ON THE RADIO

On Monday, KAJO radio aired Mike Arthur's interview with Ray and I about “Sixes and the One Eyed King” and other Bison Motion Pictures projects. I combined it with a slideshow of behind-the-scenes and festival photos and put it on YouTube. This being my first radio interview, I was pretty nervous. It wasn’t nearly as painful as I feared, although I could certainly stand to improve my speaking skills. This is also my first thing uploaded to YouTube, which I enjoy quite a bit. The new trailer is up there, this one in color.

“The Unintended Mongrel” word count is up to 28,311. It was especially helpful to hold a retreat with my writing group. What a treat to devote a weekend to writing, talking about writing and generally connecting with people. While I enjoy spending time alone, it can be lonely to labor away on a project in solitude.

Hawaii, High-Five, Oh!

“Sixes and the One Eyed King” happenings continue to delight me.

The film brought home another audience favorite award from the Miami Underground Film Festival. I suppose “Golden Coconuts” are a fair trade for a pair of mouse ears from Disneyworld, at least for now.

Speaking of coconuts, I plan to enjoy Hawaii for the first time in May as I attend the Big Island Film Festival. I’m pretty excited to be going with the director, Ray Nomoto Robison and a couple of cast members, Tamara Barrus and Scott Ford.

I won’t be able to attend the Phoenix Film Festival in Arizona in April. We were added later and aren’t in competition, but it’s a delight to be included. I’m glad whenever we can get “Sixes and the One Eyed King” in front of audiences. It would be fun to go, as they’ve got an interesting line-up of films. I look forward to hearing about it when Ray returns.

Meanwhile, I’ve managed to solve my character problem with “The Unintended Mongrel.” I’d let my subconscious take over writing during a session, and it seemed to take me off on an unrelated tangent. However, I spent some time thinking about what I’d written and realized that I could use it later and tie it to a different motivation. I’m glad I don’t have to throw away everything I’d written. Although it wasn’t appropriate where and how I’d written it, the idea is solid. I’ve learned to give up some annoyance with rewriting, which used to seem like a terrible waste of time. The best way is not always the most efficient way when it comes to creativity. On a positive note, I did some more screenplay work while I was pondering the book.

Related to my novel, I recently watched Carrie Fisher’s DVD commentary for “Postcards from the Edge.” I savored her book and was glad to go back and watch the movie with her thoughts about adapting it. One thing that struck me was her concern about how her film version mother was portrayed and that people would assume things were true about her own mother because they were in the story. I worry about that at times with “The Unintended Mongrel.” Some of my book is inspired by things I‘ve lived, and I doubt I could be writing it without all of my experiences as a single woman. However, some of it isn’t reflective of myself or people I know, at all. Some of it doesn’t necessarily even reflect my personal world view. They’re simply a presentation of ideas, of observations and of potential viewpoints. I worry that people will make too close an association or wrong assumptions about me because of what I’m writing or that people may try to guess if they inspired characters or situations. Some have, but not in totality. A snatched moment, quirk or situation doesn’t equal the entire picture of a person or a complete representation of my opinion. I’ve been tempted to write for image to downplay any potential conflicts, but I don’t think that would be true to the story and certainly wouldn‘t represent the most that I have to offer as a writer. One thing I’ve repeatedly reminded myself as I’ve worked on this is that this book is about telling this story the way I want to tell it, about enjoying the writing and the exploration of ideas, regardless of the potential for selling it or the opinions of others. Maybe that will come when and if I get an agent or a publishing contract. It was nice to hear my worries expressed by a writer I enjoy.

Took a bit of time to check out the partial lunar eclipse last night. Not as spectacular as some I've seen, but there's something about appreciating celestial matters that makes me pause and renew my perspective on life.

Some Bison Motion Pictures folks met this week to talk about a local showing of "Sixes and the One Eyed King." I got an update on where things are at for distribution (keep your fingers crossed for some good news on the horizon), and we discussed fund-raising ideas for the next film. It makes me feel good to think that people are actually interested in filming something I've written, but it would make me feel even better if we had the money for it! Actor Scott Ford headed off for Miami on Friday and will represent us at the festival. Disney World will have to wait awhile longer for my visit, but I will make it some day. Hopefully before I'm too arthritic for the rides.

Thoughts on my opportunity experiment: Sometimes taking advantage of opportunity is simply a matter of saying "yes" when you might otherwise not make the effort. I went to see "As You Like It" at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last weekend. I didn't have anyone to go with, but I decided to go simply because one of my goals is to do more of the things I enjoy, such as theater and concerts, and a ticket was available. (On a side note, I went to see The Greencards with some friends this week. Glad I went, of course. I probably wouldn't have taken the opportunity if it wasn't for my experiment.) Anyway, back to the play. I took myself out to lunch beforehand and ended up having the time to finally write down an outline of a sports screenplay I've been talking about writing for a long time now. I was surprised by how easily the plot points came. If I'd gone to the play with someone, I would have been talking and not alone and, thus, bored enough to finally get the outline down. I'm excited about starting to write it. It'll be a relief to have something that comes relatively easily, I think. I've been laboring over a horror script for a couple of months now, trying to resolve a connection between violence and motivation. I didn't have this problem while I was working on the supernatural horror that didn't end up being shot this last fall. It was easier to see the motivation. I have difficulty writing violence without that.

I wrote more on "The Unintended Mongrel," but I've found myself thinking about the last chapter, and I may end up scrapping it and taking that part in a different direction. Again, it goes back to motivation. That pesky motivation stuff.

