Welcome to WeeklyWilson.com, where author/film critic Connie (Corcoran) Wilson avoids totally losing her marbles in semi-retirement by writing about film (see the Chicago Film Festival reviews and SXSW), politics and books----her own books and those of other people. You'll also find her diverging frequently to share humorous (or not-so-humorous) anecdotes and concerns. Try it! You'll like it!
My daughter, Stacey Kristen Corcoran Wilson, age 26, a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville (who worked, briefly, for Taylor Swift’s 13M organization and traveled Australia for a year) just completed 5 weeks of training and graduated from Southwest Airlines—5 weeks of 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm. days. Apparently, Southwest invited around 1,000 wannabee stewardesses to come and train in Dallas their TOPS headquarters, putting the up at the downtown Sheraton. Only 700 of those are expected to make it through and (eventually) be hired.
Stewardesses are not paid during their time training, although they do get a lump sum payment of $1200 at the end of the 5 weeks’ of training, if they make it through. Unfortunately, not all do.
The RN who flunked First Aid. The 62-year-old divorced guy who made it all the way to the day their uniforms arrived (they have to buy their own uniforms) and then did not get 90% on a test and was sent home. The degreed older man who stormed out muttering during a test. Many were called, but few were chosen.
At the end, trainers with names like Margo, Ken, Becky, Alan, Alfonso, Renee stood by as host Andrea Bradford read off the names of 78 graduates of the 285th Southwest graduating class, turning them loose to fly for Southwest—thought to be the best domestic airline to work for. (Please excuse the preposition at the end there.)
Why is Southwest the “best.” I could go on about the “warrior spirit,” the “winning smile” or other things mentioned during the hour-long ceremony that began at 3:00 p.m., but the truth is they pay the best and have the most lenient policies in regards to letting relatives (i.e., Stacey’s father and me) fly free (“No Revenue,” it’s called) as well as many other very user-friendly employee policies that are as favorable as the fact that Southwest lets you take 2 bags without extra charges.
I now must learn to pack light, which will be a struggle, but I’m so excited for the daughter, who is off to see the world. I think back to her high school graduation, when I posted a picture of her wearing wings and a crown (and a darling ballerina outfit) and holding a wand and suggested that she now spread her wings and see the world.
And she has. As Andrea Bradford said, “Represent us well. Congratulations. Well done, and welcome aboard.”
Just returned from seeing “Godzilla” and, Boy, am I confused! Here’s an actual line from the movie that sums it up: “You have no idea what is happening!”
I cannot refrain from writing something snarky about this movie. It cries out for snark. I would warn any of you who do not want your viewing of the film ruined that my snarky comments may contain “spoilers.” This assumes, of course, that you CAN spoil “Godzilla” after 9 attempts at bringing the Japanese “top of the primordial ecosystem” monster to the big screen. (And, sometimes, as in 1998, to the small TV screen). Snarky remark #1) WHY was Bryan Cranston wearing the world’s WORST toupee? Doesn’t Bryan have normal hair of his own, now that he’s no longer playing Walter White on television? What was wrong with Cranston’s real hair? I can’t decide which was the more horrible hair treatment: this thick brown dog-like rug or the Obama chia pet plant. It’s too close to call. Snarky remark #2) So many good actors. So little for them to do. By all means, stick us with that uncharismatic leading man nobody has ever seen before for 90% of the movie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) when there are really good actors standing around doing nothing (or disappearing from the plot after 15 minutes).
Seriously, folks, Bryan Cranston, [fresh from “Breaking Bad,” possibly the Best Dramatic Series Ever on Television] takes THIS role? What’s wrong with this picture? [Of course, Jessie Pinkman (Aaron Paul) didn’t do any better with his first film foray, a fast car movie that sank like a rock].
French actress Juliette Binoche, from the 2006 film “The English Patient” and 2013’s “A Thousand Times Good Night” (a wonderful film which I saw at the Chicago Film Festival last year) played Cranston’s wife for about 15 minutes. What a waste. Or, what about Sally Hawkins? Say it isn’t so, Sal! She finishes co-starring opposite this year’s Oscar winner, Cate Blanchett, playing her blue collar sister in “Blue Jasmine,” a Woody Allen film which Hawkins also was wonderful). So, next film: “Godzilla”? Sounds logical— (not). [Please tell me it’s not ALL about the money!]
The wonderful Japanese actor Ken Watanabe (playing Ishiro Serizawa) who was in such great films as “Inception” (2010); “Letters from Iwo Jima” (2006); “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005); “Batman Begins” (2005) or, my personal favorite, 2003’s “The Last Samurai,” (where he played Katsumoto), now takes THIS part? Watanabe mainly looks puzzled throughout. “Blue Jasmine’s” Sally Hawkins looks like she could use a stiff drink.
