Men in Trees

The title of this week’s episode is “Surprise, Surprise.” And it was filled with them, although the only real surprise for me is that the show has been cancelled. I love character-driven stories. This one is all about the characters, and every episode has been packed with humor and emotion.

The show’s writers have been blogging about each episode at Blogs in Trees on the ABC website, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about the direction they were taking with the show. There haven’t been any posts since the network announced they were cancelling the show, and I can’t say I blame the writers for not blogging. I’m sure they’ve already moved on to new projects.

But I hope Jenny Bicks, the show's creator, gives us one last farewell blog after the last episode airs on Wednesday. She’s done a brilliant job with Men in Trees, and she deserves lots of fanfare from the treehuggers who've fallen in love with show!

And be sure to watch the last episode on Wednesday, June 11!

Lee

The Big Bang Theory: Dumpling Paradox

I am thoroughly enjoying this show! The dialogue is so well written—smart and snappy and exactly right for each character.

When Wolowitz hooks up with Penny’s friend, the world according to Sheldon is momentarily bumped out of its orbit. How can they play Halo without Wolowitz?

PENNY: Hey, if you guys need a fourth, I’ll play.
LEONARD: Great idea.
SHELDON: Nooooo. The wheel was a great idea.

I also love the subtle things the writers are doing to create intimacy between Penny and Leonard. In the last episode, Penny went through Leonard’s closet, helping him pick out something to wear to the physics convention. This week she spent the night on his sofa.

But back to the dialogue, in which know-it-all Sheldon gets to pontificate, leaving lots of openings for nice-guy Leonard’s quiet zingers.

The restaurant scene was classic.


SHELDON: [lists their usual order when the four of them go to the restaurant] Do you see the problem?
LEONARD: I see a problem.
SHELDON: Our entire order is predicated on four dumplings and four entrees divided amongst four people.
LEONARD: So, we’ll just order three entrees.
SHELDON: Fine. What do you want to eliminate, and who gets the extra dumpling?

I’ve known my share of science geeks who can easily solve complex mathematical problems, yet grapple with simple things, like ordering Chinese food. And isn’t that what makes them so darned loveable?

Lee

PS: The penultimate episode of Men in Trees airs tonight. I'm still disappointed that this series has been cancelled.

Tuesday News

April is TV Month! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen new episodes of our favorite shows, so April is feeling like fall premiere season all over again. Here’s what I’ll be watching:

Men in Trees — Wednesdays (currently airing new episodes)

NUMB3RS — Friday,April 4 (6 new episodes)

Samantha Who? — Monday, April 7 (6 new episodes)

30 Rock — Thursday, April 10 (5 new episodes)

The Office — Thursday,April 10 (6 new episodes)

Brothers and Sisters — Sunday, April 20 (possibly 6 new episodes)

Gossip Girl — Monday, April 21 (5 or 6 new episodes; note the new night)

Grey's Anatomy — Thursday, April 24 (not sure, but there should be 4 or 5 new episodes)

For the writers out there, April is conflict month with The Wet Noodle Posse. On April 8 I'll be blogging about characters' goals, motivation and conflict, and about writing GMC statements for our characters. But it gets better!

"Along with the award-winning Wet Noodle Posse authors, we have a star-studded
line-up of guest bloggers, including bestselling authors Jo Beverley (whose new
book, A Lady's Secret, is out today!), Susan Gable, Anna Campbell, Tawny Weber,
and Christie Kelley. You won't want to miss a single day! We will be giving away
a signed copy of a Jo Beverley novel on the 24th to a lucky participant, but you
must comment to enter. So please plan to join us all month long and bring your
questions and comments to our knowledgeable group of writers."

The Posse hopes you'll join us and our guests this month for lively discussions about conflict and the chance to win some great prizes!

Talk to you later.
Lee

Men in Trees—Grand Gestures, or Can I Give You a Kidney?

On this week’s episode of Men in Trees ("A Tale of Two Kidneys") Marin’s question on her radio show was in response to Jack’s statement about not being a grand gesture kind of guy. So she asked her audience if grand gestures were the way to go or if it’s the little things that count. Can you ever give too much of yourself to another person?

Given the title of the episode and the fact that Cash was already in the hospital, it was pretty easy to figure out where the writers were headed with the grand gestures theme, and that part was okay. I just thought they got a few scenes in the wrong order.

