Bret Blog

STAGE: MOBIUS

2012-01-27T19:17:00.001-08:00

January 13th and 14th Mobius was performed at the Broomfield Auditorium.Dad and I wrote Mobius several years ago.Here’s the story of the script that was in the program:About four or five years ago, we discussed the idea of writing several short vignettes for the stage. The idea would be to move through multiple stories, with a variety of plots and characters. Both of us are fans of the old “

STAGE: The Broomfield Enterprise

2012-01-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Dad and I were interviewed by the Broomfield Enterprise. You can read the article below or go tohttp://www.broomfieldenterprise.com/ci_19627124The Carters are a tight-knit family, so the father-son team of Ron and Bret behind their original play "Mobius" know a little something about the various ways people's lives intertwine.Like the Mobius strip, a character leads into each seemingly separate

STAGE: Honor Among Thieves

2011-12-26T16:54:00.001-08:00

Dad and I wrote another senior play this year.For more information about the play and additional photos go to www.hylanddrama.blogspot.com

STAGE: Bird Brains 2011

2011-12-26T16:08:00.001-08:00

Our musical Bird Brains was produced by BackStory at the Broomfield Theater. This was the first of the full-length Hyland plays to ever be performed outside of Hyland. It was a younger cast, including elementary age as well as high school. There were three performances during November 18th and 19th. We rewrote the script a little and added new lyrics to one of the tunes so that there could be an

STAGE: Hyland Drama Blog

2011-12-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

I set up a blog just for the Hyland productions. There will still be posts on this blog having to do with the plays at Hyland, but the other blog will have more information and more photos.So look into it!www.hylanddrama.blogspot.com

RUBY MIRROR CD!

2011-08-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is really late news, but my sister Julie and I finally finished our CD. The band is called Ruby Mirror and we are on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon and others. Check out our blog at www.rubymirror.blogspot.com or contact us at rubymirrormusic@gmail.com.

STAGE: THE MAKING OF TORPEDO SERENADE

2011-04-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here is an account of how this play came to be.THE SCRIPTDad and I came up with the basic idea back in November 2010. We had been doing a musical every three years, but schedules didn’t allow for that this time. Any decent musical would be impossible without Mark Phillips and he was just as busy as all of us. But Dad and I did discuss that it would be cool if we could have at least some music. I

STAGE: TORPEDO SERENADE

2011-03-07T18:43:00.001-08:00

As World War II begins, the last passenger ship desperately heads for home. This is a play Dad and I wrote for Hyland Christian School. The students are doing a great job. The performances will be this weekend on March 11th and 12th.The story takes place on the S.S. Minerva, a passenger ship carrying a variety of people. A group of musicians hired to entertain the passengers become involved in

ON THE SET: THE HOUSE—THE WRAP

2011-02-20T17:24:00.001-08:00

The shoot ended with a mystery. I had to head home before the last day, but Jon called and told me some very interesting things. Because they didn’t quite get all the shots completed on Friday’s shot list, they had to add them to the final shot list. To make things more interesting, while Jon was sleeping, he suddenly remembered two other shots that had slipped his mind. This would make a grand

ON THE SET: THE HOUSE—DAY FOUR

2011-02-13T14:59:00.001-08:00

The movie set began to seem like a small town.People came and went. Some lived there longer than others. You knew everyone’s face, but not necessarily everyone’s name. And Jon was the mayor. Counting all the locations, I wouldn’t be surprised if around fifty people were somehow involved in the actual shooting of Jon’s film. Probably more. Several times, it was obvious some of the crew were

ON THE SET: THE HOUSE—DAY THREE

2011-02-11T15:23:00.001-08:00

On the third night at the house—the sixth day of shooting—it was time to film the first stunt sequence. In order to make the most of the stunt scenes, two cameras were filming at the same time from different angles. This would mean there had to be virtually two camera crews. And the bedroom had already been crowded before. The stunt crew arrived and started looking the house over to get a grasp

ON THE SET: THE HOUSE—DAY TWO

2011-02-10T14:53:00.000-08:00

The second day of the house shoot, all of the filming took place in a large bedroom upstairs. One of the first things that needed to be done was to set up the bed so that it could be positioned at different heights. Then a small dolly had to be carried up the stairs. It was small, by comparison to the one they had been using downstairs, but it was not light. Three guys were able to slowly bring

ON THE SET: THE HOUSE—DAY ONE

2011-02-09T20:08:00.001-08:00

Tuesday we arrived at the house where the rest of the film will be shot. We got there about 2:00 p.m. One of the producers (Hilary) was already there with the owner of the house, finalizing some details. It’s an incredible house. Not huge, but VERY nice. Jon took photos of several rooms to make sure everything is put back exactly the way it was found after the production is over. I helped Hilary

