More on ANGEL TRAP and GUMBO JUSTICE

My screenplay Angel Trap made the finals of the Page International Screenplay contest. The original entries have been narrowed down to the top ten in each category, and I think then they go to top three and then a winner, or it might just be winner in each cat and then the big winner. I'm just excited it has made it this far. I am still editing it, and as part of the prize from the Acclaim contest I can post it for free on a site where producers can access it. I put up my logline and synopsis already, but want the screenplay completely edited before I add it.

I was also featured on Author Meeting Place as author of the month for Gumbo Justice, which is a completely random thing where you enter information and they pick someone to feature. The feature also appears in a poetry magazine, which should be interesting. I have also had three people ask to review my novel from the websites I have put the book on, and I have asked two people who frequently do reviews to review the book. I have not gotten any reviews back yet, but at least the reviewers seem to have some slight interest.

I am also working on the follow up to Gumbo Justice, really trying to think of a catchy, accurate title. I'm having difficulty with trying to figure out how much to include from Gumbo Justice. Writing the second one is much tricker than writing the first, although the habits I have developed and the outline procedure I came up with writing Gumbo make some of the writing easier.

I also have another screenplay outlined, but have not found time to write it. It's a completely different character than anyone I've written, takes place in New Orleans, and has a bit of the supernatural in it, although I consider it a suspense thriller. More later.

ANGEL TRAP and GUMBO JUSTICE Launch Party

Angel Trap made runner up in the Acclaim Screenplay Contest, which is equivalent to coming in second. I was extremely surprised, as I didn't expect to make quarter finals, semi finals, or finals, much less come in so close to the top. What was particularly surprising to me was that I had just received a rather rude, flippant critique from another contest that referred to my characters as a bunch of losers, as in, "Why should we care what happens to these bunch of losers anyway?" The only thing missing in the critique was a LOL. So here I was thinking I had edited my screenplay into a glorious mess when I got the email that I had come damn near to winning.

So then I start to think, is damn near winning the same as losing, since I didn't actually win. This is probably the closest I'll ever come to actually winning, and may have been my only shot to take home the big prize. But then I do get to say that it was the runner up if I send it out to try to sell it, or get an agent, so it is a really good thing.

On another note, I had the launch party for Gumbo Justice at my would-be bar, (still fighting code enforcement over zoning issues so we're not open yet), but the party was a success. We had a lot of good food and (free) drinks, a lot of people showed up and got books signed, a fun time was had by all I think.

Angel Trap and Gumbo Justice

Angel Trap has made the semi-finals in the Page Awards. In September they'll post the finals and then a winner. I am excited, but it sort of balances out because it didn't make the finals in a different contest. It's difficult to know what contest readers are looking for. I have received feedback that contradicts other feedback and now I'm starting to think I've listened to too many different people in my editing process. I think I should have waited to edit until I had several opinions, and then found the common thread, if any, among all of them and edited accordingly. Instead, I changed one part to make it like one reader suggested, and then added something in to please someone else. Then the next guy didn't like either of the changes and suggested something else that I had originally done and taken out. It was a good lesson on my first attempt if nothing else.

I am still promoting Gumbo Justice, planning a book launch party in fact at the bar that isn't a bar yet. It will be a "private" party, since we can't sell drinks. I'm also having a gumbo contest, and the winner will have a character in my next novel named after them. It should be fun. So far response has been pretty good to the novel. Still waiting for Brad Pitt to read it and decide he wants to produce it as a movie to star as Shep, or for Quentin Tarantino to read it and decide he absolutely has to direct it. But then enough of my fantasy life.

Unsettling thought, Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino in the same fantasy, but then that's me.

Gumbo Justice at Maple Street Book Shop in New Orleans

I was surprised to see my book, Gumbo Justice, in a local book store in N.O., Maple Street Book Shop, 7523 Maple Street. I had no idea any of the local stores were carrying it, except for the westbank Barnes and Noble which I was aware. Hopefully, more local stores will carry it to support a local author.

