Kenneth Atchity's Blog, page 149

Sandra Siegal's The Charnel House Opens Today!

"The Charnel House took us by surprise. It has an original story and some truly stellar acting!"
"...an original and very well-told story."





Book your tickets asap at, http://www.laemmle.com/films/41439

Rent or buy it at iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-charnel-house/id1163401550

Dennis Walsh looking cheerful at Wrigley Field!

Maya Angelou Documentary FREE Screening November 11th!

Happy Holloween!!

Judy Cairo in a cameo in Hysteria. On her way to see the doctor for her weekly treatment of Hysteria. The baker she is with is Ken Atchity.

Seven Story Beats To Help Outline Your Romantic Comedy

1. The Chemical Equation: Setup
A scene or sequence identifying the exterior and /or interior conflict (i.e. unfulfilled desire), the “what’s wrong with this picture” implied in the protagonist’s (and/or the antagonist’s) current status quo.
2. Cute Meet: The Catalyst
The inciting incident that brings man and woman [or man and man or woman and woman] together and into conflict; an inventive but credible contrivance, often amusing, which in some way sets the tone for the action to come.
3. A Sexy Complication: Turning Point
Traditionally occurring at the end of Act 1, a new development that raises story stakes and clearly defines the protagonist’s goal; most successful when it sets man and woman at cross-purposes and/or their inner emotions at odds with the goal.
4. The Hook: Midpoint
A situation that irrevocably binds the protagonist with the antagonist (often while tweaking sexual tensions) and has further implications for the outcome of the relationship.
5. Swivel: Second Turning Point
Traditionally occurring at the end of Act 2, stakes reach their highest point as the romantic relationship’s importance jeopardizes the protagonist’s chance to succeed at his [or her] stated goad–or vice versa–and his [or her] goal shifts.
6. The Dark Moment: Crisis Climax
Wherein the consequences of the swivel decision yield disaster; generally, the humiliating scene where private motivations are revealed, and either the relationship and/or the protagonist’s goal is seemingly lost forever.
7. Joyful Defeat: Resolution
A reconciliation that reaffirms the primal importance of the relationship; usually a happy ending that implies marriage or a serious commitment, often at the cost of some personal sacrifice to the protagonist.

via Billy Mernit defines the “seven basic romantic comedy beats” in Writing the Romantic Comedy   
 

Ernest Hemingway Creates a Reading List for a Young Writer, 1934

In the spring of 1934, a young man who wanted to be a writer hitchhiked to Florida to meet his idol, Ernest Hemingway.

Arnold Samuelson was an adventurous 22-year-old. He had been born in a sod house in North Dakota to Norwegian immigrant parents. He completed his coursework in journalism at the University of Minnesota, but refused to pay the $5 fee for a diploma. After college he wanted to see the country, so he packed his violin in a knapsack and thumbed rides out to California. He sold a few stories about his travels to the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune.



Read more 

Kenneth Atchity tells us why he wrote Brae MacKenzie! Listen to a chapter reading now!!

How to Turn a Book Into a Movie with Ken Atchity

Kenneth Atchity began writing stories as a child under his mother’s supervision. By the age of 16 he was a book reviewer for the Kansas City Star (no one at the newspaper realized how old he was when they hired him over the phone).
Ken started in the film industry after working as a professor for 17 years because he wanted to work on the creative side of story rather than the critical side. He came up with an idea that turned into 16 films and never looked back. His company has developed over 30 films and published over 150 novels. Ken has a reverence for stories and the art of storytelling that shines through in this interview.