ON THE SET: OFF THE SET

2011-02-08T16:38:00.001-08:00

The day after the parking lot shoot, we got up around 3 p.m. After grabbing some lunch / breakfast, we drove to LA proper to watch the “dailies” of the hospital shoot. We went to the film company's screening rooms where the big guys watch dailies as well. There was a security gate. The cinematographer arrived at the same time we did. After going through the gate, we went inside to a really nice

ON THE SET: THE PARKING LOT

2011-02-08T00:54:00.001-08:00

I landed at the Orange County Airport in LA at 8 p.m. California time.My cousin Jon was already at the second film location—a parking garage in Irvine. As I waited for my bag to crawl out onto the baggage claim carousel, I imaged having to settle back for a long cab ride. However, the taxi ride lasted about five minutes. The parking garage was right by the airport and it seemed like the driver

FILM: HOSPITAL SHOOT FINISHED

2011-02-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

The day before I arrived, Jon finished shooting the scenes at the hospital.The actor’s name is Chris Devlin. He's playing Alfred—Alma’s husband. Everything used in the hospital sequence is from the set of the television show ER.

FILM: FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING

2011-02-05T09:13:00.001-08:00

Shooting has started. I’m still in Denver. Jon took these photos. We did not get any big name actors, but Jon found some very talented unknowns who are going to do a great job. The actress seen in these photos is Julia Rose. She's playing Alma, the woman with the heart condition.

ON THE SET: GOING TO L.A.

2011-01-30T13:10:00.001-08:00

I’m going to California in about a week to watch Jon Byron (my cousin) film the script he and I worked on together. Shooting will start this Friday, February 4th and will last about a week.I’m flying out Monday, February 7th and will get there in time to watch them film the primary part of the script. Shooting is from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.The movie is Jon’s final project before he graduates from

BEST BOOKS of 2010

2011-01-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

These are the best books I read in 2010. The summaries are from Amazon. My comments follow. 10) THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins“In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by

BEST MOVIES OF 2010

2011-01-13T19:56:00.001-08:00

These are the best movies I saw in 2010. This does not necessarily mean they were released in 2010. I should also mention, I did not see TRUE GRIT until January 1st. If I had seen it one day earlier, it would have definitely been on this list#10 PRINCE OF PERSIAAfter a glimpse of the previews I had no interest in seeing this movie at all. The fact that it was based on a video game and apparently

WRITING COMPLETED DURING 2010

2011-01-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

These are the primary projects I finished in 2010:SHORT STORIES“Eminent Domain”“Colorful, Shiny Things”“A Stone Dreams of Water”RMC EDITORIALS“On Your Feet”“The Day of the Lord”“The Secret Ingredient”“Better Than You Think”“Outside Appearances”“A Window on Jerusalem”“Two Thousand Paces”“Rebuilding the Wall”“The First Thing and the Last Thing”“The Inside Job”“Out of It”“Hunt Your Blessings”

HELLO 2011

2010-12-31T22:54:00.000-08:00

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (II Chronicles 16:9)

STAGE: SPLITSVILLE

2010-10-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

The Hyland Class of 2011 will be performing an original play written by Dad and I. It's called “Splitsville.” The performance is on Saturday, November 19, 2010. This is to help raise money for their trip to Washington D.C.This play takes place in a kind of alternate world a lot like our own, except for the fact everyone in it has at least two personalities. It was much more complicated to write

SCREENPLAY: SMOOTH STONES

2010-10-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

My cousin Jon Byron has let me help with a film he’s working on. He decided to set aside the earlier concept we had—HEART STOPPER—and pursue something different. There are a few bits and pieces from the other script that found their way into this new one, but all in all, it is a much different and better idea.This film is called SMOOTH STONES and is about a blind woman who is taken captive by an

STAGE: MASTER CAT

2010-09-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

The adaptation for “Puss in Boots” (a.k.a. “The Master Cat”) is done. This is a script I did for BackStory that will be performed at the Broomfield Auditorium November 4, 2010. This project included writing two original songs. The music was recorded with Mark Phillips through Doctor Obvious Studios. Although I had vague memories of the story and had seen Antonio Banderas’s version of the

WRITING: REBOOT CAMP SUMMER 2010

2010-09-23T15:44:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, deadlines are the only way to go. During the last part of the summer, I was able to be a part of an intense writing workshop. This was something that came as a direct result of an earlier workshop.In 2008, I was given the opportunity to join sixteen other people in attending Orson Scott Card’s Bootcamp for Writers in San Diego. We decided as a group to “get together” on-line and run

STAGE: SIGNING OFF

2010-09-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

For the first time, one of the plays Dad and I wrote made it to a professional stage. “Signing Off,” was produced by BackStory on August 21st and 22nd. The play is set in the 1959 and is about one of the last live radio dramas struggling to survive. It was not a huge turn-out, but enough to make both performances very fun. I was able to be in the cast along with some old friends and some new ones

