Books and Plays by Wade Bradford; Plays for children - comedic monologue - comedic female monologues - drama resources - creative writing class - scbwi members - publishing business - how to be a children's book author - middle grade novel - fantasy novels - writing prompts
Well, I've been enjoying a few weeks of productivity... but that may change for a little while. I have three batches of essays that have arrived in my in-box. So, it might be a little while until I can get back into creative stuff.
Maybe... we'll see.
My general rule is to grade 6 essays each day, that way I still have some energy left over for my projects. Speaking of which, BLOOMSQUASH is in my agent's hands. Not sure when it will be sent out to publishers, but hopefully it'll happen before the end of April.
In other news, guest / family arrived yesterday and today! Yesterday, it was CJ and their friends from college. They are on an epic road trip.
And, today, Cheri's folks arrived from Washington. They'll be spending the next month in Palm Desert, but first they'll stay with us for a few days.
Today's Progress:
-- Recording script for "Jerusalem's Lot" ( 2.5 / 65 STEPHEN KING BOOK CLUB )
I've surprised myself by finishing this revision early.
Again, one of the reasons it went so smoothly is basically because of my agent. Abi has provide clear notes -- and for the most part I just followed her suggestions. I did need to add two little additional moments into the beginning and end... but that didn't take long.
So, I might give it one more skim... at least re-read the beginning and maybe the end, and then I think I'll send it off tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed! It might be months before it's sent into the hands of editors... but hopefully before summer break begins, it will be out in the world, waiting to be discovered by a publisher.
In other news, last night Cheri and I watched 1984 -- a stage adaptation of George Orwell's novel. Powerful stuff! And one of my favorite parts was that the ushers were these delightfully evil IngSoc kids!
More progress on Day Two. I finished revising the first one hundred pages, and I've figured out where to add two little vignettes within existing scenes to include a character who appears in the new opening chapters.
Abi's notes are keen, and make the revision process (so far) quite easy. Knock on wood.
I shifted gears in the late afternoon and read the Stephen King short story: "Jerusalem's Lot," and now I'm working on a script for a new YouTube video.
And speaking of YouTube videos, I enjoyed this collection of Epictetus quotes from the Daily Stoic (a newsletter / channel Cheri turned us onto a long time ago). Lots of good bits... so much so that I'll include the link here, in case I want to watch it again:
Today's Progress:
-- Revised Bloomsquash pages ( 1 / 8 NOVELS )
-- Drafting script for "Jerusalem's Lot" ( 2.5 / 65 STEPHEN KING BOOK CLUB VIDEOS )
Yesterday was a typical Wednesday. I was at Moorpark all day (not just teaching -- my class and I watched The Tempest!)
But it was typical in the sense that by the time I arrived home, I was tired and lazy. Cheri had a meeting, so it was just me and the dogs. I wasn't quite tired enough to take a nap, but I was too worn-out to do anything but sit, eat, and watch TV. Kinda pathetic... but that's how my Wednesdays have been going!
Today, my long weekend has begun. I'll have a batch of essays arriving in my inbox by Monday... so hopefully I'll make the most of my free time during the next few days.
The main thing I'm working on: My Middle grade fantasy. My agent sent me some notes a few days ago, and it's finally time to dig into the book, once again.
In other news, I went on a little binge read of an old comic series I used to like... The Walking Dead. Back when it came out, I was hooked on the premise (the was before the dawn of the TV show). But I stopped reading about the time Negan gets caught... After that, I felt like I could leave the community of survivors at Hilltop and company.
But I'm glad I got back to it... I actually finished the last issue last weekend, Sunday I think... and the conclusion was very satisfying -- and a bit surprising because of the sudden time jump, about twenty years into the future when Carl is all grown up and has a kid of his own.
The storyline went very deep into how things fall apart and eventually comeback together. What a ride!
Today's Progress:
-- Revised 45 pages of the Bloomsquash Book ( 1 / 8 Novels )
Today is my in-between day. I worked all day yesterday, and came home lazy and tired, as I tend to be on Monday evenings. And I'm sure, after work tomorrow, I'll feel just as worn out... but today, after a slow, leisurely morning... I managed to be a bit productive.
I drew a little bit...
These are the characters from that new Chapter Book I'm cooking up... And I've asked my Orange County friends to try to color / shade / improve upon the rough draft. So, we'll see how it goes. I also wrote just a little bit more of the script too...
