Reb MacRath's Blog, page 13
January 20, 2016
Why the Silent Treatment Sucks
People say the damnedest things. But they say even damneder things when they say nothing at all.
[image error]
Silence is generally a coward's way of raising his voice when he's angry. Its basic meanness often hides behind a superior stance: You're not good enough to talk to...You're not even worthy of a second thought or chance...I will not pollute my mind with thoughts of such as you...Etc.
I've been on the receiving end of a few personal shunnings. But I resist the impulse to shun my shunners in return. My door is always open if they're ever big enough to Sorry-up. I have no time for:
But my thoughts turn now to professional dead air. Today a colleague lamented, on a private forum, that no one had entered a Comment on her new monthly post. Almost instantly, a small group of supportive members rallied to her side. The absence of some others let me to reflect on other forms of silence.
Heartless nonresponsiveness
--You approach your group or circle with a request for reviews, offering free copies. And one of two things happens:
1) You receive no responses at all.
2) You receive a few okays...proceed to send gift copies...but then never hear another word.
Leech nonresponsiveness
--You post, on a collective blog, a particularly useful piece, summing your experience on an important topic. And suddenly everyone is flocking to this or that agent...or using the scoop you've revealed. And yet:
1) Not one appreciative comment is posted.
2) Strangers send you messages requesting pro referrals...or readings of their books.
Non-nonresponsiveness
--The dear rogue who keeps telling you over and over that his promised review will arrive any day.
[image error]
Possible alternatives to the Silent Treatment
1) Gentle Correctives
--When a total stranger asks for a review, let them know they need to learn professional behavior.
--When a total stranger asks for any favor, let them know the Code: connect first on a personal level, then ask.
2) Plan B's
--When writers you put out books that falls short, let them know you love their work but can't review these...and tell them why. Tell them you hope to be there for their next.
--If you can't review a book, you can offer to tout it on Twitter or Facebook.
--If you can't even read the book now, let the author know your schedule. And offer what support you can.
--A supportive comment on a blog needn't run hundreds of words. Even a handful of kind words will be well received.
--If you requested a gift copy, at the very least send your thanks.
Summary Judgment
The Silent Treatment sucks. We can't engage with everyone or do the whole world favors, But we can do better than zipping our lips. No one will like everything that we say. Then again, none can say our hearts aren't as true as a lion's.
And...We all would do well to remember that when we vote with our thumbs down, we just might be totally wrong.
[image error]
[image error]
Silence is generally a coward's way of raising his voice when he's angry. Its basic meanness often hides behind a superior stance: You're not good enough to talk to...You're not even worthy of a second thought or chance...I will not pollute my mind with thoughts of such as you...Etc.
I've been on the receiving end of a few personal shunnings. But I resist the impulse to shun my shunners in return. My door is always open if they're ever big enough to Sorry-up. I have no time for:
But my thoughts turn now to professional dead air. Today a colleague lamented, on a private forum, that no one had entered a Comment on her new monthly post. Almost instantly, a small group of supportive members rallied to her side. The absence of some others let me to reflect on other forms of silence.
Heartless nonresponsiveness
--You approach your group or circle with a request for reviews, offering free copies. And one of two things happens:
1) You receive no responses at all.
2) You receive a few okays...proceed to send gift copies...but then never hear another word.
Leech nonresponsiveness
--You post, on a collective blog, a particularly useful piece, summing your experience on an important topic. And suddenly everyone is flocking to this or that agent...or using the scoop you've revealed. And yet:
1) Not one appreciative comment is posted.
2) Strangers send you messages requesting pro referrals...or readings of their books.
Non-nonresponsiveness
--The dear rogue who keeps telling you over and over that his promised review will arrive any day.
[image error]
Possible alternatives to the Silent Treatment
1) Gentle Correctives
--When a total stranger asks for a review, let them know they need to learn professional behavior.
--When a total stranger asks for any favor, let them know the Code: connect first on a personal level, then ask.
2) Plan B's
--When writers you put out books that falls short, let them know you love their work but can't review these...and tell them why. Tell them you hope to be there for their next.
--If you can't review a book, you can offer to tout it on Twitter or Facebook.
--If you can't even read the book now, let the author know your schedule. And offer what support you can.
--A supportive comment on a blog needn't run hundreds of words. Even a handful of kind words will be well received.
--If you requested a gift copy, at the very least send your thanks.
Summary Judgment
The Silent Treatment sucks. We can't engage with everyone or do the whole world favors, But we can do better than zipping our lips. No one will like everything that we say. Then again, none can say our hearts aren't as true as a lion's.
And...We all would do well to remember that when we vote with our thumbs down, we just might be totally wrong.
