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30 Second Interview with…..Brad Keene

Posted in 30 Second Interview With...., tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2012| 9 Comments »

 James Lipton and the Actors Studio did it for fun with the actors…..Now, I’m doing it for fun with the writers.
  
 
Are you ready for a scary ride?
 
Let me introduce you to horror screenwriter, Brad Keene. Or better still, watch the following trailer to Brad’s 2008 movie, From Within.
 
 
Okay, so how do you feel? Calmed down yet? What’s that? You were too nervous to watch it?
 
I must just tell you this quick story. The first time I met Brad was at our managers offices in L.A. Brad entered and was asked to take a seat only to find Natalie and I already occupied both of them. Poor Brad had to stand. I nearly offered my chair’s arm….I don’t think I’ve told him that 🙂
 
So, let’s find out a little more about  the man who is an expert at scaring people.
 
In 2006, Brad wrote a screenplay with co-writer Chris Skinner, called ‘The Gravedancers’, a story about three friends who, after the death of their friend, drown their sorrows in beer and return to the cemetary…..only to find the following morning the ghost of a child pyromaniac, an axe murdered, and a rapist are terrorising them.
 
 
Then, in 2008 Brad wrote From Within , which boasts the talent of Rumer Willis   and Thomas Dekker. Brad also co-produced this movie which revolves around the residents of a small American town who begin to die one-by-one, apparently by suicide…
 
Then we come to a film we’ve all heard and seen called ‘The Grudge’. Well, in 2009, Brad wrote the third installment, aptly names ‘The Grudge 3′.
 
 
 
But screenwriting isn’t the only talent Brad has. With vetran writer and illustrator Shannon Eric Denton, Brad wrote Fleshdigger , a comic strictly for the older audience and one that premiered to a hail of praise from fans and comic readers alike.
 
And if that wasn’t enough to prove this writer has what it takes to prove his worth, his debut novel ‘Hat Trick’, is released by ZOVA Books in May 2012 and has a TV series ready for production later this year.
 
So, what could the man, who admits to being raised watching The Incredible Hulk, make of our ten questions?
 
 1.  What is your favorite word?  Persistence
 
2. What is your least favorite word? Resistance
 
3. What turns you on?   Energy
 
4. What turns you off?    Fatigue
 
5. What sound do you love?   Laughter
 
6. What sound do you hate? Chewing
 
7. What is your favorite curse word?   Dayum
 
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?   Comedian
 
9.  What profession would you not like to do?  Mortician
 
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? “Well, well, well. Look who it is! That wasn’t so bad. What’s with the concerned expresion? Relaz. I’m letting you in. I wouldn’t allow people to loiter at the gates unless entry was imminent. There’s enough anziety on Earth. So, come on in. By the way, I can’t wait to hear your clever stance on religion now. This  shifts the discussion a bit, doesn’t it? Oh. There’s that expression again. Don’t worry. All is forgiven…..and yes, we have a casino. People always ask about a casino as if being in Heaven isn’t enough. I’m not offended. It’s the best casino around. You’ll love it!”
 
    
 
 Contact Information

For more information regarding Brad Keene, please check out his IMDb, Facebook, twitter

If you want more of me, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin

 

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An Exciting Time For My Blog

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 26, 2012| 14 Comments »

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from ECollegeFinder notifying me that my blog had been nominated for an award. Yesterday, voting opened.

This is an extremely exciting for me.

I posted my first blog on 28th November, 2009. Like most new bloggers, I think I blogged about three times in two months and then nothing until October 2010, when I began blogging once a week. Now, however, I blog three times a week. I aim the majority of my articles towards writers, being I am one, but every now and then I like to have a little fun and embarass myself.

Every Monday I list all the latest writing competitions for authors and screenwriters I can find. Each Wednesday I post a 30 Second Interview, the particpants being either authors, screenwriters, or staff writers,  and Fridays are usually a mix between writing advice, guest posts, book reveiws, or just a bit of ‘fun’.

What has overwhelmed me, is the amount of support my twitter and Facebook peeps have shown. I’ve lost count how many messages of congratulations and RT’s I’ve received on twitter alone.

If you like this blog, and if you would like to show your much appreciated support, please click the blue box above (or the one in the top right hand margin). It only takes a minute. Click ‘Donna Newton’s Blog’, and then, at the bottom of the list, ‘VOTE’.

Voting ends Friday 3rd February, so there’s no time to waste. Oh, and if you feel really generous, you can vote for me more than once. So even if you already have …..Vote again 😀

I’ll let you know how I do.

