Movies and the Lucky 7

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on March 26, 2012

I’m traveling a different path with this blog as I discuss movies and the Lucky 7 (which I’ll explain later). How do they relate? They don’t!

Bear with me, and we’ll have a little fun.

The movie experience

A fellow writer in our Facebook writing group recently posted a blog about how going to the movies was a cruddy experience and that no movies are worth seeing anyway.

I respectfully disagree.

Every Friday night, my hubby and I put on our sweats or jeans and tennis shoes, put our dogs in charge of the house (yes, we let them use weapons!) and head for the movies. I have to admit that my husband and I are both workaholics in our chosen fields, so this Friday night ritual is more than entertainment – it’s a rite of passage into the weekend.

Sitting in the plush, comfortable seats of our favorite theatre with a big bag of delicious popcorn and our cold drinks, we allow our minds to relax and refresh as we totally engage in another world for that brief stretch of time.

I’m the emotional, sensitive type, so I go through the whole gamut of emotions as I munch and crunch my once-a-week popcorn splurge. I laugh, cry, expect, worry, hope. I sit on the edge of my seat to aid the good guy in his pursuit of justice. I inwardly cheer when a parent understands, a love is reunited, a boy defeats a bad villain, a girl finds her long-lost mother, a country is saved, an evil plan is thwarted.

Sometimes, I lean over and whisper the next line to my hubby. He whispers, “How did you know that?” I whisper back, “I’m a writer.”

It feels wonderful to guess exactly what the screenwriters will “say” next. Try it sometime – you’ll like it!

When hubby and I are not pleased with the ending of a film, we spend many happy moments on the way home discussing how it could have been written differently to give x, y, or z results. That’s better than medicine for a writer’s soul, let me tell you!

I admit that not all movies are worth seeing.

We’re very selective about the content and intent of what we feed our brains. Additionally, we cringe at some of the trash movies we see adults taking their young children, pre-teens and teens to watch. I feel sorry for those young minds and spirits having to absorb garbage that isn’t productive or positive. End of subject.

People at the Movies

My fellow writer I mentioned earlier said babies cry and people leave their cell phones on and it’s just a generally awful experience in the movie theatre itself. Again, I disagree.

It has been years since I’ve heard a cell phone ring or a baby cry during a movie. Once, a baby started fussing, and the mom immediately took the baby out of the auditorium. End of problem. One time, I forgot to turn my phone off and it rang! I almost died of mortification, but people turned to me and smiled. They understood. No big deal. Hey, we’re out to have fun, not get our rears tied in a knot.

Popcorn

If the popcorn is lousy, I’m not going back. A theatre chain that rhymes with “shave” used to be our favorite, until they started serving popcorn that tasted like cereal. Put it in a bowl, add milk and sugar and you could have breakfast with that dry, tasteless stuff.

To make matters worse, they cut out providing *free* Kernel Season’s Popcorn Seasoning (White Cheddar is to die for), or even making it available to buy in the itty bitty shakers. Big mistake. With so many choices available, why would a business go backward in providing the best for their customers? Mind-boggling.

You knew it was coming: For whatever reasons…Jodi Lea Stewart’s humble list of favorite movies for 2011.

The Iron Lady (what can I say? It’s Meryl Streep in a fascinating role)
Water for Elephants (almost as good as the book – rare, indeed)
Moneyball (Brad’s best)
Soul Surfer (most inspirational)
Sherlock Holmes 2 (lots of sleight-of-hand fun)
Hugo Cabret (amazingly imaginative)
Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts? I’m there)
The Ides of March (makes you wish we could have government without politicians)
Captain America (standing up for mom, apple pie, and the American way!)
Real Steel (you’ll cheer at the end)
The Help (fab, except for the pie thing…should have just added ex-lax)
Thor (Chris Hemsworth is just so…so…well, anyway)
Tower Heist (stupid, corny and makes you laugh)
Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas – enough said.)
Limitless (if you read my blog about Squeeze, this guy got into it and added steroids!)
The Lincoln Lawyer (more Matthew McConaughey movies, please)

What is Lucky 7?

