Your'e freaking me out! The Spy Who Loved Me is my favorite Bond movie!
As a woman, I can only say that it is the rare male who is strong enough to concern me over misogyny. I know who I am. And I am not so fragile as to worry about anyone else's opinion of me when their own perspective is so utterly flawed. But enough of culture sensitivities. For the most part, I eschew current feminism because women tend to step on their own proverbial dicks by supporting things that actually harm them. I say, if you want to be taken seriously, just do the things that will make that happen. I don't rely on what's between my legs to validate what's between my ears. LOL
Anyway, I love Bond. And I even love his brand of misogyny.
I think being the Brand Master is awesome - and I think you're right about the fiction lens and the nonfiction lens. I also agree that - if we do our jobs right - our stuff will appeal to both those who are open to experiencing those questions (and perhaps tag along for the ride as we navigate those roads) and those who just want a ride to the next stop.
I LOVE that you liked the Carpenters. I always did. But my weakness is anyone dissing my boys (who you don't like probably because you've only heard Saturday Night Fever). I could challenge you to listen to other songs, but I won't. LOL
I was right about the last Writer's Strike - and you seem to be seeing (at least from a 10K foot level) my perspective. Writers being undervalued are how we got here - and why Hollywood is a trash heap of CGI and effects. Easily done. Flashy.
And no heart.
I will definitely go back and listen to the episode w/Thomas J. Belleza.
Also, at some point when we're not hair-on-fire busy releasing books, I'd REALLY like to hop on a call to discuss some ideas/questions/thoughts I have about this damn marketing circus. You know - when the weekends aren't rough and we're not burdened with impossible timeframes.
I'll send you my calendar invite. We'll make it a podcast episode, but let's push it out to July so baseball is over and we can linger for a longer talk. Should start A FATE WORSE THAN FAME this week, though, and that's something to look forward to!
I typed a whole thing out, then lost it by clicking the wrong button. Argh!
I really think our brand can choose "us." I think a lot about it. I worry about it. And yet, when one or another person in my life has made suggestions for ads or other things about the books (or me as an author), I've had times where my instinct was, "That's not my brand." Even though I don't necessarily know what brand is. I think it evolves over time, and happens "to" us as much as we make decisions about it.
I can't believe what you said about children. I am THE SAME way. I don't particularly like children (especially over the age of 4). I love *my* kids and grandkids, but not so much other kids. I feel horrible about that, but it's true.
The psychology of our characters - of them being their own persona and us talking to them. That's it, right there. They are "not me" though I created them. And I disagree with them a good bit. But I sort of take the dictation of their lives or something.
I can't understand why anyone would be upset about Luke being on Twitter. I didn't understand all that, though it seems it might be private. I've toyed with having Farin be a character on Twitter, but there are reasons I might not. Specifically, she is not a feminist. She's flawed. She'd probably draw a lot of condemnation. LOL
Listening to you talk about structure, I sorta panicked. I don't "count beats" - I've never heard of that. Listening to that portion made me wonder if I'm failing because I don't know these things. Maybe I'm not appealing to folks because I lack that.
I will say, though, that my overwhelming observation throughout this episode was: Jody's the real deal. You really are. Someone needs to tell you that in a way that sticks in your brain. Michelle marked you perfectly (around the 1:13 minute mark).
Ian Flemming wrote the bond series, FYI. LOL
I get you two so much. My entire saga is about the big life questions: how to forgive; how to love in the face of all obstacles (including beyond the grave); how to move on; the prices we pay for the choices we make. That is my saga 100%. Maybe that's what I'm also seeing in your work - and maybe that's one reason we have connected like we have. Seekers, both of us. Wrestling with the big things.
I loved this episode so much. I know I say that every time, but TRBM really is a treasure.
Yes! Ian Fleming. And the book was THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. That one is my favorite of the series by miles. They're all great though. If I'm honest, celebrating a character who's occasionally a misogynist is kind of refreshing given the current climate, but don't tell anyone I said so, and for the public eye, don't take that to mean I'm promisogyny. I am a feminist and not as an act of virtue-signaling.
Sometime, Heather, go back and look up my episode with Thomas J. Belleza if you haven't. He and I are friends, and slightly antagonistic. It is my continuing belief that there's the nonfiction lens and the fiction lens, and something inside of brand is inherently unpalatable to we fictionizers, but I also see it as nuanced. I want to do anything it takes to get the books selling, so if I have to be a brand master, let it be so.
I will say, I discovered in a roundabout way one true thing regarding brand and me: I have local flyers for my book and the State Farm agent in town bought 9Lives. I hand-deliver because the whole town is about 12 city-blocks-square including our modest Main Street.