Let me know what special awards you’ve been nominated for, or received. I don’t care what it’s for. School activities, competitions, anything goes on here.

If you want more of me, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin

 

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Competitions and Writing Opportunities Round Up #21

Posted in Classes, Competitions and Writing Opportunities, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 23, 2012| 1 Comment »

This weeks competitions that have caught my eye:

FICTION: Via First Writer

James White Award Short Story Contest
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   31st January 2012
Fees:   £0 for one entry.
Prizes:   £200 for first place. Also magazine publication.
Details:   For science fiction stories up to 6,000 words by non-professional writers.
Contact:   James White Award Administrator, 48 Spooners Drive, Park Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL2 2HL
Country:   United Kingdom
Website:   http://www.jameswhiteaward.com

James Jones Fellowship Contest
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   1st March 2012
Fees:   $25 for one entry. $28 for online submissions.
Prizes:   $10,000 for first place. $750 x 2.
Details:   For novels in progress by US citizens who have not had a novel published.
Contact:   James Jones First Novel Fellowship, c/o M.A./M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Wilkes University, 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766
Country:   United States
Email:   jamesjonesfirstnovel@wilkes.edu
Website:   http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1159.asp

Science Fiction Short Story Competition
Category:   Fiction
Closes:  31st May 2012
Fees:   £3.50 for one entry. £30 critique fee.
Prizes:   £50 for first place. Runner-up £30.
Details:   Open to new and published writers in the genre. The winner, runner-up and up to 12 other winners will be published in a Science Fiction anthology in August 2012. Winners will be announced in July 2012. Entries can be made by email in Word, Open Office or PDF format. Please write Science Fiction Entry in the subject line. Maximum length: 3,500 words.
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   wjwpublishing@gmail.com
Website:   http://wjwpublishing.wordpress.com/

€100 can be yours!
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   15th March 2012
Fees:   €5 for one entry.
Prizes:   €100 for first place.
Details:   Maximum length is 1500 words. Theme – anything you like, so long as it makes us laugh. For the full list of rules and regs, visit our website, where you can also read the winning entries and runners-up from the first four competitions. So, join in, get writing and have fun.
Country:   Portugal
Email:   competition@cheerreader.co.uk
Website:   http://cheerreader.co.uk

Stony Brook Short Fiction Prize
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   1st March 2012
Fees:   $0 for one entry.
Prizes:   $1,000 for first place.
Details:   For short stories up to 7,500 words by full-time students in US or Canadian universities.
Contact:   John Westermann, Director, Stony Brook $1,000 Short Fiction Prize, Stony Brook Southampton, MFA in Writing and Literature, 239 Montauk Highway, Southampton, New York 11968
Country:   United States
Website:   http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/southampton/fiction/index.shtml

Valentine’s short story competition
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   6th February 2012
Fees:   £0 for one entry.
Prizes:   £10 for first place. Web publication and possible print publication. (Alteternative to cash – £10 vouchers).
Details:   We’re looking for romance this spring. Send us a short story of no more than 1,500 words including 1) a spilled drink and 2) a case of mistaken identity. Your story can be any genre, so long as it contains a romantic element. Any sexual content should avoid explicit or graphic detail and be relevant to the story.
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   competition@thegreatesc.com
Website:   http://thegreatesc.com/writing-competitions

Meridian Writing Spring Competition
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   31st March 2012
Fees:   £5 for one entry. Additional £3 for a basic critique
Prizes:   £100 for first place. Second place – £50, and Third Place – £25 plus a firstwriter.com voucher for each winner
Details:   Short stories accepted of up to 3,000 words – with no lower limit – in any genre or theme. Open to new and published writers. Critique service available – please see website for full entry details and services available.
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   info@meridian-writing.co.uk
Website:   http://www.meridian-writing.co.uk

Chudleigh Phoenix 2012 Short Story Competition 
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   31st January 2012
Fees:   £5 for one entry.
Prizes:   £100 for first place. £50; £25.
Details:   For short stories up to 1,500 words. Open theme.
Contact:   Chudleigh Phoenix, The Granary, 3 Palace Mill, Rock Road, Chudleigh, TQ13 0JJ
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   chudleighphoenix@heathside.com
Website:   http://www.chudleighphoenix.co.uk/2012comp.html

