I suppose I should have something pithy to say about Halloween, but I really just want to cruise YouTube, looking for snippets and trailers of some of my favorite scary movies. Mostly, I like the trailers for their sensationalistic qualities.
Don't you love it when the actor (Kevin McCarthy) starts speaking to the audience? "Please listen to me, listen to me!"
Then, OUT OF THE MURK AND MYSTERY...
Rubber claws are coming to getcha!
I don't know why I love this one so much:
I mean, it's not even an actual gila monster. They used a beaded lizard, for pete's sake. Since gila monsters are poisonous, they probably couldn't get the appropriate permit to handle one. You'd think they'd at least paint stripes on the beast.
For those of you who think I'm stuck in Black-and-White-Land, here's a horror movie in color:
Run, don't walk! Yeah, because, seriously, you can totally outrun this thing. And it stars Steve McQueen and "a cast of exciting young people" - jeepers, neato!
BTDubs, ever notice how everyone's first impulse is to try to shoot a monster? Why would you shoot bullets into a gelatinous blob? What are you trying to hit?
But enough corny horror trailers - have a safe and sane and spooky Halloween!
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The witching hour nears
We've never discussed witches, have we? Well, apart from this chick.
Here's what I find weird about witches: they seem to be goth fairies. Compare them. Both have magic powers.
Both can be capricious.
It's just a matter of dress.
When I saw the Wizard of Oz as a child, I was fairly terrified of the Wicked Witch of the West. That black and white scene where she morphs from Miss Gulch into The Witch made me shiver to my soul. Of course, I played it brave for my family, because when I admitted fear, they laughed.
I'm telling you, I could have won an Oscar at my house.
As I grew older, witches grew less frightening. Snow White's stepmother was scarier when she transformed into the old hag, but not awful. Maleficent should have been crazy-scary, but I actually loved the dragon. I was sorry to see how that ended.
Bette, Kathy, and Sarah Jessica were adorably hideous as the Sanderson Sisters. Not horrible. Adorable.
Then WICKED (the book) happened and turned the Wicked Witch into a sympathetic anti-hero, and the musical took that idea and made being green and powerful a good thing.
She's not wicked, she's misunderstood.
Who's your favorite witch? Fairy? Dragon?
 |
| "Why no, Mrs. Danvers, I don't want to roast marshmallows." |
Here's what I find weird about witches: they seem to be goth fairies. Compare them. Both have magic powers.
Both can be capricious.
It's just a matter of dress.
When I saw the Wizard of Oz as a child, I was fairly terrified of the Wicked Witch of the West. That black and white scene where she morphs from Miss Gulch into The Witch made me shiver to my soul. Of course, I played it brave for my family, because when I admitted fear, they laughed.
I'm telling you, I could have won an Oscar at my house.
As I grew older, witches grew less frightening. Snow White's stepmother was scarier when she transformed into the old hag, but not awful. Maleficent should have been crazy-scary, but I actually loved the dragon. I was sorry to see how that ended.
Bette, Kathy, and Sarah Jessica were adorably hideous as the Sanderson Sisters. Not horrible. Adorable.
Then WICKED (the book) happened and turned the Wicked Witch into a sympathetic anti-hero, and the musical took that idea and made being green and powerful a good thing.
She's not wicked, she's misunderstood.
Who's your favorite witch? Fairy? Dragon?
It's coming closer...
Look out behind you.
Or don't.
It doesn't matter. If the monster wants you, it'll get you. (Seriously, what is wrong with that mother? And what's with all the cats?)
Unless, of course, you have the code word (sorry, I'm a sucker for this clip):
P.S. These are great examples of building tension, dread, and terror. In the second clip, I'm not sure we even have to see the leopard to feel that girl's fear.
Or don't.
It doesn't matter. If the monster wants you, it'll get you. (Seriously, what is wrong with that mother? And what's with all the cats?)
Unless, of course, you have the code word (sorry, I'm a sucker for this clip):
P.S. These are great examples of building tension, dread, and terror. In the second clip, I'm not sure we even have to see the leopard to feel that girl's fear.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
What is horror?
Sure, we have a definition of the horror genre -
A genre of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten, scare, or startle its readers by inducing feelings of horror and terror. Literary historian J. A. Cuddon has defined the horror story as "a piece of fiction in prose of variable length... which shocks or even frightens the reader, or perhaps induces a feeling of repulsion or loathing." It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Horror is usually supernatural, though it can be non-supernatural. Often the central menace of a work of horror fiction can be interpreted as a metaphor for the larger fears of a society. (Wikipedia)
(Note: Yes, I cite Wikipedia in those cases where there are enough references to verify its accuracy. Sue me.)
Still, sometimes I look at the books I've read, or movies I've seen, and think, "It may have been a mystery/thriller/romance/literary fiction, but I was terrified. Why isn't it in the horror section?"
A.C. Doyle's Professor Challenger stories always seemed to horrify me at some point, but they are listed as fantasy or science fiction. H. Rider Haggard's SHE has a most scary ending - the shower of eternal youth and beauty must only be used once. It is also listed as science fiction. Even the Indiana Jones movies have a horror element to them. I mean, heads explode, faces melt, hearts are ripped from living bodies... the list goes on. It's billed as action/adventure, but trust me, I was pretty repulsed by the man aging to a skeleton by drinking from the wrong cup.
