Just to clarify - I don't use this blog much anymore, so if you are looking for me, writer Felicia Holt, also more or less fondly known as Flicka Holt, I have my own website.
It's at http://www.feliciaholt.com
Please drop by and say hi!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, November 9, 2009
Hedy's birthday!
Once upon a time, Hedy Lamarr incarnated the wicked temptress in movies such as Samson and Delilah. She debuted very young, making films in her native German tongue, but after a failed marriage and a rather spectacular escape from her fascist husband that included drugging him and fleeing into the night, she ended up in America.
She was a very hard working actress – in the years between 1940 and 1949, she made no less than 18 movies. She also had two children, and together with friend George Antheil she invented something that we still benefit from. See, Hedy wasn’t just a pretty face, she also possessed considerable mathematical talent and she and George Antheil, as their own personal contribution to the allied forces, invented an early version of frequency hopping. It actually used a piano roll to change between 88 frequencies and was intended to make radio-guided torpedoes harder for enemies to detect or jam. It was never used at the time, but it was implemented in the USA in 1962, when it was used by U.S. military ships during a blockade of Cuba.
But time would put Lamarr’s and Antheil’s ideas to better use – today they serve as a basis for modern spread-spectrum communication technology, such as COFDM used in WiFi network connections and CDMA used in some cordless and wireless telephones. Kinda like an example of how to turn swords into ploughshares. Or, considering how much sex related stuff that probably passes through WiFi-connections on a an odrinary Thursday, a practical example of using technical innovations to make love not war.
Either way, Hedy was a pretty remarkable lady and I figured she deserved a shout-out on what would’ve been her 96th birthday.
She was a very hard working actress – in the years between 1940 and 1949, she made no less than 18 movies. She also had two children, and together with friend George Antheil she invented something that we still benefit from. See, Hedy wasn’t just a pretty face, she also possessed considerable mathematical talent and she and George Antheil, as their own personal contribution to the allied forces, invented an early version of frequency hopping. It actually used a piano roll to change between 88 frequencies and was intended to make radio-guided torpedoes harder for enemies to detect or jam. It was never used at the time, but it was implemented in the USA in 1962, when it was used by U.S. military ships during a blockade of Cuba.
But time would put Lamarr’s and Antheil’s ideas to better use – today they serve as a basis for modern spread-spectrum communication technology, such as COFDM used in WiFi network connections and CDMA used in some cordless and wireless telephones. Kinda like an example of how to turn swords into ploughshares. Or, considering how much sex related stuff that probably passes through WiFi-connections on a an odrinary Thursday, a practical example of using technical innovations to make love not war.
Either way, Hedy was a pretty remarkable lady and I figured she deserved a shout-out on what would’ve been her 96th birthday.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
A star is torn
Once upon a time – say, about eighty years ago – Jeanne Eagels was the brightest shining star on Broadway.
Starting out as the cash girl in a department store, she soon got into acting and at the tender age of 17, she moved to New York to fulfill her dreams and became a Ziegfeld Follies Girl. From there, she went on straight to the top, headlining Broadway show after Broadway show.
Then her tendency for self-medication got the better of her and her career began to decline. She missed performances and was finally banned by the Actors Equity from appearing on stage for 18 months. Though she did make a few movies, there was no denying she was heading for a fall.
At the age of 35, her body had finally had enough. She died suddenly on October 3, 1929, most likely from alcohol or heroin abuse. She was posthumously nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Letter, but the Oscar went to Mary Pickford for her role in Coquette.
"She talked fast and gestured with her hands. Few knew or understood her. She was explosive, mercurial, neurotic, loyal, generous, and sweet. She usually ignored all except the humblest members of her company. She hated most managers, interviews, movies, gossip, autograph seekers, night clubs, and Actors Equity. She liked dogs, auction sales, dill pickles, and ice cream with cherries. Her philosophy was Never deny. Never explain. Say nothing and become a legend."
