My Irrationalities

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The Bachelor: What In Hades Was That?
2007-11-21 07:01:00
He picks nobody? NOBODY? ... This after going on and on about seeing both finalists as wife material. He tells his mom he's torn. He tells his friends he's got two great women. He buys a freaking ring and then...... Nada. Zip. He sends them both home. WTF was the point? See, this is what I've always hated about this silly arsed show. It's phony and it plays with people's hearts and minds
More About: The Bachelor , Bachelor , Chelo

NaNo/Sven Update 11/21/07
2007-11-21 06:14:00
Well?... Me? I won't know until Sunday. I've been writing longhand and have yet to transcribe stuff onto the computer. It's a holiday week so my time is not my own. I can say I've written about 16 pages in my trusty notebook. How much of it is crap? Your guess is as good as mine. How'd you do?
More About: Update , Nano

Industry Update: 11/21/07
2007-11-21 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch... Fiction Deals: The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and up Debut -- Joyce Lebra's THE SCENT OF SAKE, about a 19th century Japanese woman who overcomes tremendous obstacles to build a sake empire and a family dynasty at a time when women
More About: Industry , Update

WRITERS: The Achilles Heel
2007-11-19 07:17:00
Without it, our stories are doomed... Hillary Heroine is the cat's pajamas. She slays dragons and anything else that threatens what's dear to her. An expert with the bow and arrow, she can shoot a mole off a cow's butt from a hundred yards away, AND she's drop dead gorgeous. The girl is Bad with a capital B---the eipitome of the kick-ass, take-no-prisoners-heroine. Doncha just hate her already?
More About: Writers , Heel , Achilles

NaNo/Sven Update 11/19/07
2007-11-19 06:44:00
How'd you do last week?... Here are my stats thusfar: Week ending 11/4 = 8,808 Week ending 11/11 = 15,309 Week ending 11/07 = 14,883 TOTAL: = 39,000 This week's goal: 11,000
More About: Update , Nano

Mixed Tales From My Netflix Queue 11/19/07
2007-11-19 06:43:00
Mini movie reviews for The Covenant, Trois 3: The Escort, The Holiday and Apartment Zero... MY KEY: A+ (Outstanding); A (Perfect); A- (Almost Perfect); B+ (Great); B (Very Good/Memorable); B- (Good w/some flaws); C+ (Above average); C (Average); C- (Okay, but disappointing); D+ (Bad); D (VERY bad); D- (Dreadful); F (An absolute waste of time) The Covenant (2006) Cast: Steven Strait,
More About: Netflix , Tales , Queue , Mixed , Mixe

Industry Update: 11/19/07
2007-11-19 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch... Fiction Deals: The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and up Audio rights -- Pulitzer Prize-winning oral historian Studs Terkel's memoir TOUCH AND GO, to Ron Formica at Tantor Media, by Jessica Colter for The New Press. jcolter@
More About: Industry , Update

Retro Sunday: Remember When...
2007-11-18 06:26:00
Going back to the sixties and seventies... Here's a mad mixture of some of my favorite oldies. As you can see, I've got eclectic taste. :-) My Girl California Dreamin' Rainy Days and Mondays The 5th Dimension Song Medley How Deep Is Your Love Someday We'll be Together You Light Up My Life I Woke Up In Love This Morning The First Time I Say A Little Prayer I'm So Into
More About: Sunday , Retro

READERS: Who are you harder on?
2007-11-16 07:39:00
Get your mind out of the gutter. ... You know what amazes me? Reader gender bias. I'm astonished when women freely admit that they're more critical of heroines than heroes. WHY? Can any of you ladies tell me a legitimate reason why you hold fictional women to a higher standard than fictional men? Why are you more than ready to scream at a heroine if she makes one wrong move, but you might
More About: Readers

Link Whorage 11/12/07
2007-11-16 06:15:00
Great writerly links below... No surprise here: Baby boomers prefer to read about issues relating to themselves. How to Start a Novel: The Willingness to be the Best and the Worst. Editor Hilary Sares talks about goals and being rushed or crushed. Salon tells J.K. Rowling to "Get Over Yourself." Agent Janet Reid offers some inspiring words about bravery and writers. This one is for my pal
More About: Link