And then there’s David Strathairn, who was in both “Lincoln” and “The Bourne Legacy” in 2012, the excellent made-for-TV film “Temple Grandin” in 2010 and, for me, most memorably, played Tom Cruise’s ne’er-do-well brother in “The Firm” in 1993. He is reduced to playing Admiral William Stenz, and coming up with a lame-brained plan to defend against Godzilla that sounds like a military action designed by George W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. Good actors are reduced to shouting lines like, “ARE WE AT FULL FUNCTION? TAKE US OFFLINE! DO IT NOW!” The poorly planned and even more poorly described or executed military defense against the mutant monster (“I guess we’re monster hunters now.”) makes “W’s” bombing of Iraq over non-existent yellow cake uranium look like genius. Snarky remark #3: I did like this line, “It’s gonna’ send us back to the Stone Age,” because, after “Godzilla” outings on film in ’54, ’67, ’77, ’78, ’84, ’94, ’98, ‘and ’99, I thought we WERE back in the Stone Age, if we’re still watching this giant lizard terrorize the populace. (And, let’s be honest: wasn’t half the original fun watching the dubbing that never matched the actors’ mouth movements? Good cheesy fun.)
There is only ONE survivor of the train disaster (Most Creative Use of a Train since the kids’ film “Super 8”)—who is, of course, Bryan Cranston’s son, Ford Brody (played rather wanly by a British actor no one has ever heard of, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, whose previous credits consist of “Kick-Ass” in 2010 and “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging” (2008). [It’s difficult to know what this young actor’s name is, since it is listed as Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but when you look him up on IMDB, it says Aaron Perry Johnson.]
After 14 months away at war as a Navy demolitions expert, Ford Brody, returns to Elizabeth Olsen, playing wife Elle Brody and doing a good job, and his young son (C.J. Adams) but almost immediately has to jet off to bail Dad out of a Japanese jail.
Next thing you know, we’ve got MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism), or, as I like to call it/ them: Mostly Uninteresting Tyrannosaurus-like Oddities. There are at least 3 of them…and there’ll be lots more if the female gets to lay her eggs. What do they eat? Why, radiation, of course. What do they look like? Hard to tell. As the old song goes (hum along): “A big tail here, a big tail there. A big foot here; a big foot there; Here a tail, there a fin, show ‘em o’er ag’in and ag’in.”
So, it isn’t until the odd monsters start fighting amongst themselves that we really get a good look at the entire clan. All I can tell you is that there is a creature very reminiscent of “Alien.” There are two flying horrors. There is a bear-like dinosaur-ish fire-breathing monster perhaps once seen swimming in Loch Ness. All of them are awkward and have trouble moving gracefully and, apparently, they don’t get along well—although why is not clear. (Watanabe murmurs: “Let them fight,” which is all the poor guy really gets to say; he mostly just looks worried.) Here’s a line I enjoyed, from the botched military plan, proposed by Nit-wits #1 and #2: “This bomb we’re going to use makes the bomb we tried to kill it with in ’54 seem like a firecracker!” Of course, no thought given to the fact that detonating a nuclear bomb just off the coast of a major U.S. city (San Francisco) would probably not be a very good idea. Just what we need: another half-baked military fiasco, planned with no back-up Plan B, and depending on (drum roll, please), Bryan Cranston’s son, Ford Brody, who has just returned from military duty, [so he isn’t even on active duty any more, but seems intent upon trying to get himself killed in either Hawaii, San Francisco or Tokyo]. The plot’s constant carping about how Ford Brody wants to return to his wife and child made me instantly think of Brad Pitt in “World War Z.” It was Brad’s insistence on a similar plot point that made THAT movie go waaay over budget when everything had to be re-shot, and now we have the same plot again. Only, this time, no zombies. Just MUTOs.
At one point, Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) announces that he can defuse a bomb in 60 seconds, which would have been helpful, since detonating an atom bomb that close to San Francisco would be a not-too-bright move, but then he falls asleep onboard a boat with the bomb, so good luck with THAT plan! Are there no bright spots?
