Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Cleopatra and the Attack of the Gummy Asp

One of life's little pleasures is receiving an unexpected gift (an expected one is pretty cool too, of course).   Imagine, then, my delight when I opened an envelope from my editor, Cheryl Klein, at Arthur A. Levine Books (http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com), and discovered this:

Cleopatra Gummy Worms.

Score!

I immediately pulled out another gift she sent me many moons ago--a Cleopatra action-figure.

You read that right: a Cleopatra action figure.

The two inspired me to experiment with how to recreate her famous death scene. And, no, you can't call me crazy because you know you'd do the same thing if you received a package of wiggly candy snakes fit for an Egyptian queen.

After much trial and error (namely, how to get her hand to hold the gummy that almost outweighed her and caused her to repeatedly fall on her face), I found out that the glue gun really is magic.

So, behold! The death of Cleopatra as you've never seen it before--by Royal Gummy!


Look at the fierceness! The attitude! The cool dress! (But please don't look too closely at the queen's face because then you'll realize it's actually a GI JOE action head with BLUE EYESHADOW! Yeah, I know, once you see it, you can't unsee it.)

Still. How cool is that?

So now I'm thinking I should bring my Cleopatra action figure wherever I go--kind of like my friend, Cathy C. Hall's (http://cathychall.blogspot.com) "Cathy on a stick." It might be fun to get little Cleo in on some action. Meanwhile, if you have any suggestions for drag-queen-Cleo photo shoots, let me know!

And thanks again to my brilliant editor who, without even trying (and who I suspect is not even aware of this), always leaves a trail of glittery rainbows and unicorns in her wake.

8 comments:

Elizabeth O Dulemba said...

Pure AWESOMENESS!!!! :) e

Gail said...

Well of course, action Cleo needs to go to future book signings and conferences. How about crit group meetings, or the local coffee shop during writing. Surely there's somewhere at the Carlos that Cleo needs to see.
I'd definitely include Cleo at the Seder table in April- kind of that Israelites vs Egyptians conflict thing.

And if action Cleo's arm gets tired, try hot gluing that snake around the waist up to the neck; just a few dabs will do ya!

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Thanks, e! Gail, the possibilities are endless for Cleo pics!

Cathy C. Hall said...

Hahahaha! BRILLIANT! I know people will LOVE Cleo the Action Figure.

And here's a tip I picked up from bringing Cathy on a Stick around...Resist the urge to introduce her with "Say hello to my little friend."

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Cathy, I'll remember that! Meanwhile, I reposted with a link to your blog (sorry about forgetting to do that earlier!).

Anonymous said...

I think this post crossed a line, but I'm not sure where that line should be drawn?

However at the very least there must be a film in it!

Gabriele Campbell said...

Now you need some gummy crocs to dance around her. :)

Vicky Alvear Shecter said...

Paul, you're right--but where is that pesky line?

Gabrielle--there's such a thing as gummy crocs???? I don't know whether to laugh or cry! ;-)