Desert Island Don'ts

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Last week, I stepped up on my parenting cred by keeping Youngest’s 15 year old mostly deaf/mostly blind Shih Tzu who is unneutered for medical reasons and who wears a diaper indoors because he’s also impossible to housetrain. Now Buddy has the virtue of being cute, sleeping a lot (I will too when I’m 105!) and he never pees when on a bed or sofa, so, you know, at least I didn’t have to add in extra laundry to the mix. Except for doing diapers for the first time in 18 years. Thank you, 20 Mule Team Borax.

I discovered something about myself in the eight days Buddy was in my care - as much as I love dogs, four of them is TOO MANY. Too much time dishing out three different foods, too much time getting everyone out and in, too much time making sure those who want cuddles are getting some and those who want to retrieve toys and sticks have the opportunity. Clearly, I was smart when I stopped after child number three.

This got me to thinking about other things I absolutely adore - that can also tip over into Oh, God, no, make it stop! Music is a big item. I seem to have a lifetime limit for most songs, and when I reach it, I’ll turn off the radio/tell Alexa to skip immediately. This put me in conflict with Ross, who was a guy who could listen to Alice’s Restaurant dozens of times on a single car trip to my parent’s house for Thanksgiving! Movies are the same way for me; even the ones I love, love, love I restrict to one viewing a year so i don’t get sick of them. Clearly, I would be a flop at Desert Island Discs. The greatest classical pieces ever would make me stabby if I had to hear them over and over and over again.

What else have I found is too much if too many? Well, ham, obviously. Travel, although it’s going to be some time before I hit my limit on that again. Looking at art - I’ve learned through experience to limit myself to ONE gallery at a museum, otherwise 1) I get blase 2) I get bored 3) I start to pay more attention to my feet hurting. 

How about you, Reds? What are the things and experiences you delight in… in small enough quantities?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: This is hilarious. Yes, the limit thing. I have to says, Julia, once for Alice’s Restaurant is always welcome, and nostalgic, and fun to sing along. Twice, though,  is a big no thanks until next year.  

And thing is, you don’t know you’ve hit the limit until it actually happens. You’re all fine listening to the sound track of A Chorus Line, over and over (in the 1970s) until–stop! No more whining. No matter how relatable and inspirational it is. And “Alexa, SKIP this song” is a refrain around here, too.

And yes, I restrict movies, too. I want to protect My Cousin Vinny, and The Devil Wears Prada, and High Society and The Philadelphia Story.  I wonder, though, about The Godfather. Might that be good no matter how many times?

Finally, I am worried about turkey sandwiches. I truly do NOT want to tire of those.

RHYS BOWEN: I’ve always felt enough is enough. I have friends who played bridge every day after they retired. I could not do that, or even tennis which I love. I keep my favorite music for certain rituals. Mama Mia when we drive from San Francisco to Phoenix. Two Christmas albums that have to be played as I decorate the tree. Die Fledermaus and Les Mis only once  year.

 

I have favorite movies: Enchanted April, Midnight in Paris, Letters to Juliet, the Court Jester when I need cheering up. But I can watch certain British comedies over and over, laughing even though I know all the jokes!

LUCY BURDETTE: Julia, you are a very kind person! I hope you will take me in when I am deaf, blind, and incontinent. I know we will have a good time! And I will only bring two pets. As for getting tired of things, I know not to watch Love Actually more than once a year. I think it’s nearly perfect over that timeframe, but more than that it would get silly and old. Speaking of nearly perfect, have you watched the movie CODA? I watched it with friends and we all absolutely loved it. I am saving it to watch with another friend because I think two times through will be perfect. And one thing I barely ever repeat his books. I know some of you are wonderful rereaders, but I always want to move on to something new. 

