Tales of A Broke Writer

The Last Blog

With the coming renewal date for this blog looming, I've decided that July 7th will be the last full day of this blog. In the year since I started this blog A) it's accomplished some of the things I intended it to, and B) in this year I've branched across the internet and my profile is much more visible than it used to be.

I'd like to thank everyone who has visited this blog and hopefully found a little amusement at my foibles at becoming the new Hemingway, or the newer Cherry. When I started this blog all I had was a published book but you've witnessed the growth of this with the release of Myspace bulletins to 100,000 people, you've read the reviews coming as they came in, my somwhat comic dealings with almost getting a job as a writer for an upstart TV series, and of course the travesty of the reality show that I don't think anyone will ever see.

You may ask yourself what the future holds for me and jymsbooks as well as my writing, Well, the biggest thing of course is my screenplay The Third Day being developed as a package for a proven filmmaker who wants to make his directorial debut with The Third Day. I'm hoping to hear from his agent today as a matter of fact of what the next step may be. So, if all goes right look for The Third Day at your local movie theater in about 18 months. Of course I'm still promoting and trying to find new avenues and venues for The Last Stage, so if you have any friends who you think will like my book(s) please turn them onto www.jymsbooks.com .

If you would like to keep up with me and my adventures to become the new John Grisham there are still a lot of places on the internet to find me. You can join my newsletter at www.jymsbooks.com I have a myspace site at www.myspace.com/jymsbooks I'm also a monthly contributor to the Sonar4ezine at www.sonar4ezine.com I also write a lot of reviews on Amazon.com & www.goodreads.com both of which you can join me at. I also have a few videos up on Youtube which include my Karaoke/Booksigning last Nov. (which was also detailed in this blog) and you might find it a bit comical  here's me singing Break On Through  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYSD_HCj4vo and here's Light My Fire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGTdim5DtwI I hope you enjoy these! If you would like to show your support of being a jymsbooks fan you can purchase jymsbooks merchandise at http://www.cafepress.com/jymsbooks I hope that's everyplace I'm at, oh, yeah, I am on Facebook as well. That should be everyplace.

Again, I want to thank everybody that has visited this site, taken the time to come back and those that contacted me, and I hope you will follow me and see how this adventure ends!

ALL THE BEST TO YOU! THANK YOU!

Jim

Hush, Hush, On The QT

Hello Friends, Romans & Countrymen!

I'm having a bit of insomnia tonight, or this morning now, so I thought I'd get a bit of work done and keep you all informed of what's going on with The Last Stage and other projects.

I want to start off with the screenplay The Third Day, but this is on the QT, it's hush, hush, and we don't want to tell anybody for fear of queering the not so yet deal. When things are solidified I'll pony up all the details, but as we've seen in the past few months other things like writing for that TV show, and the reality show have come to nothing. The guy who I told you about in the last newsletter read my screenplay and loved it! I've always thought this screenplay is a good one especially for a first time director looking for a low budget, indie friendly movie to make. He took the screenplay to his agent in L.A. and as of right now they're working to develop the screenplay into "a package" to show to poetential investors to look for financing.

I've also received another positive review for The Last Stage on Amazon:

Leather Pants & Lies, But The Heart Of Rock & Roll Is Still Beating

Michael Gray is a pioneer of sorts. The fictional Jim Morrison impersonator in Jim Cherry's book, "The Last Stage," shuffles through life as something of an antihero, bent of discovering himself and the meaning of life, by living inside another man's skin, namely Jim Morrison's of the legendary rock group, The Doors. Aping his hero's behavior; in many ways becoming just like his hero at times, he tells the tale intelligently with a flair for descriptive language, perhaps, explained by the fact that he spent many years in a college town as a "professional" student.

By pioneer we mean this isn't the 90's or the next century, this is the mid 1980's, and the best-selling Morrison biography "No One Here Gets Out Alive" had only recently been published. Many were only discovering Morrison for the first time and he hadn't become the cottage industry he's become over the years. It would take Oliver Stone's film, "The Doors," to really cement Morrison as a cultural icon, worthy of imitation and emulation the world over. As such, there is a lot of skepticism at the time from Michael Gray's family friends, band mates and others that he could make a career of it. Flash forward a few years, and we now have Doors cover bands on all continents, so we can at least in the fictional world call Michael Gray a trendsetter, a man ahead of his time.

