Open Mic Wednesday 1/26/11
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
It’s Open Mic Wednesday. What’s on your mind?
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Books by Kaye Dacus
Novel in Progress
Follow the Heart*
Book 1 of The Great Exhibition Series
Due May 1, 2012
first draft completion goal date: 01/31/12
*working title
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Middle Tennessee Christian Writers
Downton Abbey
Have you been watching? For those of you who haven’t yet already watched the ending of it on DVD (as I have), what are your predictions for what’s going to happen in the final episode on Sunday?
I’ve seen enough excerpts, plus the preview to know that love/hate story between Mary and Matthew will come to its black moment (Plus, it just has to, anyway, right?) I try not to think too far ahead with this one.
I love this series even more than I expected to. Everything about it is exceptional and I can’t get enough of Maggie Smith and those incredible faces she makes!
The setting, the costumes, the secrets, the love stories… what acting!
I’ll quit now.
I watched Notting Hill last night for a mini-break. I forgot how adorable Hugh Bonneville is in that movie.
Isn’t Maggie Smith fantastic?
Since it’s Wednesday I’m doing pretty good with my resolution to “be surprised” by Part Four of Downton on Sunday. I can’t wait!
I’m so impressed by your restraint. :-p
Lack of time plays a part in it.
Oscar Nominations
So, what do y’all think about the movies/actors/actresses who received Oscar noms yesterday? What movie are you hoping will win best picture? Actor? Actress?
I’m really hoping The King’s Speech does well in any or all of the 12 categories in which it was nominated. SUCH a good film!
Is it snowing where you are?
Yes, it is snowing here in Lexington. I think this is supposed to be a small storm though. I believe we’re predicted 1-3 inches.
No. I think it’s forecasted to reach 60 degrees by the weekend. I’d like some snow.
We’re supposed to be in the 40′s over the weekend, then more of the white stuff early next week. I have to admit it is pretty.
Yeah, it’s supposed to be about 50 degrees here in Hot Springs today. Snowing in Nashville, though.
What’s your most recent dream you can remember?
Sitting in a car waiting for whoever is in a store to finish shopping and return. On the radio is playing a praise song I’ve never heard before, but it has transported me. I woke up with the chorus running through my mind, and though there was much more of the song in my dream, I can’t recall another word of it now. Frustrating. It was called Break These Chains. I don’t usually dream that coherently.
Hawaii Five-0
I’m Team Steve.
Loved that the tall, dark-haired, death-obsessed Squintern from Bones played another scientist role on H50 on Sunday night’s episode—and that he used the “field trip explanation” to explain the tsunami warning system to Steve and Danno.
That same guy played a photojournalist on “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt,” a movie we watched last weekend with Michael Douglas. Much less of a depressed character. Exciting to see our Squinterns other places!
Will watch that at lunch today. Enjoyed last week’s ep very much. Steve is great, but I miss Alex’s longer hair from Moonlight.
Does anyone else obsessively watch Say Yes to the Dress on TLC?
I watched all available seasons (five, I think) of the show on Netflix—and discovered I’d actually seen most of them some time on TV. It actually influenced part of the storyline in The Art of Romance!
I recently discovered this show on Netflix. This show is as addictive as cheesecake. I’m glad that I didn’t have this kind of drama when I was looking for a dress though it does make for good TV viewing and great material for a book (no pun intended ; )
I’ve gotten my mom hooked on this show now, too.
I’m feeling a Fabulous February contest coming on.
I’ll be giving away books—possibly two books each week (a signed copy of Love Remains and a signed copy of Ransome’s Crossing), but not sure how I want to run the contest, especially since the comments on the Monday posts are going toward the drawing for the featured author’s book.
Ideas?
Any chance of extending a competition for readers outside the States Kaye? I’m in the UK.
I’ll have to look at what it’ll cost to mail books overseas, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem.
What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading Catherine Coulter’s latest medieval, The Valcourt Heiress, and I must confess I was highly disappointed with the quality of the writing and the somewhat mangled, convoluted storyline (and the inclusion of sorcery/magic as one of the main plot elements).
I just finished DiAnn Mills’ “Sworn to Protect,” number two in her Call of Duty series. I’m taking a break before number 3, and started Audra Harder’s “Rocky Mountain Hero.” I needed me a good cowboy story.
So far it is not disappointing.
Ransome’s Honor. I’m a bit behind, wouldn’t you say?
Just enough time to read RH and RC before Ransome’s Quest comes out in August!
Water For Elephants. Saw the trailer and it looked good, so I requested it from the library. I’m about 1/4 of the way through (just started it last night) and so far I’m really enjoying it.
Too much 18C research to name. Listening to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for the second or third time. Just finished listening to The Shape of Mercy, by Susan Meissner (read it in hard copy when it was released). Reading The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund. Just finished The Land Breakers by John Ehle (Plan to review that one on my blog at the start of Feb).
Costuming Accuracy on Historical Fiction Covers
Does it bother you when the costuming portrayed on the cover of a historical novel isn’t right for the time period?
For example, in what year would you expect this book to be set?
I would guess sometime around 1780 or so.
What Michelle said. Late 1770s, 1780-ish.
Inaccuracies bother me when I know better. There aren’t many time periods that I do, however.
I agree about the 1780′s, but “her hair, Louisa!” It looks like something now-days. Unless, it’s supposed to Charlotte and her hair hasn’t grown out all the way. Do you have any say in these covers for Harvest House? I know you have a little bit of say in the Barbour book covers.
From the neck up, I’m quite pleased with the model—yes, since this book picks up where the second one left off, Charlotte’s hair is still short (and I think this girl, while a little more airbrushed and “cartoony” looking, for lack of a better word, is much prettier than the model on the other two—at least she doesn’t have the weird black eyeliner that the other model had that makes her look strange to me anyway).
I haven’t really had much say in the covers. I have asked them if they can Photoshop a different body onto this model—one wearing a dress appropriate for the era.
Of course with this dress and that pirate flag on top of the second ship, I may get a bunch of new readers.
It’s a gorgeous cover, all the same. The dresses from this period are more romantic and have more flattering lines than Regency dresses, imo. But still, accuracy is important too!
The problem is, though, I’m pretty sure I described every garment Charlotte wears in this book, and none of them look like that—no matter how much I love the way it looks.
I bet you’re very happy about the purple title and author boxes though!
Will the spine be purple?
I assume so, since the spines on the other two match the banner color.
My editor just sent me two very different but very gorgeous re-do covers with replacement dresses. I can’t decide between them, so I’ve sent them out to a “focus group” to help me choose. Can’t wait until I can show y’all the final version!!!