web woes and happy endings

I spent a large portion of my weekend grumbling at my computer. Sure, there’s a beautiful placeholder up at www.rinaslayter.com, but for some reason, the website I’m building behind it is aggravating me.

See, I’m not a programmer. I really don’t know how to build websites. I use ingenuity, patience and determination to figure stuff out and have mostly learned enough to be dangerous. When my other two websites were handed to me [www.fictionados.com and www.ashleighraine.com], the hardest stuff had already been done. Yeah, I went in and tweaked some code, but the rest has all been duplicating and modifying pages, not building them from a blank screen.

I’m adventurous. I love a little [or a lot] of challenge, but I’m experiencing frustration at the current creation of my website. The sad part is that I’ve got a ton of text formatted and ready to go. All I gotta do is drop it into a site, but if that site won’t come together…well…you understand my frustration.

I did get the homepage together. It’s mostly empty, but all the links work. I did get one subpage together. It’s got my bio on it and all the links work. But as for the aforementioned stack of content ready to drop in…Absolutely nada.

Yeah, I probably bit off more than I could chew in thinking I’d have the thing together enough to input text, but that has NEVER stopped me before. I always think big.

And I usually make my goals.

One of my prior employers was called as a reference. He said, “Rina often bites off more than she can chew, takes on huge projects and when they get into crunch time, she works her ass off to make sure they’re done on time.”

And that is so true about me even though up until that point, I’d never realized it. I don’t think I’ve EVER missed a deadline. If I did, it wasn’t a big enough infraction that I remember it right now.

My background is in theatre. The show must go on. That’s where I learned to be early on a deadline. My lighting designs were always turned in a week early, hung as soon after that as possible and my cues were always written and loaded into the light board before technical rehearsals. It made for a better show because the hard part was done and I could focus on editing, tweaking, making the show truly shine. [sorry about the bad lighting pun]

I’m just glad the only deadline for my website was my own personal goal. If there’d been an outside force asking for the site, I doubt I would’ve gotten any sleep at all last night!

Oh well. I’m happy with my progress and look forward to my next head-banging, hair-ripping-out, grumping, tea-drinking-marathon installment of work on my website because I can’t wait to toot my horn about it being up and running!!!!!

I gotta get used to this whole horn tooting thing. So I’m starting small.

…But after I go on a week’s vacation to stay in haunted California hotels…

See ya when I get back! Maybe I’ll have rinaslayter.com up shortly afterward. Or at least that’s my personal deadline.

Thankfully, “shortly afterward” is a vague amount of time!!!!!!

sewn, rejected, submitted, requested and started

I’ve managed to add about ten things to my wardrobe in the last week.

No, I didn’t go shopping again…

I mended stuff I already have: Purple jeans, checkerboard 70s shirt, fluorescent pink 80s dress…and some other stuff that was necessary, but not flamboyant.

EARTHQUAKE! Just a tiny one, though. I thought I’d imagined it until I noticed the chains dangling on my ceiling fan.

Anyhow, rejection letters are streaming in–some for me, some for Jason–and I’m enjoying comparing notes with Jason. That’s what makes it fun. We’ve submitted to some of the same people. So far, he’s gotten better responses than I have.

But I did get a request to see more of one of my novels. I’m pretty darn stoked about that. That was my first written request and I’ve framed it. Ironically, I’d opened a rejection just before opening the request, so I’d assumed it was going to be another. Hell, even if I get a rejection from it later, I’ll cherish it and the euphoria that I’ve floated on for three days now. Life is very, very good.

And today…(I’ve saved the best for last) …today I started my next novel. I will easily have it done by the end of the year. (And no, that statement will not jinx me–this book is really that easy to write…’course I’m only in chapter one right now, things could change.)

I recall some of my acting classes back when I was in college (I was a lighting/sound/set technician, but required to take acting classes, too). Us budding actors and begrudging technicians were assigned a series of scenes that we had to re-enact for the class. I say re-enact because we had to take moments of our life and present them as slice of life exercises.

In essence, our characters were ourselves.

I found it remarkably easy to be myself…

I still don’t know why it was considered ‘acting’.

I got A’s on all those assignments.

And what am I getting at with this tangent?

My new book essentially stars myself as the main character, is based on a conglomeration of events in my life–although funny-ed up a whole lot–and is written in first person.

So far, I’ve felt like I’ve been walking down memory lane and writing an autobiography which is much more interesting than the way stuff really happened. (The truly bizarre stuff won’t start until at least chapter five or so–those events won’t even need funny-ing–they’re already bizarre.)

I might end up shelving this before it’s done. I might end up writing it faster than SR. I might even get bored with myself or finally identify with those budding actors in my classes who thought it incredibly difficult to ‘act’ like themselves.

Maybe they just didn’t know who they were and what they wanted. That’s what my scenes were all about. I was X and I needed Y, but Z got in my way as I dealt with A, B and C. If you don’t know who you are or what you want, Z is going to devour you and A, B and C will only kick you while you’re down.

