Holiday Entertainment

My friend and writer-extraordinaire Sonia Gensler has compiled an awesome list of holiday-themed fiction. You can check it out HERE. 

I'm hoping to read the YA novel THE TWELVE DAYS OF DASH AND LILY by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn sometime this month, as I really loved DASH AND LILY'S BOOK OF DARES.

LET IT SNOW, also YA, by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle is probably my favorite of the ones she listed that I've read.

I've been thinking about favorite Christmas movies and my favorites are pretty unconventional. In other words, weird. But you know, we like what we like and we should never apologize for that. So in case you don't want to watch It's a Wonderful Life for the umpteenth time, here are a couple I love to watch every year.

The first is a class. A classic romantic comedy that I just adore so, so much in all of its black-and-white charm. "The Shop Around the Corner" takes place during the depression and stars Margarat Sullivan and Jimmy Stewart.

Favorite Quote: "The boss hands you the envelope. You wonder how much is in it, and you don't want to open it. As long as the envelope's closed, you're a millionaire."

Next this funny and heart-warming film that probably shouldn't work but really does so perfectly, thanks to spot-on writing and Michael Caine's brilliant acting.

Favorite Quote: "Light the lamp, not the rat!"

We have lots of snow and ice here and more coming next week, so I'll be doing a lot of reading and movie watching I suspect. Hope you can take the time to do the same!

Thinking vs. Feeling and the movie "Her"

I dragged my husband along to see the movie "Her" this weekend. I don't know why, but Joaquin Phoenix fascinates me. I think he is incredibly talented. Like, I loved him in "I Walk the Line." I don't crush on him the same way I do Robert Downey, Jr. But I enjoy watching what he does with a role, if that makes sense. Anyway, a couple of smart people I admire were raving about it on twitter and facebook, and I was curious. So we went.

As you probably know, it's basically a love story between a man and his advanced operating system. But if you only think of the movie that way, it sounds too absurd, and you won't go and see it. So don't think of it that way. I mean, okay, yes, there were times when my husband and I looked at each other, kind of shaking our heads, because it did get weird at times.

But man, they do a good job with Samantha (the woman in the computer). I mean, come on she writes him songs! They talk in the middle of the night, and she's so kind and caring, and she's just what he needs and you can't help but fall in love with her for that.

On one level, there's this very scary thought about what our future might look like. But on another level, it does a tremendous job taking a look at what it's like to be in love -- the good things, but also the difficulties that come along with it too.

It's just... kind of brilliant. (a note here, to my younger readers - the movie is rated R for a reason. I would not want to see this movie sitting next to my parent. Or even a new love interest, because - awkward! Just FYI).

As I've been thinking about it, I've been thinking about how some authors are so good at writing books that make you think. YA authors like A.S. King, Maggie Stiefvater, Corey Whaley, David Levithan, and others. They kind of amaze me, to be honest, how they're able to do so much with a story.

My YA novels are much more about emotion. I don't really set out to make them that way, they just... are. And I think that's okay. I mean, there are times you're happy to have a book that makes you think and ask lots of questions and look at life in a different light for a moment. And then there are times when you just want to connect with a character and see what happens.

Of course, there are those rare stories that make you think AND make you emotional. I didn't cry while watching "Her" but I heard others did. I think John Green's books are good at doing this, and that may be why he's so very successful. It's a rare thing, I think.

Anyway, whenever I watch a smart movie that makes me think, or read a book that's like that, there is always a little twinge of envy inside me. I mean, wow, to be *that* smart. But, that's not me. And it's okay. The fun thing is that I can really enjoy the smart movies and books in a way I can't some of the others because I know it's not me and never will be. I can just sit back and be in awe and fangirl about it.

I'd bet you have never seen anything quite like "Her." And what a rare treat that is when it happens, yes?

Why I love the ending of The Goodbye Girl

I caught the tail end of one of my favorite movies yesterday, when someone (@readjennymartin) tweeted that it was on TV.

When I was younger, I just adored Lucy, the daughter of single mother, Paula. Actually, as I watched yesterday, the 10-year-old me, who struggled to understand divorce and accept new people coming in and out of her parents' lives, was still there, wishing again that she could be more like Lucy.

Anyway, I was a bit disappointed I didn't catch the whole thing, but that's okay, since I've seen it so many times. I caught the best part: the ending.

I think it can be hard to get endings right, in both books and movies. With my own books, I know I've rewritten endings fairly often, way more than I have to rewrite beginnings. As I was thinking about this particular ending, however, I wondered why I like it so much. And here are my thoughts:

1) It manages to be a bit surprising while being somewhat predictable too

It's a romantic comedy. They are supposed to end up together. And I believe Elliott when he says he's coming back. Yet I also understand Paula's insecurity. I want her to believe him too. And so, when Elliott calls her and invites him to come with him on his 4-week acting stint, wonderful. And she says she doesn't need to go, being invited is enough. But then. THEN, he asks her to get his guitar tuned while he's gone. It's in that surprising moment -- that realization along with Paula that he left his one and only prized possession in her care -- when our hearts go YES! He IS coming back and now Paula knows it too. It's just so, so perfect. Doing something surprising at the end is HARD. In future books, I've vowed to think about this more, because man, when you can find something that catches your readers a little off guard, in the best way possible, it's just the best.

