HAHAHAH! JUST ADDED…
Click here! The Plotmonkeys (and editor extraordinaire Brenda Chin) are anticipating Halloween!
http://monstermashup.com/1aad1c
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Now, on to our regularly scheduled blog…
I know we’ve talked on here about authors we stick with, even if one or two books do disappoint us. (Stephen King is one of mine. I went through a phase where I disliked every single book, then wham, he’d get me with a great one and I’d be sucked right back in…lol!)
I was thinking about that this weekend, though, when I went to the movies with Bruce to see Pandorum. Honestly? I had never even heard of this movie! Hadn’t seen a single commercial, or heard a word about it. But when I went to Fandango, checking for times for Surrogates, and saw this one, it caught my interest. First, because it’s an Alien-like sci-fi thriller.
Second, because it stars Dennis Quaid.
Now, don’t ask me why, but I have always loved Dennis Quaid. Not talking about him as a person–I know he was a druggie and a creep of a husband to Meg Ryan (of course, she was no great prize, or stranger to infidelity herself, was she?) Anyway, I am talking about Dennis Quaid in his movies. He has made some great ones and some total stinkers, but I swear, when I see his name on one, I always have the urge to go see it.
I first saw him in The Right Stuff, where he played a sexy, cocky astronaut and he pulled it off beautifully. Then came Enemy Mine–I actually have the DVD of that one and watched it recently, still very entertaining. Then The Big Easy…OMG what an amazingly sexy, hot cajun cop! Innerspace–adorable comedy, with Meg Ryan. Another Dennis-Ryan pairing was D.O.A. which few people remember, but which I utterly loved. (Professor finds out someone has poisoned him and he has about 24 hours to live and spends those hours trying to solve his own murder. VERY cool!) Great Balls of Fire–wow, what a great Jerry Lee Lewis, he just excelled at playing the flirtatious, broad-grinned bad boy. While I preferred Tombstone to Wyatt Earp, Quaid’s Doc Holliday was most excellent. He was irrepressibly wicked in Something To Talk About with Julia Roberts. Adorable in the remake of The Parent Trap (first time I saw Lindsay Lohan…wow, how sad she turned out!)
So far, Quaid had had a string of hits for me. Then came Cold Creek Manor…ick. He wasn’t charming or cocky, he was serious and boring and the movie was just blech. Flight of the Phoenix…another kinda blech one for me, where’s my charming Dennis? The Day After Tomorrow–okay, he wasn’t his charming self, but I actually loved this big, epic, end-of-the-world movie. Cheesy, I know, but it brought me back to my Towering Inferno and Earthquake childhood. Yours, Mine Or Ours–eh. American Dreamz–yes. Then Smart People-ugh. Hated this one. He looked awful with that beard and was so dour and unpleasant and I had absolutely no idea why Sarah Jessica Parker fell in love with him!
As you can see, I was going up and down, up and down. Since Smart People was the last film of his I saw, I figured I was due for an uptick, righ? Hence Pandorum.
Big mistake.
It wasn’t awful, and had some good moments. But overall…meh. Nothing really new, nothing terribly scary. And Quaid in particular was the biggest disappointment. Both his character, and the way he played him. I heard the movie was a HUGE flop, and I’m not surprised.
Has that scared me off for good? Oh, no. No more than Firestarter or Pet Sematary, or The Tommyknockers, or Bag of Bones or Hearts In Atlantis killed Stephen King for me forever, despite how much I disliked them. (Those are among the few of his books that I never re-read.) I’m still holding out hope Quaid’s next one will delight me and remind me why I started loving him in his movies to begin with.
I’m curious, anybody else have an actor they feel this way about? Somebody who, despite how much some of their movies have disappointed you, you still always want to go see?
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CARLY here! Yes, LUCKY BREAK is in stores TODAY! And I’d also like to remind you to Blog with me TODAY at:
Writerspace Blogs
and
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Post at each for a chance to win a $25 bookstore giftcard! Yes, I hope you’ll use it to buy LUCKY BREAK if you haven’t run out like I’ve been begging you to! 
Leslie Kelly used to say she wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but then she discovered Nancy Drew books. Being a flashlight-under-the-covers-nose-in-book reader throughout her childhood, she couldn’t think of anything else she’d rather do as an adult than continue to lose herself in fictional stories. Her real life marriage of 20 years to the man of her dreams is a constant reinforcement that happily-ever-afters really can happen…and that they’re worth writing about. Living in Maryland, Leslie spends her non-writing time laughing a lot with the above-mentioned romance hero and their three daughters. Though an author of more than thirty sexy, contemporary comedies, she has recently branched out to write dark romantic suspense under the pseudonym Leslie Parrish.
