My book on the Silver Screen? Could it ever really happen?

Okay, I did NOT see any of the films in this year's Oscar race.  Not one.  I heard about all of them.  I saw clips on all of them (even three of the short features), but time to go to the movies?  Fuggetaboutit! I didn't even get to see the last Harry Potter on the big screen.  I was busy writing. (The last movie I went to see was The King's Speech.  It was good!)

But last night I had a bit of a fun time on Facebook.  I posted that I thought it would be cool if one of my books made it to the movies, and I picked Murder on The Mind, the first Jeff Resnick book.  One of my readers suggested one of the Booktowns would make a good movie, but while my readers might be happy, the coveted 18-49 male demographic would never tear themselves away from their video games and Youtube to make it to the theater.  (But they'd probably do really well on TV. How about the Hallmark Channel?)

Someone suggested that Bradley Cooper play Jeff Resnick, the hero of Murder On The Mind (and the rest of the series).  I must confess, I never even heard of Bradley Cooper. (Writers don't get out that much.  I mean, I make it to the grocery store once a week, and that's about it.)  I looked him up on Google images and -- hot damn, he's good looking.  He's got mesmerizing blue eyes.  Jeff has muddy brown eyes.  I think I could overlook that tiny imperfection in the actor.

I've always thought that Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be terrific as Richard.  (He'd have to dye his hair brown -- but actors do that a lot.  Maybe he could lose a few pounds, too.  (Couldn't we all--or at least a bunch of us--do with that, too?) The fact that Mr. Hoffman is a Rochester, NY Native (okay, Pittsford--let's not quibble) would make it even better!

From the first time I saw Jennifer Hudson (and I don't even remember where that was), I thought she'd make a terrific Brenda.  (She doesn't have to sing for the role!)  Can't you just picture her bossing Richard and Jeff around?

I haven't given much thought as to who could play Maggie.  When I picture her as I'm writing the character, it's Gates McFadden I see, but she's too old for the part now.  Still, 15 years ago, she would have made a fabulous Maggie.

Is there a chance in hell this book would be made into a movie?  Well, a production company did request a copy -- but they never optioned it.  (I have a friend who's had a book optioned.  So far ... no movie.  But they keep renewing the option, so there is hope.)  Of course if you know someone at a production company, hey--mention Jeff's name, willya?

So, what do you think about my casting?  Disagree?  Who do you see playing the major roles?
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The first signs of spring . . .

The other day it snowed overnight.  (Is that an oxymoron?  Anyway, it did.)  The snow was the wet, heavy spring type snow.  And it melted by lunchtime.

The daffodils are up by several inches.  Now we're waiting for the snowdrops.

It's been a mild winter, but it's still winter.  I'm ready for warm weather.  Zephyr breezes.  Planting my snow peas (and I'll do it on time, this year).

I'm ready for spring.  How about you?

Escape (not the Pina Colada song)

Is this summer EVER going to end?

I never thought I'd say that about summer.  I love summer.  But this relentless heat . . . the mother-in-law crisis which seems to get better only to escalate again.  The book deadline that gets nearer and nearer . . .

Ya know what?  I wanna run away from home.

I wanna pack a suitcase, jump on a train and go somewhere.  Maybe the Canadian Rockies.  (I don't think I can go there directly from my city, but this is fantasy anyway, right?)

I want to eat gourmet meals in a fancy dining car while the tracks below me go clickity-clack. I want to see inspiring vistas and pink and purple sunsets.

And I want to laze back in a seat and READ for PLEASURE for hours and hours on end.

Anybody want to join me?

Summer on my mind

Well, here we are on January 7th and I'm pretty much fed up with winter.  I'm tired of being cold.  I've been cold since late October and it's getting really old.

About now I start pining for my summer cottage (where it's usually too hot).  I start thinking about the wonderful view (which about now is totally gray/white:  gray sky, gray ice (where the nice blue water is during the summer) and white ground where the snow is. And the snow is probably a couple of feet deep about now, too.

But my head is in April.  Or, at least March.

We had to cut our season short in early October because the water heater died.  Well, it was 30+ years old. As our plumber told us, it was the equivalent of a 10 year old water heater in that for most of its life it was drained and out of use for at least seven months of the year.  But now we need a new one and we didn't see the need to buy one for a couple of weeks only to drain it again.

I like to start going back to the cottage in mid-April.  It's cold there, too.  But now we have baseboard heat and running water (I hate paying for it, but I love municipal water) and it can be quite pleasant.  I'll call the plumber in mid-March and order that water heater (which doesn't look like a conventional one--it's short and squat and lives above the shower).

I have several projects I'd like to complete this summer.  Last year we did a bathroom face lift.  This year it's the kitchen that will be in line for a little cosmetic treatment.  (A real ceiling and some new lights.  Maybe a skylight???)  And I'm thinking about getting a new rug in the living room.

So while it's still winter here at home, it's summer at the cottage in my mind.

I can't wait to go.

Are you dreaming about summer already?