Thursday, December 16, 2004

“There’s out, and then there’s out.”

The Movie: My Favorite Year, 1982 (Dennis Palumbo and Norman Steinberg, screenwriters; Richard Benjamin, dir.)
Who says it: Peter O’Toole as Alan Swann, former matinee idol and hopeless drunk
The context: Swann explains to the young writer Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) how he heard something while apparently passed out.
How to use it: To insist that you really were paying attention. No, really.

Somehow the days slipped by, and we're only nine days from Christmas. If I weren't superstitious about announcing any plans related to my car, I might say that Dizzy and I are headed south tomorrow. Instead, I'll just say that the car is at the mechanic's right now, having its oil changed and everything checked very carefully, just in case anyone wants to drive it 1,600 miles over the holidays.

Theresa Schwegel, one of my clients, has sold her first novel, Officer Down, to St. Martin's Minotaur. The draft of Officer Down I read was already terrific, so it should be a great success; it'll be published next fall. It's always so encouraging to see good work rewarded. Congratulations, Theresa.

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