?
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February 23, 2012
Just Give In…
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Historical vs. Contemporary: Which is Harder to Write?
I get asked this question all the time: which is harder to write, historical or contemporary? People assume the historicals are harder because of "all that research involved." Not true. The historical research I've relied on for the last fifteen years has been confined to one twenty year period in British history. I know exactly where to look if I can't remember a social or political detail. I've read widely from novels and texts written in that era. I know it almost as well as I know the 1970s when VB and I wore overalls (don't deny it, VB!).
Contemporaries are harder because readers know if I am blowing smoke. If I said that a modern-day character died and left no heirs, most readers would know that the estate would go to the nearest blood relatives, starting with the parents, then siblings, and so on. But if I presented in an historical novel-say The Revenge of Lord Eberlin--that an earl had died and left no male heir, so therefore his adopted daughter inherited, you would most likely buy it because you, dear reader, are most likely not up on the laws of primogeniture in England in 1810. But I am! And that couldn't really happen! (But I did it. To find out how I did it, and I am not blowing smoke, you will have to read the book. hahaha).
Another difference between the writing of historical and contemporary is the pace. I am not talking about the plot, but of the prose. We are used to the shorthand we use in speaking to one another, and dialogue in a contemporary can fly. In historical romances, the tone is more gentle and proper, and the prose slows down a bit to accomodate. I tend to use more adverbs in historical novels than I do in contemporaries. Example: "What do you mean, you're not going?" and "I should think it reasonable to assume that you are to attend, my lord."
Another common perception is that characters and plots are different. Not so. The characters may be constrained by different external forces, but people are people, and always have been. Falling in love is the same as it always has been, and the obstacles that keep us from one another have been imagined for centuries.
You know who has the toughest writing job at Whine Sisters? Not me. It's Sherri, who mashes genres together and creates seamless fiction. Or Julie, who writes an underworld complete with its own justice system. Makes my head spin. Or Dee, who has to create suspense and sustain it on every page. Or Jacquie and Kathleen, who both write so wittily that I laugh out loud, and that makes me pea-green with envy.
Don't you wish they had a book out this week? Well, they don't. But I do! Pick up The Revenge of Lord Eberlin, and be sure and visit my Facebook page for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and $100 gift certificate!
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February 22, 2012
Deadly Dance
As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind.
A KILLER CLOSES IN
After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she's reluctant to trust him—or to act on her intense attraction to him. Then Hannah receives a podcast of a gruesome murder, and the only person who can help her find the killer is Harrison.
Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility—his sister's murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer, and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.
Deadly Dance is the fifth book in the A-Tac Series.
And check out www.deedavis.com for reviews, excerpts and more.
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