Living Big, Fighting Flour and Some Updates

The past week was an interesting one. As always with me, it is full of duality. On the one hand, I am coping with the 'new normal' of my body after cancer and chemo. On the other hand, I must find a way to make the most of my clean bill of health. I was told by a caregiver of an appendix cancer patient who did not have the advantage of finding treatment that works that I should be living big in all things. His mother would have done incredible things with the reprieve I have been granted. He was right about his mother. She would have done extraordinary things with more time. His was an admonishment that I could not ignore. But how does one live big in all things when walking is often painful and other problems sometimes keep one housebound altogether? I think I have a solution. At least, it worked for me this week. One day, I will go out and walk or do some exploring or do an errand. On those days, I will push myself physically. The next day, I will rest, but I will do something mentally that pushes me or hones an existing skill. Or I'll work on a more rote tasks like those involved in cooking as a meditative thing.

So, each day involves some sort of betterment – even the days where I don't stray far from my sofa. I have decided to work on my French language skills on my non-outing days. To that end, I am watching French news and what television shows I can find on Youtube. For example, the French version of Law and Order: Criminal intent is Paris Enquêtes Criminelles. Very interesting. Watching cooking shows really helps because I can follow along more easily. And to really keep my mind nimble, I'm also learning Japanese. Slowly. Cooking videos help there. As does anime. Luckily, I have a Japanese supermarket close by with staff to practice on. For French practice, I have an international calling plan and a certain someone I can call! And the language study is not just to keep my mind sharp. I have business in both countries. So, I am striving to live big in every way.

Oh, thank you for the kind words of support over the insurance insanity. I realized on Monday that since July was only a week away, I didn't need to go through getting a referral for the B-12 shot. I just changed the date of the appointment. The oncology clinic nurses were very understanding about it. They, too, felt the extra appointment was a little crazy. Thus, the one phone call saved me a considerable amount of consternation last week.

Deb Versus Puff Pastry

When I noticed Martha Stewart gently repairing part of her dough were the butter had seeped through her dough during the first rolling, I knew that I could succeed. I had been very concerned about the bit of butter that was on my rolling pin after I wrapped the dough to let it rest after the first and second turns [after the butter is incorporated the dough is rolled out to about 19 inches length wise. Then, it's folded in thirds like a letter and turned 45 degrees and rolled out again or wrapped to rest]. The other thing I had to watch was that the dough didn't get covered in too much flour. Between each turn, it had do be carefully and thoroughly dusted off. That was difficult as there was flour everywhere There was so much flour in the air that I wondered about explosions. There was a lot of flour about. That photo was taken after I had cleaned things up a little bit. All the while between rolling out the dough with each turn, I worked on the blog or some other writings. It was a pleasant way to pass the time. Once the dough was finished, I had to let it rest a couple of hours before attempting the palmiers. They were remarkably simple to make. The dough is rolled out onto a surface coated with sugar. Then the edges on either side are rolled toward the middle. Then, the dough is sliced and baked. They were delicious. I was very pleased at how the recipes turned out. I believe that I will try to make croissants this coming week.

Book Updates

I've given this a lot of thought. Since we're planning on new covers and revisions and all sorts of things like new artwork and book trailers, I'm going to wait on excerpts until the books are ready to be published. I want to encourage readers to buy the book after reading the excerpts. I've also had to accept the fact that whatever excerpt I put up will have some sort of spoiler in it. I'll try to keep it to minor ones and I'll give a lot of warning.

There are no film or web series updates this week.

Stay tuned.

Insurance Insanity, Kitchen Therapy and Modest Updates

Last week was every bit the roller coaster I expected – and a few things that I hadn't expected. In the midst of having the tests to check where I was with the cancer (For those who missed my posts, I am still free of the disease. No new tests are scheduled for six months), I received my shiny new medical card.. Actually, it's cardboard, so it isn't really shiny. I'm excited because I have coverage that will handle anything that arises. I don't have to worry about a sudden cutback in subsidized cases at USC. Apparently, I had completely forgotten what an amazing hassle a health insurance carrier can be. When I enrolled under the state's new managed care program, I was asked to fill out the information for my primary care doc. Which I did. I figured that since I was getting oncology services at a state subsidized facility, and that my primary care doc had already made the referral to said oncologist, I was covered there, too. Not so. And I find this out moments before I'm due to hear the results of my tests. I must take this form two buildings away and several floors up to an office to switch my coverage and – hopefully – get an override for that day's appointment. They said hopefully because I had already received out of plan services that month when I had the CT scan. I hadn't really slept in three days, and I was already half way freaked out. I must have looked very reasonable when I reached the insurance office. Who knows? They did get things underway swiftly with the switch in assigned, care and they did override the denial of services in a little less than an hour. I may have been looking homicidal again.

By the time I got back to my regularly scheduled appointment, my brain was fried. I was barely engaged in the argument between oncology and the pain management doc I'd met during my last ER visit. They were arguing with each other as to whether I was in pain. No one really asked me. I plan to revisit the issue with my primary care doc – whomever that is. Why is there a question? Well, I was assigned one at USC, but that doesn't take effect until July. Meanwhile, I need a referral to get my B-12 shot. So, for a five minute appointment, I have to have a whole other doctor's visit to get a piece of paper. I can't complain. There are far, far worse insurance horror stories on the various appendix cancer group forums. I can only sigh. My tests are clear, and that's the most important thing.

Kitchen Therapy

I took refuge in the kitchen among other, less savory places. Well, not unsavory. I don't want to frighten anyone. Let's just say that they were strange places – even for me to seek refuge. As I was not sleeping, I often found myself in e-mail or chat room debates. I do mean that literally. A chat room would open up, and I'd be in it with someone seeking my opinion on something or agreement with something else. I was not agreeable by and large. I think I've been living with Jon for too long. Not that he's disagreeable. He just likes to debate on an opposing view for the sake of a broader conversation. As I mentioned in last week's blog, producing books or films or anything has complicated my views as a fangirl. So for those who chatted me up at 3 am, I wasn't trying to pick a fight. And I was cranky. Sorry.

