"Rescue Yourself" Kindle Published

I just published my first book on Amazon Kindle...

"Rescue Yourself: 8 Easy Steps to Saving Your Life"...
This is a book for those people who feel something is missing buy can't put their finger on it. What I found missing was My Life... I had given it away and it was time to reclaim it for my survival...
To catch you up a bit .... It's been three years since I've blogged here.... time flies by in the mean time.
I have been writing Screenplays full time The Filly, The Russian Godfather, The Marlboro Man, The Vampire Poker Club, The Fruit Stand, Gold Rush among others... no success but I had fun and learned a lot honing my skills as a screenwriter.
All the while I sat with the idea that someday I'd resurrect my ebook... Your Life-Your Rules and maybe turn it into an Amazon Kindle Book.
This is really exciting for me.
I feel like Steve Martin in "The Jerk"... "The new phonebook's here... the new phonebook's here... I'm somebody now".
Well maybe not quite over-the-top.... but it does feel great to be published.
More to follow in the coming weeks...
Namaste Speedo

Time flew by

Wow..... I didn't realize it's been this long....

I just finished my 5th draft of 'Batya' screenplay. Now to put it out of sight before I scene score it where I start at the end and work scene by scene to the beginning scoring from 1 -10 for Entertainment, Interest, Tension, Clarity, Voice, Setup/Payoff.

This is the time I sit back and catch up on reading, going to a film, just shutting down. I have the urge to start beating out the next project 'Derby'. I guess I'm a workaholic. I just love what I do.

I thought that I might have something to say... but alas I was wrong.

Life is good here in Wenatchee. We missed the end of summer due to the smoke from forest fires the hit is early September. Now it's into fall with winter snows on the mountain tops. It's inevitable that winter is just around the corner. Not much to do about that.

I pray for my friends families on the east coast.

God Bless

Your Life-Your Movie
Namaste Speedo

Where are you going?

A peculiar question to pose. But relevant to my quandary this morning.
I'm writing this screenplay, working title "The Filly".  I have lost the External/Physical goal of the story. In other words I don't know where the story stops.
This is not good.
I have the Internal/Emotional goal of the story nailed. My heroes emotional transformational growth is primal and universal.
Okay.
So what's the big deal? As the Madd Hatter said to Alice... "When you get to the end Stop!" I wish it was that easy.
Have you ever planned a trip to Key West and not made it? Or San Diego? Or Omaha? Or work and just couldn't walk through the door. Hmmmm!
Well neither have I.
So I have this destination and I'm being pulled in another direction by another destination.
What to do?
I have to go with it.
I have to believe in the process.
I have to have faith that my characters will fulfill their goals or not.
Well I don't know if this has made any sense to you but I feel better dumping my dirty laundry.
Your Life - Your Movie!
Namaste Speedo

Crisis in Coffeeville

All's well with the world. Serendipity is working magically in my life.
I woke up early this morning to help a friend condense her two storage units.
Road 3 miles to Caffe Mela with thoughts of stopping by the Farmers Market first. I need some farm fresh vegetables for my Penne Chichen Primevara this evening. Yum....
Oh I discover the market doesn't open until 8 o'cock, the time my friend is picking me up.
No worry. I'll just go and start my day the way I usually start it with coffee and writing.
I have a free coffee on the books, so why not a 6 shot latte preparing for the busy day ahead, right?
I start working away on my project creating subplots to carry the story forward.
My friend texts telling me that moving will be postponed until later and she will not need my help. Great! I didn't really want to throw stuff on Saturday anyway.
From behind the coffee bar I hear "Oh no!". The espresso machine breaks down and they can't pour espresso shots. Chez the genius behind the bar begins breaking down the machine while Lizzy tells disappointed caffeine addicts the sad news.
Yeah for my forethought to order my 6 shot latte... Life is good.

Just in.... Chaz is the Man!!!! machine up and running...
Life is really good now...
Your Life - Your Movie!
Namaste Speedo

Muse Independence at Work

I am writing the following to as muse therapy. I have been struggling with the new project for a few weeks. I have the external story nearly nailed but I fall short with the Gates', Main Character, arc cumulating with a metamorphosis in Act 4.

The marriage lasted ten years ending in a messy divorce due to his insanity and infidelity. She looses everything becoming homeless.