Hmmm…I just unintentionally inspired myself to go write another chapter…

geese with stripes and my bio…again

In the very short time that I have owned my Armani suit, it has already inspired me…and I haven’t even worn it yet!

I redid my bio…slightly.

Here it is again:

Rina Slayter lives in Los Angeles with her writer husband Jason Stoddard and absolutely loves life. When she isn’t writing romantic women’s fiction, she’s working as a background actor in television shows and feature films. Visit her blog for more details and screen captures from her blink-of-an-eye performances. As half of the award-winning Ashleigh Raine writing team, Rina writes mostly paranormal, erotic romance and is published through Ellora’s Cave. She is webmistress of www.ashleighraine.com (check out all the bonus features), www.rinaslayter. com (read her Tales From Hollywood) and www.fictionados.com (she’s one of the founding members of her local genre fiction group). Outside of writing and Hollywood, Rina has a passion for early English history (especially Celtic Wales), cars (with Jason, she owns 8 and works on them), sewing (see some of her creations on her website), and antique dolls (she buys them in pieces and restores them herself), snooty green tea (no day is complete without a cup or two…or three or four) and thrift shopping (watch for her $30 Armani suit and the infamous Out Of This World swirl dress).

I couldn’t resist my addiction to shopping second hand stores. They’re incredible. I’ve been the exact same size since high school and have been thrift shopping since the year after I graduated…that’d be 12 years now. Consequently, my wardrobe is gigantic and includes quite a few gems.

Also, when I work as a background actor, it helps to have a diverse wardrobe. I discovered 70s clothes while working on Starsky & Hutch and Anchorman. Since then, I’ve learned to cherish my polyester shirt with geese and stripes.

And my grandma would be proud to see me in a purple and pink floral pantsuit. I swear she had one just like it when I was a kid.

Then there’s my crazy 80s stuff. Good golly don’t ever get in a clothing war with me–I can accessorize, too!

But throughout my years of apparel hunting and collecting, I have come across quite a few favorites and things I would’ve paid full price for if I’d had the money or if I’d found them new. The Armani suit, the thigh-high black suede witch boots, the blue flame pants, the black leather trenchcoat, my green Doc Martins. But then again, it’s the thrill of the hunt that truly lights my shopping fire. I never know what I’m gonna see or what I’m gonna come home with… geese with stripes, pleated swirls, or fluourescent daisies.

Buying second hand is recycling and saving money for the times when I might really need it… Like for super-nice gowns to wear to awards ceremonies. I’ve thrifted a few, but they’re on my to-be-mended/shrunk pile in my sewing room for that day or two when I have some good sewing time.

My Armani

It’s official. I now own an Armani suit. It’s a sort of celery color and it’s incredible.

…and I paid a whoppin’ $30 for it.

Yes. $30. Three-oh-dollars.

While perusing a vintage shop in Montrose of all places, I raided the 99-cent rack and then hit the half-off rack. Amid a 70s shirt (with geese no less) I came across a real Armani suit for $60 but marked down to $30. Zero stains. The pants zipper works. The buttons are intact. I have absolutely no idea why this suit was there, but it was and I left with it. The darn thing is gorgeous…as far as suits go. I now have a total of two actual suits. The other one cost me $30 and it was new! Quite a range there, huh?

Now the real question is what convention do I wear it to?

And on which day?

So far, I simply haven’t had a day when I’d wished I was wearing an Armani suit!

Ah well. I suppose I have some time until my next conference–World Fantasy.

But then again, what would truly warrant an Armani? Hmmm…Maybe finding the suit was a good luck charm in my quest for publication and agent representation. Maybe there’ll be a day when wearing an Armani suit is absolutely appropriate.

…Actually, what’ll likely happen is I’ll get called to be an extra on some snooty show and end up in the Armani. Figures…

“Jason Stoddard week”

Through Jay Lake, I received a link to Jonathan Strahan’s blog saying…and I quote…

“…it’s Jason Stoddard week.”

Yes, my wonderful husband Jason’s week has arrived. We knew some of his stories would hit in September, but we had no idea they’d all be posted/published during the same week! Words cannot describe my elation. Jason’s awesome. I’ll admit that I can’t read most of his work because it’s more sci-fi than I’m familiar with, but his more accessible stuff is great.

Okay, now I’m just wondering when it gets to be Rina Slayter week!

The New Adventures of Old Christine

My second call with my Viper…

Old Christina is a sit-com starring Jula Louis-Dreyfus–who’s really great, I might add! She’s about my size, too. Not that I didn’t expect it (I never know what to expect) but my curiousity was satisfied. She’s skinny, but otherwise normal and exactly how she looks on TV–gorgeous!

This was my first time through the main Hollywood Way gate at Warner Brothers Studios. Not that the experience was any different there than at any of the other gates, but still. It’s always weird to go through different gates. I’m at the point now where I know the perimeter of the studio, but not the stuff in the middle! It’s strange to get in and then try to use buildings and stages as reference points when approaching from a different directions. In this case, the water tower came in very handy!