Gray wrestles with his own demons and needs, as he increasingly loses his identity to Morrison. On the road with an original band he convinces to cover Doors songs until they can carve out their own career, he grows increasingly difficult to deal with, much like the real Morrison, adopting all of his bad habits, such as womanizing and excessive drinking, and none of his good ones. He immerses himself in the Morrison persona, right down to always wearing Morrison's trademark leather pants. Ultimately, the band's desire to remain true to their own vision, and to their own original music, brings the conflict between Gray and the band to a head.

The blurry, grey area difference between reality and fantasy is explored, as well as the darker side of the entertainment business, highlighting the plight of former child stars and has-been rock and rollers from the past who, like demigods, fall from their pinnacles, their glory days, where they are adulated and admired, to become like the rest of us, human and so very vulnerable.

This is a great book. It moves quickly and it paints a collage of a rock band on a road trip across the heartland of America-from biker bars to outdoor festivals, from hole-in-the-wall dives to the famous Whisky-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles-accentuating the ultimately self-serving, shallow and illusory world of the entertainment business. Where the ugly reality of an all too real world, replete with its darker side, is sharply contrasted with the fantasy world Hollywood creates. As well it illustrates the utter futility of trying to find oneself and the meaning of life by living in somebody else's leather pants.
By Joe Rossi www.myspace.com/mjoerossi

Well, that's about all the news that's fit to print today. I hope everybody has a good day and more restful night than I am.

Jim

My Hollywood Connection

I don't know if I've told this story before. Well, a fleshed out fictionalized version made it to The Last Stage, the story of my Hollywood connection at Paramount.

I was going out to L.A., I had my debts paid down, I had money in my pocket, and I had a job lined up, and I had my first novel Becoming Angel finished and all typed up. A co-worker of mine, knowing of my literary ambitions told me she would put me in touch with her cousin Laura who worked at Paramount. She told me her cousin was an assistant to a producer, I didn't think much of it because there are a lot of producers. I said sure and got her name and number.

After I got settled in L.A., I called Laura and we set up a date and time to meet at the studio. I went to Paramount, I met Laura who turned out to be the assistant to a BIG Hollywood producer. When I walked her and her assistant were coordinating with Steve Guttenberg to get a limo, I met a guy who was in Wayne's World (who was bringing Laura a script he wrote, because according to him Laura was the person to get stuff to). We went out to dinner & I told her about my novel and she asked to read it. I told her I hadn't brought it because I didn't know if she'd be interested. She told me she would like to read it & that she would have a messenger pick up the manuscript at my hotel the next day. I thought I had it made! I was going to be a Hollywood success!

Now, if you want to know a cool feeling is, it's going down to the desk of a hotel in Los Angeles and ask them if they can keep your manuscript behind the desk until a messenger from Paramount comes to pick it up. The messenger picked it up the next day & I eventually had to leave L.A. I never heard back from Laura. About 6 months later I was watching West 54th St. (a magazine style news program like 60 Minutes) & there was Laura ratting out her boss! There was some deals with Cocaine to finance a movie, & I knew that was the end of my Hollywood connection!

This was part of my latest newsletter if you would like to read tidbits like this and other cool stuff and info about Jym please subscribe to the newsletter at www.jymsbooks.com

Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll Interview + Karaoke Video!

In case you didn't get a chance to hear the interview about The Last Stage on The Raves, Rants & Rock 'n' Roll Radio show here's the link: http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Music-Entertainment/Last-Stage.htm the green buttons next to my picture start the interview.

& the long anticipated video of me singing at a booksigning/karaoke night last Nov. I'll also put up a couple more later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYSD_HCj4vo

Sorry,  it's taken me so long to post the video but I was nervous about watching myself. I've been prodded & I watched the video and it wasn't too bad! I Hope you like them & please be kind in reviewing the singing!

Jim

The Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll Radio Show

This is going to be my shortest blog: (no cheering!)  

I was on Big Blend Magazine's Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll show last night talking about The Last Stage. I'm the first guest on the show & the interview starts about 8 mins into the program and runs through the first half hour.

