Story Beginning: What Happens in the Rain

Here's another story beginning that I have in the deep recesses of my computer. Hope it helps!


***

For once the weatherman was right. Rachel knelt on the leather couch, her face poked through the curtains, listening to the drum-roll of the rain on her roof, and watching the lightning illuminate the entire street. She had given up reading a while ago, and just enjoyed the feeling of foreshadowing that thunderstorms always gave her.
As she stood up to get a glass of water, the house became pitch black. She knelt back down on the couch and looked out the window. The other houses were all dark too. In a flash of lightning she thought she saw someone standing in the yard across the street. Whoever was out there turned on a flashlight. It was Deb.
Rachel reached her way to the door, and the sound of the rain doubled when she opened it.
“What are you doing out here?” she yelled, trying to be louder than the weather. She had to yell again before Deb heard her, but when she did, she motioned for her to come across the street. Rachel ran across the road, feeling girlishly thrilled at being soaked through.
“What’s going on?” She asked, still straining to talk over the rain.
Deb pulled her onto the porch under the overhang. “I just went grocery shopping and I’m worried everything will go bad if the power stays out,” she said. “Want to join me for a late night snack?”
Rachel grinned, pulling her jacket tight across her chest. “Why not?” she said.
Before they walked inside another flashlight flickered on from next door. Deb cupped her hands around her mouth. “Mandy,” she yelled. “Come help us finish the food before it goes bad.”
Mandy’s flashlight bobbed up and down as she ran towards them. She walked onto the porch soaking and grinning too. “What’s up?” she said.
“Come on,” said Deb, opening the door. “Can’t let all that food go to waste.”
The first thing they got out was the Rocky Road. It hadn’t had too much time to melt, so it was at the perfect consistency. They set the carton in the middle of the table and didn’t bother with bowls.
“So,” said Deb, “How’s life? We haven’t talked in a while.”
“No kidding,” said Mandy. “We’re all just so busy I guess.”
“Yeah,” said Rachel. “But just pull out the Rocky Road and I’m there.”
“Here, here,” said Deb, and they all scooped out a spoonful of ice cream.
The power still hadn’t come on half an hour later, and they had moved on to the strawberries.
“So you’re really not seeing anyone?” asked Deb again.
“Not even sort of,” said Rachel.
“We’ll have to fix that,” said Mandy.
Rachel threw a strawberry tip into the garbage. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “I don’t…I’m just not up for that right now.”
“Still not over Brad?” asked Mandy.
“Kind of. In a way,” said Rachel.
“Girl, if you ain’t over your ex then you definitely need to be seeing somebody,” said Deb.
“I know I am,” said Mandy.
“You are what?” said Deb. “Over your ex or seeing somebody?”
Mandy twirled a finger in her hair. “Both,” she said.
Rachel and Deb elbowed her and laughed.
“Who is he?” asked Rachel.
Mandy grinned. “Oh, just someone I met at the office.”
“Just don’t let the boss catch you,” said Deb.
“Actually,” said Mandy, her grin widening, “it is the boss.”
Rachel and Deb busted up in giggles. “Bad girl,” said Deb.
“It is weird to be on the dating scene again,” said Mandy after the giggling had subsided.
“No kidding,” said Deb. The strawberries were almost gone.
“Wait,” said Mandy, “did all three of us marry louses who cheated on us? I know I did.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” said Deb. “And the bastard still gets Penny every Christmas.”
“Did Brad cheat on you?” said Mandy.
“No,” said Rachel. Her finger was tracing a knot in the grain. “I cheated on him.”

It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.

2007 movie

Rating: 16/20 (Anonymous: 14/20)

Plot: Paul, a middle-aged man suffering from Cerebral Palsy, is wasting away in a nursing home. All he wants to do is be like everybody else and often fantasizes about just that. Except "everybody else" in this case is limited to men who strangle women after they sleep with them.

This isn't widely available, and a lot of people would argue that it shouldn't be. This is far from a perfectly-constructed movie. Heck, it's far from a competently-constructed movie. But there's a backstory that transforms this from just a movie to a work of art. The screenwriter and lead is the late Steven C. Stewart, a guy who really did suffer from Cerebral Palsy and who spent the better part of his life imprisoned in a nursing home. The great Crispin Hellion Glover brought his story to life. He does it cheaply--with some gross colors, some really obvious classical music choices, and more than a few editing errors. But there's a refreshing naivete with both the writing and the direction (the latter, possibly intentional) that makes this like outsider art. Outsider art made by an insider? When I was trying to put some words together, I had trouble coming up with anything better than "hideously beautiful," cheap and oxymoronic. Typing "hideously beautiful" embarrasses me as much as some of things I laughed at (uncomfortably) while watching this movie. There's a very dark humor throughout the story as well as some unintentionally funny (or are they intentionally unintentionally funny?) moments, especially any time Crispin Glover's dad Bruce is on-screen. If Bruce Glover doesn't win my yearly Torgo for his small role here, I'll be surprised. I really liked the beginning and end of the movie (a framing device), a terrific scene with police detectives and bendy straws, and a final murder scene that stretches so far into ridiculous territory that it hits you in the eye and makes you ejaculate raisins. Literally! Watching this movie with a crowd of people was fascinating to me. I believe most of the crowd liked what they saw, probably because they came to the theater knowing exactly what to expect, but I think it was liked in different ways. I don't frequently watch movies in big crowds, but I can't remember ever seeing a movie that got this much of a reaction, and that's worth something right there. Well, maybe Ernest Goes to Camp.

