fashionista_35

Four years ago this weekend (this day, really) I wrote the four thousand word proposal that became Adiós to My Old Life. Two weeks later, it had sold, exactly a year later, on July 4, 2006, it was released.

If you'd told me four years ago that I would be published in YA before adult fiction, I would've probably said, "Shyeah, right." If you would have told me two years ago, (immediately post-RITA, an unthinkable accomplishment in and of itself) that four years after selling my first book, I'd still be waiting to sell in adult fiction, I would've asked where you kept the funny mushrooms.

And of course, if, two years ago, you would have told me that I would have an editor solicit me to write a book, that I would sell into hardcover, and then sixteen months later, it would all be taken away, I would have accused you of being plain mean.

Yet...

*looks back at events of last four years*

All so, so weird.

And yet, this year, I'm essentially free. Perhaps that's the independence I'll be celebrating. Along with continuing my fight to become the writer I want to be.

THIS is a coffee advertisement?*

Holy mother of... I mean, I'm no fan of audio books, but I could happily sit and watch books read to me. Especially by these guys.

*grumbles*

The Brits get literature read to them by hot guys, we get freakin' AXE deodorant and Burger King commercials.

Yay.

Of course, the Brits also gave us Mow the Lawn, but even that's cheeky and subversive instead of stupid and obvious.

We fail so hard at advertising.


*thanks to chicklet_girl for the link to the Carte Noir advertisments.

		I will marry Lee Pace.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in Malaga in our fabulous Shack.
		We will have 2 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a Silver BMW 335i.
		I will spend my days as a Oscar Winning Actress, and live happily ever after.

Drum corps & jazz. Specifically, the Concord Blue Devils and Dave Brubeck. First off, hard to believe that it's been fifty years since six seminal albums were released, taking jazz to a whole new level.

Miles Davis- Sketches of Spain & Kind of Blue
Ornette Coleman- The Shape of Jazz to Come
Charles Mingus- Mingus Ah Um
John Coltrane- Giant Steps
Dave Brubeck- Time Out

Of all six albums, Time Out is the one I'm most intimately connected to. It was my first real jazz album. I've owned it on vinyl, cassette, CD, & digital download. When I was in jazz band, I played both Blue Rondo a la Turk and Take Five. I was absolutely fascinated by Take Five the first time I heard it. It was my first experience with irregular time signature and that Brubeck was playing on my instrument, the piano... le swoon. It felt slightly naughty and wicked and I understood why jazz clubs were so often portrayed as dark, smokey environs. It seemed as if music like this could only be gestated and born in those dark corners, the clink of glasses and the quiet murmur of conversation as background. Allowing for the musicians to feel even more as if they were locked in their world, giving them the freedom to experiment. My greatest regret in life is that while I was a serviceable jazz pianist in terms of being part of the rhythm section, I absolutely sucked at improvisation. I was too locked into my extremely classical training and couldn't let go. It was assuaged somewhat by the fact that I learned I had some improvisation skills as a vocalist, but it still broke my heart that I would never play like Uncle Dave.

Then, when I joined drum corps, my love for jazz and really, music as a whole, only grew. It's such a magnificent art form, athleticism and artistry wrapped up into a powerful package that reduces me to goosebumps, even to this day. My greatest creative growth happened in those three years I marched drum corps. I learned that there were absolutely no limits, no boundaries, and that all was possible if you could only imagine it.

I give you my example: The Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, long my favorites (after the Florida Wave, of course *g*) performing Brubeck, with a soupçon of Bernstein thrown in. There's a reason these cats have been DCI champs more than any other corps. And this (a universal this) is why I chose drum corps as my backdrop for the Carmen story.

Just reading an article on CNN.com that said Farrah was the last of the iconic pin-up girls.

Well... while I said that every boy had to have "that" poster...



I hardly think she was the last of the iconic pin-up girls. In the 80s, seemed like every guy I knew had at least one poster of Paulina Porizkova



Or Christie Brinkley:



Or by far, the most popular dorm/apartment artwork for any guy in the mid-80s and equally as iconic as Farrah's...



