Fanspeak

Happy New Year to everyone from all of us at OfficialDaraJoy.com. Hope everyone has a great holiday!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at OfficialDaraJoy.com

Hope everyone has a wonderful Turkey Day. During these hard times this holiday of giving thanks for what we have is especially poignant. Let us not forget the homeless. The Salvation Army and other fine groups provide a hot Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner to those in need. If you would like to contribute something to this humane effort please click on the link. Hope everyone has a great day!

Love,
Dara

Take a stroll over to our newly revised pet page.

http://officialdarajoy.com/Stables/stables.html

It is sure to bring a smile to your face. If you would like to have your pet join the parade of pets just send your photo’s to me at QASK89@prodigy.net.

Best,
Cory

Join us for a Halloween Party Saturday at 11pm EST (October 25). Bring your best ghost stories! Hope to see you all there.

Love,
Dara

Over the past several years Dara has received numerous requests for an unusual story she wrote called IN KIRKPATRICK’S WOODS. As a loving tribute to the romance genre, the story seemed to hit a high note with many readers. Since then, the story (actually, the entire compendium) has been very hard to find. Recently, the site received so many letters asking about this story that she decided to release it in electronic form for a limited time. For this special ebook format, Dara has decided to issue a new, second edtion. The story has been lightly expanded for enrichment of the tale. (The length of this story is about the same as Death By Ploot Ploot). If you have not read this story before you are in for a real treat. (It is spooky that the things she wrote about in 2003 regarding the economy and unchecked greed are a reality today, which is why I think we have been getting so many requests for this story lately) Hey, we all need a little something to uplift us.

Here is a sampling of reviews from the first edition:

“In Kirkpatrick’s Woods reads like a beautifully written love letter to her fans. You will treasure it forever.”
Cecily Brown

“I was amazed at how well-written it is. Beautifully written, in fact, and all shades of unconventional.”
Technoelfie

“Kirkpatrick has become one of my favorite hero’s. He’s pretty much EVERYTHING you want in a man.”
Michelle

“I did not want [the] story to end.” Shelly Freeman

TO ORDER THE BOOK SIMPLY GO TO:

http://officialdarajoy.com/MarketPlace/KWmarketplace.html

TO READ AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK GO TO:

http://www.OfficialDaraJoy.com/TheLibrary/in_kirkpatricks_woods.html

Hope to see you in chat next Saturday!

Best,
Cory

P.S. If you would also like to order the Matrix of Destiny story “DEATH BY PLOOT PLOOT” please go to:

http://officialdarajoy.com/MarketPlace/DPPmarketplace.html

P.P.S. And be sure to check out this link.

http://brokershandsontheirfacesblog.tumblr.com/

I will be stopping in the chat tonight (Saturday September 27 at 11PM EST). Hope to see you all there.

Best,
Cory - Webmaster

I will be stopping in the chat tonight (Saturday September 9 at 11PM EST). Hope to see you all there.

Best,
Cory - Webmaster

I will be stopping in the chat tonight (Friday July 25 at 11PM EST). Hope to see you all there.

Best,
Cory - Webmaster

Greetings!
To all of the readers who are writers- this one is for you.
Love,
Dara

THE WRITER’S RED BALLOON


One of my favorite short films, THE RED BALLOON (fr. Le Ballon rouge, directed by Albert Lamorisse), was recently re-released in the United States and if you have Comcast cable, you might be able to catch it ON DEMAND. (Not to be confused with FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON (fr. Le Voyage du ballon rouge), currently showing in Indy theaters and directed by the visionary artist Hou Hsiao-hsien. Hailed as an adaptation of the original film, FOTRB is, in my opinion, a sharp departure from the original.)

For those of you not familiar with THE RED BALLOON, the story unfolds as little Pascal journeys to school and along the way comes across a red balloon caught up in a lamppost. From the very first scene of this classic, we get to know this boy as he lovingly bends down to pet a mewing, stray cat in the war-ravaged streets of Paris. We are not surprised when Pascal climbs the post to free the balloon.



Of its own accord, the red balloon begins to follow the boy through the streets of post World War II Paris and the magical adventure that unfolds is breath-taking as the two companions, boy and balloon, traverse the cityscape. As beautiful as ever, this masterpiece still speaks eloquently to the higher self, to our dreams, to love, to friendship, to hope, to imagination, and to the power of faith.

Not bad for a thirty-four minute film with barely any dialogue.

In the years since I’ve last seen THE RED BALLOON, I have become a professional writer. Writers often live (and die) by dialogue. Entranced by a different perspective this go-around, I began to view the film as an allegory for the writer.

After all, as writers, we all have our red balloons, don’t we?

That special idea. That wisp of a tale that teases us along the edges of cognition and won’t let go. . . That playful balloon, laughing, coercing– a companion that follows us everywhere. (If you are a writer, your red balloon continually taunts you to come out and play, giving you no peace until you give in and “do” it.)

All of the sweet stories that writers hold dear become as alive and vibrant to them as the red balloon does for Pascal.

In the film, the boy and the balloon visit a flea market, viewing odd items (although none could be as odd as the pair). The balloon floats in front of a gilded mirror as if posing and laughing at itself all at once. A few adults smile, or ignore them; but the surrounding children watch the pair with envy. Throughout the course of the film, these children will eventually become a mob.

When the balloon tries to follow Pascal into his classroom, the stiff-necked teacher firmly puts it outside, ignoring its wonders and impossible potential. To a writer, this scene is a clear allusion to establishment rejection. (The notion that if it is outside the box, it will be put outside.) The person who should be inspiring Pascal, is, instead, sadly doing his best to strip away any sense of wonder. His grandmother also refuses to let the balloon in her house, promptly tossing it outside as it tries to follow Pascal in. Clearly, no family support for Pascal’s dream, either.

On the street, the red balloon becomes attracted to a little girl’s balloon and for a while all four hit it off famously. (Another truism: it takes a writer to grok another writer.)

Eventually, the mob of children catches Pascal and his balloon. Like a confederacy of dunces, the miniature pundits beat the balloon to death before Pascal’s horrified eyes. Caveat scriptor. Let the writer beware.

But all is not lost.

Even as Pascal mourns the terrible treatment and death of his red balloon, hundreds of balloons from all over the city come to him, lovingly surround him, and in one of the most magnificent, soul-stirring scenes on film, lift him into the air and carry him off.

Oh, yes.

So to every writer struggling to hold on to a vision–

Remember Pascal and his red balloon.