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2011: A Year in Review 12/26/2011 9:23:03 AM
A recap of the year! I’ll be the first to admit this year has been a stellar one for me. Some have said that I’ve just been lucky. Others have told me it was due to talent and hard work that is now paying off for the reason why things have been going exceptionally well. Either way you look at it, I’ve been incredibly blessed in so many ways!
2011 started off not just with New Year’s Eve celebrations spent with dear friends, but in January (on my birthday of all days), the first three novels in the Imago Chronicles fantasy series were finally optioned for a major motion picture trilogy! To date, funding for this Canadian/Asian co-production has been secured and the search for talent to play the principle roles is now underway. Full production is expected to begin in 2012, with a majority of the movie being filmed here in BC.
In July, I had the good fortune of teaching a Teen Writing program at the Fleetwood Library in Surrey. The local Rotary Club offered an honorarium, but I donated back to the library so they could add to their book collection. This month long, free writing program attracted 28 students! It was filled quickly with a number of students on a waiting list. I was glad it was a full class, but sadly, some kids who didn’t make it on the registration list came on the Saturdays to see if a registrant or two were unable to attend so they could fill the spot.
In September, with pre-production of my 1st novel well underway, I received the first draft of the screenplay for A Warrior’s Tale. Where some writers dread the idea of another tackling the job of creating a movie adaptation of their book, I had absolute trust in this screenwriter, Michael Adams. Not only is he a writing instructor at the Vancouver Film School and an award-winning screenwriter, he had read the Imago Chronicles before they were optioned and truly enjoyed the series. He did an AMAZING job of adapting the book and even now when I read the screenplay, I still find it a very surreal experience. I am still in awe of Mike’s creative writing talents.
September also brought about the opportunity to have my daughter join my husband and me for her first martial arts seminar. We had great fun and Nia quite enjoyed taking her dad on! At the end of the session I had a little surprise I wasn’t expecting. I passed the Godan test (fifth degree black belt) as administered by my sensei, Shihan Phillip Legare. Passing this test was no small feat considering I had no intention of testing, nor was I aware the senior instructors, including my husband, put my name forward for this test. Where some unfortunate souls have been knocked unconscious undertaking this test, thankfully, I came away unscathed from my sensei’s shinai (bamboo sword) as it came down on my head.
October quickly followed and my daughter Nia and I launched Book Two of The Dream Merchant Saga, The Silver Sword at the Book Fair. This event was hosted by the Surrey International Writers Conference and we had a wonderful show of fans arriving to pick up this latest fantasy.
And speaking of the Surrey International Writers Conference, this year’s SiWC highlight for me was to be nominated for the Surrey Board of Trade Special Achievement Award! And what was my special achievement? After publishing 11 fantasy novels, the first three novels in my epic adult fantasy series, Imago Chronicles was optioned for a major motion picture trilogy! (Not bad for an indie author, eh?) Plus, those who nominated me did so because of my involvement in the writing community, having spent the month of July teaching a free Teen Writing Programme, running a critique group as well as providing online support to fellow writers.
I didn’t win, but a big congratulation goes to Ben Nuttall-Smith whose novel Blood, Feathers and Holy Men was published by Libros Libertad, a local publishing company based in South Surrey!
What was truly wonderful was my accomplishments were mentioned by MC Carol Monaghan during Friday’s opening ceremony and again, during the Friday night banquet! I wasn’t there when I received this acknowledgement, but according to my friends who were present and tweeted about it, they said the ‘entire room cheered & it was AWESOME’!
Looking for more awesome? On the Saturday night of the SiWC hosted Book Fair where I was doing my 11th book launch, I met one of my favourite authors, Jack Whyte. He congratulated me on my film option deal, and then he said something that left me astounded! He said he remembered critiquing the opening chapter of one of my Imago novels several years ago!
At first, I thought he was just being kind. Knowing that he is in high demand for these Blue Pencil sessions, there was no way he could remember reading my ms after all this time and after reading so many works from writers seeking his professional advice.
Now, here is the astounding part: After congratulating me, he said, “The way you opened the chapter with the two hunters being chased down by that monster, that was great! Just keep up the good work.”
Woohoo! Jack Whyte, best selling author of Arthurian legends and one of my favourite authors, actually remembered reading something I wrote that he critiqued three years ago! I was amazed, flattered, honoured and did I say amazed?
The last day of the conference ended with a casual conversation with New York literary agent, Donald Maass. In all the years I’ve attended the conference, Mr. Maass is the first agent to get booked for pitch appointments and his workshops are always filled to capacity! On Sunday afternoon, there he was; in the lobby and he was not surrounded by conference attendees! It was my opportunity to thank him for everything I’ve learned over the years. We chatted about writing, publishing, my former agent, and the movie option of my fantasy series. In the end, he handed me his business card and asked that I consider him, if and when I’m ready to search for a new agent.
At the end of October I had an opportunity to attend the World Fantasy Conference in San Diego. Thanks to the option fee I received earlier in the year, it made it possible for me to bring my husband and daughter along for some fun in the sun.
The highlight of this conference was meeting up with some of my writerly Twitter pals in person as well as meeting Neil Gaiman and receiving a signed copy of his novel “American Gods”.
Now, as the year winds down and the movie option has been renewed so production can proceed, I am looking forward to 2012 when I can finally say, “film production begins this year!”
Wishing all of you good health, peace, prosperity and all the happiness you can handle, plus more time to write/read in the New Year! Thank you for your ongoing support and interest! Catch you in 2012, I’ll be posting movie news/updates on the Imago Fantasy Series FB fan page!
