Gumbo Justice is scheduled to come out in June, in time for the Las Vegas writer's conference I am attending. I can't wait until the cover comes out, so I can see what all my hard work is going to finally look like. I posted the first chapter on the website, www.gumbojustice.net, and hopefully will have additional information to post as it gets closer to the release date. I have been doing a few promotional things, but will be gearing up to do more soon.
I have also been rewriting the Bernie Angel screenplay. I rewrote Gumbo Justice so many times before I was satisfied with how it turned out, and even now I hate to re-read because I can't read anything I've written without thinking I can improve on it at least by one word or sentence or phrasing something a different way. When Bernie Angel is finished for good, I will post the first scene or two for feedback.
In any event, I hope everyone has as much fun reading Gumbo Justice as I did writing it.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
I posted the first chapter of Gumbo Justice on the website at www.gumbojustice.net. I am still waiting on the official release date, but from the looks of things, my novel is the next one on the schedule for my publisher.
I am also doing the finishing touches on Bernie Angel before I submit it. I have to figure out what to work on when Bernie is finished for good. I would like to try another screenplay, I think, but do need to catch up on Gumbo 2.
I have been spending waaaay too much time on Facebook lately, and think I'll have to set a schedule so I'm not checking it constantly. It is a lot of fun to catch up with old friends, though, and to see what everyone is up to.
I am also doing the finishing touches on Bernie Angel before I submit it. I have to figure out what to work on when Bernie is finished for good. I would like to try another screenplay, I think, but do need to catch up on Gumbo 2.
I have been spending waaaay too much time on Facebook lately, and think I'll have to set a schedule so I'm not checking it constantly. It is a lot of fun to catch up with old friends, though, and to see what everyone is up to.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Keeping busy
I've been relatively busy lately, between working on my actual work, and writing.
I actually enjoy having real work to do. For months no new cases were assigned to me because of my car wreck, and work that came due was reassigned to other people. While I definitely appreciated it, I am ready to work on things that require less of my imagination and are more fact based.
I am still working on Bernie Angel. After letting the screenplay stew for a while, I thought of several ways to make it better, and have it better structures. I'm always trying to get the absolute most dramatic moment in the scene, or the most tension, and sometimes that means scrapping a scene and creating an entirely new one.
I am also contemplating a screenplay on a work I had intended to write as a novel, and actually had started as a novel, but might play better on the big (or little) screen.
I am fine tuning Gumbo Justice, and working on the follow up as well. Sometimes I get stuck on a single aspect of a story and can't move forward for weeks. When that happens, I pick up something else to work on until I can think my way through it. That's kind of what happened on the follow up to Gumbo, although I've since worked out the issue.
Hopefully I'm not spreading myself too thin. I'm also just getting back on feet literally, able to walk with a walker (somewhat like Frankenstein, but it's still walking), and precariously with a cane. I was hoping I could find a cane with a sword, one where the cane AND the sword were actually functional, but I don't think I can. I wouldn't mind a cane with built-in pistol. That would be killer--again, literally.
I actually enjoy having real work to do. For months no new cases were assigned to me because of my car wreck, and work that came due was reassigned to other people. While I definitely appreciated it, I am ready to work on things that require less of my imagination and are more fact based.
I am still working on Bernie Angel. After letting the screenplay stew for a while, I thought of several ways to make it better, and have it better structures. I'm always trying to get the absolute most dramatic moment in the scene, or the most tension, and sometimes that means scrapping a scene and creating an entirely new one.
I am also contemplating a screenplay on a work I had intended to write as a novel, and actually had started as a novel, but might play better on the big (or little) screen.
I am fine tuning Gumbo Justice, and working on the follow up as well. Sometimes I get stuck on a single aspect of a story and can't move forward for weeks. When that happens, I pick up something else to work on until I can think my way through it. That's kind of what happened on the follow up to Gumbo, although I've since worked out the issue.
