#Church #Chick My #First #Novel

My first novel will hopefully drop as an eBook in January.  [I also plan to have a mass market/trade paperback book in the future] I'm very excited.  The book is based of my screenplay of the same name.  I've always wanted to write a novel,  but I didn't have the patience.  I found screenwriting to be easier; only because of the length.  Now I'm enjoying the experience of writing a novel.  It's not so bad after all. 

Genre:  Romance/Drama/Comedy

Concept:  Good Girl Gone Bad   

Set up:  Emotionally suppressed by her religious mother, SABRINA SLOAN yearns for more excitement in her dull life.  In a shallow attempt to move forward she marries the older Deacon of the church, but is liberated when he dies on their wedding night.  Now free to find love and happiness, Sabrina discovers the dark side of lust and hopelessness when she is confronted by Blair, her best friend, when Blair thinks Sabrina has stolen her boyfriend. 

#Brave are the #souls who take #risks

I'm trying something different.  Not new, just different.

Most people when they read ebooks they are in a narrative format.  I've decided to make my screenplays ebooks, but keeping the screenplay format in tact.  It's a risk, but why reinvent the wheel.  The story reads the same, but it's void of a lot of exposition. 

This does make me nervous.  A lot of people like their books to read like a traditional book, but God told me to do it like this...my first mind told me...that's who I think God is - my first mind. 

Well, for all the things I speak of when it comes to risk, I'm taking this risk, and feeling overly anxious about it, but it's okay.  New ways of doing things come a long when someone was brave enough to put it out there. 

Be Free....

#Sunrai #Multimedia #LLC is #LIVE!

YES!  I'm doing it....I'm getting things done.

My business is now officially a LLC.  Yay!!!!!  I finally saw it listed in the business search.  It's good to be official.  Now I really gotta work! lol :-) 

Sunrai Multimedia, LLC is an e-Publishing company.  I've decided to publish my own works as well as anyone else who is looking to become an author and wants there works and writing published on e-readers.  I'm also going to start an e-mag, but that's down the line.  

I also have plans to dabble in reviewing technology products.  I already review for Amazon in their Vine program, so why not take it a step further.  This piece is also in due time.  I'm just one person! lol

But the main part is I'm on my to creating the life I want outside of a traditional nine to five.  I want to live my life on my own terms - I just have to have passive income to get it done. 

It's a step by step process - I have it all written out, and I'm climbing each stair.

Be Free...

Been a minute...

Well, it's been a few months since I last wrote in my blog.  You'd think I would have been very busy.  Let's just say I've been preoccupied.  Some really serious stuff was going down and I had to focus on it.  It was heavy.  Emotionally draining and I was really happy when I got pass that rough patch.  Now, I'm in a better place.  Not totally 100%, but moving in the right direction. 

So far, I've been married for six months and I love it.  It's nice to come home to my husband. And vice versa.  It's nice I have someone to talk to about everything that's going through my mind and have no judgements about what I'm feeling and thinking.  Love him to pieces. 

Work is work.  I wish they would take more of a private industry approach with allowing us to be creative thinkers.  It's so stressful working the way we do.  No wonder the moral is low. 

The girls are good.  The (step) son is good.  They are the usual kids...getting on the parents nerves, getting on each other's nerves...but we all like to have fun and laugh. I have a wonderful family. 

Bowling is interesting.  I was hot for a minute, but I have seem to have cooled off.  I need to get myself back together!  My team is in first place and they need me to step up!!!!  We can win this! 

Writing is writing.  This is my first step getting back into the groove. Sometimes I think I'm a fake writer.  I like to write, but no will or motivation to write.  The stories come to me, but I'm lazy about getting them down. Maybe, I'm more of an idea type of person.  Who knows?

I have things I need to do today and I feel lazy just thinking about them. UGH! I'm struggling with this energy thing.  Gonna get it together.  I have no other choice. First thing is first, I need to go downstairs and fix the house phone. lol Baby steps lead to large gains....

Be Free...

I Need A Goal Tracker

I have a lot of things on my mind this morning. 

I'm excited about my birthday trip.  I'm excited about turning 40 next week.  I'm excited about being off from work for a week.  (Who wouldn't be excited about that? lol) Plus, I've decided to host another trip for 2012.  That takes planning. 