Blue Cross – War Horse story competition
Category:   Fiction
Closes:   29th February 2012
Fees:   Ł0 for one entry.
Prizes:   Ł0 for first place. Ł50 book voucher.
Details:   To accompany the War Horse film, we are asking young writers to write 500 word story on: A day in the life of a war horse during the First World War, from the horse’s point of view or a story about a soldier and his horse during the First World War, showing the relationship between the horse and his rider. Two age groups: under 11s and 12-15s.
Contact:   War Horse Competition, The Blue Cross, Shilton Road, Oxon OX18 4PF
Country:   United Kingdom
Email:   warhorsecomp@bluecross.org.uk
Website:   http://www.bluecross.org.uk/95895/short-story-competition-for-young-people.html

FICTION

Langport Festival,
Closing date: 31st of March
Prize:   1st £125, 2nd £75, 3rd £25.
Details on our website www.langportleveller.co.uk (don’t forget to download the attachment on the site).

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA Via RWA

2012 Prism Contest
Sponsor: Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Chapter
Fee: $30–35.00
Deadline: March 20, 2012
Eligibility: Books with publication date of 2011.
Entry: Novels and novellas with both romance and paranormal elements.
Categories: Dark Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Light Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Futuristic, Time Travel/Steampunk, Erotica/Romantica, YA, Novella, Best First Book, Best of the Best.
Judges: published/unpublished.
Top Prize: gorgeous Prism Award, certificate, pin.
FMI, www.romance-ffp.com or PrismContest@romance-ffp.com.

SCRIPT WRITING OPPORTUNITIES Via ISA:

ACTOR PRODUCER LOOKING FOR SHORT SCRIPT
Actor/Producer is looking for a festival ready short film to produce. Drama, Action, Romance are welcolme. NO SCI FI please! This is a ultra low budget. We’re looking for a project that’s 6 pages max. Would like to work with writers possibly on a long term basis to develope feature. Please include your synopsis along with resume. Send inquiries to info@RonBRobinson.com. Thank you.

SEEKING SCREENWRITERS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF BLACK CULTURE
I am looking for a writer to collaborate with on a feature film screenplay. Genre is Black comedy, action and or stories dealing with black culture of the past few decades. Films such as “Coming to America” “Five Heartbeats” “Spook That Sat By The Door” “New Jack City” “Love Jones” “Cooley High” “Jungle Fever” “Love And Basketball” “Love And Basketball” “Mo’ Better Blues” “Malcom X” etc. Etc. I have a few ideas in mind, but I am willing to start fresh. Contact me at rodneydwira@alphabetproductions.com. Thank you.

SCREENWRITER NEEDED TO POLISH VO DIALOGUE FOR DOC FILM
Screen Writer needed for feature length documentary to complete and polish existing voice over dialog for two hour film. Some plot points may need polishing as well. Duration of work shall run for two weeks and require writer to take on style of host/talent in documentary. Previous documentary experience a plus. Salary is negotiable. Job is to be filled right away. Non WGA only please. For more information please contact us at info@hollywoodrequest.com.

ECLIPSE TALENT SEEKING SITCOM PILOT SCRIPTS
Eclipse Talent are currently seeking scripts for a pilot Sitcom.We are looking for ideas for a sitcoms set to the style of shows such as; Benidorm, Phoenix Nights,The Royle Family, Early Doors. If you would like to work with us please write a spec script or short scene with your ideas and treatment. Send material to eclipsetalent@aol.com. Thank you.

SEARCHING FOR COWRITER TO COLLABORATE ON SCIFI FEATURE SCRIPT
Director developing feature version of a science-fiction action story based on short film is searching for a co-writer to collaborate on the feature script.  The script will be independently produced later this year in Michigan, and some equity financing has already been secured. The film will have a budget of less than $500,000, but our goal is to utilize digital filmmaking and groundbreaking special effects now available to everyone, to produce a film that looks and feels like a $50M movie. This is a great opportunity to get some of your work professionally produced and hopefully distributed to an audience. The ideal candidate should be a great writer, love collaboration, be passionate about movies and science fiction, and be fun to work with.  Also, you would be able to stay on the project for help re-writing and polishing the script until we shot in August. Agency representation is a plus. Please send writing samples to scifiwritersearch@gmail.com and tell us a little about yourself in the email. Compensation will be available on a deferred basis, but cash payment may be available upon financing completion in March.

PRODUCTION COMPANY LOOKING FOR FILM NOIR SCRIPTS
Production Company looking for FILM NOIR scripts to make into feature film. Must have some commercial appeal, but would love a FILM NOIR script that stays true to classic FILM NOIR. Please submit script with IMDB link or resume to deppich22@gmail.com.