Listen to interview


The way to sell a story to its largest audience is to write a book and make a movie out of it. You can also do it the other way, and write a book based on a movie.The power of having a story that is both a movie or TV show and a book is that you have two separate audiences that discover the story and each of them will seek out the story in the other medium.People who read the book first will watch the movie or TV show, and people who watch the TV show first will buy the book.To make your story into a movie or television show, it has to be highly dramatic and have a universal message that a large audience can connect with.A good treatment can sell them with the idea of your novel even if your novel is missing some basic elements of a good Hollywood screenplay.A treatment is a brief written pitch that shows the movie that exists in the story. Ken’s book on treatments can be found in the Links and Resources section below.After you’ve written your treatment you should reach out to a contact in Hollywood.If you don’t know anyone directly to you don’t have any friends who might be able to connect with someone one place to look is writers conferences. You can go to writers conferences and sign up for a lecture from somebody who is connected in Hollywood and that will give you a point of contact.When you meet your point of contact simply ask them for their advice. Don’t ask them to buy your story idea. Give them the elevator pitch of your story. If they’re excited by that give them a copy of your treatment and they’ll look at it seriously. Often if they aren’t interested for some reason they may be able to point you in the direction of somebody who might be.Don’t offer to buy them lunch. Just ask for five minutes of their time.You should be able to tell people what your story is about one or two sentences. If it takes longer something is wrong with your story.The pitch for under siege starring Stephen Seagal was Die Hard on a boat.the pitch for Splash starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah was: It’s a fish out of water story only she’s a mermaid. The secret to a good pitch is to make it short. Make it something that leads the person you’re talking to to ask questions.If you’re in a producer’s office in Hollywood and they ask you five questions about your story, they virtually invested in your story already.The most important character in every story is the audience. Always pay attention to the audience. Always be thinking about where the audience’s attention is at.Structure your story for your audience.How to engage your audience when they aren’t responding to the story you’re telling.After you’ve sold your story stop talking.Never bring notes to a pitch meeting.Stories are about humanity.Storytelling is about capturing the audience in a relationship with you that leaves the rest of the world out.The audience lives inside your story. That’s why it’s so important to not have anything in the story that takes them out of the story.The most important thing when selling your story is to keep the audience on the edge of their seat all the way through the pitch. If you can do that chances are very good story will sell.Ideas themselves don’t make movies. Good storytelling makes movies. Writing a good story shows that you’re a good storyteller.There are no new stories. It’s how you tell the story that makes the difference.An idea can’t be protected. Only written documents can be protected. If you have a good story idea at least write a treatment of it so it can be protected.The human race runs on stories.Storytelling is a sacred vocation.Before the written word storytelling was how civilization got passed down from generation to generation.Storytellers were a protected class of citizen in ancient times.Storytelling is our primary way of holding reality together.The myth of the starving artist is just another destructive story we tell ourselves. It’s a story rooted in victimhood, and no good protagonist is ever a victim for long. Western culture prefers stories of heroes who overcome their obstacles.Salvador Dali once said: The difference between a madman and myself is I am not mad. The only difference between an artist who is seen as crazy and an artist who is seen as a genius in success.The only way to combat the naysayers in your life is simply keep writing.As a writer always remember that your calling is writing. Keep a sense of perspective when people try to tear you down.Start writing more it will get rid of all these moods you’re having.— Ray BradburyYou have to have the story you’re telling nailed down, but you also have to have your personal story nailed down as well.Writers write. That’s what they do.The only way to be sure they will succeed as a storyteller is to keep telling stories until you succeed. You have to persist as long as it takes.The only way to fail is to give up. If you don’t give up you will eventually succeed, or die trying.As a writer you’re living a dream life. Millions of people dream of having the courage to do what you’re doing. If you die without any external success, you still died in the middle of living a dream life. Is there anything better than that?The sure fire cure for writers block: never sit down to write until you know what you’re going to write about.The good thing about writing is that it’s a democratic art form. Anyone can write. It’s not limited to a specific social class or morality.
Basic Elements of a Hollywood StoryA protagonist we root for and identify with.An antagonist for the protagonist to struggle against.A visible goal that the protagonist wants to achieve.Obstacles for the protagonist to overcome.Follow the three act structure. Make sure your story has a beginning, middle and end.Make sure that your story has a big climax. Hollywood movies need big climaxes.Make sure your story has a satisfying ending. If the ending to your room a satisfying the moviegoer won’t care how much it costs. If the ending is satisfying to be saying to themselves, That was a waste of $12! 

Read more

Night Owl Reviews Story Merchant Books' Dragon Heart by Linda A. Malcor

  Dragon HeartDragonlords of Dumnonia This is a novel that took my breath and imagination away. Seldom do I enjoy a novel to the point I couldn't put it down for a moment. From the start there is a synergistic energy that keeps the storyline in place at all times. For once I wished I could ride a dragon! This story is intended for young adults, but I say it's for everyone. The characters were fresh and eager. The plot is an old one, but with many twists to keep the reader off their feet.

There is a scrap of a boy who dreams of riding a dragon, but he feels his dreams are far away, especially in the land of Drumnonia where there are dragons, riders, AND demons, gods, and elves. In the end, he becomes a dragon rider, and not just an ordinary rider either: he is the Dragonheart!

A dragonheart is a rider who is part dragon and part Drumnonian, and they are rare. They also do many spectacular things in their lifetimes, but this youngster, Shashtah, hasn't begun his journey to where the spectacular become normal. He picks as his first dragon an ancient who knows her time is up in five years. She is a dragon to teach Shashtah what he needs to learn as he has a mission too important to wait for him to learn all he needs to know prior to leaving.

This story takes the reader into the beginning moments of one young man's dreams and shows how incredible his rise to stardom is. There are many adventures and the author packs this story in so tight, it's a wonder if there is any more Shashtah can do in another novel. I'm very excited and hopeful that there is another novel with Shashtah coming soon.
Book Blurb for Dragon HeartTHE WIZARDS . . .
Life on Centuria used to make sense. Beings with special powers went to the School of Corin to learn how to control them. The more they learned, the more powerful they became. And the greatest Wizard of them all was the White Wolf.