In addition, Amazon Studios announces their 50 semi-finalists today, next Monday they announce the six finalists and then 10 days after that, they announce the two winners for the December contest. I have mixed emotions.  I feel like I need validation with my writing skills in this competition.  I've never allowed anyone to read what I've written regarding my screenplays, except for my mother. So, tossing my hat in this ring, is a major deal for me and I'd like to see what evolves from this for myself.  I also want to have a table reading for one of my screenplays.  That should be interesting. I just need to gather the "actors", get a camera and set it up. 

I want to work on doing something different with my website.  I've had this website for two years now, so it's time to do something new.  Wish I could hire someone to do it for me.  There is a lot of work involved in redesigning a website.  I want to showcase my poetry again.  I showcased it on my last website before I redesigned it into this website.  I know my poetry is good. lol It's a subjective medium. 

I have reading and writing projects on my list of things to do, plus keep up with my blog.  I'm getting good solid unique hits to it everyday and I want to keep the pace up.  I feel like I don't have enough time to get it all done.  But I'll have to manage my time five minutes at a time.  

I need a nice template to track my goals. I have a lot of them this year; personal & professional, with some overlapping.  This morning, I'm going to find one, fill it out, print it and keep track of everything I want to accomplish for MMXI.

Overall, yada yada yada...blah blah blah! lol :-)  It's good to have goals.  This time next year, I'll have accomplishments! 

Be Free....

Does this intrigue you?

Here is the first scene to the newest screenplay I started working on today.  It came to me in the middle of the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FADE IN:

EXT. BUS STOP - NIGHT

The WOMAN lies down on the bench at the bus stop.  She takes her short cropped leather jacket and wraps it around the torso of her body.  Pieces of her hair blow in the wind.

She breathes.  The moisture from her mouth creates a fog around her face.  Her teeth chatter.

The dawn breaks over the horizon behind her.

A bus arrives.  The doors of the bus open.  The BUS DRIVER looks at the woman on the bench.

              BUS DRIVER

Hey, miss are you getting on?

The woman slowly opens her eyes.  She gets up and looks around.

              BUS DRIVER

Lady, are you getting on the bus or not?

The woman checks the pockets of her jacket.  She pulls out a public transportation card.

               WOMAN

Yes.

She boards the bus.  The bus drives away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not going to say what's going to happen, but does this intrigue you? 

Be Free...

XXMI | 1.1.11

Happy New Year!

My first blog post of the new year!!! Whoo Hoo!!!  I hope that everyone had a safe one. 

I have a lot things in store for MMXI.  Starting with my blog.  I did an okay job of keeping it updated in 2010.  I think I could have done better. There was months I missed not updating because I was so enticed with living life off the net that I just couldn't do both.  But this year, I'm committed to really working on my blog, readership and growing it.  

I think my blog needs more of focus than just me rambling on anything that comes to mind. I need to focus more on writing and offering advice to others maybe.  Not sure.  Then there is always relationships.  But does the net really need another relationship blog?  Probably not. lol  Be nice people, respect them, say what you mean and mean what you say.  So there is the relationship advice for 2011. I guess I could work on my mother blog more, but do I really feel like giving out parental advice. So yeah, I even though, I think my blog needs more focus, I have no idea what to focus on.  lol So, I'll guess I'll back to what it was - me talking and writing about anything that comes to my mind. :-)

Here's some good script material:

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

The MAN, (40) sits in his Ikea chair.  He plays his PS3.  He takes a pillow and props it up under his head.

MAN

Babe, can you give me the blanket?

A WOMAN, (40) sits on the bed, typing away on a laptop.  She throws the blanket at him.

He laughs. 

MAN

Aren't you glad I'm not like at a regular man? 

WOMAN

What do you mean?

The woman looks at the television. She shakes her head as she looks the score. 

MAN

I didn't ask you to make me anything to eat.

WOMAN

That's because your stomach hurts.

The man quits the game and restarts it again.  

MAN

Cheatin' ass game.

The woman laughs. 

FADE OUT.

I think I need to practice writing better scenes.  Maybe, I'll use my blog for this. lol :-)  Who knows?

