Sherman Alexie, Part 2

After I wrote that post about Sherman Alexie, I got an e-mail allegedly from him saying "I look really goofy in that photograph of us..." Of course, I assumed it was one of my friends messing with me so I stomped about accusing everybody. No one confessed though everyone was puzzled, trying to figure out who it could be after I'd weeded out the prime suspects. You've probably figured out by now that it turns out it really was him (and he proved it) and that I seemed like an idiot and a jerk for accusing my friends. But I don't. By accusing them all I inadvertently spread the word and now have bragging rights that it really was him who wrote to me because he's that cool. Though I am still a jerk. I did put that dead, plucked dove in one of my best friends' backpacks in high school. But hey, I think he kinda liked it.

But can you believe that? What a great guy. Though it's rather embarrassing that the man himself read my gushing entry, it was way worth it to hear from him and further proof that he is made of awesome.

As if an e-mail from Alexie himself wasn't awesome enough, I got to interview Christ Eyre last week for a paper I'm writing. Chris Eyre - the director of Smoke Signals and Skins. He and Alexie make a formidable, inspiring, and immensely talented team. And from what I can tell they're both very kind, extremely gifted pioneers. Genius, too.

(Sherman - I know you're reading this. Chris says hi)

I won an award last Friday in a contest - a scholarship for a short story I wrote titled "Walkers in Darkness."

At the awards ceremony - Me and my BFF in the MFA program - Matt (an extremely talented writer!) We looked like Vampires with the red-eye so I tried to remove it. Now our eyes look soul-less! In the foreground on the left is Michael and I don't know who the other woman is - sorry!

I just finished a draft of my most recent screenplay and I don't mind if I brag - it's awesome. My professor (who also works for Dreamworks) is extremely hopeful and inspiring and imagines it as a $150 million dollar, high-concept film. It would certainly have to be to do the story justice, but from my lowly, unpublished standpoint, I'm happy with it even if it only remains a script. I feel like I've told the story I set out to tell to the best of my ability, and I adored writing and re-writing it (in fact, I keep hoping for further re-writes so that I can spend more time with it) which is more than satisfying.

I also haven't said (ha - "said" - more like written) this anywhere publicly before but I've become e-mail pals with executive producer/writer of Stargate Atlantis - Joseph Mallozzi - and he's let me write three scripts for the show, even though I don't have an agent. None of the stories I wrote were producible (the first had story flaws and the last one had way too many similarities to episodes that were about to air) but it was a huge learning experience nevertheless, and I am extremely grateful for it. I also have immense respect for the writers. It certainly was tougher for me working in a vacuum without a group writing atmosphere, but churning out plot after plot while keeping it fresh after 13 years of Stargate is no easy task! So Stargate writers, past and present, I salute you!

On that note... has anyone checked out "Moe Jacuzzi's" blog lately? Seems they (*cough* me *cough*) made a documentary about him lately. Might be worth checking out for those of you in on the joke. ;)

Hope you're all well and a huge thanks to Sherman Alexie, Chris Eyre, and Joe Mallozzi! Wopila! Mahalo! Muchas gracias! Danke! And many more!

Melissa - Sweet - you get to watch Stargate in class? I'd be grinning like an idiot! And lucky you on summer already! I have a week or two more... then I must write my arse off in an attempt to produce something of quality!