KYLE SCHMID ~ One man - many faces

This video, Kyle Schmid: One Man Many Faces, by Rasit3 was posted on the Face Book page promoting Kyle to play d'Artagnan in one of the upcoming remakes of The Three Musketeers. It's a great video, which show cases him very well. Enjoy!
If you are on Face Book, please be sure to join our group "Kyle Schmid should star as d'Artagman in the new Three Musketeers Movie."

Pet Tales: Gnatalie aka The Viper

The following story is from my friend Sissy about one of her precious doggie rescues, Gnatalie. Found on the side of the road, they at first thought she was a he and called him Gnat because he was so little. Later when they realized their mistake, they changed her name to Gnatalie.

Sissy writes:

Gnatalie aka The Viper continues to be more than a handful- more like a carload!

I bought the precious little munchkin a new doggie coat from the CARE (Central Arkansas Rescue Effort) store. Leopard trimmed in red- I would have worn it- Well, when I tried to put it on her, she bit the hell out of me. Her tooth was actually caught in my fingernail. I was yelling and bleeding and she was growling at me. LITTLE INGRATE!

Yesterday, I had to take her to the vet because when she was trying to kill one of the other guys, she snagged her dewclaw. I dare not touch her feet, so to the vet we went. I dropped her off in her crate and FLED!!!

When I got back three hours later, the gal at the front desk whispered to me, "Dr Sonya wants to talk to you." Sonya came out laughing to tell me that she usually tells people their little darlings were sooo good while getting treated. She then told me that Gnatalie wasn't bad…she was AWFUL! "No," she said, "she was HORRIBLE!!!!!!"

It took three people to get a muzzle on her and then they had to wrap her up like a mummy in a large towel and take one foot out at a time!!
Sonya then told one of the girls to go bring Gnat out to me. The girl came out with large elbow length leather gloves holding Gnat in front of her. Sonya and I simultaneously said, "Get her crate and do not put her down until she is in it!!"

Everyone in the waiting room was hysterically laughing and one lady asked if she was good with kids. To that, Sonya replied, "yes, she eats them for dinner."

Sonya told me to put some antibiotic ointment on her foot and then said, "oh never mind, we'll just hope for the best."
My precious little doggie!!!!

She is presently lying happily on the couch watching an Animal Planet show about grizzly bears! YIKES!

If you want to know more about CARE, visit their website at careforanimals.org.

The New Doctor Who

Since I am a huge fan of both David Tennant and Russell Davies, I was prepared to be skeptical of Matt Smith and David Moffat in the new Doctor Who. After Saturday night's season five opener on BBC America, I am won over...well mostly. I thought Matt Smith very charming and funny, delivering a fast talking frenetic Doctor, much like his predecessor. I look forward to him turning the Doctor into a character that is uniquely his own. Based on the previews for the upcoming episodes, Moffat has taken some of the best of Doctor Who lore and is expanding it. Funniest moment? When the Doctor, who has saved the world in just twenty minutes, explains how he did it all in one breath, and jubilantly finishes with "Who da man??" Everyone stares at him, in stunned silence, and he says, "Ok, I'm never saying that again!" New episode next week, Saturday night on BBC America at 8:00 CST. Check it out. (Photo credit to the BBC)

Ghost Writer Delivers Psychological Suspense

If you want to see a psychologically suspenseful film, set on a gray windswept island, you can choose from either Ghost Writer or Shutter Island. The similarities are pronounced, both are based on novels, and are told solely from the point of view of the central character. Both maintain a relentless level of suspense throughout, with a twist at the end that makes you go "ah ha!"

Ghost Writer is based on a book by Robert Harris, who also wrote Red Dragon. For those of you who might not know, Hannibal Lector first appears in Red Dragon as a secondary character.

The film begins with an abandoned vehicle on a ferry. The next scene is of a body washed up on the beach in a pounding surf. As the viewer is pondering this turn of events, we cut to London where a ghost writer (Ewan McGregor), oddly known only as "ghost" throughout the film, is meeting with nervous editors about taking over a project with a thirty day deadline. Seems that the original ghost is the body that washed up on that island shore. Ghost is being paid a boat load of money to finish the memoirs of Adam Lang, a former British Prime Minister played in Tony Blair-like style by Pierce Brosnan.