The earliest part of the morning was normal. I parked, I latched onto a few other extras as we made our way to stage 5 and sat in the sit-com audience while waiting to be checked in, etc. Nothing odd in any of that.

Wardrobe went well. I did end up changing, but that wasn’t a surprise. If the call warrants it, I always bring my beige suit, but I hate wearing suits so I don’t wear it in hopes they’ll like me in a different outfit.

But nine times out of ten, I end up in the suit.

This time, there was also a small rip in the crotch where the stiching just decided to come undone. I wasn’t flashing undies or anything and truthfully, I wished I hadn’t noticed the little hole because I ended up self-conscious the whole time I was wearing the suit. Oh well. No biggie.

At first they didn’t want to use my Viper. I mean, it wasn’t exactly the kind of car a parent would use to drop off a kid, but whatever. That’s what they’d booked me with. My car spent the first part of the day parked out of frame.

I was awarded a kid–named Anthony (this was his first gig, but he was so professional I’d thought he’d been doing this for awhile!)–and we did a simple cross from the parking lot, under an archway where Julia, etc. were doing the scene, and then up a long walkway between buildings. Not bad at all.

…Except for the pain in my feet!!!!!! This was the first time I’d worn those shoes. I’d worn the suit before, but wanted to wear different–lower heeled–shoes. DUMB IDEA!!!! Yeah, the shoes looked nicer, but good golly I was about to pass out when lunch time arrived. In fact, I changed my shoes to go to lunch at the commisary.

Lunch was actually great. I like the WB commisary. I dunno exactly why, but I do. Last time–when I was there for ER–I only went to Starbucks rather than get a real lunch. This time, as I talked to other extras, they suggested going to the Taco Bell across the street from the studio, but then myself and another lady mentioned that we can go to Taco Bell any time. We need a studio pass to get into the commissary.

Yum.

After lunch, my Viper was finally parked, but I had to remind them that I’d brought it. Whatever. I get paid for it whether or not they use it.

I did a bunch more of the same kind of crosses except mostly without my fake son. Kids can’t work as late as adults, so he left and I got to do the crosses by myself.

I wish more oddities happened on this one, but oh well. Of all the extra gigs I’ve done, this was definitely one of them!

Maybe I’m just getting a little to used to all of this. I’d call myself bored, except that I am truly not bored in the least. Every gig is an adventure in its own way. Every gig gets me into a place I wouldn’t normally have ever gone. Gig after gig helps me be the best background actor I can be.

…Not that background acting is difficult, but there are some certain things a person needs to excel at in order not to lose her mind. My hardest is usually the relinquishing of all assumption of intelligence. Because background acting has zero entry requirements, us extras aren’t always the sharpest tools in the shed and are therefore stereotyped like everything else in Hollywood. So, when an extra shows up on a set, she is automatically assumed to lack intelligence until she shows otherwise.

A good background actor should also excel at taking direction and not taking things personally when yelled at for executing those instructions. I’ve developed a pretty thick skin for this kind of thing… Plus the whole ‘am I allowed to stand here/eat this/do this?’ thing. I use it to my advantage. I do/eat/stand wherever and if I don’t get yelled at for it, I assume it’s acceptable. After all, I’m just a dumb extra who doesn’t know any better.

And it’s really nice to have zero responsibility sometimes. It’s also fun to collect a paycheck for going on adventures not to mention seeing myself and my cars in movies and TV. Not that I get any credit, but it’s still fun.

My bio! My bio! Yaaaay!

Let me just say that I suck at writing bios. I really do. I’m not one to toot my own horn about anything. I’ll toot someone else’s horn, but my own? Nah… Or at least not entirely willingly if the horn-tooting is necessary or truly a big deal.

Well, today, I’m tooting my own horn about tooting my own horn…

I wrote my official bio last night and I just gotta post it here or I’m gonna go insane:

Rina Slayter lives in the Los Angeles area with her writer husband Jason Stoddard and absolutely loves life. When she isn’t writing romantic women’s fiction, she’s working as a background actor in television shows and feature films. Visit her blog for more details and screen captures from her blink-of-an-eye performances. As half of the award-winning Ashleigh Raine writing team, Rina writes mostly paranormal, erotic romance and is published through Ellora’s Cave. She is webmistress of www.ashleighraine.com (check out all the bonus features), www.rinaslayter.com (read her Tales From Hollywood), and www.fictionados.com (she’s one of the founding members of her local genre fiction writers group). Outside of writing and Hollywood, Rina has a passion for early English history (especially Celtic Wales), cars (with Jason, she owns 8 and works on them), sewing (see some of her creations on her website), and antique dolls (she buys them in pieces and restores them herself)…and snooty green tea (no day is complete without a cup or two…or three or four.

This also means I better get my website up and running. As you can tell by my bio, I’ve got a lot planned. I’m pretty excited and hope to have things up and running within a month–even if it’s small.

Hey, I gotta start somewhere.

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