-Which writer inspires you the most?
The late Sue Grafton who wrote the famous Alphabet Series of Detective Kinsey Millhone and of course many of the classics like those of Agatha Christie spur true story telling while carrying on a specific character from book to book. Terry Goodkind and his Sword Of Truth series is another favorite. Janet Evanovich is another prolific series writer. Stories inspire! I want a story with a reason, not a story with an agenda. Agendas are a dime a dozen. A good story is priceless.
-What is the main challenge you encountered while writing your work?
I have so many stories and beginnings in my head I am forced to make notes constantly to remember them all for possible screenplays, pilots etc in the future. Often knowing which to focus on is as easy as waking after having a dream that touches a certain story or even a new one. I have learned that you can just walk away from a script when you’re stuck and allow it to percolate for a while in your head. Do something else other than writing and then suddenly, you find your way in the story. It works for me, but not always.
-Every screenwriter needs feedback after completing their project. Is there someone you always turn to for their opinion as soon as you finish writing?
When I first started my writing, late at the age of 50, I had a mentor. John Herman Shaner taught and supported my goals and we spoke on the same level. That is important. He never spoke down or told me what I needed to write. He would read my completed script and make notes throughout and final notes on the back page. We would then meet at his home with his martini and pen and spend several hours discussing what I wrote. Because my genres are wide spread, he always enjoyed seeing what I had written.
He would note punctuation, formatting and places that he may not understand the meaning or if something was repetitive or just not needed for forward the story. We would discuss goals of the story as well as fulfillment of the story line. In FIRE FLIES he loved the story. He noted that he was captivated from the first page until page 70 and then it dropped off. There was nothing that held his interest. He told me to go home and “let it percolate” in my head and figure out what’s missing. He never told me what I needed to write or any type of story suggestions. I sat at home that night and rewrote the end and gave it back to him the next day with the new ending. His eyes were wide open that I had done the rewrite overnight but when we got together to discuss the changes he said with surprise, “You gave me a fucking chase scene. You made it all work as one.”
That is how I learned to keep the story moving forward even if it means removing scenes that I love. He gave me the inspiration of what to look for, not what’s needed to be written. That second pair of eyes is important. Sadly the world lost Mr Shaner several years ago but his thought process stays with me always.
-Are you currently working on a new screenplay? If so, can you tell us more about it?
I have currently been working on several and more recently sequels to my FIRE FLIES SERIES such as THE DRAGON’S TOMB & THE RETURN OF THE RED DRAGON.
FIRE FLIES is part one and FIRE FLIES: THE GOLDEN DRAGON is part three and are both completed. I have since had an epiphany of FIRE FLIES: THE DRAGON’S TOMB which is part two and is currently 50% completed. FIRE FLIES: THE RETURN OF THE RED DRAGON is part 4 and started.
As you can see, my writing is an ongoing creation and learning process. I thought I had done well until I had a dream that I needed to do a part two. Go figure but never close out a thought train. As in FIRE FLIES all the characters are dual roles covering Current Times and Mystical Times ala The Wizard Of Oz. This continues throughout the series because it is young Gerald’s coping mechanism in life, transferring into his fantasy world on paper in his art.
I have also just completed transcribing book 5, SAUTE’D SAPPHIRE: (A Detective Gabrielle Laxx Mystery) into a long form 2 full act TV Film script that is two feature film episodes. I am editing as we speak.
-If you had to describe your writing style using three adjectives, which ones would you choose?
DRIVEN, EXCITED, THOUGHTFUL.
