Posted by: Author | February 1, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: wordless Wednesday
Posted by: Author | January 31, 2012
Foreign Language Films
I like to watch foreign films and this past weekend, I took the time to watch two. One was called Flammen et Citron and the other was called Army of Shadows. Both dealt with the resistance in World War II. I’m fascinated by the people who were so daring as to take part in those activities. One of my novels coming out this year has a character who was in the Resistance. Since the book is a romance, I didn’t get into the darkness of that kind of war within a war.
The first film I watched was about two Dutch men who executed Dutch traitors as well as Nazis. It was dark and disturbing as the war itself must have been. The lines were blurred and knowing who to trust was very difficult if not impossible for those men. This movie was based on two real people and it was a very harsh look at the ugliness of war.
The second one I watched this weekend was Army of Shadows and was written and directed by two men who were actually in the French Resistance. It was also dark and gritty but there were lots of heroic moments in it. The characters in this story were also in situations where they had to do things they probably would’ve never dreamed of doing in non-war times. In this film, there’s an actor who plays a former pilot who joins the Resistance. He’s super handsome and I thought he looked kind of familiar. I saw his name in the opening credits and wondered if he was the father or somehow related to one of my favorite French actors.
Once the movie was over, I looked him up and, what do you know, he was the father of the man I was thinking about. The slideshow is of the father and son, John-Pierre Cassel and Vincent Cassel. I love that they both followed the same career path. I can’t wait to check out more of the father’s films. He was one good looking man and a wonderful actor.
Posted by: Author | January 30, 2012
Madame Butterfly
I didn’t get a chance to talk about this last week, but I went to the opera with my friend. We enjoyed the show immensely. I usually love the male singers much more than the female ones. I have issues with sopranos who seem to get inside my ear canal and root around with a borer. I was thrilled to hear the artist in residence here in Pensacola sing the part of Butterfly so well. She floated her notes just the right way so they weren’t abrasive. The servant, Suzuki, was also played quite nicely. All in all, the singers were wonderful.
The best part of the whole thing was the staging. The setting was exquisite and the colors the stage director chose for the costuming and the trees were exquisite. The scene where Butterfly waited up all night for Pinkerton to return was so well staged, it really seemed like a long night into dawn was taking place right before our eyes. I was quite, quite impressed with our Opera company. Can’t wait for Rigoletto in March.
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, Opera, Pensacola, Pinkerton, Puccini, Suzuki
Posted by: Author | January 27, 2012
Friday Facts- January 27, 2012- Uyimbube
Uyimbube is a Zulu phrase meaning you are a lion. It was a lyric in a song written by an African singer of Zulu origin named Solomon Linda. The song was recorded in the 1930s. It was called Mbube.
Eventually, the song made its way to the international stage and was recorded by The Weavers as a song called Wimowah, which was a mis-hearing of the word Uyimbube from the original song.
We all know the song as The Lion Sleeps Tonight– here is the familiar version by The Tokens:
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: Africa, Friday Facts, lion, solomon Linda, The Weavers, Uyimbube, Zulu
Posted by: Author | January 25, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
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Posted by: Author | January 24, 2012
Release Date Moved Up
Sebastian’s Salvation is now going to be released by Siren-BookStrand on February 7, 2012. Super excited to have this one out there. Sebastian is a hero who is near and dear to my heart and I can’t wait to share him with readers.
Posted in Books | Tags: release dates, Sebastian's Salvation, Siren Book Srand Publishers
Posted by: Author | January 21, 2012
Book Trailer Made by My Publisher
Check out this trailer for Snowbound Hearts.
Posted in Books | Tags: book trailers, books, Snowbound Hearts, Sophie's Snow Day, Still Moments Publishing
Posted by: Author | January 20, 2012
Friday Facts- January 20, 2012- Taught vs. Taut
TAUT:adj. taut·er, taut·est. 1. Pulled or drawn tight; not slack. See Synonyms at tight. 2. Strained; tense: nerves taut with anxiety. 3. a. Kept in trim shape; neat and tidy.
TAUGHT: vb the past tense and past participle of teach
In the recent past, I’ve read quite a few books and novellas- remember, I had two long plane trips and a layover in Charlotte and I got loaded up with books at Christmas and for my birthday. I was appalled at the same mistake that I saw in two of the books. These books were professionally edited.
I’m quite sure all of you who read my blog know the difference in these two words and I don’t want you to think I’m “dumbing down” my Friday Facts, but I just had to share this with you all. Not once but five times in one of the books I read and twice in the other one, this word was used completely wrong.
Dig these sample sentences which are not exact quotes but are paraphrased: “his taught nerves…” and “his stomach taught” “Over the taught ridges of his abs” and “a sighting of one taught butt cheek”
Come on! Really? What did his belly teach? Math? Science?
Both authors also used the word taught in the right way a few times, but neither of them ever used the word taut. What is that about? And how weird that out of all the recent reads, two had the same big, glaring error? Sad, really.
Posted in Friday Facts | Tags: airplane reading, definitions, editor, Friday Facts, Grammar, taught, taut, travel
Posted by: Author | January 19, 2012
Feeling Better…For the Moment
I am feeling better right now about things, but I know it’s a tenuous thing. One little thing could upset my apple cart again so I’m holding onto the moment of good feelings.
I’m meeting some friends for lunch and that should be fun. I plan to have a beer- a Sweetwater 420. They are light and refreshing so even if my friends aren’t fun and refreshing today, I’ll have my brew to keep me company and sometimes, that’s enough, right?
Posted in Random thoughts | Tags: beer, brew, friends, life, refreshing, Sweetwater 420
Posted by: Author | January 18, 2012
Wordless Wednesday
Posted in Wordless Wednesday | Tags: wordless Wednesday
Jillian Chantal 