In the resolution, Gates exacts revenge on the people who murdered her husband, stole his estate and destroyed his legacy. I am asking myself the big 'why' question. What is the reason she risks her life to bring to justice these people? Why doesn't she just run and hide? Why does trust the system to right its wrongs?

These are questions that plague me today. But you know what? I have found questions to ask. That is my creative independence. My muse needs its agenda free space to work. I use the "30 bad ideas" I learned from Blake Snyder. The more questions I ask, no matter how ridicules the answers, the closer I am to the best answer for the story. The secret is to keep digging deeper.

Hope you find answers to your plaguing questions.

Your Life - Your Rules!
Namaste Speedo

Found a home

What a month!

It started out in Palm Desert meeting on a couple of projects. Both went unbelievably well and they are moving forward.

I returned home to Wenatchee. Yes I have decided this is home. I had always kept an escape clause... 'I really want to return to Palm Desert' to live. But after a week of 105+ in the first part of May I decided that.... 'No!' A business trip is fine, but that is as far as I want to take it. 

I do miss all my friends in the desert and think about what you so freely imparted to me: your love and kindness!

So I'm back at Caffe Mela located in the heart of Wenatchee on Wenatchee Avenue in my office and chair talking to my peeps, drinking exceptional lattes and working on my projects 4+ hours a day... 

Life is good.

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

visit...

Caffemela.com

Facebook.com/caffemela

Tax Day Whoohoo

NOT!!!!!

Can you really believe we have to support all the bull shit that is taking place in Washington DC............

On a happier note....

I arrive back in Palm Desert on April 24 for the 3 week working vacation. I will be meeting with producer on a new screenwriting project - interviews, research, beating out a story....

And... tuning up an existing adaptation project with my business partner/author...

And... meet with my Manager/Attorney in LA to exchange thoughts and ideas.

Wow this is so cool....

Your Life - Your Movie...!
Namaste Speedo

Challenging Month

Chase Your Potential is dedicated to pushing the envelope. This has been my experience this last month.
I signed up for a Maximizing Interest screenwritng course from Screenwriting U to chase My potential as a screenwriter.
I have added simple tools - when applied - enhancing my storytelling ability. Every assignment has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. WhooHoo.
Batya, my current adaptation is popping off the page.
I never know what I need until I find the courage to look through a new pair of glasses. When I find the courage to admit there is a another avenue I always benefit.
Hope Spring is headed your way soon.
Your Life Your Movie
Namaste Speedo

Dream Representation

What a wonderful Jan 2012 turned out to be for me.

I secured representation with an Entertainment Attorney in LA.  WhooHoo!!

I have been writing screenplays for the last 20 years skirting the fringe of the business.
All I can admit to:
I've written 14 screenplays.
Optioned 3.
Sold 0
Continued my craft education with seminars, tele-seminars, screenwriting books, etc.

I have reached the point where I am not settling for sitting with the fringe group any longer.
I have paid my emotional dues and now I am taking myself seriously... I am a professional screenwriter.
I am starting a Page One rewrite on an adaptation screenplay attached with a Letter of Intent to a major Production company.
I have a working agreement for my next screenplay. (We are working on getting LOI's from two other Production companies.)
I am developing other ideas, log lines, pitches for other projects.

This is what I've wanted to do all my life.
Why did I wait so long.....?

I guess it was my fear of success. As silly as that sounds I am not alone. I would guess many, a vast majority of people, sit and wonder what would I do if I succeeded at my dreams? What if I gave it my best and failed? What if I wasn't good enough? What would I dream then?

I keep done something until I can't do it any longer.

For me it was sitting on the fringe. No more fringe sitting for me.

Risking my dream is living my dream.

