A Quick Kiss

 I am going to tell you more about our epic wine trip (and usually, I hate the over-use of "epic," but it applies here!), but I've also had the chance to do some great author interviews lately, so I want to share those in a timely manner. By the way, you still have a day (hurry!) to enter the contest in the blog post below this one and possibly win a free book (in paper, CD or MP3 format). 

And now...an interview with filmmaker Guy Magar whose book "Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot" is available now and shares, along with his filmmaking memories, the story of dealing with his wife Jacqui's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

TDL:  What wine should a reader pour as they first sit down to read Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot? And what should they be drinking when they finish?

GM: Since this book begins with a filmmaking career and breaking into the Hollywood world, a smooth Francis Ford Coppola 2008 Rosso would make a tasty and appropriate companion as one starts to read this memoir. The Kiss Me Quick part refers to my wife Jacqui whenever she visited me on-set, and so this book is a also a celebration of finding true love and details her triumphant cancer journey. At the finish, I’d recommend a chilled glass of Mumm’s Cordon Bleu champagne which is what we were drinking the night I asked her to marry me in Jamaica. A salute!

TDL:  Does the story feature a beagle and if not, why not? (Seamus, my famous beagle, demands this be asked of everyone on our blog)

GM: Rocky sends his best to Seamus. We had found a temporary home for Rocky (a gorgeous Vizla) just before a 6-week chemo treatment at City of Hope for which I moved in with Jacqui. After a successful trial-week living at his new home, on the very first night of treatment, we received a call at 10pm asking us to come pick him up immediately as the Rockster had grabbed a barbecue chicken off the counter and things got a bit hairy when they tried to pry it out of his mouth. I had to leave Jacqui and travel back to the Hollywood Hills and when I pulled up near midnight, his bed and food dish were already out on the street. In retrospect, it was a funny moment just like throwing a guest out of the house, suitcase first. The next day I checked him into a kennel and got back to Jacqui. If only he had known Seamus then, they could have hung out together.

TDL:  Tell us about your background in film and then of course, we have to have you cast the film of your book.

GM: I fell in love with filmmaking at film school in London. I then made a film at the American Film Institute that got me a 7-year deal at Universal Studios. I eventually started directing TV shows such as The A Team and Hunter to La Femme Nikita, and then I also wrote and produced films including Lookin’ Italian – my homage to Marty Scorsese and Italian-American culture - which was Matt LeBlanc’s and Lou Rawls’ first feature film. Since there is a story in the book about almost decapitating Drew Barrymore at my home when she was 8, she would be our first choice to play “Jacqui” especially since she was friends with her mother and had babysat Drew when she was very young. Since I am from a European background, my favorite actor to play me would be Jarvier Bardem. What a cast…roll cameras!

TDL:  My significant other, Chris, was also by my side every step of the way in my battle against cancer. One of the things we learned is that people--even well-meaning people--say some pretty ridiculous things to the caretaker (well, and the patient!), which meant a sense of humor was mandatory. What was the most ridiculous thing anyone said to you while you and Jacqui were battling her cancer and were you able to laugh then? And now?
 

GM: The night we received the call from our doctor telling us Jacqui needed an immediate biopsy to confirm a leukemia diagnosis, he said to make sure she didn’t get any more bruises which was the triggering symptom that we had noticed. The next morning, dazed from a sleepless night, and feeling emotionally devastated, Jacqui stepped outside our home and accidentally tripped falling hard on her thigh. I immediately rushed to her only to discover she was laughing uncontrollably…and it made me laugh as well as we hugged tightly sitting on the concrete. It was seemingly the first breath we had taken since that phone call the previous night. And we laughed for weeks every time we remembered our doctor’s warning to be careful and then we’d see the biggest bruise in the history of bruising on her thigh. Crazy!

TDL:  What was the best and the worst advice you received about handling Jacqui's cancer?
 

GM: The worst advice was to proceed with a bone marrow transplant without a perfect matching donor and it came with a massive chemo preparation beforehand. This did not sound good at all to us and we started looking for alternatives. After tons of research and advice from some great caring folks in the cancer community, we discovered a clinical trial involving a much milder low-intensity chemo prep and a cord blood stem cells transplant which is much easier to find perfect matches. We participated in the national trial at the City of Hope and it completely healed Jacqui. As a caregiver, it is essential to get involved and you must do the required research to find the absolute best treatment option for your loved one.