I also made a new video for my comic-book-themed channel. And -- after a week hiatus -- I made another TikTok / YouTube Short for my Daily Wonders. Here's the link to the video!
Notice I called it a script instead of a text or chapter? That's because I'm imagining a chapter book that's basically a comic. (Think Captain Underpants.)
Sat outside today (nice weather) and wrote the dialogue in my journal. Then, whilst we watched the last few episodes of 1883 (sad yet beautiful), I typed up the pages onto Google Docs.
Seven pages of script... but that's only 974 words! Ha!
In other Writerly News, Eldridge published my latest one-act play. Here's the artwork:
Oh, one more thing, Cheri and I watched RRR last night, a Bollywood musical/action movie. It was so over-the-top, we loved it! If you haven't seen the video for their Oscar winning song, check it out:
Today's Progress:
-- 974 words of "Robot School" ( 0 / 8 CHAPTER BOOKS)
Not much done today... but some good things in the works... My agent gave me the latest feedback on my middle grade novel... and she's very positive about it. In family news, my Mom and I will be visiting Mackenzie in April... and CJ was accepted into Grad School! (They might take a year off before diving back into physics).
I sat outside writing (in our new backyard chairs)... and came up with a half-page of something. It's off to a slow start, but beginnings are hard for me.
We did a lot of yard work today. I'll post photos tomorrow. We also chatted with the kids while we watched The Mandolorian. And, inspired by the strange subplot in the middle of the episode, I made a meme:
Today's Progress:
-- half a page of robot story ( 0 / 8 Chapter Books)
This Oscar season reminded me more of the good ol' days, when they actually focused on the movies and the performances. Hopefully they'll keep that going in years to come.
Whew... Well that little 12 minute video sure took a long time!
I started brainstorming it about a week ago, right? Well, I just finished three days of work on it, and it's finally done.
Definitely a labor of love these videos, because they might be a little too slow, somber, and on the amateurish side to ever go viral. But we'll see. I'm hoping I at least get to connect with kindred spirits who love King's books as much as I do.
And so, without further ado, here's the video I spent way too much time on:
So, now I'm gonna relax for the rest of the evening... unless of course I don't...
It's 6:38 pm... and I'm just about reaching the point of he evening where my brain turns to mush. Ah, it makes me think back to my younger days, when I could work on a script all night long! In fact, sometimes, I couldn't get to sleep unless I reached a certain page count.
Those were the days.
Today was slightly annoying because I had to go to work to attend a meeting. When COVID hit, we conducted these meetings online... but now that the Emergency Policies have ended, it's back to the workplace! But that wasn't the worst of it... I got rear-ended by an SUV... Thank goodness it was just a bump. The Prius' bumper worked, and there was no discernable damage, and everybody was fine. We just exchanged info and went on our merry way... So, in a lot of ways (although I was annoyed at having to go to work, and even more annoyed to have such a jarring experience), I was very grateful that everything turned out OKAY... Whew!
(Of course, now that I've written this... I'm wondering if my shoulders feel a little bit sore... hmmm...)
Anyway, I worked on PRIDE & POPCORN during the late afternoon. Produced another 900 words... so, that's not too shabby. Any day where I can write more than 500 words of a play is a great writerly day.
And, best of all, I finished the first scene... so it's on to scene two!
Today's Progress:
-- 900 words of PRIDE & POPCORN ( 46 / 88 )
-- Proofread / approved DAD-JOKE INTERVENTION for Eldridge Plays
There are days when I don't get anything creative done... those are usually work days.
This semester, I have an awesome teaching schedule. I have classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. That's it!
I do have an online class (English 1B) and I also have my Curriculum and Tech Review meetings... but for the most part, I've got four-day weekends the whole semester... and Fall 2023 looks pretty much the same.
And yet, I'll still find things about which to complain. Today (Monday, March 6th) all I did was drive to work, teach classes, drive home, and I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was eat a sandwich, talk to Cheri, watch TV, and go to bed... and that's exactly how my evening turned out.
So, no progress on any creative projects today... but I did listen to a lot of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit. It's a huge novel -- meandering, but in a pleasant way. I'm very interested to find out why Little Dorrit's father was imprisoned in the first place... and how good-natured Mr. Clemmons (or at least his parents) might be responsible.
