San Saba Texas - Wine and Cows

 Spent Easter Weekend in San Saba, TX at Aunt Pat's ranch. Typical of small towns, the courthouse is in the center. I contribute movie reviews to her Little Paper of San Saba

 Trying to unload our stuff. The cows freaked me out as they edged closer and closer to the truck. I know they were hoping for food, but I'm just not keen on up close and personal greetings. There is a whole San Saba chapter in my humorous memoir - My Zoo World.

 It's not Napa Valley yet, but the Texas Hill Country is sprouting wineries almost as fast as cactus. We visited the Wedding Oak winery. The gate wasn't closed so I only got a photo of the "Ing" side. Pretty gate background, I'm sure, for weddings. We sat in the courtyard and enjoyed the blush wine.

Inside - casks of wine. On the wall was a plaque for the 300 member club. No names yet. If Ray does get on Pat's deer lease, maybe he'll join as the first member. But somehow wine and deer hunt sounds like an odd combo.

It was a fun Easter weekend and then as an added bonus, we had rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trust me, that is blessed news.   Now onward to April.

Mishmash of Movie Reviews

In theaters now, but not on this critic's list of high priorities. I'm stealing opinions from the Dallas Morning News, and making rash statements with nothing to back them up.

Admission starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. They gave it a C- and the previews looked about that rating. Tina can be so funny, and Paul Rudd is likeably sweet, but as a romantic pair? Um, that doesn't strike me. She's a Princeton admissions officer. He teaches at an unusual school that has a worthy student. She comes out to review the case file, hilarity is supposed to ensue and they fall for each other. Apparently this movie bogs down and slogs through 110 minutes.

The Croods - family movie. animated flick about the Stone Age. Solid B given by DMN. They said it's not the Flinstones and not Ice Age, but funny as the Crood family learn about the world and take some risks in life.
Olympus Has Fallen - C-. It's Die Hard in the White House, starring Gerard Butler (he's cute, but not a good actor) as the secret service agent left inside the White House to save the President from hostages. Apparently it lacks suspense. Not good for a thriller.

Spring Breakers - Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens leave Disney World (literally) and are grown up girls gone bad. Violence, nudity, robbery, James Franco with corn rows, and crazy party scenes. Apparently this movie actually has the suspense lacking in the Olympus movie. This R confection of girls in bikinis is given a B-.

Oz The Great and Powerful (a D) stars James Franco as the wizard before the fabulous classic The Wizard of Oz. One word. Why?

Onward to What's in Your Queue?  I have watched these films on Netflix.

Man on a Ledge stars Sam Worthington. Nick is a fugitive ex-cop out on a window ledge in Manhattan. Is he really going to jump or is there more to the story. Bad guy, mega mogul Ed Harris is across the street along with his safe containing a huge diamond. Could Nick's brother and crew be boring under that building to steal it? And why? This is a fun rental and had some twists and turns.

Step Up Revolution - another in the Step-Up dance movies. The kids are interchangeable as are the plots, but the dancing is fabulous. Everyone has abs of steel and look great in stretchy outfits. One bonus - Peter Gallagher plays the mean father of our heroine. He's so good. Those eyebrows deserve their own applause.

Chronicle - Teens stumble on a weird substance in the Pacific Northwest woods. Soon they exhibit super powers, but trying to harness this power proves challenging. It's the old using power for good or evil plot, but there are twists and turns. The special effects are clever and I liked this movie. It was recommended by younger guys at my work, and for once they were right.

The Flat - this documentary is haunting. Arnon Goldfinger's grandmother dies in Tel Aviv. She was 98. As they clean her apartment they find papers and photos that stun them. This Holocaust survivor and her husband were friends after the war with a former SS officer and his wife. How could that be? The history Arnon uncovers along with emotions makes for a stunning documentary and quite a family tale. Big thumbs up on this one. (Of course, I'm fascinated by that whole time period and the survivors,etc. - strong people with quite a history).

Reality Strikes

Thank you  Annalisa Crawford  for this award. Now I have to answer a few questions.

If you could change one thing, what would it be?  I would try to be more positive about my books and writing. Still filled with a lot of self doubt. I lack confidence in promoting my work.


If you could repeat an age, what would it be?   28 - I was at a spot earning decent money, looking to buy a townhome, finished with my masters degree, confident, fit, and ready to conquer the world.

What one thing really scares you?  Animals - you know they could attack at any time. See My Zoo World - my humorous memoir explains it all.   If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?   This is a bizarre answer but I'm going with my first thought - Dame Maggie Smith on the set of Downton Abbey. I'd like to have her cane in hand and get to crack someone in the ankles with it.  

I shall pass this award on to Sherry Ellis  and to  Ann Summerville  

Romancing the Book Event Pics

 Bedford Library held its first all day author event. Authors, like me, had display tables and could sell books.

 Here are Carole Nelson Douglas  http://www.carolenelsondouglas.com  and Sharon Owen http://www.sharonkatherine@sharonkown.com

 Carole is crazy prolific - the library had a separate display for many of her books. What is interesting is she's moving some work from traditional to her own e-publishing. She "wants control of her work." The  publishing world is changing a lot.

 Workshops were held and also author readings. Sharon Owen reads from her mystery - Thicker Than Water. We eagerly await the sequel.

