Forum / I suppose Molly Ringwald is a fine writer,

Lynn Beighley
Aug 15, 03:12pm

but boy, am I tired of her book's advertisements.

Christian Bell
Aug 15, 03:23pm

After the film Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, she can write her own ticket.

Marcus Speh
Aug 15, 03:59pm

I had to look up who that was...I found out that Ringwald is famous for not having appeared in St. Elmo's fire. It seems suitable for the representative of teenage angst to stir up great but transitory feelings. About the writing thing, I'm not so sure. Perceived some triteness in "Getting the pretty back": «The most extreme case of dumping occurs when one has a baby». And the sentence «she strained to close the zipper on a pair of jeans without pinching the soft flesh of her midsection» from the 1st paragraph of the book you are probably talking about (“when it happens to you”) makes me want to pinch the soft flesh of my own mid section (when I say it like that, it sounds natural). In the beginning, Ringwald quotes Flaubert, who would not have let this sentence pass.

See ya
Aug 15, 04:37pm

Amen, Marcus, old boy!

David Ackley
Aug 15, 05:20pm

When I first opened this thread, an ad for said book headed the page. Perhaps we can test the proposition that any publicity is good publicity by giving the book a sound thrashing. Unfortunately, that might require that somebody actually read it, and in preference to having sentences like the one Marcus quotes ringing in my brain, I think I'll stick with my tinnitus.

James Lloyd Davis
Aug 15, 07:45pm

I'm sure Molly Ringwald does her own work, but what about other celebrities? Do they have the time, the inclination to write?

An opportunity lurks. Here is an untapped market for a writer who prefers cash over notoriety: Ghostwriting novels for actors who want to seem more intellectual.

It could be a trend for the truly clever novelist. I think there's a fortune to be made here....

I just now dashed off an email to several actors, including Ryan Gosling, Mickey Rourke, and De Niro. Who else do ya think? Anybody want a piece of this?

Christian Bell
Aug 15, 08:21pm

Steve Martin and Ethan Hawke come to mind as other celebrities who write.

I'd petition for Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, and Joaquin Phoenix, but the restraining orders against me are a bit of a hindrance.

Robert Vaughan
Aug 15, 08:30pm

I'll write for Daniel Craig?

Susan Tepper
Aug 15, 09:45pm

Yeah, Molly Ringwald gets a nice book deal. Doesn't it just fry you. I will ghost for Charles (we call him Charlie) Manson. Bound to be a bestseller. Who could resist those eyes..

Lynn Beighley
Aug 15, 11:40pm

Steve Martin, well, he's a pretty good writer. But since I'm living in NJ, I owe my allegiance to Snooki. It's tragic, if only she'd come to me, I could have created her as a modern Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven.

Joani Reese
Aug 16, 02:19am

Foof--who cares about good literature anymore? We're all contestants on Survivor. Molly R.'s book is simply another indication of our deeply flawed priorities and our desire for the almighty buck. She can't act? Well, shit, let's ghostwrite her a book. We'll squeeze out every last drop we can until she squanders all her money and becomes one of the 98%. Welcome to the jungle, Molly. You're almost here.

James Claffey
Aug 16, 03:22am

can we shut the ads off? the cult of celebrity strikes anew.

Steven Gowin
Aug 16, 04:26am

Hell is Molly’s ad paying or Fictionaut? If so, I'm ok with the ad although I probably won’t read the book. Actually, certainly won’t read the book.

Loved you in St. Elmo’s Fire though. What? how about the Breakfast Club? Yes , I have heard of IMDB. Nay. I am certainly not from that island in the Med. sea.

Well, I apologize too.

Dolemite
Aug 16, 05:57am

She's a person using what she has. And the ads *do* pay for this place.

I won't run this place for free.

Dolemite
Aug 16, 05:58am

well, *wouldn't*...

;-)

Carson Baker
Aug 16, 08:53am

Yes, Molly and her friends help cover some of the hosting charges.

Lynn Beighley
Aug 16, 12:31pm

I understand why the ad is here. And yet I still dislike it. That's okay, I'll just put strategic post-it notes on my screen. Or I may draw a dry-erase mustache and glasses on her face. Maybe horns.

James Lloyd Davis
Aug 16, 01:44pm

Life is not fair.

Gloria Mindock
Aug 16, 06:12pm

Maybe I should become a "star" for good book exposure. Ha-Ha! Guess I gave up my acting career too soon. I know I have more going for me than Molly Ringwald but no money! ugh!
By the way, I have the address of some stars!!! Anybody want them? Its probably not actual/real ones. I was given it. It made me laugh! Must be a joke!!!!!
I want a big huge book deal!!!!! I was told I look pretty in pink yesterday from a client. Ha-Ha!
Yes, James, life is not fair. I agree.