Here's the link, enjoy!
Rant's, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll Interview

Jim

Star Trek: The Alternate History

Let's whip up a little controversy, my Star Trek review.

The new Star Trek movie was billed as not being your father’s Star Trek, it’s not. Every generation reinterprets its myths and that’s what Paramount is doing here, rebooting Star Trek for a more action oriented younger audience. So, if you want to see a bright, shiny, action packed movie, don’t read any farther, this is the movie for you.

Star Trek starts with the villain, Nero’s (Eric Bana) coming out of a black hole and engaging Starfleet in a battle in which James Kirk‘s father assumes command of a ship long enough to have the crew abandon ship, including his wife who is having the baby to be named James Tiberius Kirk. The movie gives us a couple of scenes of Jim Kirk’s rebellious childhood, he’s enticed by Capt. Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to follow in his father’s footsteps and join Starfleet where he meets Leonard McCoy and we’re treated to the amusing story of why Kirk calls McCoy “Bones.” The Kobayashi Maru simulation plays a part, and it’s revealed that Spock is the programmer of the “no win” scenario, although the simulation seems better in The Wrath of Khan. When Nero’s ship reemerges from a black hole Starfleet is scrambled and all available cadets are assigned ships and as the nascent crew of the Enterprise is assembled they go off to face and battle Nero.

The essence of all the major characters are here, Chris Pine has the swagger, and at times seems to channel William Shatner without resorting to parody. Zachary Quinto is exemplary as Spock, Karl Urban playing McCoy is dead on, although, the repeated “damn it Jim, I’m a Doctor not a ….,” gets to seem forced, and the comedic interplay between Kirk and McCoy as they get aboard the Enterprise is a little too much considering the situation they’re in. Zoe Saladana is given more to do as Uhura than was usual in the original Star Trek; John Cho seems like he could age to be George Takei. While I’m talking about the actors, Eric Bana turns in another bland, one note performance, he doesn’t seem very dangerous or threatening.

Since the movie has been out a while by the time you’re reading this I’ll assume most of you have seen the movie or have heard about it, so be warned, thar be spoilers ahead! The big revelation in the movie is that when Nero comes through the black hole the first time he altered the time line of the characters and you’re not seeing a prequel, but in fact, an alternate history of the characters. After you learn that the destinies the characters are leading is different from the destinies of the characters we’ve grown to know and love over the years, I lost a bit of interest, it wasn’t what I bargained for, I was interested in seeing how those characters got together and created the crew of the Enterprise. Once its revealed the timeline has been changed (although you should have realized that before) and the invalidation of the canon timeline seems capricious, it was unnecessary. The original series had enough outlining information that was vague enough to create an equally appealing adventure without discounting and destroying the histories of the characters we know. And if they were worried about the plotlines of future movies with these characters they could take a page from Star Wars, there are plenty of novels that were written about the periods in between the movies such as the Heir To The Empire trilogy.
Some characters act out of character, the most obvious being Spock. We see Spock having romantic feelings for a woman. Now this in itself isn’t new, in the original TV series Spock did have conflicted emotions about love, did have (implied) sex usually under the agency of an invading body such as infectious spores or Spock vented his urges during the pon farr ceremony and in the end logic won over Spock. But in this Star Trek, Spock not only is openly in love, he’s making out! There doesn’t seem to be the least bit of conflicting emotion about it. The second and probably the biggest violation of character is that Spock acts irrationally! Spock is in command of the Enterprise and Kirk is trying to convince him he needs to chase Nero despite direct orders from Capt Pike to rendezvous with the fleet. What does Spock do? He has Kirk marooned on a practically uninhabited planet (which has echoes of the All Our Yesterdays episode from the TV series) instead of just thrown into the brig. Why does Spock do this? Is he fighting between his emotional and logical self? No, Kirk is marooned to satisfy a plot point. As a matter of fact, Spock’s conflict becomes a plot point as the screenwriters ignore it or use it as need be.

This Star Trek is high adventure, but Star Trek was also about substance within the adventure, that’s what made it special. I hope that the future adventures of the Enterprise manage to get more substance into the adventure. If you’re a Star Trek fan like I am, you probably saw the movie over the opening weekend. If you’re a borderline fan and want to see it at the theaters, a matinee is probably the right price for this, and if you’re on the fringes, you’ll can probably wait for the DVD.

