Halfway into a long blog I discovered that it was incoherent. So I scrapped it and wrote this. I’ll take another crack at what I started on Thursday. 😉
Author: Writer guy
This means war!
I’ve waged a private war for over a year now, a messy and nasty conflict, like all wars. What is this war about? I’ve railed against an effective synopsis of The Ridge Runner. Sure, I had a synopsis ready. But it was, let’s say…a bit vague. Mostly, I blame my apprehension on the fact that the synopsis requires one to reveal not only key plot points, but the ending. OK, the plot points in the open I can deal with. But the ending? Oh man, this is a thriller! I give away the ending, why would anyone bother reading the rest?
Basically, I skirted the ending in the synopsis, shrouding it in vagaries. And then it hit me: I’m trying to get an agent to the altar and represent me. My synopsis isn’t working for me, it’s working against me.
To psyche myself up, I sold myself on three good reasons to break out of this thinking
1) Many months of crappy synopsis, no agent. Connection?
2) When agents make a see more, go away decision the synopsis is one of two things they request. Since the synopsis is only two pages odds are high they read it.
3) Successful authors usually don’t have to write them. In other words, this is another toll on the road. Either I pay it or argue with the toll taker.
And to smash the rest of the way through my issue, I wrote a synopsis for Velocity. Not only is it easier the second time, it may just help me out while writing the book.
The Forgotten
I had high hopes for the new psychological thriller The Forgotten and in spirit the hopes proved correct.
The setup of this film is effective, even stunning. From the interplay of the narrative and sparse yet razor sharp dialog – to the performances, it works. In terms of execution of the script, the movie works. Julianne Moore, the star works. Visually, the Forgotten works. Plot wise, the movie needed a few more passes at the old word processor.
The concept is creative. A woman grieving the loss of her son discovers that everyone around her but her has forgotten the child ever existed. How and why do they forget? Those conflicts are the movie and they try to deliver. But the resolution is a major problem. It’s too convoluted, too implausible given the story up to that point.
If the ending were a beverage it would be burnt coffee laced with saccharin. Yes – its possible to drink such things, but why?
Verdict: Video or DVD rental. Matinee – but only if you must see Julianne Moore strip down to a bra and panties for two seconds on a forty foot screen.
Movie Riot
Tonight when the house lights dimmed in the movie theater, panic struck. No, it wasn’t a justifiable riot over the price of concessions. It was me and my old friend panic.
Many months have passed since a panic attack toyed with me. Or was it last week? Anyway, I had a moderate episode as the trailers started. A college student in a football jersey, his head shaped like an elf, plopped down next to me. That part was all right, but then he pulled socks onto his feet.
The thought of someone with an elf shaped head was creepy. But the thought of someone coming to the movies to put socks on their feet while sitting next to me was too much to bear.
So to Mr. College Student: Next time please wear proper foot gear to the cinema. Besides the obvious health risks and my discomfort level, socks work best when applied before leaving the home.