Thursday, December 20, 2012

How Sweet It Is

This last year I've been on something of a writer's high. Producing work at breakneck speeds and turning them into contracts. Even more so than last year. I had three contracts at this time last year! Which is amazing in and of itself. This year I have 11 more to add to it. So how did I do it? I listened. I learned. I promoted and gave thanks. And I even won a few awards this year.

Here's the thing. I did not always agree with my publishers. But I always kept in mind they had the book's best interests at heart. They have a business to run. And I realized as time went on they were teaching me valuable lessons. I have three series to my name now. The Gladiator Chronicles, Breath of Life Series, and Gunpowder & Lead (a 5 ebook series I'm co-authoring with my long time sometime screenwriting partner Melissa Goodman). I've LEARNED a lot, I've cut my teeth and now I'm getting ready for hopefully bigger and brighter things.

On my wishlist for 2013 is good health. This bought with the flu has left me with a nasty case of laryngitis. I will definitely get that flu shot!

Also on the list, an advance paying contract. An agent. And perhaps an iconic series character to hang my New York contract on. And to land on the New York Times Bestsellers list. But only time will tell if I'm ready for that.

So on this day, the day before the end of the world. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Good Kwanza, and a Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Girls

Every writer has those set of characters that they just can't leave alone. That they go back to time and again because they're like a favorite set of children.

Typically I'd say this is most obvious in the way George Lucas writes about his Star Wars characters. The movies that are actually good Episodes 4-6 you'd say he found the heart of his story, place where all of the action happened. However, he can't stay away from them.

You got 1-3 mediocre film at best and now we're going to be getting 7-9. However, he always said he saw 9 films so who am I to judge. It's not like I don't have my own set of Star Wars characters that don't draw me back in from time to time.

However I think this stab at them just might propel me and my co-author into the mainstream. Missy and I refer to them as the girls. Honestly they've been kickin' around since 1997 and were the first thing we ever created together.

We cast it after the fact as far as the girls went and Kate Winslet became our guru. Maurice Benard has always been Beale Alstair and Stone had been a rotating character.