Norm Applegate's Blog: Norm Applegate's Blog, page 5

Indie Film Making

I asked director John Botelho to give us some background on filming the trailer, Into the Basement. This short clip serves two purposes; it's a book trailer and we have been using it to generate interest in turning Basement into a movie. We are still working the movie project; but it's a tough road. I've included a link at the bottom to the trailer on Youtube. 
Here's what John Botelho had to say... 
We began scripting the Into the Basement trailer in early January of 2008. Our initial vision for this trailer was to have Actress Megan Lynn strapped naked to a table while the camera does a 360 degree dolly around her. The set was suppose to be a basement and the shot was going to be in color with a strong concentration in blue (we were going to use a blue lens filter to shoot it). Our lead Killer was going to be in some sort of surgical outfit and the audience was only going to see the back of him.
The finished product was much different than this....
We shot the trailer on a Monday in mid February of 2008. Since we did not have a secured basement for our set (basements are very rare in Texas), we decided to shoot it in a tool shed. It was the coldest day of 2008 (about 10 degrees) and we relied on the set lights to keep poor nude Megan Lynn warm. The shed was only about 5 foot by 8 foot, so our 360 dolly was out of the question. I decided to have the Production Assistants tie Megan to a flimsy poster board on the wall, while the camera concentrated on different angles and close-ups of her body.
To set the tone for the shot we took a busted lamp (it was only an electric wire and outlet), hung it from the ceiling and swung it. The actual moving light you see on Megan's body are high powered flashlights that were moved by Production Assistants. 
This piece was shot using a Cannon XL1. I decided not to use the blue filter because it seemed to blur the shots in low light. Besides, I had already begun thinking black and white for this trailer.
The Killer in the film was played by Production Assistant Chris Frausto. I chose him because he looked the part and showed up on time for the shoot. It's all about being at the right place at the right time in this business. 
When I edited the Into the Basement trailer, I used IMovie on a Mac. I filtered the shots with black and white and old style film effects to give it a creepy feel. The sounds you hear are all from the IMovie data base. I liked the backwards reel to reel sound because it kind of felt like someone scratching a blackboard. And the music seemed appropriate with the subject matter. 
Why was the last scene in color? My first two horror film were both shot in black and white, and I knew that anyone who knew my work would immediately think that I was going to shoot Into the Basement in B&W. I put the last scene in color to say to those folks: "HA!!! I fooled you. I am going to shoot this film in color." Besides, it gives a cool effect to the short piece. 
YES!!! THERE WAS AN ADULT VERSION TO THIS TRAILER!!!  I know many of you have heard this.... And yes it is true. The original version of the Into the Basement trailer had a fully framed close up of Actress Megan Lynn's shaved vagina. Unfortunately after showing this version to a handful of friends, I decided to cut the shot out of the trailer. I felt it was just too much. The only thing left of the shot in the final trailer is a quick glimpse of Megan's hip turning sideways. 
Oh... And yes... We still have the cut footage somewhere in the vaults of Triad Pictures.
Watch the Trailer:Into the Basement (Youtube)
Get the ebook $0.99 on Amazon:Into the Basement (eBook)



