Interview btw Rothfuss and Sanderson + 8-bit Horribleness

Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 18, 2011 -- 8:08 p.m.

There's a fun interview between Pat Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson. I particularly liked it because it focussed a lot more on the writing process than the material they're writing.

Also, check out Dr. Horrible the 8-bit game.



Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 18, 2011 -- 6:24 p.m.

They've cast the lead role for Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence. She's a little too...um...boobsy for your average starving 16-year-old, but it is Hollywood after all. The book has an interesting and realistic mixed message about commercialized teenage beauty (manufactured beauty is evil but...ooh, look at my pretty dress!) So hiring such a pretty actress could potentially add another layer of meta-subtext to the film. Looking at her, you can definitely see why Peeta and Gale might fight over the woman. We'll see what Miss Lawrence looks like as a raven-haired archer.

Of course, I recognize I'm adding another level of meta-critique to my own blog post by giving my reaction to her casting based on appearance alone, but I've never seen any of the movies she's acted in. The clips of Winter's Bone I saw online looked like she was a creditable actress.

I didn't realize the director they chose also directed Pleasantville, one of my favorite movies of all time, less for the story--though I did enjoy the portrayal of teenage sexuality, particularly how it didn't take the easy way out and just go 'sex is good, adults are bad' like so much modern media--and more for the cinematography and the creative use of color. He was also able to coax a really memorable, strong performance from then relatively unknown actress Reese Witherspoon. I hope he brings a similar touch to Hunger Games. I'm looking forward to seeing who they cast for the other groups, especially Haymitch. I've always pictured Haymitch being played by the actor of Javert who did the Les Mis 10th Anniversary 'dream cast' tv production. The problem with most older actors is they don't look beaten down enough. Nicholas Cage would make a surreal choice for the part. I suspect the director won't cast any big names, but Cage would certainly bring the crazy.

FUN FACT: Reese Witherspoon played a teenage girl in a movie called "Twilight," which was released the same year they released Pleasantville. Thanks, Wikipedia!

Mouse Me!

Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 17, 2011 -- 4:04 a.m.

So I was watching Nostalgia Critic and found out there's a mouse named after me in Secret of Nymh 2. Jenny McBride, the mouse.

Weird. It would be more awesome if the movie looked better.

This has happened to me before. For instance, the local a capella singers once did a stage group where they staged a fake date with one "Jennifer McBride" who was one of their members doing a drag thing. It was a little surreal.

Of course, the Nymh mouse is not nearly so cool as Neil Gaiman as a...well, I'm not sure what he's supposed to be.




'Neil Gaiman, what are you doing on my falafel!' has been my catchphrase since I accidentally stumbled onto this episode when I was too lazy to turn the channel after watching Red Dwarf reruns. (Why does my local PBS affiliates run Sesame Street/Arthur at midnight anyway? Bit past the kid's bedtimes, one would think.)

My Heart Atwitter

Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 11, 2011 -- 11:07 a.m.

Guess who this is referring too.

Guess who is freaking out and shrieking maniacally at her walls.

Three Million Dollar Idea

Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 9, 2011 -- 11:10 p.m.

Too hilarious. Newbie writers...it doesn't work like that! Don't be that guy!

Application

Posted by Unrepentant Escapist

March 1, 2011 -- 2:40 p.m.

Finished my application to grad school. Got my GRE scores, too. I got a perfect score of 6.0 on the essay writing sections and decent on the verbal and quantitative -- 720 and 710 out of a possible 800. Reading other people's scores on the internet depresses me because so many people seemed to get perfect everything.

I'm so tired. The application process really stressed me out. It seems like the schools try on purpose to make it difficult and frustrating. Proof that you really want to go there, I guess. I'm not at all confident I'll get admitted because I know I messed up one of the forms, but I'm so sick of everything that if I don't get admitted because I submitted form A instead of form B (almost identical, but B has to be signed by two people instead of one) it will almost come as a relief. Part of me would rather get a part-time job selling hot dogs than try and start another career. I'm trying to get a degree that involves more math in the hopes that, if I haven't managed to publish a novel by the time I get out of school, then my job won't make me too tired of writing to write. I wasn't capable of coming home from work as a full-time reporter and then work on a novel. Too much writing.

Days like this make me want to go move in with one of my friends, who pays no rent because that he lives in a solar-powered van parked in some random forest. He doesn't have to buy much food either because he goes dumpster diving. I went with him once and enjoyed it. It gives one a real hunter-gatherer thrill. If you ever actually do it, you'll be amazed at how much stores throw away. There's so much waste in our society! Plus, if you go to places like Trader Joe's, you get really good food that's just, say, one day past an expiration date. Eating organic for zero cost! Yay! I didn't much care for rooting through moldy produce, though.

I paid my registration fee for the fantasy convention in Reno. I'm looking forward to it. A bunch of people in Brandon Sanderson's class are carpooling up together. I'm still looking for other people to share a hotel room with.

Ugh. I have a midterm this week. If it were just one week later, my life would be so much easier.

Speaking of math, apparently someone else shares my love of turning writing into charts and trying to break it down mathematically. You can read about it here. Ancient Greek detective stories is one of those ideas I wish I had thought of.