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Thursday Thirteen: Thirteen Things I Can Reach From Where I'm Sitting
In order to give you some insight into the harsh, gritty facts of my life, I will list 13 random things I can touch by reaching out - without getting up.
1. Glass of chardonnay. I will start with this as it might explain a lot about the rest of the post.
2. Eloisa James' A Duke Of Her Own. I have been putting off reading this, because after this book the series is over and there will be no more Outstandingly Witty Georgian Romance. Until my WIP is finished of course. But that may take some time (see #1).
3. One stuffed little doggie. I got him as a present by a then-boyfriend on New Year's Eve 1992 and he has far outlasted the relationship. His full name is Ludwig von Apfelstrudel and we have a very deep and meaningful relationship.
4. Wasabi peas. Much like me & Ludwig, we have a deep and meaningful relationship.
5. The couch Ektorp from IKEA. Actually, as my behind is touching it right now, I don't really have to reach out for it.
6. Moleskine notebook & Moleskine volant. Where I go, so does Mr. Moleskine.
7. MacBook. I should name it, since we have such a deep and meaningful relationship. We even go to bed together every night. Would 'Harry' do, you think?
8. Remote. This is not for TV nor for DVD or other exciting gizmo. It's for my lights. Because clearly getting up and switching them on and off is hard work. I don't do hard work.
9. While on one level sort of immaterial, I still think I might say I could reach out and touch the internet from here. And just for the record, I'm so old I remember when there was no internet and we had to talk in person, and OMG, imagine what would have happened with the swine flu and stuff if that had still been the case. This is so much more hygienic, no? And before you ask, yes, me and the internet totally have a deep and meaningful relationship. DUH!
10. iPhone. I have a friend whose husband got his first iPhone a few years ago. One night when he was playing with it (yes, this is how it really went down), he turned to her and said: "You know I love you as much. It's just in a different way." That could have been me. Only I would have been lying. Unless the person I was addressing was 'Harry', of course.
11. One angel picture that my mother had in her room as a child. I'm adding this to underline that, indeed, there is a spiritual side to me. It's just very deeply hidden. Like, underneath layers of information technology.
12. One acoustic guitar. This does not imply that I have a secret Bob Dylan complex (although I do have a very deep and meaningful relationship with Bobbie), only that I own a guitar which I occasionally use for making up various little songs. Which of course, if unchecked, could evolve into full a Bob Dylan complex. You won't know it has until I start speaking very nasally and perming my hair and by then, it'll be too late.
13. One paper bag, full w romance novels. It's behind the couch and meant to be transferred to the attic, as there are only so many paperbacks that can line a room before it turns into a health issue. Checking which one was on top, I found it was Eloisa James' The Taming Of The Duke, which I hadn't realized until now was written by the same Eloisa James as the other one. Not because I think there are tons of Eloisas lining the streets but because it was years and years since I read this one and I didn't even notice the name of the author then. Anyway, that means I got to touch Eloisa TWICE tonight, not to mention two SEPARATE dukes, and how is that for an evening, eh?
Dukes and dogs and white wine. Pretty much how I live.
1. Glass of chardonnay. I will start with this as it might explain a lot about the rest of the post.
2. Eloisa James' A Duke Of Her Own. I have been putting off reading this, because after this book the series is over and there will be no more Outstandingly Witty Georgian Romance. Until my WIP is finished of course. But that may take some time (see #1).
3. One stuffed little doggie. I got him as a present by a then-boyfriend on New Year's Eve 1992 and he has far outlasted the relationship. His full name is Ludwig von Apfelstrudel and we have a very deep and meaningful relationship.
4. Wasabi peas. Much like me & Ludwig, we have a deep and meaningful relationship.
5. The couch Ektorp from IKEA. Actually, as my behind is touching it right now, I don't really have to reach out for it.
6. Moleskine notebook & Moleskine volant. Where I go, so does Mr. Moleskine.
7. MacBook. I should name it, since we have such a deep and meaningful relationship. We even go to bed together every night. Would 'Harry' do, you think?