I dunno... I think if I had to pick a "last" iconic pin-up, it might just be Nastassja. What do you guys think? Were there any other images that came out in the late 80s or 90s that would qualify on the level of Farrah or Nastassja? I was trying to think if Isabella Rossellini had any posters that fit the bill, but I'm kind of drawing a blank.

Symptoms since last Thursday:

Ears- hurt

Sinuses- hurt

Nose- congested with a side of raw, no matter how many Puffs with Lotion I use

Lips- chapped

Tastebuds- in absentia

Fever- comes and goes. Luckily, been fairly rare.

Yet, being a whacked-out Virgo, I've been feeling guilty that we haven't been able to do any summerlike activities. When I mentioned maybe taking the rugrats to the community pool, I got threatened with bodily harm if I even thought about it too hard. All I intended was for them to cavort while I sat in the shade. Yeah... not happening. There are limp dishrags with more energy. So of course, I thought, "Maybe the beach tomorrow..."

Ha!

Two things- the Boy got sick last night although luckily his seems to have been a one-time stomach thingie and it's thundering and raining this morning, which, actually, does it make me a bad Mommy that I'm kind of joyful? This sort of weather makes me feel very calm and happy and actually makes me more productive.

I've got puppies sitting at my feet and I'm making good progress on the Carmen revisions when I'm not utterly out of my head on Sudafed. When I have been too out of my head to work, I've been (gently) shaking my head at Authors Behaving Badly, chapter 472.

Some people really need to stay away from social networking.

However, I want some Earl Grey but don't feel like getting up to make it. I need a Cabana Boy.

My generation has been defined by some iconic figures. Kind of seems staggering that two go on the same day.

When I was a kid, every girl wanted the Farrah cut and every boy had this poster.



And in high school, Thriller was one of the soundtracks to our lives.



It was so universal that years later, it still makes appearances, from a popular film:



To a prison yard in the Philippines:



While Michael was undoubtedly tortured by demons worse than any conceived of for that iconic video, it can never be doubted that he's left an unparalleled musical legacy. That's what I'll choose to remember.

This week I started revising the Carmen manuscript (officially) for about the fifth or sixth time. Don't laugh-- I know this is nothing for a lot of people, but generally, I edit and revise so much as I work on an initial manuscript that by the time I'm done with the first draft it's more like a fifth or sixth draft. As a matter of fact, both of my published books were turned in, one editor-requested revision on each, and then done, so this is sort of a new experience for me. Anyhow, my new agent had some really great suggestions that didn't make me recoil in terror (best sign that she is just the Right Agent *g*). For obvious reasons, I hadn't had the heart to look at the MS in ages. Actually, until I started the agent search in May, I hadn't looked at the MS since I submitted it LAST May.

At any rate, where I find myself floundering a bit is in how well I know this manuscript. I lived with it for sixteen months as I worked with the editor at The House That Shall Not Be Named and even after not looking at it for a year, I know it like I know the back of my hand. I know these characters so well-- yet what my agent's asking for is a bit deeper characterization. And I know she's right. My thing now is in trying to find the balance between adding more characterization and not hitting the reader over the head with the Clue By Four. I'm just finding it insanely hard, because of how well I know the MS. I tried working on a blank document, but that didn't work so well. Apparently, I really, REALLY know this manuscript. In other words, it works better for me to have the original doc handy, which keeps me more aware of changes.

I just have this recurring nightmare of making all these changes, but nothing really changing. Or making sense. Or reading like a Dick and Jane book.

GAH.

The lovely, talented, and incredibly fabulous cupcake_goth's book, Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them, has released!



With it, of course, comes a flurry of promo! Her blog and website have many, many details, but here are a few highlights:

A Spot on a Seattle evening news program. (Kitties!)

A series of etiquette and information vids on YouTube (this is but Episode 1. Episodes 2 & 3 are also up and available.)