THE WAR . . .
During their quests for knowledge, the Wizards accidentally opened a door to another dimension, where the Mirari lived. Beings of Light, the Mirari banished one of their rebels to Centuria where he became known as the Dark One. The Dark One took his anger out on the unprotected world, and the Wizards did not have the power to stop him. So the Mirari sent two of their own, the Winged Warrior Criton and the Elven King Farador to help. Their magic did not work properly on Centuria, though, and all they could do was keep the Dark One’s forces at bay.

THE DRAGONS . . .
An experiment begun by the Wizard Corin, the Bronze Dragons and the Dumnonians who care for them control a land rich in sand and so poor in everything else that not even the Dark One wants it. Caravans trade for supplies in the wealthy land of the Dragonslayers, Daethia, which supply the Dragons and Dumnonians with barely enough provisions to keep them alive.
THE PROPHET . . .

A caravaneer, Shashtah wants to Bond with one of the Bronzes and help the Dragonriders of Dumnonia carry “Eternal Death to the Dark One!” When demons capture and torture Shashtah, his powers awaken at the wrong time and out of control. The Dragons suddenly find themselves with a very dangerous, untrained Prophet rather than what they had really bred for: a Dragonheart.

Read more 

Romancing the ebook: A conversation with Book Riot’s Jessica Tripler by Len Edgerly

Len Edgerly 
Date: August 20, 2016Author: Len Edgerly 4 Comments It turns out some of the first and most fervent adopters of ebooks still read more digital books than any anyone else.

Those readers are fans of the romance genre, and in this week’s Kindle Chronicles interview I gained new appreciation and respect for romance by talking with Jessica Tripler, who covers romance novels and other topics as a Book Riot contributor.

Tripler reads four to six romances a month, along with two or three novels in other genres. Married and the mother of two boys, she is a professor of philosophy at a university in Maine, as well as a clinical ethicist.

Romance is a $1 billion industry that accounts for more than 262 million titles sold each year in the U.S., Tripler told me. She described the genre as domestic novels that can be “very insightful when it comes to human psychology, in particular the psychology of desire, of love, of human relationships, of ethics.”
“I would stand romance writing against any other genres,” Tripler said. “Like other genres, you can have a terrific example of the genre and a terrible one. That goes for literary fiction—some literary fiction is just a real failure.”
What you won’t find in romance novels, according to a definition Tripler shared from Romance Writers of America, are pessimistic and emotionally unsatisfying endings. In a romance, you will root for the hero and heroine (or hero and hero, or heroine and heroine), whose love relationship will be central to the plot, which ends on an optimistic and emotionally satisfying note, she said.

Eighty-nine percent of all romance sales are digital, Data Guy of AuthorEarnings reported at the Romance Writers of America annual meeting last month. Tripler on August 11 wrote a BookRiot post suggesting the reasons for that dominance of the genre by e-books.

Among the factors she listed, the desire for privacy is important for some romance readers, Tripler wrote, but in the podcast interview she said that is not a big concern for seasoned romance fans.

“Maybe for the person that picks up one romance a year in an airport,” she suggested, “but most people who read it regularly don’t really care who sees them reading it.”

That’s not to say that privacy concerns don’t ever lead to a preference for digital reading, Tripler said, especially for edgy, more erotic romances which can be inappropriate for children or invite unwanted attention in public.
Other factors in the lives of busy, multi-tasking women, Tripler said, are price, portability, convenience, and the ability to hold so many books on an e-reader at once.

“One piece that gets under-emphasized in these discussions,” she added, “is that women who adopted digital reading early on were tech savvy. They were online. They were participating in discussion groups and felt very comfortable with that technology. And they had money.”

“Romance readers do quite well in terms of income and education, and they often tend to be partnered up, which usually helps with income,” Tripler said, “so they had the tech savvy and the money to go ahead and buy the Kindle or at least know how to get digital books onto their laptop.”

Of the 75 million Americans who read at least one romance novel a year, 16 percent or 12 million are men, Tripler said. As preparation for the interview, I asked her to recommend a romance novel that I might enjoy reading.
On her suggestion, my wife and I listened to the Audible version of Julie James’s Practice Makes Perfect , a hilarious and tightly plotted legal romance set at a big firm in Chicago. We both loved it.

Other contemporary romance writers that Tripler recommended are Nora Roberts, Courtney Milan, Molly O’Keefe, Beverly Jenkins, and Farrah Rochon.
As a philosopher and clinical ethicist, Tripler reads romances from a particular point of view.

“Looking at it from my professional background,” she told me, “there are always interesting questions about what is the good life, how do I move forward in an ethical way, what do we owe to each other, what does it mean to be vulnerable, dependence and independence—these are all ethical questions that have been interesting to me in my work, and they play out in very interesting ways in the genre.”

I like to think I went into this interview with an open mind regarding books of all genres, but I’m here to say that Jessica Tripler significantly expanded my understanding of why so many millions of readers, men and women, love a good romance—especially on an e-book.

Read more at Teleread