[image error]
January 14, 2016
Love, Mercy...and the Golden Globes: Conclusion
So, who really won at at the Golden Globes last Sunday night? Hats off to all trophy winners, from Ennio Morricone to Leonardo DiCaprio to Lady Gaga. But many of us were focused on one small part of the show,,,a duel that prove to be savage as hell.
Mel Gibson had been announced as a presenter. And his long-term nemesis, Ricky Gervais, would host the event once again. Since hearing of Gibson's selection, the Brit comic actor and writer had been sharpening his barbs. Later it was reported that he had close to a hundred zingers to choose from. For Gibson, the Globes represented the real start of the comeback trail after a decade of scandals and shame. He was now directing his first film in ten years. And, since 2006, the Very Bad year, his acting options had been limited to two major films that were barely released, a new film (Blood Father) that has yet to be released, and a small number of cameos.
So the Globes were important to Gibson. But could he survive Gervais...and the huge target on his back?
The contestants:
Gibson: convicted in popular opinion of misogyny, racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism.
Claims to fame before the Very Bad Year:
Acting: Max Max 1-3, Lethal Weapon 1-4, Galipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously, The Bounty, Hamlet, Braveheart
Directing: Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto
Awards: Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture
Gervais: revered by the public for his verbal slicings and dicings of Hollywood greats.
Claims to fame before this night:
Hosting: Serial offender at three prior Golden Globes. Master of the below the belt jab. No one above or beneath his contempt.
Writing and Acting: The Night at the Museum movies. TV: The Office, Family Guy, Derek, The Ricky Gervais Show
Awards: multiple awards for The Office
Verdict
Gervais' jabs were predictably cruel and cheap. But they were also recycled and tired: shots at Mel's past drinking and--hey, let's fan the flames some more--anti-Semitic remarks.
Now, hear this: Gervais may have had a hundred zingers in his bag. But Gibson only needed three: the shocking opening quip about how seeing Ricky always reminded him to have a colonoscopy. Then, when Gervais snatched his drink as if afraid that the alcoholic might steal it, Gibson responded in classic form: Don't worry. You need something to put you to sleep, I've got something that'll put you out for the whole night. Finally: unheard to the audience, Gervais tried to rile Mel by asking what the f--- he'd meant by 'sugartits' (which Mel allegedly called a female copy). Mel chose not to let it slide, since he's always denied saying the word. "I don't know," he told Gervais, "You'll have to ask the guy who said that."
And Yet...
Life's still not a Hollywood movie. The internet is not abuzz with news of Mel Gibson suddenly swarmed with huge offers. Hosting the Globes was a start, as is directing Hacksaw Ridge. If Blood Father is properly released, and is a first-rate film, it may attract decent crowds. Word of mouth may work its stuff.
But the haters are still out there. And in the end it still comes down to Gibson: his commitment to proving again every day that he really is a changed man.
January 10, 2016
Love, Mercy...and the Golden Globes: Part 1
1/10/2015
The Golden Globes will air tonight. And this post is experimental in that I have no idea how the event will play out. The huge news, of course, is that Mel Gibson will be a presenter. But is forgiveness in the air after a blacklisted decade...or will Ricky Gervais lead the charge of ridicule and venom?
Which Mel Gibson will we see?
[image error]
or
Now, all of us have heard The Tapes. And there's no way to praise them. Nor is there any making light of remarks that were made to the cops. An all-out alcoholic with--as they say--some real issues blew up.
He needed help--and got it. He needed some down time--and got that as well. In fact, for ten years he's been SOL, except for a handful of roles. His last film--an indie--wrapped 2 years ago but has still not been released. (Blood Father.) His name is the instant release for any trace of venom or hate in decent human beings. They don't know and they don't care what Mel Gibson has done since his Crash. They only know what they've been told: he's a racist, a misogynist, an unrepentant brute...and a seriously rich bastard.
The following article is worth a look, if you'd like to look a bit deeper. It's by a professional journalist who began as a Gibson hater. She took the time to get to know him, hear his side of the whole story. Read for yourself before judging.
http://deadline.com/2014/03/mel-gibson-career-hollywood-deserves-chance-697084/
One quote well worth considering:
I’ve spoken to numerous colleagues who forgave Gibson for his anti-Semitic remarks (that list includes Dean Devlin, Mike Medavoy and Richard Donner) and they are quick to remind you who Gibson helped along the way. Start with Robert Downey Jr, who at one point was broke and an insurance risk on films. Gibson put up the insurance bond himself to secure Downey to star in The Singing Detective, which Gibson’s Icon produced. It was a performance that ignited the actor’s resurgence. I know that he also helped Britney Spears when she hit bottom, and that he tried to save Whitney Houston from the drug abuse that ultimately killed her. Not everybody is that generous: when Gibson himself needed a break that came when Warner Bros hired him for a showy role in The Hangover Part II, he was abruptly dropped when cast complained to director Todd Phillips. Mind you, these same actors happily worked with Tyson despite his felony conviction for rape.
