I love Westerns! I’ve been wanting to see the new Christia Bale movie, Hostiles, but I checked it on Plugged In and the Lord’s name is misused/abused. You know, I just don’t get it. In some religions, if you dishonor their leader, they’ll end your life. Yet here in America, dishonoring the one who gave His life for us is considered no big deal. If we really want to exercise our freedom of speech, maybe we should stop cursing and start praising Jesus Christ – loud & clear!!
Gun Range
How ironic?! I write murder mysteries about a female assassin with a Glock, who uses hollow point bullets – but I don’t like guns. Emille and Dan took us to a gun range in Orlando and everyone enjoyed shooting at the hanging target. That is, everyone but me. I shot the Glock 9mm only a couple of times and that was totally sufficient for me. Even with earmuffs, it’s too loud. I would definitely need more practice to hit the bullseye, because though I thought I was aiming directly at the bullseye, with the recoil, I don’t think I even hit an outer ring. It’s a good thing my main character in the Alexa Silven novels is a sniper who qualified for the Olympics… boy, imagination is great!
MLK Day
Just read again the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and hope everyone gets a chance to read it. We revisited it after our church pastor gave a sermon that began with the inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr. What a statesman he was! So genuine in sincerely seeking justice and equality for all. Here’s one of my favorite of his famous quotes: “You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be. And one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls you to stand up for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid…. You refuse to do it because you want to live longer…. You’re afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you’re afraid that somebody will stab you, »
Some Good Netflix
So thrilled with “Taken” that we’ve been watching on Netflix. There are several things I appreciate, like the action and suspense/thriller plots mixed with mystery. Many of the plots are similar to scenes from my trilogy: Consuming Fire, Murder by Design, and Bulletproof Wedding – all of which are Alexa Silven Novels. Aside from the thrill of seeing plots similar to mine in a movie, the lack of cursing is a bonus. Personally, I fast forward past any gratuitous sex scenes (unnecessary to the plot). In fact, there’s very little that’s offensive in the “Taken” series. The action and plot drives each scene. That’s what you get when it’s worth watching… no sensationalism…nothing disgustingly or horrifically graphic – just to cover for a weak story. The acting and cinematography are to be commended. Try it out if you’re looking for a first class, refreshing change from the status quo. It will »
We’re Making a Movie!!
I took a course in Introduction to Film Production at Valencia Community College this past Fall. It was an excellent overview and the teacher was very knowledgeable; I do recommend it if this is where your interest lies. Actually, one of the best aspects of taking this course was the knowledge my son, Dan, and I gained that will prove beneficial this coming Wednesday night! We will be filming a 5-minute clip of the action scene in the first chapter of my first book, Consuming Fire: An Alexa Silven Novel. Alexa Silven will be played by Dan’s wife, Emille, and a friend of Dan’s, who is in law enforcement, will play the investigating officer. This scene is intense but simple. Alexa has assassinated a man in the Oscarton Arts District of Texas. She has slipped away to an abandoned church where her twisted blackmailer has left her payoff money taped beneath »
Memory Book Venture
I’m embarking on a new venture: a new kind of book club. The book of choice is Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, a combination of an autobiography and fiction. This initiation book was written with rich imagery as it describes the relationship of a young boy and his redbone hunting hounds in the Ozark Mountains. The time period is 1920’s – 1930’s, a decade to which most senior citizens can relate and most people have had a pet at some point in life. The plan is to read this book together, a chapter at a time, and relate to the experiences of the main character, either writing them down in a booklet or drawing them. This exercise allows people to create a memory book about their life experiences to pass on to posterity. My husband, John, will be assisting in helping senior citizens create books about their life memories as »
A Movie for the Love of Writers
Just got to tell you about The Man Who Invented Christmas – one great movie! Don’t care much for the title; never thought of Christmas as an invention – more of a blessed and miraculous event, actually. However, this movie is able to show the amazing dynamic of the interaction between the author and his characters as they take on a life of their own. And it’s true; once they become believable – come alive – their personalities begin to drive their behavior and this begins to drive the progression of the plot. Sometimes, it’s like the writer has to buckle in and go along for the ride as the characters develop the storyline (which the writer has determined) in their own style. If you get a chance to see this movie, don’t hesitate! And if there are any writers reading this – you’ll love the truth as writers see it – for »