New script(s), books keeping me hopping.

January isn't over yet, but I find myself knee-deep in scripts and books that need to be distributed and promoted.

This is NOT a complaint!

As previously mentioned, the afternoon of January 15th was a decided high point for me. A group of actors who are also great friends to my process gathered here at our house and gave me the immense gift of a). hearing the draft of "Rehearsals" out loud for the first time and b). further offering thoughts and suggestions regarding the script. My fifth full-length script is now completed, or at least far enough along to start sending out, thanks in great part to the reading AND the comments. Combined with the changes I made based on first thoughts from Kathy and from Kelly Wallace, I think it's a much stronger and (hopefully) funnier script than at first blush.

In any case, I am starting to get copies of the script around, at the same time as I have received the first hard copies of the printed, bound version of "Conversations in a Cafe." I have plans to continue the marketing of that script using the more professional, lighter-weight and believe it or not, cheaper printed/bound versions. They look great, to me, anyway.

And in December, I moved from solely offering e-Book versions of my detective novel, A Simple Murder, to also having a paperback-hard copy version available. While I realize that books for many are becoming a thing of the past, in terms of marketing the book and contributing it to libraries for those who are still reading books, I'm finding it much easier when one has a "real" book in one's hand. I will have the opportunity to lecture about mysteries and detective authors on at least one occasion (at a library, in March), so at least a little bit of groundwork is being established on the novel side of things. And I'll be able to take books along that can be sold!

As one might expect, we've done a little play-going recently, too. We took in "The Little Dog Laughed" at Theatre Alliance. I had been able to see this show on Broadway, with Tom Everett Scott in the male lead and Julie White in the role of the agent, for which she won a (I thought a well-deserved) Tony. We thought T.A. did a fine job with the show, especially Mark Flora in the male lead role and Suzanne Vaughn as the "girlfriend," a role which she brought forward, I thought, very nicely compared to the Bwy. production. I found it well worth seeing.

We felt the same way about Paper Lantern Theatre's latest offering, "Next Fall," just last night at the UpStage Cabaret (Triad Stage, Greensboro). A touching and not-simple story which bounces around somewhat in time, it was treated quite well by a cast of six and a very-cleverly designed set that made brilliant use of a limited space. It was also the kind of play that sent us home still discussing it and not necessarily even reaching the same conclusions about some of its aspects. Which in my opinion means: good theater.