-J.L. BotelhoJuly 5th, 2011 

Indie Author Editing

I've just finished reading John Locke's, "How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months." Excellent marketing ideas. I'd like to see authors like John Locke talk more about their writing and editing process. Is there a systematic approach or do they feel their way through it? I'd like to think there is a repeatable systematic methodology that all of us can model. Below are some components that could be part of an editing model. After you've written your first draft, you know you're going to go over it again. I go through my material at least two more times. One, looking for plot and character gaps and the second review is to tighten up the work. But what do you look for? It seems like there are so many checklists and guidelines it's easy to be overwhelmed. I found these to be great suggestions. I've finished a draft of my new thriller novel. I'm calling it, "Shockwave," just as a working title. Of the items listed below, #4 grabbed my attention. I'm going to do a "find," for the phrases; "there are" or "there is." If they come up, I'll read the sentence and edit it, make it tighter, more concise. Seems like a quick way to improve my writing.Check them out see if they help.1. Remove RedundancyAvoid double-teaming terms like "a period of one week," "end result," "free gift," and "personal opinion." Watch for phrases that echo the quality in question: "oval in shape," "larger in size," "shorter in duration," and the like. Omit redundant words that are already implied as part of an abbreviated term, such as machine in "ATM machine."
2. Reduce Phrases to WordsReplace a descriptive phrase following a noun with a one-word adjective that precedes the noun: "People who experienced at traveling know better than to label their luggage," for example, can be revised to "Experienced travelers know better than to label their luggage.
A modifying phrase, similarly, can be reduced to a simple adverb: "Sympathizing with her concerns, he nodded in response to her complaint," for instance, is more concisely expressed as "He nodded sympathetically in response to her complaint."
Delete extraneous phrases such as "which is" and "who were," as shown here: "We drove down Lombard Street, which is considered the crookedest street in the world" is easily simplified to "We drove down Lombard Street, considered the crookedest street in the world."
3. Omit Gratuitous Intensifiers and QualifiersUse adverbs that intensify or qualify in moderation: "They had an extremely unpleasant experience" isn't accurate unless a subsequent explanation justifies the intensifier extremely, and "I was somewhat taken aback" isn't necessarily an improvement on "I was taken aback."
4. Expunge Expletives"There are" or "there is" is a weak way to start a sentence. "There is a telling passage toward the end of the story" lacks the focus of (and the more vivid verb in) the sentence "A telling passage occurs near the end of the essay."
5. Negate Nominalizations"The report gave an analysis of the accident" uses a phrase where a single word suffices. (This is known as a nominalization, or smothering a verb.) When you see a "(verb) a/an (noun)" construction, convert the noun into a verb and replace the phrase with it. In this case, "The report analyzed the accident" is the more concise result. As with deletion of expletives, a stronger verb is an additional benefit.
6. Delete Superfluous Phrases"At the present time," "for all intents and purposes," and "in the event that" are just a few of many meaningless phrases that clutter sentences. Trim them to tighten your writing.
7. Avoid ClichesLikewise, "face the music," "litmus test," "tried and true" and other timeworn phrases add nothing to your writing but words; they're useful only for padding a word count, but instructors and editors (and readers) will notice.
8. Eschew EuphemismsGenerally, words that disguise concepts degrade language, which is all about expressing, not repressing, meaning. For example, "collateral damage," in reference to warfare (and, by extension, to all interpersonal relationships), invites derision. However, use of some euphemisms, such as those for human disabilities, is a well-meaning effort to preserve the dignity of the disabled, though some people argue that such cosmetic wording actually harms people by diminishing the seriousness of their condition, or that it is for the benefit not of the disabled but of people who would rather not be reminded of the disabled.

Latest novel: First To Die


Source: Dailywritingtips

Tony Robbins, Hypnosis and Success

I'm no longer a hypnotist.
I never had a private practice.
I met Tony Robbins once.
I believe in self-hypnosis and have practiced it for 21 years.
In the early 1990's I was working as a packaging consultant, had dreams like everyone else of success, had no idea how to find it but knew one day I would. One of my customers would provide the path.
And his message like Tony Robbins has stuck.
My packaging client asked me to come to their office Friday morning. I thought for sure we had screwed up the folding carton, maybe botched the printing. I was nervous. I liked these people, they were always positive, up beat.
I went into the owner's office. Did I tell you I was nervous? We shook hands. He held it longer then normal. Erickson induction, confusion. Didn't let go, held it for a beat then spoke.             "You could be a successful hypnotist if you want to."
My mind raced. It wasn't what I was expecting. Took me a moment to think about what to say. I managed to mumble something out and we sat down. He told me a about his company, personal stuff. Emotional stuff about each employee. Eight hypnotists traveling the world. Where they had come from and how their lives had changed. I remember him saying, "This will change your life."
I went home, took about thirty-five minutes. I remember thinking how my wife would respond. She wouldn't want me to travel away from home weeks, maybe months at a time.
I told her what had happened. Told her I said no!
She reacted. Told me my customer was right, "It'll change your life forever."
All weekend I kept thinking how I blew it. Maybe the opportunity of a lifetime was right in front of me and I didn't see it. I couldn't believe I said no.
Tony Robbins does info commercials. I had seen him live a year earlier, was following his principals to be a successful sales person. He was on cable, late at night that weekend. I watched him, got excited, new what I was going to do Monday morning, get the job that was going to change my life.
Monday morning, I phoned the company told them I changed my mind. I didn't lose the job. I got it. Started training to be a hypnotherapist. Took a month. Was tested and certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists on December 1991.
Travel for over two years facilitation large group seminars throughout Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. I was helping people. Getting them to quit smoking. Some of the most fulfilling experiences in my life.
Over the years I've looked back at how my life has changed. What I've accomplished, who I've become. One Friday I had said no to the greatest opportunity sitting in front of me. By Monday morning I was beginning the journey. One that would change my life forever.
I understand Tony Robbins, he's an Erickson trained hypnotist. I understand self-hypnosis, NLP, and the way we talk to ourselves. We are capable of much more than we think we are…
It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped - Tony Robbins
Into the Spell, a paranormal thriller.Into the Spell