The kitchen was safer. I had a lot of practical cooking to do. I bought a lot of meats on sale and had to prep them for freezing or cook some for the week. I made two kinds of soup stock – roasted chicken and mushroom. I really like doing basic cooking. There is something calming about chopping all those veggies and completing tasks I've done hundreds of times before. Roasting garlic makes me really, really hungry for some reason. The scent triggers something. I did a lot of foraging this week with my grocery shopping. Since I'm walking more, I take my little shopping cart and going to all the markets that have significant sales. I was pretending I was marketing each day in Paris. That didn't work at all, but I did get a lot of exercise along with the savings. I made many discoveries during those shopping jaunts. For one, Trader Joe's has a really nice fresh pizza dough at only $1.29. Also, my bargain/ethnic market has three varieties of tahini for half the price of my regular markets! They also have fresh pita from a local vendor. These were very exciting discoveries that warrant further study like Thai red rice and imported fava bean products. Sweet!

I did some fancy cooking this week. I made a pizza with that Trader Joe's dough. Also, I made mayonnaise for the first time. There wasn't enough for the potato salad today. That may happen more often as I liked the taste better than the jarred. I also had another crack at making sushi. The results were as good without nearly as much comedy. I say not nearly as much comedy. There was some. There is always a least a little. I also tried some new Japanese dishes. The one that was the most challenging was Tamagoyaki, a rolled omelet. While viewing the youtube video that taught me how to do that, I learned about bento box lunches in which the Tamagoayki are often featured. With these new found mad skills, I sprung upon Jon the bento breakfast! The sausages are heart shaped and everything. For some reason, I suspect Jon thinks I've gone around the bend. What is so strange about shaping sausages? He should worry when I make him hot dog octopi or rabbit shaped apple for his lunch. No, he really should worry, because I'll have gone bonkers. Oh, and that bento video is really strange, but I can't stop watching that dog.

I made the dough for the new sugar cookies. I plan to bake them off on Monday. I will also attempt puff pastry. It's definitely time. I shall post photos!

The above was written on Sunday. It is now Monday. I'm still exhausted from insomnia, but the puff pastry is underway! I will post details in a separate blog.

Updates

I've been informed that the Special FX Supervisor for Octodemon and the director are working on post production issues. Everything else is in flux. I expect to get more details on where that project stands later in the week. The script for Demon on the Run, the web series based on Demon Under Glass is almost finished. I didn't get much done on it last week because of everything going on. I'm not going to post the script. There are a lot of really fun things that I don't want spoiled in any way.

The books are coming along nicely. I think they will be done by the end of August. I'm re-releasing both Soldiers books when the sequels publish. I've changed some things to reflect the script for Blood Oath. And there will be new covers as well to match the artwork in Blood Oath. My only difficulty is finding excerpts that don't have major spoilers in them. That's what happens when the love scenes are not gratuitous. I'm still sifting through the chapters to find something.

Stay tuned.

Weekday Blog -- Good News

Good news, everybody! I aced my last set of tests -- even got rid of that pesky anemia for now. No new tests are scheduled for six months! I totally had a martini. There were three olives, and it was dirty. Then, I had a nap. I am out of practice guzzling martinis.

I have to see my regular Doc to discuss managing my side effects and what may have become permanent (or the happier phrase 'new normal') in the next few weeks. But that's for another day. Right now, I'm planning my various celebrations...and a showgirl outfit.

More news on Sunday including food, film and book updates.

Stay tuned.

New Tests, New Recipes and Familiar Foibles

This week has been very difficult. There are a number of reasons for this. The biggest reason is that I was going through a routine that I haven't had to do for three months. It was back to the lab for blood tests. And then it was back to radiology for the CT scan. And this time, I had to go to the appointments without Jon. He's got a cool new day job that has many things that he enjoys. It is connected to the visual arts. It has a lot of varied detail work that he enjoys. And there are even office cats to occasionally stand on his keyboard and head butt him. The job is a fantastic thing to have happened for both of us. Still, it was daunting to have to go to these appointments on my own again. The CT scan was really a fast appointment, at least. I barely had time to choke down the contrast drink – this time it was 'banana' smoothie flavored – before I was called in. I was out in a never heard of two hours! There was also the scintillating company of Ray Proscia who was kindly shuttling me about. All of that offset the ordeal of having the tests. Now, I have to figure out who not to worry myself into a frenzy before I get the results.

Christmas in June

It's more than six months to the next holiday baking season, but it is time to start planning! I have been watching some new dessert themed TV shows of late, and I believe I may have found a sugar cookie recipe that I like. This one doesn't require rolling the dough and cutting out cookies! The search for a durable but tender chocolate cookie continues, but I think we're going to do sample batches of the sugar cookies. I also think the time has come to try puff pastry. Martha Stewart made a batch and made it look even simpler than the last demo I watched. I want to be able to make this to make Palmiers as a Christmas treat among many other things. The Martha recipe produces three pounds of dough which is enough to make tons of Palmiers, cheese straws and en croute anything that isn't moving. I also want to make croissants. It's a similar recipe to puff pastry, but the dough has yeast in it and needs an extra day to proof. While I also feel that trying that recipe is inevitable, I think I should try the puff pastry. There will be some 'lucky' locals who will get to sample the results. I don't like to ship the goods unless I know they're really good. No worries, non LA peeps, I may ship some out to a few folks for more opinions.

Accidental Genius and Other Writing Foibles

Some of the constants in my genre fiction are very deliberate. The oddest – and the funniest to me – is that in all of the worlds I write in whether they are in some strange future or a fantasy past, the weather is almost always in the fall or winter. Spring and summer fly past in a blink, but I luxuriate in the crispness of fall and the biting cold of winter. The reason for this is not because I like those seasons above others. I actually prefer the spring. Basically, I've lived with the Hubs for far too long. He likes even the most far flung scifi fantasy to make sense in every day moments. Knowing what I know about men, I realized that they would never lounge about in their homes wearing the beautiful silk knit pajamas I often imagine them wearing. Jon has often told me that if I didn't object, he'd be in his boxers or less at his PC. Thus, I couldn't make that work in my head even as fiction. So, I made the environment cold most of the time. Cold environments also require fireplaces and cuddling. Genius!

Other constants are by products of my own interests but have been thought of as a brilliant, deliberate choice. My obsession with food has become a constant in whatever I'm writing. Relationships are forged and shaped around meals, in my opinion. A character's relationship with food says a lot about who they are. In my romances, the first sign of a sensual nature is an appreciation for all aspects of food – taste, texture, smell. Recently, some of my fiction has attracted attention in Japan. I may have my titles published in Japanese! But that is a very long story for another day. One of the things I was praised about was the focus on meals and cooking. Did I know that made my work seem very Japanese. Of course, I did, I replied. Yeah...sure. (The image is from an anime based on a very popular Japanese romance. This would be breakfast.). There is also an appreciation for my twisted sense of humor there that some critics have felt was out of place in a romance. Obviously, those critics have had much more orderly romances in their lives than I've had. Or my friends have had. At any rate, those aspects of my writing were much less planned. I'm really pleased that they work, or I'd be in trouble.