Here, Carole is checking out Ann Summerville's cozy mysteries. Quite a selection to choose from.
http://www.annsummerville.com

I don't have a picture here, but Bonnie Pemberton read from The Catmaster and her sequel The Lizard Returns.

It was an enjoyable day. Next year we need to lure even more of the general public into our web of words.

Sneak Preview: Love Tatters

Saturday is an all day FREE author event at my local library in Bedford, TX. Hope there is a good turnout (I think the weather is actually supposed to turn "cold" - that should help keep folks indoors). I plan to read some stories from my new collection - Wordsplash Flash.

Here's your sneak preview of one - Love Tatters

Makyla surveyed the school bus seat choices and resigned herself. Age seven, she pouted, “You didn’t save me a seat, Layla, like you promised.”

“Sorry. Today, Tami had sweets. We’ll sit together after school.” Layla’s brown eyes tilted up and she gave an emphatic nod, before her dark head bowed over a game.

“I saved you this seat, Mac,” said Ethan as he leaned and patted the cushion. She looked to make sure he hadn’t placed anything squishy, like a jelly donut, in her place.

“My name’s Makyla, not Mac.” She flounced into her seat as the bus lurched toward the school. She sighed. I hate being the last pick-up. “Hey, not my hat again, Ethan. Give it back.” She reached up to smooth down her flyaway curls. “You look dumb, you know that, don’t you?”

Ethan had her red hat pulled down so that it covered his ears. He grinned and his face flushed as he shook his head. Then he dangled the hat in front of her before flinging it backwards. There was a clamor as boys tussled. The bus driver shouted half-heartedly to sit down and behave. Makyla glared at Ethan, then faced forward, ignoring the frenzy behind her.

At school, she and Layla walked to class. “Wait up. Here’s your stupid hat.” Ethan tapped her on the shoulder, stuffed it in her hand, and ran down the hallway.

Morning recess. Dodgeball. “Ethan Merritt, chunk the ball at someone else,” Makyla hissed in his ear as they changed sides of the gym.

Mrs. Monroe had everyone form a circle for reading time. There was a scramble for spots. Dismayed, Makyla found herself between Ethan and Nick. She squirmed as Ethan surreptitiously pinched her leg. “Young lady, do you need time out?” the teacher asked. “No, ma’am.” “Well, then, sit still.” Makyla scrunched her face at Ethan, looking so engrossed in the story.

Lunchtime arrived and Makyla, seated with Layla and her friends, blocked the straw cover that Ethan blew her way.

After lunch, she ran to the swings and flew high until Ethan pushed her off. Makyla limped to the nurse for clean up. She heard the nurse call her mother, “She’ll be fine. Ethan is a charming freckle-faced hellion seeking attention.”

Makyla returned to find the class creating Valentine’s. “Here’s a black crayon for you,” cackled Ethan. She found a red and drew a heart for her mother.

Class ended, the bus ride home mercifully quiet. First stop, Makyla exited, then turned as she heard her name. “Hey Mac…for you.” A huge red heart sailed out the window and then shredded under the bus tires.

First published in Doorknobs & Bodypaint, February 2009, Issue 53

Movie Review: Side Effects

Side Effects stars Jude Law, Channing Tatum, Rooney Mara, and Catherine Zeta-Jones in a pharmaceutical thriller. Don't expect big things from this movie, but there are more twists and turns than a doctor's scribbled handwriting on a prescription. Channing is newly released from prison for insider trading. His wife, Rooney, suffers from depression. She is assigned Jude Law as her psychiatrist after she tried to drive her BMW into a wall. Is she suicidal? Can Jude help her and what did her previous doctor, Zeta-Jones, do for her.

Rooney Mara, in her teeny body with her large expressive eyes, seems to be a nutcase and grows more so as she's prescribed new meds. She can't focus at work, she can't sleep, or sleeps too hard and is up sleepwalking, sleep cooking, and yes..........sleep killing!!!! Who's responsible? Rooney, Dr.Jude Law, or the drug makers themselves? Suddenly, Jude Law finds himself having to defend his practice.

This is not just a movie about the evil drug companies. A large proportion of society takes anxiety medicine and there are huge dollar sums involved. Side Effects gets rather convoluted as it guides us along the trail of murder and money. For this time of year (often a dumping ground for stinkers), the movie is entertaining and has a great cast. I was suprised at various times, and wondered if I needed meds to figure things out. In the end, probably better to stick with popcorn.


Netflix Queue:

Ruby Sparks - a writer needs to conquer writers' block. But when he jots down the attributes of his dream girl, she comes alive.Things get weird as he tries to duplicate his early successes as a writer. This movie is quirky and amusing. It stars Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Elliott Gould, and Annette Bening

Undefeated - this Academy Award winning documentary is quite impressive. A white coach volunteers to lead a West Memphis high school football team that has never gone to a playoff game. We meet him as he starts to work with a group of eighth graders and manages to keep them in school on into high school. These are very poor young black men without fathers who are on a path to failure. However, football is their lifeline and this exemplary coach loves them, guides them, yells at them, and uses terms like character and team. It is quite a tale and you'll root for the Manasas Tigers to win.

Tulips and More - 2013

 Annual Spring Fling at the Dallas Arboretum and 2013 is in fine form. I know I post tulip pictures yearly, but truly - they are spectacular. So, I shall shut up and let you enjoy the view.

Nature .......... makes nothing in vain - Aristotle