October 13th, 2008

Friday’s meeting with the studio head in Los Angeles didn’t turn out like the meetings I’ve attended usually do. In the past when I’ve traveled to meet someone who said they were interested in my work it generally turned out to be an exercise in ego. The “head of development” usually didn’t have any pull at the company, but rejoiced in luring hopeful, and at times, desperate writers, to their office. They can’t make a movie happen, but they pretend they can. And having someone come to visit them in their office makes them seem much more important than they are. At 25 I had the patience for that act. I’m 47 years-old now and I don’t tolerate it so well. In recent years I haven’t made as many trips to L.A. because of the act. There comes a point and time when you must face the truth that you are not going to be a ballerina, or famous artist, or whatever grand thing you thought you could do. Reality sets in. I didn’t give this visit south much hope, but I wasn’t so disappointed. The woman I met with actually is who she says she is. She was kind and had some good advise. I’ve been working on her suggestions to the Roy Rogers Dale Evans story today. It just might be a go this time. We’ll see. Howard Kazanjian was with me. He’s a bright film maker and he’s been working on this project for years. Hopefully being persistent will pay off. He’s certainly put in the time. I had a book signing the day after the L.A. trip at the Barnes & Noble in Citrus Heights and it was a fun event. The store manager, Mike Troyan, is brilliant! I met many nice people and as a whole the signings was a joy. I met a couple of sisters who shared with me a great story about their 80 year-old mom. Her mother fell in love with a boy from school and had dreamed of marrying him, but it never happened. Each married another. In the last few years, they have both lost their spouses and have reconnected with each other. After all this time it seems they will have a chance to be together. What a sweet dream.