Things immediately go awry when after accepting the job, Ghost is mugged by a mysterious duo on a motorcycle, taking from him an unread manuscript. It was given to him by Lang's attorney (Timothy Hutton) and was allegedly written by one of his friends. While he is in route to the island, a story is leaked to the press about the former PM's involvement in handing terror suspects over to the CIA for torture. Both Ghost and I began to wonder if the stolen manuscript was actually THE manuscript. Upon his arrival to the island Ghost finds security surrounding the manuscript very tight and unleakable. He is introduced to a mysterious cast of characters, Lang's wife, personal assistant and various other staff who all treat him like an interloper. Struggling with jet lag and fatigue and thrown off balance by the stifling and cryptic atmosphere, Ghost begins to investigate not only the death of his predecessor, but also his subject, who may not be what he seems.

McGregor is dead on with his portrayal of Ghost as a regular guy, caught up in extraordinary circumstances. In fact a great deal of the suspense derives from Ghost grappling with the notion that something is amiss and he really is in danger. Brosnan seems to have hit his post Bond stride with roles like this one. He portrays Lang as mostly affable with a volatile streak that leaves the viewer wondering just exactly who he is.

The film is directed by Roman Polanski, so even though the island is supposed to be in the US, it was actually filmed in Germany. There was a moment of derisive laughter in the theater when Lang, due to his role in the torture of the terror suspects, is indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. He is advised by his attorney that he is safe as long as he is in the United States because our government doesn't recognize the court's jurisdiction along with countries like China, India and Russia. Kim Cattrall has a nice turn as Lang's assistant where she gets to speak in her British voice for a change. It was fun to see her play something besides Samantha Jones, although Amelia is a much more subdued character.

Ghost Writer will keep you guessing until the end, and even then you find out something you probably did not suspect at all. (Photo Credit to Summit Entertainment)

Next post: Shutter Island

Henry Fitzroy is Back

Word is that Fremantle Corporation and Kaleidoscope are partnering to develop Tanya Huff's Smoke series for television. The premise is that Henry Fitzroy, the 480 year old vampire, goes to L. A. to oversee the development and filming of one of his graphic novels. Schmid's performance in Blood Ties indisputably branded Henry Fitzroy HIS character. He spoiled his fans for anyone else.











http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i2a3dbc1bc0ae71ccdac7fd519fe10c34


Kyle Schmid as d'Artagnan and Henry Fitzroy? His fans would be in heaven.

To Di For Jewelry

My friend Diane has created a line of jewelry called "To Di for Jewelry." Her unique designs are bold, dramatic and beautiful. I wanted to display a necklace that she just designed for me. I call it Mardi Gras Mystique. I've already gotten tons of compliments about it. Thanks Diane! Diane will very shortly have a website to display and sell her designs. I will post it when it is available.

Kyle Schmid as d'Artagnan

Kyle Schmid should star as d'Artagnan in the new Three Musketeers movie


My friends know that I am a total fan girl where Kyle Schmid is concerned. He won legions of fans playing Henry Fitzroy, the sexy 480 year old vampire in Blood Ties. I must admit that meeting him at MegaCon took my "fan girlism" to new heights, lol! Some of us are trying to draw attention to the fact that he would be PERFECT to play d'Artagnan in either one of two remakes of The Three Musketeers that are currently being cast. So I encourage to to blog or twitter or post on Face Book if you want to help spread the word. A Face Book page has been created and we just reached 100 members.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112882352069302&ref=ts

If you are on Face Book...check it out!!

More from the Literary Festival...

Christopher Rice: The Moonlit Earth

“I didn’t plan to become a writer, it took me…”

Handsome, charming and witty, Christopher Rice once aspired to acting not writing. Bryan Batt of Mad Men fame, once told him about acting, “If you can see yourself doing anything else at all, do that instead.”

Rice said at first he wrote plays…”really bad plays," he laughed, "where the straight guy falls in love with me at the end.” Then he wrote short stories and tried his hand at screenwriting, since, he said with irony, “doors were just flying open for aspiring screenwriters.” He said it was only when his mother was ill, and he was in New Orleans for three months, that he started work on a short story which morphed into a novel. Having written four novels, he is now a New York Times best selling author. His latest, The Moonlit Earth, was released just last week.