Well, I noted that John Dykstra’s name flashed on the screen, listed as helping design the awkward creatures. If you don’t know his name, look him up on Wikipedia, because he is The Man. I learned that the original score was composed by Alexandre Desplat, with Music Supervision by Dave Jordan and that it was recorded on Sony Pictures’ Barbra Streisand Sound Stage. (Who knew Babs had her own sound stage?) I learned that the film is dedicated to Richard Fowkes and Jake Foerster, who are almost as well-known as the film’s leading man, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. I learned that we bury our nuclear waste in Nevada’s Yucca Mountain, which sounded yucky. I learned that the list of stunt people and digital special effects people probably earned more than the combined GNP of several African nations. I learned that Godzilla maybe is “the good guy,” not the “bad guy, by film’s end?” [Although, if that is the case, why all the bombing and hostility?] I learned that they nearly blew up Oakland, California, but, if memory serves from my college days at nearby Berkeley, that would mainly take out tattoo parlors. (Please: no hate mail from Oakland; it’s a joke, Son.) And, ultimately, I learned that saying, “That’s gotta’ smart!” every few moments to my husband will eventually earn me a punch in the arm. And, as my parting snarky comment, may I utter these immortal words, “Godzilla has left the building.”
On Saturday, May 17, 2014, I was honored to receive the Silver Feather Award from the Chicago chapter of IWPA (Illinois Women’s Press Association). The ceremony was held at the downtown Union League Club, a venerable institution with REAL Picasso paintings on its walls.
Judges for the 2014 Mate E. Palmer award included Max Ashrafi of Villa Park, a graphic designer at Triton College and College of DuPage; Dave Berner of Chicago, associate professor of radio at Columbia College Chicago, author, and former news reporter and anchor for WBBM Newsradio 780 in Chicago; Irina Cline of Oak Park, an employee of the University of Illinois in Chicago who is currently translating Bori Mikhailovich Eikhenbaum’s “Literary Mores” from Russian to English; Synoma Hays of Melrose Park, who is on the board of the North Riverside Players; Mike Knezevich of Downers Grove, who is Vice President of Regional Radio Sports Network, the play-by-play announcer for Indiana scholastic baseball, basketball, and soccer and announcer for the Chicago Bandits pro softball team; Henry Kranz of Oak Park, one of Chicago’s most active and tenured poets; Kelly Lucia of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who is a web content specialist; Ashley Mouldon of Seattle, Washington, who works for Youth in Focus and, also, for the dog rescue organization Old Dog Haven; Mark R. Trost of Hennepin, MN, who is an author, essayist, editor, humorist and communications consultant, as well as a blogger; and Bill Vint of East Troy, Wisconsin, who is a freelance journalist with more than 40 years of newspaper and magazine journalism and marketing experience.
With Beck Sarwate (R), President of IWPA, and Dana B. (L) at the Union League Club on Saturday, May 17, 2014.
I mention these impartial, objective judges because so many groups to which I belong (and I belong to A LOT of writers’ groups) do not have impartial, objective voting by outside judges. The entire contest degenerates into a thinly veiled popularity contest. As a result, the entire awarding of a prize or trophy becomes an exercise in the “Good Old Boy” network of vote trading, cronyism and nepotism. It was a real thrill to know that acknowledged professional experts in their fields judged my work (and that of the other entrants) solely on the basis of the work—not on whether I was this week’s Flavor of the Month or “traded recommendations” or some other totally biased method. It was refreshing—and different— to say the least. (And not the norm, at all.) Now, on to the actual articles and books that won the Silver Feather this year for me, for the second time in three years. (I did not enter in the intervening year, as the deadline saw us in Australia/New Zealand and I was releasing RED IS FOR RAGE from far, far away.)
Student winners of IWPA Journalism awards, with one advisor on the job since 1964 (50years).
There were 22 individuals who were honored, but only one trophy is awarded. The announcement of the IWPA member awards and those of the students present from schools around the area followed a luncheon and a speaker. This year, the competition was computerized for the first time, which meant an enhanced bit of difficulty for many members, including me. (There are always bugs and glitches the first time through something like this, but it was handled masterfully by those in charge.)
2014 Silver Feather Award (front); 2012 Silver Feather IWPA Award (left); Midwest Writing Center Writer of the Year Award (3/20/2010), (R).
In all, contestants entered 70 different categories. First place winners compete for NFPW (National Federation of Press Women) honors to be announced this summer, and I have at least something that will be in additional competition. The areas that my work was awarded recognition included the following:
1) Advertising, including posters, billboards and banners, as well as Pinterest Book Cover Boards and the Quad Cities’ Learning site (www.quadcitieslearning.com). 2) Young Adult Novel RED IS FOR RAGE
, second in THE COLOR OF EVIL series. (www.RedIsforRage.com). 3) Writing/News Story, Online Publication: “Rock River Flooding in Illinois Sets Record” and “Mississippi River Flood is 13th Worst” (Yahoo; this story has had over 10,000 “hits” on Yahoo) and I currently have over 1,000,000 hits total. 4) Writing/Personality Profile: “William F. Nolan on 60 Years of Friendship with Ray Bradbury” on www.WeeklyWilson.com. 5) Writing/Specialty Articles, Hobby or Craft: “Flugtag Flying Competition in Chicago on Saturday, September 21, 2013” (WeeklyWilson.com and Yahoo) 6) Writing, Personality Profile: “Blowback by Valerie Plame and Sarah Lovett,” in the ITW (International Thriller Writers’ newsletter and on WeeklyWilson.com.
