Writers, Authors, Readers, Book lovers...

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A continuation of this site with a new format, new look, new everything!
Join me there! Book lovers unite at CindyREADS.
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Pausing...

I'm pausing on Page2Reel.com for a little while as I try to finish my screenplay, novel and search for an agent and manager. Last year I had to let some social activities go so I could really buckle down and work on learning to craft a screenplay and finish my Marilyn Monroe inspired novel. In 2009, I must put the proverbial nose to the grindstone and work even harder to become the success I aim to be.

But-

If you are an editor, writer, agent or publisher- I will continue to feature great books but with a concentration on women's fiction, cookbooks, fashion, art, self help etc. on Hello Dollface.com, my beauty-fashion-lifestyle-celebrity site. Please email me at Cindy@hellodollface.com with any questions or book review requests.

www.hellodollface.com

I want to leave you with this awesome, fabulous, amazing book for any avid reader- its called 501 Great Writers: A Comprehensive Guide to the Giants of Literature. I stayed up into the wee hours of the night to read about the writers who have shaped the reading world as we know it. A great gift for a true bibliophile or just one to keep on your nightstand to page through, this is a must read!

I was mildly curious about this movie when I first saw the previews for it. I can't say Im a huge Brad Pitt fan but the premise of the movie- about a man who ages backward- was intriguing. I heard good things about Benjamin Button and found myself at the theater today, trying to decide between seeing Yes Man or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I decided to see Ben Button.

This was before I knew the film ran about three hours.

Going to the movies is always a wonderful escape for me. As a little girl I dreamed up stories and imagined them as movies running through my head. I love the darkened theater, the previews and the excitement and anticipation as the music begins. I also like a big bucket of fattening, buttery popcorn but that's another story.

The movie begins...and not to give anything away if you haven't seen it, but I wish there was a class actors could take on carrying a pretend baby. The man running with the newborn baby- Baby Benjamin- looked like he just had an empty blanket in his arms. At least carry a 5lb bag of potatoes, something with a little weight, something to make the audience believe there's a baby in there. And the baby looked like E.T. That's all I'm telling you, not spoiling a thing.

Long story short, the movie was loooonnnnnggggg. I felt it dragged on and on and there were unncessary scenes, scenes that should have landed on the cutting room floor in editing. Yes, it was a decent movie, a good movie. A film that probably made people tear up. And Cate Blanchett is wonderful.

I know the film has been nominated for multiple Golden Globes and there's been early Oscar buzz but please, let's not discount the escape and humor value of a movie like The House Bunny. I'm just using this film as an example. Where are the awards for the films that make us laugh? The non-critically acclaimed movies that provide nothing more than eighty to ninety minutes of fun? I'm picky when it comes to comedic movies, its hard to make me laugh. I hate slapstick humor, not a fan of vulgarity, didn't like Superbad, StepBrothers and the like, so when a movie makes me giggle or bust a chuckle out loud, that's saying something.

27 Dresses might not win an Academy Award but I loved it. Bride Wars might not be on the list for a Golden Globe but I'll be there when it opens next weekend. What Happens in Vegas won't earn Cameron Diaz a little gold statue but I'd watch it again. People's Choice awards aside, why isn't there an awards show for those movies? Maybe I can come up with something.

In the meantime, go see Marley and Me. Or if you want to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, bring a blanket and pillow. And a large coffee.

Vacation Reading....

Happy New Year! I can't wait to see what fantastic books are published this year!

While I was away on my trip, I was able to log some major reading time. I started with Whitney Lyles novel, First Comes Love. I moved on to read the best selling book, The Shack. I read and highly recommend Ann Rule's latest true crime collection called Mortal Danger. I love her writing, the forensics, and mystery of whats going to happen. Her books are so good. And sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. I quickly zipped through that book which I bought at the airport, along with a new Shape magazine and a Self. And an Egg McMuffin.