Hopefully I'm not spreading myself too thin. I'm also just getting back on feet literally, able to walk with a walker (somewhat like Frankenstein, but it's still walking), and precariously with a cane. I was hoping I could find a cane with a sword, one where the cane AND the sword were actually functional, but I don't think I can. I wouldn't mind a cane with built-in pistol. That would be killer--again, literally.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Gumbo Justice and Bernie Angel
I am waiting anxiously for my publisher to decide the release date for Gumbo Justice. There is so much involved in promoting a novel it is unbelievable. For new writers, it can be daunting. Luckily, Gumbo was pushed back because of my car wreck, so I have a little more time to learn to navigate the waters.
I have also been working on Bernie, and still do not have a title. Titles are the hardest thing for me. I don't want to settle for something, I want it to be unique, I want it to not sound even vaguely like something that has been done before, and I want it to be accurate. I hate titles that don't match the book or movie, or worse, have absolutely nothing to do with it. The title should give a clue about the work, and should lure the audience into wanting to read the book or see the picture.
I have been doing major rewriting to Bernie. One, to give one of my secondary characters a better story, and two, my ending needed reworking. The first ending wasn't exciting enough, the second had a flaw in that my hero didn't save herself. I wanted something a little different, but when you're new to the game you can't break the rules. It makes the people with the checkbook think you don't know the rules, and that's a problem.
When I'm finished Bernie, I'm thinking of entering her in a few screenwriting contests before trying to sell her. Selling is also a daunting task, more work than the writing, in my opinion.
I have also been working on Bernie, and still do not have a title. Titles are the hardest thing for me. I don't want to settle for something, I want it to be unique, I want it to not sound even vaguely like something that has been done before, and I want it to be accurate. I hate titles that don't match the book or movie, or worse, have absolutely nothing to do with it. The title should give a clue about the work, and should lure the audience into wanting to read the book or see the picture.
I have been doing major rewriting to Bernie. One, to give one of my secondary characters a better story, and two, my ending needed reworking. The first ending wasn't exciting enough, the second had a flaw in that my hero didn't save herself. I wanted something a little different, but when you're new to the game you can't break the rules. It makes the people with the checkbook think you don't know the rules, and that's a problem.
When I'm finished Bernie, I'm thinking of entering her in a few screenwriting contests before trying to sell her. Selling is also a daunting task, more work than the writing, in my opinion.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
BERNIE ANGEL REVISITED
I am having a really good time working on Bernie Angel. I am trying to think of a more compelling title that says something about what the movie is about, but I have time for that.
Screenplays are fun. All the stuff you need to delve into in a novel- the scenery, the character's emotions, the motivation -it's all portrayed so much simpler in a movie. The scenery is explained in a few lines to tell the director where you are. I always feel like I have to sneak into a novel. Scenery description is not my strong suit.
Also in a novel, the motivation of the characters needs to be apparent by the stuff they do, and what is going on in the movie. In a novel, the character thinks and the audience hears it. In a movie, the character thinks and the audience has to see it.
On the flipside, formatting for a screenplay is more work, even with screenwriting software.
Screenplays are also short, the max you want is about 80-130 pages, although it seems 110 is the target, compared to a novel which you aim for about 80,000 words unless you're famous already, and that works into about 300+ pages. You would think shorter would be better, but it's difficult sometimes to get everything you want into a shorter work, knowing what to chop out of your baby is difficult.
When I have finished it, come up with a title and registered it, I'll likely post a few pages to see if it captures anyone's interest. Whether it does or not, it has been a good experience. Writing is always fun, and the more you write, the better you get.
Screenplays are fun. All the stuff you need to delve into in a novel- the scenery, the character's emotions, the motivation -it's all portrayed so much simpler in a movie. The scenery is explained in a few lines to tell the director where you are. I always feel like I have to sneak into a novel. Scenery description is not my strong suit.
Also in a novel, the motivation of the characters needs to be apparent by the stuff they do, and what is going on in the movie. In a novel, the character thinks and the audience hears it. In a movie, the character thinks and the audience has to see it.
On the flipside, formatting for a screenplay is more work, even with screenwriting software.