And of course, appearances and booksignings, from Seattle to New York, including a release party tonight!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 7:30PM
Gothic Charm School Book Release Party!
University Village Barnes & Noble
2675 NE University Village St
Seattle, WA 98105

Seriously, a first book is such a huge thing and I'm so happy for Jilli-- she takes a subject that's so typically misunderstood and looked down upon and demystifies it in her own inimitable fashion. I defy anyone who meets Jilli or reads her book to ever look at the Goth culture in the same way again.

So go forth and buy!

Yeah.

Today is sort of like that.

You'd think they'd be mostly nekkid, right? But nah... today I'm just skimming and skipping and posting piccies that I like.

Still on my Chess kick. Adam Pascal is so unbearably hot and cranky as Freddie. And David Bedella did such a fantastic job as Molokov. And Josh joked about having to cop Serious Face for the whole thing, so here's a Not Serious Face picture.



( More Boyz, as always )

Depp as Dillinger. Downey, Jr. as Holmes. 'Nuff said.

So I finally had the opportunity to sit and watch this all the way through last night. Frankly, in many ways, I was utterly blown away and in one major way, was utterly disappointed. I'll say this, given my familiarity with the story around which the original concept album was structured, plus owning the Broadway Cast recording, which is so very different in terms of story structure, I think that Sir Tim and Co. managed to create as clear and solid a story as one is likely to get. In his words:

Chess lasted a mere eight weeks on Broadway. Normally, that would be that for the long-term future of a humiliated show, but for some reason this one has refused to roll over and die, even in America. The reason was of course the songs, which even our misconceived Broadway escapade had not managed to destroy. Actors and singers still wanted to have a bash at the wonderful melodies, especially in auditions, and directors felt that they could put up with the confusion of the plot (a) because every few minutes another great tune turns up and (b) they could re-write chunks of the story themselves as no-one allegedly in control of the show seemed to know what the official version was anymore.

I certainly didn’t. During the past 20 years I have seen Chess on dozens of occasions in many different countries, and no two versions have been the same. Sometimes Freddie wins, sometimes Anatoly wins. Sometimes the whole show is set in the Tirol, sometimes entirely in Bangkok. One (rather good) version was set in 1960s New York, and another backstage at a Chess concert in which the actors played actors putting on a Chess concert. By far the best and most successful foreign production (not surprisingly) was the Stockholm show in 2002 - 03.

In recent years I have become more and more determined to oversee an English language version of Chess that I would be happy to recommend to all future producers and directors. I doubt whether it will be possible to prevent yet more hybrid treatments surfacing around the globe but if anybody wants to know which version has my official seal of approval then my intention is that the show unveiled at the Royal Albert Hall is it.

I accept that the plot is complex – I prefer intelligent, or sophisticated, but I would say that, wouldn’t I? I know for sure that contrary to the views of some critics way back then, the story is certainly more than plausible. Many in the real world of chess have told me it is not complex enough, as any study of chess and politics over the past 50 years will illustrate – as will a quick look at the life and antics of the late Bobby Fischer.

So, what did I think ultimately?

( Specific impressions behind the cut so as not to spoil anyone who hasn't the opportunity to see for themselves yet. )

Overall, while it's not the same as the concept album I cut my teeth on, I'm very happy with it being the quote/unquote "official English-language version." It's really a remarkable show in that it does lend itself to so many interpretations (although I will always vehemently object to Freddie coming back to win-- that's just wrong, wrong, wrong like a thing that is wrong). However, in its simplest, most true-to-type form, I think it stands as an amazing piece of representative period work, much in the way that Mad Men is for television. And of course, the use of chess as a metaphor for the political machinations of the Cold War has always been a brilliantly-conceived construct, as far as I'm concerned.

All in all, for me, thumbs up. (Still wanna be Florence-- although given my performance history, I'd wind up as Svetlana. Not that this is a bad thing, necessarily...)

So, anyone else who saw-- your thoughts? Am I off my gourd completely? Feel free to tell me.

It's finally here!



Chess in Concert finally hits PBS starting tomorrow! According to Sir Tim, this is pretty much what he sees as the definitive version-- y'all should go read his notes on the production-- it's amazing how many different ways this musical has been interpreted. It's fascinating! (Okay, fascinating if you're a geek like me.)

