Out of My Rabbit's Hole
I've been intensely going at my third novel which seems to be wandering in all directions. I've finally realized I have four stories and that's why it's been so tough. But man, I've got to get out of my rabbit hole. There's a whole world out there.
I missed the film The Constant Gardener when it was playing in the theaters, but I've recently subscribed to netflix--what the heck--I thought I'd try it, and I've been seeing a round of movies, including the abovementioned The Constant Gardener. Hey, I didn't realize it was a John Le Carre invention--I would have flown to the theater to see it. No, he didn't write the screenplay, but he wrote the novel on which the movie is based. I have not kept up with him--and I don't know why that is. Maybe I thought he was deceased. But no, he's still writing! I read the Spy That Came in From the Cold many times and I don't do that that often with books. I also read other books of his--I was hooked, and then I dropped off his radar--so I was shocked when I learned he wrote that book. Sometimes I'm just so unaware. Angela mentioned the good news news, which is great--but often I just skip the news--it's too depressing and I often know nothing of what's going on in the world. But of course, people are going to tell you anyway. They can't help it. It's social--what happened in the news today. A conversation starter. A cab ride conversation. An opener on a date.
Now, of course, I have to get the book and read it. Which is totally backwards for me. No one sees the movie first and reads the book. Do they? Except me. But I'm dying to read it. A thriller with the premise of how American drug companies used African countries and their people as guinea pigs for drug testing and cover up the evidence of deaths and dying. Reminiscent of the syphillis testing in the U.S.
Greed, greed, that's what fuels this country! I don't get a good feeling about being an American as I used to. Those first pictures of troops in Afganistan and the first acts of running to the oil fields to keep them intact has stayed with me quite a long time, no matter what patriotic rhetoric is being blown up my ass.
Well, I certainly didn't mean to go there, but hey, that's what blogs are for, n'est-ce pas?
I'm going to be with my girl Pamela Samuels-Young at Bouchercon--a first for both of us. Pamela told me she'll be trying to re-start the defunct Authors of Color sub-group of Sisters in Crime. I think it could be useful to start a group like that--only because our publishing problems take on a different color--no pun intended. The character of the problems are a little different, I think. Or maybe not, perhaps it's just the different publishing houses and different philosophies of publishing. I'd like to hear other authors of color comment about that.
We've talked before about how the new African American lines within the various publishing houses have a different "flavah" now as opposed to days of old, different product, etc.
Okay, shutting up now. Until next time.
Gammy