2) It's true to character

I think sometimes it's easy to forget, when crafting story, that our characters must come first. That is -- what they do, how they act, what they say -- needs to be consistent and believable. The guitar IS Elliott, in many ways. It was the perfect thing to bring into the ending, and to cinch the scene, so to speak. I love, love, LOVE it when something that has played a part in the story throughout comes back to play some significance in the end.

3) It's not cheesy

I am not always good at knowing what's cheesy. It takes a lot to get me to roll my eyes. I've decided to watch more Hallmark movies this holiday season so I can get a better feel for cheesy. I mean, I really want to have a better cheese radar. It's important, as a writer! But could anyone view this ending as cheesy? I think not. It's just pure - awwwwww. He left his guitar. Of course! It means he IS coming back. And that's what we wanted as we watched, an assurance for Paula that he would be back and everything would be okay.

There's probably more, but it's way past time to get to work. I've decided I need to do more of this though - when I love a story or a part of a story, take some time to think about why that love came about. I think it can only help me in my own story writing.

Have a great week!

Five things that make me happy

I am feeling down for a few different reasons, so in an effort to cheer myself up, here are five things that make me happy right now.

1. Oikos Greek Yogurt has some new flavors, and I am kind of obsessed. For lunch I just had Toasted Coconut with some fresh pineapple cut up in there. YUMM-O!!!

Banana cream is FANTASTIC (might be my favorite of the ones I've tried). Orange Cream is good. I haven't tried Key Lime but I have one in the fridge I'll try soon. 

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2. I am loving New Girl this season, wondering if Nick and Jess are ever going to get together. But my DVR cut the show off, and I have no idea how it ended last week. He said good-night and then it was over for me. Did they go their separate ways or not? Please, if you know, fill me in! This show makes me laugh every single week. Love it so much.

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3. And because I need to laugh right now as I juggle a hundred different things (not really, it just seems that way to me most days) I love this book that I'm reading right now. So fun. So funny. I love Nate and this book totally deserves all the buzz it's been getting.

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4. I broke down and got HBO last month because I couldn't stand the thought of waiting for who- knows-how-long to watch the new season of Game of Thrones. Well, since getting HBO, I've watched a few movies I hadn't seen or even thought about for ages.

Rocky. Back to the Future. Sister Act. My oldest son even watched Back to the Future with me, and he really liked it. I'd forgotten what a GREAT movie it is. Definitely one to watch with your tweens/teens if they haven't seen it yet. Anyway, hooray for movies that stand the test of time!

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5. And finally, bangs. I grew out my bangs two or three years ago and really tried to make it work, because I had this thing in my head that a lot of people think bangs are not stylish or something. I don't know. But last week I was tired of it and I asked my stylist to give me bangs again, she did, and I am so much happier. Not nearly as cute as Reese, there, of course, but yay for bangs, I say!

So what about you? What's bringing you a little joy these days?

Friday Five - The Movie Version

Let's talk movies, shall we?

1. I watched The Town last weekend, and dang, Ben Affleck, if you didn't smash my low expectations to smithereens. You are good, you are hot, and you kept me on the edge of the seat the entire time. Ben not only starred in it, but also directed it, and even helped write it! I highly recommend it (but be warned, every other word is the F word, so, you know, make sure to watch when tender ears aren't around).

2. Last weekend we also rented Inception, which I know everyone probably saw in the theaters except me. Everyone who said it is mind-blowing is right. I'm actually really glad we watched it at home because my husband and I kept asking each other questions and talking out loud. "Wait, are they dreaming?" "What about now, is this real or not?" "Do you get what's happening?" "No, do you?" Yeah, people would have been annoyed with us in the theaters.

3. OMG, how much did I love Easy A. Very, very much. I think I laughed through the whole, entire thing. Her parents were SO hilarious. How come we can't all have parents like that? I have this urge to watch it again, actually, and that never happens with me and movies, but it's so rare to watch a movie that is really and truly funny, I think that must be why. I especially loved the homage paid to John Hughes. Just... love, love, LOVE!

