This year has been a bear - I thought since I was stuck at home that I'd have a lot more time to work on my writing. But somehow, other things always came up. I edit formal papers and dissertations, and that takes up a lot of my time. But I am also involved with the local writers group that I started about 12 years ago, the Writers Alliance of Gainesville. That takes up some time, too.
So, I was very pleased to get some feedback on two recently completed pieces of work that I've submitted to various contests. I submitted my book, Bear-Trapped: Blowback, to the Writers Digest 2021 Self-published Book Contest. Blowback is the second in a mystery series about a man named Bear Huff who is a good detective but breaks the rules a bit. Here was part of the review (the positive part, of course :) ) -
"Bear-Trapped: Blowback is a suspenseful page-turner with a cast of memorable characters. Bear Huff is especially intriguing, as he wrestles with his sense of self now that he is in retirement. The other characters in Bear's world are equally engaging, and readers will enjoy exploring his relationships with those around him, such as his sister Gloria, and the troubled Jeremy. St. Augustine, Florida is a character in its own right, and readers appreciate the details of both the physical landscape and the area's history. The plot takes a number of exciting twists and turns, and what begins as a tragic suicide unravels into a full-blown terrorist plot that is sure to have readers on the edge of their seats."
And then, my first-ever screenplay, Words For Water, got rejected from the Austin Film Fest but the reviewer said this: "The writer is moving in such a great direction and has a knowledgeable grasp on the characters..." Never had such a nice rejection!
A friend of Ken's from high school who is a super-talented screenwriter said it was very unusual to get such a nice review from this group. So I guess I am happy. The main thing is, I finished something! I actually published a book, I completed a screenplay and submitted it.
Today and tomorrow I will be working on two new pieces. One is a short story about a homeless man who runs into a very successful old girlfriend in the middle of the Covid pandemic. And I have completed my second screenplay, about my hero, the unconquered Seminole warrior Osceola. It's interesting. A few years ago, I wrote a story about a kid named Donegin who wanted to learn to surf but was very bad at it. He almost drowned, but then got so mad, he managed to rescue himself. That story was published and got some really nice feedback. So that character, Donegin, became the hero of my screenplay, Resurrection Dreams. And he is rescued by Osceola, and rescues others as a result. Don't know where these characters come from, but I sure do get attached to them. Onward, through the fog!
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