A Dashing Valentine
January 26, 2018 by A Slice of Orange in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo tagged as Anthony Andrews, Baroness Orczy, Jane Seymour, romance, Scarlett, Scarlett Pimpernel, Valentine, Valentine's
As Valentine’s Day approaches, will you be looking for something achingly romantic to read? Throughout my life, I’ve read so many romantic stories, and some have stayed with me … probably because I have re-read them so many times! But probably the most romantic book, the one that fueled so many of my romantic dreams as I was growing up, is … drumroll, please … The Scarlett Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. I read it when I was in 6th grade. I can still remember going to our school’s library, checking it out, and sitting down to read as much of it as I could before English class was over and I had to go to social studies. My house was pretty noisy as a kid, so I remember heading out to the old swing set in the back yard and sitting on the teeter totter to read through to the exciting and swoon-worthy finish.
I had recently seen the 1982 TV movie starring Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour, and it swept me away – so in the days of no Netflix, Amazon, or even VCRs, I got the book so I could keep re-living the tale. Since then, I have re-watched the Anthony Andrews version a number of times. I have also seen the 1934 version with Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon and the 1999 version with Richard E. Grant and Elizabeth McGovern. I have even seen the stage musical. But the book features moments of heart-fluttering romance and dashing derring-do not included in any of the dramatizations I’ve seen.
This season of love is a perfect time to re-visit the old classic or read it for the very first time (I am so jealous of you if you get to enjoy this one for the very first time!) Or watch any of the film versions – the Andrews/Seymour version is, by far, my favorite. And in this version, a young Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, plays the King of England. The Scarlett Pimpernel is available in libraries and readily available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle format. Enjoy!
Geralyn Corcillo
loves getting reviews that say “I will re-read this…” or “I know I will read this again and again…” because then she knows that she has provided a bit of magic for a reader – the kind of magic she has been getting from books her whole life! Chat with Geralyn on her Facebook page by commenting on her many posts – she will comment back – she loves to connect with readers!
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Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh … It’s a Wonderful Life
November 27, 2017 by A Slice of Orange in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo tagged as angel, dog, dogs, Gina Calanni, guardian angel, It's a Wonderful Life
SPOILER ALERT: In this post, I discuss the ending of the 1946 movie It’s a Wonderful Life.
It’s that time of year when, once again, we can indulge in watching It’s a Wonderful Life to our hearts’ content. In the movie, town do-gooder George Bailey is finally bested by town evil-doer Mr. Potter when Mr. Potter steals $8,000 from George and his company, The Bailey Building & Loan. The bank examiner is on his way, and the missing $8,000 means the end of the business that decently houses the people of the town so that they do not have to live in Mr. Potter’s slums. The missing $8,000 also means jail for George – a man who has never gotten ahead in life because he has always worked tirelessly to make sure everyone else is okay.
By
the end of the movie, George’s wife Mary has learned of the missing $8,000, so, on Christmas Eve, she goes around town telling people that George is in trouble, and the townsfolk open their hearts and wallets and donate, trying to raise $8,000. One of the townsfolks Mary alerts is George’s old boss, drug store owner Mr. Gower. Mr. Gower cables George’s old school chum Sam Wainwright, who made millions in plastics during the war. Will the town be able to raise the $8,000? Maybe. But Sam Wainwright ends up saving the day with a last-minute influx of cash. Why am I telling you all this? Because recently, I helped make It’s a Wonderful Life happen in real life. But first, here is the ending of It’s a Wonderful Life. The crucial part for this story happens at 1:30.
So what did I do to help make this kind of Wonderful-ness happen?A few weeks ago, I got word from fellow author Tracie Bannister that fellow author Gina Calanni posted a donation page on Facebook – her dog Schatzi was hit by a truck (that did not even stop!) and now needed life-saving surgery that Gina, who just made it through Harvey in Houston, could not afford. I donated, then I posted the donation page everywhere I could. I even sent a newsletter out to all my readers straight-up asking for donations. Some contributed, some sent well-wishes.
But one woman, Bernie, emailed me and Gina and offered to cover the cost of the
surgery and she told Gina to schedule the surgery right away.
The surgery happened the next day, went well, and Schatzi is recovering beautifully. Gina and her three sons are so so happy. Gina got through Harvey with Schatzi strapped to her back, and she has been able to save her beloved Schatzi again! Here are the boys with Schatzi the day Schatzi came home from the hospital.
In this real-life It’s a Wonderful Life, Schatzi is Clarence, but instead of wings, she needed surgery. Gina is George Bailey, the one who would get that surgery for Schatzi through her her own awesomeness and her community of friends. Tracie is Mary, spreading the word. I am Mr. Gower, who contacted the all-important Sam Wainwright. And the amazing Bernie is Sam Wainwright. Mmmrrh … I am honored and verklempt to have have been in the midst of this real-life It’s a Wonderful Life.
There is magic in the air, for real. And we can all be a part of making it happen. Don’t believe me? Frank Cross from Scrooged thinks so, too.
Tis’ the season, so feel free to check out my Christmas novel A Drakenfall Christmas and my Christmas short story “It Doesn’t Show Signs of Stopping.”
