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Dear Reader,
The last time today's guest author, Susanna Calkins visited us at the book clubs she wrote a hilarious piece about being a pirate in London, and today she certainly doesn't disappoint. (Perhaps in addition to mystery murders, Susanna should be writing humor?)
Ingenuity, thinking on your feet, and solving a problem with style. Don't miss Susanna's column, and please say "hello" in an email to s.calkins.nu@gmail.com or visit her website at www.susannacalkins.com or you can connect on Facebook (Susanna Calkins, Author) and Twitter (@scalkins3).
The Masque of a Murderer is Susanna's newly released novel. Send Susanna an email to be entered in her book giveaway for a copy of one of her novels.
Welcome to the book club, Susanna Calkins...
Title: "How Steel Magnolias Nearly Ruined My Life--Or, Behind the Scenes as a Projectionist"
Long before I was a pirate in London, I worked part-time at a movie theatre outside Philadelphia. This theater was of the old-time variety--only one movie could be screened at a time and we often had the same film for weeks on end.
So we were always quite excited when we'd get a new movie. I'll never forget, in particular, when Steel Magnolias arrived.
Recently, I had been promoted from candy girl to projectionist. Unfortunately, my training was minimal; I learned a little bit about splicing film, but that's about it. I wasn't even expected to stay in the booth, but rather to help out on the main floor. At eighteen, running a theater on my own, and being responsible for showing the films, was quite terrifying.
However, the manager had convinced me that all I really had to do was push a button when he was gone. One projector would then run the trailers, and then trigger a second projector to show the feature film. The movie ran from one enormous platter to another in an elaborate continuous loop. At the end of the film, both projectors would shut off on their own.
Or, at least that's how it was supposed to work. Hundreds of times I had seen it work.
Instead, on my third day as a projectionist, disaster struck.
I started the show as I was supposed to do, using a remote button from the candy stand. At first, all was fine.
But then, eleven minutes later, when we were supposed to hear swelling music and Dolly Parton's twangy southern voice, I heard the most sickening sound in the world. Utter silence.
I peered inside the theater, only to discover an equally sickening sight. A blank screen. Two projectionist nightmares at once.
I raced upstairs to the booth and swung open the door. Whatever could have happened?
I can still remember the horrific feeling in my gut as I took in the awful sight before me. The platters were still turning, but Steel Magnolias was pumping chaotically out all over the dusty floor. Somehow I had forgotten to check that the arm securing the film was properly lowered.
I can't tell you how long I stood there, watching this horror. Only when the murmurs of the angry crowd below reached a crescendo did I realize what I had done--and what I still had to do.
I grabbed a huge stack of free passes, stood up in front of the theater's stage, and proceeded to make up a complete story about the idiot projectionist who had fumbled the film.
What about you? Did you ever do something so ridiculous at work?
--Susanna Calkins
Say hello and enter her book drawing at: s.calkins.nu@gmail.com
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
AUTHORBUZZ: CARESS OF PLEASURE (Fiction) by Julie Kenner
From the outside, it sounds like an amazing gift. But there is a price to pay, too, as the men and women in my Dark Pleasures series know only too well. The price is loneliness. How can an immortal man bear to watch his love grow old? Years ago, Dante reluctantly walked away from the woman he loved in order to not only protect his secret, but to protect his love, both body and heart. Now, she's back in his life, older and stronger and more beautiful than ever. And Dante knows that he will never survive eternity if he can't find a way to both win her back...
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on CARESS OF PLEASURE to find out more about the book and the author, Julie Kenner. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.
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