Your Life Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

So Long... 2011

On the eve of a new year awakening I thought about 2011.
I wasn't all that I expected or planned, but it was a productive and prosperous year.
I kept an attitude of prosperity, gratefulness and love in all my ventures. It's surprising simple. Opportunities walk into my life that I couldn't have predicted.
I'm finishing up a adaptation of a novel to screenplay. We have a production company waiting to read the script. Whoohoo.
I am negotiating another screenplay that has two other production companies interested in the story.
I made a lot of great friends working at Caffe Mela in the middle of downtown Wenatchee - my office. Great staff and great customers.
My health is returning after 13 years of struggling. I celebrated an anniversary from my surgery. I feel great.
I have nothing but positive, productive, prosperous expectations for 2012.
It's going to be a magical year. I can't wait.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year.
Namaste Speedo

The Draft

I've been adapting a novel to screenplay form since August. I hold a Letter of Intent from a major production studio waiting to read my script.
This is my first adaptation. I have to say it has presented more than a few challenges. I have pulled every trick from my writer's tools bag I can muster... relying heavily on Blake Snyder's Save the Cat.
This week I finish my first rough, rough draft from fade in to fade out...
My process:
1. Go through the storyline to tighten it. I am about a quarter of the way through my first pass. It is tight, but I can make it tighter.
2.  Add emotional/action scenes to complement the story. The tighter the storyline the more I can devote to emotional character arches.
3. Add theme, subtext to every scene in order to hook the reader.
4. Include dialogue directly from the novel... tweaking to heighten flavor of the characters.
Next, return to #1
It's hard to express the excitement I have for this project.
I have been half-heartedly writing spec-screenplays for 20 years. I am finally learning my craft...
The key is to plough through, continue to learn, write, have passion for your craft and enjoy to process.
Your Movie - Your Life
Namaste Speedo

Christmas Ideas: Support local services

I received this email and thought it was a wonderful idea for all of us.... Enjoy....


Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into
high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced
goods -- Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American
labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the
gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an
excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced
by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to
fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift
certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about
some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American
owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift
certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking
down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that
grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed
for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local
golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what
about  a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks
this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your
home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep
their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of
a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy
who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people
spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and
pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and
leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or
ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand
Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of
light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those
kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a
nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring
about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away
to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we
care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we
couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.
Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section
in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio
stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about
each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?


Pass this on.....


Your Life - Your Movie
Namaste Speedo

What another month....?

I really don't have much to report in the way of inspiration... Wait..I am inspired!

Summer has left and winter is in the near future... Wenatchee and the Columbia River Valley is a wonderful, colorful place to live and work. I am one lucky man...

I been working daily on the novel adaptation. What a wonderful journey it is to put another author's story into script. I am learning a lot about storyline, character arch, B story... well everything. I know this will improve my storytelling for future screenplays. Oh... the screenplay is maturing daily. I'm beating out the scene process. No dialogue.

Until then.... Smiles to all you scribes....

Your Life - Your Movie

Namate Speedo

What a Month!!

I can't believe September is behind me... Lots of productivity, creativity, fun...

I am will immersed into the treatment of my adaptation project... It's starting to jell. The work is becoming fun. Full of enjoyment and surprises.

I can always tell when the project turns to fun - I have found the voice of the piece. It's taken me a long time to arrive at this point in my creative career. It was a joy all along my journey.

I feel I'm the luckiest man in the world right now. I know it is only going get better and better.

My bliss have become my career... I am and always have been blessed...

I don't have anything else going on at this time to expound upon... so .......

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

Chase Your Dream - Never Give Up

I have been writing screenplays for 25 years. Most of the time I kept them to myself. I didn't feel they were ready for primetime.

My first intro into the working of Hollywood came in 88 when after playing around with writing industrial videos. I had put an ad in the Desert Sun looking for scripts.

I received a few, none good enough, but I met a screenwriter to be who became my writing partner for a few of years. Together we were introduced to a producer who had a 'deal' with Paramount. He had an office on the lot. We wrote a couple of scripts that were that good - not that good, but I got a taste of what the industry was all about. It's not for the weak of heart.

The partnership broke up.

Still I would pump one out every few years.

About 15 years later I met another writer/producer of short films and over three years we wrote a couple and scripts and even got one optioned.

All the time I continued to read scripts and books about screenwriting. I would drop it for a few months, but always developed story ideas.

The thing is I kept immersed in the learning. I met a wonderful mentor, Blake Snyder, and was fortunate enough to take a couple of his seminars on the craft of storytelling/screenwriting.

I kept writing, developing and in contact with my last writing partner. I would read his scripts and give coverage notes.

A couple of months ago I contacted him and asked if his project was moving forward. He said that he was in another rewrite. He sent me his script to read and I mentioned it was a vast improvement. Writing scripts is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting.....

He told me that he had a project that had been offered to him, but he was too busy to work on it and asked if I wanted to take a look.

Well today I received word that the adaptation that I have been beating out, outlining, sample scripting is going forward. The author has a letter of intent from a production company to make the film when he presents a quality script.

Next week I will be signing an Intellectual Property Agreement with the author to adapt his book to a screenplay. This is fun.

What I wanted to point out is I never gave up. I continued to learn the craft of storytelling and screenwriting so that when this project landed at my feet I was ready.

I never gave up.

Here's the optimistic quote from a screenwriter/author that we all should read every morning...

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark.

In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all , do not let the gero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world ou desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible…. It is yours!” Ayn Rand….b. St. Petersburg Russia

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

Whew

What a fast July! Did anyone get the license number?

I am that I am. A loving creative being. A creator of my universe.

I have been caught up in a rewrite of a script for a writer/producer. And it's FUN! It has taken all my energy and time.

It's challenging to rewrite someone's laborious creative ideas while keeping the same story intact. What to cut? What character to eliminate? When to start the scene? The Act? When to leave the scene? What scene to cut? All of this without any coverage. It's a blank canvas.

What I decided was to go with my instincts on my first draft. It makes the story mine. Then, I can add and/or subtract from there. It a process and I love it.

I hope all your summer escapes have been wonderfully exciting memorable experiences. These are the souvenirs that you'll cherish forever.

Your Life Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

Experience... No Struggling?

I was talking to a friend yesterday when he ask me whether I thought life was a struggle?

My first thoughts were "well yeah. It's always has been a struggle for everyone". Then I stopped my thoughts, took a breath and replied, "No I don't".

Then came the barrage of questions:

On your journey through life don't you struggle everyday?

Don't you struggle to change?

Do you really accept everything?

Do you accept the war? Starvation? The Poor?

Frustrated, after about 5 minutes of struggling to convince me, he finally said "You just want to argue with me."

I said, "I don't live my life as though it is a struggle. And no, I'm not arguing with you. Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I'm arguing with you. I'm not trying to convince you of anything. You and I have a different view on life. It's not that I'm right and you're wrong." With that he got up and left.

I understand where my friend was coming from. I acknowledge his view on life. I honor his view on his life. It is his path at this time in his life. It's his to struggle if he desires. It's just not the way I choose to live life.

Today I live my life as though it is a series of experiences. Nothing more. There is no good or bad. No right or wrong. No better or worst. Life is a gift. By living in the NOW (No Other Way) I receive the present.

I try to go out of my mind. My mind is always processing life. It wants figure it out and throw it in little boxes so "I" could make sense out of events. This limited me. As my mind was attempting to protect me by struggling to process everything - I was missing out on life. True life.

Years ago I found the life's secret for me. I became vulnerable to everything. Vulnerability became a position of power, not weakness. I stopped trying to figure out what was going on only to satisfy my mind while I was missing life. I was fulfilling my minds needs but at the cost of my heart-spirits needs.

My spirit needs experiences. When I allow my spirit to experience life's events it thrives. This is the reason my spirit came to earth. For human experiences. To feel what it is like to be human. It doesn't judge. It experiences. It doesn't limit. It experiences. It doesn't process. It experiences. Too simple? Maybe. This too is an experience.

This is why I can say that life is not a struggle. It's just an experience.

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

Be Outrageous... have Fun!

What am I talking about? The care and feeding of your Spirit.

Okay here's the scoop... we are all actors on this stage of life. We get to choose the parts we play on a daily basis. Now the questions is "what role do we want to play today?"

Most of us play roles we are familiar with. The Mother. Father. Sibling. Son. Daughter. Employee. Addict. Lover. Enabler. Dominator. Dependent. Inventor. Thief. Drunk. Blamer. Victim. Wife. Husband... Not to mention all the labels we call ourselves on a daily basis that inhibit spiritual experiences.

Here's the challenge to each of us: Be Outrageous... for life's experiences!

I was so fearful of what the public thought of me a decade ago that I went bright blond. It was remarkable. Not we all now that men do not color their hair. It's a taboo. Really? The women in my life were shocked but complimented me. The men in life were shocked and suggested I'd lost my mind. The end result was this - I was having fun and most people didn't care that I was being outrageous. I recently shaved my head with the same result - people don't care.

If people don't care what you do why not have all the fun you can. Be outrageous. Redefine the roles you play or at least lighten up and have fun.

This is a challenge for most of us. I think it's a hold over from tribe or group mentality. I grew up in a family where the message I heard was "do not embarrass the family". Now I can't say that was the actual message I was given but that was what I heard. It hand cuffed me. It defined me. It limited me to not adventure out and experience outrageous behavior.

The bottom line is I was allowing myself to be defined and controlled by my mind. Old mental pictures, limitations, boundaries, patterns, habits were imprisoning me. My spirit lives on experiences not knowledge. Yet my mind was processioning each experience as it unfolded. No fun! It thought it was protecting me, my spirit.

The result was my mind imprisoned my spirit. Suffocating my spirit. Stifling my spirit. And I was becoming more miserable. When I discovered that my mind was out to get me I somehow found the courage to "go out of my mind". I learned to breathe when I felt myself nervous to connect with my spirit.

Being outrageous allows me to have fun. Today I am vulnerable to life and all of its experiences. I almost missed life. I almost missed My Movie.

Whoohoo!

Your Life - Your Movie!

Namaste Speedo

Going out of your Mind!

A friend called me today telling me that his head is attacking him.... again. Boy can I relate to this, but not as often as I use to.

I have worked real hard... well that's not entirely true... to go out of my mind. When you think about the your mind it's main function is to protect you by analyzing data, circumstances, surroundings in order for you to survive. It has served you well. But now there's more...

But something is happening today that calls for each of us to go out of their minds. No I don't mean crazy or insane but rather to stop relying solely on rational thought. It is not serving you and me well.

Your Heart-Spirit is calling to you and me. I call this being 'vulnerable' to life. I mean everything - people, colors, smells, sights, experiences. I discovered that being vulnerable empowered me. I met and did things on the spur of the moment throughout my day. I gathered souvenirs - experiences.

I recognized this about a 15 years ago when I noticed I was fighting with my brain to step out of myself. By 'myself' I mean my mind and its judgmental, defining, expecting, limiting behavior. It was not working in my life. In reality, my mind has always kept me in its rut in order to control me. The mind hates not to be in control.

Today, by stepping out of my mind and remaining vulnerable, I connect with my true Heart-Spirit. It's always been their waiting patiently for me to provide it with what it yearns for - Experiences. Any and all experiences without any limiting influence which the mind provides.

By listening to my heart-spirit I have discovered my true calling in this life - to be a Sovereign Being. It is a wonderful journey. At first it took daily practice to go out of my mind. My mind is sneaky. It kept trying to alert me to its unhappiness by suggesting false illusions of fear, doubt, depression and low self-esteme. Again trying to control me.

Slowly I began to recognize where these false illusions were coming from and I 'chose' not to react to it. I would say 'that is a lie' and 'thank you for sharing', then become vulnerable to the experience. The result was true freedom for the first time in my life.

Vulnerability to life is empowering. Today I listen to my Heart-Spirit. It leads my to wonderful experiences.

Oh! By the way... I'm smiling a lot more.

Your Life - Your Movie!

Namaste Speedo

Not Grateful... Start your day over

What a simple statement. But how do I start my day over?

Answer: Just Do It... as Nike suggests.

I have lived with this simple answer to all my problems for years now. Yet, I still forget to do it now and then. The trick is to recognize what is am doing early in the process or day.

Being human, sometimes I get entrenched in my personal rut of ....... and can't see what's going on until I'm well into it. Sometimes hours pass or even a day until I recognize what I am trudging through and I cannot stop or start it over. How can I limit these periods?

One way is to start with a gratitude list. Another is to get a perspective on how much control I have over the situation.

A friend let me photo this card that he carries around to remind himself to remain grateful throughout the day. Again this is simple.

How grateful are you today? President Abe Lincoln said "You are as happy (or grateful) as you make you mind up to be."

Don't worry about anything you can't control... why? Because it's out of your control. If it's in your control then do something about it NOW... Be grateful...

Your Life - Your Movie!

Namaste Speedo