LOOKING FOR TALENTED SCREENWRITER TO COLLABORATE WITH DIRECTOR
We are looking for a talented screenwriter who will work in collaboration with the director to develop a full length screenplay based on his idea. It’s “work for hire” which means the writer will not own the rights to the screenplay. The writer will be paid once the film goes in production and will receive a screenwriting credit on film. It’s a mixed genre concept with philosophical tones to it. Please apply only if you have written feature film scripts previously. Attach a pdf with samples of your work. If you don’t provide any samples, we will not consider you. Please contact us at mail@millionsofpixels.net. The imdb link to the director’s filmography is: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0162157/. Thank you.

SEEKING WRITER FOR TV PILOT
We are looking for the writer of our up and coming TV Pilot ‘Cast a Star’ we want it to be a scripted documentary style reality TV piece; that will cast our next film ‘Dissection’. The short-listed actors will then be put into a house to do daily tasks, that relate to the filming process. The actors we like the best will be cast into roles. The show will incorporates a range of shows that you would have already seen, for example: X-factor, Big Brother, The Hills, Made in Chelsea, The only way is Essex etc. By putting them together we will produce something that is new and exciting for audiences, interested in the arts. The writer will be paid £300-500 plus 1% of net producers profit depending on experience.

PRODUCTION COMPANY SEEKING ANIMATION AND FANTASY SCRIPTS
Production company is working with investment group and interested in producing feature length animation and/or fantasy and is seeking scripts for review. Any scripts based on books or TV stories must have full rights obtained prior to submission. Please submit logline with synopsis for review to us at info@jninemedia.com. If our company is interested we will contact you for further information. All scripts must be WGA or have copyright. Pay is “Paid option agreement.” Thank you.

Please remember to check out legitimacy of all contests before you enter, and to copyright all your work.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

If you want more of me, you can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin

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30 Second Interview with…..Noelle Carbone

Posted in 30 Second Interview With...., tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 4, 2012| 3 Comments »

James Lipton and the Actors Studio did it for fun with the actors…..Now, I’m doing it for fun with the writers. 
 
29 year old, Noelle Carbone has one of the best jobs in the world. How did she get there? With a whole lot of talent, and a little bit of luck. Born in Windsor, Ontario, Noelle’s job almost seems inevitable. Having graduated from the University of Western Ontario, Noelle decided to enroll in a summer screenwriting workshop at Humber College.
 
It was here that she met Professor Donna O’Brien-Sokic. With much encouragement, and demonstrating endless hard work, Noelle went on to complete a further three years in Humber’s film and television programme.
 
During this time, Noelle made many friends and contacts and in her third year at Humber, she landed an internship with Capri Films Inc. While here, Noelle was introduced to Ilana Frank, President of Thump Inc & Norstar Filmed Entertainment Inc… and landed the job of a lifetime as Ilana’s development Executive for ABC’s hit Canadian television series, ‘Rookie Blue’.
 
Ironically, the day before Rookie Blue aired, Noelle was out with two off-duty police friends when a couple of shoplifters tried to leave a convenience store with a back pack full of unpaid goods. The officers leapt into action and apprehended one of the suspects.

Now a writer & executive story editor on the show, which is now heading for its third season, having friends like these has its benefits – and real-life ideas. Click here for a behind the scenes look at the show.

So, what would a girl like Noelle make of our ten questions?

1.  What is your favorite word?  Forza!
 
2. What is your least favorite word? Mucus
 
3. What turns you on?   Pencil Skirts
 
4. What turns you off?   Bad Grammar (Yep, I’m that guy.)
 
5. What sound do you love?   Justin Rutledge’s Voice. (It’s like someone playing with your hair while you fall asleep.
 
6. What sound do you hate?  Raccoon fights
 
7. What is your favorite curse word?   Balls
 
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?   I’m too unemployable to do anything else
 
9.  What profession would you not like to do?  Flight attendant. (I barf on planes.)
 
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?   ”Nicely done.”
 
  
        
  
Contact Information

For more information regarding Noelle Carbone’s work, please check out her Website, Facebook, twitter

If you want more of me, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin

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30 Second Interview with….Ryne Douglas Pearson

Posted in 30 Second Interview With...., tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 14, 2011| 17 Comments »

James Lipton and the Actors Studio did it for fun with the actors…..Now, I’m doing it for fun with the writers.

