Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Ode to Molly

How did I love Can't Buy Me Love? Let me count the ways.

I love your hero. Having had some experience with someone who survived a physically and emotionally abusive father with no one around to protect him, I can tell you that you hit that nail right on the head. That combination of toughness and vulnerability? So real and so complex and absorbing.

I love your heroine. Oh, Tara Jean Sweet with your stash of Mike and Ike's and your hopes and dreams. Who could resist you? I certainly couldn't. I would have loved to be there so I could have been your friend. I know you needed one and, quite honestly, I generally have lemon drops in my purse.

I love your family drama. Oh, the loyalties and the jealousies and the love and the shifting allegiances and all the tangled up strings that bind us together. You write them so damn well.

I love our love. I love the respect you built between Luc and Tara. I love their journey of discovery. I love that they heal each other.

So thanks, Molly, for a great read and your general awesome-ness. Smoochies.

Monday, July 30, 2012

RWA 2012

Oh, man. I have a conference hangover. And probably a hangover hangover. One of these years I am going to manage that Harlequin party like an adult - and not like a 13 year old kid.

Full disclosure - I threw up on Stephanie's shoes. Not the red RITA shoes, but still...my shame is powerful.

All in all this felt like a very low key conference. There was very little "the sky is falling, we're all doomed" vibe. And there also seemed - to me - a real pull back in the "you do it digitally, or you're a fool" conversations. Digital and traditional seem to be figuring it out and the smart authors are using both. That was my sense, or maybe it was just what I wanted to hear.

Harlequin seems to have a new commitment to it's lines, particularly Superromance. New distribution, new marketing efforts, amazing new covers. It feels very very positive and forward thinking.

I didn't hear much talk about the law suit, but I wasn't seeking the talk out. Anyone else hear about that?

I missed Eileen, running without her is no fun.

Stephanie looked AMAZING on the red carpet and though she didn't win, she was gracious and confident and a total knock out. Next time, Steph.

I am totally TOTALLY amazed by the generosity of some writers - Susan Andersen, RaeAnne Thayne - I am humbled by their enthusiastic support.

RWA feels like a different beast to me, and I'm still trying to figure out what I get from it. As a beginning writer it was all about information and light bulb moments. And not that I'm not still learning plenty - there were lots of great workshops on marketing and how to use GoodReads to best advantage, and Facebook. But it's just a different beast and I'm so pleased that RWA manages to create a conference that serves every aspect of my career.

What did you guys think?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Airplane movies

I watched three movies on the flights back and forth to Paris. There's definitely certain movies you do not want to see on an airplane. I once watched Pay It Forward on a flight and ended up holding hands with a total stranger across the aisle as we both sobbed uncontrollably at the end.

My sister told me she didn't see what the big deal about Avatar was and then I found out she'd watched it on an airplane. Totally not a small screen movie.

You need something that isn't dependent on special effects or huge panoramas. You need something about relationships. Something about dialogue and subtlety. Preferably not something so emotionally manipulative that you're going to end up embarrassing yourself publicly.

I watched 21 Jump Street.

No joke. All the reviews I read said that it wasn't as stupid as the critic expected. All I can say is that those critics must have had EXTREMELY low expectations. That was a spectacularly stupid movie with the exception of the Johnny Depp cameo. That few minutes was awesome.

I also watched The Descendants.

That was a very smart movie. It was kind of a perfect airplane movie. Interesting. Absorbing. Emotional, but not devastatingly so. What I don't understand is if that girl can act that well, why does Diary of an American Teenager suck so much? Do they direct her not to act well in that?

Last, but definitely not least. I watched Young Adult.

I'd been resisting that one. I don't tend to like movies where the main character is that unlikeable and make no mistake, Charlize Theron is very unlikeable in this movie. But the script was awesome in the way that it let you empathize with her and understand her even if you wanted nothing to do with her. Charlize Theron was awesome in how she made the character both sympathetic and emotionally hideous.

So those are my airplane movie reviews. Anybody else seen anything great on an airplane lately? How about you people flying to Anaheim? What you got?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

I Love you Aaron Sorkin... Call me!

I want to confess the reason I titled the blog this way is in the hopes that Aaron Sorkin has Google Alerts turned on and will see this. Then of course he'll come to the blog and try to contact me because he knows I'm probably his destiny.

