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Summer and movies...and of course, books!

When I heard that our theme for this month was summer, I had to smile. In other parts of the world, summer may be a time of family cookouts and camping and vacations. Winter is often the time to stay snugly indoors out of the snow and rain. In Arizona, winters are the best time of the year, where the temperatures are in the 70’s and everyone is out and about. But in the summer, where we hit temperatures of 120 plus degrees, it’s time for us desert-dwellers to stay inside. In the air-conditioning.

The good thing is, we have large malls, movie theaters, and lots of water attractions. Since my skin is so pale, I have a tendency to avoid the water parks, so for me, summer is all about movies. (And shopping, but that’s a given.)

I love the theater, the smell of popcorn, the drama of the big screen, the communion of a group of strangers sighing and laughing and crying over the same thing. And within the past few years, there are so many more movies that appeal to me. I have always been an avid science fiction/fantasy reader and the influx of so many more movies in this genre is a dream come true. From STAR WARS to MEN IN BLACK to LORD OF THE RINGS, I love them all. I’m grateful for the new technology that makes the production of these movies possible.

But as much as I love a good movie, I have to add that I will always prefer a good book.

Maybe it’s the imagination. When I’m reading, I use my imagination to picture the world and it’s characters. And my imagination is always better than reality, no matter how gorgeous the actors, no matter how fabulous our new technology can make dreams become real. (Although I have to admit, AVATAR came so very close!)

I just finished up some posts for my upcoming blog tour and in an interview I was asked that if my upcoming release, THE FIRE LORDS LOVER, was turned into a movie, which actor would play one of my heroes. Since Orlando Bloom (as Legolas in LORD OF THE RINGS) inspired my elven lords series, I chose him…but not as one of the elven lords themselves. For my heroes in THE ELVEN LORDS series are all half-breeds, humans with a mix of elven blood. And Orlando Bloom’s beauty is at least human. I think the elven lords themselves have become so beautiful in my mind that no real person could actually portray them.

My imagination will always be better than the reality. I wonder if that’s just a curse of the writer, or if all readers feel that way?

Comments

  1. Hey, Kathryne, same here with having to stay indoors when the heat soars. Sunday it's already supposed to be 100. argh. My daughter and I went to see The Prince of Persia last night after I got off work--romance, adventure, humor, mystery, fantasy, it had it all and is now one of my favorite movies of all time!!!

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  2. Our summer here in Wyoming is so short but so beautiful that I miss a lot of summer movies because I don't want to go sit in the dark! 75 degrees, no humidity, and rodeo. I love summer!

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  3. Maybe because I was born in Florida, I would rather be hot than cold. As for imagination, I love everything I dream up and most of what other people dream up, too!
    Amelia

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  4. Hi Terry! I've been dying to see the Prince of Persia (my son said it's based on a video game) and now with your rec, I'll have to go soon!
    Oh, and yes, we're topping the hundreds next week as well.
    Must love AC. :}

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  5. Wyoming summers sound gorgeous, Joanne! With such weather, I wouldn't want to stay indoors either.

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  6. Hi Amelia! I was born in Florida too. But we left when I was a few years old (Air Force family). Have you ever read a book, and then seen the movie, and the characters just weren't quite what you had imagined? That's what I'm referring to. Perhaps it's cause our imaginations aren't limited by reality.

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  7. Great post, Kathryne! I agree with you, that sometimes the actors they pick to play certain roles just don't work... Like most of the actors in the Harry Potter films aren't anything like I imagined them to be when I read the books! But I still loved the movies :) And nothing beats coming in from a hot day to a cool movie theater!!

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  8. Hi Danielle!
    I had a completely different vision in my head for the hero in Twilight, although the actress that played Bella was perfect, beautiful and charming. Hmm. I think Brad Pitt made the best vampire. :}

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  9. Great post Kathryne! I love books, always have, no movie I've ever see that was inspired by a book could ever top the book. The closest was The Lord of the Rings although I loved reading it more than watching it.

    Thanks for the tip on Prince of Persia, Terry. I've been looking forward to seeing that.

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  10. Hi Robin!
    I'm with you! I found Lord of The Rings absolutely inspiring!
    :}

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  11. I hate getting behind on the blogs when I am working!

    Great post, Kathryne. I LOVE watching a movie in the theater. Aside from the annoying people who talk or bring their 2 year olds, there is nothing to compare with seeing a movie in full screen and THX sound glory.

    Last night we watched Alice in Wonderland on our big screen TV. It was fabulous, and we did appreciate it in a special way since it is our second viewing. But even on Blue Ray it lacked the visual impact it had on a theater screen. Still incredible, but just not quite as heart stopping. And theater popcorn? Oh man, I think I better avoid any theaters this summer unless it is blow-the-diet day since I can't not have popcorn and a coke icee! I guess I better starve for several days before Eclipse comes out!

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