2025: The Year of Living Creatively

It has been a busy few months, friends. Not only have I had my story collection Into the Dark come out from NewCon Press, but I rewrote two screenplays and submitted one to the Austin Film Festival. As I write this I made it to the second round of the NYC Midnight screenplay competition. I just finished up writing a screenplay for the Dallas 48Hr Film Competition, and ran sound for the production. Coming up: A short story rewrite for a story from my 2019 story a week challenge.

Currently in progress: two screenplays, one based on my 2^nd place short in the first round of NYC Midnight, and another one a secret project. It’s not ready to talk about, but it is from one of my favorite stories of all time.  

Oh yeah, and I’m developing a novel idea based on a kernel of a concept that at this stage can best be described as “all vibes, no plot.” But that’s the way they all start, right?

So let’s get to the news.

Shakespeare in the Diner: Macbeth

I want the world to see Shakespeare in the Diner: Macbeth because the work the cast and crew did was just so stellar, and because it was hard. It was hard, and we did good work.

Diner Macbeth, as it is affectionately called (by me, I don’t think anyone else has thought of it), has so far been awarded an Honorable Mention and an Award Winner in two film festivals! Yay! I will get an IMDB credit from one of them, and that makes me very happy.

Hell: A Rescue Mission

This film is just starting its festival submission run. No word yet, but we’ll see how things go. I’m optimistic that this beautifully shot, acted, and scored film will capture fans.

One of the reasons I wanted to make this film was to see if I could adapt one of my own stories. I ended up changing the ending. I made it more optimistic, if such a thing is possible for a story in which a best friend dies and the other friend has to say good-bye to her. I think I am in a place in my life where I want optimism. I want hope. Even if it’s sad hope.

Check out Into the Dark for the source material for Hell: A Rescue Mission.

Pop!

It was so much fun working on Pop! 48HR competitions are grueling. If you aren’t familiar with them, basically you get a prompt on Friday night at 7 pm, and then you have to write, film, edit, and submit a finished short film  by 7 pm on Sunday. It’s not easy, but the cast and crew were an excellent team and we did a great job. I wrote the script in about four hours on Friday night, we filmed all day Saturday, and the director edited on Sunday. I think this one is going to go pretty far. Because hey, a movie that has its own catchphrase already has that going for it. Ka-bloo-ey!

And it looks like we’re going to do another one in June, so stay tuned.

What’s Next

What’s next is always what’s next. I continue to write. Coming up is a writing post on why understanding screenplay structure can help with writing novels, but be warned – there are pitfalls ahead.

I’m looking for production partners for my completed screenplays. Boy,  that’s possibly the hardest part of this.

I’ve got novel ideas cooking.

And always, writing short stories is still my jam. My story Kewpie and Sookie, a retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, is out on submissions. I’m sure it will find a home.

What’s up in your world?