FILM REVIEW: INCEPTION

2010-09-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

HERE THERE BE SPOILERSI am way late in chiming in on this one, but I will not go gently into that good Autumn without posting my thoughts on INCEPTION. This was the movie of the summer, and unless something pretty stunning comes along in the next few months, easily the movie of the year. INCEPTION immediately shows depth. Most filmmakers would have taken this kind of story and used the dream

SCREENPLAY: HEARTSTOPPER

2010-07-30T22:06:00.001-07:00

My cousin Jon Byron is in film school (Chapman University in California) and he asked me to help him write a short screenplay for his “final thesis.” After much collaboration we came up with an idea currently called HEARTSTOPPER. The teachers at his school responded well to the initial draft and he got the green light.Jon wanted to do something along the lines of WAIT UNTIL DARK or something

WRITING: RESET BUTTON II

2010-06-09T14:01:00.001-07:00

Last year, I wrote a short skit for BackStory Theatre Academy, called “The Reset Button.” It deals with two office workers with drastically different personalities trying to work on a business retreat. Then corporate introduces a device that allows one of them to relive specific moments in order to try and handle the conflict correctly (a la Groundhog Day).We presented it last year to a business

WRITING: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

2010-06-04T21:22:00.001-07:00

I just finished the final draft of an adaptation of ALICE IN WONDERLAND for BackStory Theatre Academy. Research included rereading the two Lewis Carroll books and watching the old 1951 movie as well as the 2010 Tim Burton version. The script is 25 pages long and has about 25 characters. The puns and general nonsense were extremely fun to develop. I rearranged details for my own purposes, but I

WRITING: SIGNING OFF (A PLAY)

2010-06-01T07:47:00.001-07:00

For the first time, one of the original Real People Productions scripts (written by my Dad and myself) will be presented on a new stage to the general public. The play SIGNING OFF is being produced and presented through BackStory at the Broomfield Community Center.This play is the story of a live-radio program in the 1950s, struggling to stay on the air in the midst of the world being transformed

LOST--THE END

2010-05-24T17:35:00.001-07:00

The general response is basically the same as mine. When the final shot was over and we saw the word LOST one last time, all of us went, “Hmm…”I have two opinions about the finale. Like the Man in Black and Jacob, I have a negative (black) response and a positive (white) response.BLACK (grim and angry)The left side of my brain—the logical, analytical half that longs for closure and solutions—was

LOST--FINAL KEYS AND THEORIES

2010-05-23T15:59:00.001-07:00

Here is my last effort to solve this before the final finale.KEYS:*DESMOND SUPERSEDES TIME AND SPACE*JACK IS THE PRIMARY CANDIDATE*THE WHOLE WORLD IS AT RISK; NOT JUST THE ISLAND*CHILDREN ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SOLUTION*QUANTUM PHYSICS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCES ARE MAJOR FACTORS*CATCH A FALLING STAR IS ONE OF THE BIG CLUESMINOR THEORIES:*“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is the basic explanation.

LOST--KEYS FROM SEASON FIVE

2010-05-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

*Richard gives Locke a compass. This was one of the items Richard placed in front of Locke when Locke was a little boy—testing him to see if Locke knew which item belonged to him. The boy Locke failed the test.*Our heroes are jumping around back and forth through time. Kurt Vonnegut’s name has appeared more than once in the show. He wrote a book called Slaughterhouse Five, in which the main

LOST—KEYS FROM SEASON FOUR

2010-05-23T14:40:00.001-07:00

Here are some things I noticed after re-watching Season Four that might shed light on what’s going on now in the final stretch.*Charlotte tests Daniel’s memory using three playing cards, indicating his memory is beginning to fail.*When Daniel moves the rat “Eloise” through time, she dies because she has no “anchors” (something familiar in both times). “Every equation needs a stability—something

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #16 "WHAT THEY DIED FOR"

2010-05-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

*The body count increases. Zoe cut down and Widmore gunned down. It makes me wonder if the last shot of the show will be Jack perched at the top of the lighthouse—the only living human left on the island.*Jacob tells the candidates that they were selected because none of them were “doing fine.” They were all flawed and alone.*Desmond is described as a “measure of last resort” and a “failsafe.”*

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #15 "ACROSS THE SEA"

2010-05-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

*The title of the French song Shannon translated clear back in Season 1 was “Beyond the Sea.” It includes the lyrics “It’s far beyond a star, it’s near beyond the moon. I know beyond a doubt, my heart will lead me there soon.” This coupled with the “Catch a Falling Star” theme is making me strongly lean toward an extraterrestrial explanation.*When the Boy in Black suggests the possibility of