Anyway, here we are on the day of the night of the Globes.
And anything can happen. Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson's first stint as a director since The Passion, may put him back on the A-List. Blood Father may soon be released. The crowd may go wild this evening and welcome the fallen star home. He may be allowed to direct his long-time passion, a film about The Vikings, though Leonardo DiCaprio won't work with him.
But this morning things are in the air. And Ricky Gervais giddily sharpens the knives he will wield:
The Golden Globes will air tonight. And this post is experimental in that I have no idea how the event will play out. The huge news, of course, is that Mel Gibson will be a presenter. But is forgiveness in the air after a blacklisted decade...or will Ricky Gervais lead the charge of ridicule and venom?
Which Mel Gibson will we see?
[image error]
or
Now, all of us have heard The Tapes. And there's no way to praise them. Nor is there any making light of remarks that were made to the cops. An all-out alcoholic with--as they say--some real issues blew up.
He needed help--and got it. He needed some down time--and got that as well. In fact, for ten years he's been SOL, except for a handful of roles. His last film--an indie--wrapped 2 years ago but has still not been released. (Blood Father.) His name is the instant release for any trace of venom or hate in decent human beings. They don't know and they don't care what Mel Gibson has done since his Crash. They only know what they've been told: he's a racist, a misogynist, an unrepentant brute...and a seriously rich bastard.
The following article is worth a look, if you'd like to look a bit deeper. It's by a professional journalist who began as a Gibson hater. She took the time to get to know him, hear his side of the whole story. Read for yourself before judging.
http://deadline.com/2014/03/mel-gibson-career-hollywood-deserves-chance-697084/
One quote well worth considering:
I’ve spoken to numerous colleagues who forgave Gibson for his anti-Semitic remarks (that list includes Dean Devlin, Mike Medavoy and Richard Donner) and they are quick to remind you who Gibson helped along the way. Start with Robert Downey Jr, who at one point was broke and an insurance risk on films. Gibson put up the insurance bond himself to secure Downey to star in The Singing Detective, which Gibson’s Icon produced. It was a performance that ignited the actor’s resurgence. I know that he also helped Britney Spears when she hit bottom, and that he tried to save Whitney Houston from the drug abuse that ultimately killed her. Not everybody is that generous: when Gibson himself needed a break that came when Warner Bros hired him for a showy role in The Hangover Part II, he was abruptly dropped when cast complained to director Todd Phillips. Mind you, these same actors happily worked with Tyson despite his felony conviction for rape.
Anyway, here we are on the day of the night of the Globes.
And anything can happen. Hacksaw Ridge, Gibson's first stint as a director since The Passion, may put him back on the A-List. Blood Father may soon be released. The crowd may go wild this evening and welcome the fallen star home. He may be allowed to direct his long-time passion, a film about The Vikings, though Leonardo DiCaprio won't work with him.
But this morning things are in the air. And Ricky Gervais giddily sharpens the knives he will wield:
January 4, 2016
On Getting Back to the Business of Art
It has always been so...but can't always be so: I'd prefer to write and focus on the imaginative and technical sides of my art, hoping perfection of those would lead the dollars to come in abundance.
To my way of thinking, I'd earned them. And I'd be pleased to be repaid in the thing I'd refused to sell out for. Decades later--with four traditionally published novels and four ebooks--I find myself struggling to master skills many newbies have easily mastered:
--Achieving Online Visibility when hundreds of thousands--maybe a million--new Ebooks are published each year.
--Obtaining reviews when most review sites are backlogged and some are temporarily closed....and even those who've been gifted with copies may not bother to read or review.
--Mastering social media, especially Twitter and Facebook.
--Effectively launching new Ebooks.
--Pricing.
Etc., etc., etc.
So last year I decided to consecrate 2016 to the nitty-gritty...the nuts and bolts...the reality side of Ebooking. One fundamental decision I made took even me by surprise: I'd learn to tighten the zip on my lips.
I'd come to realize two essential truths: though books abound on Ebook Success, no one is sharing trade secrets and no one who has made a killing will help others poach on their turf. Correction: I should have said I'd realized three essential truths. For I'd come to accept that this is the world's way...without losing hope of improving the way.
Reflection took me back to a book on self-help I'd read decades ago.
This perennial bestseller is actually a commercial abridgment of Hills' massive original Law of Success (available in 4 volumes of approximately 250 pages each). Many readers of the slim paperback may have visions of literally thinking themselves rich--waking up rich overnight. And the publisher's abounds with examples of poor people who came into money they'd simply imagined themselves having.
But the original Law of Success tells a far different, and far more useful, story--with the emphasis. evenly spread among the guiding principles. Not just positive thinking or creative visualization but work, strategy, temperance, personality, character and more.
