Michael Thomas Ford's Blog, page 4

Well? Have You Read It Yet?

Jane Bites Back was released yesterday. I know you ran out and got your copy. And four or five more copies for your friends, because that's the thoughtful kind of person you are. Also, maybe half a dozen to hand out to people on the bus/street/etc. because you want them to be exposed to great literature.

Because I have been busy doing all of the thrilling things a soon-to-be-bestselling author does in the days following publication of his novel (that would be eating pint after pint of Häagen-D...

Creepy Clown Monday #6: Final Draft (2007)

I actually watched about 10 minutes of this film a few months ago when I stumbled across it on television. The description in the cable guide said it was about a writer who locks himself in his apartment to force himself to meet a deadline. At the time I myself was standing in the shadow of a looming deadline and so the concept was both intriguing and nauseating.

The description made no mention of a clown. If it had you know I would have been glued to the couch. But no clown made an...

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to one and all!

'Twas the Night Before Deadline

I always manage to have a book due at the end of the year, and this is no exception. So in the spirit of the season, here is a little something for those who are waiting for it.

C.A. and M.W., this is for you.

'Twas the night before deadline, and all through the house,
Was the clickety-clack of my keyboard and mouse.
The book wasn't finished and was due on the morrow,
I stared at the screen with a feeling of sorrow.
The dogs were all nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of rawhide chews...

The Night Before Deadline

I always manage to have a book due at the end of the year, and this is no exception. So in the spirit of the season, here is a little something for those who are waiting for it.

C.A. and M.W., this is for you.

'Twas the night before deadline, and all through the house,
Was the clickety-clack of my keyboard and mouse.
The book wasn't finished and was due on the morrow,
I stared at the screen with a feeling of sorrow.
The dogs were all nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of rawhide chews...

Creepy Clown Monday #5: He Who Gets Slapped (1924) and Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928)

Those of you who have been following Creepy Clown Mondays are all too aware that up to now the films have been, well, awful. Sure, that's part of the charm of creepy clown movies, but every now and then you want to see something good.

So this week we're going way back to what are arguably the first creepy clown movies ever. They aren't horror films, and the clowns aren't scary scary, but they're definitely creepy. Also, they're just great films and you need to know about them.

Both films star t...

Now With 87% More Austen!

Guess what launched today?

That's right, my new website. Go check it out at www.janebitesback.com. Or just click on the pretty picture.

And the Winner Is . . . Who?

I love the last weeks of December, not because of the holiday hoo-ha but because it's the official start of the annual movie awards frenzy. To be honest I don't really care who gets nominated and who wins or loses, but I like the hysteria of it all. It's enormously entertaining to watch the parade of desperation as Hollywood pats itself on the back, and I like to imagine the un-nominated flinging themselves onto the floor in drunken heaps while they curse themselves for taking those...

Creepy Clown Monday #4: Urban Massacre (2002)

Oh, the things I do for you people.

Where to start? Let's talk for a moment about the worlds of music and film. There's a lot of crossover. Film directors sometimes make very good videos. Sofia Coppola (The White Stripes' "I Just Don't Know What To Do with Myself"), Martin Scorsese (Michael Jackson's "Bad"), and Gus Van Sant (Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge") -- all Oscar nominees for directing -- come immediately to mind.

Occasionally it works in reverse. Spike Jonze made the delightf...

Naughty and Nice

You may have noticed that there was no new post yesterday. No? Well, there wasn't. Thanks for caring.

This is because yesterday was Andy Goes to the Vet Day. This was not a planned holiday; it was a spontaneous celebration. It began when Patrick decided to take Teddy for a walk in the morning, as Teddy has been a little bit peevish lately and we think it's due to the arrival of the new puppy. Before Lillie came Teddy was the puppy. We even called him The Puppy, despite his being two years old ...