2. Do you like scary movies?

hell yeah!

SCREAM 5 is out this week and I am beside myself. I think it’s because, well yes the franchise is so good, but also because it makes me feel YOUNG when a Scream film is in theaters and I cling to any and all feelings of genuine youth. I’m sure I’ll love it — will keep you posted.

I went away this week to Solvang to work on a polishing of the novel. I did the same thing this last summer and got an insane amount of work done, so in an effort to recapture the moment, I went again, cranked the Thomas Newman score of Little Women (1994, duh) and got to it. I feel good about my output, but of course, it wasn’t exactly the same. For example, the healthy Mediterranean place I got lunch at every day moved across town. Inconvenient to say the least.

Anyway, here’s a few juicy morsels for you with Friday in sight!

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READ

I really liked this creepy little book! Michael Marino sent it to me in the post — how charming! — and I gobbled it up in a couple days. There’s one “motif” in the book that I was medium on, but the story and overall vibe was a blast. Between this and Needless Street, I’ve been on a horror novel roll. Perfect.

On the flip side, here’s a sexy little feminist romp for you! Basic Black with Pearls is by a Canadian author, published in 1980, with intimate affairs, espionage and existential crisis — what MORE could you possibly want? Get involved.

Oh, wow. Should I be calling this newsletter “Get Involved?” — it’s kind of a thing I say. Casual poll, feel free to comment about it.

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WATCH

Reminder, I already talked about Yellowjackets, but Jesus Christ, please watch Yellowjackets. It just gets better and better.

Moving on…

OK, I raved already on socials about this, but I’m still thinking about the movie so it warrants another mention. Out of the Blue is WILD. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it was like no movie I’ve seen before so if you’re, like, a Criterion Channel-type person who likes films more than the average bear, I would seek this out. The restoration producers are doing a screening tour and eventually a Blu-Ray will be out, but it’s pretty underground, which is one of the things that makes it cool. I know Dennis Hopper is divisive as he was a known sonofabitch, as they say, but this was something. I’m still thinking about it a week after watching.

And I don’t want to say too much about this one for fear of spoiling it, but you can stream it on Hulu now. Another plus, it’s a quick one — like ninety some odd minutes. Nicolas Cage can really deliver when he wants to and this was one of those times. He plays a man living alone in the woods with his truffle pig (he makes a living selling the truffles the pig helps him find) and in the middle of the night the pig gets taken and so he goes on a quest to get his pig back! I know, what the hell is THAT logline, but oh, I loved it so much. Had a loooot of feelings by the end, ask my poor husband. “Are you OK?” No, Charles. No I’m not. I’m still thinking about this movie, too.

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BUY

Well, I hate to admit it, but this shit is beyond glamorous and objectively seductive and smells DIVINE. No wonder it’s the “it girl” fragrance of the moment. Unfortunately, it’s also very expensive, but I fear I may invest because I haven’t been so attracted to an eau de parfum in some time.

I purchased several samples from MicroPerfumes.com so I could get a whiff of a few buzzy ones before pulling the trigger. I can emphatically say NO THANK YOU to Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy, another shining star as of late — let’s just say, it’s very “lady of the night.” Would wear in Vegas tho!

But Baccarat Rouge 540? Ooh, it’s very rich lady supreme, come into my parlor, perch on the chaise, sip a coupe, not a flute, of champs, and gossip the night away. It’s hot, guys.

There’s a lot of options for sample purchases, too. LuckyScent is one of many. Give it a google. But MicroPerfumes? Hmm, they’re a little desperate in retrospect. Post-purchase, they have checked in via email no less than 2x each day and quite frankly, I’m sick of it.

‘Til next time! xx RKC