Spare Time Activities

With my children home for the holidays and a slew of nieces and nephews visiting, I had little time for writing. I’ve not written anything new in my ‘The New Kid’ installments for some time and don’t have a topic ready for this week. So, in light of my unpreparedness, I thought I’d share with everyone what I have been doing.

Watching movies (some new, some old)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightening Thief – Okay, I’ve watched this movie a gazillion times. I love it each time. It has everything I love: intrigue, great characters – especially a donkey boy, Medusa, and Greek Mythology. I love the scene where they are in the casino. All- around great movie that can be seen with all the kids in the family.

Salt – This movie is action packed. Angelina Jolie kicks major butt!!! Great acting, great story and a great twist that I actually saw coming ***ahem*** I guess it’s that great writer instinct I have. Would recommend in a heartbeat.

Resident Evil, After-Life – I couldn’t wait to see this movie. Unfortunately, it was not what I expected. Alice is usually kicking booty but this story-line is too unbelievable. I believe that conflict progresses the story but come on!!! Some of the things that happen just don’t make logical sense. “There is no way that she should have survived that,” I kept yelling at the TV. I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone, unless they were looking for a great laugh.

Easy-A – I must admit I am not the biggest fan of the comedy. I love action movies and science fiction but not comedy so much. Until now. This was the best comedy I’ve seen in a very long time. It was well written, smart, and funny. The lead character, Olive, played by Emma Stone, is a sarcastic, intelligent, caring high school student with a huge lie that she can’t contain. I highly recommend, but due to the subject matter I’d say no one under 13.

I actually did get some reading done over the break also:

The Hunger Games Trilogy (by Suzanne Collins) – I know I am well behind everyone else in America on this one but I adore the Hunger Games. I read all three books and let me tell you, it was full of surprise moments, great characters, and action. No wonder they’re selling like crazy. I loved each book equally and am biting my nails trying to figure out when the movies are coming and who’s going to play Katniss Everdeen. My daughter is reading the second book now, Catching Fire. I think I may re-read The Hunger Games, just for fun.

How to Write a Selling Screen-play (by Christopher Keane) – It’s a great tool for any writer. It helped me to develop my characters, the plot, the dialogue…and so much more. It was amazing the incite I gleaned from his words. I read it like I was reading a fiction book. It had great exercises at the end of each chapter too!!! Would recommend to any aspiring author or screen writer. It’s awesome!!!