So, moving boxes in the back of a closet here, I realized one of them was labeled “Screenplays.” I opened it up and found all the scripts that sold before I had a computer - written on that King Tiger Tank of a Selectric II back in the day. Among them is the shooting draft of “In The Year of the Monkey,” with all the music cues.
Reading the scripts can be better than the films they were or tried to be if one has an imagination informed by great books and films, so I'm looking forward to this, especially now that I'm giving the cold shoulder to movieland until the execs come around.
Loved this advertisement to the movies via TAFM because TC will deliver fear, suspense, action and thrills without having to leave home. With the strike going on, this may be the cheapest deal in the country.
I had another thought, while reading, "I HAVE FOUND 'IN THE YEAR OF THE MONEY' (are you smiling in anticipation?) TC's home has been transformed, except for the kitties. I'm thinking ahead, too, not just about TC's scripts but about the romance ahead.
Tom, I love these postings. If you haven’t seen the New Yorker story about the actors in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK Netflix series it too is fascinating and predictable. From my years being an agent for children books, I know very well that being famous and recognized by fans does not translate into wealth. When I would read an author’s book and believe that a storytelling third person portion of the author’s book could be converted into a picture book story if the author wrote it from the child’s POV, I would contact that author. More often than not, the author would reply and we’d begin a discussion about the author’s ignorance of the children book publishing world. Often, their adult agent had never suggested writing for kids and when the author asked their agent if the agent would explore that niche publishing market for their work, the agent would give their client the approval to be represented by us for ‘just the kids books.’
Everyone just assumes that if an author has had a couple of successfully published novels that those books have made the writer rich. We know that this is not true. But a bestselling children’s picture book that becomes an award winning classic that libraries continually replace year after year and new parents purchase for their new babies can continue to pay the author and illustrator well for years and years - life of the copyright plus seventy-five years - but that same author’s well known adult prose may have been remaindered and disappeared into the out-of-print category.
When we would approach one of those skilled writers and suggest they try writing for kids, I was always delighted when that relationship developed successfully for us and them. We became long term friends with the gentleman agent Sterling Lord when I approached Willy Morris about marketing a poem that he’d written about the Little League season in Jackson, MI. Willy, ever the Southern gentleman said, "That is a nice idea, but I could never not involve Mr. Lord in anything I published." That is loyalty. I contacted Sterling, and we became friends and did a lot of business together. We sold Willy’s picture book to HBJ in an auction that brought Willy and the book’s artist, our client, a nice payday.
Sterling offered to buy our agency if we would move from Western MA to NYC. We declined because there was no need to be in NYC when it was just a short train ride away when we needed to be there, and any trip to NYC usually meant an excuse to have a meal with Sterling Lord and hear his stories about selling Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD, or Ferlingetti’s poetry. What a fun business publishing was back then before the corporate publishers, the web, Amazon and social media.
Oh yes! In The Year of The Monkey is that script I most strongly hoped you would find TC, and I'm look forward to this like a 10 year old to Christmas.
You can, although I will tell you who we had as a primary cast for Monkey Year when we got so close I went and got the shots I needed for the Philippines.
except for a livestream of "Porgy and Bess" from the Met at the end of the pandemic, I haven't been to a theater in a mall for well over ten years. there's one little arthouse in Kew Gardens I've been going to all my life (except maybe during its decades as a porn house). it still has the stills as lobby decorations I remember from about 1960. the stills are from "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Key," and (I swear to god) "Kings Go Forth."
Keep going through those boxes Tom! Looking forward to these!
Reading the scripts can be better than the films they were or tried to be if one has an imagination informed by great books and films, so I'm looking forward to this, especially now that I'm giving the cold shoulder to movieland until the execs come around.
No movie theaters for me these days, bring it on
You are on a trip TC!!! Keep moving those boxes around. We’re all in for a great ride. WHEEEEE!
Loved this advertisement to the movies via TAFM because TC will deliver fear, suspense, action and thrills without having to leave home. With the strike going on, this may be the cheapest deal in the country.
I had another thought, while reading, "I HAVE FOUND 'IN THE YEAR OF THE MONEY' (are you smiling in anticipation?) TC's home has been transformed, except for the kitties. I'm thinking ahead, too, not just about TC's scripts but about the romance ahead.
How much will TC tell us about that?
As little as possible. :-)
You know how to stoke the fire, TC, starting with her heart! ❤️🔥 : o )
Tom, I love these postings. If you haven’t seen the New Yorker story about the actors in ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK Netflix series it too is fascinating and predictable. From my years being an agent for children books, I know very well that being famous and recognized by fans does not translate into wealth. When I would read an author’s book and believe that a storytelling third person portion of the author’s book could be converted into a picture book story if the author wrote it from the child’s POV, I would contact that author. More often than not, the author would reply and we’d begin a discussion about the author’s ignorance of the children book publishing world. Often, their adult agent had never suggested writing for kids and when the author asked their agent if the agent would explore that niche publishing market for their work, the agent would give their client the approval to be represented by us for ‘just the kids books.’
Everyone just assumes that if an author has had a couple of successfully published novels that those books have made the writer rich. We know that this is not true. But a bestselling children’s picture book that becomes an award winning classic that libraries continually replace year after year and new parents purchase for their new babies can continue to pay the author and illustrator well for years and years - life of the copyright plus seventy-five years - but that same author’s well known adult prose may have been remaindered and disappeared into the out-of-print category.
When we would approach one of those skilled writers and suggest they try writing for kids, I was always delighted when that relationship developed successfully for us and them. We became long term friends with the gentleman agent Sterling Lord when I approached Willy Morris about marketing a poem that he’d written about the Little League season in Jackson, MI. Willy, ever the Southern gentleman said, "That is a nice idea, but I could never not involve Mr. Lord in anything I published." That is loyalty. I contacted Sterling, and we became friends and did a lot of business together. We sold Willy’s picture book to HBJ in an auction that brought Willy and the book’s artist, our client, a nice payday.
Sterling offered to buy our agency if we would move from Western MA to NYC. We declined because there was no need to be in NYC when it was just a short train ride away when we needed to be there, and any trip to NYC usually meant an excuse to have a meal with Sterling Lord and hear his stories about selling Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD, or Ferlingetti’s poetry. What a fun business publishing was back then before the corporate publishers, the web, Amazon and social media.
Good story, and a very useful point.
Posted that NYer article about "Orange is the New Black" a few days back, as it perfectly exemplifies what this strike is actually about.
It certainly does!
Oh yes! In The Year of The Monkey is that script I most strongly hoped you would find TC, and I'm look forward to this like a 10 year old to Christmas.
Treasure in the Closet! 😁 Happy to be behind the pay wall. 👍
I bet finding these was exciting! Something to look forward to.
It was!
Description of TC as a man of many talents seems to fall short!
Hm... and I can cast anyone I want to in the parts (in my mind's eye) even if I want to go across generations to do so.
You can, although I will tell you who we had as a primary cast for Monkey Year when we got so close I went and got the shots I needed for the Philippines.
Yes, please do, although I'm afraid my unruly imagination takes orders from no one!
REALLY looking forward to this!
Oooo. I love your screenplay serial posts. Looking forward to this 😀
Looking forward to all of it!!
except for a livestream of "Porgy and Bess" from the Met at the end of the pandemic, I haven't been to a theater in a mall for well over ten years. there's one little arthouse in Kew Gardens I've been going to all my life (except maybe during its decades as a porn house). it still has the stills as lobby decorations I remember from about 1960. the stills are from "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "The Key," and (I swear to god) "Kings Go Forth."
this is excellent news, Tom.
Thank you!