Even before the episode started I knew Marin would want to give Cash a kidney. That’s the kind of person she is and, well, it’s Cash. And the way she looked at him through the window after she found out he needed a kidney? Heart wrenching. So yeah, Marin being tested was a given, but having her end up as the donor would have been way too obvious.

Unfortunately they also made it way too obvious that Terri would be the donor. Eliminating one or two scenes and moving a couple of others would have helped.

The scene with Annie and Terri in the beauty parlor was great, and Terri’s need to earn karmic points was well set up. After all, he’s the one who put that fateful bobby pin in Patrick’s hair—the bobby pin that attracted the lightening that struck Patrick on his wedding day and caused him to have amnesia. Hm. When I say it like that it sounds a bit preposterous but hey, it could happen!

I also liked the scene with Marin and Terri outside the hospital when she tells him that she was visiting Cash, but from the moment Terri walked into Cash’s room, I knew he was the donor. Marin being a match wasn’t enough of a red herring.

We didn’t need that first scene with Terri and Cash at all. They clearly don’t know each other, so why would Terri visit him? Marin could have given Terri the information about Cash not having a family. And still Terri could have delivered that great line about cutting Cash’s hair—or at least running his fingers through it—to Marin. That really was a great line, and so well delievered!

Having Terri redecorate Cash’s hospital room so early in the episode was out of place. A little foreshadowing is good, but this time it completely gave away the storyline.

I would have preferred to wait for Marin and Jack’s scene, when she tells him she’s a match but she’s not going through with it because someone else stepped up. Then cut to a hospital scene with Cash waking up his newly renovated hospital room—the tiki decor was a stroke of genius!—which would have been Terri’s way of saying, "Surprise!"

To motivate Terri’s decision to give a kidney to someone he hardly knows, all we needed was a short scene or two with him styling the wigs of a couple of cranky patients—and having to resist the urge to stick a couple of bobby pins in them!—then saying, "This is so not worth it." On his way out of the hospital, he would have passed the window, seen Cash sleeping, and made a comment on the dreary hospital decor. And the hair.

In all fairness, this episode’s writer is new to the show. You can check out his blog about "A Tale of Two Kidney’s" on the Men in Trees official website. And all in all there was much to love. Celia got her plate back, Jack got his name on Marin’s mailbox, and Annie got one kick butt hair cut. But I would have liked Terri’s grand gesture to more of a surprise.

To answer Marin’s question, it’s not always possible to make a grand gesture, but the little things can sure add up.

Talk to you soon.
Lee

PS: Any Janet Evanovich fans out there? In her Stephanie Plum books, it’s always been obvious that Stephanie belongs with Joe Morelli, but some readers thought she should throw caution to the wind and go for it with Ranger. I think the same is becoming true with the Marin-Jack-Cash scenario. I’m a big Jack and Marin fan, but I wouldn’t hate it if something were to happen between Marin and Cash.

PPS: I apologize for this post being so long. This is what happens when I get off on a tangent! Still, I honestly can’t imagine any group of writers having more fun than the people who work on Men in Trees.

More on Men in Trees

Men in Trees is set in the fictional town of Elmo, Alaska, which I’ve always assumed is intended to represent the real town of Juneau. The TV series is actually filmed in Squamish, British Columbia, which is a lot easier to get to. The best part is that Squamish, which is about half the size of Juneau, has a similar geographic setting and a slightly milder winter climate.

The Chieftan Hotel in Squamish is a real place. They use an exterior shot on the show, but I'm certain that the interior shots are filmed in a studio. The Chieftan is named for The Chief—that looming granite cliff that often appears in the show. In fact, the geology around Squamish is primarily volcanic, and the same is true for Juneau.

For a TV film crew, Squamish is much more accessible than Juneau, and both towns have a similar climate, geography and vegetation, so filming Men in Trees in Squamish really does make a lot of sense.

What does intrigue me, though, is why one of the show’s film editors keeps sneaking in a shot of Peyto Lake. I’ve seen this in two episodes for sure, maybe three. The last time it was used was in “Charity Case.” It was slipped in between the movie night scene and Marin’s visit to Cash’s campsite the following day.

Why am I intrigued? Peyto Lake is in the Canadian Rockies, hundreds of miles from Squamish, just off the Banff-Jasper Parkway. The surrounding mountains all consist of sedimentary rocks, which is why you can see all those lovely layers in them. To the well-trained eye of yours truly—who happens to be a science geek as well as a romance author—the contrasting geology sticks out like a sore thumb.