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #14 "THE CANDIDATE"

2010-05-15T13:37:00.001-07:00

*Jack and Claire’s father (Christian) wills a music box to Claire. When they open it, the tune playing is “Catch a Falling Star.” Jack says he has no idea why his father bequeathed it to her. This tune has popped up several times throughout the show. It is clearly some kind of key clue. It makes me lean more and more toward an extraterrestrial factor, but it just doesn’t seem to fit the rest of

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #13 "THE LAST RECRUIT"

2010-04-27T17:19:00.001-07:00

*My least favorite episode this season. I’m thinking it’s a side effect of having to hurry up and fit everything into a much smaller amount of time than initially planned. There was a lot of hi-there-long-time-no-see and let’s-suddenly-go-over-here. When BadLocke reunites with Jack, he says, “Let’s catch up.” Shortly after that when Jack is reunited with Claire, BadLocke says “Looks like you have

LOST--KEYS FROM SEASON THREE

2010-04-19T23:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some things I noticed after re-watching Season Three that might shed light on what’s going on now in the final stretch.*The List is first mentioned by Mikhail when he is speaking to Kate. He says, “You are not capable of understanding because you are not on the list.” He goes on to say to her, “You are not on the list because you are flawed…because you are angry and weak and frightened.”

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #12 "EVERYBODY LOVES HUGO"

2010-04-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

*Those who sense that there is another reality receive this epiphany either because they experience a traumatic event (Charlie and Desmond taking a plunge in the car) or because they have a deep love for someone (Hugo and Libby)—which doesn’t necessarily speak well of love.Libby asks Hugo: “Do you believe two people can be connected like soul mates?” This seems to indicate that regardless of the

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #11 "HAPPILY EVER AFTER"

2010-04-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

*The white rabbit in the generator room maintains the Alice in Wonderland theme. The rabbit’s name is Angstrom (a unit used to measure wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation)*Before forcing Desmond to play the guinea pig in the room with the giant electromagnet, Widmore tells Desmond that if he doesn’t help, then “Penny, your son and everyone else will be gone forever.” This again indicates a

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #10 "THE PACKAGE"

2010-04-07T19:59:00.000-07:00

*I love it when characters actually make a rational decision—when Jin tries to leave the camp before “that thing” (BadLocke) comes back—when Sun runs away from BadLocke after he tells her he will reunite her with Jin.*Jin wakes up in Room 23 that resembles the room Alex’s boyfriend was in during Season 3. Zoe says it was designed for “subliminal messaging.” The phrases that flash on the wall are

LOST--KEYS FROM SEASON TWO

2010-04-03T18:20:00.001-07:00

Just finished going back through Season Two. Here are some things possibly worth pointing out now that we have the Final Season filling in the blanks.*The whole quarantine arrangement remains significant. “Quarantine” was written on the inside of the Swan hatch door. Desmond, Claire and Aaron all received inoculations against it every nine days. When they first meet, Desmond asks Locke, “How many

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #9 "AB AETERNO"

2010-03-31T19:29:00.001-07:00

*WOW—one of my favorite episodes.*The story of Richard was not only well done, but added further proof that the writers have had this whole show planned extremely well from the very beginning. This also revealed another excellent actor. Up until this season, Richard has been a kind of the “control” in the system. But now that everything is reaching a climactic confrontation, the deeper character

LOST FINAL SEASON: WATERSHIP DOWN SUMMARY

2010-03-31T18:03:00.001-07:00

ASSUMING THAT THIS BOOK MIGHT BE KEY TO THE SHOW, HERE IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE STORY WITH MY OCCASIONAL INPUTFiver, a small, young rabbit, has a gift: he can tell when things are going to happen and he can sense whether they will be good or bad. [DESMOND, WALT, AARON?] Fiver foresees great danger to the rabbits' home warren. His brother Hazel, takes Fiver to the Chief Rabbit, but the Chief

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #8 "RECON"

2010-03-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

*The parallels between the flash sideways and what occurred on the island (such as Sawyer being a detective on the mainland and head of security on the island) makes me maintain that this flash sideways is some kind of cerebral event. I think they are all still on the island experience this prolonged “what if.”*WATERSHIP DOWN makes a second appearance. Of all the books showcased on the show, this

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #7 "DR. LINUS"

2010-03-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

*The book The Chosen had a cameo. I think only the title is relevant as far as the candidates.*It kind of made me freak out slightly when I saw this episode was directed by Mario Van Peebles. But he did a good job.*Ilana says there are only six candidates “left.” I’m assuming this means that all the other names marked out on the cave ceiling and all the names on the lighthouse dial were once

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #6 "SUNDOWN"