 

 

 

HALLIE EPHRON: I confess, I OD’ed on THE WIZARD OF OZ. SINGING IN THE RAIN? Once a year is perfect. And though I adore THE FIFTH ELEMENT, I get about halfway through and turn it off. The Harry Potter movies have now shown up for free on Peacock and I try NOT to turn to one when the rest of TV-land feels like a desert. Besides, the books are better.

Too much potato chips and sour cream/onion dip? That would be a tragedy. 

As for pets, I’m pretty sure zero is the perfect number for me right now.

JENN McKINLAY: My entire life is pet care with three cats, two dogs, and two fish who won’t die, which is fine because they’re the easiest to care for. I said I was done with pets and then another dog appeared…sigh. Sucker, thy name is Jenn. It’s fine, everything is fine.

As for other things that I used to love but am over now. Sun. I used to bake like a cat in the sun, but after the skin cancer on the nose – nope, nope, nope. Also, I get bored just lying there when I used to fall asleep – which is code for “recover from a hangover”. I don’t reread books anymore because my TBR pile gives me stink eye if I don’t diligently chip away at it. I never rewatch TV programs or movies because the childrearing years set me back ten years in pop culture and I’m still catching up. Thankfully, I have yet to hit my limit on baked goods since I just discovered there is a Paris Baguette nearby and their walnut cream infused bun of yummy goodness is delicious enough to make me give up state secrets. 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I have to say that I am pretty much over big cooking projects. The idea of cooking for a big dinner or a party fills me with existential dread. I am over weekly menu planning, too, but that is not going away unless I actually end up on that desert island!

JULIA: I wish there were food items I was just so over, but I don’t seem to be wired that way, alas. Okay, dear readers, tell us your Desert Island Don’ts!

Play it again: Jungle Red Writers PLAYLIST

 

HALLIE EPHRON: On Monday we talked about the movies we can watch over and over again. The response was outstanding (sustained applause!!) Such a great list, and I realized it was one we'd all like to have.

So today I present to you the playlist - I hope I caught them all - listed in alphabetical order for you to have handy when you're deciding what to watch next.

As I was sorting ths list, I imagined Leeloo of THE FIFTH ELEMENT (the alien who is a supreme being and needs a crash course in US culture) fast-forwarding through ALL of these and absorbing everything essential about our world.

2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY
ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT
ANNA AND THE KING
2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY
ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT
ANNA AND THE KING
AWAY FROM HER
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (DISNEY)
BEETLEJUICE
BIG FISH
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA
BLAST FROM THE PAST
BLAZE OF GLORY
BLAZING SADDLES
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S
BRINGING UP BABY
BROADCAST NEWS
BULL DURHAM
CASABLANCA
CHARIOTS OF FIRE
CHRISTMAS VACATION
CINEMA PARADISO
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
CLUE
CRAZY FROM THE HEART
CRAZY STUPID LOVE
DANCES WITH WOLVES
DIE HARD
DIRTY DANCING
DOWN WITH LOVE
DRACULA (1931)
ENCHANTED APRIL
ET THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
FARGO
FIELD OF DREAMS
FLETCH
FORGET PARIS
FORREST GUMP
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
GALAXY QUEST
HARRY POTTER
HELLO DOLLY
HOLIDAY
HOME ALONE AT CHRISTMAS
HOOK
HOOSIERS
HOT FUZZ
IF A MAN ANSWERS
INDEPENDENCE DAY
INDIANA JONES
INDISCREET
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS
IQ
JAWS
JUMANJI
JURASSIC PARK
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
LETTERS TO JULIET
LOVE ACTUALLY
MAMA MIA
MEN IN BLACK
MIDNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MISS CONGENIALITY
MOON OVER PARADOR
MOONSTRUCK
MOUSE HUNT
MUSIC AND LYRICS
MY COUSIN VINNY
MY FAIR LADY
NOTTING HILL
OUT OF AFRICA
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
PINK PANTHER
PIRATE RADIO
PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES
QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER
REDS
ROBIN HOOD (1939)
ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS
ROMAN HOLIDAY
ROMANCING THE STONE
SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN
SERENITY
SHIRLEY VALENTINE
SINGING IN THE RAIN
SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
SNOW CAKE
SOUTH PACIFIC
SPEED
SPY
STAR WARS (ORIGINAL 3)
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
TEA WITH MUSSOLINI
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
THE COURT JESTER
THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL
THE DESK SET
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
THE FIFTH ELEMENT
THE GODFATHER
THE HOLIDAY
THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
THE KING’S SPEECH
THE LAST STARFIGHTER
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT
THE MALTESE FALCON
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
THE REPLACEMENTS
THE SHINING
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
THE WIZARD OF OZ
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN
THUNDERHEART
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
TOMBSTONE
TREMORS
TRUE GRIT
TRULY MADLY DEEPLY
TWO FOR THE ROAD
UNDERCOVER BLUES
WHERE’D YOU GO BERNADETTE
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
WILLOW
WORKING GIRL
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Your 'Best Picture" Award

INGRID THOFT

Last night, "The Shape of Water" was awarded the “Best Picture” Oscar at the 90th annual Academy Awards show in Hollywood.  This film was a feast for the eyes and a grown up fairy tale about love, acceptance, and the meaning of "humanity."  I really enjoyed it, but that's not always the case when it comes to the "Best Picture" winner.

It seems that the “Best Picture” often goes to the movie deemed “most important” by the Academy.  Movies definitely play a role in moving forward cultural conversations and societal norms—isn’t that, in fact, one of the main benefits of any art form—but movies are also forms of entertainment.  Sometimes, we just want to escape the woes of the real world and lose ourselves in an alternate reality. 

We’ve discussed our favorite bad movies on Jungle Red, but I’m wondering to which movie you would award your personal “Best Picture” award?  My vote goes to "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  It has everything that a best picture should have:  adventure, action, a social conscience, romance, exotic locations, Harrison Ford, and it stands the test of time.  The official Best Picture winner in 1982?  “Chariots of Fire," which was a terrific movie, but not one I’ve watched multiple times.

Which film gets a shiny gold statue from you, Reds?

RHYS BOWEN:  One I thought had everything was "Out Of Africa."  Incredible romance and those gorgeous African scenes. Of the current crop I was impressed with "The Darkest Hour" and my daughter loved "The Shape of Water."

JENN McKINLAY: I'm not a huge fan of award shows because I feel like these people give themselves an awful lot of accolades and they're not exactly curing cancer, but I digress. If I had to pick my best movie, it would be "Field of Dreams." It had so many layers. I just loved it. Side note: I would absolutely follow James Earl Jones anywhere, even into the cornfield. I adored "Out of Africa" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark," too, but Shoeless Joe's story wins out for me.

Ray Liotta and Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams"

HALLIE EPHRON: I know I'm going WAY back to a movie that came out before I was old enough to even go to the movies, but I still love: "Born Yesterday." It stars Judy Holliday who was the most divine comedienne. A sort of precursor to "Pretty Woman" except the guy is a gangster and she outs him. Then, of course, "Some Like It Hot." And "Singin' in the Rain." Another much darker oldie: "Diabolique" with Simone Signoret: a man's wife and his mistress conspire to kill him and the corpse disappears. The scariest bathtub scene in moviedom.

IPT: "Singin' in the Rain" is one of my favorites, too!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Oh, I love "Born Yesterday," too! ("It's car-TEL!")  But that is the world's toughest question.  For big movies, "The Godfather" is incomparable--I could watch that a million times, and see something fabulous and different every time.  But I also love "The Philadelphia Story," (and "High Society.")