When I stepped into his office, I was met by a wall of John Sandford and a wall of Stephen King. Of course, I was immediately encouraged, thinking, here is an ideal reader.
Then the agent said he reads for entertainment and fun, and that's all. I thought, "Uh-oh. Maybe I won't be for him," because like you said, I'm really hunting life's big questions, and I guess that search for some kind of deep truthiness is woven into all I do. Maybe half of what's in my book is there to confront readers about big questions, so maybe they read thin if you just want a rollicking good time…
At the same time, that's why I'm drawn to King. He's not sneaky about threading big spiritual topics and political themes all through his books. But he's so entertaining doing it that even if you're just reading for escape, you'll have fun with it.
Okay, and I'm forgetting where you mentioned the Bee Gees, but I'll tackle that here too. I don't much care for them, but I did own all the Carpenters in my teens and shamelessly sang along with Karen. Sonny and Cher got me going too, and my wife sang the chorus of the Hall and Oats anthem, "You Make My Dreams Come True" at our wedding as part of her vows. (Yes, she's just that bad-ass!)
And finally, in a brief return to superheroes. James Gunn wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy Vols. 1-3. Their integration of soundtrack, sweeping character development, and huge theatricality are second to none in the genre. I recommend them to you, who dislikes most current film, and especially supers, but it's ironic that there's another writers' strike right now.
I tweeted the other night about standing with writers, and it's a shame that we're seeing them so undervalued, but I sense a regression coming where films are going to take a big hit for having crappy character-story-plot-development. Too much focus on big-budget effects and that's going to have consequences, I think.
I'm rambling. Oppenheimer looks promising. And if I didn't mention it before, Ash and I just watched CODA, which is among the best movies I've ever seen in any age. There were a few moments where the direction lingered a beat too long on a "tender" scene, but what movie is flawless? (That reminds me, Save the Cat Beat Sheet is a decent tool to have in your back pocket, but I never think about it when composing. You can find oodles about it on Google.)
The only reason I know that Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang was that both that movie and the early Bond films were produced by Albert Broccoli, and I made the connection via that, rather than Ian Fleming's name.
See, told you it was a great cover!
This was a beautiful episode. I had this idea in my head for you do this type of thing too. Such an entertaining listen.
Thank you, Joe!
Your'e freaking me out! The Spy Who Loved Me is my favorite Bond movie!
As a woman, I can only say that it is the rare male who is strong enough to concern me over misogyny. I know who I am. And I am not so fragile as to worry about anyone else's opinion of me when their own perspective is so utterly flawed. But enough of culture sensitivities. For the most part, I eschew current feminism because women tend to step on their own proverbial dicks by supporting things that actually harm them. I say, if you want to be taken seriously, just do the things that will make that happen. I don't rely on what's between my legs to validate what's between my ears. LOL
Anyway, I love Bond. And I even love his brand of misogyny.
I think being the Brand Master is awesome - and I think you're right about the fiction lens and the nonfiction lens. I also agree that - if we do our jobs right - our stuff will appeal to both those who are open to experiencing those questions (and perhaps tag along for the ride as we navigate those roads) and those who just want a ride to the next stop.
I LOVE that you liked the Carpenters. I always did. But my weakness is anyone dissing my boys (who you don't like probably because you've only heard Saturday Night Fever). I could challenge you to listen to other songs, but I won't. LOL
I was right about the last Writer's Strike - and you seem to be seeing (at least from a 10K foot level) my perspective. Writers being undervalued are how we got here - and why Hollywood is a trash heap of CGI and effects. Easily done. Flashy.
And no heart.
I will definitely go back and listen to the episode w/Thomas J. Belleza.
Also, at some point when we're not hair-on-fire busy releasing books, I'd REALLY like to hop on a call to discuss some ideas/questions/thoughts I have about this damn marketing circus. You know - when the weekends aren't rough and we're not burdened with impossible timeframes.
I'll send you my calendar invite. We'll make it a podcast episode, but let's push it out to July so baseball is over and we can linger for a longer talk. Should start A FATE WORSE THAN FAME this week, though, and that's something to look forward to!
Conference me in on that phone call, I've got questions of my own!
I typed a whole thing out, then lost it by clicking the wrong button. Argh!
I really think our brand can choose "us." I think a lot about it. I worry about it. And yet, when one or another person in my life has made suggestions for ads or other things about the books (or me as an author), I've had times where my instinct was, "That's not my brand." Even though I don't necessarily know what brand is. I think it evolves over time, and happens "to" us as much as we make decisions about it.