The show Cheri and I have been watching is 1883.
It's a good Western... and yet... I feel like I've seen this story told somewhere before...
I'm focusing on his writing endeavors. In the film, he infamously spends the winter typing the same sentence over and over again... ALL WORK AND NO PLAY.... oh, you know the rest, right?
But the novel is different in many ways (no surprise), and Jack is actually making progress on a new play until those pesky ghosts start to distract him. So, my new video project is exploring the story within the story... and so far, it's a very enlightening lens from which to analyze Jack's character.
I also made a video for my comic book themed channel, showcasing Midjourney Art... oh, and I made a new DAILY WONDERS video...
Today's Progress:
-- Worked on a script draft for STEPHEN KING BOOK CLUB ( 10 / +260 videos )
Added about 1000 words of a brand new play I began about two weeks ago.
It's called PRIDE & POPCORN... and as the title suggests it's a silly retelling of PRIDE & PREJUDICE set in a movie theater back in the 1990s.... deeply inspired, of course, from my days at the Grand Cinemas Alderwood. (Today I reached Darcy's entrance.)
Side note: I'm so sad that building was demolished. there's a KOHL'S there now... and it's just not fair that the playground of my teenage years no longer exists.
The piano is my standing desk.
Oh, I also made my usual Daily Wonders video. I can't embed it here (because it's a YouTube Short -- a new style that copies TikTok's vertical format). But I can include the link:
So, at least for a little while, I'm gonna use this blog to keep track of my progress on the many aforementioned projects.
I didn't do much today, but I did practice drawing a character I'd like to use for a possible sci-fi comedy chapter book. Here's what I've got so far...
And, next I'm going to listen to more of THE SHINING... I've already read the book, but I'm trying to come up with my next video idea.
Today's Progress:
-- Illustration sketch practice for CHAPTER BOOKS ( 0 / 8 )
-- Video development for STEPHEN KING BOOK CLUB ( 2 / 65 )
So, as if the Doodle Board of Literary Projects wasn't enough... I'm also tinkering with various video projects... Some of which have been completed, such as:
WATCHING TWIN PEAKS for the FIRST TIME
and the TikTok series:
THE BOOK of QUESTIONS
So, naturally, I'm biting off more than I can chew by coming up with other YouTubish projects. Some of which I have already begun...
THE STEPHEN KING BOOK CLUB
(At least one video per novel / short story collection.)
A COMIC BOOK / CARTOON CHANNEL (in which I celebrate / analyze comics and cartoons)
(Goal: Generate +$1000 a year from monetized videos)
SPOOKYTIME with BRADFORD & BRADFORD
(Goal: Spend time with CJ and find the spookiest movie ever made!
EVERY AWESOME 80s MOVIE
(Goal: One video from every mainstream movie distributed from Jan 1980 to Dec 1989)
(Current score: Still on Jan 1980)
And I have ideas for more videos series, which include:
100 POETS (Score: 1 / 100) --- so far, I've made a Matthew Arnold video...
EVERY SHAKESPEARE PLAY (Score: 0 / 38)
UNCANNY X-MEN HISTORY
AMAZING SPIDERMAN HISTORY
STEVEN SPIELBERG FILM CLUB (Score: 0 / 32 )
and I still love the idea of crafting my own QUIRKY DICTIONARY... I love the idea of combining a dictionary with memoir... but I also just love learning about the etymology of words, and some type of project could be fun to tinker on.
"There never seems to be enough time to do the things you wanna do once you find them."
-- Jim Croce
During the semester, when I'm buried beneath my proverbial stack of essays, I think of all sorts of projects I'd rather be working on. And then, when I have free time, but no energy, I start listing those projects...
And every once in a while, I finally get around to working on some of those ideas. It's rare, but it happens.
The Master List of the major literary projects are all documented on my Doodle Board.
As you can see, my most ambitious goal is to write (and publish) 8 novels. They should be novels that I'm proud of, so some of my earlier works don't qualify. (Sorry, Rapture & Joy!)
I've got three ready to be discovered...
VISIONS IN THE MIDNIGHT REALM
TWIXT & TWERP
BLOOMSQUASH
And then I've got the one published (basically self-published but with the help of Skyrocket Press). That would be CAMP OMIGOSH...
