A Life For Itself

Tag: drama

  • Semifinalist

    A few days ago, the folks at Screencraft sent word via email that because of the intense competition among the submissions received, they’d need another couple of days to decide, and then announce, the semifinalists in their 2018 Stage Play Contest.

    Like it probably is for many writers, once the decision on the submission is imminent, excitement and anxiety go up.  The rest of Wednesday and Thursday weren’t so bad, but I woke up yesterday morning thinking about it.  Fortunately, I had more than enough to keep myself occupied and by late morning, I just went about my day.  Did some work.  Went to the grocery store in the late afternoon so I could beat any after-5 crowds.  Messed around with some video I took with my GoPro mounted in the windshield while I went to the grocery store. 

    After I ate, I had the urge to check my email.  Nothing.  Since it was after 5 out west, I figured I’d check on social media and their blog to see if they’d posted about it.  And they had.  I was a semifinalist.  I was relieved to know.  Just like any other time I go into my Submittable account and see whether a work has been accepted or rejected.  And after a couple of other rejections recently, it’s good to see that I’m still … in the running for another acceptance.  A really good one to have, should I receive it.  It’s a good note to get right before Christmas.

    As I’ve said on Twitter and Instagram, congratulations and good luck to my fellow semifinalists.  

    https://screencraft.org/2018/12/21/announcing-the-2018-screencraft-stage-play-competition-semifinalists/

  • Quarterfinalist

    I was happy to receive a couple of notes in my email yesterday, informing me that I was a semifinalist in the 2018 ScreenCraft Play contest. I’ve been sending out my latest full length play, North Avenue, to most places that I can find that are accepting full length scripts (the numerous submission calls I’m seeing for science-themed plays, I’m unfortunately having to pass up at this time). Suffice it to say, I’m excited and grateful for the acknowledgment and the opportunity for my play to go on to the next round.

    My only regret is that I didn’t send more than one play, as I saw at least one other quarter finalist had.

  • National Book Lovers Day

    National Book Lovers Day. Going to answer some questions I saw on Twitter earlier.

    The Fire Next Time.

    I always find myself talking about this book. Each time I’m asked what my favorite book is or if someone asks for a book I think they should read, for whatever reason, I always come back to it. Specifically the Letter from a Region of My Mind.

    I think it’s one of the best essays ever written, if I may humbly say so. Baldwin not only sketches a broad picture of Black life in the early 1960’s, he places himself and his particular life and pains and joys in this world, creating a more complete and vibrant image of it was like to be Black back then. One that is still relevant today.

    But the policemen were doing nothing now. Obviously, this was not because they had become more human but because they were under orders and because they were afraid. And indeed they were, and I was delighted to see it. There they stood, in twos and threes and fours, in their Cub Scout uniforms and with their Cub Scout faces, totally unprepared, as is the way with American he-men, for anything that could not be settled with a club or a fist or a gun. I might have pitied them if I had not found myself in their hands so often and discovered, through ugly experience, what they were like when they held the power and what they were like when you held the power.

    http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1962/11/17/letter-from-a-region-in-my-mind

    My favorite part, and probably my most favorite sections of any book, ever, is when he has dinner at the home of Elijah Muhammad. I was going to talk about why I love it so much, but you have to go read it, if you haven’t. Perhaps, you’ll like it to.

    The last book I read cover to cover? Probably a play. I can’t think of one right now, since my books are scattered between here and home. I often read a book, jump to another book, come back, go back and read previous chapters. So I haven’t really read one in a long time. Even on my “Now” page, I’m not reading the books whose titles I post there, cover to cover.

    I should read a book cover to cover.

    Genre is one of those things that’s more suited for the bookstore than for the bookshelf at home, but I will say Essay. If that’s not acceptable to you, consider it to be Creative Nonfiction, even though that encompasses several genres. Otherwise, put me down for drama. Then poetry.

    It’s like recommending a way to prepare chicken, but I’ll give it a try just the same — Reality Hunger by David Shields. Ask me another time of day and I’ll give another title. How about Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones? Book of Days by Lanford Wilson? (I did a scene from that in an acting class. Had a ball).

    I think I’ll do some reading tonight. Perhaps Baldwin’s Letter.