I saw “Stars Wars, Return of the Jedi” last night, for the first time on the big screen. I remember when it came out. I wasn’t allowed to go see it. My parents didn’t approve all that much of science fiction. Oh, if they were alive, wouldn’t they be appalled at how miserably their efforts to turn me from it have failed. The son of my parents’ friends went to "Star Wars" and even got a Millennium Falcon model with action figures. I was so frustrated because I wanted him to recount the story, and all he wanted to do was play with the toys in a seemingly random fashion. I remember being secretly glad when one of the action figures he’d tied to a makeshift parachute became stuck in a huge fir tree in our yard, as he hadn’t been able to tell me how parachuting related at all to a movie about space, and I thought it served him right. Anyway, it was fantastic to finally see the film played large, in a crowded theater with an audience that cheered when it started and when it ended. To create something that touches so many is precious.

“The Unintended Mongrel” is up to 22,311 words.

A thought on opportunity: Options abound, and the key to distinguishing between options and opportunity is knowing one’s own heart. Sometimes the most important things that present themselves are options that appear to be opportunities but that help you crystallize your thinking and realize they won’t take you in the direction of your true desires.

Miami and Opportunity

“Sixes and the One Eyed King” has been accepted into the Miami Underground Film Festival. I’d like to attend, as I’ve never been to Florida, but I’m not sure if I will, due to the expense. Miami is much closer than Oregon to Disneyworld and Epcot, and that would be a blast. Oh, for unlimited funds and the time to enjoy them!

Bison Motion Pictures is still seeking distribution for the film, although it's encouraging that Director Ray Nomoto Robison’s first film, “Die Before I Wake,” is now available on the Internet at sites like Best Buy.

Clips and the trailer for “Sixes and the One Eyed King” are up on YouTube.

I’m now two weeks into my Great Opportunity Experiment. I can’t say that much has changed in my life yet beyond saying “yes“ more to more fun things. Which is a good thing. I’m not too disappointed about the way the experiment is going so far, as I have an outpatient surgery scheduled for early February and don’t know if I’d want a big shake-up in my life until I’m done dealing with medical issues. My Opportunity Experiment has a couple of basic rules: 1) The opportunity doesn’t violate my moral core and 2) It doesn’t threaten my financial situation. Thus, attending the Miami Underground Film Festival would be an opportunity if the cost were reasonable. I’m afraid that airfare, hotel and everything might put it beyond my means at this point.

I’ve decided to start a filmmakers discussion group, something like a book discussion group but for people who make and want to talk about films. Chance Larsen agreed to host it at Animal House Coffee in downtown Medford. I’m looking forward to some interesting conversation.

“The Unintended Mongrel” word count: 20,164.

Happy Old Year!

New Year’s Eve. I’ll soon be slipping into a party dress and bidding farewell to 2006 at the Larsens’ house with alcohol and some mocha meringues, which are currently meringueing in the oven. They have zero fat and cholesterol, which is important these days.

My 2007 should provide some interesting experiences. Inspired by a member of my writing group, I’ve decided to spent the first part of the year being open to opportunities that present themselves. My Great Opportunity Experiment has some guidelines, but it’s basically an increased awareness of and openness to whatever comes along. I told my writing group that I’d blog about it. This isn’t really a New Year’s resolution; Jan. 1 was just a convenient time to start it.

Speaking of things that come along, one opportunity I don’t expect this evening is that elusive New Year’s Eve Kiss. It’s a great tradition if you have someone to lock lips with, but the lockless ones are again reminded of their single status. I’m of the opinion that it really only counts if you go into the night with someone by your side, as sharing a smacking wish for a year’s worth of luck with a guy you’ve just met doesn’t quite carry the romance I’m seeking. There’s no sense that the guy will be around to see whether the good luck actually happens in the coming year. I’d make an exception if I should run into that even more elusive Soul Mate, if he exists. Which is really what “The Unintended Mongrel” is about. So, in honor of those who will stand awkwardly and pretend to be OK with not smooching following shouts of “Happy New Year,” I’m posting an excerpt from the draft of Chapter 5. I’ve now written 18,493 words. That’s about 61 pages, double-spaced.

"The Unintended Mongrel" excerpt

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NoNoWriMo

No Novel-Written Month for me

During the month of November, I wrote 15,872 words on “The Unintended Mongrel.” National Novel Writing Month’s challenge is 50,000 words. However, I don’t feel bad about not making that goal.

I haven’t worked on the novel since I learned of the death of my sister, Mary. I will get back to it, probably later this month, but I needed a break. Considering death’s emotional toll, the legal aspects of it shouldn’t be this difficult, especially since her estate seems to be comparatively simple. I’m planning to incorporate some of this into another novel I’ve been working on, one that is untitled and that has proven to be an emotional challenge. It’s inspired by my mother’s death from lung cancer, when I was 25. As the main character faces the loss of her own mother to cancer, it dredges up her alcoholic father’s death, which involved hitting and killing a family while driving drunk. My own father died when I was 16, from heart failure complicated because of respiratory illness brought on by smoking. Like my sister, who was just 50.

Looking back over the month, I realistically probably wouldn’t have made the NaNoWriMo goal, regardless. To my surprise, I’m not that fast of a writer. Also, I had too many demands on my time and energy this year. I generally like such challenges, sometimes to the point that I push myself too hard. I have a fresh understanding now of the need to enjoy life. I don’t want to negate what I’ve done simply because I didn’t reach the NaNoWriMo goal. Nearly 16,000 words is a very good start on a novel, and I like what I’ve written. I’m glad I attempted the challenge, as it got me started. I’m enthusiastic about this book, and I’ll probably post more excerpts as I continue to work on it. I’m averaging about 1,000 words per scene card, and I have 63 scene cards left to work from, but that will likely increase. I’ve added a few as I’ve written and come to understand the story better through that process. I’m sure I’ll also expand when I get to the editing stages and spot any holes or weaknesses. The book will likely end up as a shorter novel rather than an opus. I hope to finish it by the end of 2007.