As for works that are considered in the horror category, we shudder when we think of Poe's writings. I don't know about you, but reading about people being buried alive, plagues, and madness induced a feeling of ickiness in me.
Stephen King is definitely horror. His stories frighten, scare, startle, and repulse me. I used to read King voraciously. I still love his non-horror novellas, STAND BY ME and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. But I stopped reading him after Pet Sematary because he killed a child. I let him have a pass with Cujo. I guess with me, it's two strikes and you're out.
Dean Koontz has a horror edge to his tales, but he is not horror to me because at the end of the book, his heroes survive and evil is vanquished. I can breathe easily and sleep at night, knowing Mr. Koontz has saved the earth from the enemy he created.
So my own definition of horror would have to include an ending which does not promise a bright tomorrow. The hero might survive, but so would the villain. Even if the evil is eradicated, the cost is terrible.
(Aside: If horrific means having the power to horrify, why doesn't terrific mean having the power to terrify?)
What is your definition of horror? Do you read books or watch movies that scare you, even if you don't like the horror genre? What makes the difference?
Oh, and BTW, which one of Koontz's books would you like to see as a movie?
A genre of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten, scare, or startle its readers by inducing feelings of horror and terror. Literary historian J. A. Cuddon has defined the horror story as "a piece of fiction in prose of variable length... which shocks or even frightens the reader, or perhaps induces a feeling of repulsion or loathing." It creates an eerie and frightening atmosphere. Horror is usually supernatural, though it can be non-supernatural. Often the central menace of a work of horror fiction can be interpreted as a metaphor for the larger fears of a society. (Wikipedia)
(Note: Yes, I cite Wikipedia in those cases where there are enough references to verify its accuracy. Sue me.)
Still, sometimes I look at the books I've read, or movies I've seen, and think, "It may have been a mystery/thriller/romance/literary fiction, but I was terrified. Why isn't it in the horror section?"
A.C. Doyle's Professor Challenger stories always seemed to horrify me at some point, but they are listed as fantasy or science fiction. H. Rider Haggard's SHE has a most scary ending - the shower of eternal youth and beauty must only be used once. It is also listed as science fiction. Even the Indiana Jones movies have a horror element to them. I mean, heads explode, faces melt, hearts are ripped from living bodies... the list goes on. It's billed as action/adventure, but trust me, I was pretty repulsed by the man aging to a skeleton by drinking from the wrong cup.
As for works that are considered in the horror category, we shudder when we think of Poe's writings. I don't know about you, but reading about people being buried alive, plagues, and madness induced a feeling of ickiness in me.
Stephen King is definitely horror. His stories frighten, scare, startle, and repulse me. I used to read King voraciously. I still love his non-horror novellas, STAND BY ME and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. But I stopped reading him after Pet Sematary because he killed a child. I let him have a pass with Cujo. I guess with me, it's two strikes and you're out.
Dean Koontz has a horror edge to his tales, but he is not horror to me because at the end of the book, his heroes survive and evil is vanquished. I can breathe easily and sleep at night, knowing Mr. Koontz has saved the earth from the enemy he created.
So my own definition of horror would have to include an ending which does not promise a bright tomorrow. The hero might survive, but so would the villain. Even if the evil is eradicated, the cost is terrible.
(Aside: If horrific means having the power to horrify, why doesn't terrific mean having the power to terrify?)
What is your definition of horror? Do you read books or watch movies that scare you, even if you don't like the horror genre? What makes the difference?
Oh, and BTW, which one of Koontz's books would you like to see as a movie?
Thursday, October 23, 2014
The (horror) tales we tell to children
Fairy tales - the original horror stories. Much like mythology, they are supposed to show us archetypes, reveal truths, and teach morality. The only real difference is that we pretend these are children's stories. We don't normally teach little ones about Zeus and his wandering Johnson, but we do drag out The Three Little Pigs - to teach how far a wolf is willing to go for a little bacon.
Does it bother no one that the wolf is trying to eat the pigs, and the pigs end up trapping the wolf in a boiling cauldron, where they cook him, alive, and eat him? (Yes, I know there are versions where they just chase him away, but seriously, who doesn't think he'll be back? Sooner or later, someone is going to die.)
I still have a book of fairy tales my grandmother gave me.
Let's take a look at some of these children's stories.
Little Red Riding Hood - the wolf has a nice conversation with our naïve Little Red, tries to eat her grandmother (in some versions, he succeeds), nearly eats Red, but her dad arrives at the last minute to chop the wolf's head off (in the alternate version, Grandma jumps out of the decapitated wolf, none the worse for wear).
Niiiice.
Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella - all pleasant young girls who are targeted by evil women and have to hang around, useless and sometimes comatose, until some guy shows up to rescue them.
What does this teach our kids? To trust grownups, or to be proactive?
The worst stories in this book are Babes in the Wood, and The Goose Girl.
In the first, two little tots are orphaned and left with an aunt and uncle who want their inheritance. The uncle sends them off with henchmen to be murdered. One henchguy has a change of heart, kills the other one, then leaves the kids in the woods and says he'll be right back.
That's right. He never returns and the children die. They freakin' die! The uncle and aunt keep the riches, evil is not vanquished, good does not triumph.
There's a lesson for you, Kids.
In The Goose Girl, a princess is sent to be married but her maid forces her to switch positions. The awful part of this story is the princess has a talking horse, Falada. When they arrive at the new kingdom, the maid (now masquerading as the princess) instructs the knacker to kill the horse. The real princess talks the guy into hanging the horse's head over the town gate - where it still talks.
