Brooklyn diner style.
December 2011
This is a really great trailer for the book A Monster Calls written by Patrick Ness and illustrated by Jim Kay. Tells a story, without giving too much away. Makes you want to know more about the book. Original art. Good sound quality — even edging the music with the sound of a needle on a record. The only thing I would do differently is get rid of the blurb at the end. Blurbs are over-used and I wish the publishing industry as a whole would stop relying on them. Stop pushing manufactured praise, and do a better job of encouraging engagement. In place of the blurb, I would have showcased a twitter hashtag, or the url to the facebook page of the author.
But that’s a minor quibble. Less about this great video and more about my issue with blurbs. Overall, fantastic trailer.
(Found via Laughing Squid.)
First, you order coffee:
Seconds after you order your meal, this arrives:
Along with this:
And this, too:
Just trying it all out, not even eating all of it, and it’s like, “I’m full.” But then the dish you ordered arrives (chicken pot pie for breakfast? Uh, Hell Yeah!), and you’re damn well going to make room for it:
And this, too. You KNEW you when you ordered, before all the pickles and bread and beets arrived, that you weren’t going to have room for this no matter what, but there was no way you could pass up a side of Potato Salad.
Not only that, but you’re going to help yourself to your tablemate’s steak fries that towered over her grilled-cheese sandwich.
Where is the picture of the cheesecake? Whimped out. Failure, I know. But if at first you don’t succeed… You know the drill. Of course we’ll be back. It’s a tradition!
Among other things… Nice when photographs do that.
Photo taken on a snow day — February 10, 2010 — in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
When someone makes microwaveable popcorn in the office, I usually think two things: 1) that both the microwave AND the microwaveable popcorn cause cancer and 2) I really want some of that, even though I always eat too much and then feel a little sick to my stomach afterwards.
There is a better way: Make it fresh at home. Pop a plentiful helping of popping corn in a coverable pot, preferably a pot that has a glass lid. Use good olive oil. How much? After you’ve poured in the oil, maybe thinking you’ve put in too much, go back and add a little more. Once the popping corn is all popped, add sea salt. How much sea salt? When you think you’ve put in too much, add a little more. Making popcorn this way, I think one thing: 1) Delish!
Should I have been snapping away with my camera, or just sitting there, watching?
Because Dec. 22 is the shortest day of the year. I have no idea if that’s true, but the Twitter-verse says it’s so, so why not? Made me think about one of my favorite short stories ever: 92 Days by Larry Brown. If you haven’t read it, oh man, you have a real treat in store. Track it down, get yourself a nice spot in some bar, start reading and you will have yourself a hell of a time. Just a great story. I found my copy of the book and started reading and yes, just to reconfirm, the story is awesome. So I am really glad it’s the shortest day of the year and that it’s Short Story Day, for reminding me about 92 Days, but also because @shortstoryday was encouraging people to write a #storyin10words. I had fun writing a few and reading other people’s contributions. Folks, the shortest day of the year is NOT over yet. So why not do the following: Find 92 Days. Go to a bar and read it. While there, compose a #storyin10words.
Ben Marcus, author of The Flame Alphabet, provides some great writing advice for writers: “One thing I think that writers can try to do is understand how they read. When you pick up a book and half way through the first page you’re not interested, what is it that’s failing to grab your attention? What is it that’s missing? What is it exactly that bores you? And then in turn when you write, are you doing any of those things yourself?”
(This video is part of the Knopf Doubleday Writers on Writing series.)
Taken just after sunset in Barbados, December 2011.