Still, the Canadian Rockies are one of the most beautiful places in the world, so it doesn’t surprise me that someone affiliated with show would slip in a shot of those majestic mountains and a pristine glacial lake. But I do wonder if anyone else is paying attention!

More later,
Lee

Men in Trees—How Do I Love Thee?

Last night’s episode of Men in Trees was really titled “Read Between the Minds,” and one of the underlying themes looked at the different ways people express their love for another person. Not just romantic love, but a parent’s love for a child and the love between friends.

I’ll be honest, though. At first I thought the writers got a little carried away with this one. Seriously. Patrick taking to skies with a lawn chair and a bunch of balloons. Jane’s parents turning out to be little people. Those are the kinds of over-the-top situations that make me think, come on, that would never happen.

Ever since Patrick developed amnesia, the poor boy hasn’t been himself. What is a poor, distraught mother to do? Well, if you’re the police chief, you can put him in jail. And that’s exactly where Patrick’s reckless flight landed him. I’m sure every parent has wished for the same thing—the ability to keep a child safe and secure and out of harm’s way. In Patrick’s case, locking him up also helped Annie to continue to rekindle their relationship. Now it’ll be interesting to see how long Celia keeps her under lock and key!

Thanks in part to Jane’s parents, we got to see a new side of Sam last night. He’s a crier. He even got emotional over his new bride’s very badly written vows. So badly written that at first I thought he was laughing. At their reception, he did the chicken dance with her father, then he took the mic and we got to hear his vows. And then I was crying, Jane was crying, and even Jane’s dad was crying. Oh, Sam. You are a keeper.

Sam’s vows were so moving that Jerome sought out a piano in the hotel bar. He had even sheet music with him, and I imagine he’d intended to play that piece for Mary Alice. If only she hadn’t broken his heart after he’d mustered the courage to overcome his fear of flying so he could go to New York City to see her. I hope we haven’t seen the last of Jerome and Mary Alice. He deserves to have someone who loves him.

And then there’s Jack. He’s not much of a talker, never mind a crier. He’s a man of action. Fod days he sleeplessly agonized over watching another man die in the Bering Sea, and he tried everything he could think of to make himself forget. Sex. Scotch. Plumbing repairs. It wasn’t until he found the words to tell Marin what happened that he managed to sleep. It’s not about sex, Jack, it’s all about the love. You just have to learn to trust it. And yourself.

By the end of the episode I was trying to count the ways I love this show, and I had completely forgiven the writers for transgressing into over-the-topness. They made it work, and that takes a lot of skill.

Noticeably absent from this week’s episode of Men in Trees were Eric and Cash. However, Sarah caught the eye of a handsome doctor-slash-volunteer-paramedic, and it’ll be interesting to see where the writers go with that.

Next week’s episode is called “A Tale of Two Kidneys,” so it’s safe to say Cash will be back. Anyone care place bets on who’s going to be a donor match?

Back later,
Lee

The Pink Heart Society

I'm a guest blogger today at the The Pink Heart Society. Please drop by and check out my story about getting "The Call."

Another hightlight today is the return of my favorite TV show, Men in Trees. After a nearly three-month hiatus, Elmo is back and I am one happy tree hugger :)

Lee

TV—On again, Off again

Programming is on again, off again, and so is my TV. I don’t watch a huge amount of television, but I always watch my favorite shows. Some are already off the air, though, and production of others has been shut down, which means the end is in sight.

I’m thrilled that Men in Trees will continue through the winter, but I’m already missing The Office. Thursday nights won’t be the same without it.

But in the midst of this, a bit of good news. The second season of October Road starts tomorrow night! Happy Thanksgiving! I don’t know if this was planned or if it’s a coincidence, but I hadn’t expected to see the new season until sometime in 2008. It will be on tomorrow night after Grey’s Anatomy, then move to what will be its regular timeslot on Monday nights at 10 pm.

I loved the first season of this show because it has all the story elements I love—family, friends, community, romance, and wonderful characters. If you missed the first season you can catch it this Saturday on SOAPNET because they’re having an October Road season one marathon! Six back-to-back episodes! Hope you have a chance to tune in.