10 Ways to Improve Your Writing

If you follow my blog you know I repost from "Writing Tips." This is one of the better suggestions. If your editing, these ten tips offer excellent examples of re-arranging a sentence to add verity to your writing. I would even go so far to suggest using this as an author's checklist. When proofing your work see if there are sentences you can modify to give the reader a better experience.

English is a remarkably flexible language in terms of syntax, because a simple statement can be rendered in so many ways. Take, for example, the statement "I went for a walk," and consider all the ways you can attach the additional information included in the statement, "I saw a dinosaur." Here are just some of the most basic of many variations in syntactical organization:1. Write the statements as consecutive sentences: "I went for a walk. I saw a dinosaur."2. Add the second statement to the first as a dependent clause: "I went for a walk and saw a dinosaur." (The second statement does not stand on its own.)3. Add the second statement to the first as an independent clause: "I went for a walk, and I saw a dinosaur." (The second statement stands on its own, which means it can be separated into two sentences, as in the first example.)4. Begin the sentence with a dependent marker that turns the initial statement into a modifying phrase that expands on the second statement: "While I was walking, I saw a dinosaur."5. Begin with the second statement and reword the first statement as a modifying phrase that follows it: "I saw a dinosaur on my walk this morning."6. Insert a nonessential phrase, which must be bracketed by commas, one of two ways: Locate the phrase between a pair of independent clauses (but after the coordinating conjunction), each consisting of one of the two statements: "I went for a walk and, to my surprise, I saw a dinosaur." (Notice that "to my surprise," which can be omitted without altering the sentence's meaning, modifies the second statement and so must follow and; note, too, that the comma preceding the coordinating conjunction can be omitted.)Or, separate two statements with a nonessential phrase inserted before the coordinating conjunction: "I went for a walk, following my usual route, and I saw a dinosaur." (Notice that "following my usual route," which also does not alter the sentence's meaning if it is omitted, modifies the first statement and so must precede and.)7. Emphasize a nonessential phrase by bracketing it with em dashes to indicate an interruption of thought: "I went for a walk and — no, I was not hallucinating — I saw a dinosaur." (Alternatively, to deemphasize the phrase, or for humorous effect, enclose it in parentheses.)8. Insert an essential clause — one whose absence would alter the meaning the sentence — between two statements: "I went for a walk that followed my usual route and saw a dinosaur."9. Attach a variation of the second statement to the first, preceded by a semicolon when the second statement is an independent clause that is nevertheless closely associated with the first one: "I went for a walk; a dinosaur was grazing along my route."10. Separate two statements with a semicolon when the second statement is preceded by an adverb or an adverbial phrase, which requires a subsequent comma: "I went for a walk; unexpectedly, I saw a dinosaur along the way."
It is this rich variety of word and phrase order and variation in punctuation that makes prose — fiction or nonfiction — readable. As you review your writing, make sure that you vary sentence structure among these and other constructions to create a pleasant reading experience devoid of lockstep syntax — questionable enough for a Dick-and-Jane reading level, and deadly for more sophisticated readers.

Source: Dailywritingtips

The Book Faery Reviews article

This is from the interview posted June 13, from The Book Faery Reviews. There is a link at the end for the complete interview.
First, I have to brag. Just a little. The Book Faery Reviews was UBER-EXCITED to be put onto the printed back cover of First to Die by Norman Applegate. BIG accomplishment in our eyes here in book review land. BIG.(well at least for us!) Ironically, there aren't many book reviews for the horror genre here (and we do love some horror) yet this one was selected. We were ECSTATIC when the email message with proposed cover (see above), the Facebook message, and of course the printed signed copy came in the mail. ECSTATIC. Everyone who knew about us outside of the internet were just excited. Because you know we just HAD to share the awesome news.Norman signed a publishing deal with the Turkish company, ARVO Basim Yayin (tip: your web browser should be able to translate the site for you into English). Three of his books have been translated and go on sale this month (June) throughout Turkey. He, John Everson and Jack Ketchum have been signed with the company and he felt honored to be in such good company with those writers.First to Die was released this past March…Now on to my interview with our friend Norm…The Book Faery Reviews: This is your fourth book. Can you tell us about it? (To read the article select the link).The Book Faery Reviews