Peace out and rock on! -Geralyn Corcillo
Does Prolific Equal Growth as a Writer? @JenniferLyon
November 25, 2017 by A Slice of Orange in category From Our Archives tagged as Jennifer Apodaca, Jennifer Lyon, Motivational
We occasionally run posts from our wayback archives. This post from Jennifer Apodaca (Jennifer Lyon) was first published in May of 2006. We think it’s still a timely topic.
Does Prolific Equal Growth as a Writer? @JenniferLyon
This is such an interesting question. It leads to some obvious points; do some prolific authors’ books seem like the same book over and over? It can happen. It’s really hard to make every book different, and some similarities will come through in every book. Those are usually part of the author’s “voice” and her style. An M.O. (Modus Operandi) if you will.
One of the most amazing “stretches” for an author that I’ve seen is Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb. Those books are totally different from her Nora Roberts books. The voice is edgier, the plots are grittier, and the suspense is darker. Amazing. Do I think she could have done that in the beginning of her career? Doubtful, although Nora Roberts truly has a “gift” in writing. She may not appeal to everyone, but the woman can tell a story.
So can Stephen King. And he has done some serious growth in his career. Off hand, I’d cite THE GREEN MILE as an example. Stephen King takes risks, and sometimes the reading public doesn’t like the result. But his books are rarely the same thing over and over. I believe he’s grown in his career and he has worked at growing. He tries new things. He doesn’t let fear or reader and publisher expectations keep him in a mold.
I’m not so sure the same could be said for John Grisham or James Patterson. I love some of John Grisham’s early works, but somewhere along the way I just plain old lost interest. That could just be a coincidence. I thought A TIME TO KILL was truly a compelling book. I stopped reading James Patterson when he stopped writing his own books. Enough said there.
There are many factors that can come into play here, branding, putting out several books a year, publishers demanding similar books, the author’s comfort zone, reader expectations…they affect how we write. I’ve known very good authors who had to fight, and fight hard, to expand and grow in their work.
We don’t have a lot of control over all the factors that come into play, but we can control our comfort zone. To grow, we have to push the barriers on what we “know” we can do. For instance, my mystery series has certain built-in parameters. Although I strove to find ways to challenge my writing and keep my characters fresh, by the fifth book, I knew I was pretty much in my comfort zone. To stretch a little I wrote a novella in third person (my mystery series is in first person). Then I wrote an entire book in third person (THE SEX ON THE BEACH BOOK CLUB) with much looser parameters. Trying new things is the only way I know to really flex and strain the writing muscle to see how much it can handle.
Growth does not happen in a vacuum. It’s impossible. We must feed the writing muscle to grow it. Get out from behind the computer and live a little. We need friends who support our dreams, hold our hand when the writing gets tough and slap us around when we doubt our ability.
While I don’t think volume absolutely equals growth, I do think we have to keep writing to grow. It might be uneven progress, sometimes we’ll have to compromise to meet a deadline (this is a business no matter how much we might like to romanticize it!), and sometimes outside forces will prevent us from stretching as much as we’d like. But I think every book gives us the opportunity to grow in some way. The trick is to be willing to take the risk, invest the time and effort, and believe in ourselves.
What about you? What authors do you think have really grown? And which ones write the same book over and over?
Jennifer Apodaca
http://jenniferapodaca.com/
THRILLED TO DEATH hardback now
BATTERIES REQUIRED in paperback now
Jennifer Lyon is the pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Apodaca. Jen has published more than twenty books and novellas, including a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances under the name Jennifer Apodaca. As Jennifer Lyon she created the dark, sizzling, paranormal Wing Slayer Hunter Series, the emotionally sensual adult contemporary Plus Once Chronicles Series, and the passionately beautiful Savaged Illusions Trilogy. Jen has won numerous awards, hit bestseller lists on several sites, and had her books translated into multiple languages.
Jen lives in Southern California with her husband. Together, they raised three amazing sons, welcomed three lovely daughters-in-law and an adorable grandson. Jen loves reading, vacations at the beach or wine tasting, and making friends with any dog she meets. But her passion is writing about characters who must surmount impossible odds and make tough choices to prove themselves worthy of love. In the evening, her husband lures her away from the computer with a glass of wine and the company of the man who is her happily ever after.
Jen loves connecting with fans. Visit her website at www.jenniferlyonbooks.com follow her at https://www.facebook.com/jenniferlyonbooks and sign up for her newsletter here http://jenniferlyonbooks.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=073423e93d289ea062989ac07&id=7af76b3602
Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh … Stepping Out
August 27, 2017 by A Slice of Orange in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo tagged as anthology, genre, homeless, Viet Nam
Ian Fleming is best known for his James Bond books, yet he is also the author of the iconic children’s classic Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car. Agatha Christie changed the face of literature by mastering the whodunit, yet I’ve also enjoyed her more dramatic novels published under the name Mary Westmacott. Both of these unparalleled authors stepped out of their comfort zones (well, assuming a writer can EVER feel comfortable) to write remarkable and memorable stories that didn’t happen to fall into the genres they made famous. So, I consider myself in very good company with my latest release. Even though my four novels and five short stories to date are all Romantic Comedy, I have a contemplative, serious short story in the Love Unlimited anthology. My contribution, “In Her Space,” tells the story of a 64 year-old woman who lives quietly, content with all she has survived in life. But things change when she discovers a homeless young man living under her house.
