Well, dear readers, I feel like I’ve been hunched over my computer for a week. Of course, I have been hunched over my computer for a week, so maybe that’s why it feels like I’ve been hunched over my computer for a week. I’m almost a week into the new book and am writing more pages a day than I’ve ever done on any previous book at this early stage. First off, I’m really enjoying setting the plot in motion and re-introducing the returning characters and introducing new ones. The fact is, that by the end of today, my sixth day of writing, I’ll be fifty pages into the book – of course, I don’t really know if they’re any good or not, I’ll know more about that when I deliver these pages to my muse Margaret, which I hope to do tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, yesterday was a pretty nice day. For example, I got up. That was pretty nice. I then began writing, did a couple of pages right away, then took a break, answered e-mails, had some telephonic calls and then toddled off to meet with an aspiring singer/actress who wanted some advice about career and moving to New York. We met at Art’s Deli and I gave her whatever advice I could. After that, I came home and did four more pages, after which I simply had to sit on my couch like so much fish because I was beginning to resemble The Hunchback Of Studio City.
Last night, I watched a motion picture that I’d TIVOd entitled Union Station, starring William Holden and Nancy Olson. It’s an average kidnapping noir wannabe – nothing really great about it, but nothing really bad about it either. It just sort of ambles along, not very well paced, but I like Mr. Holden and Miss Olson so I stuck it out to the predicable ending. The film was directed by the excellent former cameraman, Rudolph Mate (he shot many fine films and worked with some great directors, like Hitchcock). Mr. Mate never really showed much flair for direction – all his films are merely ordinary.
After that, I listened to CDs and read through the revised act one of the musical I’m mentoring. It seems much better to me, and I only have a couple more things I want to talk about before the reading, which will be two weeks from tonight. Already booked for the reading are Alet and Andy Taylor (Andy will be doing the part I did at the reading last year), Barry Pearl, my pal Jerry Hoffman, and a couple of holdovers from the previous cast.
It was a particularly gray day outside all day yesterday, but without one drop of the prophesied rain – that didn’t occur until about seven, and it wasn’t nearly the deluge we were warned about. Saturday’s rain was a lot worse, but again, nothing like we were told was coming.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because I must finish these here notes and unhunch myself from this here computer.
Today I will be writing, doing errands, and trying to get this week organized. I have to set up several meetings and meals, ship a few packages, and attend to a few important things. There are also a couple of movies I’m determined to see this week, so I have to work out times to do that.
The Hunchback Of Studio City – that’s the title of my next novel, a story of greed and redemption in the San Fernando Valley.
I got the production schedule for the Brain casting days, and for several meetings. Apparently, I have a costume designer, so I’ll be talking to her soon, and more importantly, they’ve hired a musical director, and I’ll be talking to him very soon, too. Hopefully, he’ll be more than up to the task. These meetings are coming up very fast – it’s amazing to me that in February I’ll be back with The Brain.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, I must write, and I must also write, plus organize the week, do errands, and ship some packages. Today’s topic of discussion: We’ve done it before, but I’m on a real pasta kick right now – so, what are your all-time favorite pasta dishes? The wonderful, the weird, and the simple – recipes are always welcome, too. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I take a brief respite from being The Hunchback Of Studio City.