Rita Lakin--A lady who has done it all.

RHYS:
If you meet Rita Lakin your first impression will probably be--pleasant elderly lady, probably a retired librarian or schoolteacher. How wrong you'd be. You're looking at a real Hollywood power broad. Rita spent a life as writer, producer, showrunner in the TV business. She was one of the writers of Peyton Place, the Rookies, Mod Squad. She was showrunner for Executive Suite, Nightengales,Flamingo Road. In fact everyone who reads this blog is bound to have seen at least one TV program touched by the hand of Ms. Lakin.

Now when she should be taking up bridge and needlepoint, she has started writing mystery novels and flourishing in a whole new career. So welcome, Rita, to Jungle Red. Tell us, what drove you to a life of crime, Rita?

RITA: Purely an accident. When I left “show biz”, I decided to finally write a novel after 25 years of scripts. I wanted to write about my mother and aunts and other relatives who retired to a condo in Ft. Lauderdale. But as I started to write it, I knew it wouldn’t sell. Because I was so ingrained with being “commercial,” I decided to turn them into elderly private eyes. And because they were so funny in real life, I knew it had to be a comedy. Ergo –crime.

RHYS:What do you miss about the glamorous life in TV land? What don't you miss?

RITA: PRO: Being the boss of about 100 people as a producer. Seeing my characters and stories come to life on the screen. Enjoying being involved in production like editing, dailies, having the fun of casting the actors, hiring and working with other writers, etc. First class airfare, best hotels when travelling. Really, really loved script-writing. And, not to be sneezed at, the money!
CON: Since there is a lot of money in that biz, you have to deal with a lot of sharks. Before becoming a producer, as a free-lancer, having to deal with the hundred network and production people who can order you to make changes in your work that kill the soul. Hardly ever do you get your work done the way it should be. Oh, all those egos!

RHYS: Gladdy is such a wonderful heroine--she spunky, sexy, witty. Completely shattering all stereotypes of what an older woman should be. So--in what ways is she you? Would you like to be her?

RITA: My character, Gladdy, is totally self-assured. And very wise. She says what she wants and does what she wants. I find myself becoming more and more like her. But, then again, I assume Gladdy and I are both in our second childhood and we can get away with a lot!

RHYS:It's a case of "when I get old I shall wear purple etc."And what about the latest book in the series?





RITA: I get a lot of fan mail and with it a lot of opinions. Most of my fans are women and want Gladdy and Jack to get married. I took a poll and 85% voted for marriage. The other 15% said it would ruin everything. I might add the 15% were men. I managed to keep the couple out of bed for five books, but the pressure was on. (and so was the suspense- will they or won’t they?) So, finally, in book six, GETTING OLD IS TRES DANGEREUX I bite the literary bullet and deal with it.

Rita's new book is in stores June 30. And if you get a chance to go to a book signing or hear her speak, she has such wonderful stories--casually dropping famous names, telling about the time Omar Shariff invited her to join the Mile High Club! I should also add that when we're not writing and promoting, Rita and I belong to the same AAUW group and laugh ourselves silly once a month playing board games.

(Bargain) Hunter and Gatherer

"What a gorgeous jacket," the woman said to me. "Where did you find it?"
"I can't remember any more. Some little boutique," I lied. Of course I remembered. I remember where all my clothes come from. But this woman was a fan attending a speech I had given at a big event. Fans think that writers make oodles of money and have a personal relationship with Vera Wang. The jacket actually came from one of my favorite stores: My Sister's Closet, in Scottsdale, where I spend my winters.

It is a designer resale store and for me it's like stepping into heaven. Famous labels at a price that doesn't make me blanch. Because by nature I'm a bargain hunter. I love nice clothes but I love them even more when I've secured a bargain. When I'm at Macy's half off of half off and I find the pants I've been looking for, I look upon it as a gift from the gods.

I think it's in the genes. We used to be hunter gatherers, didn't we? We became excited at the sight of a deer in the forest, or a bush full of ripe berries. I don't think we've lost that instinct, at least I haven't. I enter Macy's on sale days with that alert expectation of the hunter-gatherer entering the forest. Will I make a kill today? Will I find that berry bush?

And when I come out with that bag and the receipt saying, "You just saved $140" then I float all the way to the car. It's all part of the fun. I'm not a huge shopper. Quite sensible, actually. But I do need my occasional bargain hunting fix. Even if my next book sold a zillion copies, I can't picture myself going into Bloomingdales and paying $300 for a white T shirt I once saw that looked like every other white T shirt. I can see there's a difference between a five dollar Target shirt and a thirty dollar Ralph Lauren. But three hundred dollars? What did it have, gold woven into the fibers? Proabably the only difference was a tiny logo that let everyone know that it cost more than their T shirt.

So are you a fellow bargain hunter? What is your shopping MO? Do you just bite the bullet and pay the regular price when you need something, or wait for the sales and then pounce? Is shopping a major sport or a boring necessity? Inquiring minds want to know.



HANK: And remember, Rhys, you can use that $140 you saved to save more on something else!

The worst is when I buy something at regular price, yes, sometimes I can't resist. Than, since I'm a saver-for-a-special-occasion, not an instant-wearer, sometimes the item goes on sale before I can wear it. Now *that's* frustration.

Confession: I used to be a big shopper. But when the recession came, two years ago? I screeched to halt. And for awhile, it was just not even tempting. But the other day, I went into Saks, and it was like--the Emerald City. I thought--oh, this smells wonderful! Look at all the pretty stuff! But I was all about sales. And it's gotten a bit easier to say no.

WOnder why that is?

ROBERTA: Well now, the answer depends on whether you ask me or John. I think I'm a fairly thrifty shopper--rarely buy something that isn't on sale. On the other hand, I try to remind myself that sale price isn't everything. I have bought things on sale that are still sitting in my closet because they weren't right for me.

Shopping is funny because it can become such a habit. Easier to resist if you're not on a shopping roll--I notice this especially after Christmas. And we've just finished throwing a big wedding--I'll have to remind myself I'm done for a while

RHYS: Oh, I agree with Roberta--buying things just because they are on sale isn't always smart. I too have given away things I've never worn, that I bought mainly because they were on such a great mark-down. And my daughter has forced me to donate one item to charity every time a new one comes into the closet. I'm quite religious about doing that now.

So any other bargain hunters out there?

You've Got to Have Friends.

RO: Yes, as Bette Midler - and before her Buzzy Linhart - said you gotta have friends. Right now I'm in North Carolina with some of mine for a tour we're calling Unarmed But Dangerous. I don't remember how it came to be but we are in the hands of the amazing Molly Weston and Elaine Viets, Meredith Cole, Donna Andrews and I will be in the triangle area from June 5-8 visiting libraries, bookstores and a landmark Cultural Center, if you're in the area please check any of our websites (mine is www.rosemaryharris.com) for dates and locations.

In the past three years I've toured (mostly unofficially) with Jane Cleland, Meredith Cole, Cathy Pickens and I've shared the stage with Barb D'Amato, Liz Zelvin, Louise Penny, Julie Kramer, Wendy Corsi Staub and our own Jan Brogan. It's always fun. At the risk of getting all mushy...there is a sisterly quality to most of these events. No, we're not setting each others hair, but there is a camaraderie and a generosity of spirit that is one of the things I enjoy about what I'm doing.

And it's fun. Molly told a story tonight about the time 5 writers were staying with her and one of them found a snake on the premises. What they did sounded a little like the lobster scene in Annie Hall.

Roberta, you had mentioned in the past a fun trip you took with Libby Hellman. Anyone else have fun group stories from the road?