This idea for a story first came to me when my husband Ron and I spent many nights crawling 
under our neighbor Grace’s house, trying to get two opossums out before the exterminators came. (We got them out and relocated them to safety.) And we are often bringing food and blankets to homeless people who live in the park near our house. Hmmm … Then these seeds of an idea blossomed and took shape when I heard a story on NPR about the Mortuary Services in the army, the soldiers who are quite literally responsible for going onto battlegrounds and collecting the body parts of fallen soldiers so that the soldiers might be sent home.
So, here I am, a romantic comedy writer with this idea for a story about … all sorts of heart-wrenching stuff. Then, a few months ago, fellow writers asked me if I wanted to be part of an anthology that celebrated love in all of its many incarnations. And suddenly, mmmrrh … I had the perfect opportunity to write my story.
Love Unlimited is a free ebook anthology that’s burning up the charts on FREE downloads on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iTunes, and Google Play. Eleven authors share stories that cross generations, cultural backgrounds, and borders in order to warm your heart, tickle your funny bone, and envelop you in the wonderful and complex human emotion the world calls “Love.” Download for free and enjoy!
And you can see what you think of my more serious story. This story is a BIG DEAL for me because it is not romantic comedy. It is hopeful and sweet, though. Yeah, there is tragedy and memories of bad stuff, but it is about the triumph of spirit and connection. I don’t think I could ever write something with a downer ending!
Have you ever stepped out of your genre? Who are some of your favorite writers who have gone genre-hopping? I’d love to hear all about it in comments!
When she was a kid in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Geralyn Vivian Ruane Corcillo dreamed of one day becoming the superhero Dyna Girl. So, she did her best and grew up to constantly pick up litter and rescue animals. At home, she loves watching black & white movies, British mysteries, and the NY Giants. Corcillo lives in a drafty old house in Hollywood with her husband Ron, a guy who’s even cooler than Kip Dynamite.
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Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh … I Celebrate an Amazing Lady
July 27, 2017 by A Slice of Orange in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo, Writing tagged as Arlene Miller Creative Writing, birtday, birthdays, Nerdy Girl Express, poet, poetry, reviews, Tracy MillerI am a very lucky duck to know book reviewer and entertainment journalist Tracy Miller 
Tracy is also a gifted and prolific poet who has published over 20 books of poetry! After working diligently for over two decades as a lawyer (after winning full scholarships to Temple and University of Pennsylvania Law School), she is now fulfilling her life-long dream of writing full time. And Tracy doesn’t just write poetry and reviews of books and television – she uses her talent to write birthday poems for people she knows, admires, remembers, as well. On July 4, she and her twin sister Stacy celebrated their birthdays, so I wrote Tracy her very own birthday poem and pasted it all over Facebook this past July 4 . And Here is the birthday poem I wrote for her:
A peculiar Lady stands in line
At Whole Foods and the bank.
And if you try to suss her out,
You’re sure to draw a blank.
She speaks into a hand-held mike
And says the strangest things
Of plots and tropes and characters
And poetry that sings.
Her mind’s forever active
And her heart’s always replete.
She’s composing all the live-long day
Her demons to defeat.
She celebrates the lives, the art,
The love both here and gone;
The memories she yet holds close
Their might she pushes on.
She’s like a warm and searching poker
Stirring ashes ‘neath the grate
To find the embers burning there
And make them glow. But wait-
No, not a piece of iron
To grow cold when set aside.
But a lively torch that catches flame
To light the air on which it glides.
Like a Firefly she bops along
Brightening the dark,
Building fires or fanning flames, or
Nurturing a spark.
That well sprung magic of her own …
Oh! Such poetry transports.
To be precious, mentioned, known so well ..
Or just to read these dear reports!
It’s not just about her poems though
That makes her heaven-sent.
The prose she writes in her reviews
Is truly incandescent.
To know that someone’s work reached out
And lit another fuse …
To share the secret, bounding joy
Of audience and muse!
When someone’s efforts speak to her
She tells it to the world
In such detail you’ve never read
Creation is unfurled.
Writing is her full-time gig
After decades of the law.
She made her precious dream come true.
Tracy Miller I applaud!
Tracy, Girl, I know that life
Has hurt along the way.
But know that I am grateful
You and Stacy have this day!
Enjoy Tracy’s work on the website she’s dedicated to her mother, Arlene Miller Creative Writing and read her reviews of books and television in the online magazine The Nerdy Girl Express.
When she was a kid in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Geralyn Vivian Ruane Corcillo dreamed of one day becoming the superhero Dyna Girl. So, she did her best and grew up to constantly pick up litter and rescue animals. At home, she loves watching black & white movies, British mysteries, and the NY Giants. Corcillo lives in a drafty old house in Hollywood with her husband Ron, a guy who’s even cooler than Kip Dynamite.
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