Here are a couple of things to quibble over. Nero’s ship seems awfully well armed for a mining ship, it‘s able to take on and prevail over a Starfleet armada. And would you really build a starship on earth? Promotions in this Star Trek seem only a little harder than in the Star Wars universe, Capt Pike gives Kirk, presumably an ensign,  a field promotion to second in command! Thereafter Kirk seems to think he’s entitled to be Captain of the Enterprise. In that same vein Scotty is an engineer in exile but as soon as he gets on the Enterprise seems to have been made head engineer. Maybe this rebooting is shooting for explaining how the Star Trek universe of the episode Mirror, Mirror came to be, that might be interesting.

The real test will be after the heat and fervor of the opening weekend ends, is if this movie means anything to anybody, will there be some residue of substance to generate interest in the DVD or a sequel.

Jym On The Radio: Updated & Final Info!

OK, I'm going to be on the radio on the Scott Alan Radio Show in Chicago tomorrow at 10:15 AM, I was supposed to be on at 10:00 but got bumped because Mike North has a new book out & he's going to be my opening act! If you want to listen online at www.wjjgam1530.com there's a blinking ON THE AIR sign at the bottom and a link that says click to listen. Again, that's tomorrow Friday 5/15/9 at 10:15 AM (central time) on www.wjjgam1530.com See you there!

On Tuesday May 19, I will be on the Big Blend Magazine's radio show Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll! This show starts at 6 PM (Central time) and I'll be on for approx 20 minutes. You can check out the site at:
BigBlendMagazine.com http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Books-Poetry/index.htm

 The Rants, Raves & Rock site is at: http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Rants-Raves-Rock-N-Roll/index.htm

& the magazine has set up a beautiful for page for my book that is chock full of information:
http://www.bigblendmagazine.com/Music-Entertainment/Last-Stage.htm

To listen to the show on the 19th at 6PM (central time):http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Rants-Raves-N-Rock/2009/05/19/The-Last-Stage

I hope everyone will tune in!!!

On The Radio

Buenas Dias Amigos!

I missed cinco de Mayo but I guess I'm feeling a little latin influence this morning!

Alright! I'm going to be on the radio, not once, but twice in the coming week!

The first will be a suburban Chicago area radio show. It's the Scott Alan Radio Show on WJJG AM 1530. I'll be on this Friday the 15th between 10:00-10:05 AM, his show is on Friday's between 9 AM -10:30 AM or online(during those same hours) at www.am1530.com, I hope you all will listening to the show, and tell 3 friends to listen!

Also,
Radio talk show host Scott Alan presents the Scott Alan Comedy Show. Scott does a 45 min live comedy show for adults and kids. For more information on how to book Scott for an event contact him at (630)834-2298

Then on Tuesday May 19th Lisa Smith of The Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll radio show in California will interview me between 2-4 PM Central time (4-6 Pacific time)Lisa has said she'll have the info for me tomorrow for an approx time of the interview and how you can listen & I'll pass the information on to you over the weekend or Monday the 18th. Lisa's website is http://www.blendradioandtv.com if you want to check it out, they have a diverse amount of shows they have on their station so if you check it out I'm sure you'll find something to fit your tastes and interests.

I'd also like to thank Dana, a member of my newsletter for hooking me up (in modern parlance) with The Scott Alan Radio Show. Dana is also the manager of The Rolling Stones Tribute Band Hotrocks (again, suburban Chicago area) so if you'd like to see what they do or info on an appearance check out their site at www.hotrocksband.com, they're playing in Naperville, IL this Friday (May 15th) between 9PM & 1 AM check out their site for more info!!!

Which also reminds me if any of you know anybody with a radio show, write for a newspaper, magazine, ezine or anything where I we can get a little exposure for The Last Stage please either let me know their contact information or send them my way. Doesn't have to be Chicago area I'm more than glad to provide help and information to anyone, anywhere! John Grisham isn't going to fall on his own! & all of you reading this have been helpful in getting the word out about The Last Stage and my writing, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HELP!

OK, I guess that's all the news fit to type today, thank you for listening and being a part of this newsletter!

Jim

Getting The Train Back On Track

Hello Everybody!
Your friendly correspondent here with news from the literary front. Or perhaps the rear of the front.