It may not seem like much, but I've already had two people who said they would buy it from Maple Street now that it was available. A lot of people still do not order on the internet, or don't like Amazon or Barnes and Noble online for some reason. Since my wreck last year, I buy a lot of my stuff online because I'm not driving yet and it is difficult for me to get around still, so I guess I can't relate to not wanting to online shop.

So now I'll get out to some more local book stores and see if I can convince them to carry my novel.

Gumbo Justice reviews

I received a really nice review for Gumbo Justice from Martha Cheves on her website, A Book and a Dish, www.marthaskitchenkorner.blogspot.com. Martha writes cook books, one in particular is my favorite, Stir, Laugh, Repeat, which has easy to make recipes, and she also reviews books. The combination of the two is quite interesting. I submitted a New Orleans recipe for Corn Soup, which is also posted. Martha also posts her reviews on other websites, such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc..

She seemed to have really enjoyed my novel, which of course made me breathe a small sigh of relief. So far, a lot of my friends and family have bought my book, but most are still in the process of reading it. The opinions of those close to you are hard to take seriously anyway, because (1) they are predisposed to love your work; and (2) they are predisposed NOT to tell you if they don't love it. So getting a favorable review from someone who doesn't know me, and has no reason to pretend she loves my book if she doesn't, is validating.

I try to do reviews for people I know on Amazon whenever I can. I know if I happen to stumble across an unknown writer or unknown title that looks interesting, I usually will read the reviews before I decide to commit my money and time to the purchase. If the book has no reviews, I generally won't buy it. So it may help a lesser known author make a sale if the book has positive, informative reviews.

Also, on Amazon, if you run across a book or author you like, add tags for them. Tags help the books show up on searches, as do Listmania lists. If you make a list on Amazon, such as "My Favorite Murder Mysteries," and include the title of an unknown author, and then add a famous author in the genre and maybe a mid level popular author to the list, there is a chance online shoppers who look up the more famous author will see one of these lists, read it and see the unknown author's book. While there are numerous lists and tags out there competing for attention, it only takes a few minutes to help out an unknown author and could result in more people seeing the work.

Angel Trap

My screenplay Angel Trap made the quarter-finals in the Page Screenplay contest. I am stoked about it, because over 4000 screenplays were entered, whittled down to the top 25 percent, then the top 10 percent, so making the quarter finals is pretty exciting. It will be another month until the list is whittled to the top 25 in each category, then another month for the top ten in each category, and I think another month for the big winners. I'm just happy to still be in the game.

Gumbo Justice and Angel Trap

I am back from the Vegas writer's conference. Had a blast, love Vegas, met lots of writers, sat on two panels. If the food was better Vegas would be my dream town. But you can't beat New Orleans for food.

I am planning my book launch for Gumbo Justice, still trying to figure out the date and the particulars. The Code Enforcement appeal hearing for the bar is next week, so we'll see. I'm also trying to order some books from my publisher, so I can have a few to sell. Several people have told me they have ordered it, most are still waiting for it. The local Barnes and Noble ordered a few to keep in stock, which is nice. Ordinarily they don't stock books from small presses. The only person who has actually read it and told me she has read it is my sister, who read the rough drafts and helped me edit, so her opinion doesn't count too much. (She thinks it has too much sex as violence, as if such a thing is possible in a legal thriller set in N.O.!)

My screenplay, Angel Trap, also made it to the second round of another competition. It didn't place at all in two, not even quarter finals, but made it to the finals in one and now the second round of another, so I can't complain. I have so many versions floating around out there because I kept editing it, I'm not even sure which versions are making it and which ones are not. I figure I'll worry myself about it if I actually win one.

I am working now on promotion for Gumbo Justice, which is a lot more work than you would think, and the follow up to it, which is my escape from reality. Except for the broken bones and the daily pain, my reality's not so bad I really need the escape, but I do love to write.