The digital version of the recording also drops today (YAY!) although I won't have the DVD until later in the month. (*insert sad face*)

Yeah, yeah, I know... laugh if you must. I'm laughing at myself too. But you have to understand-- totally one of my favorite musicals ever. I've been hooked on this one since the 1984 Elaine Paige/Murray Head concept cast days.

The website also has some pics from this production.

Freddie and Anatoly facing off. As excited as I am to see Josh Groban as Anatoly, I'm almost more excited to see Adam Pascal as Freddie. He's so hardcore and badass-- I can only imagine he's going to imbue Freddie with just the right sort of cocky asshole schmuck. Hee!



And of course, One Night in Bangkok. "I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine."



Side note: I wish I could make animated icons-- I'd love an animated icon with those two images using that line. (Or maybe "The queens we use would not excite you..." *g*)

1. Reply to this post, and I will pick six of your icons.
2. Make a post (including the meme info) and talk about the icons I chose.
3. Other people can then comment to you and make their own posts.
4. This will create a never-ending cycle of icon glee.

These are the ones that amy37 chose:

sterling rose



This one's pretty simple-- I'm not a huge rose fan, but I have a weakness for Sterlings with their beautiful lavender/silver color. They're striking, but peaceful at the same time.

shadow



There may not be a lot I like about living in Florida, but I have always had a huge weakness for palm trees. Give me palm trees and sea air and I'm a happy, happy girl. This icon I love because you see the shadow of the palm against a building that's painted a color you don't see just anywhere. The image is stark and elegant and strikes a really resonant chord within me.

kissyface



Totally bogarted this one from The Empress (aimeejmc). I love it because it makes me smile, because it always makes me think of the Empress, and because it just overall appeals to my sense of the absurd because if there's one thing you don't want is a camel to kiss you-- they've got some WRETCHED breath. (Yes, I've been that close to a camel. Ill, ill-tempered critters.)

awake-blue



This was from a series of pictures taken for Josh Groban's Awake CD. I love the colors, the sense of stark grandeur of the setting, the figure being completely shadowed, and that he's walking away rather than toward the camera. There's a sense of power within the solitude that I find very soothing.

joy



Carmen. The figure reminded me completely of my character, Soledad, in the Carmen story, since she's a dancer and very dramatic and the costume put me very much in mind of Carmen. When I first sold that story, I asked for someone to make it into an icon with the word "joy" to signify how I felt and e_juliana made this one for me. So while the book went ass over teakettle, I still love this icon and how it makes me feel. And it reminds me of what great friends I have.

Pimpy McPimperson



Da Pimp Hat! I try to use it when I'm pimping for my friends. Or Stewie dressed as a pimp. I love shouting out my friends' accomplishments and dressing appropriately for the occasion. *g*

No, not me (but a girl can dream...) but one of my bestest friends in the entire universe, the Fabulous Alyssa Day!

With her latest, Atlantis Unleashed burning up a bunch of lists, she just found out that she's hit the granddaddy of them all, the New York Times Bestseller List! For the list coming out June 21, 2009 (no, I don't know how that works, exactly) she is going to be sitting pretty at Number 28!



I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly proud and happy I am for her. She's had a helluva year and to have 2009 finally start bringing her some very deserved rewards is wonderful to see.

I say we give Alyssa a very Atlantean sort of Cabana Boy, what do you think?

In leather...



All broody, 'cause the Atlantean boyz like to be all broody...



And in full out, kick ass, slashing sword warrior mode, just like my friend, who slashed, kicked, and fought through every obstacle and didn't let anything ultimately get in her way of finishing this book. Because that, my friends, is what a writer does.

Posting about entitlement (Yeah, I couldn't let it go.) If you've got any opinions one way or the other, I'd love to hear your takes.

Check it: Romancing the Blog. Quoted Neil Gaiman and everything.

I'm a selective hip hop listener. Either things grab me or they don't.