2010-03-08T20:19:00.001-08:00

[SPOILERS]*This episode seemed a little sloppy and choppy in parts, but still had some thought-provoking details.*Miles says Sayid was dead for two hours. He adds, “Whatever brought you back—it wasn’t them.” Since Miles is an expert on dead people, this seems a trustworthy observation.*Dogen says about BadLocke: “For years he has been trapped. Now Jacob is gone, he is free.” Which brings to mind

REAL PEOPLE PRODUCTIONS: MR. NOSEY

2010-03-07T23:25:00.000-08:00

On March 12th and 13th, 2010 the premiere of “Mr. Nosey” will take place on the Hyland stage, performed by the Hyland Christian High School students. This is the 13th full-length play Dad and I have written for Hyland. It is the story of a special criminal investigative team called Ellipsis that has been called in to investigate a murder at an animal clinic. Before long, they realize that the

LOST--KEYS FROM SEASON ONE

2010-03-01T21:37:00.000-08:00

Now that we’re in the midst of the final season, we are being presented with the most significant aspects of the whole show as they begin to tie up loose ends. With these key elements in mind, I’m going back through the previous seasons looking for significant moments that might shed light on what is currently happening in the story.*Rose says there’s something “familiar” about the sound of the

LOST FINAL SEASON--EPISODE #5 "THE LIGHTHOUSE"

2010-02-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

{SPOILERS}*again the flash sideways is “inaccurate”—Dogen is present as a parent at the recital; this makes me wonder if this whole “flash” is actually not really occurring at all—that our heroes are all still on the island only being put through a “vision”—I think Jack’s appendix scar is actually a scar from being “tested” by Dogen (branded) and he just doesn’t remember it—whereas Sayid did not

LOST FINAL SEASON—EPISODE #4 "THE SUBSTITUTE"

2010-02-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

{SPOILERS}*It seems significant that Ilana puts some of the ashes (from Jacob’s place of death) into a pouch.*The kid tells BadLocke “you can’t kill him” because “it’s against the rules.” The earlier focus on children might be important here--the Peter Pan allusions along with the abduction of children. This young boy is probably somebody we already know—who is now an adult.*BadLocke says, “Don’t

LOST FINAL SEASON—EPISODE #3 "WHAT KATE DOES"

2010-02-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

{SPOILERS}*The Japanese leader of the Temple Others is named Dogen. The historical Dogen was the founder of Zin. He wrote a book called Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. “Dharma” is a Hindi term meaning “righteous duty.”*Dogen hits Jack in throat same way BadLocke hits Richard in the throat.*The flash-sideways is not an accurate portrayal of them not crash landing—Ethan Rom is at the hospital. (

LOST FINAL SEASON—EPISODE #2 "LAX" (II)

2010-02-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

{SPOILERS}*Juliet’s “It worked” (via Miles) comes across as an undeniable statement. It feels true in that it is the dying words of a primary character. And the apparent absurdity of the statement seems to fit the predictable unpredictability of the show as a whole.*This is probably the general consensus, but I think the piece of paper in the ankh is a list of names—the names of our heroes. (the

LOST FINAL SEASON—EPISODE #1 "LAX" (I)

2010-02-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

{SPOILERS}*Ben wonders why Jacob didn’t put up a fight when he was attacked and killed. BadLocke says Jacob must have known he was defeated. The writers of LOST have often made it obvious they are big Star Wars fans. This seemingly easy victory is a lot like Obi Wan’s “death” in Star Wars.*Now that we know that BadLocke is the Smoke Monster, it makes me wonder if the Smoke Monster has interacted

LOST FINAL SEASON—ESSENTIALS

2010-02-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

I’m going to try and reduce all the details of the six seasons down to just the essentials. The basic idea is to offer up specific themes or events that are undeniably vital to the show’s plot, either because they appear often throughout or because there is other strong evidence to suggest they are key to the story. Please submit your own suggestions. {SPOILERS for those who have not seen the

BOOK: BLACKOUT by CONNIE WILLIS

2010-01-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

This is not a drill. Connie Willis will be signing her new book BLACK OUT on February 2, 2010 at the LODO Tattered Cover, 7:30 p.m. I am so there. This is her first novel since PASSAGE, published back in 2001. It’s been a long wait, but it is always worth it. BLACKOUT is about three historians from 2060 who travel back to 1940s England during the Blitz. This is a two-part story and volume 2 (ALL

TOP FIVE BOOKS OF 2009

2010-01-17T21:41:00.000-08:00

* available from the Bret Carter Library# 5 THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Erik Larson This is the true account of the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. It is also the story of America’s first real serial killer. This book is the epitome of “truth is stranger than fiction.” While some of the greatest architects are scrambling to wow the world with buildings that would have impressed the