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Bruce Willis. I am almost always amused by his movies. They may not be the best, but I love him. I love his sarcastic wit, his total Alpha maleness. Yipee-ki-yay….!
I was disappointed that they re-made Yours, Mine and Ours. It tops my list as my all time favorite movie. They way they made it PC, changing so much of what was based on a true story just irked me no end, so I never saw it. Besides, no one can match a young Tim Matheson in his first role, going of in a Marine uniform.
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You know, I LOVE Bruce Willis, too!!! Which is why I wanted to see Surrogates (frankly, I wish we had… :*&#!: ) But there’s just something about Quaid…
Ev, have you seen any of the old Moonlighting episodes? We got the complete series on DVD and pulled it out to watch it with the girls a few months ago. He was adorable and charming from day one.
PS: Yes, I HATE how they “p.c. -up” old classics!
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Hi Leslie,
Going to see Bruce this week. Will let you know when I see the movie.
The Monster Mash was a adorable, OKay maybe wrong word. I loved it!
I went to the super walmart in Waterville, Maine last nite on our way into camp.
The lady was there putting out the books so I gave her my list. She only had 2 Rockis’ Make her pay and Cindy Gerard’s Feel the Heat. I gave her the where’s my Carly Phillips and Leslie Kelly/Parrish and Julie Leto speech and she said she would make sure she got on it. She actually seemed surprised herself.
So I did my best there, after all it is a super store and they are usually good.
I did get to Mr. Paperback before they closed and the lady had 1 copy of LUCKY BREAK. Yah-hoo! So I have put aside Covet. Carly and will read LUCKY BREAK first. They have all three of your Black books Leslie.
No signs of the Blaze anywhere Julie and Leslie. I’ll keep looking!
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Thanks so much for the book sighting update, Jeanie! I really appreciate it.
The Blaze won’t be showing up for a few more weeks yet, it’s a November release, so probably around Oct. 20. However, for anyone who likes to read ebooks, it is already selling on eHarlequin’s ebook site!
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I loved Moonlighting. But they killed it when they let them get involved with each other.
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I have always liked Dennis Quaid as well. But like Ev I am a big Bruce Willis fan. I love his sarcasm and wit not to mention his sexy voice. I LOVE his voice. Nathan Fillion is another actor I enjoy. He’s great in Castle. As far as being just an excellent actor I love Paul Giamatti. I got hooked when I saw him in Lady in the Water. He’s not the handsome leading man but he’s got talent in spades. There’s nothing wrong with eye candy but they need to bring more to the screen than just looks.
Cher
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I love Nathan Fillion, too, have since his Joey in OLTL days. But yeah, he’s made some stinkers…lol! I *still* have not watched Castle!
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Oh, yummy, Nathan Fillion (he’s on my twitter). Poor Heather had class last night and missed meeting him at the Border’s in Northridge. She was so upset.
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I love Chris Noth. Yes, even if the show is bad, he’s nice eye candy.
George Clooney and Denzel Washington used to do that, but they have also made some kinda ‘out there and I am not really interested in the plot’ movies, so I have sort of stopped seeing their movies.
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Katie, I am one of those weird people who never watched one single episode of Sex & the City. But I did recently see the movie on HBO and loved it. He was adorable.
I also recently caught some of From Dawn Till Dusk the other night–UGH! Awful flick. But George Clooney was so incredibly hot in that one.
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Whoops, reverse that, From Dusk Till Dawn…lol!
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Katy, If you like Noth, please give THE GOOD WIFE (Tues. 10P, CBS) a try. Juliana Margulies is absolutely wonderful in the pilot, & Noth is her politician-scandel-ridden husband, presently residing in jail. Obviously, taken from out-of-the-headlines, but JM is well worth the watching, if for no other reason that she gives a performance that just hits-the-mark. Not much of Noth in the pilot, but, his case is coming up for review….
Leslie, If you like Quaid, try THE ROOKIE, even if you don’t like baseball. It’s about the person, not the game. While I’m not a big fan, other than BIG EASY & SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, he’s great in this film.
Patricia
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Did you see last nights episode? Hmmm…..
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Patricia…I did check out “The Good Wife” (I forgot to record it last night, but I’ll catch up with it either online or on Saturday night). Loved it. I figured with that and “Flash Forward”, even if they are bad, they have nice “eye candy” (FF has Joseph Fiennes who is totally FINE!).