Later,
Lee

More Men in Trees . . .

. . . and it just keeps getting better!

Fans of Men in Trees were up in arms last spring because the show’s season was cut short by five episodes. For a while we wondered if we’d ever see them, but then came the announcement that the show was being picked up for a second season and the fall run would begin with those five leftover episodes. But as season and series premieres began in September, we learned that the launch of Men in Trees would happen until early October, even though production of season two was well underway.

Be patient, we were telling ourselves. Our day will come.

And it has. I won’t say fans of Men in Trees can now have the last laugh—that would just be mean—but I will say without gloating that we can smile away the winter with nine more new episodes! Don’t you love it when things work out this way?

I adored last night’s episode, “Nice Day for a Dry Wedding,” and all its delightfully funny and poignant over-the-top-ness.

Thank you, Cash, for rescuing our darling Marin from the big, bad wolves.

Goodbye, Jack. Please come home soon.

I didn’t count all the break-ups and make-ups, but there were plenty of them! Starting with Celia and Dick's slapstick joined-at-the-wrist performance.

Jane and Sam made up, broke up and made up again.

Patrick and Annie . . . making it all the way to the altar and still not quite managing to tie the knot. LOL! Whose fault was that, anyway?

Eric and Sara. Broke up and made up.

Marin and Jack. Made up. Broke up, but in a nice way.

Annie’s parents. Broke up. For good.

Mary Alice and Jerome. Hooked up? I love Annie Potts, so I hope we see lots more of her.

Cash. Still a loner. Why did he come back? And what was he doing at the hospital?

And Jerome. Ah, Jerome. Would it be wrong for me to say that I’m . . . um . . . just the teensiest bit in love with him?

Later,
Lee

Men in Trees Just Keeps Getting Better

Last Friday’s episode was so much fun!

Poor Annie. Trying to arrange a wedding and everything is going wrong. She's lost an eyebrow, the cat ran away, the minister quit, the Chieftan is shut down, and the roof of the inn has caved in. And then there's every bride's dream - three wacky, meddling mothers in T-shirts.

Yet in spite of MoMai’s prediction, we all know Annie and Patrick are meant for each other and the wedding simply has to go ahead.

After all, the cat has already come back, Cash is back (surely that's a good sign) and I read somewhere that in the next episode Jane is flying in from NYC for the wedding. Surely we'll see some Jane and Plow Guy action. Did I mention Cash is back?

I couldn’t believe the ending. Poor Marin and Domino Dan. Can they save themselves? Or will they be rescued by Jack? Or Cash? Or both? Both would work :)

Looking forward to this Friday and to what I understand would have been the season one finale. It sounds as though they have already taped quite a few new episodes, too, so while some shows are already on hiatus or soon will be, we still have lots of Men in Trees to cosy up with on wintery Friday nights.

Later,
Lee

Men in Trees

No Sara/Eric action tonight. We did see a glimpse of Plow Guy, though, which suggests that Jane will be back this season!

Psyched to see the new developments in Jack and Marin's relationship.

Loved the new Jerome, out and about and totally hitting on the new skater girl in town.

Devastated for Cash. Poor, shirtless, sigh-worthy Cash. But the show's creator Jenny Bicks has promised we'll find out what was written on the rock Cash threw off the mountain, and I'm dying to find out what that was.

Any Janet Evanovich (Morelli/Stephanie/Ranger) fans here? Does the Jack-Marin-Cash triangle make you feel as though there's no way Marin can lose?

Hey. Just asking. ;)

Catch you tomorrow.
Lee

On the Subject of Archetypes . . .

The writers over at The Office have used archetypes to create another set of characters every bit as strong as those in Men in Trees, but very different.

Men in Tree’s librarian archetypes, Marin and Jane, are joined by Angela from The Office. Remember me saying that archetypes are NOT stereotypes? I rest my case. If the librarian is efficient and serious, then Angela is the extreme. Even when she smiles, she doesn’t really. Repressed? Ha! I’ll bet she irons herself when she gets of bed in the morning. Is she a carbon copy of Marin or Jane? Not on your life!

Is there a professor archetype on The Office? No. Oh, wait. Dwight! Expert, analytical, insular, inflexible. Jack on Men in Trees is an expert wildlife biologist. Dwight is an expert on everything, or at least in his mind he is.

So, two very different shows, two very different pairs of characters. Jack and Marin. Dwight and Angela. The professor and the librarian.