TOP FIVE MOVIES OF 2009

2010-01-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

(the following were not necessarily released in 2009—but I saw them in 2009)# 5 THIRTY-SIX HOURSDays before Normandy, the Germans capture and drug Major Pike. They place him in a fake allied army base and convince him that the war is over, hoping he will casually divulge key information about the invasion. James Garner stars along with Eva Marie Saint (North by Northwest) and one of my favorite

2009 CALENDAR

2009-12-31T10:41:00.000-08:00

If there was a calendar that had a photograph for each month of my life in 2009, these are the pictures you would see. None of these images exist, so I will have to describe them to you. Consider it a slideshow without the slides.JANUARY: Here’s me presenting questions during Brainamania. I’m wearing the tie to make me look like I know all the answers.FEBRUARY: Here’s me making the students run

WRITING: Christmas Script

2009-12-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

Back Story Communications (the Wilcoxes) commissioned me to write a script for a local theater. This theater wanted a story about a magical bell that transformed people into musicians. Hopefully this will be a “foot in the door” to future community theater opportunities for all of us.

FOGLIGHT: FIRST SALE

2009-11-16T21:00:00.001-08:00

Our murder mystery business is officially alive. We made our first sale to someone living in Maryland. It’s weird to think that a group of people on the east coast will be pretending to kill someone because I put them up to it.

REAL PEOPLE UPDATE: "Signing Off"

2009-11-15T16:24:00.001-08:00

This is a new play written by Dad and myself about the last episode of a live radio drama. It takes place in 1952 New York. It started out as a one-act, but grew into the equivalent of a full-length play.It stars Jenn Anderson, Kenny Carter, Silas Fitzsimmons, Sara Hart, Butch Martin, Pam Weast, Denise Woodfin, Anna Marie Wilcox and myself. Anna is directing.The performances are Dec 11th and 12th.

FOGLIGHT MURDER MYSTERIES

2009-10-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

About four or five years ago, an old friend (Jim Foster) proposed an idea. When I was a youth director at Golden, I would write role-playing murder mysteries for the youth group and sometimes for other groups as well. Jim suggested that we go into business together. I would write the games and he would handle all the business aspects of the project.The process has taken quite awhile. The games

REAL PEOPLE UPDATE: The Senior Play

2009-09-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

The Hyland seniors are currently rehearsing a one-act called “Under the Weather.” Dad and I wrote this play specifically for these five students. Anna Wilcox is directing. Mark Phillips is once again providing cool sound effects.The story deals with a variety of people hiding from a tornado in a bomb shelter. But their troubles are greater than they realize, because the real danger is not

Bret With One T and One Eye (Part II: Retina Redux)

2009-09-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

About two weeks after my eye surgery, the bubble was gone. My vision still resembled something you would find in a fun-house, but it was making progress. (Peoples’ heads either looked like potatoes or squash). But I noticed a “shadow” in the lower left hand corner of the same eye—opposite of the previous “veil.” As is my custom, I ignored it for several days but then finally called the doctor

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION 2009

2009-09-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

PUT IN A WOOD FLOORPLAYED SOME HALOWROTE SOME SHORT STORIESSUBMITTED A NOVEL IN PROGRESSPERFORMED AT A COFFEE SHOPGOT A NEW CAT NAMED SCOUTMET MY UNCLE JACK IN SALINAHID FROM A TORNADORODE THE LIGHTRAIL WITH DADTOOK PIANO LESSONS FROM MOMPERFORMED IN A PIANO RECITALSAW YANNI WITH MOMHELPED PAINT MY MOM AND DAD’S HOUSEPERFORMED SOME SKITS AT A COMMUNITY EVENTWENT TO MEESE WITH NIECEDID TWO WEEKS

Bret With One T and One Eye

2009-09-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

On September 2nd, half-way through the school day, I noticed that my left eye wasn’t working very well. I closed my right eye and then the flaw was obvious. A veil seemed to be covering about 2/3 of my left eye, leaving the bottom left peripheral “corner” the only usable region. I lived in denial the rest of the day, but that night, I couldn’t help but notice that Frasier looked like an alien. I

BOOK NEWS: BLACKOUT

2009-07-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

It’s for real this time. Connie Willis’s new book will hit the stands February 2, 2010. It’s called Blackout and is about four people who go back in time to Great Britain during the severe bombings of London. I had the opportunity to meet Connie Willis in Castle Rock during the opening of a new library. She indicated that this new book would be more humorous than Doomsday Book and more serious

COMMENTARY: FOURTH OF JULY

2009-07-04T09:18:00.001-07:00

This day is a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Some of my best memories involve explosions in the sky and the smell of sulfur. We used to plant firecrackers in leftover watermelon rinds and then try to run from the soggy shrapnel. Great fun.Alas, the miniature detonations that I grew up with are no longer to be, due to Colorado State Law. Although I wish we could still

