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Today's cuppa: English afternoon tea

On CBS' hit freshman series, "NCIS: Los Angeles," airing Tuesday (it's a spin-off of "NCIS," which airs right before it), rapper/actor LL Cool J (a.k.a. James Todd Smith, or just "Todd" on the set) plays Special Agent Sam Hanna of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, who is also a former Navy SEAL.

Asked if he feels the weight of the responsibility of portraying an alumnus of one of America's elite military units, LL Cool J says, "Oh, Atlas cannot shrug, He can't shrug. He must keep the world up on his shoulders, and that's what I'm trying to do.

"Some Special Ops (agents) came by yesterday, actually, and they seemed to be really excited about how we're portraying them and how we are representing them, when we're out in the world, because the show is obviously showing in other countries.

"I'm happy that they are pleased, because ultimately these are some of the people who have to protect our freedom and protect democracy, so we want to represent them properly. That's another part of our responsibilities as actors, when we play these characters, to make sure these guys are seen in the right light.

"That's important to the future of our nation."

Reminded that some recent feature films have taken a more negative view of America's military, LL Cool J says, "You've got to be careful. At the end of the day, we have to be loyal to our values and the principles that built our country, especially if these characters are being seen by potentially millions and millions of people every week.

"We can have some fun and do some interesting stories, but they still need to represent our guys the right way. I think all of us agree that that is the right way to do it."

It's also part of LL Cool J's personal history.

"My family is very pro-American," he says. "My grandfather used to sit me in his lap, and we would watch all of the old World War II shows that used to come on, back in the day. I'm totally on it, totally into it, and I love it. My grandfather, even after we said grace, he would say, 'Chow!'

"Then my grandmother would chime in with the Cuban Missile Crisis and what that was about, So I grew up hearing that kind of stuff.

"My grandmother used to tell me, 'If a task is once begun, never leave it till it's done; be thy labor great or small, do it well or not at all.'"

So, who is LL Cool J's favorite Founding Father?

"You know what," he says, "that's a good question, interesting question. My favorite Founding Father .. wow. Benjamin Franklin was brilliant. I think I will go with Benjamin Franklin first. I would go with Jefferson and then Adams, but I would go with Franklin.

"When he talked about wealth ... his 'Poor Richard's Almanack' was amazing. Him being a scientist; him being an author; him being a businessman; him being an entrepreneur; him being a guy who understood how important it was to be conservative when it came to a dollar, and conserve your wealth.

"I just thought he was a very wise guy. I would go with Franklin.

 LL Cool J also admires another American entrepreneur.

"He's obviously not a Founding Father, but you could fast-forward to guys like (Thomas) Edison. These weren't necessarily the most (formally) educated guys, but he know how to put the right people in the right places and ask the right questions and get things going.

"But I think that's the beauty of our nation. That's part of the beauty of America and why it works, because it's not just about specialized knowledge. It's also about vision; it's also about ambition; it's also about your attitude and your ability to mobilize people.

"You can succeed whether or not you have that specialized knowledge. I think that makes a huge difference in this country."

And while most of LL Cool J's reading these days consists, he says, of "NCIS: Los Angeles" scripts, it's no accident that he made the reference to Atlas shrugging.

"I don't necessarily subscribe to all her beliefs," he says, "but I do like Ayn Rand. That's why I made the 'Atlas Shrugged' comment. I think she's interesting. I don't do the atheist thing; I believe in God. But some of it works for me.

"'The Fountainhead' was interesting, those characters, just the idea of you being the architect of your own fortune."

And he doesn't stop with Rand.

"I do a lot of reading," he says. "I read the Bible. That's great. I like Florence Scovel Shinn, 'The Game of Life,' I like her. I think she's very interesting as well. I do a lot of reading."

Today's cuppa: Sony Studios coffee

Earlier today, I headed over to Sony Studios in Culver City to see a taping of the new ABC series "Shark Tank," in which entrepreneurs run a gauntlet of potential wealthy investors in hopes of realizing their business dreams.