Hold the phone!
This cannot be true.
Ryne Douglas Pearson, writer extraordinare, has never tasted strawberry ice cream? *Shudders at the thought.*
Californian Ryne, who once claimed the most fun job he’d ever had was when he worked as a plumber, married into a large Irish Catholic family. A practicing Catholic himself, Ryne is not only well known for his novels, he is also recognised in the movie industry.
Novels Cloudburst, October’s Ghost, Capitol Punishment,  Top Ten, The Donzerly Light, All For One, and Confessions have confirmed his status as being a great author. But when novel Simple Simon was picked up by Hollywood and turned into the 1996 hit movie Mercury Rising, starring Bruce Willis, it opened another door for his writing.
In 2008, Ryne worked (uncredited) on scripts for Keanu Reeves movie, The Day Earth Stood Still  and Jessica Alba’s  The Eye, and in 2009, he was one of four writers who wrote the screenplay Knowing, a concept he himself created.
Although first frowned upon by the critics (what do they know?), Knowing went straight to number one at the box office. American film critic and screenwriter, Roger Ebert boasted it being one of the best sci-fi films he had ever seen. Knowing went on to make more than $180 million worldwide.
Ryne is a member of Writers Guild of America-West, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Of America and International Thriller Writers. When not writing or spendng time with his wife, children, and two dogs – a Doberman Shepherd and Beagle Vizsla, you can find him twittering with friends.
So what would a man, who is described by Entertainment Weekly as having a ‘sweet, disarming quality’ make of our ten questions?
1 .  What is your favorite word?  Hello
2. What is your least favorite word?   Stupid
3. What turns you on?   Fishing
4. What turns you off?   Guano
5. What sound do you love?   Laughter
6. What sound do you hate?   Whining
7. What is your favorite curse word?   Crapweasel
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?   Chef
9.  What profession would you not like to do?  Doctor
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?   You’re Late.
   

Contact Information

For information regarding Ryne Douglas Pearson books and films and please visit his Website, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads 

You can find all of Ryne’s books at Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, and  Apple iBooks

If you want more of me, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin

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Writing Success – Talent or Luck?

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2011| 5 Comments »

Does our success as writers have more to do with luck than talent? Or do you think talent prevails over luck every time?

Well, speaking on behalf of my own experiences, I know it has a little to do with both; talent cannot function without luck and vice versa.

Recently, I co-wrote a Supernatural TV pilot, called ‘The Legend’. I had never written a script before, knew nothing about layout and formatting, but dug in, worked hard, and voila, a pilot was born.

At the end of February, my co-writer friend and I were attending the DFW Writer’s Conference in Texas. Now, I class myself as a thrill seeker, but my co-writer went a step further and thought it would be an excellent opportunity to stop by L.A. and ‘pitch’ the TV idea to some Hollywood bodies. Laughingly, and if not just to humour her, I agreed.

We queried everyone we could think of and arranged some meetings. One meeting in particular surprised me. It was with an entertainment lawyer. I asked my friend why she had contacted an entertainment lawyer, to which she simply replied, “why not?”

That entertainment lawyer read our script and loved it. At around the same time a manager contacted this lawyer, and at the end of their telephone conversation asked if he knew of any ‘new’ writers. He looked at our script and emailed it over to her. She read it, loved it, and promptly contacted us.

Two new script-writers left her office a week later with several projects and ideas to write; she wanted to see anything and everything we wrote.

In essence – we had a manager.

All that came from querying a lawyer. Now I’m not telling you email every lawyer you can think of; we also met with an actor and a producer – both of which have attached to the project. But with each person we met, we were recommended to someone else, and each contact is now a person we have met with personally and can email ideas and projects without the need of a query letter. Hence we have a VIP backdoor where only solicited work is allowed to enter.

So yes, I believe your career is made with a mixture of luck and talent:

Luck – Maybe we didn’t go about querying in the correct manner, but we did it politely and professionally…..and we got the face to face meetings we wanted.

Luck – We happened to be liked, and first impressions seem to be everything in this business.

Talent – That all important synopsis were our hook, and led our readers into wanting the script.

Talent – The script is why wanted people to meet us.

Without these key ingredients, I would not be sitting here now, blogging about my experiences. I walked away from L.A. a very busy girl, but having my writing described as very well written and with strong voice was a boost to an area of writing I am very new at, and being praised as audacious was fun – I mean, me, audacious? Honestly 😀

So, tell me if a mixture of luck and talent has led to any of your successes.

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