And one cornerstone that came back to me now was the principle of the MasterMind Group (MMG): men and women of power and destiny forming alliances...sharing their resources with like-minded souls...and inspiring one another. After all:
Last night I learned a new strategy for improving my Amazon book page. And I can't wait to share it with the MMG when the round table is full.
To my way of thinking, I'd earned them. And I'd be pleased to be repaid in the thing I'd refused to sell out for. Decades later--with four traditionally published novels and four ebooks--I find myself struggling to master skills many newbies have easily mastered:
--Achieving Online Visibility when hundreds of thousands--maybe a million--new Ebooks are published each year.
--Obtaining reviews when most review sites are backlogged and some are temporarily closed....and even those who've been gifted with copies may not bother to read or review.
--Mastering social media, especially Twitter and Facebook.
--Effectively launching new Ebooks.
--Pricing.
Etc., etc., etc.
So last year I decided to consecrate 2016 to the nitty-gritty...the nuts and bolts...the reality side of Ebooking. One fundamental decision I made took even me by surprise: I'd learn to tighten the zip on my lips.
I'd come to realize two essential truths: though books abound on Ebook Success, no one is sharing trade secrets and no one who has made a killing will help others poach on their turf. Correction: I should have said I'd realized three essential truths. For I'd come to accept that this is the world's way...without losing hope of improving the way.
Reflection took me back to a book on self-help I'd read decades ago.
This perennial bestseller is actually a commercial abridgment of Hills' massive original Law of Success (available in 4 volumes of approximately 250 pages each). Many readers of the slim paperback may have visions of literally thinking themselves rich--waking up rich overnight. And the publisher's abounds with examples of poor people who came into money they'd simply imagined themselves having.
But the original Law of Success tells a far different, and far more useful, story--with the emphasis. evenly spread among the guiding principles. Not just positive thinking or creative visualization but work, strategy, temperance, personality, character and more.
And one cornerstone that came back to me now was the principle of the MasterMind Group (MMG): men and women of power and destiny forming alliances...sharing their resources with like-minded souls...and inspiring one another. After all:
Last night I learned a new strategy for improving my Amazon book page. And I can't wait to share it with the MMG when the round table is full.
December 20, 2015
Reb MacRath's First Annual December Reberoo Awards
[image error]
Welcome! I know, it's a gala event and you're feeling gangbusters excited. The ceremony this year has been restricted to DVD, Film and TV awards. Even so, remember: try not to block the aisle or jump up and down in your seats. Also remember: these awards are for shows, films or actors I've enjoyed this year...no limits on the year of the release or performance.
That said, let's get it on! But first, a little awards-style performance:
Thank you, Freddie. Onward now!
TV
Favorite Current TV Drama:
The Good Wife, Season 7. Hard to believe that this great show may be in its final season. This season's as strong as the best of the past: complex, full of surprises, and deeply moving.
Favorite Past TV Historical Drama:
Rome, Season 1. From Caesar's Gallic campaign to his assassination, this show never scrimped on style, drama, controversy, or suspense. Easy to see why some have called this first season the greatest ever event on TV.
Most Compulsively Rewatchable TV Shows
1) House of Cards, Seasons 1-3.
2) Prison Break, Seasons 1-4 for me, but 1-2 for many.
3) Have Gun Will Travel: 6 seasons of 25 minute episodes that rarely missed the bull's eye and never missed the target completely.
Favorite Female Performances on TV:
1) Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife.
2) Claire Danes, Homeland
Favorite Male Performances on TV
1) Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
2) William Fichtner, Prison Break
Favorite Portrayal of Julius Caesar:
Ciaran Hinds, Rome Season One, is second to none. Accept no substitutes.
Favorite Comeback by a Blacklisted Actor
Wentworth Miller, who rarely worked after admitting he is gay, returned in a series of guest stints on the Flash. These grew into a big ensemble role in the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow--and the lead in next year's Prison Break Season 5.
Favorite actor of all time in a TV western.
Richard Boone, as Paladin in Have Gun Will Travel. Rough and tumble, elegant, witty, erudite, relentless, vulnerable.
Intermission: Required Embarrassing Moment
Well, it wouldn't be a real awards show without one dreadful embarrassing moment. So, let's pause for a wardrobe malfunction:
FILMS ON DVD
Favorite Films That Improved with Rewatching
1) Tombstone: Western excitement at its very best, with an electrifying performance by Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday. 'I'm your Huckleberry"!
2) High Noon: I was too young when I first saw it to appreciate its real-time, slow fuse beauty. 88 unforgettable minutes with Gary Cooper at his best.
3) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Writer Shane (Lethal Weapon) Black made delightful comeback with help from an actor who needed one too: Robert Downey Jr. Another great performance from the underrated Val Kilmer. Real wit abounds here instead of the Black's usual zingers and quips.
