#RealityTV for #Writers??

So I've recently had this idea that I want to create a Reality TV Show kind of like a cross between American Idol and The Bachelor.

The judges/panelists would be one USA Today/NY Times Bestseller, two agents, and two editors.
The authors/writers would all be genre writers in all genres, though we'd try to have at least three in each genre to start with.
The host would be... well, me! :-) A sort-of mid-list multi-genre author with an MFA. I could host/mentor a few of the contestants, and we'd need a few more mentors depending on how many contestants. And we could be #TeamRach, #TeamNona, #TeamDanica #TeamPris #TeamBill etc. :-)

The format would start out with a five page submission that we'd have people read/act out on stage - that would be like the HUGE music-halls of people they have for American Idol. This process would take a few weeks and the winners would be pared down to 30 or so and then they'd all be flown out to live in a huge gorgeous house with multiple rooms/dens for writing time, a larger class-room type room and stuff. Something from the Romantic/Gothic or Victorian ages would be appropriate for a bunch of writers I think. Each week the contestants would have to submit 10 pages to the panel, some of which will have to be read/acted aloud for judgment. Of course, since popular fiction is supposed to be POPULAR, there would be an audience participation voting process where they could vote based on the selection read/acted on air or could read on the website the whole submission.

When a contestant has to leave - the Quill ceremony would hand out quills to all the writers who get to stay and a Golden Quill for the winner that week. That person would get an hour of one-on-one time with one of the judges to talk about their work/ideas etc.

Soooo... who would watch this awesome show? I'm really only half-kidding about this. We should make this happen.

~Rach

#50Shades Casting - Opinions Abound

Hey Folks,

Welcome back!

Tonight I'd like to chat about the recent casting of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie. There's been a lot of talk about the casting, about making the book into a movie in the first place. So here's one Erotic Romance Author's opinion on the subject:

Charlie Hunnam wasn't even on my list of people who could possibly play Christian Grey. For me it was all about Richard Madden - the charismatic, and gorgeous, actor on Game of Thrones. 

I mean just look at that penetrating gaze! 

Now say what you will about Fifty Shades, the characters, the book, the author... it was a wildly successful best-seller that opened the eyes and bedrooms of many readers who'd never heard of erotic romance before. 

But alas, it wasn't in the cards. Now there's a real reason that I wouldn't have thought of the Sons of Anarchy star as the right person for the job, and it's not because he's not a terrific actor. He's amazingly gorgeous and I love him as Jax Teller on the amazing SoA, but he plays such a gorgeous scruffy anti-hero on the show that I first had trouble picturing him as the suave billionaire persona, because this is how he embodies his Jax Teller persona.

 BUT this is what he looks like as well. 

Cut the hair a little, shave the beard, and DAMN! This could totally be Christian in the red room wearing his beat-up jeans. 

Now onto Dakota Johnson, whom I'd never heard of before a day or two ago. She's a virtual unknown. Cute, kind of perky looking, and I'm not sure what to think about her actually. I hadn't put much thought into who I would cast in the Anastasia Steele role, so I didn't really have a pre-formed opinion of who would be good in the role. 

So I suppose for now, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm liking Charlie more and more as I think about it.

From an author's standpoint, I can definitely say there have been moments when I'm writing where I know who I would cast in the film version, and I wonder if EL James thought the same thing and if she was surprised or disappointed in the choices. I for one have confidence that Charlie will rock the roll, because he's an incredible actor.

Readers, what do you think? Excited about the casting? Disappointed? Indifferent??

Share your thoughts.

~ Rach

Writing Through the Drama

Hey Folks,

I know I mentioned over a month ago that I was getting back into the swing of things and slowly coming out of hibernation, but it was clearly a big fat lie... Cue Pinocchio Nose Growth Here... I haven't written anything more than a few thousand words in the past three months, my online presence has been slipping from active to almost nonexistent, and I haven't even been to any writing-related events since the In Your Write Mind Workshop in June.

In short, I feel like a loser.

But... lest we get too damned depressed here, it happens. And I need to stop holding myself to ridiculous standards that no one could meet. So now it's time to power through and write through the drama that life
has dumped on me this year.

This applies not only to myself and other authors out there, but also to everyone reading this post. It's about inner strength, about knowing yourself, your limits, your goals, your mind and body, your soul. Last night I returned to yoga practice for the first time in months, and our instructor informed us that whatever we ever needed, we were automatically equipped with - we had it, always, in our heart center. We had only to dig it out, reveal it, and let its strength flow forth.

It's an interesting notion. Everything I need. Here, already? I wasn't sure I could believe that at first, but I've slept on it, meditated over it, let it mull and simmer inside me since last night. And I've decided she was absolutely right. Was the timing of me falling off the face of the digital earth ideal? Nope. Will I rebound, deal with it, and shake off the effects of a long-term break? Absolutely.

So here I go, making my pledge known to you all, and hoping to pass on some wisdom I've picked up this year: Life will kick you in the teeth. Repeatedly. But that doesn't mean the world is out to get you. It doesn't mean the universe will end or that you're being singled out and dumped on. It doesn't mean that there isn't hope, love, desire, support, and a wealth of amazingness still left in the world.

I promise to go forth and reinvigorate my writing life by:
WRITING
Blogging
Promoting
Reading
Tweeting
and
WRITING

:-)

Anyone else having the year from hell who needed a pick-me-up - I hope this was insightful and helpful. Power through, get the support you can, believe in yourself and trust that you have everything you need inside, even if that "thing" is the wisdom to seek guidance, love, and support outside yourself. You can do it.

And so can I.


Will post progress on this process as I balance a full time job, a home business, and writing.


~ Rach


A special note of dedication to two of the strongest fighters I've ever known: my grandmothers.