Books, the buying thereof

[lizbee]

Another thing I did yesterday: I finished most of my Christmas shopping -- just one article to go! -- and bought a couple of books.

One was Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli, 'cos hello, history of Harry Potter fandom, I'm there.

The other, and I'll thank you for not judging me, was The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies.  I wasn't going to buy it, but then I actually saw the book, which is a great big hardcover with colour pictures throughout.  Still not enough to justify the $87.99 price tag, but with my staff discount, it was only about ten dollars more than you'd expect to pay for a book of that size and quality.  I haven't done more than skim it so far, and it's probably too much to hope for a chapter called "Racist Subtext And Me".  (There is, however, a section called "Stephen Moffat's Thighs".)  All I've learned so far is that RTD seems to have a consistent problem with assuming that his actors will make themselves available on request -- like booking everyone except Billie to film the finale in January, then finding out that Billie was going on her honeymoon in that month.  (Although, Billie was keeping her wedding date under wraps.  BUT STILL.)

Anyway, I probably wouldn't have spent so much money, had I realised that this morning I'd get a "Cannot read iPod - disc error" message when I tried to upload the Twilight score some music.  Oh well.

Comments

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

"RTD seems to have a consistent problem with assuming that his actors will make themselves available on request."

Like just assuming that Freema Agyeman and Noel Clarke would have nothing else on their schedules and be available for Torchwood any old time? /eyeroll

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Billie and Catherine are the only people with careers around here.

[nonelvis]

I hate to say it, but I really enjoyed RTD's book. He manages to be a brilliant scriptwriter, an utterly shit scriptwriter, convinced of his own genius, convinced he's a total fraud, very insightful about television production, and a total idiot about planning for actors' schedules. I don't know how the man survives without constant medication.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Noel just thinks he has one with his dumb old hit movies and stuff, he'll always be there for Torchwood (and apparently SJA too) whenever Team Cardiff snaps its fingers. I trust you'll be sharing any particularly interesting quotes and such with the peanut gallery?

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Of course! If I'm feeling especially generous, I'll even put them in context!

What I really love so far, though, are his cartoons. The man is ridiculously gifted in that department, and if I ever meet him, before I ask about teh racisms I'm going to soften him up by finding out what pens and inks he uses.

[biichan.livejournal.com]

Oooooooh. I've seen the one he drew for his forward of the Big Finish coffee table book and it's rather charming and has Sutehk.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

He has a really cute portrait of Donna. My scanner will be employed, don't you worry.

[kellychambliss.livejournal.com]

Hi, Liz. I hope you'll let us know what you think of the history-of-Harry-Potter book. Now that I've really gotten into writing HP fanfic (only five years after I promised to start), I'd be quite interested to hear what it has to say.

[kerravonsen]

I don't know how the man survives without constant medication.
Manic-depressive, eh? That makes frightening sense. Though if that's the case, does he do his best work when manic, or when depressed?

[nonelvis]

As I recall, he says he often gets completely stuck on something until the very last possible moment, at which point he writes incredibly fast. That counts as manic, right?