Deniz’s Soft Spot for Welsh Actors and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’

Moosehead Lager. J.J. BurkeAny illustrated dictionary showing examples of what it means to live life to the fullest, would be best to include a photo of Deniz Bevan at The Girdle of Melian and Simple Scarf. She frequently volunteers, travels and uses her skills and talents to help community-based initiatives while working as a freelance writer.

Deniz, who ate pide with salad and rice pudding for lunch every day for an entire year while living in Turkey, is one of my Mighty Minion Bureau assets that I got to know a little better while interrogating debriefing her on what it’s like to be a bourbon-flavored snowballs lover who reads “LORD OF THE RINGS” every year. Here, she dishes on Canadian beer, the key ingredients for best-selling homemade lip-gloss, the impact that cats have on her work and the tastiest way to get tipsy during holiday celebrations.

Who is the sexiest actor you’ve ever seen in a movie?

This is going back a ways, but Ioan Gruffudd in “SOLOMON AND GAENOR” always sticks in my mind as the ultimate in ooh-la-la!

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a freelance copy writer?

Lately I’ve been doing more copy editing and beta reading, but even with that I’d say the biggest challenge is always to juggle work and social media promotion. It helps me to designate certain times throughout the week for social media, and to avoid it (if possible!) at all other times.

What inspired the title behind your novel, THE FACE OF A LION?

The scene that inspired the book was the image that came to me of a boy, Austin, and a cat walking towards Ephesus, from Kusadasi, Turkey. As they walk, the sea comes up behind them, and I knew that meant they were travelling back in time and that somehow it was the cat’s doing. The cat isn’t really a cat either, but takes that form in order to befriend Austin. When the cat is angry, he can appear almost lion-like in his fierceness.

Of course, it was also a slight nod to Aslan, the lion in “THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.”

What are the best Canadian beers/brewers? – Are there any we should avoid like the plague? 

I’d say go with any and all craft beers or Canadian-owned beers, like Moosehead, and avoid those that have been bought out by multinational corporations!

Deniz Bevan's cat modeling one of her knitted hats.How old are your cats, what breed/gender are they and where did you get them from?

Aww, kitties! They’re 9 and 10, regular “domestic” (i.e. “whatever!”) breeds. We did get them from a pet store, I have to admit, but I desperately wanted kittens and the SPCA had only adult cats at the time! They were a bargain at 15 and 20 dollars :-)

What garments do you enjoy knitting most – scarves, hats or socks?

Scarves, definitely! And blankets! If I can memorise the pattern and knit it over a long term without having to constantly count stitches, I’m happy. Though I do have an adorable pattern for a ruffled baby hat that I’ve given to every expecting mother I know!

If you brought a piñata to a New Year’s Eve party, what would it be filled with?

Mm, chocolate... Let’s say liquor-filled chocolates, in honour of New Year’s Eve!

Deniz Bevan preparing to setup her wares at a craft fair.Do you have any tips for artisans who want to sell their wares at craft fairs or other events?

One thing I learned at the last craft fair I attended is that it helps to have a small pile of minimally priced items. In my case it was homemade lip gloss in cute glass jars, for 25 cents each. More people commented on that than on the knitting!

Do you have a recipe for homemade lip gloss that you can share with us? 

It was my sister-in-law who taught me how to make it – Vaseline, a tiny drop of food colouring, and a couple of drops of whatever flavour you’d like (vanilla, mint, etc.). You can heat up the Vaseline in the microwave a bit to make the ingredients easier to stir. Next time I make it, I’d like to try something more organic. Maybe cocoa butter. Mmm...

Check out Deniz's A-to-Z Challenge photos!

Also, get up to date on my previous Mighty Minion Bureau feature about Dale's Movie Theater Nightmare, where he causes us to wake up and smell the bacon!

If you're looking for my most recent #atozchallenge, post, read Kill Your Babies! A Lesson from Kevin Smith, and stay tuned for what I have in store for Letter L.

Kill Your Babies! A Lesson from Kevin Smith #atozchallenge #IndieFilm

"You can't make them sit there longer than they need to, otherwise, the magic starts to dissipate. It's about wanting more -- make the illusion happen! You can say what you want about the shit I've done -- all my shit is cut to the bone. I pride myself on that. I kill my babies -- that's how serious and committed to the cut that I am. It's like, fuck it, tell the story! Tell it tight, tell it sharp, get it in front of them. Hopefully it works but if it doesn't, it's not not gonna work this time because it was all flabby -- because I felt like being nan artist." - Kevin Smith 

What was the last movie YOU saw that you thought was too long?

Are YOU good at trimming the fat and keeping the essentials when it comes to the work that you do?

Just another Day on the Job – Why Directors Soderbergh and Tarantino Make Movies #atozchallenge #IndieFilm

As I seek out my place in the madness that is filmmaking, it’s been interesting to notice vast differences in how more well-known, successful directors view their career choice. Steven Soderbergh – the man behind movies such as “Contagion,” “Ocean’s Eleven” (the one with George Clooney) and “Traffic” seems to approach this path like he would any other job. On the other hand, Quentin Tarantino – the man who brought us “Pulp Fiction,” “Kill Bill” and “Django Unchained,” operates from another end of the spectrum where he’s made film his life.

“It’s a real privilege to make a living doing this job. It’s a great job — the best I can think of, actually. You walk into a room and say, ‘I’m imagining this,’ and they give you millions of dollars to go out and make it real. That’s a pretty good gig. I have certain standards — sometimes I hit them and sometimes I don’t.

I don’t think being precious is really good for any art form. So I believe in being really prepared, working hard, doing everything I can think of to improve it, but staying on budget, staying on schedule, and when it’s over, it’s over and I’m onto the next thing. I’m really dispassionate about it, in that regard. I haven’t seen a great benefit in my own work in agonizing over things. I’ve seen more of a benefit in my work, for moving quickly. It’s harder to be pretentious when you’re moving really fast.” – Steven Soderbergh

- VS. -

“I’m lucky enough to be in the position where I don’t make movies to pay for my pool. When I make a movie, I want it to be everything to me; like I would die for it….When you gotta go out and make a movie to pay for the kid’s private school and for the three ex-wives, don’t talk to me about your artistry. It’s their job. It’s not my job. It’s my calling.” – Quentin Tarantino

I used to view film as my end-all be-all because it was – and still is at times -- everything to me, before embarking on this exploration of what really matters in the grand scheme of things. Now, I find Soderbergh’s position to be more relatable in the sense that making movies shouldn’t consume us too much, for too long. It’s probably healthier to do what you can and move on when the time has come for putting your energy and focus toward new (or even different) work.  

Have YOU found your calling?

What are YOUR most favorite jobs (or gigs) that you ever had, to date?