I can't believe what you said about children. I am THE SAME way. I don't particularly like children (especially over the age of 4). I love *my* kids and grandkids, but not so much other kids. I feel horrible about that, but it's true.
The psychology of our characters - of them being their own persona and us talking to them. That's it, right there. They are "not me" though I created them. And I disagree with them a good bit. But I sort of take the dictation of their lives or something.
I can't understand why anyone would be upset about Luke being on Twitter. I didn't understand all that, though it seems it might be private. I've toyed with having Farin be a character on Twitter, but there are reasons I might not. Specifically, she is not a feminist. She's flawed. She'd probably draw a lot of condemnation. LOL
Listening to you talk about structure, I sorta panicked. I don't "count beats" - I've never heard of that. Listening to that portion made me wonder if I'm failing because I don't know these things. Maybe I'm not appealing to folks because I lack that.
I will say, though, that my overwhelming observation throughout this episode was: Jody's the real deal. You really are. Someone needs to tell you that in a way that sticks in your brain. Michelle marked you perfectly (around the 1:13 minute mark).
Ian Flemming wrote the bond series, FYI. LOL
I get you two so much. My entire saga is about the big life questions: how to forgive; how to love in the face of all obstacles (including beyond the grave); how to move on; the prices we pay for the choices we make. That is my saga 100%. Maybe that's what I'm also seeing in your work - and maybe that's one reason we have connected like we have. Seekers, both of us. Wrestling with the big things.
I loved this episode so much. I know I say that every time, but TRBM really is a treasure.
Yes! Ian Fleming. And the book was THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. That one is my favorite of the series by miles. They're all great though. If I'm honest, celebrating a character who's occasionally a misogynist is kind of refreshing given the current climate, but don't tell anyone I said so, and for the public eye, don't take that to mean I'm promisogyny. I am a feminist and not as an act of virtue-signaling.
Sometime, Heather, go back and look up my episode with Thomas J. Belleza if you haven't. He and I are friends, and slightly antagonistic. It is my continuing belief that there's the nonfiction lens and the fiction lens, and something inside of brand is inherently unpalatable to we fictionizers, but I also see it as nuanced. I want to do anything it takes to get the books selling, so if I have to be a brand master, let it be so.
I will say, I discovered in a roundabout way one true thing regarding brand and me: I have local flyers for my book and the State Farm agent in town bought 9Lives. I hand-deliver because the whole town is about 12 city-blocks-square including our modest Main Street.
When I stepped into his office, I was met by a wall of John Sandford and a wall of Stephen King. Of course, I was immediately encouraged, thinking, here is an ideal reader.
Then the agent said he reads for entertainment and fun, and that's all. I thought, "Uh-oh. Maybe I won't be for him," because like you said, I'm really hunting life's big questions, and I guess that search for some kind of deep truthiness is woven into all I do. Maybe half of what's in my book is there to confront readers about big questions, so maybe they read thin if you just want a rollicking good time…
At the same time, that's why I'm drawn to King. He's not sneaky about threading big spiritual topics and political themes all through his books. But he's so entertaining doing it that even if you're just reading for escape, you'll have fun with it.
Okay, and I'm forgetting where you mentioned the Bee Gees, but I'll tackle that here too. I don't much care for them, but I did own all the Carpenters in my teens and shamelessly sang along with Karen. Sonny and Cher got me going too, and my wife sang the chorus of the Hall and Oats anthem, "You Make My Dreams Come True" at our wedding as part of her vows. (Yes, she's just that bad-ass!)
And finally, in a brief return to superheroes. James Gunn wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy Vols. 1-3. Their integration of soundtrack, sweeping character development, and huge theatricality are second to none in the genre. I recommend them to you, who dislikes most current film, and especially supers, but it's ironic that there's another writers' strike right now.
I tweeted the other night about standing with writers, and it's a shame that we're seeing them so undervalued, but I sense a regression coming where films are going to take a big hit for having crappy character-story-plot-development. Too much focus on big-budget effects and that's going to have consequences, I think.
I'm rambling. Oppenheimer looks promising. And if I didn't mention it before, Ash and I just watched CODA, which is among the best movies I've ever seen in any age. There were a few moments where the direction lingered a beat too long on a "tender" scene, but what movie is flawless? (That reminds me, Save the Cat Beat Sheet is a decent tool to have in your back pocket, but I never think about it when composing. You can find oodles about it on Google.)
The only reason I know that Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang was that both that movie and the early Bond films were produced by Albert Broccoli, and I made the connection via that, rather than Ian Fleming's name.
Other people's kids only interest me when they can talk and I can take advantage of those early years when they believe everything you tell them.
LOL!!!