These are so not stereotypes!

Till tomorrow,
Lee

Men in Trees

In case anyone’s wondering where I’ve been, please check out my October 24th post on the Harlequin American Romance Authors’ blog.

I’ve been wanting to blog about Men in Trees, now that it’s finally back for a second season, but I also wanted to do it justice.

Of all the shows on TV right now, Men in Trees is probably the closest to a Harlequin American Romance, the line I write for. These books are about home and family and community, and people falling in love and overcoming their differences. Personally I love character-driven stories, and MiT is all about the characters. Even the setting, the fictional town of Elmo, Alaska, is as much a character in the story as it is a setting.

The show has an extensive cast of characters, each with his or her own story arc. Well, all except Jerome, the perennial stool-warmer in the local bar, but we love him anyway.

One of my favorite writing how-to books is The Complete Guide to Heroes & Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders. This book was primarily written for romance novelists, but the archetypes themselves apply to all genres.

I’d hazard a guess that Jenny Bicks—creator of Men in Trees—hasn’t read this book, but because she’s a natural-born storyteller, creating strong archetypes comes as naturally to her as breathing. Take Jack and Marin. He’s a classic professor. His character strengths? He’s an expert at what he does, he’s analytical and he’s genuine to the point of being vulnerable. Of course, no one’s perfect, and Jack does have his flaws. He can be insular, a little inhibited, and not all that flexible. These are not my descriptions, BTW. They’re from the book.

Marin is a librarian archetype. This character “lives in her head.” She’s every bit as analytical as the professor, but in the case of Jack and Marin, they’re often analyzing different things, or approaching the same thing from a very different perspective. The librarian is efficient, she takes life seriously, and she’s dependable. There’s nothing she won’t do for friends. Also, she’s a can be a tad on the stubborn side, every bit as repressed as the professor, and if she’s going to do something, it has to be perfect.

What happens when we put the two together? Cowden et al say, “The professor and the librarian are both accustomed to others coming to them for information.” Hammer, meet nail. And “...neither takes kindly to being questioned, regardless of who is doing the questioning.”

Men in Trees is a textbook example of how to create characters, and how to make them work.

I think some writers have a difficult time distinguishing between archetypes and stereotypes, and again Jenny Bicks and her writers show us the difference.

Marin’s friend Jane is also a librarian. Each struggles to maintain order in her world, but are they cookie-cutter characters? Not at all. Cowden et at describe two types of librarians—the know-it-all and the bookworm—and anyone who watches MiT will have no trouble deciding which is which!

I can already hear some of you saying but . . . every character wants order in his or her world. Not quite. Look at Mai Washington, Buzz’s adorable mailorder bride. She’s a free spirit archetype who goes with the flow. Her world already has an order to it, and it’s out of her control. Does she fight it? No, but she’ll definitely come up with creative ways to work around it.

Men in Trees is on again tomorrow night. I’ve heard, but haven’t confirmed, that next Friday, November 2, the show is moving to a different time slot. Watch those listings, because I’m sure it’ll be a show we won’t want to miss!

Till tomorrow,
Lee

Lee’s Excellent News!

I’ve had two very exciting weeks, beginning with a phone call from my editor on September 28. Yes, you guessed it. I've sold two more books to Harlequin American Romance! My first sale was the thrill of a lifetime—nothing can beat it!—but in many ways this sale feels like more of a validation. I am a writer!

And I’m so excited about these new projects. The stories are about two young career women—best friends—who live and work in the beautiful city of San Francisco.

Rory Borland is a second grade teacher in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Jess Bennett runs a little bar in the South of Market district. They’re not just happy being single, they’re committed to it.

But then Mitch Donovan, firefighter and single dad, walks into Rory’s classroom and life takes on a whole new meaning for both of them, and for the little girl whose biggest wish is to see her dad smile again.

Winery CEO Michael Morgan literally sweeps Jess off her feet, but she’s soon wondering if he’s as interested in her as he is in her business.

No titles or publication dates yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

This week I received my author copies of my December book, With This Ring. That’s the cover in the sidebar. Gorgeous, isn’t it? But the photo really doesn’t do it justice. The colors are deeper and richer, and I am completely thrilled with it! With This Ring will be out on December 4, and then you can see for yourself.