Couldn't she have talked the knacker into not killing the horse?
Of course, the whole story is found out and the maid is not just executed, she's tortured - put naked in a barrel stuck with nails and dragged behind two white horses down all the streets in town until she's dead.
That's what horse killers get in these parts.
I was 8 years old when I read these, and while they horrified me, I wouldn't say they scarred me for life. But would I have encouraged my 8-year-old son to read them? Yeah... no.
If none of those made your hair curl, maybe this little scene of Beauty and the Beast (Fairy Tale Theater) can give you some goosebumps.
Did you read fairy tales as a child? Did they scare the pants off you?
Does it bother no one that the wolf is trying to eat the pigs, and the pigs end up trapping the wolf in a boiling cauldron, where they cook him, alive, and eat him? (Yes, I know there are versions where they just chase him away, but seriously, who doesn't think he'll be back? Sooner or later, someone is going to die.)
I still have a book of fairy tales my grandmother gave me.
 |
| "To Gayle Sue from Grandma Wetherholt, March 11, 62 |
Let's take a look at some of these children's stories.
Little Red Riding Hood - the wolf has a nice conversation with our naïve Little Red, tries to eat her grandmother (in some versions, he succeeds), nearly eats Red, but her dad arrives at the last minute to chop the wolf's head off (in the alternate version, Grandma jumps out of the decapitated wolf, none the worse for wear).
Niiiice.
Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella - all pleasant young girls who are targeted by evil women and have to hang around, useless and sometimes comatose, until some guy shows up to rescue them.
What does this teach our kids? To trust grownups, or to be proactive?
The worst stories in this book are Babes in the Wood, and The Goose Girl.
In the first, two little tots are orphaned and left with an aunt and uncle who want their inheritance. The uncle sends them off with henchmen to be murdered. One henchguy has a change of heart, kills the other one, then leaves the kids in the woods and says he'll be right back.
That's right. He never returns and the children die. They freakin' die! The uncle and aunt keep the riches, evil is not vanquished, good does not triumph.
There's a lesson for you, Kids.
In The Goose Girl, a princess is sent to be married but her maid forces her to switch positions. The awful part of this story is the princess has a talking horse, Falada. When they arrive at the new kingdom, the maid (now masquerading as the princess) instructs the knacker to kill the horse. The real princess talks the guy into hanging the horse's head over the town gate - where it still talks.
Couldn't she have talked the knacker into not killing the horse?
Of course, the whole story is found out and the maid is not just executed, she's tortured - put naked in a barrel stuck with nails and dragged behind two white horses down all the streets in town until she's dead.
That's what horse killers get in these parts.
I was 8 years old when I read these, and while they horrified me, I wouldn't say they scarred me for life. But would I have encouraged my 8-year-old son to read them? Yeah... no.
If none of those made your hair curl, maybe this little scene of Beauty and the Beast (Fairy Tale Theater) can give you some goosebumps.
Did you read fairy tales as a child? Did they scare the pants off you?
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Pardon me while I do some productive procrastination
I'm trying to get the next Peri novel finished. If I can meet my schedule, I should be done with the first draft by the beginning of December. Two thousand words a day can be hard, especially when you get to the middle and you're pretty sick of the story and you want to get to the exciting conclusion, but you can't yet and you have to still make every page worthy of turning.
Still, if you are that person who writes "Author" in every space that asks for your profession, you set a schedule and work your hours and write your two thousand words without complaint.
But I digress...
I'm trying to write, and I'm approaching nose-grinding Middle Territory. Every once in a while, I sneak a peek at Facebook and notice August McLaughlin's status. Lucky girl, she got to meet Oprah Winfrey and get inspired to be even more than she is, and she's already plenty. Here is what I read:
"I was up before dawn doing my homework from Oprah. Want to join? Envision your dream life then write it down with specifics." - August McLaughlin
Being one of those people who believe in positive thinking, daily affirmations, etc, this sounded exciting to me. Envision my dream life? Write it down? Use specifics? Count me in, especially if it delays me in getting back to the writing.
What would my dream life look like? Well, I'd live in a different house. It used to be a large house on a cliff overlooking an ocean, with a wraparound porch and lots of windows. After visiting Scotland, I replaced that one with a simple stone cottage in the Highlands.
Less to clean, you know, although it has to come with good internet access.
But then I thought, what about my friends and family? I couldn't stand to be that far away from my son, or to not get together with my pals. My gal pal Tameri lives in Carlsbad, which is about 90 minutes from my house - we practically have to stand on our heads to schedule a play date. Getting her to Scotland would be even harder.
And my horses - what about them? I can't envision a life without my horses, and as long as I have Snoopy, I need Niki to be my trainer. I can't imagine any trainer who would love Snoopy the way she does. Plus she's a fun friend - I feel a definite connection. She and I both had not planned to have any children, only to change our minds later in life. She's a little younger than me when I had Marcus, but she's still on the edge of being the "older mom." I now have someone to impart my little pieces of wisdom from my days raising an only son.
So maybe my dream life would not include a move to the Highlands, unless I could convince my friends and family to move with me. I suppose I could envision living in a cozy home on a large horse property here in southern California. Niki could train horses there, unless she envisions her own place.
I'd ride in the morning, then write in the afternoon. In the evenings, Dale and I would go to the local bar/café and have drinks and appetizers and watch some sporting event. Then we'd go home and I'd do a little reading before bed.
