Watched Sense and Sensibility last night. I’ve never seen it before. Actually, I haven’t seen much in the way of Jane Austen movies.
It was charming. Absolutely girlie and gushy, but in a good way. Even fosteronfilm gave it his (grudging) “enjoyable” stamp of approval. Although he was quick to qualify that with “for a girlie movie.”
Now I want to see Pride & Prejudice, both the new one with Keira Knightley and the mini series with Colin Firth.
I think I’ve got the romance bug. It is getting to be spring, after all.
Writing Stuff
Caught up on my Thank You notes for Critters crits of “Honor is a Game Mortals Play.” I was re-reading some comments to mull over and I paused at one in particular by Janice Clark (a fantastic writers who’s also in my Critter Litter writers group):
“I love the way you weave in just enough explanation of cultural/supernatural elements in your stories . . . I know . . . such outward simplicity bespeaks a lot of frantic scrambling behind the scenes.”
Aside from the happy glow I got from the high praise, it also conjured up an evocative image of writers-as-ducks. Y’know how ducks and geese are so serene and graceful on the water, while beneath the surface, they’re paddling like mad? That’s a great metaphor for writers. There we are, tearing at our hair and gnashing our teeth, agonizing over whether to use a semicolon or a comma, while we present our pristine manuscripts to editors with unruffled grace and aplomb.
Here’s to us writer-ducks. Quack.
Received:
– 55-days to a personal “The writing is lovely but . . .” rejection from Shelia Williams at Asimov’s with invite to submit again. I opened up the story to read it over–I haven’t really looked at it since I declared it “done” in 2004–and absolutely cringed. I think she was being charitable to call the writing “lovely.” I’m mortified I’ve been sending this manuscript out to editors.
While I believe it’s a good story at its heart, I seem to have thrown every notion of “tight prose” out the window on this one. I honestly don’t know what I could’ve been thinking. So yeah, I went to town with my virtual red pen. I ended up chopping out a good 1K before I called it a night. I’d like to give it another couple passes before I consider sending it out again.
I love the A&E Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. Haven’t seen the new one yet.
yeah, i would suggest seeing the Colin Firth mini-series first. it’s definately the better version IMO. Mr. Firth embodies Mr. Darcy for me now, that other guy in the movie with Keira is just a pretender to the throne. 😉
The Colin Firth P&P has now been added to our Netflix queue. I’m quite looking forward to it!
Unfortunately writers, like ducks, swim in the same water they poop in.
I mean…uh…wait…OK, just ignore me. I’m losing my mind. Quack.
Ewww! I’m not even going to try to deconstruct that into its symbolic elements.
Quack Quack
Keira Knightley in the new Pride & Prejudice? Hmm, maybe I’ll watch that one.
It’s gotten some very good reviews, even by die-hard fans of the Colin Firth mini-series, although I’ve been told to see the mini-series first.
Quack, quack, don’t be so hard on yourself. Get that revision done and the story back out making the rest of the rounds. Perhaps a little rejection was good for your soul? I hope it has been for mine because between my two teensy rejections and salt mine woes I’m about to throw in the towel and scramble the paddling for good. Woe is us. Let’s get over it ASAP.
While you’re considering Jane Austen movies, consider the 90’s version of EMMA with Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s pretty darn wonderful, too.
Quack quack.
“Perhaps a little rejection was good for your soul?“
I dunno about my soul, but it was certainly better for this story.
“I hope it has been for mine because between my two teensy rejections and salt mine woes I’m about to throw in the towel and scramble the paddling for good.“
No no no! No towel throwings and no scramblings! I received a whopping sixty-eight rejections between my first sale and my second. Go look at your contrib. copy of Northwest Passages (which, btw, I’m going to insist upon having you and sign my copy of at Dragon*Con). You’re a wonderful writer, and rejection is simply an unpleasant but inevitable part of the biz. Get those stories back out!
Regarding the salt mines, I can’t say anything particularly insightful except “keep fighting the good fight!” And perhaps, “I like salt.”
This is my 2nd try at replying, but thanks for the warm fuzzies and compliments. I did start a new story based on my local group’s challenge today and am working in support of my beleaguered, courageous clients. Salt may make things tastier, but it can sure burn, too.
Definitely see both versions of P&P. They have different strengths. The miniseries is one of the main things I watch when I’m feeling blue.
Coolness. I was afraid at first that Sense and Sensibility would end up being a downer, so I’m very glad it wasn’t. I’m a sucker for happy endings.
The miniseries is awesome!! It’s the only Jane Austen movie I’ve ever watched (although I’ve read ALL the books), but they did a fantastic job of sticking close to the spirit of the book. And Colin Firth is absolutely dreamy!! (Jennifer Ehle is perfect, too. The whole movie is perfect. But Mr. Darcy…wow.) 😀
Colin Firth, dreamy. Check. I already thought he cut quite the dashing figure in the Bridget Jones’s Diary movies, so I’m ready and raring to see more hawt Firthness.