Till tomorrow,
Lee

PS: The new season of my current favorite TV show, Men in Trees, premieres tomorrow. Anyone else out there who’s been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for their next Elmo fix?

Everybody Loves a Good Love Story

Romance is my favorite thing to read and watch. With all the wonderful storylines in Gilmore Girls, Luke and Lorelei’s love story was always at the core of the show. Everyone knew they belonged together, long before they knew it themselves, and the final scene of the final episode was the perfect ending for the series. Lorelei and Rory sitting in the diner, Luke making breakfast for them, everything as it should be. No fairy tale endings, no one riding off into the sunset, but it was the happily ever after that fans had been anticipating.

Two and a half weeks and counting till the fall premiere of Men in Trees, and already I’m looking forward to what those writers have in store for us. In her August blog, Jenny Bicks, the show’s creator said, “You will get some delicious Jack and Marin this season, I promise.” Yum.

But as much as we’re rooting for Jack and Marin’s happily ever after, we know we won’t get it. Not yet. Because just like Gilmore Girls or our favorite romance novel, HEA also means THE END. I’m looking forward to many seasons of Men in Trees, so I think Jack and Marin will have a lot of issues to work through before we close the door on their story.

Even people who may not be devoted fans of romance still love a good love story and the promise of happily ever after. It humanizes a story. Seriously, who watches The Office and doesn’t root for Jim and Pam? Last season ended with Jim returning to Scranton to make a date with Pam, and for one or two glorious moments we thought Karen had ridden into the sunset, solo. Cut to commercials. Then we discovered that Ryan got the job in New York, which means Karen will be back. Hm. Is the office big enough for Pam and Karen? I’m not expecting HEA, but for sure there’ll be conflict! Can’t wait till Thursday!

Talk to you tomorrow,

Lee

Those Seemingly Insignificant People

I adore secondary characters. In books, films and television, they play such an important role. So what’s the trick to creating successful secondary characters? I think it’s knowing how to push the envelope, but not push it too far.

Many readers have told me they love Aunt Margaret in my first book, The Man for Maggie. The interesting thing to me is that Aunt Margaret doesn’t really exist. She’s either a ghost or she’s Maggie’s conscience, and no one, not even me, has been able to figure out which. I do know there was no conscious effort on my part to create Aunt Margaret but when she appeared, she was essential to the story.

So how do we write significant secondary characters? Again, I look to the people who do it so well—scriptwriters.

In Gilmore Girls, Lorelei and Rory are sympathetic characters we can relate to. Luke is as steady as they come. Rory’s friend Lane is the girl next door. Then we have Paris, Kirk, Babette. Oh my. Sally Struthers as Babette. Wasn’t she wonderful? Many of the secondary characters in this show were delightfully over the top and that worked because they fit the story and made it richer.

Look at Men in Trees. Honestly, I can’t say enough wonderful things about this show’s outstanding writing. Of course we relate to Marin and Jack as the main characters, yet the cast of secondary characters is extensive and brilliantly woven into Marin’s and Jack’s story arcs. Patrick and his family mosaic. NYC editor Jane and Elmo plow guy Sam. The bar patrons. The hairdresser. The minister. The pregnant ex-girlfriend. The way-too-attractive guy who shows up to renovate Marin’s house. The show wouldn’t be complete and Jack and Marin’s story wouldn’t be nearly as interesting and without all those endearingly offbeat people.

One of my favorite secondary characters of all time is Dr. Larry Fleinhardt on NUMB3RS. Brilliant physicist. Homeless and living in his car. Astronaut. Not your average resume, to be sure!

So what have I learned? Secondary characters are integral to a story. To be effective, they should be as three-dimensional as the story’s hero and heroine. They can’t be mentioned in passing. They can’t be glossed over. They should be fleshed out and they can even have a story arc of their own, no matter how small that arc might be.

Secondary characters can be much quirkier than our heroes and heroines because the oddball provides such an excellent foil, making the main character appear normal by comparison :)

An easy thing to write? Maybe, maybe not, but do stay tuned. I’ll explore this some more throughout this TV season.

Meanwhile, I’d love to know who your favorite secondary characters are, and why.

Till tomorrow,
Lee

At Home on TV

The list of my favorite shows in the sidebar might seem a tad eclectic—dramas and comedies for adults and young adults, and settings ranging from small towns to big cities or, in some cases, stories set primarily in a single building. I’m not saying these are the best shows on TV. They’re simply the ones that have a struck a chord for me.

