The Big One Zero Zero

Today marks a special occasion: the hundredth post here on Muses and Musings.

For some reason, this surprises me.

It’s like I wasn’t aware I was driving you all up the wall blogging twice a week since January 12, 2015’s “An Anglophile I’m Apparently Not.” And since there are 50 weeks in the year that traditionally come after January 12, it makes perfect sense that I’d hit the big one-zero-zero right around now.

So I have no excuse for being taken unaware. Then again, I never claimed to be good at math.

What I am a bit better at (sometimes, anyway) is recognizing my blessings, so here’s a recount of the writing-related accomplishments I’m thankful for this year:

• Seven books published (Maiden America, Not So Human, To Err Is Faerie, Up in the Air, The Politician’s Pawn, Moves and Countermoves, and Amateurs Need Not Apply)
• Two manuscripts written (Wing and Dagger, and Designing America), though they still need to be edited a few times over
• Two book readings for awesome local groups
• Innovative Editing Insider, my creative-writing focused quarterly newsletter
• Tables at two fairs where I peddled my books, The CHAP Convention in Harrisburg, PA, and Faeriecon in Hunt Valley, MD
• The opportunity to teach a creative writing continuing education class at Community College of Baltimore County
• Interactions with a whole slew of fun and fascinating people, some of them Innovative Editing clients and some of them potential Innovative Editing clients.

That all begs the question… How am I going to top that in 2016?

I have no idea, but I’m excited to find out. In the meantime, however, I’m going to celebrate my hundredth blog post by taking off for the rest of the year.

If you need to reach me for any editing projects, I’ll still be checking my email at jdilouie@innovativeediting.com. And if you find that you desperately need to read one of my books (and you totally do, right?), all of the links are listed above.

Other than that, I’m going to focus on having a fabulous Christmas with my family… and then working like crazy to finish the second draft of Designing America before the end of 2015.

So Happy Holidays and an amazing New Year to you all!

Thanks for sticking with me these last hundred blog posts, and here’s looking forward to the next hundred…

If Hollywood Ever Turned My Dirty Politics Series Into Movies, Here’s My Cast…

I would never want my novels turned into movies. I don’t care how much money I got, I’m way too much of a control freak to let some idiot scriptwriter ply his trade on my beloved books.

Let’s face it: Scriptwriters KILL novels more often than not. Here’s a short list of works they've butchered:

•  “The Other Boleyn Girl” book by Philippa Gregory was awesome. “The Other Boleyn Girl” movie? Horrid.
• “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan was awesome. “The Lightning Thief” movie? Horrid.
• The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher was awesome. The Dresden Files TV show? Horrid.
• “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James? Horrid. Oh wait… Bad example. I think the scriptwriters actually made it better.

So no, I really don’t want any of my books turned into movies. But if they were, here’s how I would cast my Dirty Politics series characters...

• Kayla – Jennifer Lawrence – She’s one of the few Hollywood hotties who actually has a figure. And because, let’s face it… She’d rock the role.

• Evans – Greg Finley – Just look at that man! Sigh. Swoon. Yes please.

• Rod – Colton Haynes – If you’ve ever seen “Arrow,” then you know he can play a tool just as well as the brooding bad-guy-turned-good-guy. Seriously, he’s perfect for this role.

• Lucy – Blake Lively – They’ve got the right body build, but there’s something about her that makes me think she’s a shoe-in. Call it a je ne sais quoi, but I’d book her in a sec.

• Greyble – Alec Baldwin – Maybe he’s a bit too old for the part, but he does make a smashing bad guy, both on and off the big screen.

• Sarah – Kate Beckinsdale – She’s so beautiful and talented. I mean, why not want her somewhere in my movies? I could totally see her being Evans’ “leggy goddess.”

• Cory – Jesse Usher – I don’t know what his acting is like, but he is just so cute to look at. Does that make me a cougar?

• Rachel – Ellie Kemper – She’s too thin for the part, but she’s still got that girl-next-door thing going on that fits the best-friend role.

• Talia – Scarlett Johansson – The girl can rock dark hair. And an attitude – exactly what every high class hooker with a thing for ex-Navy SEALs needs.

• Wisset – Adam Levine – I know he’s not an actor, but I bet he could play an awesome bad guy, and I swear he looks exactly like I picture Wisset to, just without the tattoos.

And there you have it! The cast of “The Politician’s Pawn,” “Moves and Countermoves” and “Amateurs Need Not Apply.”

I know I left out Audrey, but there are very few short girls featured in Hollywood right now, so the closest I can come up with for her is Emma Stone, who I love… but I don’t think quite fits. Who knows though.