I saw this at the IMA. Crispin Glover showed a slide show and read from eight of his novels. Then, he showed this movie. Then, he came back out and kind of answered people's questions. My appreciation for America's finest actor has grown. I didn't stick around to have my cd cover autographed and get a picture because I was tired. I really hope he comes back to Indy some time to show his first movie.

One final note: Although I don't think any of you will see this (other than Larst), I do feel the need to warn you. The violence isn't graphic, but there's a lot of sex. This isn't for everybody, but for the right, open-minded audience, this delivers.

Filling Out A Plot

The past few days I have really been working on a budding story idea. I had the germ of an idea but I've been doing a few different things to help me expand it into a novel-length idea.

One thing I've been doing is skimming through my writing books and making sure my basic idea has all the necessary elements of a good story. I've been using Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell and Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. These have really helped me fill out my idea.

I've also tried going through the plotlines of other books or movies and seeing if there is anything in that story that strikes me or inspires me to add something to mine. A while ago I wrote about a game called Liebrary, and I've been using the plot summaries on those cards especially to get some ideas.

Checking the news can also help you discover the elements of your story that are missing. You may find interesting characters and plot points in your local newspaper.

What do you do to help expand your beginning idea?

Sarah Allen

Sarah Allen's Top Romance Movies

Ok, so as long as we're being girly and sentimental, I thought I'd give a list of what I think are well-written, well-done, happiness-inducing romance movies. In my opinion, these movies give good artistic lessons, as well as pure enjoyment.

-Sabrina (1995): This is one remake thats better then the original. Harrison Ford's Linus Larrabee seems suave, collected and calculating until we see how lonely and vulnerable he actually is. These secretly vulnerable characters are my favorite, which is one reason I adore this movie. Harrison Ford plays the balance of power and vulnerability perfectly, and may I add that he is incredibly appealing to look at, even as an aging business man. Julia Ormond is also fantastic, completely adorable, and her physical transformation in Paris always stuns me. She is beautiful and absolutely sweet. Greg Kinnear is also very charming and fun. All in all, a very well-done film.

-Moonstruck: I know, I know, it's Nicolas Cage, but don't let that dissuade you. I'd been reading about this movie in a screenwriting book, and then I found out Cher won the Oscar for best actress, and it was also nominated for best picture. Those factors outweighed the Nicolas Cage issue so I decided to watch it, and I was pleasantly blown away. Even Nicolas Cage gets it right in this movie. His "We're here to love the wrong people" monologue is so well-written, and Cage does a great job with it. Cher and Cage are wonderful together and the family is absolutely hilarious and heartwarming. This movie is very Italian and utterly delightful, which in this case may be the same thing. After you watch this movie, you won't be able to stop smiling. I'm smiling just thinking about it.

-Terms of Endearment: This movie comes with a warning--only watch it if you are prepared for heartbreaking, poignant, real life, exhilarating, stirring, Academy Award for Best Picture winning awesomeness. This is not a light movie. Hollywood doesn't come out with movies like this anymore, and it is an incredibly rewarding watch, but just be ready. The entire cast is phenomenal, Shirley MacLaine in particular. Her character is so incredibly real-life, and despite her crusty exterior, you can't help but love and feel for her. She has some wonderful scenes with Jack Nicholson, and the whole movie is incredibly well-written. Watch this movie. With a box of Kleenex.

-Much Ado About Nothing: This is a classic. Obviously a Shakespeare film is going to be well-written, but in this movie it almost feels like Kenneth Branagh shows you exactly how well-written it actually is. From the humorous to the poignant, he seems to show you exactly what Shakespeare was trying to say. His speech about what he is looking for in a woman is perfectly delivered, and shows how absolutely "guy" Benedick really is. His delivery shows the beauty and profundity in lines like "Serve God, love me, and mend." And then of course there is Emma Thompson, who is in no way outdone by Branagh. She is smart, beautiful, clever, and passionate. Like the movie itself.

