So, my beautiful companion Turayis just found out yesterday that her book proposal has been accepted. This is fantastic news! Her goal was to be published BEFORE she got her M.A. & with this deal she will have reached that goal. I am so proud of her. It’s not exactly what she thought she’d publish, although, ironically, it is something that I had joked around with her about publishing. It’s nothing that will make her rich & famous, but it is a foot in the door at a real legit publisher. It is real work for real money. The way it all happened was pretty magical as well. I can’t say much yet because T tends to be a little superstitious about these things & wants to make sure the contract is signed & official before she lets me spill all the beans.

In other news, I received my official Universal prop replica of Xena’s Sword & Scabbard today. I’m pretty sure having a sword on University property is probably breaking some sort of rule or code, but most everyone has the day off for the big football game today. Besides, I didn’t want it to sit on the front porch all day.  In even further news, it looks like we are aiming for L.A. in two years or less.  We went from Ohio, to Vermont, to Kansas City to L.A.  Seriously though, any of those places other than L.A. would be hard to pitch screenplays in.  It’s funny, T & I have been laughing & crying & just completely shocked about how ready we are.  It’s like we finally woke up.  This time together.  We’ve always wanted to create stories.  All I wanted to do when I was a kid was work in the movie business.  I wanted to work as a make-up artist mentoring under Rick Baker or be a Muppeteer working with Jim Henson or a model builder working for ILM or Stan Winston.  That’s what I planned on my whole young life.  Then CGI happened.  I understand now that I just want to be part of this amazing process.  Special effects artist, co-screenplay writer, producer, director…just part of it.  So does T.  Except she is absolutely focused on screen writing.  She’s good, too.  I’m not the only one telling her that.  We’re doing it.  Right now.  We are legitimately working toward it.  Both of us.  Together.  Focused.  We are going to make this happen.  We have lots of love & support from our little family that has stuck with us over the years.  We have wonderful friends.  They’ve kept us strong, even in the worst of times.

We used to be scared to even think of L.A.  Hell, honestly, 6 months ago we were scared of L.A.  Then we realized that we have lived in some of the most screwed up weird places in all of Oklahoma.  We’ve had a body bagged across the street from us, an escapee chase us into our apartment & try to break in for 30 minutes as we stood ready to take him down with swords, should he get through, someone chase us in a car after threatening us in traffic, lived in apartment next to a hoarder who lived with dead cats & had a flea infestation, next to pot dealers neighbors, next to big time super thug gang banging drug dealers dealing prescription drugs & who knows what else, Muslims, Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans & Rednecks.  We’ve backpacked 12 miles across Ft. Worth, walked just as many miles in the dark back home from a broken down car at 3 in the morning & had thieves break into our car & steal a bicycle from us.  Honestly, how is L.A. going to be any worse?  At least in L.A. we aren’t going to be working toward endless nothingness.  At the end of the day, your work was to reach a goal.  Even if you’re working in a mail room.

So, we’re off,  The Warrior Princess & her Battling Bard,  heading to our next adventure.  We have no idea where the universe is taking us next.  Just check back here from time to time & find out.

Later,

Jen