PIXAR FILMS--My Top Tens

2009-06-12T21:47:00.001-07:00

FEATURE FILMS1) The Incredibles2) Up3) Monsters, Inc.4) Wall-E5) Toy Story II6) Toy Story7) Finding Nemo8) A Bug’s Life9) Ratatouille10) CarsSHORT FILMS1) For the Birds2) Presto3) Partly Cloudy4) Geri’s Game5) Jack-Jack Attack!6) Burn-E7) Lifted8) Knick Knack9) Mike’s New Car10) One Man Band

LUDDITE RANT: ME VS. SKY-NET

2009-06-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

One of the standard sci-fi scenarios of many books and movies, including the recent TERMINATOR: SALVATION, is the inevitable self-awareness of a massive computer. Countless superconductors reach a kind of critical mass, abruptly interacting like the synapses of a human brain. Interestingly enough, the usual result is a grim malevolence that decides to enslave or exterminate humanity.Although this

MOVIE NEWS: BATMAN III

2009-06-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Rumor has it that Christopher Nolan will direct the third Batman movie. In the mean time he is currently filming an original sci-fi called INCEPTION. It is described as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.” It will star Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy (Scarecrow in DARK KNIGHT) and Ellen Page (JUNO).Recently Gary Oldman (Commissioner Gordon) and Michael Caine

BOOK REVIEW: Midnight on the Line by Tim Gaynor

2009-06-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

On a whim I grabbed this book about the U.S. / Mexico border. It is written by a British journalist who spent time with those attempting to illegally cross the border as well as those trying to stop them. Considering the constant murmurs surrounding the issue I wanted to find out the details for myself. Until I read this book I didn’t fully realize how much the atmosphere of the southern

Strange Mango vs. LOST

2009-04-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of the TV show LOST. It recently dawned on me that there are many similarities to a play that my dad and I wrote back in 2003 called The Stupendous Voyage to the Dreaded Strange Mango Thing. In Strange Mango, a group of people are stranded on an island and discover that there is a group already living there who arrived several decades ago. In the very first scene of the play,

WRITING: "Pulling Up Stakes"

2009-03-01T21:16:00.001-08:00

Boston Literary Magazine is an online publication that recently decided to select several of the stories and poems it has published in the past and print them in a chapbook. They chose my story "Pulling Up Stakes" to be included. It should be out this month.

THE ACADEMY AWARDS 2009

2009-02-21T22:26:00.000-08:00

These are my predictions for the Oscars. Not necessarily the ones I want to win, but my predictions based on either what I've heard about or actually seen.PICTURE: Slumdog MillionaireDIRECTOR: Danny BoyleACTOR: Mickey RourkeACTRESS: Meryl StreepSUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath LedgerSUPPORTING ACTRESS: Taraji P. HensonANIMATED FEATURE FILM: Wall-EORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Wall-EADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

WRITING: Long Live Tendonitis

2009-02-08T18:21:00.001-08:00

Dad and I have completed our twelfth play for Hyland. It is called LONG LIVE TENDONITIS and deals with an emperor in a Roman empire-type of setting. Tendonitis has been away from his throne fighting many battles. He has returned a different man, suffering from complications that will make his position as emperor even more challenging than it has been in the past. To make things worse, someone is

LOST: Skeleton Key

2009-02-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Fans have expressed doubts about LOST, concerning the big picture the writers have in mind. The plot of the show is so complicated, many suspect that the writers are simply winging it. The suspicion is that they are weaving together a myriad of subplots, hoping to pull a rabbit out of a hat by the time they reach the seventh and final season. Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse (the primary writers

WRITING: Reset Button

2009-02-08T18:17:00.001-08:00

I was recently commissioned and paid to write a short skit for Back Story. This is the company owned by the Wilcoxes. The skit is about 1500 words long and deals with a communication break-down between two people who are planning a company retreat. It’s called “Reset Button” and was used as part of a workshop exercise presented in Grand Junction.

WEIRD: Twinkle, Twinkle

2009-01-20T19:25:00.001-08:00

Recently, tests have proven the existence of the largest diamond known to man. It was discovered several years ago, but its composition was still somewhat inconclusive. But now, it’s confirmed. It’s a diamond. And it’s big. It’s about 2,500 miles in diameter (United States-ish) and fifty light years away. So once again, child-like philosophy proves true:Twinkle,

UNCLE DAVE

2009-01-20T19:23:00.001-08:00

It was two hundred fifty miles from Colorado Springs to Rifle. I remember looking at the odometer once and memorizing it as a significant number. It was an all-day trip back then—to the small town on the Western Slope of the state, where my cousins, my Aunt Bonny and Uncle Dave lived. We went more than once each year, but every Thanksgiving, my dad, mom, and sister

WRITING: "Diplomatic Immunity"

2008-12-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

"Diplomatic Immunity" was rejected by Fantasy and Sci Fi. I think it needs a major overhaul, so I'm pulling it from the circuit for now.