MMXI - Carpe Diem

Be Free...

Church Chick #7 of the Top 10 | Author Tales

Okay, so I'm really happy right now - Church Chick has moved up into the Top 10 Drama Scripts on Amazon Studios!  NUMBER 7!!!!! As of December 28/29, 2010.  I've been getting some pretty good reviews on my second draft.  This has prompted me to do some much needed revisions on Crofton Triangle - AGAIN. 

The life of a writer is not in the writing, but in the rewriting. 

I'm still working on my newest project.  It's a straight drama.  It's a really sad story.  The title of it is Redemption.  The story idea was born out of the redeeming qualities I find in Mike Vick.  For all the trials and tribulations he has endured - abet - at his own doing, it's important that we all seek/have redemption, of some sort.  To many people out there judging and casting stones in glass houses, not realizing their own glass is streaked and dirty.  Our lives aren't and shouldn't be forever defined by snapshots in time, but what we've done over a period of time.  

I'm also reconsidering ONCE again writing a NOVEL! UGH! Why do I torture myself? Why o why? lol :-) Writing a full blown novel is painful to me. But I'm going to attempt it for 2011.  I'm not going to give myself a hard time about this.  I wrote a treatment a few years back.  I could turn it into a novel or a screenplay or both. I do need an idea for 2011 - and 2011 just so happens to be quickly approaching! lol Doing this other project that I've already outlined and written out the basic story for would be the quickest thing to do.  But I do like fresh ideas.  Haven't come up with one just yet. Working on it.  I think I have an idea....just that quick....a flash of of title came to me - HOLLOW. Wow. 

Today I will work on my annual year in review blog. I was thinking of making it into a podcast.  Not sure yet.  Loving my creative juices these days! 

Be Free....

It's not just a man's world....early AM vent

At the present moment I'm feeling like it's a man's world.  Why?  Well the screen writing industry gender composite is mostly men. White men at that.  Nothing against white men, but they just seem to get all the breaks.  Even if their work is crappy.

The industry being crowded with me is clearly evident on AS.  I see it in the forums, the number of scripts being submitted by men and well just general knowledge that the writing industry is filled with men. And it's not that they are better writers, it's just that they are men. And men help other men succeed. 

Side thought: Maybe there are more women who write novels.  I don't know, but just but this image in your mind: 

1. Female 2.Black (African American for my PC folks) 3. Live in Maryland.

I have three strikes riding against me.  I am keeping the faith.  Divine Order.  I will be successful.  I want to change my career so bad now, it's just driving me crazy. I also could be going about this the wrong way.  I think I write movies for EVERYONE to enjoy, not just the black people.  And perhaps I've been dropped in the lot with the other black people in the industry trying to make it just because I'm black. Maybe I need to think more out of the box on this.  I don't want to be stereotyped like a Tyler Perry who only really has one audience.  I want it to be where the audience is wide and far ranging.  Shifting the paradigm like the internet did for socializing. 

Okay...I feel better now that I've let that out! lol 

In the end, the overall goal is to be optioned and produced - to get credits and change my current employment status. 

I have a new quote now. DREAMS DON'T SLEEP! Where did I get that from?  Awwww c'mon son! I'm a writer...it came from me! lol ;-)

Be Free....

P.S. Don't go to sleep, cuz your dreams won't! 

I Stalk Scripts | Suggestions to @Amazon_Studios {AS}

Okay so what...this is my latest kick...and I happen to like the AS website a lot.  I'm always on there.  It's my newest social networking spot.  It's focused around screenplays, writing and movie making...one of my greatest passions. 

I stalk scripts.  So I stalk AS. lol ;-)

However, I have a few suggestions to Amazon Studios.