I will watch "Working Girl" any time it's on--I think Melanie Griffith's character is  touching and empowering, and every time the Let The River Run theme comes up at the end, and you see her pure happiness soar compared to the vastness of New York City..ah.  I guess I love ugly duckling stories, because I am also fond of "The Devil Wears Prada." And! "Desk Set." And "Adam's Rib." But best movie of all time?  I need to keep thinking.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Ingrid, I love "Raiders of the Lost Ark!" I also love the first Star Wars, clunky dialogue and all, but such fun. "Out of Africa" was one of my picks, too, Rhys. And "Field of Dreams," Jenn! "Field of Dreams" is my daughter's favorite movie ever, but for me, "Bull Durham" is right up there with it. But, at least for the moment, my final Best Movie comes down to two that I can't choose between. "The Holiday," written and directed by Nancy Meyers, staring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black, with fabulous supporting actors including Eli Wallach, great music by Hans Zimmer, funny, sweet, smart, and romantic.

And--"The Big Easy" starring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin. Mystery, suspense, romance (sexy!!!), humor, great dialogue, great New Orleans atmosphere, and GREAT music. Anyone who has never seen it should do it now.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I'm so glad we're discussing picks from all movies, because the only things I've seen of this year's nominees has been "The Post" and half of "Dunkirk." (Ross and I went to see it, but the sound was SO LOUD he called it quits after forty minutes, poor guy.) I tend to spend my money on flicks that need a big screen: superhero movies or splashy thrillers. I wait for others until they come out in DVD or streaming.

That being said, my award-winner would be the original "Die Hard." It's an almost perfect example of storytelling. Every little beat from the early part of the film turns out to be relevant later. No dangling threads, nothing not in service to the plot or characters. And despite being the very definition of an action movie, it's still completely focused on the people at the center of the story: the scared, vulnerable hero; his steel-spined business executive wife; the ordinary schlub cop; and of course, Alan Rickman playing his villain just shy of over the top. Love it, and we watch it every year on Christmas Eve.

Your turn, Readers.  What is your "Best Picture?"

Wait until the Movie Starts!

INGRID THOFT

You wouldn’t think that popcorn could be a divisive issue, but believe me, it can be.  I love to go to the movies, and I love movie popcorn, but over the years, I’ve developed a strict rule about the consumption of said popcorn.  The Ingrid Thoft popcorn rule is that you can’t start eating it until the main attraction begins.  Not when the lights go down.  Not when the previews begin.  Not even when the opening credits come on the screen telling you that Paramount or MGM produced the film.  I wait until the moment the movie starts.

When and why did this rule come about?  I can’t pinpoint when it started, but as long as I can remember, this has been my stance on popcorn at the movies.  The why is a little more obvious:  The movie itself is such a special event that I want its beginning to be heralded, not just by the opening chords of the soundtrack, but also by that first bite of buttery, salty deliciousness.

I know it sounds rather strict, but the good news is that my movie-going companions are not required to follow my rule.  In fact, I have one friend who enjoys placing her bag of popcorn under my nose during the previews in an attempt to lure me to the dark side.  The interesting thing I’ve found, however, is that some people adopt the rule voluntarily and then never go back.  They, too, have experienced the satisfying ritual of true movie popcorn.

What about all of you?  Popcorn or not (my hubby opts for Twizzlers)?  Wait or dig in?

RHYS CHOOSES MOVIES

RHYS BOWEN:
I heard an interesting piece on the radio when I was driving home this week. It was about former US presidents and their favorite movies.
The ones that stood out to me were:
Nixon liked Patton
JF
K chose the Bond movies
Ronald Reagan picked It's a Wonderful Life
and
Donald Trump selected Citizen Kane.

What was interesting to me is that each of these men chose a movie that mirrored themselves, or at least as they saw themselves.
Nixon liked Patton, stern leader of men.
JFK saw himself as the playboy daring undercover agent
Ronald Reagan as the humble everyman, wanting to help everybody
and
Trump identified with the ruthless empire builder. (I wonder if he ever murmurs Rosebud?)

