Tuesdays with Story

Writer’s Mail
by Randy Haselow
January 30, 2011

BOOK REVIEW: TEXAS SAGE by SANDRA BROWN
Submitted by: Millie Mader

It’s a giant (downward) leap from Grisham’s The Confession to Sandra Brown’s Texas Sage. This is the third of a “Texas” trilogy, written by Brown in the late 1980’s. I was fascinated by the first two, Texas Lucky and Texas Chase Tyler, but didn’t get around to Texas Sage. I tried repeatedly to get it from the library, and was finally told that it was out of print. Then a strange omen appeared. Last month at Barnes & Noble, here it was staring out at me with the new best sellers. “Buy me, Millie,” it shouted. So I did. It had been reprinted.

Brown’s books are primarily “chick lit,” but they are a guilty pleasure that helps chase away the SAD days of January. The Tyler brothers, Lucky and Chase are incredibly handsome. Baby sister, Sage, is spoiled, headstrong and gorgeous. This is true Sandra Brown style.

In the oil bust of the eighties, the wells on the Tyler ranch have stopped being productive. Lucky and Chase have married, and Sage has just graduated from the University of Texas. She is “almost” engaged to a predictable, wimpy son of a millionaire family. They part ways early on, and she is escorted home from his family’s Dallas Christmas party by a grungy stranger. He explains that her brothers have sent him to “fetch” her, and she is furious. She can’t help noticing, though, that he is attractive, despite his rickety farm truck and wrinkled clothes. Grudgingly, she also notes that his tight fitting jeans reveal an awesome butt. Pure Sandra Brown.

Thus begins a battle of wills, pursuit of a novel way to resurrect the ranch, and interludes of adventure, discovery—and sex. Harlan, the handsome cowboy, is not what he seems. Together he and Sage form an uneasy alliance. Both need to learn to trust. Together it will be up to them to rescue the ranch.

Sit by the fire with a glass of wine (or a mug of beer), enjoy, and hope for a happy ending.
(Thank you, Millie)

TUESDAYS WITH STORY
2ND AND 4TH
January 25, 2011

Andrea Kirchman, “Special Delivery.” The group loved her piece. Kim liked the names used. Andrea wondered if we can still use the term “turn-of-the-century” when describing early 20th century houses. The group discussed the question, but no true conclusion came of it. One member suggested that it would be a good idea to specify the type of sedan the woman drove. Holly asked if the story was real. Andrea responded that it was based on real people. Everyone wanted to read more which was a very good sign.

Anne Allen, “A Fatal Homecoming.” Kim liked the tenseness of the chapter, but when a scene is set up, something bad needs to happen. Towards the end there should be some flames or smoke. Someone suggested making sure there are smells mentioned in the chapter – of the chicken coop, the smoke, etc. Someone mentioned that the Christmas tree lighter was a good addition. A number of members mentioned that the first couple of paragraphs of Matt’s POV section could be deleted since they bring the reader back, covering earlier parts of the scene. It is confusing and slows the pace down. Holly mentioned that Chris is too passive, she should be trying to get out of the coop. Terry mentioned she would also try reasoning her way out, especially when the Christmas tree was lit. Holly mentioned that there was too much exposition from Sheila. In real life, a person would not explain so much. Could chop it up more so that the reader gets the gist of what led Sheila to that point. Holly asked if Chris could really see as much as she saw through the cracks of the boards. Terry mentioned that Sheila should have a more difficult time admitting that she was abused. Someone mentioned also that there needs to be a reason that Chris goes into the coop. Another mentioned that if Chris calls Keith’s name and he doesn’t respond, then she would assume that he wasn’t there. Kim had a character question about Sheila. Wouldn’t she have gone to the police because of what happened to her? Many of the members said that most family dramas/abuse aren’t reported due to a culture of fear and secrecy. Someone mentioned that the grandma comes off as not caring. Someone else asked if Sheila is full of rage or she just trying to get the job done. It isn’t clear. Annie suggested that Anne go deeper into Sheila’s enjoyment of killing or feel her rage. Terry asked if this was just one more step towards the money and it was nothing personal, like a sociopath. Kim suggested showing Sheila become unhinged. Anne mentioned that Sheila is only 18 years old. A number of members mentioned that Sheila doesn’t come across as only 18. She sounds older. The reader needs some more clues that she’s 18.

Randy Haselow, “Hona &The Dragon.” Kim asked if he described Hona. She’d like to see Hona described in fragments here and there. Randy mentioned he had earlier. Holly mentioned that the conversation once the characters are down below seems to be too calm considering the chaos above. On pages 3 and 4, Andrea mentioned that there was a lot of conversation without any actions. Holly mentioned it was hard to follow who was talking. Anne mentioned that he called a character a “person” who shoots arrows and suggested archer. Kim suggested bowman. Terry mentioned that when things are more tense, he should use shorter sentences and more active verbs. Someone mentioned that the term “Consulless” is a difficult word to follow and understand. Another person mentioned that Randy made the sack empty in one place and then it’s full later.