That leaves four more novels to create... and I don't have many ideas what to work on next in that department. I do like the idea of doing a western adventure... And I also love the idea of continuing the stories of the existing novels (but it would be nice to have an audience that's interested in the first books before I start working on sequels!)
The next big blank section on the Doodle Board: Eight Chapter Books.
Ideally, this would be a project in which I do my own illustrations but I'd be happy if I cam up with something Abi could sell with a professional illustrator in mind. I've always been impressed/jealous of the Capt. Underpants success, and would love to create something in he same spirit... but perhaps with less nudity.
I have written four separate chapter books... and none of them have gotten close to selling. (Some of them my agent doesn't bother sending out.)
The first was THE HOMEWORK ELVES... which was a bit too silly for Abi's tastes... She suggested something more educational, and so I created...
THE AMAZING LUNCHBOX (in which a five inch Ben Franklin appears inside the magical lunchbox... and educational mayhem ensues). This also never went anywhere.
Then it was THE BUGGLE BUNCH... about a group of young insect friends who play Buggle Ball and go on adventures in the gigantic backyard that's their world. (This got sent out to a couple places, but did not generate interest.)
and the last, also involving insects...
SPY BUGS... This one is a playful combination of James Bond meets Animorphs... A pair of kids are chosen to become bugs in the spy world, and they are given incredible powers that allow them to morph into various insects. (I don't think this one impressed my agent enough because it never got sent out...)
Then there is that blank graphic novel, waiting to be published...
Long ago, I created DUCK TOWN... but it's in black and white (unshaded, unfinished, really)... and I would love for it to be in color. And I think I've only finished the coloring the first two chapters. And even those, I'm not sure that the colorization makes it look good... So, I've put this on the back burner long ago, until I have enough time/energy to do it myself... or enough money to hire someone who can do a good job of it.
OR... I could start a brand new graphic novel from scratch... but I really love those Duck Town characters and wish they could exist on someone's books shelf... at least my own...
The good thing about my Doodle Board progress is that I'm only one book away from completing my goal of having EIGHT PICTURE BOOKS traditionally published. So, I think I'll be able to finish that goal, hopefully within the next five years. Just need ONE MORE good idea.
Because there are 88 keys on a piano (and I like the number 8, if you haven't guessed) I foolishly decided to write 88 plays. The good news is, I have only 42 more plays to go, so I'm passed the halfway point. I hadn't written a play (on my own) since 2020... so it was fun to write a new one-act recently. It's called DAD JOKE INTERVENTION... and it's coming soon from Eldridge Plays!
The thing that's been happening to me lately is that now that I'm 51 years old, I am continually coming to terms with the fact that I did not make it big... I was not a young prodigy with a thriving career in arts and entertainment. I'm one of the many dreamers whose visions did not manifest... at least not in the ways we hoped it would. No Academy Awards (not even a nomination!). No three picture deals. No New York Times Best Seller list. No hobnobbing with fellow elites.
I am not so pessimistic to say those things can never happen. Some of those things might. I still want to write stuff. I still want my work to get out into the world. I still have things to say... and I'm still starved for attention (though maybe that's quelled a little bit... or, at the very least, I've gotten lazy enough, it feels like it's quelled...) But one thing that will never happen is that I will never make it big while I'm young. I'm a grandfather now, for cryin' out loud! My younger days are behind me...
So, now the thing that I desire the most (aside from world peace and happiness for my loved ones) is pretty simple: FREE TIME. But... as Jim Croce says... well, you know the words!
The funny thing is that I've been journaling / blogging... just not here... at least not for a while.
I've been journaling the old fashioned way, in my handy dandy notebook. And I've also written about 180 pages of journal / diary / memoir content on a Google Doc.
I might start posting some of that on this lonely, ol' blog. If only to have another digital copy lurking on the 'Net.
So... what's been happening with me lately?
Well, the main thing is: I'm a Grandpa!
I can't post photos yet, because the parents are invoking a zero-digital footprint, which I think is a good idea. But man, that kid is cute! She's already two months old.
What else?
Cheri and I are settling into our empty nest phase of life. We're actually embracing senior-citizen culture. It's been cold lately, so we put on our PJs early, then wear bathrobes while we watch Stephen Colbert before tottering off to bed. It's a damn fine life, now that I reflect upon it.
