I turned in the 1000-word review of Under the Dome to Cemetery Dance last night. I think it actually turned out to be closer to 1100 words, but that was as short as I could make it in the time allotted. Making it shorter would have taken longer, you see. I’ll write a longer piece about the book in my column in the issue that follows the one the review appears in. I had a lot to say about the book that I simply didn’t have room for. My scrawled notes, taken as I read the novel, cover three pages.
I had an e-mail from the editor of an anthology that’s featuring one of my stories. I signed the limitation sheets a few weeks ago, but it turns out that something happened to the pages after two more authors signed, so they have to start the process all over again. An expensive proposition for them, as it cost quite a bit to ship the pages across the border, not to mention the costs in reprinting the sheets themselves.
A good mid-season finale for Burn Notice last week. Michael got to work out his Irish accent, Fi got to build a bomb, Sam got to see another precious car wrecked, and Michael finally got to put a bullet into that smarmy bastard who’s been running him lately. Raising the Bar continues to be a strong series this summer as well. The contest between the two judges made for high drama, with Jerry caught in the middle, and the smarmy Balco showed his true colors once again.
This could be an interesting week for Big Brother. Jeff has the power to undo everything Chima does. If he was smart, he’d put up Jessie and Natalie to break up that power couple, assuming one of them doesn’t win POV. I’d like to see Jeff and Jordan make it to the end. She’s cute but clueless, but seems sweet and innocent, though her hackles have been raised a few times. She seems like the kind of character that never seems truly credible in a movie or a book–not terribly bright, but self-aware of her limitations. Makes it seem almost like an act–if it is, she gets kudos for a great performance.