1. Need to rotate the screenplays on the website's main page better.  I keep seeing the same scripts getting highlighted. I don't think that's very fair to the over 1700 projects that are uploaded to the site. I believe in some equality. Exposure Equality. 
2. Don't have the SAME scripts in the new and notable section as those who are listed in the Top 10 to the right.  That's not Exposure Equality. Writer's probably feel like Amazon is purposely promoting certain projects. In all fairness, this is still a CONTEST. 
3. Only use the most recent version in the Top 10.  Multiple versions of the same project doesn't really constitute a real top 10. 
4. Reviewers.  Since AS gives us the ability to rate and review projects just like on Amazon.com, they should do reviewer ranks.  I think this will help in getting solid opinions and reviews.  It just appears to me that some people are attempting to game the system from their friends with fluff review pieces.  Lots of rates, but no true review assessment.  How does that help the writer become more effective in their writing? It doesn't.  If this community is going to have an air of workshopping, then reviews should offer the maximum. 
5. Let members of the community know that all projects will get full consideration.  I think people think that the more downloads, rates, and reviews a project has; means it has the most consideration for a possible win in the contest.  But I get a feeling that's not how it works. It's a skill based competition. Not everyone is knowledgeable about the correct elements of screenwriting; therefore, there are probably some projects in the pile that are diamonds in the rough, but are being over shadowed by popularity. 

Good solid five.

I stalk scripts....

Be Free....

Steelers | Football Fetish | Amazon Studios |

Wow! I had a blast at the Pittsburgh Steelers game at Heinz Field.  The hubby and I drove up to Pittsburgh and it was raining...so I sat in the COLD...in the MISTY RAIN and watched my husband's most favorite football team win over the Bengals. The Bengals started out giving the Steelers some problems, but that TROY....WOW....he intercepted the ball, got a defensive touchdown and the Bengals never really recovered and the Steeler's defense was fired up!  We were also lucky to stay within walking distance of the stadium.  I love the Hyatt Place.  Love those High Def Flat Screen T.V.s 

I already have a love and passion for football.  But now that I've seen my first live game...I'm really in love with football! I can't wait to see the Philadelphia Eagles play live! I want to go to the Linc like yesterday!  lol I will say this tho, the field looked smaller than on TV and it doesn't seem like teams don't have as many players as it looks on TV.  But I did enjoyed the game and I cheered on the Steelers to a win.  Now, I'm not huge Steelers fan...I'm a die hard Eagles fan, but I was there to support the hubby! And he was appreciative. 

I have a RACK of screenplays to read!!!!! Whew!!!! And I'm really still tired and sleepy from my trip.  I am making a promise to myself to have these done by the end of the week! NO DOUBT!  I've gotten some really nice and good reviews on my script submissions.  I'm really happy about that.  My downloads are still low compared to other projects, but I'm slowly coming to resolve myself about it all. I can at least say I don't have zeros and I can boast that the reviews I have received are 4 & 5 star ratings. 

Be Free...

Feeling Empowered on Amazon Studios

I've been reading and reviewing scripts online at the Amazon Studios website. I figured since I wasn't getting any downloads and reviews, I might as well help out my fellow screenwriters with their work.

I'm feeling empowered by what I learned at National University when I decided to go back for my MFA. At the time, I didn't see what my instructors/professors were telling me, but now...wow!!!! What I learned is definitely coming in handy.  Good loglines, showing versus telling, action, dialogue, story structure, premise, high concept etc....

Now I'm glad I went to school to specialize in my screenwriting craft.  I feel more confident in what I'm writing, how I'm writing, and if the story structure is strong. I spent a lot of money on that degree and now it seems to be paying off for me.  Well, it's beginning to pay off....I feel so empowered right now.  It also helps that one of the writers on the site decided to use my advice and told me he made a post of my advice within his forum - for all the other writers to see!!!! ;-) 

I have about five scripts to read and review.  My suggestions have been taken well.  As in my product reviews for Amazon.com, I'm getting a lot clicks for my feedback being helpful! :-)  I'm happy about this.  

Be Free....

And bad movies get made all the time…

With A list actors….and B list actors….no name actors…independently financed films and yet Hollywood pretends they are starving for new material, but will not consider a spec script if it’s not high concept. 

HIGH CONCEPT.  Let me ponder on that for a minute.  In fairness, not all spec scripts make it to the silver screen.  HOWEVER, there is just no way in the world that some of the stuff Hollywood has produced is always high concept.  That’s about writer name recognition…maybe not to me or to you, but within the industry. 

In my rhetorical voice, are you serious?

Here’s a prime example, Skyline was the worse movie I have seen this year and although the premise was supposedly high concept, the final execution and what I saw on screen left a bad taste in my mouth!  Even my husband looked at me like I was crazy for recommending we go and see it.   We left the theater like – HUH.