Rice said that now one of his favorite parts of the writing process is the book tour. He said, “I spend the better part of a year in a room, by myself, with just the characters in my head, so it’s good to get out and talk to people.”

When he asked for questions there was a brief silence while he surveyed the room, he said, “Ok, what happens now, is that there will be a three minute silence, like social studies class, then someone will raise their hand and ask a question about my mother. So, let’s get it over with…”

No one asked anything about his famous mom though.

On how he gets his ideas: Rice said that news stories were a great source. He said, “I know that sounds pedestrian, but it’s true. I often hear a news story that grabs my attention and gives me an idea for a story.” He said when he gets THE idea for his next project; he has a physical tingling in the back of his neck. After the idea for the book, he sorts out the characters and their relationships, and then finally, the place where it will be set. The book he is currently working on is set in New Orleans with the Riverwalk shipping accident as it’s backdrop.

On Katrina: “People in New Orleans grow up with the idea of a devastating hurricane, the same way that people in California live with the idea of “the big one.” What happened with Katrina is not nearly as bad as it could have been. It was a lake hurricane. If a river hurricane ever hits New Orleans dead on, it will be far worse.”

Is there a movie deal for any of his books? Rice said his books were a combination of edgy characters and action and suspense. “Hollywood can’t figure out how to do both,” he said, “either they want to make an indie film, with the gay characters and leave out the action, or do an action film and make the characters straight.”

On his favorite authors: Rice said Lee Childs is one of the premier suspense/mystery writers working today. Rice also mentioned Pat Conroy and said that his favorite book by his mom is The Witching Hour.

On Blind Fall: Rice spoke at length about his last novel, the critically acclaimed Blind Fall, about a murdered gay marine. One of his fellow marines teams up with his boyfriend to track down his killer. Instead of research on the internet, he interviewed and spent time with marines to get a sense of their lives. In the book, the marine has to teach the boyfriend of the murdered marine how to defend himself and even how to kill someone. Rice consequently did much research on how marines kill. When asked if he met any gay marines, he said he had met MANY. He said they really are standing with a foot in two different worlds.

Check out Christopher Rice’s website at: http://www.christopherricebooks.com.

While I have read none of Rice’s books yet, I plan to start with his first novel, A Density of Souls, which I picked up at the festival.

Arkansas Literary Festival

ANNA FIELDS: CONFESSIONS OF A REBEL DEBUTANTE

Make them tell you no… but don't pay any attention when they do.

“I’ve tricked more people into taking meetings with me than I can remember.” Blonde with angelic good looks, Anna Fields sports a devilish glint in her eye. “I’ve been told no more times than I can count. You just have to keep working to find another way to achieve your dreams.”

From Dollywood to Hollywood, Anna Fields writes about the unconventional road she has traveled in her soon to be released memoir, Confessions of a Rebel Debutante. Born in a small town in North Carolina, she was educated at an exclusive all girls prep school. She applied to Brown University on a whim, because “she liked the t-shirt” that Julia Roberts wore in a movie, and to her surprise, she was accepted.

After majoring in cognitive neuro science and not sure what to do after graduation, she went to Los Angeles, where she worked as actress and a personal assistant to Diana Ross, Chris Pine and other celebs. She wrote a play, submitted it to NYU and was accepted into their MFA program. She moved back to New York, where she completed her MFA, wrote for soap operas (eighty-five pages a week!!) and worked for Jill Zarin, one of the Real Housewives of New York featured on Bravo.

“I come from a long line of home makers and insurance agents, and that’s fine, but it just wasn’t the best way for me to make the most of my life.”

Fields said she wrote her memoir to empower and encourage women to follow their dreams. She said when someone tells you no, take what they say, use it to your advantage and keep going.

Without a SAG card when she first moved to LA, she sneaked into an audition when the proctor went to the bathroom. She won the role and her SAG card.

In her book, Fields dishes on different celebrities that she worked for over the years. She left Diana Ross’s employ when “she asked her to do something she wasn’t comfortable with.” Like any good author, Fields didn’t reveal any further details, she said we would have to buy the book.

Check out her website at: http://www.annafields.net/