Which got to thinking about my own favorite movies:
The ones that came instantly to mind are
Out of Africa
Casablanca
The Dead Poet's Society
Quartet
Roman Holiday
Enchanted April



Then I wondered if these mirror who I am? I'd like to be Meryl Streep, having her hair washed by Robert Redford.
Or Maggie Smith, performing the quartet from Rigoletto
One thing they do all have in common is that they are hopelessly romantic. Am I a hopeless romantic? Maybe, but with a touch of cynicism.

Then I wondered which was my favorite. If I could take only one movie with me to a desert island, of course assuming that there was a DVD player with solar battery charger!
I couldn't decide on one until it hit me: THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
That would be my perfect movie for a desert island. I could sing along to the songs. I could dream about those Austrian Alps. I could cry a little.
Okay, yes, so I am a hopeless romantic!
How about you? Do you have a favorite movie? Would it say who you are?

Happy WHAT Day?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: So, birthdays. My thought is that we are required to celebrate, because yes, of course, we are glad we were born—which is what they’re about, right? But I really don’t see why we have to give each annual event a number. How about having, you know, Hank Day. Susan Day. Rhys Day. Whatever our “birth” day is, that’s how we figure out when our celebration day is, and who cares about the actual passage of time. See what I mean?

(October 17—yes, my Celebration Day. Much better. "Which one?" you ask. "Why, this year’s of course!")

One's birthday—or whatever we’re going to call it—is also a lucky day, that’s for sure. (And when we were kids, we’d try to extend to birthday WEEK, which my mother never acknowledged with anything but a sneer.) And I always felt October was “lucky,” too, by extension.

Now the fabulous Shawn Reilly Simmons—you know her from her incredible work at Malice Domestic right?--has a couple of birthdays coming up.

Wait—she has more than one birthday this year?
Yup.

Happy Birthday to Me, and Me Again

By Shawn Reilly Simmons

I’ve been thinking about birthdays a lot lately. It seems every week I’m wishing a friend Happy Birthday, or a Happy Book Birthday, in some small way sharing in their excitement on their special day. Tomorrow happens to be my birthday. I’ll be turning 45, so it’s one of those milestone years, one of the ones that ends in a five or a zero.
A few days later on February 23rd, I’ll be celebrating another birthday when the first two books in my Red Carpet Catering series will be published by Henery Press.

I had nothing to do with the scheduling of the book releases, but I wasn’t surprised when I was told they would be in February. It’s always been a lucky month for me, and I’ve often thought it had some kind of magical pull, like it’s my own special month for major events.

 Great things have happened in my life during the shortest month of the year: I met my husband (on the very last day, the 28th, 9 years ago, so just under the wire), three years later we got married in February (on my birthday, in fact, which seemed like a good idea at the time, but in retrospect just causes him a lot of anxiety, especially since it’s the same week as Valentine’s Day). Many years ago right out of college I was hired for my first real marketing job in New York City during February. And now I can add “became a published author” to the list of significant milestones that have occurred during the month.

I will now always remember my 45th birthday as the one where I achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a writer, the dream that I’ve had since I was eight years old. That’s a pretty great birthday, taking second place only behind my wedding day six years ago.

Some women don’t mention their age. They keep it to themselves for various reasons, many of which I completely understand. My books are set behind the scenes on movie sets from the head caterer’s point of view, a job that I have done myself. Acting is one profession where ageism (and sexism, not to mention inequality in pay) is still a driving force in a woman’s career. 

A woman’s age is used to define her, pigeonhole her into a certain type of role, and is sometimes used to exclude her from becoming a love interest, even to a much older male actor (we’re talking a 20 year age gap sometimes!). Actresses are under a lot of pressure to appear a certain way, for fear they won’t be considered for the roles they’re pursuing. 

When I was cooking on sets, I would watch many of the actresses eat like little birds, picking at vegetable trays and salads, while their male costars shoveled whatever they felt like onto their plates.