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Katie, Sorry for spelling your name incorrectly. Before retiring, I worked at CBS for 25 yrs. & don’t think the double-launch of TGW will necessarily continue into this week’s Sat. programming. Usually, this occurs w/the pilot only. Do view the pilot online, though, as I think you’ll better be able to understand the story if you do. (Below, I am responding to ev’s question. One revelation in epis. 2 if you don’t want to read it.)
ev, I did see last night’s TGW episode. What did you think? I am impressed how Juliana M. shows the wife’s anger at her husband, while trying to keep a decent relationship w/him for the kids’ sakes. What about the husband’s incriminating pix being left in the kids’ hands? While I know the DA (?) has it in for the husband, but to just have someone drop a package of the pix at the wife’s house, w/o making certain it actually reaches the wife, seems something an attorney would never do.
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Katie, I’m sorry that I didn’t read your post correctly. So please delete my 4th sentence.
ev, Forgot to ask how your daughter is doing in college here in L.A.? Hope it’s going well for her.
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***SPOILER ALERT****
I really liked the way it was played. I also liked that, even if the pictures shouldn’t have gotten into the kids hands, that they may actually prove his innocence. Go techno savy kids! I do think that JM has the role of the wife down very well. It’s never as black and white as it seems.
Heather is doing great, thank you for asking. She just moved from the dorms to an apt in Tarzana, right around the corner from the school. She has been getting all A’s and B’s which is fantastic. She met Quentin Tarantino the other night and has been on cloud 99!! He actually grabbed her for a hug (long story on how that happened!) So other than a/c issues which have been fixed, she is doing fairly well. I have Todd McCaffrey there to look after her for me- he took her to the ER a couple months ago when she got very sick.
How is your daughter fairing? I haven’t had time to catch up with anyone lately it’s been so insane here.
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Way cool, Ev! I love Tarantino! (Well, some of his stuff…lol!)
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I’m brain dead today Leslie
not even sure what I’m doing … if I find my brain and there’s an answer in there, I’ll come back and let you know. Suffice it to say I completely understand – when I find an author, actor I ‘connect’ with I almost feel like I owe them my loyalty … not sure why that is.
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Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington. I watch nearly all their movies
I loath Quaid though. yep, druggy, womanizer, serial cheater (still is, no wonder his ex gave it right back to him in the end). and never liked any of his movies either. he never disappears into a character and his latest movies are just utter crap.
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I LOVE the monster mash video!! Too funny!!
Thanks for sending the link.
Cher
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Dennis Quaid *SWOON* You forgot to add THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA, DRAGONHEART (okay – it was silly but Quaid and Sean Connery voicing the dragon? What’s not to love?!?!!), UNDERCOVER BLUES (he’s back in New Orleans with Kathleen Turner-a fun, campy spy romp) and a personal, more dramatic favorite, FREQUENCY.
Okay…Now, must see actors? Number one on the list, Sean Connery. Number two…Sean Connery. LOL. What can I say? That man can shake or stir me anyway he wants!
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I’m a fickle little thing :X I try to find actors to stick with… but can’t manage. I guess one might be [O_o and how telling is it that his name has slipped my mind?] Ah – Christian Bale. And/or Gerard Butler. Johnny Depp. But the thing is, I can miss a movie or two that they’re in and be fine. :X Although, yes, I have hunted down obscure films etc especially when I was on my Raoul Bova kick. But you know, watching Italian films is exposing myself to more culture, right?
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Oh Silver, yes, I forgot about Frequency–I love that one! I rewatched it a while ago and realized that the wife was Juliet from Lost. Had totally forgotten that.
Bella, I actually think Quaid completely disappeared into Doc Holliday…he was the best part about that craptastic movie…lol! And he also disappeared entirely into Smart People…also craptastic.
Forgot about Vantage Point, though–that one was pretty good!
Re: Gerard Butler, I just saw a preview for his new one. A thriller where he’s a vengeful father taking revenge on the justice system after the murder of his wife and daughter. It looks really good, is called Law Abiding Citizen and also stars Jamie Foxx.
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I
Matthew McConaughey! He’s such a hottie, but his last movie, “The Ghost of Girlfriends Past” was very disappointing. 
For me, it just didn’t have the humor and flair he always brings to his movies. That Matthew “sex appeal” he usually oozes just wasn’t there. 
I also
Gerard Butler!! OOH LA LA!! His accent and smile makes me melt! 
