Thursday, November 17, 2011

More about the damn book


This is something you don't see in other parts of the U.S., leaves changing while roses bloom. This is a crazy landscape.

The Tell's plot has become so complicated, I've totally lost track. Vega and her old friend (now lover) Jack are on their way back to Yemen when she realizes Jack is double crossing her. He had her convinced it was her boss who made sure she got arrested at the border. But she intercepts a text when Jack goes for a Shi'atsu massage, instantly recognizes the phone number of her agency office. The text: "good work."

So is her boyfriend the bad guy or her boss? Or both? The only thing I can say for certain is that her fantasy of professionally teaming up with Jack, her dream of playing Mr. and Mrs. Smith in Yemen is definitely not happening. What a shame.

Because I'm too confused to write at the moment, I've been watching spy films - always a fun idea, hey? I saw Billion Dollar Brain starring Michael Caine, directed by the surreal Ken Russell. Two woolly socks up. It's worth it just to see the "technology" of that era (1967) - an old computer system that runs on punched cards. Wow! Ed Begley as the cowboy Texas general is truly psychedelic. I thought somehow I had dropped acid by mistake as I watched the lengthy scene in which his space age soldiers sink into the icy sea.

Tonight I'm going to watch The Falcon and the Snowman. I've got a bunch of old spy films in the Netflix queue. Apparently this year my holiday season will revolve around intrigue and plot turns and twists, glamorous, jet-setting lifestyles, lots of cigarettes and booze, fabulous hairdos, too. Cool!

There was only one car chase in Billion Dollar Brain. I'm hoping I don't have to write a chase scene into The Tell. Please tell me it isn't absolutely necessary, ok?

11 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Ha, I love it. No, no car chases required - perhaps speedboats? :)
I seem to have missed Billion Dollar Brain somehow, shame with the space age soldiers sinking into the icy sea and all. I've been watching some Robin Hood series.

Carolina Linthead said...

That rose is pure sex, but I really love the leaves. Oddly enough, one of the things that I find attractive about the writing of Tom Clancy, when he's at his best, that is, is how he can weave together complex threads of a complicated plot. Clear and Present Danger is like multiple novels intertwined, and they all come together in the same space and time by the end.

Kerry said...

Skip the car chase. If you get bought up by MGM they can always add that.

I love this. It's like I can egg you on with ideas, and not have to do the writing myself. I don't know any of these spy movies. But anything that skips around in time, space,memory, perception, is good. I also like magicians. Duels. Star-crossed lovers. The fragrance of leaves. A dog is helpful.

Reya Mellicker said...

Dogs are always a good idea!

steven said...

what about a vespa chase reya?! steven

Reya Mellicker said...

Steven - now THAT is genius!! Maybe through the streets of Amsterdam? Because that's where Vega is now.

Steve Reed said...

I wonder if watching spy films is helping or hurting? It seems like you might get an excess of intrigue playing out in your brain!

Angela said...

Car chases always make me dizzy, but Vespa chases sound fabulous. My brother once had a Vespa, and I loved to be his socia. I have a blog pal in Amsterdam, Martijn, shall I connect you? Don`t know if he has a Vespa to join in the race, but he could be the courier who accidentally gets in the way.

Reya Mellicker said...

Steve at least that intrigue is fictional - and I KNOW it's fictional. Ha.

Cheryl Cato said...

Roses & magnolias. I've recently seen those on other blogs. The magnolia on Tess's blog (I think) and the rose on Rick's @ efficient agony (http://efficientagony.blogspot.com/2011/11/and-outside-window.html).
I have never used Netflix and need to do that. Have fun spying!

janis said...

I have a rose bush that keeps budding.. I thought it was just a retarded rose bush! BUT.. the Indiana weather has been Goofy! We had light snow one day... then back to sunshine, then rain, then cold... Indiana weather is so unpredictable!