Ladies and gentlemen, drum roll please …
The cover art for the final installment in the Harry Potter series, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, has been released. Check out these sites for more:
http://mugglenet.com/books/futurebooks/book7/index.shtml
So, are you excited for the release? I, like so many faithful Harry Potter fans, already have my copy reserved and Greg & I plan on being at our local Barnes and Noble for the midnight release on July 21st.
Are you ready for the last POTTER?
This July, the Romance Writers of America is holding its’ annual conference in Dallas and I received word that Morag McKendrick Pippin will be joining LeeAnn Lessard, Hannah Howell and I for a road trip from Houston. Each of these talented ladies will be staying at my home for a few days prior to and after the conference.
I’m so excited!
Morag and I haven’t seen each other since the last conference held in Dallas … in 2004! It feels like forever! LeeAnn, Hannah and I spent time together last Spetember in Ottawa and I’m looking forward seeing them again. So, now the challenge is what to do when they visit.
LeeAnn wants to take a day trip to Austin. I believe she mentioned doing that on Saturday. I was thinking of driving to the Kemah boardwalk and/or perhaps touring a museum in Houston.
What would you like to do if you traveled to Houston in the summer?
I awoke this morning to Robin Meade discussing Harlequin male models on CNN Headline News. The story pertains to Harlequin’s announcement that they want “real men” for their covers. It was a great promo for several Harlequin authors, as they showed examples of some of the covers. It also told CNN viewers what Harlequin readers have long known:
With 131 million novels sold in 94 countries last year alone, Harlequin Romance is big business.
In an article on Yahoo.com, Harlequin spokeswoman Marleah Stout was quoted: “We’re looking for some guys that are not your usual models, but have that iconic look that women go for — sexy, sensitive, beautiful and fit.” Deborah Peterson, a Harlequin Creative Designer and Judge at the open casting, said “Some of the heroes are captains of industry, billionaires. A lot of the models were too young, men in their twenties, and our audience likes men a bit older, a bit bigger, than the runway models.”
Read the entire article at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070324/ts_nm/harlequin_models_dc then tell me:
Do you want to see “real men” on the covers of your favorite novel?
I can’t wait to see what Harlequin comes up with. I’m sure it won’t be a man with a beer belly and a remote control in his hand. By targeting”real” men, I think Harlequin will choose cover models that better fit their plots.
What are your thoughts?
I just purchased THE THIRTEENTH TALE by Diane Setterfield. It’s been compared (in a positive light) to JANE EYRE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, and REBECCA. I can’t wait to start reading it this weekend!
This is one instance where I did listen to a book review. I don’t always. Why? Because taste is relative. It doesn’t mean a reviewer is wrong. It just means that each of us is different as are our likes and dislikes.
What do you think? Do you buy or not buy novels based on a review? What are you reading? And why did you purchase that novel?
Who caught DANCING WITH THE STARS on ABC last night? I did and was pleasantly surprised to see a theatrical trailer for the third PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN movie, AT WORLDS END. And what a preview it was!
In AT WORLDS END, our swashbuckling heroes must fight the alliance formed by Lord Cutler Beckett (played by Tom Hollander), Admiral James Norrington (Jack Davenport … I love him!), and Davey Jones (Bill Nighy). Also at stake, the freedom of all pirates, now threatened by the East India Trading Company.
In addition to the incomparable Johnny Depp, AT WORLDS END brings back Orlando Bloom as Will Turner and Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann. I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen the second installment, DEAD MAN’S CHEST, but I will say that Geoffrey Rush is back as Captain Barbossa and it’s great to see him and his pet monkey, Jack, back in action. In the trailer, you get dramatic music and exciting scenes commingled with “Jack” lines like “Didn’t any of you miss me?” only to have the monkey raise his hand or “Some of you tried to kill me, one of you actually did”.
The movie is set to be released this May (hubby and I will definitely be there opening weekend). As if news of a third PIRATES film isn’t enough, word is out that there will be a fourth installment of the popular franchise. What’s not clear is whether or not it will include Orlando Bloom. Personally, I hope it does. Orlando really came into his own in the second film and I hope Will sticks around.
So, have you seen the trailer? Will you be buying tickets opening weekend? What do you want to see in PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN AT WORLDS END? And can you believe that Disney once told Johnny Depp to tone down his portrayal of Jack because he was ruining their movie? Things that make you go hmmmmmm …
Say it isn’t so.
Leanne forwarded this article to me today from http://entertainment.iafrica.com/news/702247.htm. It says what I heard several months ago: that actress Emma Watson may not be resigning to play Hermione Granger in the final HARRY POTTER films, apparently refusing a reported $2 million per film. In addition to her fears about being typecast, Emma has also inherited a stalker, forcing her to now be escorted by a bodyguard. What seems to add credence to this story is that Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasly has reportedly said that Emma has distanced herself from him and Daniel Radcliffe, no longer calling or texting either off set.