Screenplays are also short, the max you want is about 80-130 pages, although it seems 110 is the target, compared to a novel which you aim for about 80,000 words unless you're famous already, and that works into about 300+ pages. You would think shorter would be better, but it's difficult sometimes to get everything you want into a shorter work, knowing what to chop out of your baby is difficult.
When I have finished it, come up with a title and registered it, I'll likely post a few pages to see if it captures anyone's interest. Whether it does or not, it has been a good experience. Writing is always fun, and the more you write, the better you get.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Bernie Angel
The screenplay for Bernie Angel (tentative title) is in progress. I have inked out the plot, trimmed it down considerably so it would fit in one movie, and am in the process of creating the character's histories. I have the plot outlined by scenes, and hopefully in the next few days will begin the actual screenplay.
Something interesting, for science fiction movie buffs- I ordered the screenplays for the original Star Wars trilogy and was fascinated by them. It is amazing to see how the producers, directors, costumers, etc., translated the description of scene, set, characters, costumes, and created the Star Wars World. The scripts also have tidbits of trivia that are equally as interesting, such as characters in the original screenplay, certain "science fiction" terminology that was changed, and the fact that no one would buy George Lucas' original screenplay initially, and he had to modify it a whole lot to get it sold. He wrote it as a kid's morality story, to tell a story about right and wrong. Hard to believe that what he perceived to be a simple life lesson for children turned into such a big deal. I hope to be half as lucky. The movie has also made double in merchandise compared to how much it made in ticket sales, something to think about when creating characters. If you want to make the big bucks, have not just interesting characters, but interesting LOOKING characters.
Something interesting, for science fiction movie buffs- I ordered the screenplays for the original Star Wars trilogy and was fascinated by them. It is amazing to see how the producers, directors, costumers, etc., translated the description of scene, set, characters, costumes, and created the Star Wars World. The scripts also have tidbits of trivia that are equally as interesting, such as characters in the original screenplay, certain "science fiction" terminology that was changed, and the fact that no one would buy George Lucas' original screenplay initially, and he had to modify it a whole lot to get it sold. He wrote it as a kid's morality story, to tell a story about right and wrong. Hard to believe that what he perceived to be a simple life lesson for children turned into such a big deal. I hope to be half as lucky. The movie has also made double in merchandise compared to how much it made in ticket sales, something to think about when creating characters. If you want to make the big bucks, have not just interesting characters, but interesting LOOKING characters.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Publication of Gumbo Justice
I was excited to see my novel listed as a coming attraction on my publisher's website at Oak Tree Press. I was equally as excited to see Gumbo Justice listed on Barnes and Noble's website, available for pre-order. The novel is not scheduled to be published until late summer, but now that it has an ISBN number, it finally seems real to me. I have added a link to the Barnes and Noble page (top right.)
I can already imagine all the work I will be doing as it comes closer to publication- edits, putting together press release kits, discussing the cover concept (hopefully), coming up with a page long description of the novel, which is one of the hardest things to do (imagine trying to sum up your own life in a couple of paragraphs), writing the thank you page, getting the photo taken for the back cover (which is actually in the contract.)
In any event, I am enthused at this point. I am working toward walking and being able to use my left arm, I am working at my job from home again. I am working whenever I can at my kids' school, volunteering when they need me. And soon I will be working full steam ahead at doing all the things for my novel to be published. And all this with trying to keep up with the new television lineup. Things could be a lot worse.
I can already imagine all the work I will be doing as it comes closer to publication- edits, putting together press release kits, discussing the cover concept (hopefully), coming up with a page long description of the novel, which is one of the hardest things to do (imagine trying to sum up your own life in a couple of paragraphs), writing the thank you page, getting the photo taken for the back cover (which is actually in the contract.)
In any event, I am enthused at this point. I am working toward walking and being able to use my left arm, I am working at my job from home again. I am working whenever I can at my kids' school, volunteering when they need me. And soon I will be working full steam ahead at doing all the things for my novel to be published. And all this with trying to keep up with the new television lineup. Things could be a lot worse.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