Radio Shows-The Rants, Raves & Rock 'n' Roll interview has rescheduled (thank you!) for May 19th between 2-4 PM Central time (4-6 Pacific time)as we draw closer, & I get more info on the specifics, such as how you can listen on-line I will put that info in a newsletter. I'm looking forward to the interview from what the host Lisa Smith of Big Blend Magazine has told me it sounds like it's going to be fun. Her website is http://www.blendradioandtv.com if you want to check it out in advance. I sent her a picture of me so that should be on her site soon & what fun that will be!

Thanks to Dana, a member of my newsletter, after the last newsletter she contacted me and suggested I contact a local (Chicago area) DJ, Scott Alan on WJJG AM 1530 about doing an interview and he's interested. I sent him a review copy so hopefully, he'll want to do an interview. His show is on the radio Friday's between 9 AM -10:30 AM or online(during those same hours) at www.am1530.com Dana is also the manager of the Rolling Stones tribute band Hotrocks and they play in the Chicago Metro area if you want to check them out at www.hotrocksband.com

Benjamin Button on Amazon-In my quest to become a top reviewer on Amazon.com I've reviewed the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the review can found on Amazon under the title Life As A Remembered Act, if you stop by and read the review could you please add a helpful vote? That will add towards my total of becoming a top rated reviewer.

Two Brothers Blurb-Another friend (& member of my newsletter) Robert Gover has sent out review copies of his new book Two Brothers, which will be published this coming Sept. I hope you're looking forward to it's publication as much as I am, because the book is really good and the back cover (at least of the review copy) contains a blurb I wrote for him! Hopefully, the published version will as well. Robert is the author of the novel The $100 Misunderstanding, his most famous work if you want more info on Robert's work his website is www.robertgover.com

For all the jymsbooks news you can join my newsletter at www.jymsbooks.com

The new Star Trek opens tomorrow, Friday 5/8/9 I'm going to see it, hope to see you there!

Jim

Last Week, Bad Week

Hello Everybody!

Happy Friday & I hope everybody is looking forward to the weekend.

I'm looking forward.

Let me tell you what happened with The Write Stuff Reality show. I left the cast. We were give 2 challenges, and it was the second one that brought all my reservations about the show back. The challenge was about salability. The taping was going to be for a writer being promoted by the producer of the show. The challenge was to write copy for a newspaper article about the writer and his book, and to "help" at a book signing for this author. This seemed out of step with the goals of the show to feature new writers.

First of all the writer having the signing was not any more well known than the cast members. He set a publishing company, bought ISBN numbers from R.R. Bowker and guaranteed book returns from bookstores. This book isn't any less self-published than mine, or the other cast members.The challenge would have been better served if the producers had set up a signing for the cast members (all but 2 have published books)and whomever sold the most won the challenge. It seemed to me the challenges were to provide content for other people the producer was promoting.

I thought about it, and compared the challenges to challenges on other reality shows, and along with my initial reservations something just didn't feel right, so I withdrew.

Also, last week I found out that one ezine that had wanted to do an interview, and a magazine that was going to run a review have back out of those. & I was supposed to be interviewed on a radio show this coming Monday but that has been postponed and will reschedule for May or June. I was disappointed by the postponement because it sounds like a really interesting radio show called Rants, Raves, & Rock 'n' Roll here's their website if you'd like to check it out in advance: http://www.blendradioandtv.com/
I'll let you all know when it's rescheduled for and how you can listen to the show.

Looking forward. I'm a member of a new site for writers and readers called Indie Readers, we're hoping to get a reputation for indie books like there are for indie movies. The site is at: www.indiereaders.ning.com If it tells you you need an invitation to join please e-mail me & I'll send the invitation to you. I also belong to www.goodreads.com which is a site for people who enjoy books, it is a social network with a lot of groups and lot of people reading and discussing books.

I've also been writing more reviews on Amazon.com the last few have been for movies Frost/Nixon, The Reader, The Paper Chase (tv series) & Ray Manzarek's book Light My Fire. If you have a chance pop over to Amazon check out one of my reviews & add a helpful vote so I can become a top rated reviewer. I hope it will get some notice for my writing.

That brings you all up to date about my adventures & misadventures. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Jim