When judged without considerations of vote-trading, popularity or any of the nepotism that mars so many awards, my writing for the year 2013 earned the highest accumulated number of points, and the lovely star-trophy went home with me. (I also received certificates attesting to the above.)
Thank you, Judges and IWPA, and I hope to see you at Printers’ Row at the IWPA Tent on June 7/8 (from 2 p.m. on) when I will have 10 different books on sale to interested book browsers at the Midwest’s largest book outdoor book fair.
Last night, while I was enjoying “Motown, the Musical” at the Oriental theater in downtown Chicago, Alex was eliminated from “American Idol” in one of the more anti-climactic developments in the competition. In fact, earlier in the day, I had tweeted that it looked like our new American Idol was Caleb Johnson, no matter what. It was simple logic that dictated that Alex would get the boot this night. It would be so much “neater” and “easier” if the two were most comfortable onstage (Caleb and Jena) got the nod.
Which they did. The “Finals” will be Caleb (who had injured his vocal cords when he appeared on the show on Wednesday) and Jena (who should really just give up and spell her name “Gina” if she wants everyone to pronounce it that way).
Caleb has been consistently the Powerhouse and, with the routine exception that Harry Connick, Jr., wanted him to sing fewer shout-out-loud numbers and more ballad-like beautiful songs, he always had the best production values: things exploded, microphone stands were trashed; fire—all the usual histrionics onstage. Gena had one good night with glow-in-the-dark sticks and, at only 17, she definitely has a bright career ahead of her.
On the other hand, what was the name of the girl who finished second to Philip Phillips? You don’t remember: Join the club.
I do think Jena (say it “Gina”) will go on to greater glory because she is so comfortable onstage AND has a good voice AND can play piano while singing (no small feat.) The voting found her in the bottom 3 one night during the competition, however, so that bodes ill for her winning it all.
We both went off to watch the fantastic Broadway hit (me for the second time) secure in the knowledge that it would be Jena and Caleb, with Caleb winning. And we were right.
My Young Adult Paranormal Thriller series, (with horrific overtones), is out and available for purchase from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats. I will also be autographing and selling the book at Printers’ Row in Chicago (Jun 7/8) at the IWPA (Illinois Women’s Press Association) tent and I will be signing and selling copies at the Book Rack in Moline on May 31 from 1 to 4 p.m.
To catch people up on the series, 3 books which build one upon another, THE COLOR OF EVIL will be FREE on Kindle on May 24 (Sat.); May 25 (Sun.); May 31 (Sat.); June 1 (Sat) and June 14 (Sat.) This book led all others in Stoker recommendations when it was released in 2012 and has won E-Lit, Silver Feather and Lucky Cinda awards.
The second book in the series, RED IS FOR RAGE, won Pinnacle awards in the Thriller category in 2013, was named a “Page turner of 2013” by Shelf Unbound magazine, a Silver Feather award from IWPA and its cover was named “Best of 2013” of independent books by Shelf Unbound magazine. RED IS FOR RAGE will be FREE on Kindle KDP program on June 15 (Sun.); June 21 (Sat.); June 22 (Sun.); June 28 (Sat.); and June 29 (Sun.)
Connie (Corcoran) Wilson’s third book in THE COLOR OF EVIL series, KHAKI = KILLER is now available for purchase in both paperback and E-book formats.
Recently named a “PageTurner” by Shelf Unbound magazine, NABE Pinnacle Thriller winner, E-Lit Gold Medal winner and 2 time Silver Feather (IWPA) winner , The Color of Evil series describes the adventures of the young man (Tad McGreevy) with the power to detect auras around others (Tetrachromatic Super Vision) and, in his dreams, to relive the crimes of those with “the color of evil.”
KHAKI = KILLER picks up where RED IS FOR RAGE left off, with Melody (Harris) Carpenter fighting for her life after a fall from atop a human pyramid formation at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The budding romance between Janice and Stevie grows more serious, but Janice’s parents oppose her relationship with the son of a murderer. There are more revelations about Earl Scranton’s motives. Other romances develop (Tad and Jenny; Charlie and Andrea).