4) Casualties of War, directed by Brian De Palma. I didn't 'get it' the first time around. But this year it blew me out of the back of my chair.
Favorite Dementedly Correct DVD Packaging
1) The dual packaging of Wall Street and its sequel Money Never Sleeps: the case for both measures a gigantic 11" x 6.5".
2) The heartlessly cheap packaging of 4 Lethal Weapon films--with all four discs mounted on a single spindle--mirrors the fate of the franchise: the same movie made over and over again with less and less feeling each time.
Favorite Rediscovered Director
Brian De Palma, brilliant beyond belief in: Femme Fatale, Body Double, Casualties of War, Dressed to Kill, Carlito's Way, Blow Out...and on and on.
Favorite Masterpieces Buried by Spineless Studios
1) Heaven's Gate: The Director's Cut.
2) White Dog, directed by Samuel Fuller.
3) Sorcerer, directed by William Friedkin
4) Killer Joe, directed by William Friedkin
Favorite Just-Discovered Horror Classic
Diabolique--the film Hitchcock had wanted to make was done just right by a Frenchman.
Favorite Comebacks by Fallen Superstars
1) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: Tom Cruise found his gravitas and dropped the grinning boy toy act in this series landmark.
2) John Wick. Keanu Reeves came roaring back after battling depression and crappy reviews for whatever he did. One of the best action films ever made. And, let's be glad, Keanu's plate is full again--with a half-dozen films in the pipeline, including John Wick 2.
Favorite Delivery of a Single Line of Dialogue
"Give me back my son!" by Mel Gibson in Ransom.
Favorite Bored Goodbye to a Once Favorite Franchise
Lethal Weapon: Buh-bye, buh-bye. The first entry was still rewatchable because of it had an emotional center: seriously suicidal cop looking for reason to live. The second was barely rewatchable. The third and fourth aren't worth my time.
Intermission: Required Tasteless Joke Moment
A family walks into a hotel and the father walks up to the front desk to say, "I hope the porn is disabled." The desk clerk tells him in disgust, "It's just standard porn, you perv."
FILMS IN THEATERS
I seldom go to theaters now. So these awards are special.
Favorite Enraged Goodbyes to Once Beloved Franchises
1) Bond, James Bond. Daniel Craig and his bloated Spectre have ruined the franchise for me. Absolutely nothing but a brand new Bond will ever lure me back.
2) Jurassic World. Please, for God's sake, please--please!--can you stop this nonsense now?
Favorite Brilliantly Reimagined Classic
Creed. A new director with a passionately written script, terrific performances including an Oscar turn by Stallone, and a strong heart at its center.
Favorite Reboot of a Favorite Series
Max Max: Fury Road...directed by George Miller...with Tom Hardy, one of the world's greatest actors. Enough said.
Favorite Thriller Directed by an Unknown Name
Sicario. Hey, here's an idea. Get Denis Villeneuve to direct a different actor in the next Bond film...and I will go to the theater.
And happy holidays to all of you.
Welcome! I know, it's a gala event and you're feeling gangbusters excited. The ceremony this year has been restricted to DVD, Film and TV awards. Even so, remember: try not to block the aisle or jump up and down in your seats. Also remember: these awards are for shows, films or actors I've enjoyed this year...no limits on the year of the release or performance.
That said, let's get it on! But first, a little awards-style performance:
Thank you, Freddie. Onward now!
TV
Favorite Current TV Drama:
The Good Wife, Season 7. Hard to believe that this great show may be in its final season. This season's as strong as the best of the past: complex, full of surprises, and deeply moving.
Favorite Past TV Historical Drama:
Rome, Season 1. From Caesar's Gallic campaign to his assassination, this show never scrimped on style, drama, controversy, or suspense. Easy to see why some have called this first season the greatest ever event on TV.
Most Compulsively Rewatchable TV Shows
1) House of Cards, Seasons 1-3.
2) Prison Break, Seasons 1-4 for me, but 1-2 for many.
3) Have Gun Will Travel: 6 seasons of 25 minute episodes that rarely missed the bull's eye and never missed the target completely.
Favorite Female Performances on TV:
1) Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife.
2) Claire Danes, Homeland
Favorite Male Performances on TV
1) Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
2) William Fichtner, Prison Break
Favorite Portrayal of Julius Caesar:
Ciaran Hinds, Rome Season One, is second to none. Accept no substitutes.
Favorite Comeback by a Blacklisted Actor
Wentworth Miller, who rarely worked after admitting he is gay, returned in a series of guest stints on the Flash. These grew into a big ensemble role in the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow--and the lead in next year's Prison Break Season 5.
Favorite actor of all time in a TV western.
Richard Boone, as Paladin in Have Gun Will Travel. Rough and tumble, elegant, witty, erudite, relentless, vulnerable.