-As Good As It Gets: This movie is utterly sweet. It is the story of two people with messed up lives who are finally able to accept solace in another person. Jack Nicholson's character is like many of us--someone who keeps messing things up for himself. He starts off on the right track, but then says something that ruins everything. But he keeps trying, and Helen Hunt keeps forgiving, and in the end they find out how much help, happiness, even love, they can get from each other. This movie has several classic lines, like "you make me want to be a better man." Enjoy the progress the characters go through, and let it progress you in your own screenwriting.

-Sense and Sensibility: Another classic. Emma Thompson shows her true brilliance in being able to not only act fabulously, but in also writing such a well-done adaptation of a Jane Austen classic. Every person in this movie does a fantastic job. What I love about Jane Austen movies, and this one in particular, is the characters who try so hard to be rational, logical and proper, and then have moments when they totally lose it. Emma Thompson has some great "losing it" moments. If you plan on or have seen this movie, don't miss this deleted scene.

Honorable Mentions:

Any other Jane Austen movie: Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion especially.
What Women Want
Somethings Gotta Give
The First Wives Club

What do you all think? What have you learned artistically from these movies or any others? What movies would you add to this list?

Sarah Allen

p.s. For those of you who, like me, don't have a large video library, here is my movie watching secret. Hope it helps.

Book Review: Persuasion by Jane Austen

If you have not read this book, you are missing out more then I can say. This book makes me as giddy as any chick-flick does, and also comes with literary merit.

There are so many things Jane Austen does right. In all of her books, but in Persuasion in particular, she is the master of subtext, and everything her characters say or do, every line, glance, and expression means infinitely more then it seems to. Watching people movie in this incredibly intricate society using only these subtextual words and glances is, to me, fascinating.

She captures feelings so well. In reading her books I often find myself wishing I could express how I felt as eloquently as her. In Persuasion, the tension starts on page one, so the complicated, passionate and intense emotions fill the entire book. There is not a moment between Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth that doesn't leave the reader as quivering with emotion as it does Anne.

And speaking of Anne Elliot, let me just say that the list of literary heroines on her level is incredibly small. Her goodness, intelligence, and particularly her affection make her an absolutely adorable character. I don't know anyone who couldn't use a little Anne Elliot in them. Captain Wentworth is almost deserving of her. But, as he so sweetly and sincerely states, "I must learn to brook being happier than I deserve."

Any of you who have read Persuasion, what are your thoughts? Did you find it as brilliant as I did?

Sarah Allen

Evil Dead 2

1987 greatest movie ever candidate

Rating: 20/20

Plot: Ash and his girlfriend accidentally unleash evil in a secluded cabin. The evil longs for their souls, and Ash has to fight against trees, anthropomorphized decor, zombie creatures, his dead girlfriend, a deer head, and his own hand in order to save his.

Question: Is there a better performance in the history of cinema than Bruce Campbell's here? I doubt it! Once this thing gets going, it stays going. Horror-comedy chaos, quotable, a disturbing (and impossible) amount of blood, ingenious special effects, a creative visual sense. This movie's got it all! The scenes that make me want to watch this over and over again: 1) the possessed hand, 2) the scene where everything in the room starts laughing at Bruce Campbell, 3) the woodshed transformation scene, 4) the scene where the evil thing is chasing Ash through the house, 5) almost every other scene in the movie, the exception being the scene where his dead girlfriend is dancing. No, that's brilliant, too! Evil Dead 2 also has a great ending, one that really makes the lame sequel even more disappointing. This movie is and will always be a religious experience.

There will be no comments for this movie because I don't want anybody wasting their time typing about how right I am.

Marjoe / Thoth

1972 documentary

Rating: 16/20

Plot: Follows Marjoe (combines the names Mary and Joseph) Gortner on a tour of Pentecostal tent revivals and churches. Marjoe became a preacher at age 4, exploited by his parents but winnin' souls to Jesus throughout the Bible belt. He resurrects (pun intended!) his career as a rockin' evangelist in his twenties, not as a believer but as a charlatan. He assembles a film crew to chronicle what will wind up being his last revival tour.

I knew of Marjoe because I had a copy of some recordings he'd done as a child. He's a fascinating figure, and I watched this wondering why the heck he was allowing himself to be filmed since it would end his fraudulent career as a half-chicken/half-Rolling Stone
fire-and-brimstoner. I probably didn't need to see him at work so much, especially in the sort of uninterrupted way he's shown, but he's charisma is addictive and it's easy to see why so many are duped by this sort of thing. The Pentecostals are bewildering and fascinating anyway, but this behind-the-scenes stuff is just great. Marjoe shows us the man behind the curtain, divulging secrets of how these little medicine shows work. It's amazing to me how likably greasy this guy is, and I thought the footage from his youth was, aside from slightly creepy, really great. He was even greasy as a kid.