TDL:  How is Jacqui now and have either of you become involved in any organizations supporting cancer patients or research?
 

GM: Jacqui has been in complete remission for two and a-half years now and she’s feeling and looking terrific. She is truly a poster ambassador for this aml-leukemia trial which we hope will offer a milder and more successful treatment for future patients. We are presently both joining the City of Hope speakers program to help demystify the cancer experience and assist in fundraising. Also, portions of the book’s revenue will go to City of Hope as a donation to their research programs.

TDL: What inspired you to turn to non-fiction writing after all your time in film?
 

GM:  As I already have a how-to filmmaking course on DVD complete with scene studies and film clips through my Action/Cut Seminars Company, this time I wanted to write about the behind-the-scenes of making films and TV shows which would appeal to all who love movies. Also, as Jacqui and I have been so lucky in love, I wanted to leave a public record of our romance and our cancer journey to help others who are stricken. Writing an unconventional memoir about a mix of these topics seemed, and turned out to be, a very exciting endeavor. The early responses from readers and reviewers have been wonderfully supportive and the overall comment is how surprisingly “engaging” a read it is. I don’t think people who read memoirs expect to get so emotionally involved in the storytelling. That’s very gratifying.

TDL: Finally, can you share an excerpt from Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot?
A CAMELOT WEDDING COME TRUE

A Renaissance wedding? It took three months of work and was as intricate to put together as any film production. I turned down job offers during that time just to stay focused. About 30 minutes northwest of Los Angeles, we found a beautiful park next to a lake in Agoura Hills, that was surrounded by pristine trees and featured a ballroom cabin where you could feed 300 guests. This fabulous place is located a mile away from the site of the annual Renaissance Fair. We attended the fair itself a few weeks before our late-June wedding and hired a Renaissance dance troupe, complete with costumes and period musical instruments, and a terrific comedy juggling team to entertain our guests.

Jacqui used her brilliant talents and creative styling to design our costumes from scratch. She created an amazing period dress with brocade panels and row after row of pearls, and made a stunning head-piece with more pearls. She looked like she had walked right out of a fantasy romance novel. She was a vision, my lucky vision. All I needed was to rent knee-high boots and a princely jeweled hat. We went for the whole show!

We wanted to have a dramatic entrance and considered landing in a balloon on a field right in the middle of our guests. After talking to balloonists, I discovered they can’t guarantee landing anywhere near a precise spot, or even a precise county! Wind factors of the day rule that world. We went ballooning soon after the wedding and indeed discovered the complete zaniness of the experience. It is customary to have a “celebration party” after every landing—to celebrate living through it! For me, it was terrifying. You see the squares: squares—just like from airplanes!

Choosing a safer route for our wedding, we went back to the original idea of having a horse-and-buggy bring in Jacqui. The colorful dancers surrounded the carriage and showered it with flower petals, to the sounds of British Royal trumpet music blaring from huge speakers. The trumpet theme that announces the arrival of the Queen of England outside Buckingham Palace—those trumpets. It was goose bumps time.

Though we’d sent out Renaissance-style invitations complete with Shakespearean Romeo and Juliet verse, “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night,” our guests were still quite surprised by the colorful theatrics. Once the breathtaking Jacqui arrived and got off the flowered carriage in the middle of 300 open-mouthed guests, four “scoundrels” in costume regalia unsheathed their swords, grabbed Jacqui (who feigned a helpless maiden), and announced they were kidnapping the bride. Hey, it’s a once a lifetime event!

“Unhand that woman for she is mine!” The hooligans froze in their tracks when my booming voice erupted. The hero had arrived. Everyone applauded. I exchanged nasty words with the scoundrels, and then we drew swords. It was a riot. I had rehearsed this blazing sword fight with my actor/stuntmen buddies the day before; now, with adrenaline pumping in front of 300 guests, we almost killed each other! Thankfully they remembered it was my wedding day and the plot was for me to win the maiden’s hand. I rescued my princess just like in the movies.