Time & Mind Bending Tales From My Netflix Queue
2007-11-15 06:17:00
Mini movie reviews for Run Lola Run, Memento, The Other Side, and Identity... MY KEY: A+ (Outstanding); A (Perfect); A- (Almost Perfect); B+ (Great); B (Very Good/Memorable); B- (Good w/some flaws); C+ (Above average); C (Average); C- (Okay, but disappointing); D+ (Bad); D (VERY bad); D- (Dreadful); F (An absolute waste of time) Run Lola Run (1998) (aka Lola Rennt) Cast: Franka Potente,
More About: Time , Mind , Netflix , Tales , Queue

WRITERS: What gets you? The tree or the forest?
2007-11-14 07:32:00
If you're lucky, you don't have either of these problems... Me? I'm a forest person. I get so involved with the big picture, that the little details suffer. IOW, when I should be concentrating on a single plot issue, I obsess over ways to expand it (and other unrelated details) in later scenes, scenes I haven't even written yet. So in essence, I fail to give that specific 'tree' the attention
More About: Writers , Tree , Forest

NaNo/Sven Update 11/14/07
2007-11-14 06:39:00
How are you doing so far?... Last week I did a total of: (drum roll) 15,309 words! And you?
More About: Update , Nano

Link Whorage 11/14/07
2007-11-14 06:38:00
Great writerly links below... JA Konrath's first piece of advice to NaNo writers? "Sit Your Ass In The Chair." Author J.C. Wilder talks about the writer's strike. My pal Cece has a teensy weensy problem with Erotic Fiction. The Mad Editor says there are more Bad Writers with publication credits than good writers without them. Super Librarian talks about Romance's Forgotten History.
More About: Link

Industry Update: 11/14/07
2007-11-13 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch... Fiction Deals: The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and up Debut -- Sandra Foy's LIFE AIN'T EASY, fixing a relationship for what its worth, to Deborah Schumacher at Genesis Press, for publication in November 2008, by Misherald Brown at ML
More About: Industry , Update

WRITERS: THAT DANGEROUS GHOST BOOK
2007-11-12 07:29:00
Beware! This phantom can crush your muse... How many times have you stared blindly at the screen like a deer in the headlights? Even when you KNOW what needs to happen. For instance, I've written a synopsis, so I've already decided how the story should end. Yet even with a road map to guide me, brain fog and anxiety drown me 90% of time. But I think I've finally figured out what the problem
More About: Ghost , Book , Writers , Dangerous

Thrilling Tales From My Netflix Queue 11/12/07
2007-11-12 06:10:00
Mini movie reviews for The 24th Day, Equilibrium, Attraction... MY KEY: A+ (Outstanding); A (Perfect); A- (Almost Perfect); B+ (Great); B (Very Good/Memorable); B- (Good w/some flaws); C+ (Above average); C (Average); C- (Okay, but disappointing); D+ (Bad); D (VERY bad); D- (Dreadful); F (An absolute waste of time) The 24th Day (2004) Cast: Scott Speedman, James Marsden, Sofía Vergara Genre
More About: Netflix , Tales , Queue

Link Whorage 11/12/07
2007-11-12 06:05:00
Great Writerly Link s Below... Wanna see what's inside Agent Jenny Rappaport's mailbag? Bestselling author Anne Frasier has decided to shut down her blog. Why? Because she can't say what she wants to. I'm VERY sad about this. PWR offers Ten Things for the NaNoWriMo'ers. But it's not just for us NaNo folks. These terrific links can help anyone writing a novel. Agent Jessica Faust talks

Industry Update: 11/12/07
2007-11-12 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch... Fiction Deals: The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and up Audio rights -- Prentice Earl Sanders and Bennett Cohen's The Zebra Murders: A Season of Killing, Racial Madness, and Civil Rights, to Lysa Williams at Blackstone Audio, in a nice
More About: Industry , Update

Sunday Silliness
2007-11-11 06:23:00
Michael Jackson watch out! You've got competition... This was done in an actual prison in the Phillipines with the full cooperation of the prisoners and the administration. It's truly amazing. Oh, and check out the balding guy playing the woman (Originally played by model Ola Ray). ROFLMAO! And this is the Indian version of Thriller. It's hilarious!
More About: Sunday , Silliness

