Experts
First, I've got to give a big shout out to Jennifer Lynn Barnes who just sold a four-book series called Science, the Apocalypse and Me.
How happy does this make me? Very, very happy. Because Jen is incredibly sweet and smart and talented, of course. But also because Jen is a SCIENTIST. That's right. She has a LAB COAT. And personally I think that to write a book about science and the end of the world you should know as much about science as possible.
In fact, this is kind of a kick I've been on (and am likely to stay on.) Simply put, I think writers should be experts about their subject matter. Or as much of an expert as they can possibly be (which is why I read oodles of books on covert operations since it's probably too late for me to actually become a spy.)
Still, there are things on which I am an expert. And some day I hope to write about them. Because it annoys the heck out of me when other people get them wrong.
Like how last night I watched that new Holly Hunter show, Saving Grace. I was sort of looking forward to it, and it was pretty good, but I was shocked and amazed in the first few scenes to learn it was set in Oklahoma City! Has a major TV show ever been set in OKC? I highly doubt it.
Anyway, while a part of me was excited to see a shout-out to my home state, another part of me kind of hated it, because I knew that they were going to get things wrong. And it was going to bother me. Big time. In other words, I'm an expert about Oklahoma. They're not.
Like how all the characters/commentators/decorators act like there's only one university in the state which--let me tell you--is sooooooooo not the case. (There is only one school that's recently been severely repremanded by the NCAA, however, and ironically, that's the school they chose to feature.)
And how the "hot guy" was wearing a big black hat and all "cowboyed up" and for someone who can spot a REAL cowboy at fifty yards, it made it sort of annoying.
But the thing that really, truly got me was how the "richest cattleman in Oklahoma" was at an auction where he bought a Holstein cow for $1400. Well, first of all, if it were a regular auction they'd be bidding by the pound, not by the head which really mainly happens at seedstock auctions. And I can PROMISE you the "richest cattleman in Oklahoma" would NEVER pay fourteen hundred dollars for a Holstein cow!!! Unless, of course, he wasn't a cattleman--he was a dairyman--which is an entirely different thing! Or if the cow was a recipicent cow carrying another (better) cow's embryo. That could totally happen.
But I'm pretty sure he was just buying THAT cow, and thanks my good friend Brandon--hi Brandon!--I know enough about judging dairy cattle to tell you that one wouldn't be worth $1400 anyway.
To be fair, they got a lot of things right. I didn't notice the accents, which meant that they were good. And the settings were authentic (which makes me think they filmed a good portion of it in the area and I hope they keep that up). And Holly Hunter, as always, rocks. So I'll keep watching.
I just won't be taking any agricultural or fashion advice from them.
-Ally
How happy does this make me? Very, very happy. Because Jen is incredibly sweet and smart and talented, of course. But also because Jen is a SCIENTIST. That's right. She has a LAB COAT. And personally I think that to write a book about science and the end of the world you should know as much about science as possible.
In fact, this is kind of a kick I've been on (and am likely to stay on.) Simply put, I think writers should be experts about their subject matter. Or as much of an expert as they can possibly be (which is why I read oodles of books on covert operations since it's probably too late for me to actually become a spy.)
Still, there are things on which I am an expert. And some day I hope to write about them. Because it annoys the heck out of me when other people get them wrong.
Like how last night I watched that new Holly Hunter show, Saving Grace. I was sort of looking forward to it, and it was pretty good, but I was shocked and amazed in the first few scenes to learn it was set in Oklahoma City! Has a major TV show ever been set in OKC? I highly doubt it.
Anyway, while a part of me was excited to see a shout-out to my home state, another part of me kind of hated it, because I knew that they were going to get things wrong. And it was going to bother me. Big time. In other words, I'm an expert about Oklahoma. They're not.
Like how all the characters/commentators/decorators act like there's only one university in the state which--let me tell you--is sooooooooo not the case. (There is only one school that's recently been severely repremanded by the NCAA, however, and ironically, that's the school they chose to feature.)
And how the "hot guy" was wearing a big black hat and all "cowboyed up" and for someone who can spot a REAL cowboy at fifty yards, it made it sort of annoying.
But the thing that really, truly got me was how the "richest cattleman in Oklahoma" was at an auction where he bought a Holstein cow for $1400. Well, first of all, if it were a regular auction they'd be bidding by the pound, not by the head which really mainly happens at seedstock auctions. And I can PROMISE you the "richest cattleman in Oklahoma" would NEVER pay fourteen hundred dollars for a Holstein cow!!! Unless, of course, he wasn't a cattleman--he was a dairyman--which is an entirely different thing! Or if the cow was a recipicent cow carrying another (better) cow's embryo. That could totally happen.
But I'm pretty sure he was just buying THAT cow, and thanks my good friend Brandon--hi Brandon!--I know enough about judging dairy cattle to tell you that one wouldn't be worth $1400 anyway.
To be fair, they got a lot of things right. I didn't notice the accents, which meant that they were good. And the settings were authentic (which makes me think they filmed a good portion of it in the area and I hope they keep that up). And Holly Hunter, as always, rocks. So I'll keep watching.
I just won't be taking any agricultural or fashion advice from them.
-Ally
posted by Ally Carter at Tuesday, July 24, 2007
7 Comments:
I didn't watch that show, but I think that I will try to catch it now that I know it's set in Oklahoma. That's funny that the guy was all duded up in what Hollywood defines as cowboy wear. They just don't know the half of it.
I agree that one should be an expert in the subject which they're writing about. Take Dayna Dunbar for example. She wrote two book about Oklahoma, set in Oklahoma, etc. But, she's FROM Oklahoma, so everything was dead on. It just makes the book more credible in my opinion.
To me, it's like on "24" when they're driving all over LA and it takes 15 minutes. They've actually said the name of a road I lived on and referred to a road I worked on and said, "I'll be there in twenty minutes!" Uh, no, Jack Bauer, not even you can go 18 miles on the 101/405/10 in twenty minutes!
Loved your blog! I read it to Dad. He laughed... :]
I'm goign on a trip to lake powell with my family and the lake is supposedly going to leave soon so wish me luck with the end of the lake. And I also congradulate jennifer.
*You're* the sweet one. My labcoat and I thank you for your congrats!
Re: Oklahoma in TV shows- my freshman year in college, the show "Friends" had this storyline where Monica moved to Tulsa, and they'd show occasional footage of the Driller Man, but for some reason, the show's version of Tulsa had a grand total of two restaurants, called "Slim Pickins" and "Real Cheesy." Or something like that. ARRRGGGGGGGG.
-Jen
PS: Thanks katie!
You're right on the cow thing. I grew up on a dairy. We weren't called cattlemen. We were dairy farmers. We bought our cows per head. $1400 for a holstein-- if it were a quality springer-- is about right. I think they mixed up dairy farmers and beef farmers (aka cattlemen)....and even dairy farmers dont go buy a single cow at a time.
I live in Oklahoma as well. I haven't seen it yet, but those things would drive me nuts. I will check into it.
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