Saturday, October 17, 2009

Ms. Mommicked and the Meme

Quite frankly I find this entire thing a little intimidating...at least I did until I realized that the genius, sweetsalty kate, is also a Lady of Lallybroch. Now I feel up to the challenge.

Plus it's for the excellent cause of promoting Kate's book - Dread Crew - Pirates of the Backwoods. I don't exactly have a huge readership but I wanted to get a plug in just in case someone stops by.



1) You are facing an epic journey. You may choose one companion, one tool and one vehicle from any book or film to accompany you. Or just one of the three. It's up to you. What do you choose? I'd have to go with somebody powerful/magical like Gandalf or some similar wizardy type. For a tool I'd take a time-turner and my vehicle would be Falkor the Luckdragon. Everyone should just admit that they've been wanting to ride Falkor since the mid-80's.

2) You can escape to the insides of any book. Where do you go, and why? Way too many options here to pick one--Narnia? Hogwarts? The Kingdom of Florin? Wonka's Chocolate Factory? A party at Gatsby's house? So many places I'd love to see in person.

3) You can bring one literary character into your current life. Who do you choose, and why? Maybe the lead character from All Quiet on the Western Front or Leslie Burke from Bridge to Teribithia. I just can't stand the thought of either one of those characters being dead. Not sure I'd have much to say to either one but at least they'd be safe.

4) Outlander (or any book from the series)is my go-to book. (There. I said it.)I could read that book fifty-seven times in a row without a break for food or a pee and not be remotely bored. In fact I’ve already done that but it wasn’t fifty-seven times. It was sixty-four.

5) Of all the literary or film characters that made an impression on you as a kid, who was the most enviable? I remember hoping that a tiny white dog would show up and tell me that I was a fairy like the little girl in No Flying in the House. I also wanted to be Jo March though I don't think her life was enviable.

6) Of all the literary or film characters that made an impression on you as a kid, who was the most frightening? I was truly terrified of the Wicked Witch of the West and all of those flying monkeys...and the Barbie-sized action figure version my parents gave me for Christmas when I was about 5-years-old.

7) Every time I read _________________, I see something in it that I haven’t seen before. I'm not a big repeat-reader (except for Outlander) so I can't really answer this one. I'd imagine that I missed quite a few cool bits in Cryptonomicon the first time around and I've been wanting to read it again.

8) It is imperative that
Dread Crew: Pirates of the Backwoods be made into a movie. Now. I am already picketing Hollywood for this—but if they cast _________________ as _________________, I will not be happy. I will, however, be appeased if they cast _________________. Obviously I haven't read it so I can't comment too much on casting but there's got to be a part in there for Viggo.

9) Outlander is a book that should never be made into a film. NOTE: With all due respect to Kate, I just don't think a live action Jamie could ever meet my expectations. And without the first person narration, how could I pretend to be Claire?

10) After all these years, the big reveal scene in the book/movie Behind the Attic Wall still manages to give me the queebs. Perhaps I'm translating 'queebs' incorrectly but just thinking about this bizarre, twisted YA book will probably have me lying awake in bed tonight wondering if there are creepy mannequins lurking in my attic.

11) After all these years, the barley field scene in the movie Room with a View still manages to give me a thrill.

12) If I could corner the author Dan Brown, here’s what I’d say to them one minute or less about their book, The DaVinci Code: I want my money back.

13) The coolest non-fiction book I’ve read
lately is Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Every time I flip through it, it makes me want to ditch my humdrum life and knit my way to action and adventure. I'm also a sucker for a good field guide.

6 comments:

  1. Is this a bad time to admit that I have never read Outlander? And have also never even heard of it? I feel like I've missed out.

    In complete agreement with Falkor. And Leslie Burke. Ach there are lots of characters I want to pluck out of books and save.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh I love Falkor. Also love that you waited to see just how un-literary my tastes were before answering. Giggling.

    Someone else took issue with my Outlander movie point, too - but here's the thing. Peter Jackson did the unthinkable, the impossible, by adapting (really, being brave enough to *adapt*) Lord of the Rings. He did a magnificent job. And so even though Hollywood fails utterly 90% of the time, I dunno.... the mere existence of that Kiwi film magician gives me hope.

    And oh my gosh your answer to #8. Ha! Ha ha ha. Slapping own knee. Very sweet. If that happens, I'll buy you your own brand-new Toyota Tacoma right after I buy one for Justin to placate him for having to put up with me through book-writing. Then I'll swallow my own head. Hee. Ohh! ha ha. Sigh.

    Thanks for doing this Tracy! Such fun answers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are brilliant answers. I've been meaning to do this meme since Kate posted it, but it's so tricky to choose!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Catherine - I should warn you that "Outlander" isn't very kind to the English. Because the original title is considered derogatory in some portions of the UK, it's sold under a different name. Yikes!

    Kate - I'll hold you to this offer since it's in writing and all. And I'll challenge Justin to a drag race at the world premiere of your first movie.

    after iris - thanks. I suggest using at least one answer to shamelessly ingratiate yourself with Kate.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ah thank you Tracy! It is published under the title 'Cross Stitch' in the UK.
    I'll take unkindness to the English. Having a family who is half Afrikaans on my side and half Northern Irish Catholic on my husband's the English aren't particularly popular with most of my family members anyhow! J's favourite song is one that my mom sings about the Boers shooting the English. Poor child.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think I need to search out Outlander. Huh. I'd never heard of it until I started reading all of these meme entries.

    ReplyDelete