Big gap since the last time, which was filled with the same-old and thus dreadfully boring to journal or read. However...

I just got off the phone with a production company that likes to take true stories and make them into movies. It's one of those rare, RARE places that lets unrepped writers submit with a release form. I sent Fork-Tailed Devil over on December 21, 2006. Fire & forget. I forgot.

I just got off the phone with one of their producers. He loved my writing.

Validation. Third, disinterested, professional party. A little nugget of gold for today.

Now comes the "but". It's not an unexpected "but" -- with the failure of Flyboys he doesn't think he could sell FTD.

To my surprise, the call doesn't end in a "send us more stuff when you have it, and thanks for letting me read".

He continues to say that if FTD had a slightly different element to it, it might do really well. So, the fellow says to me, "as I was reading this, I kept thinking this should be a horror movie."

Okay, FTD is a WWII adventure based on a true story. The absolute first thing that pops into my head is the line "a Martian wouldn't say that". (It's a famous quote from a suit to a writer, implying the suit knows more about made-up Martians than the writer who made them up.)

But the guy doesn't seem off his rocker, so I listen. I know that FTD (or any script) will absolutely change once other people start wanting to put their own touches to it, and see different things, and want to make a good movie. I can't be both open to that fact, and close the door on the first suggestion that comes along.

What he has in mind is more of a ghost story -- but in the end there's a real-world (not otherworld) explanation to what's going on. He doesn't believe in ghosts, even though many ghost movies do well. So we started with an airborne equivalent of the Flying Dutchman, and ended up with me thinking of at least two ways I could make it work and (here's the key) still remain passionate about the story. Ideas that we tossed around, and which he thought would work very well, too.

He said that if I'm interested in playing with this as an idea, that I should take some time, and write up an outline, beat or treatment of what I see happening to give FTD this little twist. I can call him at any time to talk ideas, e-mail him or whatever -- the door's wide open for the moment. And he stressed that I should take time and do it well, not rush like he's seen too many other writers do and do it wrong.

I think it's well-worth my time to at least try.

He thinks that a WWII ghost story, based on real events, is something he can develop.

Develop is good.

Validation is good.

Happy Friday.