Updates

I don't really have any on the film and web series fronts. I've been a bit distracted last week with the medical tests and panicking about them. I've been taking refuge in my fiction and the latest script. And a shameless amount of anime. I don't expect that to change much until mid-week when I get my results.

Stay tuned.

Mosh Pits, Updates and Defending TPTB

I was in a mosh pit of sorts on Saturday at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd.. It was filled with the shortest and most erratic dancers I've ever encountered. Some of them even had pacifiers. The band members in this battle of the bands were pretty short, too. Some of the musicians were the same size as their guitars while others could have used a box to reach their keyboards.

It was the 6^th annual Rockstar Music Education Program Battle of the Bands for kids 12 and under. It was...an experience. Here's a promo for the program which is supported by the rock community in Los Angeles. This was the only venue where pork pie hats were appropriate as they were on the heads of many children. Jon and I attended this pint sized battle of the bands to support young Shelton Lliteras (the one with the red, spikey hair), son of Jasmine, PA extraordinaire on Demon Under Glass. Many of my Facebook readers have wondered whose head that is in my profile picture. Here's the whole photo. Jasmine is in the foreground. Gary Lowrance, grip extraordinaire on Demon Under Glass and very scary ex- special forces, is in the background. Shelton is the grandson of Ralph and Marguerite, our long time partners in the production company and our de facto family in Los Angeles (along with the eclectic collection of friends). Shelton's band, Fergus on Fire (I have no idea why) performed Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple. Shelton was quite focused. He had that 'I live only for my music' look onstage. The rest of the band was just completely adorable. He can't wait until next year. Neither can we.

Updates – Divergent and Various

I'm doing the updates next rather than at the end because I'm going get all geeky in the next segment, and there are some of you who'll want to bail or hurl rather than get dragged along. Shame on you! The essay will feature a thoughtful analysis of why network executives should not be considered minions of Satan for canceling a favorite show.

My apologies for freaking out folks with my blog of last week. I still don't think it had even a hint of a notion that I as abandoning any of the projects because of my problems with chemo side effects. This is not the case at all. For longer term projects like The Secret Cancer, it means that the process will take even longer to complete. I have had to cancel my trip to Philadelphia for the Awareness Walk and the interviews I had planned to shoot during the trip. However, I will get to Philadelphia at some point in the future. My family is there, after all. I'm just not going this month. I will begin my interviews out here with the survivors who've contacted me. There are doctors our here that I think would be relevant to the film, like the ones who saved my hide, for example. And I will likely be shooting the interview with Audrey Hepburn's son in Los Angeles. That project is most certainly moving forward. And I am still seeking support for that film. It would help if my readers would click on the banner at the bottom right of this page and then click on the red FEATURE THIS link at the bottom of the perks on The Secret Cancer's Indiegogo.com page. Even if you do not donate (and I hope you will), clicking FEATURE THIS will get the project on the main page which will most likely help us reach our goal.

The horror film, Octodemon etc. is still moving forward. I don't think my role in the project will have to change at all. Because of the way it's currently scheduled, the demand on me would not be as big as it would be if it were three straight weeks. We're working our way through casting the supporting roles and troubleshooting the FX issues. At this point in time, the current start date remains the same – early July.

The Demon Under Glass web series, Demon on the Run, is back on track. We've got a really fun script in the works now that I've figured out what our assets are. Once that is complete – and I expect that to be finished this week or next – we will finish casting. I've put our a call to my fandom peeps for names of veteran genre actors for parts in the flash back and the fantasy scenes in the episode. Our thinking at present is to shoot sometime in August. It is a relatively short shoot (3 days, max), so that isn't very demanding. Two of the major locations are within walking distance of our place. I will be taking it very easy.

There was a little bit of a slow down with the books last week due to the request from the anthology. I had to get the pages to my two readers. Then I had to input the changes they made – in record time. A big thank you to both of you! I am back on track with both books doing a few pages each night on one of them. Slowly they are adding up to two separate novels that I am very excited about.

From Fangirl to Hyphenate

For the uninitiated, a Hyphenate, in this instance, is an individual with a dual role in a film production. I am a writer-producer, for example. On most of my shoots I am a writer-producter-wardrobe-caterer-janitor with room for a few more titles depending on how small the crew is.

But there was a time when I was primarily a fan of TV and films. And then, I became a fangirl of many things (some of those things could haunt your dreams). The difference is the degree of intensity. A fan is someone who simply likes a show and enjoys discussing it on the day after an episode ends. A fangirl or fanboy takes that quite a bit further – typically to the point that it annoys and/or frightens family, friends and co-workers. The intensity of the interest is most keenly manifested when a beloved program is canceled. The manifestation is some sadness and lots of rage typically aimed at the unfortunate sot who canceled the program.

I have been among the enraged at the cancellation of a beloved show. Because cancellation of sci-fi shows seems to happen at a swifter rate than any other kind of program, I have been among those who express dismay and disgust at networks failing to nurture such programming simply because they don't understand it or they hate science fiction or for both reasons. It doesn't help change that point of view toward the much hated The Powers That Be (TPTB) to find articles in which they actually admit things like The X-Files wouldn't have been given a chance to find an audience if it debuted today.

The change in my point of view toward TPTB began when we did our first short for a pitch to TV. The Privateers basically cost us $1000 a minute, but that was under an old SAG contract and getting crew for next to nothing and working everyone like a circus monkey using army surplus costumes for the most part and no alien make-up or hairstyles. You can see the results HERE. In writing the business plan, we had to figure out an average budget per episode. We also had to make an argument that we could attract the minimum number of viewers needed to generate enough revenue to cover the costs. I learned a lot about the cost of a sci-fi show then. I know a whole lot more now – well over a decade later. Yes, incredible advances in software have made insanely difficult special FX possible and more cheaply than even five years ago. Yes, they can be done more cheaply. They cannot be done for free. Almost everything in a sci-fi show is more expensive than other programs. If it is a space based show, then everything save for talent and crew is more expensive. Wardrobe cannot be bought off the rack. Sets are show specific. Then, there is hair and make up. The list is long and daunting.