Intermission: Required Embarrassing Moment
Well, it wouldn't be a real awards show without one dreadful embarrassing moment. So, let's pause for a wardrobe malfunction:
FILMS ON DVD
Favorite Films That Improved with Rewatching
1) Tombstone: Western excitement at its very best, with an electrifying performance by Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday. 'I'm your Huckleberry"!
2) High Noon: I was too young when I first saw it to appreciate its real-time, slow fuse beauty. 88 unforgettable minutes with Gary Cooper at his best.
3) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Writer Shane (Lethal Weapon) Black made delightful comeback with help from an actor who needed one too: Robert Downey Jr. Another great performance from the underrated Val Kilmer. Real wit abounds here instead of the Black's usual zingers and quips.
4) Casualties of War, directed by Brian De Palma. I didn't 'get it' the first time around. But this year it blew me out of the back of my chair.
Favorite Dementedly Correct DVD Packaging
1) The dual packaging of Wall Street and its sequel Money Never Sleeps: the case for both measures a gigantic 11" x 6.5".
2) The heartlessly cheap packaging of 4 Lethal Weapon films--with all four discs mounted on a single spindle--mirrors the fate of the franchise: the same movie made over and over again with less and less feeling each time.
Favorite Rediscovered Director
Brian De Palma, brilliant beyond belief in: Femme Fatale, Body Double, Casualties of War, Dressed to Kill, Carlito's Way, Blow Out...and on and on.
Favorite Masterpieces Buried by Spineless Studios
1) Heaven's Gate: The Director's Cut.
2) White Dog, directed by Samuel Fuller.
3) Sorcerer, directed by William Friedkin
4) Killer Joe, directed by William Friedkin
Favorite Just-Discovered Horror Classic
Diabolique--the film Hitchcock had wanted to make was done just right by a Frenchman.
Favorite Comebacks by Fallen Superstars
1) Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: Tom Cruise found his gravitas and dropped the grinning boy toy act in this series landmark.
2) John Wick. Keanu Reeves came roaring back after battling depression and crappy reviews for whatever he did. One of the best action films ever made. And, let's be glad, Keanu's plate is full again--with a half-dozen films in the pipeline, including John Wick 2.
Favorite Delivery of a Single Line of Dialogue
"Give me back my son!" by Mel Gibson in Ransom.
Favorite Bored Goodbye to a Once Favorite Franchise
Lethal Weapon: Buh-bye, buh-bye. The first entry was still rewatchable because of it had an emotional center: seriously suicidal cop looking for reason to live. The second was barely rewatchable. The third and fourth aren't worth my time.
Intermission: Required Tasteless Joke Moment
A family walks into a hotel and the father walks up to the front desk to say, "I hope the porn is disabled." The desk clerk tells him in disgust, "It's just standard porn, you perv."
FILMS IN THEATERS
I seldom go to theaters now. So these awards are special.
Favorite Enraged Goodbyes to Once Beloved Franchises
1) Bond, James Bond. Daniel Craig and his bloated Spectre have ruined the franchise for me. Absolutely nothing but a brand new Bond will ever lure me back.
2) Jurassic World. Please, for God's sake, please--please!--can you stop this nonsense now?
Favorite Brilliantly Reimagined Classic
Creed. A new director with a passionately written script, terrific performances including an Oscar turn by Stallone, and a strong heart at its center.
Favorite Reboot of a Favorite Series
Max Max: Fury Road...directed by George Miller...with Tom Hardy, one of the world's greatest actors. Enough said.
Favorite Thriller Directed by an Unknown Name
Sicario. Hey, here's an idea. Get Denis Villeneuve to direct a different actor in the next Bond film...and I will go to the theater.
And happy holidays to all of you.
December 16, 2015
Blowout Boss MacTavin Sale--Phase 2: $1.99 each
Take advantage of my special holiday Amazon Countdown Event on the Boss MacTavin series, now priced at $1.99 each for two days...then going up and up once more. Here are the brand-new covers. Buy now before the prices begin to grow unScottish!