WRITING: "Intrusive"

2008-12-22T13:47:00.002-08:00

"Intrusive" is a new story. It is kind of surreal fiction about a guy who has recently given up his wife and son and is now having deep regret. This guilt surfaces in a strange ways one night when he accidentally locks himself out of his house. I'm submitting it to the Sonora Review Short Story Contest, which has a limit of only 1,000 words.

WRITING: "Myriads"

2008-12-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

"Myriads" was rejected by Asimov Science Fiction. Next is Fantasy and Science Fiction.

WRITING: "After All"

2008-12-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

"After All" was rejected by Writers of the Future. Next is Analog Science Fiction and Fact.

WRITING: "Looking For Trouble"

2008-12-01T20:16:00.001-08:00

I submitted a short story called "Looking for Trouble" to the Writer's Digest Short Short Story Contest. Entries had to be under 1500 words. This is the story of Richard who fails to come to the rescue during a robbery, but who then sets out to redeem himself.

BOOK REVIEW: Everlost

2008-12-01T20:15:00.001-08:00

The beginning starts with the end. Both Nick and Allie are killed in an accident and wake up dead. They find themselves in a strange dimension of existence called Everlost that is not quite in the real world and not quite removed from it. The landscape is the same as the real world and they can see the living, but they themselves are unseen and move through a parallel existence with its own

LUDDITE RANT: 21st Century Gladiators

2008-11-19T15:46:00.000-08:00

I’ve been reading a book called THE TWELVE CEASARS and it’s not only a reminder of how impressive the ancient Roman empire was, but also how messed up it was. Rome has often served as an extended commentary on our own current “empire.” We dwell on interesting parallels. For quite a stretch of time, the immorality of Rome would have made even Hollywood blush—or at least smirk. The progressive

BOOK REVIEW: Twilight

2008-11-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

Bella is a young girl who moves to a small town in Oregon to live with her estranged father. Despite her feelings of alienation, she begins to develop new friendships. But she also begins to notice a group of students who keep themselves somewhat aloof from the rest of the school. Edward Cullen and his foster siblings maintain a certain amount of social distance. Bella quickly

HUSKY ROGUE 2.0

2008-11-04T21:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Whitney Walker for new point words.We'll add three new words as suggested by her.The list will be limited to five for now to keep it from being too unwieldy--easily remembered for spontaneous Husky Rogue matches.This is now the official list:"husky""rogue""brooding""smolder""sultry"Each word is worth one point.Except "rogue" which is worth two, since it is the only noun on the list.Ten

LUDDITE RANT: Communi-Faking

2008-11-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

I heard on the radio today that we are in the midst of recognizing a side-effect of the cell phone. It's called "communi-faking." This is when you pretend to be talking on the cell phone even when there is no one on the line. They interviewed several people in their teens and early twenties and many of them admitted that they often "communi-fake" so that they will look busy or more social.The

HUSKY ROGUE

2008-11-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Whenever you are in a bookstore, Husky Rogue is a game that will provide much entertainment. Here's how you play:Go to the Romance section. As a matter of courtesy, do not play Husky Rogue while any customer is browsing in this aisle. Wait until the playing area is clear.Select books at random as determined by whatever title or cover catches your eye.Read the last paragraph or two on the last

WRITING: "Diplomatic Immunity"

2008-11-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

My short story "Diplomatic Immunity" was turned down by Asimov's Sci Fi Magazine. I'll try Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine next.

WRITING: The Almond Tree

2008-10-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

Last week I finished a rough draft of a non-fiction book about the inspiration of the Bible. This deals with what is considered "internal evidence," examining what the Bible itself has to say about its own nature. The intention is something along the lines of letting a witness speak on his own behalf. This is based on the assumption that most of the conflicting ideas surrounding the truth today

WRITING: "Myriads"

2008-10-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

My short story "Myriads" was turned down by Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Next stop, Asimov Sci Fi Magazine.

LUDDITE RANT: I am a Luddite

2008-10-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

A concern and fascination for me is the undeniable transformation of the human mind as a direct result of technology. Occasionally veering towards being an early curmudgeon, I try to keep a balance between appreciation and fear of the dazzling array of contraptions that surround us. For me, the primary issue is not whether or not robots will take over the world, but whether or not we will in the

WRITING: "Diplomatic Immunity"

2008-10-19T20:45:00.001-07:00

Blue is a planet inhabited by a race of beings called the squill who are excessively passive. When a human serial killer named Lavene wreaks havoc on this peaceful world, Earth sends Nol to extradite the criminal for punishment. This story was submitted about three weeks ago to Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. Response time is about five weeks.