But if that doesn't happen let me say out loud and to everyone reading this blog... that I think I found my "real" boyfriend. He's my brainy boyfriend who I want to spend time talking to all night long. I want to debate politics with him. I want to fix the world with him.

You know the saying  - you don't know what you're missing until it's gone. I felt that way when Aaron Sorkin stopped writing for the West Wing (my favorite TV show of all time.) I still watched it of course but something was suddenly missing.

Now he's back writing for The Newsroom on HBO show and it's like being reunited with an ex-boyfriend without all the awkwardness. The familiarity of his voice. The themes he likes to use. The storylines - are different but similar too. "Can I help you?" He says that ALOT.

But more importantly I want to bathe in his writing. I want to let his dialogue run down over me like a hot shower. I could listen to him... just listen to the show and it would be more than enough.

In watching all the extras HBO offers on the shows many of the actors simply refer to what they're doing as "Executing Sorkin." "Speaking Sorkin." Like he's Shakespeare. Okay - I want go that far, but I do think he's one of the best script writers of my generation... and I love him.

Sorry Eric.




Wednesday, July 18, 2012

I Want to be Blake Lively

Yes, she is pretty and yes, she has a great body the likes of which I only dreamed of even when I was her age... but I really want to be Blake Lively because she has sex with Tim Riggins, I mean Taylor Kitsch, in the opening scene of Savages.

And then, soon after, with the adorable Aaron Johnson. And both are okay with it. It all seems pretty idyllic.

Okay, correction, I only want to be Blake Lively during the first 10 minutes of the movie. And not just because of all the terrible things that happen later. I'd only want to be her for a short time, even if things had continued calmly.

I think my favorite line of this movie went something like: they love each other more than they love you, otherwise why would they share you?

And that, to me, was kind of the crux of her story and why her character, O, was an intereresting choice as a narrator. She's a pawn, a bystander, a prop in her own life. Almost a way for the two men to express their love for each other physically without,  you know, actually having sex themselves. Ultimately this movie is a bromance. A story about two very different heterosexual men who love each other and complement each other, and ultimately both need to change to survive.

One could say that it's a story about them saving O, their mutual girlfriend, but really it's about them saving their business, saving their friendship, and saving their own lives. I keep changing my mind about who the real protagonist of this story was. Watching it, I thought the Aaron Johnson character, because he changed the most. But in many ways, watching his friend change, changed the Taylor Kitsch character too. It's almost like together they made one man, which maybe was the point of the story. That, and the not-so-subtle message that "savagery" is subjective, in the eye of the beholder. Both sides dismiss the other as, "Savages" more than once. I'm frankly still thinking about this movie and need to have drinks with Sinead to discuss, but in spite of all the violence, the story has a very romantic, almost sentimental feel to it.

Slightly spoilerish paragraph: The film has two endings. And I was rolling my eyes a tiny bit during the first ending. Or more accurate perhaps, I was thinking, "Really? Really? After putting me through all this, you're going to go all Romeo and Juliet on me???" But then we realize that's not the ending, it's only the way the very romantic and naive O wanted it to end, then the movie veers into a more Hollywood typical ending for this kind of story.

Bottom line: I liked this movie. Did I think it was the best movie I've ever seen? No. Will I see it again at some point? Definitely. Just to analyze it, mind you, not to see shots of Taylor Kitsch's ass and imagine I'm Blake Lively. Honest.

Monday, July 16, 2012

PIMP MY READ! Fun new contest to win an ereader!





Pimp My Read is your chance to win one of four fantastic e-readers, as well as best-selling, super-sexy, fun contemporary romances by authors Ruthie Knox, Sarah Mayberry, Shannon Stacey, and Molly O’Keefe. This week, we four authors bedeck ourselves in (virtual) feathers and gold chains, climb on top of our Pimp Caddies, and sing the praises of e-readers and digital books at four fantastic romance review sites: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Smexybooks, Dear Author, and The Season for Romance. At every site, one of us is giving away an e-reader, as well as prizes for runners-up. If you’ve been on the fence about which e-reader to get, or even why you would get one—or if you love your e-reader to bits and are dying to convert a friend or family member to the digital side—this is the contest you’ve been waiting for!



The Prizes

Sarah Mayberry is giving away a Kindle Touch 3G at Smexybooks,

Shannon Stacey is giving away a Nook SimpleTouch with Glowlight at Dear Author,

Ruthie Knox is giving away a Kindle Keyboard 3G at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books,

and Molly O’Keefe is giving away a Kobo Touch at The Season for Romance.