The thing is, this is the life I'd envision today, but what about tomorrow? Maybe I need to envision my dream life in terms of what I want to be doing, not where I want to be doing it.
Do you have a dream life? Is it about a place, or people, or who you want to be?
Still, if you are that person who writes "Author" in every space that asks for your profession, you set a schedule and work your hours and write your two thousand words without complaint.
But I digress...
I'm trying to write, and I'm approaching nose-grinding Middle Territory. Every once in a while, I sneak a peek at Facebook and notice August McLaughlin's status. Lucky girl, she got to meet Oprah Winfrey and get inspired to be even more than she is, and she's already plenty. Here is what I read:
"I was up before dawn doing my homework from Oprah. Want to join? Envision your dream life then write it down with specifics." - August McLaughlin
Being one of those people who believe in positive thinking, daily affirmations, etc, this sounded exciting to me. Envision my dream life? Write it down? Use specifics? Count me in, especially if it delays me in getting back to the writing.
What would my dream life look like? Well, I'd live in a different house. It used to be a large house on a cliff overlooking an ocean, with a wraparound porch and lots of windows. After visiting Scotland, I replaced that one with a simple stone cottage in the Highlands.
Less to clean, you know, although it has to come with good internet access.
But then I thought, what about my friends and family? I couldn't stand to be that far away from my son, or to not get together with my pals. My gal pal Tameri lives in Carlsbad, which is about 90 minutes from my house - we practically have to stand on our heads to schedule a play date. Getting her to Scotland would be even harder.
And my horses - what about them? I can't envision a life without my horses, and as long as I have Snoopy, I need Niki to be my trainer. I can't imagine any trainer who would love Snoopy the way she does. Plus she's a fun friend - I feel a definite connection. She and I both had not planned to have any children, only to change our minds later in life. She's a little younger than me when I had Marcus, but she's still on the edge of being the "older mom." I now have someone to impart my little pieces of wisdom from my days raising an only son.
So maybe my dream life would not include a move to the Highlands, unless I could convince my friends and family to move with me. I suppose I could envision living in a cozy home on a large horse property here in southern California. Niki could train horses there, unless she envisions her own place.
I'd ride in the morning, then write in the afternoon. In the evenings, Dale and I would go to the local bar/café and have drinks and appetizers and watch some sporting event. Then we'd go home and I'd do a little reading before bed.
The thing is, this is the life I'd envision today, but what about tomorrow? Maybe I need to envision my dream life in terms of what I want to be doing, not where I want to be doing it.
Do you have a dream life? Is it about a place, or people, or who you want to be?
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Scary beyond all reason
Dracula.
Bram Stoker's novel, archaic as it is in language, is the scariest thing I ever read. And folks, I've read quite a few Stephen King novels. I would describe them as gruesome, but not as frightening as the tale of that Transylvanian count. Perhaps it's the brooding nature of the writing - it is Gothic horror. At any rate, I remember reading this book at my desk on my lunch break and having someone sneak up behind me.
I won the gold medal in the high jump that day.
The story of how it was written is kind of fascinating. I'd tell it all here, but if you pop over to the Wikipedia article, it's a nice summation with a lot of references for you to waste your day chasing. By the way, did you know that Dracula translates to "the dragon" - or in contemporary times, "the devil"?
The story is told in letters and journals from the main participants: Jonathan Harker, Dr. Seward, Mina Harker, and of course, Dr. Van Helsing. Van Helsing's entries are interesting because apparently English is his second language and his writing is stilted to show his difficulties with the process ("Now to the historical, for as Madam Mina write not in her stenography, I must, in my cumbrous old fashion, that so each day of us may not go unrecorded.").
For a writer, this can be a great risk, but Stoker makes it work. If you're a writer, you might want to study this and see how he did it.
It opens with Jonathan's journal, detailing a trip to Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania. We aren't told why he's going, and the trip is creepy with a capital OHMYGOD-GET-ME-OUTTA-HERE. Dracula is described here as a "tall old man, clean shaven save for a long white moustache, and clad in black from head to toe."
Not like this guy:
Or this one:
Or:
Never mind.
Dracula becomes intent on spreading his Un-Deadheads beyond his small village and taking over England. Interestingly, he relies on turning young women into vampires and having them do his work. Kind of like Charlie's Angels, except not. Despite his rather dull description, the Count seems to have a certain erotic charm. Here is an excerpt from Dr. Seward's diary, detailing Mina Harker's story to her friends:
* * *
With a mocking smile, he placed one hand upon my shoulder and, holding me tight, bared my throat with the other, saying as he did so, "First, a little refreshment to reward my exertions. You may as well be quiet; it is not the first time, or the second, that your veins have appeased my thirst!" I was bewildered, and, strangely enough, I did not want to hinder him. I suppose it is a part of the horrible curse that such is, when his touch is on his victim. And oh, my God, my God, pity me! He placed his reeking lips upon my throat!
* * *
Yeah, the editors didn't mind all the exclamation points back in the day. I encourage you to read it, especially since tis the season for ghosts and goblins and all things scary. And if you see someone reading it, feel free to sneak up behind them and see how high you can make them jump.
What's the scariest book you've ever read?
Bram Stoker's novel, archaic as it is in language, is the scariest thing I ever read. And folks, I've read quite a few Stephen King novels. I would describe them as gruesome, but not as frightening as the tale of that Transylvanian count. Perhaps it's the brooding nature of the writing - it is Gothic horror. At any rate, I remember reading this book at my desk on my lunch break and having someone sneak up behind me.
