Blog Chain: The Book was Better

This round of the blog chain is brought to us by Michelle McLean who asks:

There are so many book-to-movie adaptations out there. Which are your favorites? Which are your least favorites? Why? Do you make sure you've read a book before you go see the movie adaptation, or do you prefer to read it after, or not at all?

This is a great question. And, as a comic book geek, I have to expand this question to comic books. All I can say is, thank you Jesus for Joss Whedon. The Avengers? Yes, yes, and yes again.

 

Okay, but maybe I'm being a little dramatic. Still, it's obvious Joss read the comics and wanted to keep the movie as authentic as possible for the diehard fans. The X-Men movies on the other hand?




And that's because the Phoenix is my all time favorite character and to see her mutilated onscreen was too painful to watch. And seriously, she vaporized Cyclops? Now, there are many times in the comics (when he mind screws Emma Frost for one) when I wished she vaporized Scott. And there were so many things they screwed up or got lazy with. (Lady Deathstrike anyone.) Now rumor has it that Marvel might try and redeem itself with its new Wolverine movie. Supposedly it takes place in Japan and will address the Logan (Wolverine)/ Ureko (Lady Deathstrike) romance. There will be samurais (BONUS!) but Joss is not the director (FAIL.)

So, we'll see. I'm going to cross my fingers and wish for the best. And, while I'm wishing, could I please get a Joss Whedon X-Men reboot? Pretty please?


 If not, can I have an entire movie about Gambit? Yow-zah!

Wow. So I got off topic in a big way. To see more authors discuss this topic (and do a better job of staying on topic) Please check out Alyson's blog who posted on this topic before me. And tomorrow check out Amparo's blog to get her take.

How about you? What are your favorite/least favorite book to move adaptations?

Blog Chain: A Rose By Any Other Name...

The round on the blog chain was started by the lovely Kate Karyus Quinn. She asks:

What's in a name? What if Harry Potter had been Larry Snotter? What if Edward was Jacob and Jacob was Edward? What favorite books had character names that you loved or hated? And how do you come up with your own character names?

Hmm, what would Shakespeare say? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet?

 

I don't know. I know some writers take a lot of time coming up with the perfect name for their characters. Personally, sometimes when I'm stuck, I'll just hit the button on the 'ol name generator. For me, I spent a lot more time working on character traits and background than I do on names. I'd like to think that if I've don't my job as a writer, you're going to relate to and care about my characters no matter what I call them.  

The only time I have difficulties with a character's name is if it's a name I have no idea how to pronounce. Case in point; Hermoine Granger. Before the movies, I hadn't a clue how her name was suposed to be pronounced. It drove me up a wall everytime I read it because it would halt my reading as I tried to come up with a pronounciation. Eventually I gave up and started calling her "Harmony" in my head--at least until the movies came out. Even after the movies, when Hermoine introduces herself I was like, "Seriously? THAT'S how you pronounce it?" Turns out I was nowhere close.

 

I'll just stick with Harmony.

 

To see more answers on this topic, check out Alyson Greene's blog. She posted her answer here. And tomorrow, be sure to check Amparo Ortiz's blog (speaking of names, isn't that gorgeous?) tomorrow for her post.

  So now you tell me what you think. What's in a name? And do you think it even matters?

Week of Nightmares

Seriously. The last seven days have been nothing but WTF moments. One thing after another after another. My favorite was when I found out the a company's billing department erroneously reported us to the credit bureau. Has that ever happened to anyone else? I hope it never does because we are talking major NIGHTMARE to get fixed. And then the car broke down, and the dog got sick, and the brand new roof started to leak...Yeeeeeaaaaaah.

And did I tell you guys I started taking harmonica lessons? I know. Silly, right? (*in Jerry Springer voice* Don't judge--you don't know me.) But seriously SO MUCH FUN. I look forward to my lessons all week. And my teacher's name is Fred "JellyJaw" Johnson. (I just love that.) And not only are the harmonica lessons, fun, but last week, during my lesson, his neighbor (who JellyJaw says is a drug dealer) got busted by the cops and we got to watch the whole thing including the car repo. Sweet.

Anywho, tomorrow's another day, right?

Oh, and the blog chain starts back up tomorrow. Whoo hoo!

And lastly, if you're new to my blog, here's some things you should know:

1. Even though we're in a recession, I'm very liberal with commas. Commas for all!
2. I love exclaimation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. I'm dyslexic so sometimes the words aren't always "prettyfied" but I'm pretty good about correcting things when *if* I spot them.
4. I like to make up words. See above.
5. My favorite word is "seriously." SRSLY
5. Right now, the Fresh Prince of BelAire theme song is stuck in my head. Gah.

Yo Holmes, smell ya later!