The winner of each e-reader and two runners-up at each site will also receive Exclusively Yours, Undeniably Yours, and Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey, Her Best Worst Mistake and Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry, About Last Night and Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox, and Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe.




How To Enter

To enter, leave a comment explaining either (a) why you want to win this e-reader for yourself or (b) why you want to win it for someone else. Please include your e-mail address in the appropriate comment field so we have a way of contacting you if you win. Your e-mail address will not be visible to the general commenting public.



The Fine Print

1. Feel free to increase your chances of winning by entering once at each of the four sites! But please, only one entry per site. Deliberate multiple comments on any individual e-reader giveaway post will get you disqualified.

2. The contest opens on each site when the post goes live and closes at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, July 20.

3. Ruthie, Sarah, Shannon, and Molly will choose the winners from among the comments on the site where each posts. Feel free to entertain us or tug at our heartstrings — we’ll pick the winners whose comments most effectively sway us!

4. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

5. This contest is open internationally. The e-readers on offer will work in many, but not all, countries. Please be aware that geographical restrictions may affect your ability to use/enjoy your prize.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Savages

So I saw a movie, almost during opening week, perhaps even before Maureen (Maureen, did I?)

And I really enjoyed it. I generally enjoy Oliver Stone's movies, especially when he's not trying to make a point and just trying to enjoy himself, which he clearly was here. A lot of people have compared it to Natural Born Killers and it's not a bad comparison, and Stone clearly has always had a lot of love for his antagonists, and in the case of Natural Born Killers, his protagonists are also the antagonists.

Here Stone clearly loves his protagonists, they are beautifully shot, gorgeous actors and he gives them all the best motives, until they go up against the bad guys, who, except for Salma Hayek, are not gorgeous, but amoral, cold-hearted killers.

And it's fun to watch and it does have Taylor Kitsch, who is seriously beautiful in this movie, but it's too easy. What would have been more interesting would have been to have the main three roles played by the actors who played the villains. Benicio Del Toro is an amazing actor, but not the most gorgeous actor, but leaps off the screen here, as does John Travolta.

The movie would have been much more interesting had Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson played cold-hearted, amoral killers.

Or maybe I'm looking for more reasons to root for the bad guys...

Anyone else seen it? I could see a lot of people being put off the movie by the violence, which was pretty gorey.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

I Felt Like A Writer

So I had some time off over the 4th of July holiday and I’m cranking through my current WIP. Hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday just writing, writing, writing.


It was so good to be in a grove. So amazing not to have to think about anything else but these characters and what I’m doing to them.

I’m not going to lie, most days I feel like a Claims Operations Director of a small software company. That’s way boring. But during those beautiful three days I got to feel like what a full time writer gets to experience and I have to say I really really liked it.

I never thought I could quit my day job even if financially I could afford it – which I can’t so it’s never had to be a real decision.

But I always thought I would need the buzz of people and the office chit chat and the day to day “grind” of life in an office to keep me focused.

Now I’m not so sure. Just listening to all the characters talk in my head was like having my very own water cooler with fictional characters keeping me entertained.

So shhhh… Don’t tell my bosses, but if I ever do make the NYT list because I’ve written a story about a boy wizard, or an angstsy vampire, or a guy who likes to spank women…. Then maybe, just maybe I might have to consider becoming a real full time writer.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

City of Light!

Hey, drunklettes! I am on vacation like I've never vacationed before. I'm in Paris. The real one in France. Not the fake one in Las Vegas or the one in Texas. Actual Paris. I was going to upload a photo, but I'm having technical difficulties. Suffice it to say that it's awesome here. I'll be back next week. Ready to out my nose to the grindstone. Maybe I'll discuss the movies I watched on the plane.

Monday, July 09, 2012

Winner Navy Rules! And John Carter

Rissa8 - you are our winner! Thanks for coming by and commenting, please email me at molly @ molly - okeefe dot com with your address and we will get your book in the mail to you!!

Quick side note - I saw John Carter this weekend. There were so many ticks in the win column for this movie - Taylor Kitsch, directed by Pixar genius Andrew Stanton, screenplay (I think, fixed in part?) by one of my favorite writers Micheal Chabon. But so strange that all of those wins didn't manifest into something huge.