I won the gold medal in the high jump that day.
The story of how it was written is kind of fascinating. I'd tell it all here, but if you pop over to the Wikipedia article, it's a nice summation with a lot of references for you to waste your day chasing. By the way, did you know that Dracula translates to "the dragon" - or in contemporary times, "the devil"?
The story is told in letters and journals from the main participants: Jonathan Harker, Dr. Seward, Mina Harker, and of course, Dr. Van Helsing. Van Helsing's entries are interesting because apparently English is his second language and his writing is stilted to show his difficulties with the process ("Now to the historical, for as Madam Mina write not in her stenography, I must, in my cumbrous old fashion, that so each day of us may not go unrecorded.").
For a writer, this can be a great risk, but Stoker makes it work. If you're a writer, you might want to study this and see how he did it.
It opens with Jonathan's journal, detailing a trip to Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania. We aren't told why he's going, and the trip is creepy with a capital OHMYGOD-GET-ME-OUTTA-HERE. Dracula is described here as a "tall old man, clean shaven save for a long white moustache, and clad in black from head to toe."
Not like this guy:
Or this one:
Or:
Never mind.
Dracula becomes intent on spreading his Un-Deadheads beyond his small village and taking over England. Interestingly, he relies on turning young women into vampires and having them do his work. Kind of like Charlie's Angels, except not. Despite his rather dull description, the Count seems to have a certain erotic charm. Here is an excerpt from Dr. Seward's diary, detailing Mina Harker's story to her friends:
* * *
With a mocking smile, he placed one hand upon my shoulder and, holding me tight, bared my throat with the other, saying as he did so, "First, a little refreshment to reward my exertions. You may as well be quiet; it is not the first time, or the second, that your veins have appeased my thirst!" I was bewildered, and, strangely enough, I did not want to hinder him. I suppose it is a part of the horrible curse that such is, when his touch is on his victim. And oh, my God, my God, pity me! He placed his reeking lips upon my throat!
* * *
Yeah, the editors didn't mind all the exclamation points back in the day. I encourage you to read it, especially since tis the season for ghosts and goblins and all things scary. And if you see someone reading it, feel free to sneak up behind them and see how high you can make them jump.
What's the scariest book you've ever read?
Friday, October 10, 2014
Weekend fun takes stamina
This weekend is nothing but fun, fun, fun, till I collapse in a heap on Monday. Where to start?
First, let's make this about you: Because this weekend celebrates Placentia Heritage Day, Placentia being my hometown and the setting of all my Peri Minneopa Mysteries, I'm offering my three Peri books at some delightful savings. Check them out:
FREEZER BURN - Friday thru Sunday - FREE!
http://www.amazon.com/Freezer-Burn-Peri-Minneopa-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B007ZHVDN4/
HIT OR MISSUS - Saturday and Sunday - ONLY 99 CENTS!
http://www.amazon.com/Missus-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00537SP5M/
THE HOT MESS - Saturday and Sunday - ONLY $1.99!
http://www.amazon.com/Mess-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00AD94TDW/
Get them while they're hot.
What will I be doing in the meantime?
Saturday: I will be riding in the PHD Parade. This year, I think I'll wear my sparkly cowgirl hat instead of the tiara, but I'll still be waving like a crazy woman. Let me just add, waving is exhausting. Ever try holding your arm out, elbow bent, swinging it side to side in slo-mo, for two-and-a-half miles?
After the parade, I take my spot at my booth (look for the yellow EZ-Up) and hopefully sell a few books. More important, I hope a lot of people stop by to say hello!
In the evening, hubby and I are taking our son Marcus out to dinner, to celebrate his birthday. He's not officially 22 until Sunday, but Saturday works best for all of us.
Sunday: Our Orange County chapter of Sisters-in-Crime is meeting at Mystery Ink Bookstore in Huntington Beach to hear T. Jefferson Parker speak (or as we call him, "Jeff"). It should be a lot of fun.
If I'm not too-too exhausted yet, I plan to drive down to La Jolla in the evening to go to Noir at the Bar. Lisa Brackmann organizes these things once a month and I keep wanting to go and something else keeps getting in my way. It's not that far away... an hour and a half isn't that far, is it?
Hope you have a fabulous weekend, and if you're anywhere in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi!
First, let's make this about you: Because this weekend celebrates Placentia Heritage Day, Placentia being my hometown and the setting of all my Peri Minneopa Mysteries, I'm offering my three Peri books at some delightful savings. Check them out:
FREEZER BURN - Friday thru Sunday - FREE!
http://www.amazon.com/Freezer-Burn-Peri-Minneopa-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B007ZHVDN4/
HIT OR MISSUS - Saturday and Sunday - ONLY 99 CENTS!
http://www.amazon.com/Missus-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00537SP5M/
THE HOT MESS - Saturday and Sunday - ONLY $1.99!
http://www.amazon.com/Mess-Peri-Minneopa-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B00AD94TDW/
Get them while they're hot.
What will I be doing in the meantime?
Saturday: I will be riding in the PHD Parade. This year, I think I'll wear my sparkly cowgirl hat instead of the tiara, but I'll still be waving like a crazy woman. Let me just add, waving is exhausting. Ever try holding your arm out, elbow bent, swinging it side to side in slo-mo, for two-and-a-half miles?