12/16: 12 a.m PST: $1.99 each
12/17: 4 p.m. PST: $2.99 each
12:19: 8 a.m. PST: $3.99 each
Sale ends 12/21 at midnight PST and price bumps to new regular price of $4.99
Links for all books:
http://tinyurl.com/m7bl6ys
12/16: 12 a.m PST: $1.99 each
12/17: 4 p.m. PST: $2.99 each
12:19: 8 a.m. PST: $3.99 each
Sale ends 12/21 at midnight PST and price bumps to new regular price of $4.99
Links for all books:
http://tinyurl.com/m7bl6ys
December 13, 2015
Blowout Boss MacTavin Sale...starting at $.99
Take advantage of my special holiday Amazon Countdown Event on the Boss MacTavin series, starting at $.99 for two days...and then going up in increments. Here are the brand-new covers:
12/14, 8 a.m. PST: $.99 each
12/16: 12 a.m PST: $1.99 each
12/17: 4 p.m. PST: $2.99 each
12:19: 8 a.m. PST: $3.99 each
Sale ends 12/21 at midnight PST and price bumps to new regular price of $4.99
Links for all books:
http://tinyurl.com/m7bl6ys
12/14, 8 a.m. PST: $.99 each
12/16: 12 a.m PST: $1.99 each
12/17: 4 p.m. PST: $2.99 each
12:19: 8 a.m. PST: $3.99 each
Sale ends 12/21 at midnight PST and price bumps to new regular price of $4.99
Links for all books:
http://tinyurl.com/m7bl6ys
December 7, 2015
Never Second Guess Your Instincts
As I wrote my new book, Caesar's Ghost, some parts cried for the present tense and some cried for the past. I just followed my instincts while writing. But then, as I went through the subsequent drafts, the Brutal Old Bastard (BOB) of my inner editor began to carp and criticize. Why here, not there, in the present? Why there, not here, in the past?
Now, I knew BOB was right on the money about not jumping tenses in a single paragraph--a source of confusion for readers. And I could understand BOB's preference for consistency: dream sequences or diary entries, for example, in the present tense. BOB might even be okay with all action scenes in the present--lending the scenes more urgency.
But, through the rewrites, BOB kept attempting to gain total control. Some scenes resisted--almost violently--my efforts to change tenses. My fingers would not hit the keys that would have changed the scenes. And it was time to let BOB know that he wasn't running the show, just helping to produce it. In fact, when given full control, BOB tends to trip on the feet of his rules.
I reached a compromise solution. I'd change any part from present to past tense--unless my fingers screamed in protest. And I'd devise a subtle way of highlighting my segues from the past to present tense.
Many of BOB's rules are sound, while others are the barks of another century's harridans.
Readers and viewers are fluent in the language of mixed time lines:
So I listend to BOB, with all due respect...but I followed my heart and my fingers.
November 27, 2015
Meet Lady Excitement: Diane Rapp
I discovered Diane Rapp through her High Seas Murder series a few years ago--and became an instant fan. I liked her polished, professional style and her tempering the traditional 'cosy' with a modern edge. How did she come to write these books?
I became an entrepreneur when I started a dog grooming salon in Santa Barbara, California. I spent the next thirty years as a small business owner; I sold real estate, owned an office supply/copy center, and performed free-lance advertising design. During those hectic years I wrote stories as a cure for insomnia. After onsite research and writing a Caribbean tour guide together, my daughter gave me the idea of writing a mystery set on cruise ships. Although part of a series, each book is a stand-alone novel.
*****
BRAND NEW RAPP EVENT!
Diane has some exciting news for fans of the series--and for those who've yet to discover the thrills of the High Seas. Her new book is at once a fourth series entry and a bold departure.
I've set November 30 as the release date for GOLDEN LEGACY. I've decided to list all 3 of the HIGH SEAS MURDER books for a 99c sale starting November 27 thru Dec. 4 and have loaded the book for Pre-Order sales.
Pre-Order Legacy
http://amzn.to/1Pq9foR
How is this new book a return to form and a new departure?
Golden Legacy blends historical adventure with modern-day mystery in an exciting novel that follows two time lines. Embarking on a harrowing treasure hunt, two daring heroines tackle the hazards of gold country more than a century apart. Although a stand-alone novel, readers who have already met Kayla and Steven in the High Seas Mystery series, may enjoy their continued love story in the Rockies. See real places around Ouray, Colorado through actual photos within the narrative.
Ginny is a “modern” English gentlewoman traveling alone in the year 1888. At the age of twenty-five, she deems herself a spinster, admitting the condition results from her own decisions. After Ginny gains control of her own money, she sets out to travel the world, hoping to publish a series of travel journals. Upon landing in San Francisco, Ginny’s aristocratic life drastically changes course when she learns that miscreants shot her twin brother, Johnny. Ginny journeys by train from San Francisco to Ouray, Colorado, faithfully recording events in her journal. After tending to Johnny in hospital, the gutsy woman strikes out to locate his hidden gold mine, armed with courage, a fountain pen, and two sharp hatpins. It is her duty to deliver supplies and information to Nick, her brother’s business partner and dear family friend.
In modern day action, Kayla and Steven deal with aftermath from the aborted murder attempt on Kayla after their wedding. Plagued by turbulent dreams of drowning, Kayla develops a paralyzing fear of open water. She’s summoned to a dying aunt’s bedside and jumps at the chance to trade life at sea for the comforts of home in Colorado. To inherit the family legacy, Kayla must solve clues and locate the family gold mine. After reading Ginny’s journal and searching for clues scattered throughout a charming Victorian house, Kayla and her friends endeavor to find the mine. They cross hazardous terrain through wild country and face tricky problems inside the derelict mine. Old generators lie dormant, and they need to activate a trompe to open the “safe” inside the mine. Clues purloined from the house might guide disgruntled heirs to steal the treasure for themselves.