I was going to write about it separately, but Thoth, a documentary short (forty minutes) about an eccentric "spiritual hermaphrodite" street performer, was also included. I really enjoyed watching it, too. Here's a guy who performs a one-man opera in a tunnel in Central Park, accompanying himself on a gypsy's violin and foot percussion. I was blown away by his otherworldly vocals. There's nothing terribly interesting about his life story although I did find it all uplifting in an odd sort of way. The best thing about this documentary might be the footage of the crowd watching his spirited performance. There's one shot where the camera pans over several people with their mouths wide open. Cory, you can go ahead and add this to the list of individuals with whom you'd not want to spend time.

Wool 100%

2006 Japanese weirdness

Rating: 16/20

Plot: Two sisters live in a cluttered house. They don't do much other than go on daily treks to dig through people's trash in order to add to the clutter. One day, they bring home a musical doll and several balls of red yarn. That night, a girl appears and begins to disrupt their lives, using the yarn to make an oversized sweater before screaming, unraveling, and beginning again. The past starts to bleed into the present.

More evidence that the Japanese are nutty. This is a movie with a different tone, a pace that would likely frustrate Westerners, and a surprising bit of mindblowing visual flair in the middle. The latter, a startling animated sequence, is too good for words and such a contrast to the subdued tone of everything that sets it up. It's brilliant. Minutes later, the audience is treated to a kind of low budget puppet show, tiny hands manipulating wooden dolls in a doll house. There's a wonderful simplicity to the whole thing. I do think this movie has some problems when it attempts to get a narrative going. But the characters are intriguing. The setting, before they de-clutter anyway, is one of those that gives your eyes a reason to wander over every inch of the screen. And the quirkiness is refreshingly original. This is not for many, but a handful of freak magnets will find this rewarding.

Buster Keaton Saturday: Film

1965 Samuel Beckett film

Rating: n/r

Plot: An old man hides his face from the camera as he runs along a wall, eventually arriving at his nondescript apartment, an apartment as tired and wrinkled as the man. He hides from his mirror, tears up some pictures, and meets a new friend.

Buster Keaton and Samuel Beckett? Damn right I'm in! This is less like Waiting for Godot and more like Waiting for Something to Happen, but it's a fascinating and haunting philosophical short. I wondered how Keaton, just a few years before his death, would do in an experimental film. His face is barely in it, but his movements (especially when we see his hands) are about perfect, and a nearly comedic episode involving the removal of a pair of pets makes it seem like Buster really was the only choice for this thing. It's entirely soundless, creepily soundless if you ask my wife, and the film's got this grainy quality, kind of like everybody's favorite Eraserhead, that makes it all ominous and a bit disturbing. I'm very glad that I stumbled across this. Quite literally actually. I was in the process of falling when I spotted this and grabbed it to keep my balance.

Be dedicated, be yourself, and always say yes

This post stems from a few experiences that have happened to me in the past little while. From what I've seen, being dedicated, natural and willing can get you far in life, and this is directly applicable to creative writers and other artists.

Be dedicated: For a while now I have been part of a production of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing' in Spanish Fork. Things have been a little complicated and dramatic, but I've always tried to do my best, and show up on time and work hard. Because of this, I am being considered for being recast as Beatrice, and will at the least be understudying for that role. I am super excited about this, but these opportunities are readily available to people who are simply dedicated and ready to work. Those are characteristics that really do set you apart.

Be yourself: A couple weeks ago I auditioned for the Princess Festival in Lindon, Utah. I auditioned with my roommates, and one of them is a theater major. We went through the roles, and my first thoughts were that the role of a stepsister would not only be the most fun, but also would be the part I could probably do best. I've never been very "princessesque". Her advice to me whenever we go audition is that I should just give them what I've got, and not worry about trying to fit a specific role. So thats what I did. When we got to the auditions, they gave us both a character side and a princess side. When it was my turn, I went to go up to the big audition room and tripped up the stairs. Yes, tripped up the stairs. I then sang 'I'm a Woman' from Smokey Joe's Cafe. After my song, with somewhere between amused and bemused looks on their faces, they said, "We'll just have you read the character one." So I did. I went all out, and just gave them my best character self. And guess what? I'm a stepsister! It's like the story behind Anne Hathaway and Princess Diaries: I've heard that she was cast because she fell off the chair during auditions. So no matter who you are, don't be afraid of it, and give it your all. Good things will come of it.

Always Say Yes: Ok, ok, so having just recently seen 'Yes Man' for the first time only has slight bearing on this post. Ok, so more then slight. But the movie has a good point. Good things come when you're not afraid to take opportunities. I would not have any of those theater opportunities if I had not said yes to auditions, and at least for the princess ones I almost didn't. I have honestly been trying this the past little while, and I'm discovering that saying yes really isn't as scary as it seems. You don't have to say yes to throwing rocks at bank windows or giving a stranger all your money, but get over the fear/inconvenience factor and say yes to things that you maybe typically wouldn't. This may actually be one of the best ways to enhance both your personal life and your artistic career.