Despite the blockbuster sci-fi films, TV sci-fi programs have a niche audience. They tend to struggle a lot more than a cop show or a sitcom. Even successful shows have to watch their budgets. On Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Trek shows that followed, an episode with lots of guest stars, new sets or locations were off set by shows that may have a couple or no guests and occur on standing sets. They are called bottle shows. I recall that my change in attitude manifested itself during a panel I was speaking on at a convention. Someone wanted to know why the only aliens on Trek or most other shows were humanoids with something strange on their foreheads. I tried to tell them that the cost of inserting a CGI alien into an episode was cost prohibitive – insanely cost prohibitive. No one wanted to hear it. The audience preferred to rage that TPTB were holding back the creative staff. I actually instigated a panel at Dragoncon about the limits of what fan productions would do as a business model. I argued that they work as a labor of love for all involved. Participants are either donating their time and talent or it is steeply discounted because they want to be involved in the show. Once it becomes a licensed, income generating business, union rates for everything would apply. Such projects would live or die not only from the dedication of those participating, but on the income that it can make to cover real-life expenses. As the panel was filled with producers of such fan content, Jon and I were not popular in that room.

I realized that I had really changed in my world view when I found myself defending SyFy's decision to cancel Caprica. I am not a fan of the SyFy Channel. I have really personal reasons that have nothing to do with being a fangirl. One might even say, I deeply dislike the network. From the fangirl point of view, the network has done little to endear itself to avid viewers. For a number of years, it had a programming director that was widely reported to not like science fiction. I'm sure this dim view of the channels motives was not helped by the inclusion of Professional Wrestling or the sitcom Saved by the Bell in its line up. Saved by the Bell only lasted a short time. The wrestling remains. No love for the network here. And I adored Caprica and everyone involved in the show. I thought it was some of the most sophisticated science fiction ever aired on a weekly basis. I was alarmed that it was on the chopping block. My resentment toward the network didn't help my view of their reasons for even considering axing the program. And then, I was on a live chat with the current programming director. He stated and I later could confirm that the ratings were in the mere hundreds of thousands – not even close to a million. The show would need at least three times the ratings it was drawing to survive. When I heard those numbers, I knew it was over. And it was justifiably over. At the end of the day, this is show business with a capital B. If fans wanted to be enraged, they should be enraged at the Battlestar Galactica fans that stayed away in droves because Caprica didn't have enough space ships. Yes, I have been told that was a reason for not watching the show. It simply was not making enough to cover its bills. They gave it a full season's run and even mounted a Twitter campaign to raise the profile of the final episodes. The fans failed it.

It costs a lot to gamble on producing any new TV program. They take a long time to become profitable. Meanwhile, the money is flowing out. It's an especially expensive gamble on sci-fi shows. Yes, they should find a way to figure out ratings beyond the current systems. And yes, viewers are looking at more content online. The problem with that is that online viewing is still not generating the revenue that broadcast and cable does – not even close yet. When a show gets canceled, it's usually to stop the hemorrhaging of money. So, when my fellow fangirls and fanboys, please keep in mind that programming execs aren't necessarily minions of Satan for canceling a favorite show. It might help the cause to watch it when it airs and on TV.

Stay tuned.

Not So Special FX, More Fun and Updates

Okay, nobody panic. I'm not going through anything as serious as a relapse. However, the activities of recent weeks has clearly pointed out that I am not quite ready to leap tall buildings in a single bound. On a more practical note, I'm going to have to seriously rethink some of my short term plans. The problems stem from the side effects of the chemo. It's a poison, after all, that I was taking for several months. My primary care Doc pointed out – with great patience – that it would be unreasonable to think that it would take less than several months for the side effects to fade. And that is at minimum. I've also discovered through the support groups I've found that some of the side effects that I thought were related to the chemo are likely permanent internal changes due to the extensive tinkering that occurred during the two surgeries. None of this is life threatening, but it presents some serious challenges with a day to day routine at times. It is really difficult to work myself up to exercise when I wake up with my joints painfully locked up or my feet are either numb or very painful – but most days, I do. For something other than a daily routine, I'm going to have to seriously think about what I can handle during the next few months. This doesn't mean that my plans are canceled by any means. However, I may have to postpone some things. I plan to make decisions and announcements to pertinent people on Tuesday.

Month of fun – Home Stretch

This is some big fun for me. I got an offer to submit a story to an anthology. I just signed the contract a little while ago. This was especially nice since I wasn't sending anything out. And it was good that I had some new material to submit. It's all very exciting. I'll post the title and where to find it when it comes out.

This month's treats were usually some sort of food. There were sweets like chocolate birthday cake (finally found a butter cream icing that worked), brownies and rhubarb compote (my first time cooking with rhubarb) and the Tiramisu. When I wasn't having a home made baked good, I was indulging in the occasional ice cream treat like a Dove bar or a Hagen Das Ice Cream bar – mainly after a long walk. And I've discovered some cheeses I've never had before. One of the nearby supermarkets sells the ends of big wheels or wedges at a steep discount per pound. My favorite new variety was an aged Irish cheddar with Irish whiskey in it somehow. And I've finally indulging in my favorite fruits. Cherries are in season and those mini seedless water melons are prime now. I've even been having mangoes! I don't typically buy them. So, not all of my treats have been calorie laden. And speaking of healthy foods, I've learned how to make sushi! I chickened out on making the inside out sushi rolls where the rice is on the outside. But I made a genuine California roll! But it wasn't inside out. I also used the extra rice to make rice balls rolled in Tobiko. I really love sushi rice and didn't want to waste it. I also managed to make buttermilk biscuits. Food wise, it's been a really fun month.

In the category of miscellaneous fun, I had some odd things published or listed on the internet. I found something really funny online that was also literary. It was a pair of actors from the Broadway play The Importance of Being Ernest reading transcripts from Jersey Shore as it the words had come from Oscar Wilde. It was called Jersey Shore Gone Wilde. I shared it with Roger Ebert and he put it in his widely read newsletter. I was as jazzed by that as I was that I had amused Roger Ebert. And my lengthy rant in defense of being an anime fan was cross posted on imdb.com. That's happened to a number of my pop culture related blogs, but I've finally figured out that I should be keeping track of that sort of thing.

I didn't get to have lunch with everyone I planned on seeing, but I don't have to restrict that to one month. Thanks again for all the kind wishes and encouragement. And don't think I'm done having fun, because June is rolling around. I still have plans. Nefarious plans.

Updates

We're still casting Octodemon: The Alcamagod. I think that's going to run over a few weeks as everyone is fitting the film in around other projects. Beyond that, we're starting to crew up. I think that's going to take some time as well. As far as I know, we keeping the same start date in July. I'll post an official update on that on the film's blog page. I will also post a reminder of where that update is on this blog. As far as the productions I'm working on, I'll be blogging about them later this week. The books are coming along at a nice, regular pace. I promise, promise, promise an excerpt or two next week.

