Thank you Karri Turner! Oh, and you're welcome!

Good afternoon!

I've spent THE MOST BLISSFUL afternoon writing.  It's been far too long since the last time I sat down and just WROTE. 

Today I was working on "Fresh Ice".  The hero, Quinn Murray, is a former NHL "enforcer" with a very dark past.  For me, it was a no brainer as to what the man looked like, or sounded like:

Most of you recognize this as David James Elliott of "JAG" fame.  Ladies, the man has "HERO" written all over him, right?  But picture him all angsty in a sort of heroic way...and on hockey skates.  Nice, right?




The heroine, Izzy Marks, is a former figure skater who was forced out of skating in shame.  While writing her story was easy for me, because I know SO MUCH about shamed figure skaters....pause for loud laughter...picturing her was a bit more difficult.  Heroes I see clearly.  Heroines, well, okay, in my first novel, let's face it, that was me.  And in my second novel...also me...but younger. 

This time around I set out to write a woman who was NOT ME.  But casting about for a good mental image of Izzy was tough.

Until I was watching DVD of JAG.  It was one where Karri Turner and Patrick Laborteaux did the commentary.  Normally I don't watch DVD's with the commentary on, but since I adore their characters  (I always wanted to live next door to Bud And Harriet.)  I thought I'd give it a try.

Boy, am I glad I did!

See, they were commenting on an episode...oh I won't bore Non-JAG fans out there with the details.  Let me just say this:  Karri Turner was sort of bemoaning the fact that her character was the only one in the main cast that DIDN'T wind up in bed with DJE's character.  (Yes, Patrick had some uncomfortable retort to that.)

That got me to thinking:  The woman deserves to be in bed with DJE, in some way.  And that's when I came across this picture of Karri Turner;

How perfect is she for my Izzy?

Well, you haven't read the book, so you don't know, but trust me...she's PERFECT!

And in my head, the movie is casted and filming.  LOL!

So...Karri Turner, thank you for the inspiration...and, YOU'RE WELCOME!

Now, I must go forth and WRITE!

And just like that...inspiration hits!

Good morning! 

Sorry I've been absent of late.  At some point a couple weeks ago, I got my muse back and I've been joyfully spewing words onto pages endlessly.

Usually I can't point to any one thing that gets me going after a long writing hiatus.  This time around, however, I can.  Two things happened that got my creative juices flowing.  1)  I found this picture

Most of you will recognize this as the very talented actor, David James Elliott.  But to me...he's Quinn, the hero of my book "7/8ths Time."    I've found other pictures in the past that depict the mental image I have of Quinn, but this one is special.   There's something about DJE's eyes (and I've love been a fan of his "eye acting.") that says to me, "WRITE THE DARN BOOK ALREADY!

The other thing that happened was a bit less intangible.  I met with a personal trainer.  One of the things I'm doing this year, come heck or high water  (I know, but my kids read this blog sometimes...) is I'm going to lose a significant amount of weight.  By significant I mean the equivalent of a sturdy third grader.  So I met with a personal trainer.  I've met with this guy before.  (If you'd like to read about that, check out It Can Only Happen to Sarah!)

Sitting there admitting to him that I was a compulsive liar when it came to my weight and that I needed help with my Cheetos addiction, I said something that hit me like lightning. 

"I wish I would just start writing again.  I don't eat when I write."

WELL DUH!

So, my friends, I'm thrilled to announce that in the past week I've written 10,000 words and lost somewhere between 2 and 3 pounds.  A drop in the bucket on both fronts, but definitely a great start!

So if I'm missing from the blogging business for a while, please forgive me.  I'm really hoping to have a completed  AND PUBLISHED novel by year's end...and when I announce it I'm hoping to wear the Rick Springfield T-shirt I bought at the last concert that I knew I hadn't a prayer of wearing until I lost some weight.  It's hanging in my closet right now, mocking me, but I will prevail!

Meanwhile, the rest of you...go forth and WRITE!

JAG: a show's legacy saved by the fans.

Good morning!

I finished watching the final episode of JAG Season 10. Is it wrong to still break down in tears during the last episode of a TV show that's been off the air for 5 years?

JAG was one of those shows that every writer should watch and learn from. I'll admit it, the Husband enjoyed that show before I did. I recall calling it his "Airplane show." I came on board during season three when I got my first glimpse of David James Elliott. I was hopelessly hooked after that.

But, I came for the hunk, I stayed for the writing.

I cannot imagine how hard it is to be a TV writer, especially on a long running drama. (Jag ran for 10 years.) Especially when the two main characters fall into that, "Will they or won't they?" pattern for romance. ("Moonlighting" Best example of a show that DIED when they did the deed. Not even the wonderful Mark Harmon could save that dog once Dave and Maddie had the sex.)

JAG managed to combine action, drama, and romance all in one, maintain it for ten years (Over two networks) and do it well. Somehow, it seemed completely real that of the most beautiful people to ever grace TV (DJE and the lovely Catherine Bell) could stave off their feelings for each other until the very last episode.

I've watched the entire ten seasons over the last few months. Watching so many episodes in such a short time brings one big thing to light: The writing was AWESOME to the end...except for the last few episodes.

Fans of the show will agree with me. When season ten aired, we all got the feeling that something was amiss. Less Harmon Rabb and more of everything else. And then, Chris Beetham showed up.

Poor Chris Beetham.

I liked Chris Beetham when he was on "As the World Turns." He should have stayed there. The few episodes he did on JAG aren't bad...but the producers were definitely trying to sell us something that wasn't JAG. The writers did their best to make us fall in love with Lt. "Vic" they really did.

JAG was always about Harmon Rabb, Jr. In season ten, DJE apparently made it clear to the show that he wasn't coming back for a season eleven. (Not something that was announced publicly.) The show brought on Beetham as Greg Vucovic. Most fans saw him as a very watered down "Harm lite." He fit the bill, sort of. He was good looking, had great eyes, had a cocky attitude. Only one thing.

He wasn't Harmon Rabb Jr.

I can't speak for everyone, but I know I wrote several heated emails to CBS, informing them that if DJE was truly leaving the show, that this weak replacement wasn't going to cut it. Apparently I wasn't alone. If you watch the last episode of JAG, you get the very real feeling that the writers heard the fans and gave them what they wanted, as quickly as they possibly could.

Don't get me wrong. I loved all the characters on JAG. (I have a special affection for Bud and Harriet, played by the hilarious Patrick Labyorteaux and Karri Turner.) But this was a show about Harmon Rabb Jr. The writers knew it. It took the producers a bit longer to figure it out. But the writers knew it.

So maybe that last episode seems rushed. After watching the romance grow between Mac and Harm for nine years, the last episode feels like everything is in fast forward. That said, the writes saved the legacy of that show. Can any fan imagine JAG starring Chris Beetham? (Or, as I like to call him, LT. Suckwad Who Sucks the Biggest Suck that ever Sucked. But that's just me.) It would be like taking the other Brady kids out of the Brady bunch and leaving Cousin Oliver. Or take Gilligan off the island, and leave the rest. Or have Dave and Maddie "do it" then try to sell us Mark Harmon as Maddie's love interest...oh wait, that happened, and it was terrible!

So now we have JAG on DVD, all ten seasons. The legacy of the show is saved because there were no desperate last seasons. I applaud the writers and the producers of the show for hearing the fans.