What do you think? Do you find these traits helping you in your life?

Sarah Allen

Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster

1964 monster mayhem!

Rating: 15/20

Plot: All kinds of stuff going on here. There's an assassination plot involving the princess from some anonymous country, a princess who, following her leap from a plane, decides that she's a Martian. You've got a giant, red-glowing, sometimes-magnetic space rock. There's some minuscule fairy twins who speak in unison and are BFF's with a phallic giant moth creature. Rodan and Godzilla reemerge and have trouble getting along. And a new threat to earth--a no-armed, three-headed, flying thing with terrible breath--needs to be stopped. Man, do the Japanese know how to bring it or do the Japanese know how to bring it?

What badass monster-on-monster-on-monster-on-monster action this one has! It took a bit of time to get to the monster fracases, but luckily, all the stuff involving the human characters was interesting enough to sustain. The other Godzilla movies I've watched had me really missing the guys in suits throwing rocks at each other and pushing each other around, but I actually enjoyed the parts of the plot involving the human characters. I really liked the main bad guy, a guy so bad that he never removes his shades. The bad guys, by the way, might be the worst "killers" (that's what they're called repeatedly) in movie history. I don't believe they succeed in coming close to killing anybody in this, do they? I'm not even sure they could hit a wall with a bullet if a wall happened to be their target. The princess is cute while the fairies (too little for me to use my "little person" tag) and the peripheral characters, mostly because of the terrific dubbing, cracked me up. I wish I had a pair of miniature fairies to keep me company actually. But the monsters are the stars of the show here, and in this one, you get four of them--Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and the title villain. I'm still most impressed with the special effects that make Ghidrah work (still not sure how that happens actually), but it's a lot of fun watching Mothra wiggle around, Rodan pecking at Godzilla's head, and Godzilla getting angry and throwing a hissy-fit. The fight scenes were thrilling and hilarious. There's a wonderful scene where Godzilla and Rodan are playing volleyball with a rock, one of those scenes that starts stupid, goes on for far too long, keeps going long after any human being would think it could possible go on for, and finally becomes almost a religious experience, a work of dadaist art. Fist pumps may have been involved. I also really liked the score. One question though: How could the end of this movie actually have been the end of the movie? Ghidrah, a threat to destroy earth, flies away with his tail between his legs because he's got Mothra web all over his face? That really does him in? Seems like he could go wash that off and be back five minutes later to continue the fight.

Cory recommended this bad boy.

Sons of the Desert

1933 comedy

Rating: 16/20

Plot: The boys have promised their fellow Sons of the Desert that they will be attending a convention in Chicago. Their wives
don't like the idea, so they devise a plan to lie about a doctor-recommended trip to Honolulu so that the fat one (Hardy) can convalesce. The plan doesn't work out too well.

It doesn't exactly wear its seventy-seven years well. A lot of the humor, especially anything that has to do with Charlie Chase. He squirts water from flowers, paddles other men when they bend over to pick up his wallet, and has trouble keeping in his giggles while he makes a prank phone call. Laurel and Hardy take turns falling in large containers of water and banging their heads on things. I actually didn't think this movie was as funny as the recent Laurel and Hardy movie (Block Heads) that I watched, but it's more cohesive and has a much more believable story. I also like the roles the wives play, and there are some clever verbal exchanges and baffling spoonerisms from Laurel. The most interesting line for me, at least in the context of the early-30s, was one of Chase's lines about a woman being an old organ pumper. Risque! I like the way this Laurel and Hardy stuff never seems too strained. There are some moments when it becomes completely obvious that these are guys who know they are trying to be funny, but a great deal of this is pretty natural.

Allah Wallpapers Islamic Backgrounds

Free Download Best Quality High Resolution Divine Allah Wallpapers Myspace Spiritual Islamic Backgrounds Orkut Xanga Facebook Twitter Bebo Hi5 Multiply Blogger Websites Blogs Friendster Wallpapers...

Movie Review: How to Train your Dragon

Just got back from seeing How to Train your Dragon with my roommate. To give the short answer, it was absolutely fantastic and very, very worth seeing.

The graphics were gorgeous. The voice was talent was great, and very fun.

The writing was one of my favorite things about the movie. The writing was apt and sweet. It maybe got a little forced or hand-heavy at some points, but overall I thought the script was very well written. I would have been extremely proud to have written it.

I've heard people say that this is the first movie Dreamworks has come out with that rivals Pixar, and I would have to agree. I wouldn't say it outdoes any of the Pixars, but it is definitely up there with a lot of them.

So go see it, and let me know what you think!

Sarah Allen

A Simple Plan

1998 drama

Rating: 14/20

Plot: Three of the dumbest men in history stumble upon the wreckage of a plane and a bag containing over four million dollars. They all could use the money and make a simple plan because, although they're three of the dumbest men in history, they realize that if they come up with a complicated plan, the movie's title wouldn't make any sense. That simple plan, essentially just keeping their mouths shut and being patient, doesn't work out, and things turn tragic. Oh, snap!