I read James Patterson's Double Cross, Nicholas Sparks's The Choice. I had wanted to read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for a while. I heard mixed reviews about the novel but I really liked it. A quick and intriguing read with a main character that's quite different.

I read Maggie Marr's Hollywood Girl's Club and Secrets of the Hollywood Girl's Club- more about these books later.



Next up was Holly Shumas's Love and Other Natural Disasters. A pregnant woman discovers her husband is having an emotional affair with his coworker. The book addresses issues of trust, betrayal, love and is written by a marriage/family therapist...so she knows a thing or two about relationships. Holly delves full throttle into the range of emotions in finding out a most painful truth.

Because I ran out of books to read, my mother in law brought me to her local library, an old tiny place. I pulled a book off the shelf at random and didn't realize until I began to read that it was a Christian book. It was very cute, a fast read, a light and sweet novel called A Mile in My Flip Flops by Melody Carlson. Here's the deal- a kindergarten teacher decides to earn some quick cash by renovating a fixer upper. Everything she learned about house flipping she's learned from watching HGTV ..needless to say the character gets in over her head but don't fear, there's a happy conclusion.

I read Maggie Marr's books about Hollywood called The Hollywood Girls Club and Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club- more about these books later.

Next up was Holly Shumas's Love and Other Natural Disasters is about a pregnant woman who discovers her husband is having an emotional affair with his coworker. The book addresses issues of trust, betrayal, love and is written by a marriage/family therapist...so she knows a thing or two about relationships.

My favorite book read over my trip was Alison Pace's novel called City Dog. The book centers around Amy, a divorced children's book author who writes about the ficticious adventures of her Westie, Carlie. Amy is offered the chance to star in a tv show alongside Carlie and that's when the plot thickens and Amy's life takes a turn. I highly recommend this book which is written in such a thoughtful, funny way by a fabulous author.

Happy Holidays!

I'm taking some time off during this busy holiday season to travel, spend time with friends and family and enjoy the last few weeks of '08! I will be back on Jan. 1st so please check back then.

Happy Holidays and much love to all!

Book to movie deal..for a nine year old!

What! I can't believe it. This kid is only nine years old and his book, which started out as a school project, is being adapted to the big screen. Heres the full scoop, straight up from Variety.com:

Twentieth Century Fox has optioned rights to "How to Talk to Girls," a newly published advice guide written by Alec Greven, a 9-year-old expert on the subject. The first of a four-book series was published Nov. 25 by HarperCollins, the publishing house that is a sister company to Fox. The film deal encompasses all four volumes.

20th production co-president Alex Young sparked to the story of Greven, who was 8 when he began writing the book as an assignment for his third-grade class, to help classmates break the ice with members of the opposite sex. The result was a pamphlet that sold at his school's book fair for $3. HarperCollins is selling the first of the four editions for $9.99.

For the full story on this wonder kid, click here.

Congrats to him but I've been at this writing thing longer than he's been alive and I'm still waiting for my lucky break....maybe I should write How To Talk To Grown Men.

Twilight news...

I know the die hard fans have read this already and probably have more information than I do but here you have it:




...Hardwicke had strong opinions about what to do with the next installment, and so did Summit. The debate was how to focus the adaptation of the second book, which deals more with giant werewolves than vampires, as well as the long depression of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), after her vampire lover (Rob Pattinson) leaves her. One issue was how to get more of teen heartthrob Pattinson into the film. (Rosenberg has figured out a device to achieve this.) But Hardwicke, burned out from her "Twilight" labors, simply wasn't willing to jam this movie with a script that still needed months of development.

"I am sorry that due to timing I will not have the opportunity to direct 'New Moon,'" said Hardwicke. "Directing 'Twilight' has been one of the great experiences of my life, and I am grateful to the fans for their passionate support of the film. I wish everyone at Summit the best with the sequel -- it is a great story."



You can read the entire article at Variety.com.



I wonder what they will do differently. I imagine a bigger budget will allow for a fancier film...something along the lines of the Matrix movies, perhaps?