Do you think Emma Watson will resign? I think she will. The studio must be hesitant to recast now, so late in the films, especially since Michael Gambon has received unfavorable reviews as Dumbledore. Like it or not, Emma Watson is known as Hermione. If she truly believes she won’t get other acting work because she’s been typecast as Hermione, she might as well rake in the money while she can.
What do you think?
Have I got a novel for you! Today marks the release date for a fellow member of the West Houston Romance Writers of America, Brandy Jordan. Her romantic suspense novel, MISTAKEN, is available through download format at www.thewildrosepress.com. If you’re like me and don’t have an electronic book reader, choose adobe pdf as your format then follow the prompts to purchase.
I can’t wait to read Brandy’s novel! I’m heading over there today to purchase it.
Congrats, Brandy!
I know there’s lots of blog talk about last night’s IDOL. Sanjaya stayed, in spite of his lackluster performance. I actually expected that. I was surprised that he was in the bottom two, though, because he seems to have a large fan base. Oh, well. There is still lots of talent this season in the form of Melinda Doolittle, Lakesha Jones, and Jordin Sparks. Now, onto IDOLS past …
Last year’s third place contestant, Elliott Yamin, is releasing his first CD next Tuesday, March 20th. Check out the preview on his MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/elliottyamin. It sounds fabulous! I have to admit, he was one of my favorites last year (along with Chris Daughtry) and I have been patiently waiting for him to release his first CD. In case you missed last season, Elloitt won fans with his soulfull voice and sincere demeanor.
You can guess what I’m buying next Tuesday. Yep. Elliott’s CD. Two copies. Yes, two. My best gal pal LeeAnn will be getting his CD in her birthday box this April (she turned me into a Kalen Porter and Eva Avila fan so it’s only fair to return the favor … first with Robbie Williams and now with Elliott).
Congrats to Elliott! Tuesday is just five days away …
Has this ever happened to you? You wake up with the same person, day in and day out, through sunshine and rain, happiness and sadness, good times and bad …
Only to have them be fired from their gig at your local radio station?
Grrrrr.
Last July, Houston’s own 104.1 FM radio station, KRBE, fired morning personnel Atom Smasher and Maria Todd. The two beloved DJs received no notice, nor did their loyal listeners. Gone were the voices we loved waking up with. I’m still boycotting KRBE in the morning.
Atom Smasher is now on Dallas airwaves at 106.1 Kiss FM and Maria Todd has joined Baltazar at San Francisco’s Movin 99.7 FM. The good news for anyone with a computer is that you can stream either of these shows. I highly recommend both but have to admit Maria in the morning is my favorite (I stream it from at work every morning). She and Baltazar have a great rapport (as did she and Atom) and play some funky music: from disco, to 80’s, to recent dance hits. If you want to wake up without the help of caffeine, this is the place to go. I guarantee you’ll start groovin.
So, I congratulate Atom and Maria for their new gigs however Houston isn’t the same without them. If you want to stream some great radio, visit:
http://movin997.com/pages/189645.php
and
http://www.1061kissfm.com/main.html
Until tomorrow …
Do you tend to read a novel before seeing the movie? If so, you’re like me. If it’s a book I haven’t already read and would like to read, I’ll read it first then see the movie (if the movie looks good). Now, to my question of the day. What are some of the best film adaptations of novels that you’ve seen?
Here are my favorites:
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the BBC mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Colin Firth is the best Darcy … ever! The cast and sets are gorgeous and the plot is as close to the Jane Austen novel as you can get.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the 2005 motion picture with Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, and Minnie Driver. This lavish production wowed me. Newcomer Emmy Rossum has a beautiful voice and Minnie Driver shines as Carlotta. The only thing that could’ve made this movie better would have been seeing Hugh Jackman play the Phantom … sigh. Not to knock Gerard butler who gave one great performance.
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, the 1995 motion picture with Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant. Emma Thompson won an Oscar for her screenplay. The cast is flawless, especially Alan Rickman.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, the 2005 motion picture with Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Dame Judy Dench, Brenda Blethyn, and Donald Sutherland. Donald Sutherland is wonderful in any role. I especially liked him in the role of Elizabeth’s father. Dame Judy Dench and Brenda Blethyn were fantastic. It’s difficult to trim the novel down to a two hour movie but they did it … and did it well.
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, the 1995 motion picture with Minnie Driver, Chris O’Donnell, Alan Cumming and Colin Firth. The ending strayed somewhat from Maeve Binchy’s novel but the movie was still lovely. Minnie Driver brought the character of Benny to life.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE & HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, the 2001 and 2002 motion pictures directed by Chris Columbus. Both of these movies left me in awe. They brought JK Rowling’s novels to life in a way I never thought possible. Talk about movie magic! Cast superbly with Richard Harris (he will always be Dumbledore to me), Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane and Richard Griffiths … each nailed the characters written by JK Rowling that it was almost as if the roles were written for them. Child actors Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were precious in their first movie roles (they’ve come a long way). Chris Columbus proved that these films were a labor of love. His respect for the novels was clear as he didn’t veer from their plot (unlike the director of HARRY POTTER & THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN).
Your turn … what are some of your favorite novels turned into movies?