My favorite thing about this movie: There are four puppeteers listed in the end credits. I didn't even realize the movie had puppets, but this confirms my belief that Billy Bob Thornton isn't actually a human being. This film's a mixed bag. It's almost like somebody got their hands on a lost, never-filmed Three Stooges script, decided it needed a lot of blood, and filmed the thing. The trio are stupid, unbelievably stupid, so stupid that nothing they seem to do, no decision that they make, seems natural or realistic. At one point, Bill "I Might As Well Be Nic Cage" Paxton's character's wife (Bridget Fonda, doing her best to channel Holly Hunter) says, "Nobody'd ever believe that you'd be capable of doing what you've done." And she's right. I just had trouble buying what they were selling with these characters. Part of the problem was that I didn't think the acting was great. Bill Paxton seemed bored with his character, and Billy Bob Thornton seemed to be playing a caricature rather than a real person, almost like he was doing sketch comedy instead of a movie. Having said all that, I did find it all entertaining enough. I like Raimi's direction and, despite multifarious flaws, the story's told competently enough. As the characters tiptoe on the edge of disaster, Raimi tiptoes back and forth from tragedy and dark comedy. There's little flair, but there is an underlying sense of humor that I really like and a particularly Raimi-esque physics-defying moment that takes place in a kitchen that made me laugh. There are times when this flirts with greatness, but far too many times when it settles for a more color-by-numbers suspense story. It needed a moment, something to pull me into the drama so that I could accept the unbelievable turns of events. A Simple Plan succeeds as a movie that makes you wonder how you'd react as a normal person who found himself in a similar situation. What it doesn't do is sparkle.

Cory's recommendation.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

1964 science fiction movie

Rating: 16/20

Plot: See Dafoe's Robinson Crusoe. Except it takes place on Mars. And the main character might be a homosexual. And he has a monkey. And he passes his time by playing the bagpipes.

A lot of the special effects in this, specifically the ones used to make whatever desert they filmed this in look otherworldly and Martian, are a complete mystery to me. I'm not sure exactly how they got the look they got, but I sure liked it. Great jagged landscapes, great unnatural colors, great weird non-scientific crystalline structures that you'd expect to see on Superman's planet rather than on Mars. There's a bit of 2001 in this, both in its lonely, introspective flavor and the cool visuals. It's pretty quirky but played sincerely enough, the performances of Paul Mantee as the protagonist especially strong in one of those roles where he's mostly forced to convey emotions and advance his character without anybody else to bounce lines off. Victor Lundin as Friday is less stellar. I definitely liked the movie more before he came along, especially since, arriving with him were these really silly swiftly-moving ships that I never could figure out if I liked or not. Adam West also has a small part. And there's a monkey in a space suit! In my opinion, all film adaptations of classic literature could use a monkey in a space suit. Little Women? Anything by Shakespeare? Don Quixote? The Count of Monte Cristo? Moby Dick? Those could all use a monkey in a space suit. This is definitely worth seeing. Unless you're a scientist. I reckon this stuff would really piss off a scientist.

Minka Kelly widescreen wallpapers for your desktop

Minka Kelly - The Randomizer widescreen wallpapers for your desktop.Free Minka Kelly Image Code - Embed our Minka Kelly Graphic to MySpace, Search for more Minka Kelly Pictures & Photos in our Female Actress Galleries.Minka Kelly Wallpapers | Babes Girls | High Resolution & Widescreen Wallpapers.Minka Kelly Hot, Minka Kelly Hottest Videos, Minka Kelly Scandal Pic.

It's a Gift

1934 comedy

Rating: 16/20

Plot: A hen-pecked grocery store owner with a bulbous proboscis decides it's prudent to sell it all and move his wife and two kids to California to become orange orchardaires.

Add Tommy Bupp to the list of terrible child acting performances. Did directors tell all 1930s child actors, "Hey, in this scene, I want you to scrunch up your face and scream your lines," or did all children in the 1930s just act that way naturally, something to do with the Great Depression or something? I enjoyed this movie, but it suffers a bit from the same problem that every W.C. Fields movie--there's a flimsy plot, less a plot actually and more of an excuse to just string together some very funny scenes. Ultimately, it doesn't matter a bit because those scenes are very funny. The film's in ten-or-so minute chunks where a situation is set up so that funny stuff happens. Fields' Bissonette has difficulty shaving, locating kumquats and controlling a blind man, sleeping peacefully, getting his car started, and having a picnic. The genius of Fields in this is that the funny comes without overdoing things. It's a stark contrast to the supporting cast (although to be fair, the wife's hamminess is a necessity), Fields subtlety, comic timing, and delivery shining naturally. The one-liners sparkle and the visual gags surprise. It's a Gift is a joke movie, a written comedy, but there is a lot of visual humor, some, I'm positive, that I missed. This is definitely the type of comedy you have to watch and listen to closely. You won't want to miss anything. My favorite moment: "She walked right in front of the car."