Kim Simmons, “The City of Winter.” A number of members didn’t like the term “Saracen-Castillian” accent. Members suggested ancient or thick. Anne mentioned that the end finished with “He left…” It sounds like he disappeared. Andrea agreed and said that it seemed like it happened too quickly. Andrea didn’t like the phrase “missing, presumably dead.” It seemed too flippant of a phrase to say to a goddess. Maybe could say, “We don’t know.” Holly questioned that gold dust and sap. She didn’t understand where they came from, what they were doing and did they get mixed together. Jen mentioned that one character didn’t seem to gouge a big enough hole in the tree for him to enter. Jen also asked how can a kitsune be repelled by a part-human. Anne mentioned that when a character is trying to keep them back, there needs to be segue between Leviathan and Jamie to show why he’s complying. For chapter 30, Andrea mentioned that it’s difficult to follow when it’s telepathic dialogue and when it’s thoughts. Andrea stated that it needs to be more clear as to what the elk is. The bridle tends make the elk seem less magical. Anne mentioned that two people don’t “gather.” There would need to be more people to gather.

Leah Wilbur, “Fog-gotten.” Holly suggested that we need to feel that he’s in pain and then would make it more understandable why he’s staying and not exploring. Kim suggested that there would be more showing vs. telling. Kim felt that in the second chapter the thoughts were too rational, put together compared to before. Anne said that the final few paragraphs can be taken out. Too repetitious. Terry asked if the character had surgery and Leah said yes. Terry suggested that she describe bandages or dressings. And stitches. Kim suggested that Leah add that the blanket was wool. Kim suggested that the people taking care of him would have left him water and food. He would be starving. She asked where everyone else was. Holly wondered how much time had gone by. Wouldn’t he wonder that? Randy suggested that the character could figure out the amount of time that had passed by the length of his facial whiskers. Kim asked if he would be attended by someone. Holly asked if they would be afraid of someone so odd (e.g., odd language) and guard him instead. Andrea suggested that a man would say something other “pee.” Kim felt that he doesn’t need to mention Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. The reader will make that leap.

The schedule for next time . . .
Holly
Jen
Anne M
Jack
If there’s room – Kim and Anne A
Terry asked to be put on the schedule for 2/22.
(Thank you, Holly)

Word Spy
gallery rage
n. Extreme anger displayed by an art gallery patron when a visit is marred by huge crowds or rude gallery staff.

Example Citations:
Gauguin: Maker of Myth has drawn what is thought to be a record number of visitors to a Tate exhibition, but many of them left the building in a state of what one prominent art critic called “gallery rage”. The crowding in front of the paintings on display was so bad, according to angry art fans and critics, that they have vowed never to go to such a big show again.
—Vanessa Thorpe, “‘Gallery rage’ mars the Tate’s record-breaking Gauguin show,” The Observer, January 16, 2011

First road rage — now ‘gallery rage’. The hushed marble foyer of the British Museum was disrupted last week, as more than 20 sightseers staged a sit-in protest against rude staff. A fracas erupted after the group were ejected from the Forgotten Empire exhibition by museum workers so intent on leaving by 5.30pm that they jumped in front of artefacts and shouted to drown out the exhibition’s audio tour.
—Richard Kay, “Diary,” Daily Mail, October 10, 2005

Earliest Citation:
Unfortunately, the show is almost impossible to look at. It feels as though there are as many visitors crammed into the Sainsbury Wing galleries as there were people in Florence at the height of the Renaissance. This is how exhibitions often are now frustrating, wearying, ultimately dispiriting. It isn’t the art’s fault. Museum curators work with objects and documents and histories, loan forms and lighting, finely tuned sight lines, contrasts and dialogues between exhibits. All this is lost amid the crowds, attempting to devour as much as they can of the show while trying to suppress the gallery rage just below the surface.
—Adrian Searle, “Gods of small things,” The Guardian, November 2, 1999

Notes:
I haven’t highlighted a rage phrase in quite a while. In fact, my last one was checkout-line rage, which I posted to Word Spy five years ago to the day. The template for all such phrases is, of course, the famous road rage, which first appeared around 1988. Road rage itself is fascinating in a sociological, sign-of-the-angry-times way, but it’s also interesting when turned slightly and looked at from a linguistic angle. That’s because the popularity of the phrase road rage made it extremely fertile, spawning dozens of X rage angers, from air rage to zoo rage. Think of a noun, add the word rage to it, and you’ve no doubt come up with a type of anger that somebody, somewhere has felt, although probably not yet written about. See the “Related Words” list, below, for a few of the rages that have made the leap to print.

Related Words
air rage
checkout-line rage
dot-com rage
go postal
IT rage
rage rage
road rage
Stendhal’s syndrome
torch-and-pitchfork
trade rage
Web rage
work rage
wrap rage
zoo rage

Posted on January 26, 2011
Permalink: http://www.wordspy.com/words/galleryrage.asp
(thank you, Jerry)

Paraprosdokians
A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to re-frame or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect. Enjoy!

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.
If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.
We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.
War does not determine who is right — only who is left.
I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn’t work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Evening news is where they begin with ‘Good evening,’ and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.
To steal idea from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted paychecks.
Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says “In an emergency, notify:” I put ” A DOCTOR.”
I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
Some cause happiness wherever they go.. Others, whenever they go.
I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure.
I always take life with a grain of salt… plus a slice of lemon… and a shot of tequila.
You’re never too old to learn something stupid.
To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
(Thank you, Terry)

Send submissions for the next Writers’ Mail to Randy. Cathy will take over starting the 2nd week of February.