But this industry is no joke!  I rarely encounter Black female screenwriters, if at all. This has become very apparent to me within the Amazon Studios community.  (Nothing to do with the Amazon Studios community – it was it is) But if Hollywood ever needed a new and fresh perspective on life…well I pretty much have one – I’m not an older white male, so that qualifies me as unique in this industry.   I look at myself and I know I’m a good writer.  But it’s not until other people have told you the same can you feel comfort in your craft.  I have been told that I’m a good writer (and NOT just by my mother!) and that whatever “it” is, I have “it” and I should continue on my path.  My path is a long journey.  It will probably be longer than the average older while male…because the typical industry writer is an older white male. 

I just want to write good solid interesting scripts and have my films produce so that my community can be proud and they can say “Wow, did you know the screenwriter is a black female?”  My screenplays, treatments, and ideas I have written and etched out aren’t from an African American perspective.  That is the key to understanding my high concept thoughts. 

 So in the end, I’m really ticked off that even the worse of the worse scripts get green lit.

Scripts that have gone direct to DVD get green lighted……

At this point, I would settle for direct to DVD. Lol

um…direct to streaming?

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? (lol)

Be Free…

Crofton Triangle

I wrote Crofton Triangle when I was in school getting my MFA in Creative Writing.  It was my thesis.  The idea for the script came from the place I live, Crofton.  When I first moved to Crofton, I felt like I was in another world. The kids were outside riding their bikes and skateboarding without a parent in sight.  Moms drive mini-vans, Dads work in the city, and all the kids know one another from social interactions in and outside of school.  I felt like I stepped into a Norman Rockwell painting. 

Crofton is definitely a community that’s nestled away from the usual inner city woes and chaos.  It’s secluded by the vast amount of trees  and it sits up on a slight hill.  You almost think the residents that live there have a secret pass code to even be there.

The idea for the screenplay came into mind when I said…what would it be like if one family was terrorized in this tranquil community?  How would they react to their world turning upside down?  What if they had to face the seedy side of life? 

The script went through a lot of revisions.  It has its highs and its lows along with an interesting twist. Actually two twists.  You just don’t know where it’s all going to lead the audience.  I love how this script comes together.  It was my first stab at writing suspense. I really had a good time writing the ending.

Here is the link to download, review, and follow me on Amazon Studios.  http://studios.amazon.com/scripts/2411  I would truly appreciate the honest feedback.  The more downloads and reviews the better for me in making headway in this contest; but also the better for me in understanding and honing my craft.

Be Free....

Easily Discouraged

The last I checked the Amazon Studios contest had at least 1523 projects.  More projects are uploaded and submitted everyday.  So you wonder to yourself, how in the world am I going to get my project noticed? 

Tweet it?  Like anyone in your timeline cares. 

FB it? Like you want to bombard your family and friends with downloading and reading your project when they are all too busy or they have already read it.

There is this thought in my  mind and I’m sure in other people’s minds as well, that if your project doesn’t have a lot of downloads and reviews you’re dead in the water when it comes to winning this contest.  No matter if a person feels they have a high concept spec script or not.  It’s still buried among 1522 other projects.   

I  wonder, so I know you wonder,  how to make your page stand out.  How can you draw attention to your work?  The natural thought is to participate in the community at large, but given how the community is set up; it’s not one of being reciprocal.   So, if I download, read, and review someone’s project what is the likelihood they will do the same for me?   In my opinion the chance is slim.  And I will be the first to admit, I don’t want to spend a lot of time reading and reviewing someone else’s work and I’m not getting any hits on mine.  That’s only a natural feeling.

So I’m hoping that Amazon Studios is taking into consideration that although a project doesn’t have a lot of hits it doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy of consideration.  Reminds of me of what happens to most writers.  They are rejected, until one person reads it, and that one person has a feeling the story has potential.  Then the rest is history. I guess you can say I’m banking on the one person factor…..  

So here it is again: Here's the link to download, review and follow me. http://studios.amazon.com/scripts/2109  I would truly appreciate the honest feedback.  The more downloads and reviews the better for me in making headway in this contest.

Be Free....