Susan Tepper
Aug 16, 06:16pm

It bugs serious writers, and rightly so, when the publishers are grabbing up the $$$ books. It isn't going to change. As the saying goes: 'the camel's nose is in the tent'.
It is Survivor and The Housewives of Hell running things now. Literature is hanging by a string. Well, in a way that is kind of cool. We're the outsiders. Real art has always been outside the main. So let's keep doing what we're doing for the minority who want the poetry and literature.

Marcus Speh
Aug 16, 06:54pm

I strongly disagree: Life Is Ultimately Fair. Every child knows this and the joy of growing up and making something of yourself and your gifts is based on the assumption that life is fair. If after looking at some personal, political or global misery, you feel life isn't fair, think about the fact that this is mainly a matter of size: how large or small is the system within which you judge fairness? I think if life in its totality wasn't ultimately fair, much fewer of us would like to extend it. Unless of course you make the argument that we all keep living hoping for a fair break in the future. But the air of the future is too thin, I think.

This thread did have me in stitches. I like that Robert would want to write for Daniel Craig. I like the ghost writing novels for celebrities idea. Perhaps we should all ask Gloria to create a new group for this while she is in the flow… I like the “we are outsiders” spin on things. Time to watch 7 Samurai (or The Glorious 7) again...

Susan Tepper
Aug 16, 09:01pm

I don't know if life is fair or unfair. I think it's impartial.

Roberto C. Garcia
Aug 16, 09:37pm

You guys are awesome. I haven't laughed this hard in a few days. Thanks!

Gloria Mindock
Aug 17, 01:42pm

I just have to post again. I use to have red hair. I'm blonde now. Maybe I should go back to being a red head. Airbrush my photo so I look younger and give a sexy look with lips parted like Molly. Do you think I will be noticed. Sex sells. Ha-ha!
Oh my goodness, my books are selling like mad.
Wait until you see my photo on my next book! Hah!

David Ackley
Aug 17, 02:06pm

It may be that Molly is a more serious writer than we credit her with. In studying her ouvre, I detect certain themes recurring which can be partly seen in her titles : e.g. her earlier film "Pretty in Pink," and her literary work subsequently, entitled,
" Getting your Pretty Back..."

I assume "Pretty " to be code or "symbol," with deeper referrents that have, unfortunately, thus far, eluded my best efforts at discovery.

James Claffey
Aug 17, 02:36pm

i'm dressing in drag, red wig, heels, and taking a new gravatar photo. purty in pink!

Gloria Mindock
Aug 17, 03:17pm

Hey James, I have to have a photo of your "new" look. Go for it! I'll send you my photo. Ha-ha!

David-I suppose she should be given a chance. It is difficult though because many "stars" decide to write a book and it gets taken because of who they are and money. Presses prostitute themselves for the almighty dollar. This is aggravating. There are some good manuscripts out there that never get a chance. If her book is good, well then, she should be given credit.
I never heard of her writing before this. If she did, well then ok. Many people have numerous talents.

I am having the best laughs reading the posts here. I am just splitting a gut.

Really, stayed tuned for my next book cover. It will shock you.

Susan Tepper
Aug 17, 03:30pm

I think its her debut book. Movie stars sell books. Writers.. not so many books. It's all backwards like the rest of life. So I guess it makes sense. eeeeeeeeeekkkkkkk....

Susan Tepper
Aug 17, 03:36pm

But here is the catch: WE, THE WRITERS, ARE SPENDING OUR POSTING TIME ON MOLLY AND HER BOOK!
While there are actually significant things gooing on that are posted here and ignored.

Ah hem, like my posting "Review" which has been totally ignored.
It's a fabulous book review on Gloria Mindock's site but not one writer has posted a slim comment.
Does that sound bitter? I'm not bitter. It is a point of reality I'm making about CHOICES in this forum space.
Roberto Carlos Garcia has a post here. Not much action on that posting either.
And others that have CRED.
????????????????????????????????????

Jane Hammons
Aug 17, 05:32pm

I don't know whether she's a fine writer or not, but she's a fine reader. And that counts for something. Her top 3 are way up there on my list as well. (Mating!!! love that book) And as a reader at least she doesn't cling to the obvious a la James Franco & Jack Kerouc.

http://theweek.com/article/index/232016/molly-ringwaldsnbsp6-favorite-books

We all have many lives, you know. I don't plan to read her book (The NY'er or Esquire will no doubt shove a story in my face), but the fact that she's publishing one . . . .

Julie Innis
Aug 17, 08:09pm

Welcome to the Forum, Ms. Ringwald.

James Lloyd Davis
Aug 17, 08:34pm

Suppose Molly Ringwald should happen to join Fictionaut? How soon would it be before she was interviewed for the blog, faved, welcomed and her posts commented upon with the usual generosity? And suppose, after all that... she should happen to find this thread?