The wedding came off as magnificently as we had anticipated months earlier in Jamaica. During the ceremony, Jacqui and I spoke to each other as much as Jerry (the rabbi) talked, plus we laughed and hugged and kissed and made sure to enjoy every moment of our profoundly romantic Renaissance wedding. We had done it all, just as we dreamed, in a relaxed, non-traditional manner. It was our magical day. Friends still mention it as the most unique and colorful wedding they’ve ever attended.

I heard that famous chef Wolfgang Puck spent a million dollars on his Medieval-themed wedding in Europe. I love your cooking, Wolfgang, but how many guys did you duel for your bride? A salute.

I got to be Errol Flynn! I got to marry my princess!
                                                                                               
                                                                    
Thanks Guy, for stopping by The Dog Lived. We send you (virtual) wags and wine and wish you well with your book!

Teresa (& Seamus the Famous)

Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot

 That's such a great title, I'm stealing it for this blog post too.

And who's great title is it you ask? Why, author Jodi Compton! But she's not going to be upset I stole her title, because this blog is all about her. 

Yes, yes, I have been wine tasting for two weeks now, but I'm home. And while I sober up (and prepare to give you all sorts of wine and travel recommendations!), I thought I'd share some reading recommendations. I sent Jodi these interview questions while I was on the road, which, um, might be apparent from the questions themselves, but Jodi was a good sport and got right back to me. By way of author photo, we have this:

This is Jodi's dog, Lady Bird...Jodi tells me Lady Bird is hard at work on her own novel "The Curious Incident of the Human in the Nighttime." When she finishes, you can bet I'll interview her too! (I'm betting the answer to the first question will be "toilet water.")

And here's JODI COMPTON (in pic and in words):

TDL:   When a reader first sits down with Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot what wine or other beverage (assuming there are other beverages) should they be sipping and why? When they finish the book, what will they want to be drinking?

JC: As Thieves begins, Hailey is in L.A.’s gangland, acting as lieutenant to Serena “Warchild” Delgadillo. So readers should drink something a bit downmarket. If possible, go to an urban liquor store and get whatever appeals to you: Corona, vodka and Red Bull, a mini of Jagermeister from behind the cash register. Later, as the book closes, Hailey’s fortunes have taken a turn for the better, but she’s also mourning some significant lost relationships.  So something more expensive and a little valedictory would be good here, probably a fine Scotch.  

TDL: Does Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot feature a beagle and if not, why not? (Seamus demands to know.)

JC: No, no beagles, sorry. Corgis are mentioned, as are Borzois, but they don’t appear in the book.  Dogs appear infrequently in my fiction because the main characters always have such unsettled lives. I told Sara Henry that while I almost never put moral or ethical messages in my fiction -- I like to write from a vicarious-living, no-rules standpoint -- I didn’t want to have a character own a dog that she obviously isn’t able to spend any time with. I didn’t want to rubber-stamp the message that getting a dog is like buying an appliance.  It’s a commitment.  

TDL:  What was your inspiration for your protagonist? Is this a case of writing what you know? (If so, I'd be a little nervous to meet you in person...)

JC:Hailey is a character who grew out of a geographical place. I was living in San Luis Obispo at the time, a very youth-dominated town (there’s a big state university there).  I lived downtown, right uphill from the shopping-and-bars district, and young people and their music and their fashion and their slang were everywhere. Basically, I projected a lot of San Luis Obispo onto my version of Los Angeles -- they’re both towns with a bright, colorful youth culture. No one in HAILEY’S WAR, the first book, is over 24, and in THIEVES, there’s only one character who is (Magnus Ford, a cop in his late 40s).  Underneath the crime storylines, these are books about California and her children.  

TDL: My S.O. Chris, an avid movie fan, says that sequels can be better than the original (see Godfather II, Empire Strikes Back, Lord of the Rings..) but frequently not (see Iron Man 2, Batman Forever, Saw 2 through 645...). But I say "this is about books, what the heck do movies have to do with anything?" Still, it's a nice lead in to asking you about writing a sequel. Were you nervous about the Empire Striking back?