When Heather Crompton and Kelly Carter mysteriously disappear, tension in town ratchets to a fever pitch. Retired police officer Charlie Chandler reorganizes the rag-tag team that helped find Stevie Scranton and bring him back to Cedar Falls, Iowa. This small band of volunteers must try, once again, to determine what could have happened to the two cheerleaders who disappeared while ice-skating on the Cedar River.
Michael Clay (aka, Pogo), still lurks in the background, searching for Tad McGreevy, and hoping to permanently silence “the boy who can see the future.”
Tensions run high and the stakes run even higher in KHAKI = KILLER, Book #3 in THE COLOR OF EVIL series.
Praise for Khaki= Killer:
“Connie Corcoran Wilson weaves a deftly fine scalpel in an age where a crude blade is more the norm. Her work is a smooth, subtle hybrid mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror that realizes a unique and pointed vision in the great tradition of Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury. Her voice is a wonder to behold, at once dark and somber while maintaining a glimmer of hope that shines in the hearts of her heroes, who cling to the light. Like Stephen King, nothing escapes her discerning eye. The result is tale after tale that bleeds life onto the page, both literally and figuratively.”—Jon Land, bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong Series (Best selling author JON LAND of the Caitlin Strong series).
“Connie Wilson is back—-She’s good! She’s DAMN good! In a world of mainly bad-to-fair writers, she stands above the crowd with plot, description , and strong character. Believe me, you’ll enjoy her latest! that’s a guarantee!…She’s a born storyteller!”—William F. Nolan, Living Legend in Dark Fantasy, “Logan’s Run,” “Logan’s World,” “Nightworlds”
“Wilson’s characters come alive on the page. Comparisons to Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Philip K. Dick aside, Wilson has spent 33 years teaching students in this age range. She knows what she is talking about.”—Gary Braver, author of “Flashback” and 8 other thrillers.
“THE COLOR OF EVIL series is old-school psychological horror, artfully blended with new-school shocks and twists. ..Bravo!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author, multiple Bram Stoker winner
At the end of Thursday night’s “American Idol” program, Harry Connick, Jr., could be seen mouthing the words, “I didn’t see that coming” to his fellow judges.
What Judge Connick was referencing was the surprising vote given to the 5 remaining contestants, where those still standing could stay together as a team of five and two would be voted off next week, instead, OR one contestant would bite the dust, as per usual.
My spouse commented, “Well, this isn’t exciting at all. You know they’re all going to vote, ‘Yes, stay together as a team of five.'”
Except that they didn’t.
The vote was (supposedly) anonymous and TWO of the five remaining contestants said, “Lower the boom.” And Sam Woolf was let go, as a result.
I am going to speculate a moment on who may have voted to use the guillotine this night.
First, it is quite obvious that Caleb Johnson is going to be in the Finals unless there is some very unusual circumstance that arises that I cannot predict. I have been of the opinion that Jena Irene would be the second finalist because she is, quite obviously, the most at ease on stage, despite her relative youth (17). The others left in the competition are Jessica Meuse, who had a good night on Wednesday, and Alex Preston, who also was viewed favorably by the judges.
Personally, I thought that Alex Preston would get the boot. He is a good musician, but he has no “cools” and what’s with the no socks look? If the group of five HAD voted to boot two out next week, instead, my spouse and I were convinced it would be Alex and Jessica. [Perhaps we should have remembered that Sam had to be “saved” by the judges and has been in the bottom three more than once.] But we didn’t remember that. We both thought that Alex, while a good musician, was too geeky for the finals and that Jessica is the lesser talent of the girls.
So, we now have four finalists: Caleb Johnson of Asheville, North Carolina; Jena Irene of Farmington Hills, Michigan; Alex Preston of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire; and Jessica Meuse of Slapout, Alabama. They are listed in the order I think they may finish, but, again, Alex and Jessica, for me, are interchangeable entities. What he has over her in musical expertise and artistry, she has over him in appearance, presence and cools.
If I were a betting woman, I’d guess that Caleb voted “no” to “sticking together as a group” (so much for the goodtimes P.R. the show churns out each year). Caleb probably just wants to get to the end and get the golden ring, which it looks like he will do.
As for, “Who was the SECOND “No” vote?” I’m guessing it wasn’t Sam Woolf, but I wouldn’t put it past Alex or Jessica or Jena Irene to oust one of the others. After all, it’s a competition and they all want to win.
But who will? Caleb, of course. The Big Question is: who will come in second?
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