After the parade, I take my spot at my booth (look for the yellow EZ-Up) and hopefully sell a few books. More important, I hope a lot of people stop by to say hello!
In the evening, hubby and I are taking our son Marcus out to dinner, to celebrate his birthday. He's not officially 22 until Sunday, but Saturday works best for all of us.
Sunday: Our Orange County chapter of Sisters-in-Crime is meeting at Mystery Ink Bookstore in Huntington Beach to hear T. Jefferson Parker speak (or as we call him, "Jeff"). It should be a lot of fun.
If I'm not too-too exhausted yet, I plan to drive down to La Jolla in the evening to go to Noir at the Bar. Lisa Brackmann organizes these things once a month and I keep wanting to go and something else keeps getting in my way. It's not that far away... an hour and a half isn't that far, is it?
Hope you have a fabulous weekend, and if you're anywhere in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
When things don't match
Have you ever watched any of the movies made from Robert Louis Stevenson's THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE? By the time I was 15, I had seen two movies and a made-for-TV movie based on the book. I actually read the book when I was in my early 20s. Guess what I found out?
They were all lies.
I did a little research - apparently there have been over 123 adaptations of the book, and none of them have been faithful to RLS's story.
First of all, the "book" is all of 100 pages in length, making it a very slim volume. Quite frankly, it could have been edited further, although you have to allow for the time period in which it is written (1886).
Second, it is not told from the point of view of either Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. It is told from the point of view of Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll's lawyer, and Mr. Enfield, Mr. Utterson's "distant kinsman." In the first scene, Mr. Enfield describes meeting Mr. Hyde after witnessing Hyde run over a small child in the street (the child was frightened but unharmed).
* * *
"He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man so disliked, and yet I scarcely know why. He must be deformed somewhere; he gives a strong feeling of deformity, although I couldn't specify the point. He's an extraordinary looking man, and yet I really can name nothing out of the way. No, sir, I can make no hand of it; I can't describe him. And it's not want of memory; for I declare I can see him this moment."
* * *
Mr. Hyde is described consistently like this. Detestable, although no one can name why.
Third, there are no women in the story at all. In most movies, Dr. Jekyll is engaged to be married, putting his fiancée at risk. Mr. Hyde partakes of all manner of lusty behavior, including taking a barmaid to be his own lover/pet/whipping post.
Fourth, there is only one death in the story, a man of Mr. Utterson's acquaintance. Hyde does beat him to death in a savage manner, and it is witnessed, from an upper window, by a young woman. But that's it for the violence.
Fifth, and what must send old Bob spinning in his grave, the fact that Mr. Hyde is the alter-evil-ego of Dr. Jekyll is not revealed until the end. It's supposed to be the twist at the end of the story. I mean, spoiler alert, people! Practically every movie shows us the transformation. We know who he is.
The book ends with a letter from Jekyll to Utterson, explaining the potion and all that has happened. Once again, folks, man doing things because he can, not because he should. Consequences... just saying. Jekyll's take on Hyde is interesting, especially here:
* * *
"Henry Jekyll stood at times aghast before the acts of Edward Hyde; but the situation was apart from ordinary laws, and insidiously relaxed the grasp of conscience. It was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. Jekyll was no worse; he woke again to his good qualities seemingly unimpaired; he would even make haste, where it was possible, to undo the evil done by Hyde. And thus his conscience slumbered."
* * *
In the end, although I loved the movies, particularly the one with Spencer Tracy, I wish someone had been brave enough to film something closer to the book. I would especially like someone to dig deeper into the idea of splitting your evil side away and sending it out to take the rap for what your better side would like to do.
Would you take the potion?
Monday, October 6, 2014
Talkin' bout the big man
I confess, Frankenstein never frightened me as much as Dracula or the Wolfman or even the Blob. Yeah, he's big and strong and ugly, but I can totally outrun him, at least in the movie version.
When I read Mary Shelley's story, I now look back at that 1931 classic and think, "How did they come up with that choice?" I mean, this walking log is a far cry from Shelley's very agile monster.
When I read the novel, it was a lot scarier than any of the movies, mainly because the young doctor is relentless in his desire to create a human being, and doesn't stop to think of the consequences until the being is alive. To me, this is the fearful heart of the story. Much like Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK, man is doing things because he can, not because he should, and chaos ensues.
Here's a piece:
* * *
No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.
* * *
Then, after:
* * *
I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.
* * *
Guess we should have thought this through, huh? The book ends even more tragically than the movies. And I'm not certain who I feared more while I was reading - the monster or the doctor.
What scares you more, a monster, or a man?
When I was skimming through YouTube, I found a live clip of Edgar Winter playing "Frankenstein." It's endlessly long, but I like it for three reasons: 1) Edgar is freakishly impressive playing all those instruments, 2) everyone is pretty campy, 70s-wise, and 3) that young imp playing next to Edgar is Rick Derringer.
I don't know why I get a kick out of this, but I do.
When I read Mary Shelley's story, I now look back at that 1931 classic and think, "How did they come up with that choice?" I mean, this walking log is a far cry from Shelley's very agile monster.
When I read the novel, it was a lot scarier than any of the movies, mainly because the young doctor is relentless in his desire to create a human being, and doesn't stop to think of the consequences until the being is alive. To me, this is the fearful heart of the story. Much like Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK, man is doing things because he can, not because he should, and chaos ensues.