JC: Sequels and all the other books that come after in a series are usually harder than an original because you’re no longer making up a world from scratch. There are lines you laid out in the first book that you have to stay within. Also, if you’re not writing about a cop or a PI, there’s always the question of how lightning has struck twice (or more) for your character, landing her in the middle of a crime again. THIEVES is no exception. Having said that, I’m pleased with the way the storyline followed naturally from the events of the first book. It took me a while to see the big opening I’d left myself in HAILEY’S WAR to create a plot for THIEVES.  It involves low-tech identity theft; the sale of ID documents on the black market.  I’ll stop there, at risk of creating spoilers.  

TDL: While we're on movies (I mentioned we were in a car on a long drive between wine tastings when these questions were derived, yes?),  cast the movie for Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot.

JC: That's a tough one.  Actresses young enough to play Hailey are all so dewy: it’s like a career prerequisite for them. Nothing against these young women, but I can’t see Amanda Seyfried or Taylor Swift playing Hailey.  Nor Selena Gomez as Serena.  I think my advice to the casting director would be, “Find some gifted unknowns.”  

People often want to talk about ‘who’d play her in the movie?’ and it’s funny -- men in particular always pick their favorite actress regardless of how the character is described.  Guy friends of mine suggested Gwyneth Paltrow or Kate Winslet should play Sarah Pribek, my Minneapolis cop in 37th HOUR and SYMPATHY BETWEEN HUMANS. Nothing against them, but they’re both extremely refined actresses, made for Jane Austen adaptations, whereas I’ve described Sarah as more working-class and athletic. I was thinking more along the lines of Neve Campbell for Sarah, or the Australian actress Claudia Black.  

TDL:  Any advice for struggling writers (which is pretty much any writer other than Stephen King, John Grisham and James Patterson)?

JC: Don’t solely “write what you know.” Write from your imagination, then research what you don’t fully understand.  Stretch your limits.  

Obviously, if you’re Iranian-American in Beverly Hills, you’re probably not the person to write a story from the point of view of an African-American child in Harlem.  But somehow that got twisted into “only write what you’ve personally experienced” which, if you think about it, wipes whole sub-genres off the board: historical fiction, sci-fi, futuristic and dystopian, single writers writing married characters, women writing men or vice-versa ... you get the point.

TDL:  You and author Sara J. Henry have the same agent, the same publisher, both love dogs and bikes and now have both been interviewed on this blog. How do we know you are not, in fact, the same person?

JC: Well, first off, there’s another parallel: we also both opened our debut novels with water rescues (mine in the Mississippi River, hers in Lake Champlain).  But the conspiracy runs much deeper than that.  Consider the following: 

Sara Henry is also often mistaken for Sarah Weinman, the mystery critic. I too have parallels to Weinman. I named my first protagonist Sarah. Weinman writes for the L.A. Times; my writing is L.A.-centric. (My last name is Compton, for God’s sake). Weinman gave Hailey’s War, a then little-known novel, a suspiciously good review, and later picked it as one of her favorite crime novels of 2010.  Coincidence? I think not. When you add up the evidence, what becomes clear is that Sara J. Henry, Sarah Weinman and I are ALL the same person.  

TDL: Can you give us a favorite passage from Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot?

JC: It seems like Sara Henry already sent you one, and since we’re the same person, who am I to overrule that?

TDL: Seems like this is a good place to insert the link for the excerpt from THIEVES GET RICH, SAINTS GET SHOT.

(the link takes you to "Read it Forward" which is, by the way, a really cool site!).

Thanks, Jodi, for stopping by The Dog Lived (and he reads and writes too!).

Wags & Wine to you!

And to you, my faithful, friendly, wine & dog lovin' and cancer hatin' followers, we have a little somethin' somethin'  as well! Seamus  really enjoys the opportunity to search for toast and pick a winner (remember this winning pick?), so we are once again having a contest! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a signed copy of Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot! How fun is that? Seamus says, lots of fun and would like to point out to you that the more comments you leave, the more toast he gets...so please comment. You have until August 15th!! Perhaps even ask Jodi a question yourself. You never know when she'll be popping over to TDL and just might answer you!