Cory's recommendation.

Using YouTube to Market Your Creative Writing

This post is more of a question then an answer. YouTube is one of the most popular sites in the world, and quite a few of the videos get millions of viewers. Reaching millions of people is exactly what writers want to do. But writing is not a visual art form, so how can we use video to market it?

Home Videos: These don't directly relate to your writing career, but these kind of videos can get hugely popular, and getting people to your youtube site will help introduce them to you. People will start knowing who you are. A link to your blog from a popular youtube video could help you get huge blog traffic. An example of an enormously popular home video is David After Dentist.

Comedy Series: These can get a lot of hits too, and when its a series people keep coming back. Write up some funny characters or do something creative to make a video series that people will tell their friends about. Again, this will just help people become familiar with your name and hopefully direct people to your official website or blog. An example of this kind of series is Miranda Sings.

Video Podcast: One way is to make sort of a video blog and just film yourself talking about writing and whats going on in your writing career. This is simple, and may not be as easy to get popular as some other kinds of videos, but the people who will be watching videos like this are kinds of people who are already interested in books, and could potentially become very loyal readers. There are a lot of these out there, so I'll let you find which ones work best for you.

But most of all, what are your ideas about this? YouTube's popularity makes it a marketing tool that any artist cannot afford to miss out on, so how do we writers use it to the fullest advantage?

Sarah Allen

Jenny McCarthy pictures Jenny Mc Carthy wallpapers

Free Jenny McCarthy wallpaper, picture & image gallery for computer desktop. Every photo is wonderful as background theme.Free Jenny McCarthy Image Code - Embed our Jenny McCarthy Graphic to MySpace, ... Search for more Jenny McCarthy Pictures & Photos in our Female Actress.Amazing collection of free desktop Jenny McCarthy Bikni Wallpaper wallpapers, Jenny McCarthy Bikni Wallpaper Pictures, Free Jenny McCarthy Bikni Wallpaper.

Garden Verse Poetry Competition

Are you both a poet and a gardener? Do you write poems about gardens? If so, you're in luck. Horticulture magazine is hosting a Garden Verse Poetry competition. The deadline is May 3, so if you don't have anything as of yet, you have time to get something nice and ready.

Here are some keywords to help get you started:

Weeds
Ladybug
Pansy
Peony
Evergreen
Soil
Rain
Green
Dirt under your nails

Good luck!

Sarah Allen

Great Music Site

Whether or not you listen to music while you're writing, music is something that is part of all our lives and can definitely creatively inspire us. That being said, GrooveShark is an indispensable site that allows you listen to virtually any song, and create playlists of your favorites. You could even make a "Writing" playlist if you wanted to. Here are some on my list right now:

Somewhere Out There by Airmen of Note
Come What May from Moulin Rouge
So Close from Enchanted
Love Today by Mika
Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood
Find Your Grail from Monty Python's Spamalot
Bed of Roses by Hinder

Those aren't necessarily for writing, they're just songs I am way into right now. I've been exploring music using this site, and would love any recommendations. What are your favorites?

Sarah Allen

Saints Wallpaper Sages Backgrounds

Free All Saints Wallpaper, images and photos. Cool Wallpapers Saints wallpapers for jesus gurunanak saibab shirdi satya saibaba for your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Catholic Border Backgrounds Catholic Backgrounds-Icons Wallpaper Christian

Opening Short Story Lines: The Teacher

Here is another beginning that I left off awhile ago. See what you can do with it.