If the rapt attention paid by the crew to the goings-on is any indication, the spirited interplay among the business moguls and the hopefuls makes for great theater -- and great TV. Also said a quick hello to executive producer Mark Burnett ("The Apprentice," "Survivor"), who knows a few things about putting together a reality show.

The show premieres Aug. 9, and I'm writing a feature story on it this week, including an interview with Burnett, so watch this space for further updates.

But, before I left for Sony, I got on the phone with Elizabeth Vargas of ABC News, who's hosting a special called "J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life," airing Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Originally aired in late December 2007 on ITV in the U.K., this documentary by filmmaker James Runcie digs into the private life of the British author whose seven "Harry Potter" novels have set a new standard in young adult literature, along with spawning several movies -- the sixth and latest, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," just came out -- and a worldwide fan phenomenon.

"As a person, she's fascinating," says Vargas. "It's always interesting to see how someone creatively comes up with stories and characters that are riveting for so many people around the world and in so many cultures. When you really get into her personal story -- and she rarely talks like that -- it's even more fascinating.

"She's very candid in this special about her depression, about how poor she was, how difficult her life was when she first thought of 'Harry Potter,' and how close to the brink of contemplating suicide -- she did contemplate suicide.

"It's a pretty dire experience. I think a lot of people will find her relatable and surprising."

According to Rowling -- in a tale now as much a part of "Harry Potter" lore as the characters themselves -- the story and the characters came to her during a train trip from Manchester to London, England, in 1990.

"Not only did the characters and the idea come to her in a rush," says Vargas, "but the entire arc of the story came to her in a rush, which I find fascinating.

"She maintains when she was writing the first book, she already knew what was going to happen further down the line. I don't think she knew precisely that there'd be seven books, but she knew the arc of each character's story.

"For example, while making the movie from 'Harry Potter' one or the second book, she could pull actors aside and say, 'Play this guy a little more ambiguous, because, I haven't written book five yet, but I know that you'll find he's not a bad guy. He's a good guy.'

"She was able to actually advise actors early on in the process and give them tips on how to play their characters, because she already knew how their story was going to play out."

Not only did Rowling, a single mother struggling to make ends meet, carve out the time to write the first "Harry Potter" novel, but she found inspiration in the difficulties of her own life.

"That's amazing," Vargas says, "how much she takes from her own life and applies to her characters Harry Potter has her birthday. Harry Potter is orphaned; she felt very orphaned by her mother's death. Her mother died of multiple sclerosis when Joanne was quite young.

"Her father was very emotionally remote. She hasn't spoken to her father in years and years and years. He really isn't a presence in her life. So she felt very orphaned.

"The house that she lived in had a cupboard under the stairs, just the way Harry Potter lived in with his nasty aunt and uncle at the beginning of book one.

"She uses a lot of her own life and her own feelings. Even her battles with depression are used in later books with the Dementors, which are real, physical manifestations of depression. I was amazed at how she was able to bring something as ephemeral and as powerful and debilitating as depression and make it a physical presence."

As for the future, Vargas says, "She did leave a door open recently for another 'Harry Potter' book, a book that wouldn't be about Harry per se, but maybe about one of the other characters.

"At this point, Harry's story, through seven books, has really been told. Perhaps there's a child coming or some other smaller character that she might elaborate on.

"I don't know if she's going to do that. At this point, she has no plans to do that."

Today's cuppa: instant coffee (sacrificing taste to get this post up quickly!)

Since moving on from the role of the witch Tara Maclay on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Amber Benson has added playwright, screenwriter, film director and film producer (and blogger) to her resume ... along with author, having co-written novels and comics.

But now Benson is a a full-fledged solo author, with the February release of her mass-market paperback novel from Penguin USA, called "Death's Daughter." The first of a planned series, it follows the adventures of Calliope Reaper-Jones, who juggles shoe-shopping and online dating with a boring work life.