Your Vote Counts
2007-11-08 07:36:00
Important Poll!! Please vote...Since I'm doing NaNo, I'm skipping all over my book. One minute I'm in chapter 5, the next I'm in chapter 18. That's how I write. Out of sync. It's what works best for me. Anyway, I'm coming up on scenes with my hero's best friend, only I'm having trouble visualizing him. He's just a stick person to me. So I need you to vote on which pic I should use. NAME: John HunterDESCRIPTION: Workaholic. Very secretive and suspicious of everyone because of what he's had to do to survive. Genius IQ. Loves his brethren enough to die for them. Very bohemian in terms of his lifestyle, but extremely detail-oriented (anal) and professional. He's also a racist. (He's not human. Hates the human race for what they did to his kind)BTW, pick carefully because he's going to be the hero in my next book.From my description, which of these men would be the better choice for my hero's best friend? Picture 1, 2, 3, or 4?
More About: Vote , Polls

Sven/NaNo Update: 11/8/07
2007-11-08 06:59:00
It's a daunting race to the finish. Keeping the right pacing is crucial. As of Wednesday evening, how many words have you done?...Me? I'm up to a whopping 6,396 for this week. The details: After the latex scare with my son (Curious about the latex? Check the comments section of my last Sven/NaNo post) it took me a while to get back into the swing of things. But I did it. Then right after I met with the tree guy this morning (he's going to cut that psychotic Poplar down. Remember the one that stabbed a branch into my house?) I went right to work, transcribing yesterday's words from longhand into my 'puter. I added a few sentences and lines of dialogue as I went along. Then I blocked a new scene (13 handwritten pages) for tomorrow.So how did you do?
More About: Writing , Update , Nano

Sexy Vampiric Tales From My Netflix Queue
2007-11-08 06:52:00
Mini movie reviews for Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, The Forsaken and Fright Night...MY KEY: A+ (Outstanding); A (Perfect); A- (Almost Perfect); B+ (Great);B (Very Good/Memorable); B- (Good w/some flaws); C+ (Above average);C (Average); C- (Okay, but disappointing); D+ (Bad); D (VERY bad);D- (Dreadful); F (An absolute waste of time)Underworld (2003)Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Shane BrollyGenre: Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Romance Running Time: 121 minutesLanguage: EnglishMPAA: RFor strong violence/gore and some languageMY GRADE: ANETFLIX SYNOPSIS: "Vampires and werewolves have waged a nocturnal war against each other for centuries. But all bets are off when a female vampire warrior named Selene (Kate Beckinsale), who's famous for her strength and werewolf-hunting prowess, becomes smitten with a peace-loving male werewolf, Michael (Scott Speedman), who wants to end the war. Think Romeo and Juliet with a big hickey!"MY TAKE: Underworld real...
More About: Videos , Horror , Movie Reviews , Sexy

Link Whorage 11/8/07
2007-11-08 06:51:00
Great writerly links below...A Los Angeles Times writer believes the Hollywood writer's strike may affect Book-to-Movie Deals.Tess Gerritsen wonders if reviews really do have selling power.Agent Michael Bourret doesn't think YA Novels are just for young adults.A Leucrota Press editor explains the difference between simultaneous and multiple submissions.Stuck on what novel to choose next? Sick of READING book reviews to find that special gem? Why not try Blue Rectangle, a blog with VIDEO book reviews. Pretty cool, huh?Here are some e-publishing stats to sing about.Madeline Hunter tells why she thinks writers write.A Juno author talks about the horrors of discovering that "missing scene" after the fact.Here's an interesting post on amnesia stories in romance from Harlequin Presents.Agent Nathan Bransford wants to know what you're writing for NaNo.A Samhain editor says, 'Be original--Make it your own.'More hilarious romance cover commentary from the ladies over at Smart Bs.Che...
More About: Agents , Readers , Book Reviews , Editors , Publishing

Industry Update: 11/8/07
2007-11-08 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch...Fiction Deals:The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and upAudio rights -- Andrew Ward's THE SLAVES' WAR, to Scott Smith at Tantor Media, by Alanna Ramirez on behalf of Ellen Levine at Trident Media Group.Audio rights -- Eden Collinsworth's It Might Have Been What He Said: A Novel, to Lysa Williams at Blackstone Audio, in a nice deal, by James Jayo at Arcade Publishing (world English). james.jayo@arcadepub.comAudio rights -- Dale Brown's next two novels, to Jacqueline Murphy at Harper Audio, by Alanna Ramirez, on behalf of Robert Gottlieb at Trident Media Group.Audio rights -- Audio rights to Cecilia Galante's THE PATRON SAINT OF BUTTERFLIES, to Bruce Coville at Full Cast Audio, by Jessica Regel at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency.Debut -- Charles McCain's SEA EAGLE: A Novel of the Kriegsmarine at War, an epic story of WWI...
More About: Industry , Update