Stay tuned.

Possible Blog Delay -- Fiction Emergency

The blog may be delayed. I've been asked to submit a piece of fiction to an anthology and the deadline is Tuesday. I have to get something out to my proofreaders today. I do have most a blog, but if it gets too late in the evening, I'll post it tomorrow.

Food Fun, Mega Geekdom and Updates

I don't usually mind having insomnia. I tend to be nocturnal and I often don't start to write until after 9pm. I write fiction then. Strangely, I write scripts during the day – like a day job. Anyway, I've been up until the wee small hours a lot lately, but I've been too punchy to focus on writing. I get a couple of pages done and then, nothing. I've tried walking a lot during the day to tire myself out. I've tried herbal tea and lavender scented baths. I've even tried going caffeine free, Who knows what's up, but it is just a bit frustrating.

Deb versus Japanese and Other Kitchen Adventures

My cooking has certainly improved over the years, but I still have many misadventures. These typically happen when I push beyond my comfort zone and try a new recipe or a new kind of cooking like dishes from a culture that I haven't tried. I really hate wasting food in general. We really can't afford to waste food currently, so I have to approach new things with a degree of seriousness. However, I don't like to view food as something that is terribly serious. Some of the food blogs I follow can get downright dour. How can you be dour about food? This was especially true on the Food Network's Facebook page. I suspect they have a moderator now as it has become a lot more civil than it had been. To the 'true believers' that were snarking all over that page, the current crop of shows don't reflect 'real cooking.' The exception to this seems to be Good Eats which is widely considered as a brilliant cooking show by fans writing on that page. I think it is as well, and I've used a great number of recipes from that show. Alton Brown, the host, introduced me to pie birds. However, one couldn't call his show serious in tone. He did Sweeney Todd, for goodness sake. And that isn't as crazy as he's been. I like cooking shows that have a sense of humor (Good Eats) as much as the ones that are purely instructional (America's Test Kitchen or Martha Bakes). Thus, I'm really enjoying shows like Bitchin' Kitchen on the Cooking Channel. Host Chef Nadia G has had some good recipes, but I really just enjoy watching the mayhem on her crazy set. Hers is the only cooking show that has ever used the term 'broke ass' in the prattle. And then there is the adorable Extra Virgin -- also on the Cooking Channel that inspired making the Tiramisu. Debi and Gabriele are delightful along with their darling daughters...and the chickens...and the 800 year old poodle named Delores.

The latest show to inspire me and make me go beyond my comfort zone is Your Japanese Kitchen. It's more instructional than funny. The music is weird though. Anyway, I've already made a very successful set of goyza or Chinese fried dumplings. Last week, they were cooking a food I love to get when eating out. So, Saturday, I made shabu shabu [picture not representational though fairly close] which is a hot pot of broth and vegetables that one cooks thinly sliced meat and noodles in to eat with a dipping sauces. Jon was happy because there were noodles, so there was no problem from him. But the ingredients were Japanese. And some of them had names with more than three syllables. So, there I was at Mitsuwa Marketplace, the Japanese supermarket near our home explaining to a very patient young man what I needed. He didn't wince too much at my pronunciations. I must have done okay as he found everything. He was cute with a great voice, too. Oh, where was my Hubs who reads Japanese? Looking at ice cream. Anyway, the process was kind of lengthy with all the slicing and chopping, but I find that peaceful. And the dish was tasty, too. Still, as far as foreign languages go, I should stick to French.

Meanwhile, because someone implied that I might be wasting my time on one of my pursuits.

A Defense for Anime and Manga Geekdom

One of the best things about being a filmmaker is that I have a built in excuse for my admittedly excessive geekdom. Of course, I have to read comics or obscure scifi books and even graphic novels (though my attorney insist that they are just comic books with an uppity attitude). Even a fondness for crappy 1980s era cartoons is understood in the wake of blockbusters like the Transformers franchise in film and the development of projects like Thundercats and Voltron for TV. Even my elderly relatives have conceded that such strange interests may yet result in my supporting myself with my creative work.

All of that understanding evaporates when it comes to anime and manga. Oh, it was okay when I was younger. My fascination with the new wave of cartoons from Japan in the 60s would pass. My mother actually liked Kimba, so she tolerated my devotion to Astro Boy, Prince Planet and Speed Racer. After all, I was very young, and I still played with Barbies. That made me mostly normal. But I was still following what anime I could well into college. I was more wrapped up with Star Blazers than I was with Luke and Laura. My interest didn't diminish as I matured. It grew broader especially as more and more translated or subtitled material became available. My relatives have long given up on trying to figure me out or reason me toward more understandable interests. We have agreed that they will remain confused. After all, we can always talk about sports at family gatherings.

My friends are another matter. I find that I am as puzzled by their lack of interest in anime and manga as they are about my intense interest. Many of these friends work or aspire to work in film. They, above all of my other friends, should not only understand my interest, they should absolutely share it. I started hammering this point home some time ago with the release of the Matrix. This past year's biggest films both critically and financially really pound the point home. Many major Hollywood films lauded for innovative imagery have been heavily influenced by anime. Please note, I am not saying that anyone stole anything from anybody. I'm saying that anime has a profound influence on some prominent Hollywood filmmakers.

Let's start with the Matrix. There really isn't a question here. The Wachowski brothers showed Ghost in the Shell to Joel Silver when they pitched the Matrix. Here is a featurette expounding on this fact that includes comments from Joel Silver. This does not, in my opinion, take away from the amazing feat in imagery and movement the Matrix achieved. The film deserved all the praise that it received. However, the inspiration for that amazingly bad assed stuff came from an anime. Not impressed? The Matrix was all eye candy? How about something that was considered highly cerebral in its theme. I know there was supposed to be this big philosophy behind the Matrix. Forget that noise. It was eye candy. The film that was critically acclaimed everywhere as much for its concept as it was for its visuals was Inception. It has been lauded as the most original idea in films is ages. I looked at the trailer and tweeted one of my favorite critics that it looked like Paprika which came out four years earlier. Christopher Nolan has said that Paprika was an influence on Inception. Still not impressed? Let's try something that was not considered scifi in any fashion. I was looking at an extended trailer for Black Swan. Some of the scenes, I remarked, reminded me strongly of Perfect Blue. Darren Aronosky acknowledges that there were similarities between the films, but it was not an influence. That's confusing to me. He actually owns the rights to Perfect Blue which he bought to recreate a scene for another film, Requiem for a Dream. Whatever. Incidentally, Perfect Blue and Paprika were by the same man, the immensely talented Satoshi Kon who left this world way too soon.