Lucky 7 is a little tornado that blew into our WANA112 writing group recently.

Here are the rules of the game:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag 7 authors, and let them know.

If you don’t yet have 77 pages of your current work in progress completed, just choose the first seven sentences.

I’m tagging my authors first. Only one author is in our writing group, but that adds a nice bit of seasoning – sort of how Kernel season’s White Cheddar seasoning livens up popcorn, you know?

Nikki McCormack, Kristen Lamb, J.r. Sanders, Chris Eboch, Carol Buchanan, Sue Cauhape, Dutch Henry

Here are the nine (shh!) seven sentences from my current Work in Progress: Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: CANYON OF DOOM

♥

A shaky sigh rose from my stomach and leaked out as a sob.

“Stop bawling!” Talastic ordered, frowning at me like I had two heads. Her scowl dissolved into quivers. “I don’t want to live, Silki…I just…”

She closed her eyes. Teardrops pushed past her eyelashes and raced down her dirty cheeks. Her whole body shook as she shrieked and pounded the ground with her fists. I stared at the sky so Talastic and her sorrow could be alone.

Would her outburst cleanse her soul of its torment?

♥

So there you have it – my blog featuring two very different subjects that purposely don’t tie into each other. I had oodles of fun, and I hope you did, too.

Of course, a visit isn’t a visit without a two-way conversation. I know you’ll have lots to say after reading our seven tagged authors’ Lucky 7 lines, so fire away!

I truly hope you’ll pick up a copy of my novel Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: SUMMER OF THE ANCIENT. The print version is on sale at Amazon for only $11.21!!! For your convenience, it’s also available for Kindle, the Nook and for most other eBook readers. If you love the Southwest and kooky little characters that make you laugh aloud as authentic danger and mystery swirl at every turn, you’ll love this novel! The second book in the series, CANYON OF DOOM, debuts in early 2013.

While you’re here, please have a look around my website. To sign up to receive notices of my new blogs, recipes, appearances and media news, just leave your email address above. I’ll take care of the rest. Y’all come back soon … I miss you already!

Why Wes Studi is the Father of my Baby, er…I Mean, Protagonist

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on March 5, 2012

Just how did my current Young Adult mystery/adventure series wind up in the Navajo Nation?

Actors Irene Bedard and Wes Studi (aka Frank Begay). It’s okay by me if Irene wants to play the part of Auntie Zim in the Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves series—she’s perfect for it!

I’ll tell you. One day, when I was about knee high to a katydid, my mom moved us to Arizona.

I went from picking blackberries with my cousins to jumping flat-footed into a tall cow-feed bin as I witnessed my first cattle-branding event.

I was traumatized…

… even though the ranchers told me the calves were laughing. Yeah, they told me those things they threw in the fire and ate later on were oysters, too. They were. Mountain oysters.

Our Arizona high-country ranch was located between the Navajo Rez and the White Mountain Apache Tribe Rez. My schoolmates were Native American, Hispanic and just a few Anglos, like five or six of them. In case you don’t know, Anglos are Caucasians.

It was, at the very least, an incredible experience; and it marked me for life. I forever gallop the winds of my imagination in the high country – in my mind, and in my novels.

Now you know why I started my novel-writing career smack dab in the Navajo Nation, don’t you?

My protagonist for the Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves series, is a young Navajo with a steroid imagination, a penchant for adventure and an addiction to scarves. Her professor mother, immersed in academia, isn’t around a lot. Her dad is.

Meet Frank Begay – “Silki’s dad.”

Silversmith. Musician. Husband. Father. Son. Uncle. Son-in-law. Wise counselor. Diné.

Think about that; this man has a lot on his shoulders.

Now peek up there at Wes Studi.

See the twinkling eyes? The shy, strong smile. The map of wisdom engraving his face?

No doubt about it…when Hollywood knocks on my door, Wes plays Frank!

I already know your arguments.

