Obviously, I love reading,
especially romance. If the romance includes mystery or suspense, even better. But
I also love movies, especially when I can enjoy them in my own home. When my
eyes are too tired to focus or my mind and body too tired to concentrate, a
good movie on TV or one of the many subscription venues is relaxing. Like a mini-vacation for the mind.
 |
| Willie Nelson |
When a movie is a depiction of a
favorite book, I have mixed emotions. With a book, the author’s descriptions
create images of characters in my head. If the book is engrossing, I know who
these characters are, how they dress, even how they walk. The reader is
privileged to characters’ internal dialogue as well as vivid descriptions. Of
course, a movie doesn’t need setting descriptions, but I miss the author’s
version. One that comes to mind is Loretta Chase’s LORD PERFEC T. When the main characters first see one
another, Ms Chase has what I think is the most enchanting reactions recorded in
any book I’ve read. My favorite is the hero’s thoughts about the heroine’s
astonishing beauty and presence : “She is a woman who causes accidents merely
by crossing the street.”
Depicting a book like Nora
Roberts’ or Debbie Macomber’s as a screenplay usually results in a very
pleasant movie. I love Ms Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle movies. (Say that fast three
times.) For me, though, the movie doesn’t quite live up to the book. For
instance, one of my favorite books by Nora Roberts is MONTANA SKY. That book
scared me in many places and kept me turning the pages hurriedly to learn about
the sisters. In the movie, some of the edginess disappeared. Oh, the movie was
satisfying, but the book much better.
 |
| Hugh Jackman |
Ken Follett’s EYE OF THE NEEDLE
is one complicated book, as are each of his tomes. The movie depicted only the
last few chapters of the protagonist’s journey and the heroine’s courageous
actions. I enjoyed the movie, but it paled in comparison to the book. Ken
Follett is a gifted author and I am in awe of his ability.
Every author hopes one day his or
her books or book will be adapted into a movie. The fact is, though, that I
enjoy reading books. I like to visualize each of the characters and the
settings. Perhaps it’s because I’m old enough to have played “pretend like” as
a child before watching TV or playing video games commandeered imagination. I also find that when an author's characterizations and descriptions are vivid, the pictures in my head don't match the movie version.
Yes, I watched TV, but the selections for kids were very limited and I had
chores and homework to keep me from being glued to the set. And, I read and read
and read. Not great works like LES MISERABLES. Nope, but Nancy Drew and Louisa
Mae Alcott launched me into other worlds.
Which do you prefer—movies,
books, or both?
I hope you like books and will read my latest, MONK'S BRIDE, Kincaid series book 5, which is available on Amazon with this Universal buy link http://mybook.to/Monk.
My next book, ALEXANDRA'S AWAKENING, Pearson Grove series book 2, is available for preorder and will be released April 26. That Universal link is http://mybook.to/Pearson.
Through a crazy
twist of fate, Caroline Clemmons was not
born on a Texas ranch. To compensate for this illogical error, she writes about
handsome cowboys, feisty ranch women, and scheming villains in a tiny office
her family calls her pink cave. She and her Hero live in North Central Texas
cowboy country where they ride herd on their three rescued indoor cats as well
as providing nourishment outdoors for squirrels, birds, and other critters.
The books she creates
in her pink cave have made her an Amazon bestselling author and won several
awards. She writes sweet to sensual romances about the West, both historical
and contemporary as well as time travel and mystery. Her series include the
Kincaids, McClintocks, Stone Mountain Texas, Bride Brigade, Texas Time Travel, Texas
Caprock Tales, Pearson Grove, and Loving A Rancher as well as numerous single
titles and contributions to multi-author sets. When she’s not writing, she
loves spending time with her family, reading her friends’ books, lunching with
friends, browsing antique malls, checking Facebook, and taking the occasional
nap. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+, and Pinterest.
Join her and
other readers at Caroline’s Cuties,
a Facebook readers group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/277082053015947/ for special
excerpts, exchanging ideas, contests, giveaways, recipes, and talking to like-minded
people about books and other fun things.
To stay
up-to-date with her releases and contests, subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter here and receive a
FREE novella of HAPPY IS THE BRIDE, a humorous historical wedding disaster that
ends happily—but you knew it would, didn’t you?
I watch very few movies. But have seen a few that I'd read as a book first. While I liked reading Gone With the Wind as a teenager, as an adult I tried watching the movie and couldn't get past the snotty attitude of Scarlett and stopped watching. And I saw the movie, One For the Money from a Janet Evanovich book and I was less than impressed with both the Joe Morelli and Ranger actors. Did not meet the expectations I'd conjured up in my mind. Good post!
ReplyDeleteBooks or movies? That's a hard choice to make. I'll take both. But, a well-written book can be just as, or more, visual as a movie. Your quote, "She is a woman causes accidents merely by crossing the street," reminds me of the country song, "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On." Was it sung by the Oak Ridge Boys? Enjoyed your post, Caroline.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on the story. Some books are so complex that they're hard to translate into a movie. Peter Jackson did a superb job with Tolkien's books but that's not often the case. Worst casting ever was Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher in Lee Child's books. Reacher's size was so large and so much a part of the characterization that Cruise literally could not fill his shoes.
ReplyDelete