And there you have it. My intensely geeky interest in Anime and Manga is perfectly justified as a filmmaker. Heck, it's justifiable for film fans as well. You could be as annoying as I am when presented with statements like 'the most innovative etc, ect. ever seen' by pointing out you had seen such innovation a few years before. It's a magical moment at a party. Oh, I didn't mention Manga? Well, many of the titles I listed began as manga. But if you want to know the latest Hollywood interest in it, just google for details about the hellacious dust up over the plans for the Leonard DiCaprio/Warner Bros adaptation of Akira. It even has ultra mellow George Takei upset. As for me, what is the anime that is inspiring my Hums and me to write the next blockbuster. I am so not even breathing that title. My Hubs and I have never discussed it outside of our home. Go fourth and watch your own!

Updates

There aren't many right now. I'm still working on the yaoi books. We're having a casting session for the horror film on Wednesday. We also plan on signing our leads this week.

Stay tuned.

Birthdays and Curses and Updates

Jon and I inadvertently avoided a politician canvassing for votes on our block on Saturday. I'm counting that as a treat to myself. I'm not pleased at politicians turning up in my e-mail inbox. I really wouldn't react well to one showing up at my door. This past week was a tiring one that began with a six and a half hour ordeal to see my surgeon for a follow up. The actual encounter with the doctor lasted literally five minutes. One might even say we got the bum's rush out of the office. And that was during rush hour. And then, there were the two production meetings. I remembered why I really don't like production meetings (and why Jon really does). But more on that later (I promise).

Month of Fun – Birthday Week

Despite my grumbling, last week was really good on a number of levels. The weather was absolutely lovely, so I got out a lot. We had a long walk with Craig and my hat on Tuesday. Craig asked us to read his script and tell him how to trim it from over three hours to under two. Typically, such a request is daunting and really boring. But this is a voyage through what Craig considers entertaining. Oh boy, was that entertaining. It was so much fun to read that we want to read the version that is TWICE as long as this one. I was laughing out loud in the wee small hours of the morning. His use of dialogue is profane and artistic and hilarious. I told him to keep the length and go for an HBO mini-series. It's a plumb leading part for some A-lister. Craig wanted to know who as there were ways of getting the script on their bedroom nightstands. We didn't ask. Deniability is sometimes a very important thing. Did I mention that some ancient panhandler out a curse on Craig? Yeah, that happened. I've never been present when an actual curse was put on someone. Craig yelled back that aliens had stolen his camels. A good time was had by all.

On the birthday itself, there was the second production meeting. That was not loads of fun (they never are for me), but considering that I couldn't have sat through one last year, things are pretty good for me. Last year, I was barely out of the hospital from what the other Appendix Cancer patients call the Mother Of All Surgeries (MOAS). I recall being full of staples. I'm certain I was resentful of the tube still hanging out of me. IV Chemo was a notion that hung over my head like an Acme Anvil. Being cancer free this year is a reason to howl at the moon. I still have a lot of healing to do(I should remember, I get nagged enough about that), but I am well on the way. I have new and exciting work that fulfills me creatively. I even have a cause to fight for. As for the birthday, it was good overall. I spent time time with Marguerite Lliteras, one of our partners, who has a desert dry sense of humor. And then we had time with her wonderful grandson. He is six and a very, very funny, witty child who can spin lengthy tales from thin air that are full of whimsy and wonder during a relatively short ride home. Intelligent children like him are joyful and delightful and a treat to listen to. My darling nephew and my adorable little cousins could brighten my darkest moods at that age by just showing up and telling me about their days. Thus, a little ride with him was a wonderful treat. Beyond that, I roasted a lobster tail and made some pasta with a little olive oil and garlic with a side of lightly sauteed spinach. We bought a slice of fudge cake from the Cheesecake Factory to share. I had a little bubbly. The was really simple to prepare and very, very lovely. I was not in the South of France or even in the South of Philly, but I had a wonderful birthday. Thanks again for all the well wishes!

But there is way more of the month to go. There are recipes to try. This week's were a chocolate birthday cake a la Marcus Samuelsson and stuffed olives a la Chuck Hughes. Both were delicious. Will this be the month I try to bake croissants? Who knows? There are a whole lot of interesting things in my bookmarks. And there are the lovely lunches. I've had two this month, so far. One was with Craig after the lovely walk and curse. Second, was a delightful lunch with dear friend and wonderful actor, Ray Proscia. He has a brutal yet hilarious way of cutting through the crap of any situation which helps when dealing with a sometimes crazy person with a serious illness. He has seen the worst that this particular cancer can dish out with another friend, thus he was the ideal person to deal with me. He has seen me at my worst and could still make me laugh. Lunch was a celebration of victory. And, as always, there was tasty industry gossip!

Updates – Many and Varied

Blast from the Past

Walter Koenig was at Lucy's studio for a shoot last week. I don't think Ralph saw him since Dragoncon nearly ten years ago. Anyway, it was really cool that he remembered working on The Privateers with us all those years ago and remembered us very fondly. that made Jon and I feel really good. We haven't been able to offer much in the way of money to actors, but they always manage to have a good time on our sets.

The Films

The production meeting blog is on the new page for Octodemon: The Alcamagod. There are even photos of some of the locations. My plan is to do as much photo documentation as I can and put them up in a timely fashion. Jon and I plan to be the videographers for this shoot. That footage will be on draggontv.com. We'll probably post that weekly. That will depend on the mayhem going on.

For Demon on the Run, I'm still working a script to fit the resources we have available. It's coming along, but I am admittedly going slowly. I want to make sure that we can shoot everything that I write. Thus, I have to research each scene to make sure I have assets in place to make it work. This is the opposite way line producing usually works. However, this is normal for web series. Those are almost always written around resources and not just around an idea.

The Books

Insomnia has been a good thing for my writing. When I finally get tired of watching late night true crime shows or reruns of Hawaii Five-O, I listen to music and work through character arcs. Despite having a clear plan for my novels, I sometimes find that the arcs of any given character weren't what I expected. A Soldier's Destiny is going very well. It's been difficult to pull an excerpt to put in the blog because there are some serious spoilers before or after any given love scene. Silly me. I need to write more gratuitous love scenes! There is a lovely moment that is developing in my head. I will try to share it soon. The dynamic has shifted between Rik and Vincent where the younger man has become the protector in the relationship. He no longer needs the nurturing he required as a young soldier. He matured through all the experiences on his own and with Rik. The shift is timely as Rik needs to be emotionally protected to do the kind of training the newest and most volatile recruits to date require. That's been interesting as the story remains from Rik's point of view. Hopefully, there will be a scene I feel safe in putting up soon.

