It was 1995 when I got a strange call from Deadly Passions, the local indie bookstore I loved working with to get my vampire romances out there. A customer had picked up one of my “Local Author” tagged books and wanted to meet me . . . for a business proposition. O—kay. We met at a local restaurant and what he proposed was a writer’s dream come true. He wanted me to write a novelization for his horror movie. Lynn Drzick and co-writer/star, D.J. Perry came to my house with their rough screenplay, and we tossed around ways to beef it up in book form. I’ve never had so fun in my life. They had the whole package planned: locally filmed and produced movie with a local theater premiere, a DVD, a novelization complete with book signings, AND a bit part for me as Bar Extra (as immortalized on IMDB).
Was I interested? Oh heck yeah!
Writing from someone else’s words is not easy, but I had creative license to beef up characterization, add scenes, and do some very light editing on the screenplay. What I couldn’t do was stray from the plot which was . . . prime horror camp: Two firefighters hunting in the woods find the unexpected in a grave. . . What could go wrong? Here’s a snippet.
"Wayne, what the hell is this?"It was no natural clearing they'd stumbled upon, that much was obvious. The opening was approximately twenty feet in diameter, a nearly perfect circle carved from the native wilderness, leaving barren ground of rock and coarse soil. Not a blade of grass grew within that oval void.Which was why the one thing planted there stood out so graphically against the starkness.A cross.Made of rough branches lashed perpendicularly together with ancient thongs of leather and twine, the cross was less than a yard high. Though it had the appearance of weathering timeless passages, it stood straight, unbent by years, unbowed by time. As if it was planted deep and religiously tended where it jutted up from out of a gentle mound of dirt.A mound of specific size and shape that could only be one thing.A grave.
Though my star wasn’t launched in Hollywood lights, I did have a fantastic experience working with enthusiastic visionaries. And I got to sit in a real movie theater to see my name roll in the credits! Just in case you have time on your hands . . .
Would I do it again? In an accelerated heartbeat! Preferably from one of my books this time!
Weekend Writing Warriors is a weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Visit other participants on the list and read, critique, and comment on their #8sunday posts.
Wow - what an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteTweeted.
It really was!
DeleteWow, fun stuff! I enjoyed the behind the scenes story and the snippet...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean!
DeleteAmazing description. What does the circular clearing signify?
ReplyDeleteRitual burial of something so evil the grass won't grow. Sounds good, doesn't it?
DeleteWow, what a wonderful opportunity! And sounds like an intensely scary book and movie. Must check it out!
ReplyDeleteI'd do it again in a heartbeat!!
DeleteThat would be a dream come true for me. I love film and screenwriting and want that to be my life so bad!
ReplyDeleteIt was just a tiny taste of the life I dreamed of living. Don't give up hope!
DeleteThat is to die for!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a glimpse behind the curtain.
DeleteHow cool! I'm jealous--it sounds like a blast.
ReplyDeleteThe best part was being on set at a local pub playing "bar extra". It gave me a look at how laborious the whole process is. Take after take after take, adjustments to lights, to actor positions, sound, on and on for what was less than ten minutes on film. It's really work!
DeleteWhat a fabulous experience! The writing part I'd love to be able to do, the filming--not so much. I costumed a music video a loong time ago, and the hurry up and wait killed me! Yes, it is work! I preferred the pace of the stage instead. Your snippet, however, was awesome! Now, I could read it, but couldn't watch the movie. But the premise sounds deliciously scary! I take it the writing part is what you'd do again? Lucky lady!
ReplyDeleteI'd do ALL of it again. I loved the collaborating with movie folk. My oldest son wants to be in the industry SO bad but indie film is SO difficult and expensive. It is tedious, exacting business. Part of this particular film was done at my favorite historic home in Kalamazoo MI but unfortunately I was out of state at an RWA conference. We'd gotten together a couple of times to talk about other project but nothing came to pass.
DeleteThat was such an incredible thing! How cool! Definitely a writer's dream come true. :)
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