Canine Cancer

 (More on the wineapalooza trip soon; as well as a fun interview with a writer you should know about a book you should know....but in the meantime, I found this post which I'd written back in June and then forgot to hit "Post." Chemo brain anyone??)

I've followed the work of the Morris Animal Foundation since a writing friend of mine, Heather Grimshaw, went to work there a few years ago. I love what they are doing and there focus on finding a cure for Canine Cancer is of course near and dear to my heart (and Seamus's...although he's forgotten all about his battle and is firmly focused always and obsessively on food and food only). So I want to share with you their new canine cancer resource website dedicated to the Canine Cancer Campaign. I'm loving the K-9 Cancer walks (humans and dogs walking together to raise funds...how fun!) and have to find a way to get involved in one. So far there isn't one near me...but there is one in Denver and I do have friends in Denver....hmm......

P.S. that cute little Pug in the photo is their "model" for the Mast Cell Tumor information. Pugs are particularly prone to that type of cancer, and that's also the type Seamus had (of course, he totally destroyed it).

The Things We've Seen

The current count is  10 days, 32 wineries, 279 wines. All I have the energy for is a couple of highlights (and you know I consider animals to be highlights) and just some funny stuff we saw along the way:

I'm thinking she didn't want to be photographed

He gets to spend his whole life like this....I'm kinda jealous

We were so focused on wineries that Mt. Shasta surprised us!

This also surprised us. You'd think it'd be more crowded.

The "world famous" sundial bridge.

Winery dogs are usually bigger. (This one's for you, Lori)

One of our favorite wineries and winemakers--Bill Frick of Frick Vineyards

Just so pretty

Foxy has a tough, tough job. I can relate.

Beautiful tasting room, beautiful wines and...I got a super cute hat!

  

 

Oregon grapes on Day 2 of our trip

California Grapes on Day 10 of our trip

We expect to hit 300 wines tasted sometime tomorrow. I'll keep you posted. And yes, there may even be some wine recommendations.

You're not going to like me.

But, I'm on vacation. Again. Yes, I know, it seems I'm just back from Fiji. But really, that was two months ago. So obviously it was time for me to be here:

Outside the tasting room of Winderlea Vineyard in the Willamette Valley

Chris is with me, of course

And I got to see a longtime (we're not "old"!!) friend (we were 14 when we met... a few years back)

But this is a working vacation. It's work! See--Chris has a notepad!

Sure, we were in places that look like this and there is wine (a lot), but it's work I tell ya!

Look, there was even math!

And look how serious these boys are with their barrel tastings. Serious, serious stuff

And don't think Bella, throws that ball herself. Nope, that was my job.

Yep. 5 days, 12 wineries, 90 wines (and one cheese shop). And today was mostly a driving day. Tomorrow-- look out Lake County, CA wineries! I'll blog more when I get a moment. I also have lots of exciting stuff coming up for the blog...author interviews, a movie you all need to know about, probably a few wine recommendations, all good, good stuff.

Cheers to you!

More Famous-osity

Seamus has always had a thing for big, handsome, hunky dogs. His first true love was Will:

Will admiring Seamus (on Chris's lap)

(Note to self: get better photo of handsome Will).

But now, I think he may have an online crush. Allow me to introduce you to Blogging Bob...the handsome and erudite pitbull. Seems they may have a mutual admiration thing going on. This is Bob:

Is that not a handsome dog? Seamus has good taste.
Oh, and if you hope on over to Bob's blog...you'll see how Kevin Bacon introduced them. (You'll also see Bob's adorable frenemy Smudge...but please don't tell Bob we mentioned Smudge.)

Another Anniversary

Two Years.


Two Years ago today I finished treatment for triple-negative, Stage 1c, "highly-invasive", ductal carcinoma. I have a diploma to prove it. See:

Teresa with Radiology Oncologist Dr. Janet Hocko 7/14/2009

A whole different "cap and gown" experience, no?
Two years after getting through it all...two years of "survival".... here are my, admittedly random, thoughts:

1. I hardly think about it anymore. I forget that I ever had cancer. I can sometimes be surprised when I remember that I am, in fact, a breast cancer survivor. The other day I was alarmed when I saw one of my radiation tattoos...until I remembered how it got there. I also forget the impact the word "cancer" can have on other people. Thanks to Seamus's survival and my own, when I hear cancer I do not hear "death."