6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

Found another article that clears up some common foreign expressions. We see and read these all the time, curious if everyone knows their meaning. Looking at the list my favorite is De Facto, sounds intriguing, will have to use that in a story.1. De FactoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "actual" (if used as an adjective) or "in practice" (if used as an adverb). In legal terms, de facto is commonly used in contrast to de jure, which means "by law." Something, therefore, can emerge either de facto (by practice) or de jure (by law).

And what of the plastic red bench, which has served as his de facto home for the last 15 years and must by now be a collector's item? (NY Times)

2. Vis-à-VisThe literal meaning of this French expression is "face to face" (used as an adverb). It is used more widely as a preposition though, meaning "compared with" or "in relation to."

It's going to be a huge catalyst in moving the whole process forward and it really strengthens the U.S. position vis-a-vis our trading partners (Yahoo! News)

3. Status quoThis famous Latin expression means "the current or existing state of affairs." If something changes the status quo, it is changing the way things presently are.

Bush believes that the status quo — the presence in a sovereign country of a militant group with missiles capable of hitting a U.S. ally — is unacceptable. (Washington Post)

4. Cul-de-sacThis expression was originated in England by French-speaking aristocrats. Literally it means "bottom of a sack," but generally it refers to a dead-end street. Cul-de-sac can also be used metaphorically to express an action that leads to nowhere or an impasse.

But the code of omerta was in effect for two carloads of fans circling the cul-de-sac to have a look at the house. (Reuters.com)

A cul-de-sac of poverty (The Economist)

5. Per sePer se is a Latin expression that means "by itself" or "intrinsically."

The mistake it made with the Xbox is that there is no game console market per se; there are PlayStation, GameCube, and Xbox markets. (PCMag.com)

6. Ad hocAd hoc, borrowed from the Latin, can be used both as an adjective, where it means "formed or created with a specific purpose," and as an adverb, where it means "for the specific purpose or situation."

The World Bank's board on Friday ordered an ad hoc group to discuss the fate of President Paul Wolfowitz (CNN)

Source: Dailywritingtips 

Writing Tips for a Winning Web Site

Thought this was good. It covers the basics of a web site and as all of us that are writers know, marketing whether you like it or not is a requirement if you want recognition for your work. 1. Keyword Top LabelsUse keywords for window titles and taglines, and keep them sharp and succinct. These labels are for helping Internet users get to your site because they typed them into a search engine and your site came up in the results, not for wowing visitors when they get there (assuming they get there, because you're not using keywords to help searchers).
2. Keyword Display CopyEmploy keywords, not clever words, to begin headings, headlines, and link names, and keep the display copy brief. Most Web site visitors scan just the first one or two words of display copy. In "Where to Go on Vacation This Summer," the first keyword appears as the fifth word of seven. (Go isn't a keyword, because you don't yet know what kind of going is involved.)
"Summer-Vacation Destinations," by contrast, gives you three keywords out of three, with the two most important ones in first and second place. This approach is especially advantageous for a commerce site, but your personal blog shouldn't be any different (assuming you want to attract new site visitors, not just impress current ones).
3. Avoid All Capital LettersDon't use all capital letters, even in display copy. All-cap text is harder to scan and to read. Do, however, use initial caps for headings and headlines.
4. Avoid Exclamation PointsUnless your site is all about bringing the funny — or attempting to do so — don't use exclamation points. (Another exception: if all the i's are dotted with circles or hearts.)
5. Omit Extraneous Spaces or PunctuationAll-cap initials and acronyms, of course, but don't separate letters with word spaces — or with periods. Omit apostrophes when attaching a plural s to such abbreviations.
6. Avoid Superfluous HeadingsEschew headings and headlines like "Features" and "Links" for self-evident sections.
7. Make Navigation and Display Easy on the EyesMake it easy to find other pages and archived content, and avoid making the home page and other pages busy in general.
8. Keyword NavigationNever use "Click here" or "More" (by itself) or "Next page" for a link name. Use keywords: "Archive," "More Top 10 Lists," "Ski Trip, Day 2."
9. Limit Font and Background StylesAvoid multiple fonts, font sizes, font colors, and background colors. Use one font for display copy and another for running text. Limit italics to emphasis of words and short phrases. Employ boldface generously in display copy but sparingly in running text.
10. Write for First-Time VisitorsIf you want to attract a general readership, write for a general readership. Don't dumb down, but do explain obscure terminology and do spell acronyms out. (You could provide a glossary, but briefly explaining, or spelling out, an unfamiliar term needn't be distracting to either lay readers or experts.)