Here's a piece:
* * *
No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me.
* * *
Then, after:
* * *
I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.
* * *
Guess we should have thought this through, huh? The book ends even more tragically than the movies. And I'm not certain who I feared more while I was reading - the monster or the doctor.
What scares you more, a monster, or a man?
When I was skimming through YouTube, I found a live clip of Edgar Winter playing "Frankenstein." It's endlessly long, but I like it for three reasons: 1) Edgar is freakishly impressive playing all those instruments, 2) everyone is pretty campy, 70s-wise, and 3) that young imp playing next to Edgar is Rick Derringer.
I don't know why I get a kick out of this, but I do.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Can Evil turn Good?
I had some time on the freeway today to think random thoughts and sooner or later, Good versus Evil made the list. The word "evil" made me think of "queen." For some reason, I got a scene from ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010) stuck in my head, where the Red Queen is asking Stayne (the Knave) if it is better to be feared than loved.
There have been many evil queens throughout fairy taledom, not to mention the real-life women and men who ruled with cruelty. I've never spent time with any king or queen, whether benevolent or not, but I have known people who I suspect could have been diagnosed as psycho- or sociopaths. My general feeling about these people is that cruelty to others gives them a release (emotional, sexual, etc) that they interpret as happiness.
But rulers... often their cruelty is about control, about having everything their way and behaving like a toddler having a tantrum when they don't get it. I suppose the one thing they have in common with serial killers is they have no identification with people, no respect for human life.
Still, if the Red Queen considered being nice and ruling with kindness, how long would it take her followers to learn to love her? What kind of assurances would she have to give to earn their trust? How long would it take her to learn to balance love and respect, and not execute those people who would try to treat her like a doormat?
What about other evil characters? Could Maleficent control her impulse to turn into a dragon and fight the prince for Aurora's freedom? Snow White's stepmother is jealous beyond belief - think she could get a handle on that feeling? Maybe meet with a shrink?
The TV show ONCE UPON A TIME has done an interesting thing with the evil queen, Regina. She's trying to come over to the good side, with mixed results. I love a good redemption story, and her constant temptations make me want to keep watching.
Who would you write a redemption story for?
There have been many evil queens throughout fairy taledom, not to mention the real-life women and men who ruled with cruelty. I've never spent time with any king or queen, whether benevolent or not, but I have known people who I suspect could have been diagnosed as psycho- or sociopaths. My general feeling about these people is that cruelty to others gives them a release (emotional, sexual, etc) that they interpret as happiness.
But rulers... often their cruelty is about control, about having everything their way and behaving like a toddler having a tantrum when they don't get it. I suppose the one thing they have in common with serial killers is they have no identification with people, no respect for human life.
Still, if the Red Queen considered being nice and ruling with kindness, how long would it take her followers to learn to love her? What kind of assurances would she have to give to earn their trust? How long would it take her to learn to balance love and respect, and not execute those people who would try to treat her like a doormat?
What about other evil characters? Could Maleficent control her impulse to turn into a dragon and fight the prince for Aurora's freedom? Snow White's stepmother is jealous beyond belief - think she could get a handle on that feeling? Maybe meet with a shrink?
The TV show ONCE UPON A TIME has done an interesting thing with the evil queen, Regina. She's trying to come over to the good side, with mixed results. I love a good redemption story, and her constant temptations make me want to keep watching.
Who would you write a redemption story for?
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Women know how to get it done
Rebecca. A moody book about a woman being terrorized by a dead woman and a crazy woman, written by a woman. Do we know how to scare ourselves, or what?
Even though it was published in 1938, before the advent of today's psychobabble, the base of the story preys on what we instinctively know about ourselves: we are sometimes jealous, insecure beings. When we marry someone who is divorced, the ex-spouse is easy to dismiss. They are the One Who Was Discarded. They must have had flaws. Flaws that we will avoid.
When we marry someone whose spouse has died, our foundation is much less stable. Even if the spouse was a demon, their memory is honored, revered. Their flaws are minimized. Their virtues, even if small and brief, are maximized. How can you replace them?
Throw in a new husband who doesn't want to talk about it and a loony-toon housekeeper and it's no wonder the current Mrs. DeWinter is turning into a little quivering blob. In her defense, for those of us who'd drop-kick Mrs. Danvers out of Manderley, she is young and shy and a people pleaser.
Of course, I'm a people pleaser and I'd still clock that witch.
I recently re-read Rebecca. It reads long and slow, with lots of description of the surroundings and the weather and everything from the view of the unnamed "Mrs. DeWinter". And yet, I couldn't put it down. Try it out:
* * *
Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a chain upon the gate. I called in my dream to the lodge keeper, and had no answer, and peering closer through the rusted spokes of the gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.
* * *
Someone, we don't know who at this point, is dreaming of a place they can't get to. Obviously there is a reason. After this first paragraph, we want to know why they can't get there from here.
And of course, I need to give you a little (Dame) Judith Anderson. You deserve a reward:
But what to drink while you're watching? I know it's supposed to be a big fat month of German beer, but the residents of Manderley are more sophisticated than that. How about some Scotch?
This is Cardhu Whisky, double aged. I'm not a whiskey drinker, but this is darned good, and it has a darned good history - it was created by a woman, Helen Cumming. Read about it here: http://www.malts.com/index.php/en_row/Our-Whiskies/Cardhu/The-Distillery
Scotch. A real woman's drink.