I think there were a few things working against it - people went into that movie expecting sci-fi lite. And got Sci-fi old skool. That initial whiplash can be back breaking. Parts of it seemed silly in the way old skool sci-fi can seem silly: long monologs, by the ambiguous bad guys, herky-jerky set up, very complicated world building that required a lot of explanation in a couple of key parts. And I think Stanton and Chabon, confessed genre nerds, loved those aspects and perhaps couldn't see past them to the audience reaction.

I wanted to love it, didn't, but still enjoyed it.

Friday, July 06, 2012

Good Will Hunting and character introduction

So I feel a little guilty using Molly's favourite movie as a blog post, but I rewatched it last night and it struck me that it introduces its main character almost perfectly.

I love that the first time we see Will Hunting, he's running into a fight, and unlike his friends, does not know when to stop fighting and to run, and the next time we see him, he's eviscerating a pompous Harvard student with his knowledge of economics.

It's a complete contrast, but works perfectly because Will is so smug about what he knows, but so rough in the way he holds himself, the way he dresses and so obviously in pain underneath the surface. And the movie takes the time to show us all sides of him, so when he does solve the unsolveable equation, we are not surprised.

It goes against a pretty solid rule which is show us character during the progression of the story, but this movie is basically the progression of a character, so they can do this and because he's so unique and so interesting.

I love the way the movie unfolds, but that beginning is so engrossing. He could be an unlikeable character except for his love for his friends and Matt Damon's clear likeability.

Now I'm trying to figure out, should I go see Savages soon? It does have Taylor Kitsch, and it  does look pretty interesting, but reviews are mixed...


Thursday, July 05, 2012

Everything I know about love and life I leanred from Nora Ephron


1.      Men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.

2.      You can’t take it back. It’s already out there.

3.      Everyone thinks they have good taste and a sense of humor but not everyone could possibly have good taste and a sense of humor.

4.      He’s never going to leave her.

5.      I’m not your consolation prize.

6.      And I’m going to be forty! Some day.

7.      How long do I have to stay here and hold her. Is five minutes enough?

8.      When I took her hand for the first time it was… magic.

9.      Elizabeth Bennett is the greatest female literary character of all time.

10. I could never be with anyone who likes Joanie Mitchell.


And the most important of all... 11.  I’ll have what she’s having.
                                                                                      
Your voice and your romanticism will be truly missed Ms. Ephron. Thank you for everything.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Got Cover?

I do. :)

I expect many people who frequent this blog have seen this already, but just in case...

Here is the front of the dust jacket for DEVIANTS. The first book in my YA sci-fi thriller series that comes out October 30, 2012.



It's available for pre-order in hardcover, kindle and audio formats. More links to come when available. :)

Barnes & Noble
Amazon US
Amazon Canada
Amazon UK



Monday, July 02, 2012

Welcome Geri Krotow!



Every month Harlequin Superromance puts out some amazing books. It's a line that consistently challenges and fulfills the promise of category romance. One of my favorite authors is Geri Krotow, whose books are as interesting and surprising as her life!

One lucky commenter can win a book!!







Hi Molly and thanks for hosting me!

My new book, NAVY RULES, is the first in the Whidbey Island Series and published by Harlequin Superromance. It stars Commander Max Ford, an injured naval officer who is back from the war and in need of healing. Winnie Armstrong is the Navy widow and wife of his best friend who died in a Navy crash. Winnie offers Max relief in the shape of her therapy dog, Sam. Max and Winnie have a history, though—she became pregnant the one night they were ever together, almost two years ago.

I’ve wanted to write a military family series since I first sought publication. My desire is to highlight the strengths and struggles of military families who, world-wide, sacrifice and serve so that you and I can go after our dreams in the freedom we enjoy. As you know this business can be a bit convoluted and rarely do we get to write our “book of the heart” right out of the gate. I was thrilled when my editor suggested I focus on military romance and particularly that involving an entire military community. Our family was stationed on Whidbey Island, Washington for a total of 5 years, and my husband had the privilege of commanding a squadron there. I was blessed with so many friendships and the opportunity to see first-hand how we can all come together in the toughest of times—I learned about the September 11, 2001 attack while my husband was deployed and I was alone with our two children. But I wasn’t alone—I had the entire Navy and civilian community of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island to join hands with.


Our navy life came to an end just two weeks ago as my husband retired from active duty. But our many duty stations and overseas experiences continue to inform my stories. The increase in word count to 85,000 for Superromance came just in time for me, as I long to write subplots and richer character arcs.
Thanks to you and your readers for having me!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...