The Teacher

The day my wife found the manuscript was the day I told my class that Pride and Prejudice was one of my favorite books. I didn’t mean to tell them. We were discussing intriguing female characters and it just kind of slipped out, like the first time I told Abby I loved her. When I realized what I’d said, I nudged my glasses farther up my nose, and wondered why confessing my love for Jane Austen in front of my class was making my ears feel so hot. As I expected, Patrick started cracking jokes from the back row of desks: “Mr. Willis reads romance novels,” he said. The throng of thick skulled, broad shouldered boys that surrounded him snickered their support. In the front row, Faye rolled her eyes. “At least he can read,” she said. I think I failed to suppress a grin.
Because I taught at a small boarding school, I got to know my students pretty well. Faye Guthrie had been my student since she was a freshman, and she always sat in the front row. She was one of my quietest students, and only in her senior year would she have been confident enough to get after the class dorks like that. She was the tiniest girl I’d ever seen. I’m no heavyweight, but even I felt like I’d snap her in half if I wasn’t careful. She had wispy, light blond hair, which, combined with her blue eyes and tiny figure, made me think of fairies. It gave me a kind of satisfaction to have a tiny blond girl as the smartest in the class.
The drive home felt normal, except that I was stuck behind a big moving van the whole way, whose driver must have been taking time for last goodbyes. My mom used to call them “not-moving” vans.
I turned on the radio, and “Always” by Atlantic Star came on. It’s mine and Abby’s wedding song, and it made me smile. I was going to tell her it had played, maybe twirl her around the kitchen as I sang a sincere, if botched up version of the song, but I did neither when I saw the look on her face.
“When were you going to tell me?” she said.
Crap, I thought, trying to figure out what I’d done. Out loud I said, “Huh?”
Abby pointed to a manila envelope lying on the kitchen counter next to a half eaten Yoplait. The covering was blank, but I knew what was inside. I scratched the back of my neck. “Oh,” I said.
Steam seeped from the rumbling dishwasher. “Yeah,” Abby said. Her sandy blond braids draped over her shoulders, and her eyebrow was cocked. The sprinkle of freckles across her nose stood out when she was angry, making her even more adorable then usual, but I did nothing. Smiling would not have helped at a time like this.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal,” I said, and shrugged.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” she asked. “Did you think I wouldn’t be supportive? You’ve always wanted to write, I would love for you to be able to do that. Of course I would. In fact, I’ve wondered why you haven’t been writing; now I know you’ve just been hiding it from me.”
I couldn’t even explain to myself why I’d kept the book a secret. The manuscript seemed such an indispensable part of me, yet at the same time, something from another life. “It’s just a start,” I said. “Of course I would tell you if it turned in to anything serious.”
Abby breathed deeply. “I read it,” she said. I looked at her. “It seems serious to me.” My ears started getting hot again, and I looked away. I needed a drink.
Abby moved closer to me. She smelled like vanilla and brown sugar. She looked up at me, and her voice was low and steady. “Todd,” she said, “it’s good.” Her hazel eyes glowed. “It’s really good.”
I shifted my weight. I didn’t know what to say except, “Really?”
Abby grinned and nodded. “Yeah,” she said. “You’re going to finish it, right? And get it published?”
I wiggled my toes inside my shoes and cleared my throat. “I don’t know,” I said.
“What do you mean?” said Abby.
“It’s not that simple,” I said. “I mean, getting something published takes a lot of work. It’s really hard.”
“I know,” Abby said. “I’ll help you. I can look for agents or whatever. You really should do this.”
I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose and shrugged.
***

Hope this helps!
Sarah Allen

Fantastic Editor: Susan Chang of Tor Books

Happy Friday Everybody!  I had the great pleasure of meeting my editor, Susan Chang, of Tor Books last Friday when she was in nearby Portland for a conference.  She is as beautiful as she is nice and such a talented editor!  We had so much fun talking about books and the publishing world at large.

Editing for seventeen years (she must have started when she was about 15!) she is now a senior editor at Tor and it clearly shows in the direction she has provided with my book, THE FAERIE RING.  She is so patient with debut author mistakes (or complete lack of knowledge in some cases - yikes!) and we've had a wonderful time digging into the story and making it better.   I feel so lucky to be working with someone with her expertise and loved getting the chance to meet her.  Yay for Susan!

Whisky

2004 comedy

Rating: 16/20

Plot: A tired guy who owns a sock factory in Uruguay finds out that his brother, who also owns a sock factory in Brazil, is coming to visit. The siblings' relationship isn't a good one. The host brother convinces his co-worker to pose as his wife during his brother's stay. Their wheels spin.

Whisky's dry, one of those so-dry-that-you-might-miss-that-it's-even-a-comedy comedies, not unlike a Jarmusch or Kaurismaki with its mostly-static camera, deadpan delivery, and characters almost too quiet to be noticed. It's so subtle that it hurts. Unlike Kaurismaki, however, this isn't as, well, happy. There's a little more despair with these characters. The three actors who play them are terrifically subdued, embodying destitution, bringing the characters to the closest they'll ever get to life. To be completely honest, this might have less humor than any other movie calling itself a comedy that I've seen. It's one of those Shane comedies. A sock's full of poignant moments in this and several scenes that ended ambiguously, making this one of those (again, Shane-type flicks) that can be seen from different directions. The title, by the way, refers to what people from South America say before they get their pictures taken. Like "cheese" in America. I've never really thought about it, but I guess anything with a long e sound would work there.

Laughing Buddha Wallpapers Buddhism Backgrounds

Download Laughing Buddha Wallpapers Buddhism Backgrounds Myspace Spiritual Wallpapers Divine Desktops Religious Backgrounds ...

Wisdom Quotes Wallpapers Inspirational Sayings

Free Inspirational Quotes Wallpapers True Wisdom Sayings Desktops Blessings Words Of Wisdom Backgrounds Teacings By Great Saints Motivational Quotes Myspace Wallpapers...