Ensnared has been a fascinating trip. It is the first time I've broken up a couple once I put them together. This has been a challenge to deepen a relationship without physical intimacy. There have been a lot of near misses and longing. My leading man, Darius, is the most arrogant character I've ever written, yet I find him amusing and endearing as well as extremely dangerous. Andreas is amazed by his once and future lover's behavior. Andreas believes that Darius has arrogant handwriting. He is amused and befuddled at being blamed for the erotic dreams Darius has while they are apart. It's been a delightful dance for the characters as they make their way back toward each other. I will share a scene from this book soon as well.

Stay tuned.

Blog Part Two Delayed

We have another production meeting scheduled for Wednesday. I will post updates on the projects after that one. Good news though. There are casting dates and a shoot date for the horror film.

Stay tuned.

Tiramisu, Juleps and Shirtless Hestons

I'm breaking up the blog into parts this week. Jon and I are having a production meeting about the horror film later today, so I'm thwarted from doing a complete update of the projects right now. I'm hoping that this will be the beginning of an easier week for me. Some days, I feel like I can power walk twenty miles. Some days , it's very hard to get out of bed. Currently, I'm negotiating between taking my time and becoming more active. I do have to push myself to build my strength and flexibility, but I can't push too far. I must confess that I have found the search for balance frustrating. When will I feel normal? What will be normal from now on? Bah! Let's move on!

Month of Fun

This has been, despite my difficulties, an amazing week for fun and food. Well, the fun was mostly food. I ate at one of our favorite diners, The 50s Cafe in Venice. I had some fabulous cheeses. There was a lot of food last week. Well, it wasn't all about food. There was also a great conversation with my Maw-In-Law(she's a hoot). And I spent some time on the road with Craig. That involved a protracted discussion about The Omega Man (too many albino mutants with afros, too much Anthony Zerbe , and way too much shirtless Charlton Heston. That discussion shifted to one about The Last Man on Earth which Craig liked better probably because it lacked those elements of the former. Finally, we rounded things out with a lively debate over I Am Legend, the film not the book . All three films were based on the same book. It was a very strange ride to and from the hospital. All I'm certain of is that Craig hates movie hippies, white afros and shirtless Hestons. And I can laugh until I'm dizzy.

Jon gave me my first present yesterday. I had asked for him to restore two photographs of my mother. This first one is of her(on the right) with her sister, Eleanor. Weren't they fabulous? They were on their way out somewhere on a Saturday night. It's one of my favorite photos of my Mom. Jon is working on the absolute favorite. I'll share it soon.

The most amazing thing about this week is that I'm not suffering through my usual May irritation over not being in France. Not that I don't want to be in France. On any given day since I returned from there, I'd like to be back. This year I'm not irritated about it. One does a lot of walking in France. In Paris, walking often includes walking up and down stairs to the Metro or in the hotel. In Cannes, at the Marche du Film and the Festival, there is a heck of a lot of walking. The market itself is at least the size of a football field while the films are scattered all over the city. Typically, our hotels have been at least a twenty minute walk from the center of the action. The last time, we were twenty minutes away and up a steep, three block long hill that is a foothill to the ALPS. I always eat like a crazy person in that country, yet I always lose weight. This year, I'm not in good enough shape to handle that much walking. And that's good, because it keeps me from being annoyed. Thus, I can better enjoy the month of fun at home.

We found the Lady Fingers! Gabriele had recommended Bay Cities Deli, but I mistook it for Sorrento's Market in Culver City. It's a place frequented by Food Network types and is down the street from where Randy Lived when he was out here. Oh boy, did they have lady fingers. Jon believes that they had a lady finger aisle. He felt that the packages were mocking him. I wouldn't go that far, but there were a buttload of lady fingers to be had there. Thus, it was time to tackle Tiramisu. Basically, it's an egg yolks whipped with sugar which is mixed with egg whites that where whipped with sugar and mixed with mascarpone cheese. There is also a dash of Marsala wine. The lady fingers are dipped in cold espresso coffee then covered with the mixture. Simple, right? NO! The mixture kind of curdled when we mixed the wine into the cream mixture. I had to use a blender to force an emulsion. The pan was too big, so we needed a recipe and a half of everything. We didn't find that out until there wasn't enough of the cream until we were assembling everything. I had to take a break and rest before we could finish. The second batch of cream came together more smoothly by not bringing the Mascarpone cheese to room temperature. It was delicious. I'll try making it again when we get a better sized pan. I do think we did a great job for a first time.

This past week was full of holidays for me. The Kentucky Derby was rolling around, and I still hadn't finished the food and drink from Cinco de Mayo. Yes, the Kentucky Derby is a holiday for me. My mother and I would celebrate Mother's Day and my birthday by having a Kentucky Derby Party. I had to put aside the burrito fixings in favor of making sweet tea, mint juleps and fried chicken with biscuits. Well, Saturday was not a good day. I didn't really get to sleep until 6am. I wasn't sure what I would be able to pull together. My last attempted at biscuits was not very good. I really didn't feel like frying chicken. But when we got to our nearest market, they had fried chicken that's really good. I got some fresh cole slaw fixings and the buttermilk. I had a plan for those biscuits. You see, I had recent found Martha Bakes, a show by Martha Stewart. She did a whole episode on scones and biscuits that showed me where I went wrong the last time. I had handled the dough way too much and rolled it way to thin. Her recipe was simple and it worked well. I had taped the Derby to enjoy with dinner. The race was fun, the julep was great, and the biscuits were not perfect – but they were really good.

The birthday itself is coming up during the coming week. I'm not sure what sort of mayhem will be involved. I'm hoping for seafood and a little bubbly. Updates will be in the next installment either tonight or tomorrow.

Stay tuned.