But when Callie's dad -- who happens to be Death himself -- is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege decides to begin a hostile takeover of the company, Callie returns to take over as CEO and soon discovers that the family business is harder -- and more dangerous -- than she expected.

Benson grabbed a few minutes from publicizing the book to employ her writing skills to answer some email questions. Enjoy:

Q: What's the biggest difference between writing a screenplay and a novel?

A: Writing a novel is harder for me, because not only are you writing dialogue and plot, you are also creating the sensorial world that your reader (and characters) live in for the duration of the book. You have to do this by using words alone, without help from actors, cinematographers and production designers. It's a huge undertaking, and I am only just beginning to understand and use the medium properly.

Q: What's your writing day like?

A: I get up and go sit in a coffee house or cafe for two or three hours each day. I try and write two thousand words a day -- even if I end up rewriting a bunch of it later. Just getting it down on the page is what's important. I usually sit there, headphones stuffed in my ears, giggling to myself about what I'm writing. I probably embarrass myself a lot.

Q: Is there anything from your years as an actress that is particularly useful in novel-writing?

A: As an actor, you learn what works and what doesn't as far as dialogue is concerned. I think that the years I spent saying other people's bad dialogue for cash helped me write better dialogue myself.

Q: You've chosen subject matter that should appeal to 'Buffy' fans. Was that a conscious choice, or are you naturally attracted to this kind of subject material?

A: I enjoy reading urban fantasy, especially the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. (HCTV: These novels inspired the HBO series, "True Blood.") They were definitely impetus for creating "Death's Daughter." In the end, I wanted to try my hand at creating an urban fantasy book that was fun and easy to read, but that the other things I'm interested in, like mythology and religion.

Q: Which novelists inspire you?

A: Neil Stephenson, Dostoyevsky, Neil Gaiman, Chris Golden, Charlaine Harris, Jane Austen.

Q: What's the promotional plan for this novel?

A: I am basically using the social networks Facebook and Twitter to get the word out. I am also blogging and doing a series of book signings in Southern and Northern California.

Q: Will your focus in the future be more on writing projects or acting?

A: I want to continue to do both. Hopefully, I will learn to be a better writer and a better actor and director, the more projects I undertake. I'm striving to do things that interest me, as well as fulfill me from a creative standpoint.

Q: "Death's Daughter" is your first solo flight as an author. What are the joys and challenges of going   it alone?

A: I miss writing with Chris Golden! Literally, it was like being at Chris Golden U, because I learned so much about the craft of writing during the process of conceiving and creating the Willow/Tara "Buffy" comics and "The Ghosts of Albion" books and web series. It was really nice to have someone to call if I got stuck on a plot point or was having trouble with a character or scene.

During "Death's Daughter," I didn't have that luxury, so it was a little tough at times to figure out the best way to fix a problem. On the flip side, writing something on your own is pretty gratifying. I know that, for better or worse, every word of the book came from my own imagination -- and that's pretty darn thrilling.

Q: On the tech side, are e-readers like Amazon.com's Kindle the future of books, or, will paper never die?

A: I hope that paper never dies. I love cracking a book's spine, folding over its pages and disappearing into its innards. I get lost in books. I can be anywhere, and if I'm reading, forget about it, I could have a Mack truck barreling down on me, and I'd miss it because I was so engrossed in the book.

On the other hand, I think that Kindle will open up the written word to a whole new audience, so it can't really be the end of the world. Things change, no matter how much we don't want them to, and if we don't embrace the new stuff, well, I think we'll just get left behind. It's as simple as that.

Q: What's the strangest thing someone has asked you at a book-signing? And keep it clean!

A: I signed a girl's arm once ... and she went and got my signature tattooed there permanently. But by far the strangest thing I've ever encountered at a signing was the marriage proposal I got from a very cute young girl at Comic Con one year.