He was wonderful in “Phantom of the Opera.” What a great voice! Plus, he’s funny too! The dancing scene in his boxers in “P.S. I Love You” was hilarious!! 
What would we women do without our hunky guys in our movies and our books? Life would be so boring!
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OMG–loved hiim in Sahara!!!!
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At the moment I’m drawing a blank about any actor that I love but has disappointed me & I know there are some the mind is just not cooperating!!
Love Castle, watched it last night right after Dancing With The Stars.
Good subject for the day Leslie. I hope you got my email last we with my address for the book I won. Can’t wait to get it. I’ll check in later.
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Love the monster mash!!
My no matter what actor is Johnny Depp. The man can do no wrong with me. So looking foward to Alice in Wonderland!
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He’s a must see for me too. can’t wait for Alice in Wonderland and when they come out with Dark Shadows. Finally, Depp as a Vamp!! Woot!!
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Hey, I went to Borders yesterday to pick up the second and third Black Cats books. For some reason, I thought Lucky Break came out last week. They had to tell me I was a day early. OOPS!
Leslie, I received the book I won last week and am Totally in LOVE with your Parrish personality. Girl, you rock the thrillers. I actually think that your writing is in the same league as Patterson and Grisham in this genre.
Carly, I will be back at Borders in a day or so.
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Debbie, thank you SO much! I am absolutely thrilled that you loved it and so very appreciative that you bought the next two books!!!!
It’s funny, I have been on such a tightrope with these books. Part of me says yes, Grisham, Patterson, that’s where I want to go. But these books are being shelved in romance, with traditional romantic suspense. And I seriously fear it’s hurting them badly.
I just don’t know what to do about it, to be honest. I want to keep writing my books the way I want to write them…but if suspense readers can’t find them and romance readers don’t like them, I’m going to quickly find myself unemployed.
Sigh.
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I was in the local general store/restaurant today, Leslie, and you were the main topic.
I gave one of the girls Pitch Black and she is in love with your black cyber books
now. Said she thinks you have caught onto something new and different with
the cyber op. Anyway she is raving to everyone about your book. You would have been very proud!
I think it just takes awhile for a new name to catch on. Why the new name anyway? I see a pattern of, say Walmart for example, not picking up new names or for that matter an old name that hasn’t surfaced in awhile.
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Leslie,
Is there any chance your publisher will market it differently? I know I will be recommending them, not only in person but to some on-line contacts as well. One of them being a mystery writer.
Good Luck!
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Charlize Theron, Salma Hayek, Halle Berry…oh…wait. You said ACTOR. Sorry, guess I can’t play.
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There you go Bruce playing the poor woe-is-me pirate role again.
Favorite actor: sean connery, sam elliot, paul newman and all the regulars.
Actress: Hmmmm… I’ll leave those up to you Bruce.
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OMG, Jeannie! How could I forget Sam Elliott!
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You’re Right! Must be our age making us forget that hunk. I listen to the Beef Industry ads just to hear his voice!
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I’m a big Bruce Willis fan, too! Love his movies, love him, and I’m planning on seeing Surrogates because it looks so good on the previews!
I also love Johnny Depp, Hugh Jackman, and Gerard Butler.
Has anyone, by chance, seen FAME? Is it worth seeing, or wait for the rental?
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HAven’t seen fame yet and love your taste in actors.
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First, love the Monster Mash video! So very funny.
I love Dennis Quaid too, but my must see actor is Colin Firth. Just something about his British accent that is so sexy to me.
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Hey Les, just wanted to say hello. I finally got a chance to come and swing in the fines. I really needed it tonight. I liked Dennis Quaid. One movie that really stuck out for me in the strong like category is Frequency. I thought he did a phenomenal job in that one. On to actors I stick with: Sandra Bullock, I know cheesy movies, but she made some great ones that I like a lot, even Practical Magic. She is the only one I can think of right now.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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oops…I meant *vines. I am really tired, and I should go to bed since my eyes are crossing, but I am too pissed off at the moment. I think I am gonna go get lost in JR Ward’s latest, Covet. Carly, I couldn’t find Lucky Break today, but I will hunt for it later this week. I miss the Corwins.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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Hugh Jackman does it for me. A few of his movies I couldn’t believe I sat through and his kissing on screen makes me feel he’s not really into it but that could be good and show he’s so into his real wife he doesn’t feel comfortable kissing anyone else.
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One of my all time favorite is Julia Roberts, male I love so many Brad Pitt is at the top of my list though.