All posts by NewEngland_Muse

I'm a traditionally and self published author. I write in the genre of children and YA at the moment but working my way up to adults. I'm a sports loving, photo taking gal who loves to sing/dance to my own enjoyment. I love to laugh even at myself. I am also owned by 8 birds and 2 hamsters, and yes they know it. :)
Author, Carla Sarett, Romance

Showcasing Carla Sarett

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I am the author of a story collection entitled (for better or worse), Nine Romantic Stories, available as Kindle edition. I wrote many of these stories under the spell of Hollywood –Hitchcock’s radiant Vertigo, Preston Sturges’s witty The Lady Eve, and Woody Allen. I liked the notion of replicating the same wit and charm in a modern way- and I’ve been pleased that some readers have noticed.

But where are the great Hollywood romances today? A recent Atlantic article asks Why Are Romantic Comedies So Bad? How did American films go from screwball comedy and the touching funniness of Annie Hall to the crude comedies of today? When did scatological humor replace wit? When did men turn into versions of The Three Stooges. Call me prejudiced, but I never dreamed of dating Mo or Larry.

Everyone blames modern culture and of feminism, but for my money, TV is the big culprit. Shows like Moonlighting, Friends, Ally McBeal stole the thunder and left movies without a place of their own. Sadly, movies turned to gross when TV was at its wittiest. And gorgeous actresses got stuck with toilet humor.

Even worse, critics have consistently ignored the more literate romantic comedies. Films like The Answer Man, The Giant Mechanical Man, and Management were all cut from the old-fashioned, well-crafted cloth, but with modern conflicts and concerns. It was gratifying to see actresses like Lauren Graham given meaty roles– and if anyone can resist Chris Messina of The Giant Mechanical Man, then they’re not a romantic. It is a pity that these films are under the radar.

The same prejudice is found in literary circles as well, but that’s a subject for a different blog post. You can read more at carlasarett.blogspot.com.

 

You can also find Carla here on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Carla-Sarett/e/B00ANVZPXI/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1364902919&sr=8-1

Jasper Amazon Parrot, MS, Publishing

STOP THE PRESSES: My MS has found a home

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2012-05-14 15.52.58

I have been sitting on some news for a small bit now. I wanted to make sure every thing was done right. But I been told I can announce it. My book Jasper,Amazon Parrot:A Rainforest Adventure has been picked up by a publishing house out of San Francisco

Let me tell you about how it went down. I came across the company off a contact in Linkedin. Sending an email to see if they were open for submissions I received the reply that they were. That same day I sent a query letter with the first three chapters attached. I was told that the publisher and her business manager cleared the afternoon. They wondered if I could send them the rest of the MS. I happily did.

Soon I received word they were interested in publishing my book. My first reaction was sitting back in my chair at my desk and going numb. This is what I been working for. This was my end point. I had not once for a minute thought of self publishing this book. I believed in it so strongly, whether that belief was correct or not, that I kept at it.

I will over the next few weeks post on the aspect of this. There are a few levels. But I just wanted to let you all know that I have found a home for Jasper. This is still surreal to me even though I have known for short period of time. Maybe when I see the book in the stores it will hit me. It has been a journey for Jasper and me.

Author, Book, Writer Spotlight

Showcasing B.S. Johnson

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When I learned my friend was having a release party I knew I wanted to host her on my blog. This was to give her the spotlight so people can hear about her latest work. She is such a sweetie.

Here she is.

Maters Cover

Maters, Taters & Grits gives you a peek inside the lives of those who live in and love the South. Everything from mud runs, bonfires, and Southern hospitality to how you should treat your mama. Maters, Taters & Grits invites you to take a trip down a country road, have a seat on the porch of a stranger, have a Mason jar of sweet tea, and lose yourself in the country life awhile.

Available now at Amazon.com!

B.S. Johnson resides in Georgia with her husband and children. She’s been published in The Rusty Nail Magazine, Onefortyfiction.com, and her first non-fiction, Being Kind In An Unkind World, can be downloaded for free at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/256101

Find her on FaceBook at facebook.com/bsjohnson12