chat with Stuart…
My story ideas come from my vivid imagination, but my inspiration draws from both extensive world travel and my varied and fascinating careers. I left the US military as an x-ray technician and did an about-face in civilian life to become a hairstylist. My desire to experience the harder edge of life brought me into the Washington D.C. Police Department. To capture the gritty sights I saw, I took up photography and left the force to pursue that dream in NYC.
Later, I met a metal sculptor and became so intrigued, I converted a chicken coop in the woods into a live-in studio and taught myself the technique. From that humble beginning, the rudimentary craft expanded into the fine arts with sculptures in bronze and fiberglass and shows across the US, England and Thailand.
My passion for all arts soon segued into other areas: costume designer (top 100 designers in the book, Fashion: 2001); a modeling agency art director; fashion show designer; and on to become a top sculptor for special effects, sets and props in the entertainment industry with work in over thirty major films, hotels and theme parks worldwide. My passion for art crossed boundaries into water feature design and computer illustration.
I began writing while working as a sculptor in the film and theme park industry in Los Angeles. My first effort was a novel, but after working on many well-known films such as Aliens, Predator, The Abyss, Poltergeist 2, Beetlejuice, Independence Day, and many others, I turned my passion to screenplays. I took a number of high-profile screenwriting courses, attended many industry seminars, and belong to a long list of screenwriting organizations.
As an adjunct to screenwriting, I was mentored in film directing by Jim Pasternak, Dov S-S Simens, and others, and mentored in film producing by Fred Caruso, all well-known industry professionals. Plus, I was able to pester the various actors, directors, and writers from the movies I worked on, picking their minds for creative insight. I wrote/produced/directed/edited four short student films, and a spec TV series. I’ve written 19 screenplays to date.
To reach deeper into character and environment, I went back to narrative fiction where I’ve published 8 novels in various genres. A short story is included in the anthology, Lost in Thailand. Released in December, 2013, the book, How to Write Dialogue, includes dialogue samples from several of my novels.
I’m now producing the movie, NIGHT KILL, which I wrote to film in Thailand with an all-Thai cast.
I continue on the journey.
Awards for Screenplays:
TODD MCCOY’S ADVENTURE WEST (family adventure) – won the Grand Prize in two contests in 2014: action adventure category for Table Read My Screenplay, and family category for Screenplay Festival.
THE MACHINE (YA sci-fi) – sold script to Chinese production company 2012
CLAIMING LIVES (crime thriller) – won 2nd place, One In Ten 2012.
DHARMA (spiritual animation) – won 5th place, Writesafe 2005
MICHAEL’S GARDEN (psychological surreal thriller) – finalist, Writesafe 2005; semi-finalist, Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards 2005
Awards for Novels:
BACK FROM THE DEAD: the true sequel to Frankenstein – Finalist WriteMovies 2005.
(2013 approached for option by Lawrence Konner, writer/producer – Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire)
SHADOW HOUSE – quarterfinalist, Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Awards 2009
ORIGINAL BLOOD: Gailene’s Vow (book 1, vampires series) – quarter-finalist, Writer’s Network; semi-finalist WriteMovies 2009.
EPIPHANY & ORIGINAL BLOOD – both nominated Reviewers Choice Award: best read of 2011, Paranormal Romance Guild – EPIPHANY won, and went on to be a best seller on Amazon at #9.
CLAIMING LIVES & CROSSING THE DOUBLE YELLOW – nominated best in thriller & action adventure, respectively, Paranormal Romance Guild – 2012
ENDLESS SKY – placed 3rd in Reviewer’s Choice, science fiction book of the year, Paranormal Romance Guild – 2013