Yesterday, Mos Def's new release dropped and he's been making the talk show rounds to promote. I had a friend forward me this video of his appearance on Letterman Monday night and all I can say is oh, hell yeah-- this grabs me. It's rhythmic and layered and just really elemental.

It was just one of those weekends, y'know? Lots of different sporting events going on.

Like the French Open. While it was weird not to see Rafa and his arms sliding around the clay in the finals...



It was absolutely lovely to see Roger finally take the one Slam that's eluded him:
(The B&W has a real old skool movie idol look to it, doesn't it?)



( More sporting Boys behind the cut )

But my favorite of the athlete/models is Argentine polo star Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras. Fittingly enough, he's the face of Ralph Lauren's POLO line. Works for me, baby.







I may have gotten a wee bit carried away...

Gakked from debg: (Sorry-- brain was WAY tired last night)

This one's for the feelers out there, rather than the thinkers.

Pick at least one song - as many as you like - that opens your sluices. You know what I mean, don't you? The ones you have to pull off the road to listen to, because they make you cry or make you furious or otherwise just go BAM, nail you into some serious emotional personal reaction, every. single. time. Name the song, and give a line or so of the lyric (if there is a lyric - yours may be purely instrumental).

This one's hard for me if only because I'm more music-oriented than lyrics oriented. Nine times out of ten, it's the sound, the melody, the rhythm, the harmony, that gets me first. Every now and again, I'll have a song that pings me both lyrically and musically, but that's a rarity.

Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays- "September 15th"/"It's For You" Instrumentals that as far as I'm concerned go together. I heard them for the first time in the film Fandango and ever since then, they've been inextricably intertwined in my mind with firefly lights, first love, lost love, unrequited longing, and just the beauty of a hot, still summer night with a storm brewing off in the horizon.

Amy Winehouse- "Love is a Losing Game" Over futile odds/And laughed at by the gods/And now the final frame/Love is a losing game

Sergei Rachmaninoff- "Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Eighteenth Variation" The most romantic piece of music in the world. I've loved it since Somewhere in Time.

Gustav Holst- "The Planets- Jupiter"

Sting- "Shape of My Heart" Yeah, this one breaks me every time-- the music grabbed me first, the poetry stays with me forever. Those who speak know nothing/And find out to their cost/Like those who curse their luck in too many places/And those who fear are lost

Josh Groban- "Broken Vow" This one stopped me dead in my tracks the first time I heard it and every time afterward. It inspired the story closest to my heart. It's a talisman.
I'd give away my soul/To hold you once again/And never let this promise end

Today marks twenty freakin' years since I met the Hub. A blind date that was so blind, neither of us knew we were going on it. He was visiting old high school band friends in Tallahassee, I was in Marching Chiefs and good friends with said friends. They had mentioned something about "meeting a nice guy visiting from Pensacola-- he's smart as hell, goes to Vandy," I said, "Oh hell no," because I was in a serious anti-dating phase that had been going on for close to a year after the previous boyfriend had dumped me by leaving a note on my coffee table and I didn't care how smart this guy was. My only close relationships at that point were with my cat and giant bags of M&Ms and I liked it that way, dammit.

(You can see that the M&M fixation goes back a long way.)

But these friends, the sneaky wankers, tricked me. They said they were going to Buffalo's Wings & Rings *pauses for a moment of reverential silence*. They knew I couldn't resist Buff's. Bastards.

So I went and I met this guy who was adorably cute. Which pissed me off because I so don't do cute. But I couldn't help it. And he was funny. And he liked pretentious prog rock as much as I did. (King Crimson for him. YES for me.) And I was fascinated by his savant-like ability to memorize Weird Al lyrics after one listen of any song. (Of course, he's come near death a few times by singing the Weird Al lyrics over the originals and Making Me Crazy!) But it was the funny and the smarts that got me. I'm such a sucker for the funny and the smarts. And for some strange reason, he liked me, even though I dribbled wing sauce down the front of my shirt.

Three years later...



And now (or two years ago, actually, but it's the last decent picture I have of the two of us together) twenty years, two kids, and several four-legged critters later...




And people wonder why I'm a sucker for a good love story.