Well, dear readers, yesterday was just one of those days that was really enjoyable any way you look at it, and I’ve looked at it in just about any way you can, because that is my nature. I woke up early and did the two-mile jog, answered e-mails, had some nice telephonic calls, and began the task of figuring out the track list and sequence for the new Kritzerland release. It was painstaking work, having to run from the den (watching the DVD) to the kitchen (to go through and locate the correct track), but by noon I’d gotten halfway through it. I then toddled off to have lunch with a set designer friend of mine and that was quite lovely and we caught up whilst eating yummilicious foodstuffs at Hugo’s. She’s currently working on sets for some Universal Halloween extravaganza up there at Universal. After that, I picked up a couple of packages and then came home. Then I had a wonderful visit with one of my favorite musical directors, Mr. Todd Ellison, who was in town for the opening of Spamalot, which he’d musical directed on Broadway, and which he supervises all over the world. Tales were told, dish was dished, and it was great to see him – hard to believe, but I hadn’t seen him for about seven years. If we end up doing the New York Nudie Musical reading in October and if his schedule remains free, he’ll be doing it, which I’m thrilled about. After he left, I finished figuring out the rest of the track list and sequence for the new Kritzerland release, and I was really pleased that it all fit together nicely and will be completely simple for the mastering engineer – I sent him the road map and I’m sure he’ll have it ready today. As if all that wasn’t nice enough, I also received the blurbs for the new book, and it’s always such a pleasure to read them for the first time. Here they are for your mental delectation:
“Surviving and solving Murder at Hollywood High and Murder at the Grove hasn’t slowed down Kimmel’s irrepressible teenage sleuth Adriana Hofstetter a whit. Now she’s back in arguably her most entertaining adventure, searching for the murderer of a dedicated movieland preservationist. As with
the adorable Adriana’s other amateur investigations, this one offers a clever fairplay whodunit plot and an assortment of added delights for movie fans, from a walking tour of Hollywood then and now to a hilarious
two-paragraph summation of the last fifty years of American film history courtesy of a gloriously larger-than-life out-of-work producer. He’s just one of a gallery of memorable characters who, with the exception of a vicious killer, wind up singing Hooray for Hofstetter.”
Dick Lochte, author of Sleeping Dog and co-author (with Al Roker) of Murder
on the Morning Show
“Adriana Hofstetter is not your average teenager. Bucking all the popular trends and touchstones of her generation, she is out-of-step, out-of-touch, and out-of-fashion; even her dial-up computer is out of date. She’s definitely not hanging with the cool kids. But then how many cool kids solve mysteries with a skewed tenacity that puts Nancy Drew to shame? In this latest adventure, neither LA downpours, doubting detectives, nor the onslaught of Christmas can stop Adriana from sticking her quirky nose into the secrets of an array of Hollywood oldies and oddities to ferret out foul play. All this is done with author Bruce Kimmel’s usual witty panache that is a love letter to both Los Angeles and nerdy teenage misfits.”
Charles Edward Pogue
Screenwriter of Dragonheart, DOA, & The Fly
I do love that Mr. Lochte and Mr. Pogue have blurbed all the Hofstetter books. I don’t actually know if I’ve actually revealed the title of the new book – it’s called Murder At The Hollywood Historical Society. And Mr. Grant Geissman and I convene at eleven on Saturday to design the book and cover. Very exciting.
After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish and finished watching a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The Deep. I’d never actually seen The Deep before – it’s not a great movie, maybe not even a good movie, but it has gorgeous underwater photography, nice performances, a John Barry score, and despite some long and clunky dialog sections, it moves along at a reasonable clip. The Blu-Ray, for the most part, is wonderful-looking and sharp, and, in terms of its color, perfection (and Warners should be made to look at it to see how nice it is when the color blue is not sucked out of the transfer).
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’ve had a long and lovely day and I do need my beauty sleep.
I’ve been having a plethora of flying bugs in the home environment. They’re usually out only at night and they’re very crafty little suckers. Someone told me they’re Junebugs. Well, I hate to tell the little suckers but it’s July. Why should I have to deal with Junebugs in July? Certainly I didn’t have to deal with Julybugs in June. I hate these Junebugs and if I can catch the little suckers I am swift with a magazine and they don’t have a chance. Plus, sometimes they just see me coming and die before I get there. In any case, Junebugs go away and do not bother me again until next June.
Today, I have some things to do in the morning hours, and then I’m driving to West LA to lunch with dear reader Jeanne, after which I’ll return home and attend to some errands and whatnot, hopefully proof the booklet and tray card for the new Kritzerland release, hopefully sign off on the new master so it can be sent to the pressing plant, and whatever else needs doing.
I’ve been invited to a screening of some Johnny Depp gangster movie on Friday night. Not sure if I want to see a Johnny Depp gangster movie, especially as it’s directed by Michael Mann and might be one of those way too violent films I cannot abide. I’ll do some research before deciding.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, lunch, do errands and whatnot, and then watch a motion picture on Blu-Ray. Today’s topic of discussion: What are you favorite books and films about the sea – it’s a wonderful genre and encompasses all manner of stories, so I’m anxious to hear your favorites. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and someone tell the Junebugs that it’s July.