Would that be embarassing?

I don't know whether she is a good writer or not. Has anyone read her book?

Gloria Garfunkel
Aug 18, 07:00am

I totally agree with Susan Tepper. Who cares? Clearly more Fictionauters than I would have thought. I'm shocked, really we've wasted all this writing on this Forum thread. What's going on here? Don't get me started on guessing.

Gloria Garfunkel
Aug 18, 07:04am

I agree with Susan Tepper. This is a ridiculous discussion for a forum trying to take itself seriously as literary.

Gloria Garfunkel
Aug 18, 07:04am

I agree with Susan Tepper. This is a ridiculous discussion for a forum trying to take itself seriously as literary.

Lynn Beighley
Aug 18, 12:02pm

Is this forum trying to take itself seriously as literary? God, I hope not, how boring. Perhaps when it's revamped we can have one section reserved for me that's exempt.

On the other hand, I do think there's a serious topic underpinning our response to this ad.

What's going on here is that we, a group of serious (or in my case, absurd) writers are being pitched an ad featuring a well-known actress. It's not about the book, it's saying, "buy this book because this actress wrote it."

It's a bit insulting of the publisher, but unfortunately it does sell her books. Yesterday I visited Amazon to read a bit of it. It was, well, it was okay, I guess. Not my taste, perhaps. But it had a sales rank of 1300 or so.

All those people are buying her book because of her acting career, and at the same time we, as serious writers can't find publishers for spectacular work. Case in point, I'm reading Ben Matvey's novel, X, and it's great. Thought provoking, interesting characters. Reminds me a bit of TC Boyle. Would the publisher of her book have published this superior novel? I doubt it.

You can read it, though. It's here: http://fictionaut.com/stories/benjamin-matvey/x-chapter-1-alex

Marcus Speh
Aug 18, 04:10pm

It must be hard to be famous.

I thought it interesting that debut fiction is called “a novel in stories”: another win for the flash/short form? In Germany, too, well-known author Daniel Kehlmann has written such a novel in stories. Could be these aren't “real” novelists, or it could be that there is a hunger for more short stories.

David Ackley
Aug 18, 05:34pm

Gloria takes me to task for not giving Molly a chance. It's not getting a chance to have your book published and relentlessly flogged by a publisher? We should all be so deprived.

Anyway, is this anything other than shooting snark darts at a tempting pink balloon? I was just trying to keep my throwing arm in shape.

James Lloyd Davis
Aug 18, 06:26pm

The Forum here is a place to present opinions and ideas (often at your own peril).

It's more often used as a place to announce the publication of a member's own work or to lionize the work of others. Nothing wrong with that good stuff, but I personally more appreciate reading discussion that relates to the art of writing or the direction and machinery of the publication industry. Rants invite strange responses and bring out the worst in any community. (Though I also believe that rants are probably a vestigial human social characteristic... nature's way of thinning the herd. I've seen rants that could clear a room in minutes, shut down parties, sometimes ending in tear gas and... I digress)

Marcus, I agree. There is a hunger for short stories, but the industry seems to need a more attractive and exotic package. (Oh, jeez, I've left the subject of the thread again and moved quite laterally at angles to the thrust of it.)

Let me come back to it....

Poor Molly.
Lucky Molly.
Darn you, Molly Ringwald, for being famous.
(choose one)

Susan Tepper
Aug 18, 07:37pm

Marcus, a lot of books lately are coming out as Novel in Stories format. I think it is all about reduced attention span, the pull of the technology that makes the long leisurely novel feel uncomfortable to many people. But the person who loves books and literature will always read the good novel and revel in the space it offers to lose oneself for a while.

Benjamin Matvey
Aug 19, 11:56pm

"All those people are buying her book because of her acting career, and at the same time we, as serious writers can't find publishers for spectacular work. Case in point, I'm reading Ben Matvey's novel, X, and it's great. Thought provoking, interesting characters. Reminds me a bit of TC Boyle. Would the publisher of her book have published this superior novel? I doubt it. You can read it, though. It's here: http://fictionaut.com/stories/benjamin-matvey/x-chapter-1-alex"

Thank you Lynn. You got me all choked up. I felt like the book went over with an audible thud, but as long as YOU are reading and some of my other friends follow it, it makes the whole thing worthwhile.

David Ackley
Aug 20, 10:39pm

In case all the charter members of the Fictionaut Molly Ringwald fan club missed it, our revered actress-novelist has an essay in the Sunday Times Week in Review(!)(Whoa! Instant Lit Cred!)explaining how her fiction developed from imagining "back stories" for characters she played in movies like how the girl in "The Breakfast Club" wanted to fly to France and stuff like that.
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