4. When a friend invited me to see Tangled with her and her kids, I admit, I hesitated. Most kids movies put me to sleep. Okay, I have a few I love - Up, How to Train Your Dragon, and Finding Nemo. But, this, I don't know, it just didn't look that good to me. But my friend and her kids had already seen it once and were going back AGAIN, so I thought, wow, it must be good. And was it ever! It's one of those movies where the trailer really doesn't do it justice. It's really magical. And funny. Plus, can I say how fun it was watching her little girl get excited about the special parts? SO CUTE!! I loved the tower - wow! I want to live in a tower like that. Or, you know, have one in my backyard that is my writing tower. Don't you think any writer would just magically write better if he/she had a tower like that? My friend said if I liked it, I should rent The Princess and the Frog. So I'm going to do that. And make my teen boys watch it with me.

5. On New Year's Day, my family went to the movies, planning to split up, because we each wanted to see something different. My husband wanted to see True Grit, I wanted to see The King's Speech, and the kids wanted to see Tron. Well, we got there and The King's Speech was sold out. I was like, okay, I'll go see True Grit with my husband. Got in there, and the only seats left were in the very front, and neither of us can do that. So, we all ended up seeing Tron in this huge theater that was only about one-fourth full. They should have put The King's Speech in there! Tron was just okay - not really my thing. I probably should have went and watched Tangled again. Much more my speed.

My husband said this morning we'd try and go see The King's Speech this weekend. I hope we do, I have heard such great things about it, and want to see it before the Oscars, since it will probably take some awards.

What movies have you seen and loved?

A Thankful Heart

On Saturday, as the kids played new games, I flipped through channels trying to find a Christmas show to entertain me and my husband before we had to leave for Christmas dinner at my brother's home.

I stumbled upon the The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Thank the good Lord, I stumbled upon the The Muppet Christmas Carol! I was smart enough to hit record, since we'd have to leave before it was over. So, later on, we all sat down and watched it from (almost) the beginning, the whole family. And my kids loved it too.

How I've managed to go through almost twenty Christmases since it was released and not watch that movie before this weekend is beyond me. I was mesmerized. Michael Caine was BRILLIANT. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more.

When I was a child, I listened to a record called The Frog Prince over and over and over again on my little record player in my room. Back then, we didn't have DVRs or even VCRs (I know, the horror!), so I saw the movie once, and then it lived on through the record. It's fun to revisit the movie on youtube now. Anyway, until now, that was my favorite muppet movie:





But now, I have The Muppet Christmas Carol. Ahh... love, love, love!

The Friday Five

1. I have this longing to go to a movie theater and spend a whole day watching film after film. To just get swept up and away in story after story. Should I do it? Have you ever done it?

I want to see THE KING'S SPEECH, THE TOURIST, TANGLED, DUE DATE, BURLESQUE and HARRY POTTER!!

Of course, I've had SCOTT PILGRIM VS the WORLD sitting here to watch at home for over a week, and have I made time? Uh, no.

2. Speaking of movies, have you seen the trailer for WATER FOR ELEPHANTS? I loved that book. And the trailer makes me squeal with joy. It looks magical!

3. I just posted my Christmas list on Facebook. Here it is:

FALL FOR ANYTHING by Courtney Summers and FIXING DELILAH by Sarah Ockler
Taylor Swift's Target Special Edition CD
Trip to Paris

4. I'm a little sad today, as I say good-bye today to the girls and readers of the Author2Author blog.

5. My copy-edited manuscript of SPRINKLES AND SECRETS is calling to me. I better get to it.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mama Curmudgeon and 3-D Movies

I'm sort of a curmudgeon when it comes to 3-D movies. If I don't think it's going to really add a lot to the movie, we see the regular version rather than the 3-D version. I mean, come on, going to the movies as a family is expensive enough, and then to add $5.00 extra per person for the 3-D experience? Examples of movies we could have seen in 3-D but DIDN'T include Despicable Me, Toy Story 3, and How to Train Your Dragon. In those movies, seeing how the story played out was far more important than the visuals, in my humble opinion.

My boys were big fans of Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. My oldest read at least ten of the books in middle school (he read as far as the series went at the time). My youngest read to about book seven, and then lost interest. Anyway, they were excited to see the film adaptation, Legend of the Guardian. I looked up reviews, as I usually do, and most of them said the the 3-D affects for this movie were fantastic, and some said the visuals were far more entertaining than the story. I sighed and said, "Okay. 3-D it is."



And I have to say - the visuals were stunning. They definitely kept me entertained when the story didn't. My boys really enjoyed the movie, so much so that my oldest son came home and immediately started rereading book 1. I'm glad we saw it in 3-D.

So yesterday, we hear about the next latest and greatest 3-D films coming to the screen.

In our house, I'm pretty sure we have more Star Wars Legos/toys/games/action figures/bed sheets/stuffed animals than we do family photos. George Lucas probably has a vacation home funded completely by the Schroeder family. So you can imagine how excited my boys were to hear about ALL SIX STAR WARS MOVIES BEING RELEASED IN 3-D!!



Mama Curmudgeon doesn't have a fighting chance with this one, folks.