Winter Passing

[billythrilly7]

Re: Winter Passing

I look forward to this thread passing.

[Jake Schuster]

Re: Winter Passing

Burning books is a no-no, Herr Goebbels. But you can make up for your evil thought by sending me, c/o Done Deal Pro, a case of Dom Perignon, 1978. I will in return send you a copy of one of my novels.

And it's not a romance.

[YACAM]

Re: Winter Passing

Jake,

Once I was at a "Chapters" book store and where was this African American gal who wrote romance novels with a bunch of gals attending.

First, I learned real men don't read romance novels, and secondly don't ever mention this to a bunch of middle age suburban white gals and expect to get laid.

I did buy her book, I should have bought a bottle of wine and used her novel to light a fire.

[I HEARD That!]

Re: Winter Passing

We have no excuse, Ele. None at all. WE must get cracking immediately.

[elephant1978]

Re: Winter Passing

I've just got to get work, Jake. I've just got to. Thanks for the help.

A.

Join the club.

Ele...

[andlary1]

Re: Winter Passing

I've just got to get work, Jake. I've just got to. Thanks for the help.

A.

[Jake Schuster]

Re: Winter Passing

Andrea, I haven't been a teacher in quite a few years. But these women who come to readings--they're always women, the ones who sit there, nodding and smirking and shaking their finger (no, not that one) at you--seem to have a kind of "gotcha" attitude. It's very transparent, as if they're saying, "If I were published like you are I'd show you a thing or two."

Inevitably after a reading they're first up--they never buy a copy, of course--to tell you about their book, how great it is, and "by the way, can you read it for me and recommend it to your agent?"

I once did a reading on a hot summer evening in a Barnes & Noble. Five people showed up. I did my spiel, took a few questions, and fifteen minutes later they were gone. All except for the guy at the end of the row. He stared at me, then approached the table. He placed a business card in front of me.

"If you ever need a lawyer, gimme a call."

Andrea, when I write novels (which I really don't do anymore), I write for myself--I write the kind of books that I like to read. Not a bad bit of advice for screenwriters, either.

[andlary1]

Re: Winter Passing

It's funny, but almost every time I've done a reading (when I've been out flogging a new book), there's always someone in the second or third row--always a woman--who sits there nodding and smirking. And when it's time for questions, she's always the first up: "I know why you wrote that scene. It's because you hated your mother." (Or variations on the same.)

Happens all the time.

So I have ask the perennial amateur question (which you have to love because you're a teacher). For whom do you write? And which is your best?

If Mrs. Smith in the third row adores you because she can project her son's hatred of her from your book, haven't you done your job?

Secondly, Hairy, shall I wait till Winter goes to DVD?

A

[Hairy Lime]

Re: Winter Passing

Well, yeah, "woman with cats" is less likely to appear at a film festival Q&A than at an author reading.

[Jake Schuster]

Re: Winter Passing

Remember the novelist Henry Green's definition of a novel: "A long intimacy between strangers." Audiences for books are different from those for films. Each reader assumes him or herself the sole audience. They take it personally. And they jump to (usually) all the wrong conclusions.

[Hairy Lime]

Re: Winter Passing

My advice, Hairy? Don't write books. Otherwise your deep dark past will become big, bright and public.

Kind of like running for office?

I already bare my soul in my scripts and will in my films, so I don't see how books would be any different. Just less pay.

[Jake Schuster]

Re: Winter Passing

It's always a variant on one or other bit of psychological insight. Perfect strangers claim to know you better than you do yourself. Comes with the territory, I'm afraid. (And those are the ones who never queue up to buy a copy afterwards.)

My advice, Hairy? Don't write books. Otherwise your deep dark past will become big, bright and public.

[Hairy Lime]

Re: Winter Passing

Maybe you should hide your maternal hatred a little better, jake.

And did someone just compare Salinger to Goldilocks? That post was nearly vig-like.

[Jake Schuster]

Re: Winter Passing

It's funny, but almost every time I've done a reading (when I've been out flogging a new book), there's always someone in the second or third row--always a woman--who sits there nodding and smirking. And when it's time for questions, she's always the first up: "I know why you wrote that scene. It's because you hated your mother." (Or variations on the same.)

Happens all the time.

[whistlelock]

Re: Winter Passing

You're kidding me right, Jake? I mean, OF COURSE every story is secretly about how the writer's father took him out to the tool shed. In metaphor. OR allagory. *







*note the sarcasm smilie.