Where should we go next for a fright?
Even though it was published in 1938, before the advent of today's psychobabble, the base of the story preys on what we instinctively know about ourselves: we are sometimes jealous, insecure beings. When we marry someone who is divorced, the ex-spouse is easy to dismiss. They are the One Who Was Discarded. They must have had flaws. Flaws that we will avoid.
When we marry someone whose spouse has died, our foundation is much less stable. Even if the spouse was a demon, their memory is honored, revered. Their flaws are minimized. Their virtues, even if small and brief, are maximized. How can you replace them?
Throw in a new husband who doesn't want to talk about it and a loony-toon housekeeper and it's no wonder the current Mrs. DeWinter is turning into a little quivering blob. In her defense, for those of us who'd drop-kick Mrs. Danvers out of Manderley, she is young and shy and a people pleaser.
Of course, I'm a people pleaser and I'd still clock that witch.
I recently re-read Rebecca. It reads long and slow, with lots of description of the surroundings and the weather and everything from the view of the unnamed "Mrs. DeWinter". And yet, I couldn't put it down. Try it out:
* * *
Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a chain upon the gate. I called in my dream to the lodge keeper, and had no answer, and peering closer through the rusted spokes of the gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.
* * *
Someone, we don't know who at this point, is dreaming of a place they can't get to. Obviously there is a reason. After this first paragraph, we want to know why they can't get there from here.
And of course, I need to give you a little (Dame) Judith Anderson. You deserve a reward:
But what to drink while you're watching? I know it's supposed to be a big fat month of German beer, but the residents of Manderley are more sophisticated than that. How about some Scotch?
This is Cardhu Whisky, double aged. I'm not a whiskey drinker, but this is darned good, and it has a darned good history - it was created by a woman, Helen Cumming. Read about it here: http://www.malts.com/index.php/en_row/Our-Whiskies/Cardhu/The-Distillery
Scotch. A real woman's drink.
Where should we go next for a fright?
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
It's that time of year again
And by that time, I mean October, that magical month of Oktoberfest, Halloween, and a few things in between.
I'm not a horror writer, and not a big fan of over-the-top horror books or movies, but I like the stylish, intelligent, psychologically creepy stories that are probably not written anymore. My goal is to blog every day or at least every other day this month, just because it's so chock full o' stuff.
Let's start with a little beer and Bradbury. First, the Bradbury.
I love this book. Bradbury starts ominously, with a storm on the horizon and a stranger's arrival. Here's the first bit:
The seller of lightning rods arrived just ahead of the storm. He came along the street of Green Town, Illinois, in the late cloudy October day, sneaking glances over his shoulder. Somewhere not so far back, vast lightnings stomped the earth. Somewhere, a storm like a great beast with terrible teeth could not be denied.
Don't you just know that trouble is following that storm?
The book is still available in paperback and ebook (you might find a hardcover in a used bookstore), and the 1983 movie is available on DVD (or maybe Netflix, etc). I'd prefer curling up with the book for an evening, but the movie will do in a pinch.
But what kind of October refreshment goes with Ray Bradbury?
I happen to know he was a big fan of red wine, but this is beer month. I'm not much of a beer drinker, so when I went to Scotland and they served half-pints, I was thrilled. A half-pint is just enough beer for me, and it stays cold the entire time. In ten short days, I became a beer drinker, half a pint at a time.
I like ales, red and hearty, but nothing beats the beer I had in Lexington, Kentucky. Bourbon barrel ale. Ale that's been aged in a bourbon barrel for a few months.
It was full of that red ale flavor, with the hint of bourbon sweetness - and a higher alcohol content. Man, it was good. If I could get that in California, I'd drink a pint.
Next up: Another classic book/film, and more great libations.
I'm not a horror writer, and not a big fan of over-the-top horror books or movies, but I like the stylish, intelligent, psychologically creepy stories that are probably not written anymore. My goal is to blog every day or at least every other day this month, just because it's so chock full o' stuff.
Let's start with a little beer and Bradbury. First, the Bradbury.
I love this book. Bradbury starts ominously, with a storm on the horizon and a stranger's arrival. Here's the first bit:
The seller of lightning rods arrived just ahead of the storm. He came along the street of Green Town, Illinois, in the late cloudy October day, sneaking glances over his shoulder. Somewhere not so far back, vast lightnings stomped the earth. Somewhere, a storm like a great beast with terrible teeth could not be denied.
Don't you just know that trouble is following that storm?
The book is still available in paperback and ebook (you might find a hardcover in a used bookstore), and the 1983 movie is available on DVD (or maybe Netflix, etc). I'd prefer curling up with the book for an evening, but the movie will do in a pinch.
But what kind of October refreshment goes with Ray Bradbury?
I happen to know he was a big fan of red wine, but this is beer month. I'm not much of a beer drinker, so when I went to Scotland and they served half-pints, I was thrilled. A half-pint is just enough beer for me, and it stays cold the entire time. In ten short days, I became a beer drinker, half a pint at a time.
I like ales, red and hearty, but nothing beats the beer I had in Lexington, Kentucky. Bourbon barrel ale. Ale that's been aged in a bourbon barrel for a few months.
 |
| And it's served in the sweetest little goblet. |
It was full of that red ale flavor, with the hint of bourbon sweetness - and a higher alcohol content. Man, it was good. If I could get that in California, I'd drink a pint.
Next up: Another classic book/film, and more great libations.
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