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You Can (technically) Make a Movie in 48 Hours

You Can (technically) Make a Movie in 48 Hours

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Two weeks ago several of my screenwriting friends and I participated in the 48 hour film project. #48HFP! Here’s how it works: on designated weekends in cities all around the world, filmmakers gather together a team of writers, actors, gaffers, camera and sound operators to make a short film, between four and seven minutes in length. The project begins on a Friday evening when each team sends a representative to pull from a random drawing: A choice of two genres—or…

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The Writers’ Diet? 90 Days of Fat and Green(s)!

The Writers’ Diet? 90 Days of Fat and Green(s)!

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Hi everyone! This week’s post isn’t exactly about writing… except for the fact that writers spend a lot time sitting on their behinds, typing. In that sense, it’s probably not the healthiest of career choices because of the sheer number of hours of inactivity involved. And I work from home, within a few feet of the refrigerator. Nothing breaks writers’ block (or rewards finishing a difficult scene) like a bag of potato chips, right? Or maybe a little champagne? No…

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The TV Pilot’s Many Jobs!

The TV Pilot’s Many Jobs!

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In last week’s blog, I shared that I shifted from writing novels to writing for the screen after a demoralizing experience with my self-published novel series, “Ashes, Ashes.”  At the Booksellers Association Expo BEA) in New York City, I realized that my books were just a tiny drop in an ocean of words, virtually indistinguishable from a dozen others. So of course, after realizing my dreams of becoming a bestselling author had crumbled to dust,  the only logical thing to…

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Taking Control – The Moment I Stopped Trying to be a Screenwriter and Became A Producer

Taking Control – The Moment I Stopped Trying to be a Screenwriter and Became A Producer

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It’s my anniversary. No, not that kind (though that one is coming up soon, too). This month marks one year since I made one of the most pivotal decisions of my screenwriting career: The day I stopped waiting for Hollywood’s stamp of approval and decided to make my film myself. That significant decision—like so many in life—came about through a moment of deep despair. I had been working with a development executive to perfect one of my pilots for a…

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I Want to Be a Producer – The Beginning

I Want to Be a Producer – The Beginning

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I started writing for the screen in 2015 while in the middle of writing my novel series, Ashes, Ashes. It’s a tale of a group of young people trying to survive the aftermath of a nuclear attack on Washington, DC. I was working on the third of the six books and struggling to build a fan base in spite of amazing reviews in the crowded field of dystopian novels. Then my friend Tom suggested, “Why don’t you rewrite them for…

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Still talking about IR

Still talking about IR

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In 2010 I wrote a book called Don’t Bring Home a White Boy and Other Notions That Keep Black Women from Dating Out. So much has changed since then, but it seems the topic never grows old. Just last week I was invited to talk about that book on Christelyn Rusell-Karazin’s (author of Swirling) book study group. It’s a good thing Christelyn read from the book. I’ve forgotten a lot in seven years! LOL! The thing that strikes me most about…

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The Catcher– A Short Film

The Catcher– A Short Film

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Started a new venture recently: Directing! I just directed my first short this weekend with a brilliant and amazing cast crew. The film, called “The Catcher” is a high school story about a teen who embarks on a crusade to help a homeless classmate. I wrote it and when my producer friend Carletta S. Hurt of IKAM Productions asked me to direct it, I decided to give it a try. Many thanks to Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism…

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New Digs- Office Pics!

New Digs- Office Pics!

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Finally, after fifteen years of writing professionally, I have designated a space in my home just for writing. In other words, no more kitchen table, family room, desk in the bedroom. I’ve graduated. I have an office! It’s in the basement, far from the noises of the rest of my house. No dishwasher or laundry distractions. And it’s a long walk to the refrigerator, which is also a good thing! Here are a few photos: I’ve arranged it with things I…

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Pop the Champagne!

Pop the Champagne!

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I’m celebrating this weekend: I just finished the last book of the Doomsday Kids/Ashes, Ashes series. It will go live on Amazon.com on February 22, 2017.  You can find it here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6TUACM Writing these books has been the culmination of an incredible personal journey for me, with as many twists and turns as the tale of survival recounted in the books themselves. Like the kids, I almost gave up. I had a very dark moment of depression where I questioned…

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Adventures in Television

Adventures in Television

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I spent last week in Los Angeles, working on my “television career.”  Why the air quotes? Because this experience feels a lot like I’m living in a dream… and at any moment the alarm is going to go off. I keep having to pinch myself to make sure this is all really happening. It’s been one of the most confusing and exciting times of my life. It’s also been so completely unpredictable that I find myself completely unable to anticipate…

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