who's paying for these rallies who's minding the store

When I work on trying to become a writer, I study a randomly selected mish-mash curriculum, and by curriculum I mean writing and reading and considering until I figure something out.


I like to read what other people write, and see what I like and don't like in styles.  Some things some authors say, I wouldn't say.  (Edit!)





When I watch episodes of "Friends" or "Sex and the City" I study there, too, the styles of writing and expression -- with these and other shows, I mentally edit automatically -- I "drop" anything I think is too rude or disgusting.  I used to do that automatically -- subconsciously -- back in the 90s before I was working on writing daily.  I would think, "Well that wasn't very nice, but the rest of the show is good" and I'd just "cut it" in my mind....






When I read modern fiction, I often pick up on the influence of "Friends" and "Sex and the City" in the books!  It's kind of amazing.  I think, You know, I know where you got this character, I saw her in a Season One SATC episode....


Well, if I watch those shows, other writers must watch them too.  There is good writing, there.


--------------------


----------- [excerpt, You Belong To Me, novel by Colin Harrison] ---------- A man and a woman are not married until they have children, his mother had said to him many times, dark eyes burning. 


You can argue with me, Ahmed, but it is true. 


Which meant You can still leave her and marry a nice Iranian girl, with long dark hair....  We are Iranians, we are smarter and better educated, and our culture is eight thousand years old.  Your ancestors fought Genghis Khan in the thirteenth century. 





The Persians had already conquered Asia when New York City was only a village of stick houses.  We are a sophisticated and elegant family that accepts the differences in people, but we do not want our family whitened!  Please do not disappoint me. 





His mother had been the more religious of his parents, insistent the old ways be kept.  She'd also been unknowingly medicated with beta-blockers on the morning of Ahmed's wedding, his uncle secretly dissolving the pills into her tea in the hotel breakfast.


Now he dialed Jennifer.  "Did I wake you?" he asked.


"I was making coffee."


He would listen to every syllable for a lie.


"What's up?" ------------- [end, excerpt]





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