Different as they may seem, I see lots of similarities. Gilmore Girls (even though it’s been cancelled, it’s still a favorite), Men in Trees and October Road are set in small town America. To me, those communities are like secondary characters in their respective stories. But communities don’t have to be towns and cities. In The Office and Grey’s Anatomy, communities exist within the walls of a building. The Office’s boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) has almost as much affection for the building as he has for his staff. Seattle Grace is practically home for the surgeon and interns of Grey’s Anatomy. In Degrassi: TNG, the community is a high school and, for the first time last season, a university.

Home and family are important factors in most of these shows. The contrast between Lorelei’s home and her parents’ home was a major story element in Gilmore Girls, and Rory eventually leaving home became a major part of the show. In Men in Trees, Marin Frist leaves her home in New York and finds a new one in the unlikely town of Elmo, Alaska. October Road is about a character returning home after a long absence and having to come to terms with what has changed and what has stayed the same. The relationship between two very different brothers and their father is an important element of NUMB3RS and for me it’s one of the things that sets it apart from most other crime shows on television. Their family home is a retreat from the chaotic, albeit predictable according to Charlie, world around them.

Brothers and Sisters is all about family. I didn’t watch it during the regular season last year, but I caught the summer reruns. At first I thought it might be too political for my taste, but that’s overshadowed by each family member’s individual story arc and the adult children’s relationships with their, um, slightly neurotic mother, Nora Walker (Sally Field).

I’m still debating which new shows I’ll watch this year. I saw the first episode of Gossip Girl and will definitely check out a few more before I make up my mind about that one. Since The Practice is a spinoff from Grey’s Anatomy, I’ll give that one a chance, too.

Any recommendations?

Back tomorrow.

Lee

Who Has The Remote?

This is my first post on my new blog. Thank you for stopping by! First, a bit about me. I am a romance author, thrilled to be writing for Harlequin’s American Romance series. Yes, those covers in the sidebar are for my first two books! Aren’t they gorgeous?

Along with writing, the most important things in my life are family and friends. Which makes American Romance a perfect place for me because that’s what these books are about—everyday people overcoming difficulties with the help of their family and friends, and finding love and happiness in the communities they call home. If you’re already a fan of these books, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you’re new to American Romance, I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.

Readers tell me they love my characters and I’m always thrilled to hear that because creating characters is my favorite part of the writing process. And it’s so much easier than developing a plot. Fortunately, after I get to know my characters, they fill me in on their story as I write. As unbelievable as that might sound, that’s how the process works for me.

The hardest part is coming up with a book proposal to send to my editor before I’ve actually written the book. How can someone like me write a synopsis for an unwritten book when she doesn’t have the faintest idea what’s going to happen? I’ve struggled with this and finally managed to get a handle on it when I learned a little about scriptwriting and storyboarding techniques.

A TV or film script is a thing of beauty. Dialogue and a few stage directions—an entire story arc, stripped to its bare bones. It’s similar to what I might come up with if I were plotting a book, and it sort of resembles a first draft. Then I get to take off my scriptwriter’s hat and become the costume and set designer, director and camera operator as I flesh out the story. That’s the fun of being a novelist!

I still have a lot to learn and believe it or not, and watching my favorite TV shows is part of the process. I’m especially looking forward to this week because many of the season premieres for those shows will be on.

The Office (NBC) (one-hour season premiere!)—Thursday, September 27
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)—Thursday, September 27
NUMB3RS (CBS)—Friday, September 28
Whistler (CTV)—Saturday, September 29 (only in Canada)
Brothers and Sisters (ABC)—Sunday, September 30

My top fav, Men in Trees (ABC), doesn’t start until Friday, October 12. Still three weeks away, and I’m trying very hard to be patient.

Every week I’ll blog about my take on what I’ve seen, why I love these shows, and what I’ve learned. I may discuss what I as a writer might have done differently, but I’m not a critic so don’t expect in-depth analyses and critical reviews. Also, don’t expect Hollywood gossip—it’s not my thing.

From time to time I’ll also post news and reviews about my own writing, and there’ll be the occasional guest blogger and even a contest or two. And of course I’d love to hear your insights and recommendations or anything else that’s on your mind, so drop by any time.

See you tomorrow.

Lee