Luckily I’m not auditioning for a film role, so I can say proudly that I’ve earned every one of my 45 years. Not only that, I can say I’ve improved over time as a friend, wife, mother and now a writer. I see a few wrinkles around my eyes these days, but along with them I’ve accumulated a hugely supportive base of friends and fellow writers, so much love, a bit more knowledge, and lots more experience. 

So bring on the birthdays!

What’s the best birthday that you’ve ever had? Are you particularly fond of a special time of the year? How do you like to celebrate your milestone birthdays?
HANK: Do you even celebrate your birthday? J But here’s a present for you, either way! Shawn is giving away a copy of Murder on a Silver Platter and Murder on the Half Shell (ebook versions, your choice of platform) to one lucky commenter. SO even simply say: Happy Birthday! And you’re entered.

*****************

Shawn Reilly Simmons is the author of the Red Carpet Catering series featuring Penelope Sutherland, on-set caterer and chef to the stars (Henery Press). Murder on a Silver Platter and Murder on the Half Shell will be released on 2/23/16 and are available for pre-order now. Murder on a Designer Diet, the third book in the series, will be published in June. Shawn is on the Board of Malice Domestic and a member of Sisters in Crime. When she’s not writing, Shawn is running, cooking, drinking wine or reading. She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and English bulldog.

www.ShawnReillySimmons.com

@ShawnRSimmons

Facebook.com/shawn.reillysimmons

Best! Worst! The Reds Review 2012

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING:  Just a two more days to go until we can see 2012 out the door with a sigh of relief. Hurricanes, droughts, horrific murders and the longest presidential campaign in human history made this one for the record books - and not a minute too soon.

Still all of us here at Jungle Reds had our high and low points. For me, a big best-of moment was earlier this month, when my son Spencer received a congressional nomination to the service academies. We're still waiting to see if he gets an appointment, but it was a great way to cap off the year-long application process. A worst moment? Its a toss-up between blowing through yet another book deadline and my colonoscopy.
Best book? CLAWBACK by Mike Cooper, which took two subjects that usually make my eyes cross with incomprehension - high-end financial instruments cutting-edge computer manipulation - and turned them into a page-turning, deeply enjoyable mystery. Worst book? Any thriller that treats women like plot points with breasts. Guys, watch Bridesmaids a couple times, then go back for a second draft.
ROSEMARY HARRIS: Colonoscopy...was that one of the high points? Oh..just reread. ;-)

This may sound obnoxious but my regular life is so good that just sitting by the fire reading is a high point. We're still here. Nothing hurts. The house didn't blow away in the storm. my husband survived a terrifying fall off a balcony. It's all good!
If pressed...finishing my first non-mystery. Obama getting re-elected.They were high points. Favorite book, hard to say and I'm sure I'm forgetting something from early in the year, but I really liked The Informationist. Least favorite - 50 SHADES. Give me a break. I had better sex than that when I was sixteen.

JULIA: I'm laughing out loud right now, Ro. 

HALLIE EPHRON: This year our daughter announced she was pregnant - it doesn't GET better than that. We also had an absolutely fabulous trip to Trinidad. We stayed in at the Asa Wright nature center and within the first twenty minutes, standing on their beautiful veranda overlooking the valley, identified 40 birds, species we'd never seen before (they have counted 460 species of bird). Took a hike into the wood and heard what sounded like an hammer hitting an anvil --  we knew it was the elusive bell bird, and that it was high in the canopy ahead of us. We stalked it, got it in our spotting scope, and just stood there marveling at one of the weirdest looking birds ever making its decidedly un-birdlike sounds.
Best book, hands down, EDGE OF DARK WATER by Joe R. Lansdale. Best movie? An oldie that somehow I'd missed: DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS.