2.  I feel better. And I mean better than before I had cancer. I pay more attention to the important things (and by that I mean what's important to me--and I don't really care if that sounds selfish). I'm exercising more and eating a bit healthier, which is huge. Huge.


3. Not unrelated to #2, I weigh less than I did pre-cancer.

4. I hope I've been able to help other people (and other people's dogs!) get through their own cancer odysseys. I've enjoyed the online/ blog friendships and I've been happy to be able to talk or email with  friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends, when they were diagnosed and to refer them to the good and great Dr. Karam, to The Pink Ribbon Place or to some other appropriate place (second opinions!!). I'd like to think I've helped in some small way and will continue to be able to.

5. I might be slightly less cynical post-cancer (see #2 and #4 above). I might be able to say "Life is Good."

6. I'm also likely to say "I've worked out twice this week, why the hell aren't I a size 2?"

7. I'm a work in progress. But, at least I'm around for the progress.

Teresa and "Dr." Seamus--7/14/2011: Thriving

P.S. Yes, that's all my hair...if not my natural hair color. ;-)

A Garden

I've been away. Did you notice?

There are myriad reasons for this, but none that I feel like discussing at this point (which sounds very dramatic, doesn't it? It's not. Really.) But there is something I wanted to share. It's this:

Beautiful isn't it? But it's more than that. It's a Cancer Survivor's Garden! I stumbled onto another one...and once again by accident. And even more interesting (to me, anyway) is that only recently another blogger (she is a foodie blogger but temporarily also became a breast cancer blogger when that beast came knocking--she's dispatched him away and has returned to food, glorious food blogging) posted about stumbling into the very same Cancer Survivor's Garden in Chicago that I had also discovered one month out of treatment. Here's a link to her posting: Dine In Diva on the Chicago garden. And here's a photo from 2009 when I stumbled into that garden (hair comparison alert!...not hers and mine; mine then and mine now):

And...ta dah! Here's the Cancer Survivor's Garden in Rancho Mirage, CA with yours truly (and about 8 more inches of hair...it's wonderful what a couple of years will do):

Okay, well, it was 106 degrees out and so my hair is actually pulled back in a ponytail (a ponytail!!!) and well, I've lost 15 pounds but that dress is not doing me any favors in that department, but still....it's not about me. It's about these wonderful gardens/ park that Richard and Annette Bloch have put in in so many locations. I now know there are 14 of these parks. I kinda want to visit them all (especially the one in New Orleans!).   At this particular park there is also a "Positive Mental Attitude Walk" (and a part of me knows there are those who object to this insistence on a positive attitude and those same folks have, in a way, kept me from wanting to blog, but I still think this is pretty neat).

You can walk through the garden and read these plaques with advice and encouragement as you stroll. Here was a favorite of mine:

Because I was so lucky to find the good and great Dr. Karam and he just happens to be male, I'm even going to overlook their masculine pronoun usage. (Slightly harder to overlook was the "a myriad of treatments"  on another engraved plaque!!)

And then there is the sculptures--depicting cancer patients making it through the cancer maze. I was trying to get the sign in the photo, so I didn't really capture the essence of the sculpture (106 degrees out...did I  mention that), but I think you get the idea:

And the R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. Also runs a referral service and keeps a registry of survivors (five years or longer). I think that's pretty cool. And I'm looking forward to registering. I'm half way there. They count from my surgery date because ever since then I've been NED (no evidence of disease). So July 28th will be the 2 1/2 year mark. But before we get to that....July 14th will be the two year anniversary of when I finished treatment.  We're celebrating with a little trip. And there will be wine. Stay tuned. (I'm going to get better about the blogging. I promise. I think.)

P.S. We were in Rancho Mirage for one of Chris's Sunday Night Chef Fights, which took place about a mile down the road from the Cancer Survivor's Garden and Park. It's like we were meant to find it!