A bouquet of Black Roses

I apologize for my absence during most of the summer. It's been one of the toughest summers I've endured in years.
For the second straight year, I've managed to lose a publishing company.
First, it was Rebel Ink Press releasing my book rights back to me. The relationship lasted two years and they were professional enough to give me my book backs.
I'm sure all of you know about the horrific collapse by Red Rose Publishing. I'm not going into any more details, but the betrayal was harsh and still stings to this day. I was with RRP since 2008 until the bankruptcy.
The loophole states that our book rights are reverted back to us in the event of a website going down. But us RRP authors would love to see it in writing, because another publisher wants that as well.
If there's a bright spot, my unpublished stuff at Red Rose is good to go.
I've sent a few books out to different publishers, and been rejected by all three. Guess the only thing I can do is keep trying.

NUMBERS NEVER LIE!

While going down memory lane on a trip to Tuscaloosa, I realized a lot of key moments happened with the year ending in four.
1974: I learned how to read and write. (In those days, we didn't have Pre-school or Kindergarten from the Alabama School System).  That year, Happy Days debuted. The Fonz stayed with me all the way through Junior High in 1984.

1984: I entered Holt High School as a freshman and the Cosby Show debuted. I lost my way as a student the previous year, but thanks to Dr. Huxtable, I regained my momentum and graduated with honors from Stillman College in 1992, the year the Cosby Show ended.
1994: The last year my entire family was together. My mother died the following year, my uncle a month later and my grandmother put into a nursing home (She died in 1997).  Worldwide, it was the year we all saw O.J. Simpson riding inside a White Bronco on a California highway.
2004: Hurricane Ivan destroyed all of my college and high school memorabilia in Pensacola, Florida. On a world wide basis, America mistakenly re-elected George W. Bush as President. (He looked really bad during Hurricane Katrina).
It's still too early to see what 2014 will bring. Hopefully, someone will pick up the screenplay.

Enjoy the last few days of spring.....

Finishing the Screen

Good morning, I just finished the rough draft to my first screenplay, Picking Cotton.
After a month of studying the basics of screenwriting, I embarked on the journey to put together a short film.
In its E-book format, Picking Cotton is a 289-page novel at Red Rose Publishing. I had the herculean task to break it down into 45 pages.
As we already know, movies are completely different from books. The E-book was mildly successful, but I changed a few things for the screen.
After I let the screenplay sit for a few weeks, I may go back and add something else. At the moment, I'm pleased with the movie's overall theme.
That is all, Happy Memorial Day.

FIXING A SCREEN!

Good morning.......
           I have spent the last 10 days writing the rough draft to my first screenplay.
          After a week at the webinars studying the basics of screenwriting and reading various forms of movies, I decided to give it a shot. I wanted to see where the pages took me.
          At the moment, I'm at page 34 of the film version of Picking Cotton. I chose Cotton because it was my first book to get contracted and rewritten twice. Here's the link to it... http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=100&products_id=1070
           Since I'm new to this, I opted on a short film version. A film of 30-45 minutes (A TV film with commercials) is usually 45-50 pages.  After I complete the screenplay, I'll put it on the shelf for a month.

That is all......

JOURNEY TO SCREENWRITING

Week one of my journey to becoming a screenwriter was paved with obstacles. Arrogantly, I tried to write a screenplay without taking a few webinars. It was a disaster. I couldn't gather enough thoughts for one page.
Monday, I participated in a webinar from Gigi New, a famous writer and professor. I learned a lot, especially that a screenplay has three ACTS and goes between 90-100 pages.
ACT I - the tonesetter and the purpose of your story.
ACT II- conflict.
ACT III- Resolution.
With that in mind, I'm going to take my first book, Picking Cotton, and make into a screenplay. I may fit the other three books into the screenplay" Cotton Patch, Cotton & Silk and Cotton Candy.
I'll take more training this week.
See you next time.........

SCREENING MY WRITING

           Good Morning. I've decided to try a new challenge: writing a screenplay.
           Over the next few weeks, I'm training on screenwriting and learn how to write a script for TV, movie and stage play.
            Screenwriting will be a difficult, unique challenge because it doesn't come naturally to me. Writing a book was tough, but once I got through the first rejection, everything clicked.
            I'm not expecting to have this script get picked up by a TV network or movie studio, but it helps to try something different.
              Until next time.....

HAPPY EASTER

I've written E-books on the major holidays: Christmas, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Valentine's Day and Memorial Day.
For some strange reason, Easter hasn't made the holiday rotation. It's considered a major holiday, especially how much money I've spent on my daughter's dresses, weave, shoes and candy baskets over her childhood and teenage years.
I surfed the internet for romance novels on Easter and only came up with a handful of legitimate ones in the past few years.
Two were written by Lois Richter- A Baby by Easter and Easter Promises (Allie Pleither co-author). Sara Hylton wrote Easter at the Lakes. Lenora Worth and Gail Gaymer Martin co-wrote Easter Blessings.
I'll make it my business to produce a Easter romance novel by the time the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection comes around next year.  Who knows- I may revise one of my previously-released books into a Easter tale.
Until next time, Happy Easter.