Wes Studi is Cherokee, not Navajo. It’s a movie part…not real life! M-O-V-I-E. Entertainment. Playacting. Sheesh. I hope that settles that one. *dusts off hands*

Wes Studi is a little older than Frank Begay. You’re worried about that? Just look at that timeless face. I say Wes Studi can play characters in their mid-thirties to their sixties and beyond. It’s not the age; it’s the actor – and brother, can he act! Think Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, Avatar.

Wes Studi, actor

Anyhoo, next time any of you happens to run into Wes, like in Hollywood or Colorado or some other cool place, tell him “toodle-oo” for me, and that he has first crack at the part of Frank in the Silki movies – just as soon as Hollywood goes gaga over my Silki novels – of course.

Minor detail.

Readers, do certain actors seem perfect for the characters in the books you read?

Writers, who do you think should play the major parts in your novel(s) when Hollywood beats on your door?

Tell us about it.

We’re dying to know!

Of course, a visit isn’t a visit without a two-way conversation. I really want to hear from you.

I truly hope you’ll pick up a copy of my novel Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: SUMMER OF THE ANCIENT. The print version is on sale at Amazon for only $9.85!!! For your convenience, it’s also available for Kindle, the Nook and for most other eBook readers. If you love the Southwest and kooky little characters that make you laugh aloud as authentic danger and mystery swirl at every turn, you’ll love this novel! The second book in the series, CANYON OF DOOM, debuts in early 2013.

Ya’at’eeh and Howdy! Sure nice of you to stop by…

Posted by Author Jodi Lea Stewart on December 12, 2011

Since this is the first blog of the rest of my life…

…can we pretend we just met at a backyard barbeque and we’re hugging a couple of those aluminum chairs crisscrossed in greenish-blue nylon straps and we’re small talking to get to know each other?

What’s that? You don’t like the heat? All right, hon. Get yourself up and follow me—we’re going inside. Have a seat on that big ‘ol fluffy sofa and make yourself at home. I’ll go get us some tea.

Do you want Navajo tea, Sassafras tea, Sweet tea or Texas-style tea?

Iced Tea Dark or light?

Hot or cold?

Cup or glass?

Real sugar or sweetener?

A little cinnamon?

Cream?

Dash of chocolate?

Now isn’t that funny? I just reminded myself of why I’ve started this blog. Did you know life is like a 16^th Century English Sampler?

A few hundred years ago, Samplers were greatly treasured for their different needlecraft styles and the mixture of threads used in creating elaborate art with needles. Women spent a lifetime collecting stitch examples and patterns.

English Sampler What does that have to do with a blog? Well, a blog, unless it’s about a specific subject like writing or pickling beets or whatnot, can be a sampling—or collection—of one’s life journey.

Recently, I had an epiphany. I could write novels (fiction) and write a blog (non-fiction) from the Sampler of my Life – thus satisfying both sides of my little brain. That way, my life would continue gathering illustrious EMBROIDERED stitches not only from my own adventures, but also from experiences my readers share with me.

Who am I, and why am I talking?

Ten-second tour: I grew up on an Arizona ranch with an Okie mom, brothers, cowboys, Angus and Hereford cattle, horses, chickens, and an eclectic mix of Native American and Hispanic friends. I fell in love with everything southwest and southern, and I weave those elements into every facet of my life.

If we share blog time together, what will we talk about?

Since I grew up next door to the Navajos, I like sharing interesting things about their culture, art and sense of humor. We’ll talk about country topics too, everything from windmills to fried okra to Buck Brannaman. Then there’s stuff like crazy cakes, king snakes, growing jewelry and Spanish treasures. It’s all southwest and southern – a literal gold mine of sparklers waiting for us to explore.

Speaking of gold mines – you’ve heard the ghost stories about the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains, haven’t you? Spooky! We’ll dig into some of the best lore about it one of these days.

So back to my earlier offer of tea…what’s your favorite kind? Do you know which soft drink used to have sassafras root tea in it?

Hang out with me and you’ll find out why my granddad made us all drink sassafras tea in the spring and about his personal cure for snakebite. Works, too. Saved my mom’s life when she was five years old.

So…come back often. We’ll put the little pot in the big pot, brew up some coffee or tea and have ourselves a grand ole time!