Let me explain about the full evolution of this project. I went into briefly on Letters to Daniel but I'll explain a little more in detail here. I like having my tarot cards read A LOT. I like using them as a guide post. And it's nice to hear what I've been hearing. But here is the story Bella Morte, from inception of a book series to what has now come to include a television series treatment, a television pilot, and an 8 book series.
In April or May I forget when exactly Bertena Varney read my cards. The nature of the reading, what I was asking a lot it surrounded whether or not go small press or NY with my next series. I asked about another book Letters to Daniel, a memoir based off of a collection of letters from Letters to Daniel blog. And of course I asked about a screenplay that was in competition (which won, which the cards said I would). I asked what series I should take to NY. And she started spitting out information. She said a 4-8 book series about a tough girl who'd been through a lot. She said something about YA, and the first draft started Justice at 14. However the book was very violent. So I wrote in a hot rush. With no real clear direction. As I'd never undertaken a project quite so massive. So I pitched the idea to Hekate. She loved concept, I sent the 25K manuscript. I let it sit.
Then the itch hit me. I was writing screenplays and entering them into contests. But in my heart of hearts I've always wanted to write for television. My series of course. That's hard though. I'm older, in my late thirties, and I'm a woman. And they say Hollywood is a young man's game. But as I sat in my family's house (having moved back in around the GLADIATOR: The Gladiator Chronicles hit the virtual shelves in order to travel to festivals and cons and write with the hope of hitting on a book that would carry me to the top.) waiting for my ship to come in I realized if I wanted to write for t.v. I had best write me a television pilot first. That I could do.
While writing the pilot in October I made the discovery that Bella Morte the pilot was much better than the novella I had written. So enlisted the help of Grant Wilson in breaking in. He said he I needed a treatment. Now, my book synopses sizzle and sell. I can pitch verbally. I can pitch online. However, my treatments for film and television sucked outright. So I turned to showrunner and emmy winner Tom Sawyer for feedback. He gave me some blunt, but incredibly fantastic feedback. Invaluable where came to writing a treatment that looked like a treatment. And it was really good. I then turned to an anonymous but accomplished actor who gave me further feedback the revisions made the treatment great. It sizzled. It begged to be sold. Now to get someone to read it. I asked this actor if he liked what he saw would he kindly pass it along. But that if this was an imposition to ignore the request. He said if he liked the revisions he may pass it along. Now, that's not a yes, but it's a helluva lot better than no.
Having sharpened the vision of the television series, I now had a clearer idea of where to take my books. (And folks he got really excited when I mentioned the book deal.) Which of course in turn, got me excited.
Bella Morte: Beginnings introduces us to Justice Xavier, a member of an ancient group of mystics known only as the Order. They have risen in time of darkness to try and turn the tide of evil back from whence it came. She is believed to be the prophesied about child who will lead them all back into the light. The problem is, she doesn't want that on her. She's out for blood, plain and simple. The series is about her battle within whether to use her power to control the elements among other things for her destined purpose, or to let her soul consumed by her desire for revenge.
The book series is a solo effort, the television series is co-written by me and Melissa Goodman. I will update you on the progress of series here and at its official website Bella Morte: The Series.
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment