Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

A Time for Recentering

Sorry for not posting lately.  Was real busy working on stuff for a writer's conference that I went to over the weekend.  

Not a lot went right for me at the 2016 PNWA Writer's conference.  And if I had to do it all over again there are a lot of things that I would do differently.  That said, I did sit in one very visible spot for 6 hours straight, hoping that the RIGHT person would come over, and end up being my "big break".  Didn't happen.  Totally disappointed about that and some other things that happened at that writer's conference.  A lot of which I can't say, because then I'd be saying bad things about people and THAT can come back to haunt you.

So for now, I'm working on recentering myself.  Need to get my head right.  Need to let God lead me to what's next.  

Not going quit this blog.  Not going Quit writing.  Or anything like that.  Just need to plot what my next step should be.  

Did get some good advice from someone "in the know" at the confererce they told me that my novel was really a series.  Why is that?  Well, because my novel clocks in at 780,000 + words--and I ain't done yet folks!  YES, I know where the novel ends, that's not going to change, I'm just constantly adding better descriptions, and character back story, which is important in a novel.  The person I talked to at the confrence told me I should go for a 7-part series.  Don't know if I can stretch it to that degree, but I am going to have to break it up.  I just thought BIGGER is what people want.  They want to lose themselves in a world, in a book.  But what agents want is books in a page count range.  THAT'S something I never thought of before.  Did think of that while screenwriting.  As there is a definate limit, 120 pages MAX for a  pre-pro screenwriter's work.   

Anyway, didn't come home with a deal from the 2016 PNWA Writer's Conference.  And came away pretty disappointed by the overall trajectory of the publishing industry.  Going to focus on making the best book I can, and the other stuff is going to have to wait.  

Artist first.  

Anyway, I'll post a more elabore post on my most recent experiences at the 2016 Pacific Northwest Writers Conference later in the week.  For right now I just need to get my head right, and let God work on mind and heart so that I'm right with Him.

Talk to again soon.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

Four Minutes to Shine

That's it folks.  That's all the time I get to pitch my epic fantasy novel before book agents and editors who will be attending the 2016 Pacific Northwest Writers Conference which will be going on Thursday July 28 through Sunday July 31.  I think the pitch block I'm assigned to is at the Saturday 2 p.m. session.  

So am I hopefull of a breakthrough?  Of course!  But I don't think that's realistic, as I don't have a "polished" COMPLETED manuscript ready to show, and honestly say, "Yes, this as good as I can make the story."

What are my hopes and expectations?  Well-p, for starters, I wanna find out where the book pulishing world is at.  In 2002, at the last PNWA Conference I attended I felt as though the New York publishing world was closed to outside authors.  THEY gave off the impression that they wanted EVEYONE to self-publish, THEN later after the author had proven sales, AND a grassroot platform of support, they would come in and LOOK at the author's work.  That did a lot to ebb away any faith I had in the system and drove me to write in a dfferent medium.  That being screenwriting.  And so from 2002 through 2013 I wrote spec. scripts.  18 or 19 of them, none of which I was able to win any contestst OR get anyone interested in purchasing and producing.  

It is VERY HARD as an unknown to get ANYONE behind you, and get some real momentum going.

So that's what I'm looking for: positive mometnum.  I wanna sell my work.  I just need direction of how to direct my passion so I can get some results, when all arround me all I ever see is CLOSED DOORS!  

So at this conference I'm really just looking to get some positive momentum going forward.  I believe I've got great stories to tell that will entertain people immensely and make lots of money.  Furthermore I think my epic fantasy novel is going to be just that, an epic triumph.  I just have to be patient and willing to go through the proper doors when and agreeable course of action comes to light.

And so now I've got a week to come up with a four minute pitch.  Been jotting down some notes at breaktime at work.  Will write out some dialog over the weekend and practice the performance.  

Probably won't be posting much untill the conference is over.  When it's over I'll tell ya how it went.  Till then I've got a lot of work to do!

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 

 

Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump: A Choice Between the Lesser of Two Evils

Straight up, that's how the Christian pulpit is calling this year's presidential election.  I first heard it from pastor Ray Armstrong at Calvary Communtiy (where I'm no longer going to church anymore), then I heard it from Franklin Graham via the Seattle Times, lastly I heard it from Rob Myer at Gospel Life chruch in Puyallup where I'm going to start attending church with reknewed vigor.  Why?  Because I LOVE Rob Myer, his life and teaching is Christ-centered, whereas Calvary Community Church was found by me to be kinda clickish and I just couldn't see myself ever really wanting to bond with their top leadership.  Hence, I didn't wanna get involved there, felt that way for a very long time, sorry it's taken me so long to just move on.

Can't believe that this year's choice for our next American president is as bad as it is.  Hilliary Clinton is not fit to be in goverment, period.  What she did puting top secret stuff on her personnal servers and removing some of the classified headers is enough to bar her FOREVER from holding any position in goverment at alln at all, in my book.  It's just a travesty of justice she's not removed.  And then their's the policies and agendas that she does support.  Uggg.  I know she's a woman and I'm all for equal rights and women running for the presidential, just not her.

Sadly, I think I might even hate Donald Trump even more that Hillary Clinton though its for different reasons.  I think Donald Trump is selfsish blowhard, and if he gets ellected all he's going to concerned with is himself.  I don't buy for a minute that he's, "going to make America great again."  And I can't believe the Republicans let him into their party.  Personally, I think Donald Trump is plant from the democratic left wing to split the party's allegiance, divide the Republican vote and thus insure that Hillary Clinton wins the ellection.  I don't believe Donald Trump is a true republican, and had sooo wished that a different candidate had won.  BUT that's not the case.  And so as many Christians have been saying, you've got to chose between the lesser of two evils (and vote for Donald Trump, because Hillary Clinton is worse than he is)

When it comes time to vote, I honestly don't think I can vote for Donald Trump with a clear conscious.  I don't think the guy belongs in govenment at all.  Rahter he just stick with his private enterprises, and leave the Republican Party alone!  I still can't believe they let him in to begin with.  Just shows how far that once band of righteous men has fallen.  Sorry democrats, but your party supports so much that is unsupportable by a Christian who loves Christ.  The democratic party is worse than the republican party, no question about that in my mind.  

What America needs is Jesus.  They need Jesus in their poletics.  We need to love righteousness again. And that begins with centering our lives around Jesus, His teachings, and a desire to do like Jesus did and always do the things that make the Holy Father pleased.  You want America to be great again?!  Enthone Jesus an right living at the head.  This country thinks it's progressing forward, but in promoting homosexual and transgender rights, and abortion, it's walking away from God, not towards him.  I love gay people.  Hope they come out of their sinful life that's not pleasing to God.  Do think they're entittled to life and be respected as being human being, but don't believe for a second that homosexuality or transgendered livesyles are healthy and the ideal that we should be promoting.

And I'm not perfect, I know that.  I need Jesus too.  It's not like I think I've arrived and now think that I can live my life apart from Christ.  

Life is better when God is in your life.

Your country is better off when it has godly leaders at the top, who are in right standing with God and are usable vessels for the Master to use.

The truth is America doesn't need Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump leading it, it needs a godly man or woman who is a yeilded vessel that in good term with Almighty God.  

Wanna make America great again?  Put Christ on the throne. Oh, yeah and actually start talking about issues that matter, like weaning ourselves from China and rebuilding the middle class.  Wanna know what I'm passionate about?  How about a 40 hour work week for people.  My brother can't even get that--and he's in a FUCKIN' union.  Pitaful.  Makes me so mad when I see companies offering jobs that people can't even make an honest living at.  That shit needs to be reformed.  And NO ONE is talking about that.  

And then there's middle class businesses.  Our industry needs be rebuilt.  Less things need to outsourced, and we need to get back to building things here in the states and not farming out our work beyond our borders.  Goverment needs to work to slant the field in our business favor and let the rest of the benefit from a heathy America's benovolence.  Don't have all the answers how to make this happen, but it needs to happen or eventually America will be a 3rd world nation.  Why?  Because our industrty got sold out by people who did strive for the greater good.  And what is the greater good?  A strong and healthy Ameican economy that all American can be proud of.  

To me it's so sad where our poleticians minds are these days.  Nobody is talking and coming up with good working solutions to the problems that ail us.  I feel like most politcal debates these days are just diversionary snipes.  Wastes of time for those who should be the smartest in the land, helping build America back up again by the policies that the actively support.  

(Now here is Someone I actually wanna hear more about His views on poletics)

Wanna make America great again?  Turn your eyes to Jesus.  Open your bible and let the Master guide you in ways of righteousness.

Sincerly,

E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA 

Mike and Dave Needed a Better Script; Exploring Issues in Rom-Com Movies: Volume 67

I went into this movie, "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" (2016: directed by Jake Szymanksi, written by Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O'Brien), with the highest of hopes.  Saw the trailer and thought to myself, "Wow, this looks like a great set-up for a potentially great romantic comedy.  Unfortunatly, ultimately the story that unfolds as the story goes on DOESN'T live up to its potential, OR the great 4-cast leads that movie has: Audrey Plaza, Adam Devine, Anna Kendick, and Zac Effron; all listed in order of how good I precieve them to be.

I would would classify, "Mike a Dave Need Wedding Dates" as an Ego-com, which is a subset group I made to help expain and differerntiate between all the different romantic comedy movies out there, though their is clearly some raunch-com and some vaccation rom-com in there too. The reason I would classify "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" as an Ego-com is the competing agenda of the two man lead team: Zac Effron and Adam Divine; vs. the two woman team of: Audrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick.  Zac and Adam's characters have to show they can tone down there over-the-top partying ways and bring two "nice girls" to their sister's wedding in Hawaii.  Audrey Plaza and Anna Kendick's characters are just looking for vaccation to get away from their troubles and disappointments.  It's the competing agenda that's finds conflict with each other that IS the heart of this movie.  And that's a GREAT place to have a rom-com come from.  Very much reminded me of the competing agendas of Matthew McConahuey and Kate Hudson in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003).  The only problem here is, that after such a great high concept start and a good start to the moive, AFTER the scene where Adam Divine's character accidently hits his sister in the side of the face with a wheel of his off-road quad-racer, the plot points get weaker and weaker, and the unjustifiable raunch dooms a movie that started out with good promice.  

So how bad was the raunch?  Pretty bad.  Like a scene where Audry Plaza's character finger masterbates a female cousin and rival of Adam Divine's character.  Then there's the massause paid for sexual extras to be done on the bride-to-be which is very graphic though the massuse doesn't actually penetrate the bride-to-be with his dick, which is supposed to justify and exuse him being naked and bumping and rubbing all over finally, which finally gets the bride-to-be to sexually climax, which is then witnessed by Adam Divine's charcter who looks in at the wrong time to check up on his sister.  There is a graphic shot of the bride-to-be high on extasy and showing off her naked body.  The movie ends with Adam Divine's character have sex with Audry Plaza's character in a horse barn with reverse rolls: Audry acting like the man, Adam acting like the woman.  The come the credits where some stupid outtakes are shown.   NONE of that graphic raucnh needed to be in this script for the story to work.  And NONE of that low-ball, graphic stuff added to the story and should have been filmed with greater care.  VERY BAD JOB: Jake Szymanki, the director; for allowing those shots to be in the final cut of this movie.  Really inexcuseable and LAZY filmmaking.  

Therein lies this movie's tragic misteps that doom the general good chemistry that all four of the leads had with each other.  For those who say all you need is character chemisty, you should watch this movie for yourself and see where you think this movie derails.  I say it was because of poor screenwriting and plot points that begin to happen in bunchs in Act II.  AFTER the quad hits the bride-to-be, this movie just seams to fall apart more and more with each scene, and after that director Jake Szymanski shows poor use of scene stack-ups and post editing to take those sexually charged scenes and work on the comedy aspects of them.  It's like by Jake's poor choices he leaves us with a pornagraphic instead of a comedic punchline.  Needless to say, I don't think much of director Jake Szymanski.  I think the guy was lazy and his failure to visualize and maximise comedic scenes by his callout of shot was the biggest reason that this movie wasn't very good.  You can't really on reaction shots by your actors and actresses to carry the comedy.  You gotta know what to show, and what not to show.  And this, guy, Jake Szymanski, doesn't display good taste or discression, and because of that this movie suffered.

Overall I would grade out, "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" as a 6.0 out of a possible 10.  Yes, I did laugh, but an excess of raunch and excessive graphic pornographic stuff, and set peices that were lacking in Act II and III really weigh this movie down.  I also thought it was poor choice to make the white bride-to-be's husband a black guy.  I GUESS they were trying to promote mix marriages and show that they're okay.  The problem here is black guy is quite boring and adds very little to story and humor.  The story would have been beter served with another comedic angle coming in, like say a Russell Brand or something.  I'm not against seeing mix marriages or coupling, like in the movie "Hancock" where at the end a romance is alluded to between Charlize Theron and Will Smith's character.  It's just in this movie the white bride and black groom add NOTHING to the story.  No added tension, no additial comedy.  Nothing.  And my point is that this story SHOULD have gotten something from that character.  

Here are some odd' and ends from my observations of the movie:

• I am now a fan of Anna Kendrick's acting.  Never thought much of her before.  But in this movie I really thought she did a fine job of acting.  She took the role and made a character that is different from herself come alive.  Of all the characters in "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" her's was the one that ended up sticking out the most.  Sure, this movie is there for Adam Divine to ham it up and make a name for himself, but it was Anna Kendrick who won me over by the end of it.
• Aubrey Plaza is the next Judy Greer.  Wow, does this girl ever have a GREAT vibe that makes for a staple that can play in many more rom-com's to come.  Her snarky attitude is gold!  I really like her schtick.  Like it back in NBC's "Parks and Recreation".  Like it even more now.  
• Hollywood directors need to learn how to stack shots for comedic affect in post-production.  Too much humor is expected of actor and actresses in scenes.  Movie's aren't stand-up comedy routines.  I think today's movie-makers, by and large, are lazy and uncreative when it comes to visualizing how different shots can build up to a comedic punchline.
• Comedy movies need to have background, zanny/silly music in spots that helps accents the moments where comedy is.  Drama, horror and action/adventure uses music to accent the drama, why aren't comedies doing the same?
• The people make movies in the studios today are crass and vulgar.  There is a lack of restraint and sophistication at the very top levels of Hollywood, and it shows quite readily in the romantic comedies that are being released.  I feel so sorry for America and the world.  Hollywood's poor sence of taste is like a vulgar poison.  Are movies and getting raunchier and rauncier.  And that makes me sad.
• A good idea doesn't write itself.  This movie had a GREAT set-up.  As good or better than, "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days", and yet the set pieces that were done in "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" can't hold a candle to the ones in "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days".  Screenwriters Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O'Brien really failed to take this great, initial concept they were given and fill it with set pieces that were funny and romantic.  

Sorry if it seams like I'm harping at this point.  I really don't wanna be like that in my heart of hearts.  I'm a HUGE fan of the romantic comedy genre.  And I do want it to suceed and thrive.  But I refuse to say flattering things about movies that are underwelling JUST to pump of the genre as a whole.  

The truth of the mater is, I'm losing hope in Hollywood of making a "good" romantic comedy anymore.  The place just seams littered with perverts who don't know how to film or edit anything that's artistically worthwhile.  The sleaze factor is so high in so many of these movies, when it shouldn't be that way.  These are "chick flicks".  Shows for women to help them meet a need in their life.  And Hollywood's provides pornography in that sacred place?  It just makes me so sad.  Especially when they're building off a vast lexicon of movies of the past.  They should be advancing the frontier, not destroying it's foundations.  

In closing let me just say that I love romantic comedy movies, I just don't like the crass and tasteless people who are currently making them.  Hollywood needs an overhaul.  They need new talent to clean things up that the most recent generation has shit all over.

4th of July Weekend: The Recap

Sorry for not posting over the 4th of July weekend, BUT in all honesty I was pretty busy.  No, I didn't get much writing in this last weekend.  Lately it seams like a lot of other things are working to squeeze that out.  BUT they are good things.  Helping your brother out when he's in a bad spot IS something that I'm expected to do, and for the most part I do it without complaining.  

As stated in my last post my younger brother who lives with me on my parent's property got in a car crash with someone under the influence of mariquana.  That guy went to jail, my brother went to the hospital.  It's been almoast two weeks since the wreck and my brother STILL hasn't been medically released to go back to work.  Bad sign.  Found out just yesterday that the messuse assigned to help my brother with his back tightness refused to give him service because his back area was so inflamed.  NOW my brother is looking at a posible neck surgery to fuse a couple discs together.  

What really sucks is a day  before the accident my brother had a job interview and got a job working real close to the house.  This job could have saved him lots of money and cut down on his commute time so he could spend more time with his kids. NOW that's in question too, given his health.  

Sigh.  Sometimes you just don't get a break in life.  Pray for my brother and his family, they need it.  

I did get around to painting my brother's house's window frames over the weekend.  Hey, mabye I'm not such an asshole after all.  BUT I was drinking heavy while doing so, and one of my brother's sons called me on it.  Okay, mabye I am an asshole!  In my defense.  Painting SUCKS.  It's very boring I thought a little beer would spruce up the experience.  Anyway, the window frames do look beter now.  Just gotta remove the making blue tape from around the aera where I was painting.  

Took Obo to Wild Wave the day after the 4th of July.  Unfortnuately it was about 60 degrees and overcast that day so we froze our buts off and weren't able to capitalize on the fact that day the park was virutally empty--no lines!!  Gotta hand it to Obo, he tried.  We even hit the hot tup a couple times to warm up.  It was just too cold outside to do water rides.  

On the 4th of July I went to a friend of my dads and drank 80-year-old Scotch--and it was AWESOME!!  Best hard liquor I've ever had.  Atterwards we returned home and blew off the $170 bucks worth of fireworks that I bought.  Took less than 2 hours, but it was fun.  Bought a whole bunch of artillery shells this year that yeild exlposions like the ones in firework displays.  WAY funner than Saturn Missles, firecrackers and bottle rockets.  Got drunk as fuck while blowing off fireworks, BUT my mom had my back--she was inside the house praying for me the whole time!  

Did see the new "Tarzan" movie over the weekned.  Thought it was the best movie of the year so far.  My mom, who went to see it with me with my dad as well, said at the end when Chistopher Walz's chacter gets his comeuppance wished she could have seen the crockodiles eat him appart.  Couldn't belive my mom said that, but she did!  

All-in-all it was a good weekend.  Today, the first day back at work because by Union contract this year we got the 4th and 5th off, was pretty good all things considered.  I got through it unscathed.  

As for me I really need to cut out the drinking and hone in on the re-writing of the epic fantasy novel.  I'm at a good place right now.  It's a place where I get to describe my main characters experience in Heaven.  This happens in chapter 2--and it's awesome.  I just need to take conceptual awesome and translate that into a reader's awesome experience.  Trust me, folk.  Got no problem on the creative level.  Chapter 2 has a super-abundance therein.  Just need to bring the litteray end up to an equal level as that of its concepts.  

And so, in closing, I write on.  Don't know how many more posts I'll get in this month.  But know this, I love this blog and am not even close to giving up on it.  E.C. Henry is a pretty dogged person.  I don't let go very easily.  

Sure wish America had beter politians.  Hillary Clinton SUCKS, and should be removed from goverment office and put in prison.  And the sad thing is, the Republian nominee is almoast as bad as she is!  I just can't belive how far America has fallen.  These two are not representative of my values.  And neither one of them is worthy of even being in ANY form of government whatsoever.  It's really sad.  Ameican politics is at a sad place right now.  They need Jesus.  They need an infusion of righteousness and a dispelling of criminal clouds.