This is Patrick Jane from The Mentalist as played by Simon Baker. (Maybe he could be my substitute muse when Daniel Craig is unavailable?) I like this character a lot. He is complicated and not entirely likable. Intelligent, occasionally sympathetic, and often darkly funny. Each time I watch this show, I'm inspired to write deeper layers for the characters in my stories.
I read Mr. Monster, the sequel to I Am Not A Serial Killer, in one day. Dan Wells deftly writes a gripping page-turner. The way he weaves humor and irony throughout a dark, disturbing plot line is nothing short of brilliant. 'Tis the season to be scared, and I certainly was. (P.S. Don't read this if you don't like horror.)
And for a completely different change of pace, I watched The Young Victoria. (Sorry the picture is so small.) I loved this movie! I cried at the end and wanted to rewrite history for Victoria and Albert so they could grow old together. Excellent film making, beautiful costumes and scenery. Five stars out of five stars.
Now, after this mental vacation, I'm relaxed and set to tackle my current project. I'm finishing an adaptation of Dr. Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas. I am writing it for a performing arts center in my community, and they want it in rhyme. (They're paying for it, so who am I to question?) Let me tell you, I'm not a poet, but it seems to be coming along anyway. I am revising the last paragraphs today. Challenges, challenges . . .
Have you watched or read anything good lately? Are you facing a difficult writing project? I'd love to hear, blogging friends.
ooh, i LOVE Jane on the mentalist. he's s such a perfectly flawed protaganist. I love that sometimes he's a complete asshat and unlikeable
ReplyDeleteI'd take him over mr Craig any day, send him to me when you are not using him :)
ReplyDeleteI am just getting into vampire diaries on TV and I am hooked I burnt dinner today because of that,
I just watched How To Train Your Dragon and was surprised by how much I liked it. It took me back to my dreams as a child. You've got to love something that can do that!
ReplyDeleteBest of luck on your project, it sounds like a lot of fun!
I loved Young Victoria, too! It was a delightful surprise. The previous Netflix had been Bright Star, which I couldn't finish, it was so incredibly boring (and that's saying a lot, because I like subtle films, even hard-to-understand French films from the 60s).
ReplyDeleteI've been stuck on a scene in my chapter 4 for weeks now and I'm thinking I just may have to write a couple sentence summary for now and just move on. Two of the characters have their first fight of the book and I can't decide how gentle or harsh to play it. My CP Jenn would tell me to write it both ways and see which works. Which I should do. Bleh.
Ooh, I love The Mentalist!! Great way to be inspired! ^^
ReplyDeleteLove Patrick Jane!! Simon Baker's not bad either. :)
ReplyDeleteThe other day husband and I were tallying up the number of series we watched or have gotten hooked on this year, thanks to Netflix, and...yeah. Let's not remember how we watched ALL 6 SEASONS of Lost in a month. *ahem*
Yes.
Oooooh he's HOT!! But there is only one Daniel Craig..! :-)
ReplyDeleteI've not seen the Young Victoria - it came and went in the cinemas here after a day or something like that - but I trust your fabulous taste and will look out for it to rent or borrow somewhere!!!!
Awwww lucky people to have you adapt Dr Seuss for the theatre and in rhyme!!! Yay!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!
I've finished and edited to death my chapter one. I cannot do any more on my Chapter one and hopefully will get some feedback from nice bloggie friends who volunteered to read the first 500 words!! Yikes!! If the majority say yay then on to chapter 2 if the verdict is nay then off I go to join the Order of the Sisters of Mercy and gawd help us Nunnery!!! LOL! Take care
x
What a pleasant surprise to see that actor on the page, we watch the series on the other side of the pond, and he's a great substitute for Daniel! :0)
ReplyDeleteMental vacations are sooooo important. Congrats! Just bought SKIPPY DIES by Paul Murray. Excited to get started.
ReplyDeleteYou can edit something to death, I think. I've done this so many times until I've thought that I've only made it worse.
ReplyDeleteI just finished blogger Jody Hedlund's The Preacher's Bride, and LOVED it. One of the best books I've read this year. Now I'm about to finish Tamara Hart Heiner's Perilous (she's another blogger on Chasing Dreams). It's got its problems, but it's a pretty good suspense story (YA). I try to support bloggers when I can by buying and reading their books. I've got a stack right now to read!!
Good luck with the adaptation of Dr Seuss. It sounds like fun (and you get paid too!! Great!!!)
Have a lovely weekend.
Ann