Big Hat, Big Fun and Big Updates

I need a hat pin. I have this really big sun bonnet with a brim that likes to catch the breeze. So, if I dont want to make like Sister Bertrill. How many of you knew who she was without clicking on the link? In the interest of complete documentation, here's a Video Link. Where was I? Oh, yeah, the sun bonnet. I didn't mean to get one quite that big though I must confess to wanting one since I was young. There is a straw version called the poolside hat that's just gi-normous. All I'll need is a huge pair of sunglasses and I'll be ready for the Riviera! Last week, Jon, the hat and I went walking from the Santa Monica Pier to Venice Circle. According to my pedometer, it was a three mile walk. It seemed a lot longer to be, but then it was the first time I've walked that kind of distance since I fell ill. The weather was perfect last Friday. It was really bright and sunny, but there was a wonderful, cool breeze. Thus, the need for a hat pin. I wasn't silly enough to look for one in a department store while we were out. It was challenging finding one on line that wasn't 'antique' (expensive). I did find one for under ten dollars on a site called Etsy.com which is an Ebay like site for handmade crafts of all types. And my hat came from a neat site called Coolibar.com. This site specializes in clothing and accessories that protect wearers from the sun. My hat has an spf of 50+. I plan to do two major walks a week to get in shape for the Appendix Cancer Awareness Walk in June and to just get back into better overall shape. Oh, and Venice has finally made it official, it now has an actual freak show to go along what was long thought to be a freak show. It boasts a five legged dog, a two headed pig and something about a lizard. I don't know. Scary.

Month of Fun

It's May once again. It's time for the month long celebration of being on the planet. The original plan was – and is – to do something that's a little special for myself each day of the month. Now, Agent Cooper maintained that you should give yourself a little present every day even if it's just a damn fine cup of coffee. This may be the secret of true happiness (it sounds plausible), but I can only seem to do it consistently for a month. Today was brownies. I made some for Jon and me. It was going to be Tiramisu, but we couldn't find lady fingers. Annoying. I hope I don't have to actually order them from Amazon.com or some other site. There are a few more markets left to try. One of them is a high end market. The odds are pretty good. Since I've never tried to make the dessert at all, I'm sure not going to try to make lady fingers on top of that. I'm supposed to be having a fun time here. [It's now Monday. I've been to three more markets with no luck in the lady fingers department. I finally had to write to Gabriele Corcos, who with his actress wife Debi Mazer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debi_Mazar , is the host of the Cooking Channel show Extra Virgin http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/extra-virgin/index.html . An episode of that show is the reason I was trying to make the dessert. They are based in LA, so I figured they'd know where to find the danged things. They did. Thank you Gabriele and Facebook!] Btw, my present for today was a burger and a cherry coke at my favorite diner, the 50s Diner in Venice, CA. The plans for the rest of the moth are shifting and nebulous. I have no real plans for the actual birthday. I do know we'll be doing casting and pre-production on the horror film. So, in the midst of that, I'll be scheduling lovely lunch encounters with friends. Jon and I will try to make First Friday in Venice to have some gourmet truck food this Friday. Beyond that, I'm winging it.

Updates – Now in More Categories!

The Secret Cancer

I've had over a dozen replies to my calls for patient/survivor/caregiver stories. I am deeply pleased that this many people are willing to share such an intimate and painful chapter of their lives on camera with a complete stranger. I must be careful about these interactions as the stories can be really overwhelming for someone who has been enduring the disease and the treatments. I've had to restrict my work on the film to twice a week at the most. In other news, I've had contact with is Audrey Hepburn's eldest son, Sean H. Ferrer. I can't go into great detail, but it was a wonderful conversation. I look forward to his participation in telling her story. I'm also still raising money for the film . The Indiegogo.com campaign is still new and it needs a higher profile. Please follow the LINK even if you cannot donate. Hits raise our profile and will eventually get us on the front page of the site. This can be accomplished faster by clicking on the tiny red link on the right hand bottom of the page. It says 'feature this.' So, donate and/or spread the word!

The Horror Movie

We're having our first production meeting(s) this week. Out of those, we expect to have a start date. We'll also be finishing the cast selection. So far, everyone is happy with the script, so that makes me happy. Meanwhile, I have to fill out the half inch pile of paperwork for the WGA. I'm letting Ralph handle SAG. As it is, I'm not looking forward to my sixth call to the WGA to clarify their forms. I still can't reveal a lot, but I can say one of our leads is raring to go! He really liked the crazy in the script.

Demon on the Run – The Mini Series

Sometimes, having to delay is not a bad thing. In the case of shows with limited resources, a real surprise can come our way. In this case, it is a location that literally was not available when we originally planned to shoot the first episode of this series. It is being managed by one of our favorite crew guys who worked both The Privateers and Demon Under Glass. It's also a five minute walk for Jon and me and a five minute drive for Garett Maggart. Now, two of our main locations are very close to home. I'm not implying that we're lazy, but not having to deal with freeway traffic to do this shoot is a very, very good thing. Also, I happened to have an opportunity to speak to Garett about a twist we had in mind to doing the flashback scenes with Simon through the ages of Vampire pop culture. He watches a lot of shows and has an eye for what will play well. When he started making suggestions that had me saying 'okay, that's really screwed up.' I knew we were really onto something. Since we don't have lots in the way of money, we have to make sure everything on screen is interesting through character work and storytelling. These twists really play with the form and do both. I was really happy that he not only got it, he could build on it. That script is well underway now. I'm also working on a web page through blogspot.com. There should actually be something on it by the end of the week.

The Novels

Tonight is an exception as I am still working on the blog, but most nights are reserved for working on one of the novels or both of them. I'm making steady progress. I've actually reached the magical moment with them where I can see so much of what is happening that I am merely reporting what is unfolding almost on its own. There have been some very interesting deviations from my original outlines in both cases, but I like where they are going. What's amazing in the Soldiers book is that there are still things for me to discover about Rik and Vincent. That's very exciting for me as a writer. I'm thinking that it will be exciting for my readers. I'm planning on excerpts in the next week or two.

Stay tuned.

Not the Blog Yet

I was late starting the blog on Sunday. Then, we went grocery shopping later than planned. I finally settled down to write the thing after a really late dinner when THE news broke. I don't look at extended news coverage anymore. I could only stand the coverage of the earthquake in Japan because it was in Japanese. I didn't watch the royal wedding not because of what it was but because news commentators send me up the wall. Though it may be noted, and would make my dear late mother and her sisters very proud, I noted that the bride's dress reminded me strongly of Princess Grace's with but ONE glance. It's a Harris sister thing. Anyway, given the gravity of the news, I couldn't not look at the coverage. Heck, I even delayed watching Last Cake Standing. Due to the nature of the coverage, I couldn't split my focus as I sometimes can. And afterward, I was exhausted for some reason. This is my very long winded way of saying that the blog will be up later today or tonight. There is a for real Freak Show, a gigantic hat, the Month of Fun and Updates.

Stay tuned.