8. Remote. This is not for TV nor for DVD or other exciting gizmo. It's for my lights. Because clearly getting up and switching them on and off is hard work. I don't do hard work.
9. While on one level sort of immaterial, I still think I might say I could reach out and touch the internet from here. And just for the record, I'm so old I remember when there was no internet and we had to talk in person, and OMG, imagine what would have happened with the swine flu and stuff if that had still been the case. This is so much more hygienic, no? And before you ask, yes, me and the internet totally have a deep and meaningful relationship. DUH!
10. iPhone. I have a friend whose husband got his first iPhone a few years ago. One night when he was playing with it (yes, this is how it really went down), he turned to her and said: "You know I love you as much. It's just in a different way." That could have been me. Only I would have been lying. Unless the person I was addressing was 'Harry', of course.
11. One angel picture that my mother had in her room as a child. I'm adding this to underline that, indeed, there is a spiritual side to me. It's just very deeply hidden. Like, underneath layers of information technology.
12. One acoustic guitar. This does not imply that I have a secret Bob Dylan complex (although I do have a very deep and meaningful relationship with Bobbie), only that I own a guitar which I occasionally use for making up various little songs. Which of course, if unchecked, could evolve into full a Bob Dylan complex. You won't know it has until I start speaking very nasally and perming my hair and by then, it'll be too late.
13. One paper bag, full w romance novels. It's behind the couch and meant to be transferred to the attic, as there are only so many paperbacks that can line a room before it turns into a health issue. Checking which one was on top, I found it was Eloisa James' The Taming Of The Duke, which I hadn't realized until now was written by the same Eloisa James as the other one. Not because I think there are tons of Eloisas lining the streets but because it was years and years since I read this one and I didn't even notice the name of the author then. Anyway, that means I got to touch Eloisa TWICE tonight, not to mention two SEPARATE dukes, and how is that for an evening, eh?
Dukes and dogs and white wine. Pretty much how I live.
Friday, September 25, 2009
BANGED UP by Jeanne St. James
BANGED UP is NOW available!
Banged Up was released at Liquid Silver Books!BLURB:
Mace Walker can’t wait to get home.
Being buried deep undercover for the past two years, on the most complex case of his career, has torn him down physically and mentally. Now the FBI agent has come home to recover after having his leg badly injured from a gunshot wound. Arriving home late one night, his relief is short-lived as he’s faced with a stranger pointing a gun to his head, acting like he is the one who doesn’t belong there!
Colby Parks, a biochemist at the local university, had come to town a year earlier to escape an abusive relationship. She vows never to put herself in that situation again.
Then the perfect opportunity comes along: house-sitting for Mace’s sister while making the house she purchased habitable. But she couldn’t anticipate this big snag: the one wearing the tight Levi’s and worn leather jacket, looking like he had just escaped prison.
Being forced to share a house creates sparks between them in more ways than one. However, things take a turn when their pasts catch up to them, threatening to pull them apart forever.
Colby Parks, a biochemist at the local university, had come to town a year earlier to escape an abusive relationship. She vows never to put herself in that situation again.
Then the perfect opportunity comes along: house-sitting for Mace’s sister while making the house she purchased habitable. But she couldn’t anticipate this big snag: the one wearing the tight Levi’s and worn leather jacket, looking like he had just escaped prison.
Being forced to share a house creates sparks between them in more ways than one. However, things take a turn when their pasts catch up to them, threatening to pull them apart forever.
READ AN EXCERPT HERE
READ THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER ONE HERE
BUY IT HERE!
Sweet Tooth Friday: Sweet Love
This may well be the cutest thing I ever saw.
It just left me sitting here with this HUGE goofy, happy smile on my face.
Best of luck to Jill & Kevin!
It just left me sitting here with this HUGE goofy, happy smile on my face.
Best of luck to Jill & Kevin!
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