National Novel Writing Month (NaNo) & The Sven Challenge
2007-11-05 07:50:00
How goes it?...I did about seven thousand words last week. My method? I block a scene the night before in longhand, then I type it out on the computer with no internal editor or anything. It's just plain, stinky, non-polished first draft excrement. I don't go back and fix anything, which is COMPLETELY against my nature, but I'm trying this new thing. I call it: "Tanya's last ditch attempt at becoming something other than an anal-retentive writer." Look, I don't know how long I'll last, but I'm giving it a shot. Anyway, after I've typed out the scene from my blocking notes, I toss my spiral notebook in my purse, and go pick up my son at school. There I wait for an hour in the car-riders line, using the time to block out another scene. And the process repeats itself the next day. So in essence, I'm doing two scenes per day. Five to seven pages of typed words and about ten pages of longhand.If you are a participant in any of these crazy writing marathons, how many w...
More About: National , Writing , Challenge , Nano , National Novel Writing Month

Romantic Tales From My Netflix Queue
2007-11-05 06:58:00
Mini movie reviews for House of Flying Daggers, Knocked Up, Music From Another Room and Past Midnight...MY KEY: A+ (Outstanding); A (Perfect); A- (Almost Perfect); B+ (Great);B (Very Good/Memorable); B- (Good w/some flaws); C+ (Above average);C (Average); C- (Okay, but disappointing); D+ (Bad); D (VERY bad);D- (Dreadful); F (An absolute waste of time)House of Flying Daggers (2004)Cast: Ziyi Zhang, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy LauGenre: Romance, Action/AdventureRunning Time: 119 minutesLanguage: Mandarin w/English subtitlesMPAA: PG13For sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexualityMY GRADE: A+NETFLIX SYNOPSIS: "Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, police deputies Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and Leo (Andy Lau) tangle with Mei (Ziyi Zhang), a dancer suspected of having ties to a revolutionary faction known as the House of Flying Daggers. Completely bowled over by Mei's alluring beauty, the deputies concoct a plan to save her from capture, with Jin leading her north on a perilou...
More About: Videos , Movie Reviews , Romantic , Netflix , Tales

Link Whorage 11/5/07
2007-11-05 06:40:00
Great writerly links below...Redlines and Deadlines recommends a great new book for aspiring and published writers.Here's a great Crime Fiction essay titled: Our Genre Has No ClothesCall for Submissions--fiction, nonfiction, artwork--at the Ink-Filled Page.Bookends offers a useful market update.Check out these killer first lines.Check out Dear Author's 2007 Christmas Buying Guide for Ebook Readers: The Dedicated ReaderAnna Genoese offers NaNo participants an interesting editing deal.Mad Editor writes a scathing commentary about dead and/or lazy authors who don't write their own books.Evil editor gives a great editing tip for the day.Here's a thought-provoking post on revision at Storytellers Unplugged.Want to get an insider's view into the REAL world of publishing? Check this, this, this and this out. You may need an asbestos suit though. Meow.10 Zen Monkeys ponder an age old question: "Were the Hardy Boys gay?" Hey, I'm just providing the links. I don't write this stuff....
More About: Writing , Agents , Editors , Scandals , Publishing

Industry Update: 11/05/07
2007-11-05 06:00:00
From Publishers Lunch...Fiction Deals:The Key: "nice deal," $1 - $49,000; "very nice deal," $50,000 - $99,000; "good deal" $100,000 - $250,000; "significant deal," $251,000 - $499,000; "major deal," $500,000 and upDebut -- National Public Radio's News & Notes correspondent and The Color of Our Future author Farai Chideya's TOUCH, to Malaika Adero at Atria, by Richard Abate.Debut -- Botanical ecologist Louise Young's SEDUCING THE SPIRITS, the story of an eager young grad student sent from her research station in Panama to a primitive island where she's instructed to record the daily activities of nesting harpy eagles (about whom she knows nothing) and, equally important, "to not piss off the indigenous Indian population," which she unfortunately does immediately, to Martin Shepard and Judith Shepard at The Permanent Press, by Jodie Rhodes. jrhodes1@san.rr.comFilm rights -- J.B. MacKinnon and Alisa Smith's THE 100-MILE DIET: A Year of Local Eating, optioned to Paperny Films, ...
More About: Industry , Publishing , Update

Retro Sunday: What would Kurt Think Of This?
2007-11-04 06:18:00
Grunge Rock will never be the same...
More About: Videos , Sunday , Retro , Kurt