Source: Dailywritingtips.com

Jumpers, a short story

"Jumpers," my new short story. This has kind of a Twilight Zone feel to it about a gypsy and a couple of guys who don't know what they have gotten into when they pay for a wish at a county fair. I've just release it as an ebook on Amazon and Smashwords for $0.99.
Amazon.com
Smashwords



Product Description:
Gypsy Lore. Fortune Telling. Black Magic
Twelve million Gypsy's in the world. They have the gift. Good fortune or destroy with a curse.Two men visit one. The wrong one. Money is exchanged. She looks into their eyes. A wish is granted!
Sorcery!
You'll never drive over a bridge again without looking left, right…Jumpers!
Jumpers is a 5000 word short story by thriller writer Norm Applegate, Into the Basement and First to Die.


The cover is a shot of Florida's Sunshine Skyway spanning St. Petersburg and Manatee County. James Rone designed and created the cover. He used Adobe Suite and layered a terrific huge moon and eerie sky over the bridge with some dangerous looking water beneath it.
If you would like to reach out to James for a book cover, I've added his contact info, send him an email.Cover art and design by James Rone.Jameron713@gmail.com

Hypnosis, Occult, Ghosts and Murder

Just released the paperback version of Into the Spell with the new cover.




Hypnotist, deranged…Ghost, Madame Blavatsky…Serial killer, female…Bent woman, Kim Bennett…
Into the Spell is Norm Applegate's second book. It's a paranormal thriller about a serial killer controlled by a hypnotist, who speaks to the dead.
The Mayor's daughter is murdered. Kim Bennett and FBI agent A.L. Hague are catapulted into the dark side of hypnosis, paranormal behaviors, ghosts and the occult. The situation gets worse. A .44 caliber bulldog is found. The same pistol used by the Son of Sam. It sets the clock ticking in an adventure of sex and control.
Available at Amazon.comInto the Spell
ebook available at Amazon, B&N, ibooks (ipad), Kobo and Smashwords 

Unspoken Dialog in a Novel

If you follow my blog you know I like re-posting writing tips when I feel a lot of writers could benefit from them. So here's another one. This is from "Daily Writing Tips.com." 


What type of markers or emphasis should a writer give to signal that a character's thoughts are unspoken? Though some people disagree, the consensus is that they should be enclosed in quotation marks as if they were said aloud:
1. "She surveyed the shambles of her room and thought, 'Where do I start?'"
This mode of what is known as unspoken discourse assumes that internally vocalized thoughts are a form of direct speech. "Unspoken discourse" is not to be confused with "indirect discourse," which describes indirect speech, or paraphrase:
2. "She surveyed the shambles of her room and wondered, where should she start?"
In this case, the person would not think, "Where should she start?" in those words, so the final phrase of the sentence is a paraphrase, not a quote, and should not be enclosed in quotation marks.
Indirect discourse has another, similar form:
3. "She surveyed the shambles of her room and wondered where she should start."
Notice that in this example, a different type of paraphrase, a comma does not precede the thought, and no question mark punctuates this sentence, because it's not a question.
As I mentioned above, some writers prefer to omit quotation marks in unspoken discourse:
4. "She surveyed the shambles of her room and thought, Where do I start?"
This style is also correct, but it requires greater attention from the reader, and it seems more trouble than it's worth to distinguish between spoken thoughts and unspoken ones, especially in fiction.
Employing italics is an alternative strategy for unspoken discourse, but this method is best used in internal dialogue, when a person is conversing with their alter ego, or with a disembodied entity such as a spirit, or perhaps a guiding force from within:
"The voice seemed to resonate inside her: Go forth, and fear not."