On my worst list was dealing with a chimney that needed to be rebuilt. They had to break through the wall in the basement. What a mess. Soot coating everything... still.
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, good stuff...lots of it. Book things mostly, which you know about.  Still constantly in delight about this mid-life career addition of being able to make things up.  I still look at Jonathan sometimes and forget that his heart is fixed--and I am so happy when I remember he's fine! The dot they took off my face was nothing. And I agree, a lot of little stuff. We inherited part of my mother and step-father's wine collection, so we are having fun with that!  And I saw geese flying in a V the other day and burst into applause.
Best book, ah, Trust Your Eyes, by Linwood Barclay. Terrific. And a new one by Becky Masterman called Rage Against the Dying.  Best movie? Besides Love, Actually? (which I watched AGAIN)--maybe ARGO, which was absolutely riveting.

My worst list? Interestingly, when a bad thing happens, I say to myself: someday I will forget this, so I'm going to start forgetting it now. The guest bedroom ceiling fell in last week because of a water leak-AT MIDNIGHT--but no one was hurt. And I'm forgetting about that now.
JAN BROGAN - On the best list was my daughter getting into UPENN Medical School and the lovely white coat ceremony in Philly. On the worst list is the investment banking firm my husband worked for in New York; the founding partners will someday find themselves in one of my mysteries as either the villains or the corpse.   Favorite book?  Either The Steve Jobs biography, Rules of Civility or Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (recommended to my by Debs).  Worst book:  It's hard to get any worse than Fifty Shades of Grey, which I'm convinced actually subtracts knowledge from you. Best movie: Argo.  Guilty Pleasure: the movie TED. Worst movie? I've forgotten it already. How about worst entertainment?  The Red Sox's last season.  I am still in mourning.
HANK: Jan, I am howling with laughter. It SUBTRACTS knowledge. Like celery and calories. Perfect. 

LUCY BURDETTE: Worst thing--so busy can't remember sh*t. Best thing--so busy can't remember sh*t:). Good news--two book out in 2012 and first-ever Publisher's Weekly review! Not good--lost my dad in January. He struggled at the end, but still he was my dad and I miss him dearly.

Read lots of good books this year, including Barbara O'Neal's THE GARDEN OF HAPPY ENDINGS and Vanessa Diffenbaugh's THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. More good stuff: Lots of great friends and loving and lovable family and wonderful food and endlessly entertaining pets. And bad stuff--what is wrong with people in our world with all this shooting and fighting and negative energy? Let's hope and pray for better in 2013!

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Best things--NO MARK UPON HER making the New York Times Bestseller list. A life-long dream. And finishing the next book.
Worst things--finishing the next book. You'd think I'd know by now that writing is really, really hard work. But there's always the NEXT book, which I'm sure I'll get written in a timely and organized manner...
Losing our dear fourteen-year-old dog, Hallie. We still miss her terribly.

But, best thing again, a new puppy to brighten our days--and wear us out. Viva Dax!

Movies? I think I'll go with a Best TV series. I LOVED Call the Midwife on PBS. I'd read one of Jennifer Worth's books when I was researching a book set in the East End, and they did a fabulous job of bringing the stories to life. (Take note, producers of Jack Reacher, etc. Worst movie? It would probably be Twilight something but I spared myself.

Best Book? So many! But I'm going to make it books and go with a find from Jungle Red; James R. Benn's Billy Boyle series. I still have two books to go to catch up, and am anticipating them. Worst book? Again, I spared myself from Fifty Shades:-)

And best of all, all my family is safe and well.
JULIA: Clearly, ladies, in 2013 we need to go ahead with the book we outlined (with the help of several bottles of wine) at Hank and Jonathan's house: FIFTY SHADES OF SILVER, an erotic novel for the over-fifty set. (Sequels will be FIFTY SHADES OF READING GLASSES and FIFTY SHADES AARP.)

How about you, dear readers? Let us in on your own highs and lows, best and worsts of 2012!

Hallie's Bell Bird - strange, indeed. Maybe we should make it the official mascot of the Reds in 2013?