Kayla struggles to decipher the mystery before snow falls, testing her courage, ingenuity, and honesty to qualify for the golden legacy. Can she overcome fear to reveal what is most important to her future?
Previous entries in the High Seas Mystery series, priced at $.99 November 27 through December 4.
Murder Caribbean-Style is the first book in the series.
Readers meet the main characters and learn about life aboard a ship while solving the murder of Kayla’s ex-lover, Patrick. He’s made plenty of enemies as Chief Purser on the cruise line, including Kayla. She must learn what caused him to become a womanizer and thief before her friends are accused of the murder. When she teams up with Steven Young, a handsome British magician working undercover for Interpol, danger and romance are mixed with the action.
http://tinyurl.com/q5fxdzo
Murder on a Ghost Ship is the second novel in the series.
Kayla is summoned back to work by cruise line Chairman, Emily Schultz. Emily bought a new ship for the cruise line but learns there is a ghost aboard, a very unhappy phantom. Emily is desperate to uncover the identity of the “Lady” and why she’s stuck aboard before the bad investment sinks her career. When Steven’s partner in an Interpol smuggling investigation is killed, Steven gets fired. He arrives onboard the ship to help Kayla solve her ghost problem, while the smugglers track him down and plan to kill him.
http://tinyurl.com/qhjz42f
Murder for Glacier Blue is the third novel in the series.
Kayla and her friends gather together on a “working” vacation to Alaska while preparing for her wedding on Glacier Bay. The team must guard six valuable paintings displayed next to authorized copies that will be auctioned for charity, six chances for thieves to score. The perfect wedding hits a snag when Steven’s ex-wife arrives on the arm of a childhood friend, and she’s intent on creating trouble. Enjoy photos of actual Alaskan attractions mixed into the narrative as you take a virtual cruise and solve an art heist and murder.
http://tinyurl.com/nk34uqr
JOIN THE AUTHOR IN HER WORKSHOP
On the Golden Legacy page of her website, Diane discusses the book's genesis and the challenge of writing a mystery with a dual story line: half told in the present and half in an old journal. Enjoy this rare chance to visit the author in her workshop:
bit.ly/1kpMy6U
*****
Links
The High Seas Mystery series introduced me to her work. When I learned of her fantasy writing, I decided to give it a try though I don't often read in that genre. I'm glad I did. Really good writers can hook us whatever they've chosen to do--and Diane Rapp is one of the best.
To learn more about all of her books, here's the link:
www.quicksilvernovels.com
Also, to connect with Diane:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/quicksilvernovels
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DianeRapp
November 15, 2015
In Praise of The School of Hard Knocks
The last two lines contain the key: an ongoing curriculum.
On this cold, wet Sunday in the city of Seattle, I find myself thinking about this today: appraising my first year in the city...and my three years as an ebook author--after four published books and then 25 years in The Desert.
Conclusion: I have aced some essential courses...but I am not, as I had thought, a PhD from this rough school. In fact, I've flunked a few courses and have more years of hard study ahead. Plus, some still worse knocks, I'm sure.
Literary and office politics (or politricks) continue to confound me, despite the progress I've made at writing, editing, cover designing, event promotions, online presence, etc. I've developed substantial followings on Twitter and Facebook. And I've continued to work on my usage of both. At the same time, I've revamped my resume for another job search.
Yet in this last month I've tanked in two job interviews. The numbers of my book reviews pretty mirrors their sales. I am no less mystified by cold shoulders from writers I've championed.
But, as a continuing student, I vow: no more miserable report cards like this:
For the new semester, which has just begun--only in MacRathWorld can a semester begin in November!--I have a new instructor.
He was prominently featured in my last post on Authors Electric. His name is Balthsar Gracian and you'll find your introduction here:
http://authorselectric.blogspot.com/2015/11/books-youll-be-killed-if-caught-reading.html
Gracian's little book, The Art of Worldly Wisdom is subtitled A Pocket Oracle. And it is exactly that.
http://tinyurl.com/oha4u6u
More than an oracle, or a manual, it is also the perfect antidote to the chief pop power guides, Machiavelli's The Prince and Robert Greene's 48 Laws of Power. What I love about Gracian's The Art is its unique dual focus on material success and personal excellence.
It contains 300 pithy aphorisms. I plan to study one each day, then take the remaining two months every year for an intensive review.
Oh, the School of Hard Knocks will continue to deliver its tough, bruising lessons. But Gracian seems an excellent guide for dodging the worst of those lessons and enduring the handful that one can't evade.
Goal for my first years' tutelage under Gracian: to become an upperclassman in the hard knockin' school all attend.
