Exciting Things Arrive!

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My new on line magazine is up!!! I am so excited and I am getting really good feedback. I am so happy that my little idea is actually working out. It's so exciting!!! If you haven't read it yet here is the link; https://sites.google.com/site/sherrisjewelbox/cover-pagee . Tell me what you think:) If your a collector or you make any kind of Jewels please let me know because I am doing a feature on that too. Please send me a note at rithebard@yahoo.com

I am so happy, I just got such a great review of my novel Fantasy Time Inc. from Valley Scene newspaper. I knew it was coming and I was very nervous and I was delighted when I read it! Here is the link; http://www.valleyscenemagazine.com/bookreview/ . Pretty cool, huh? If you would like to get a copy here is the link to for Barnes and Noble; http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Fantasy-Time-Inc/Sherri-Rabinowitz/e/9781432758110?r=1 .

I was also really excited because two of my articles came out on the same day. They were very different from two separate publications but I was very proud of both of them. One of them is about Taking On A Job that appears in Working Writer, it was in response to a comment that made me think; how do you come up with ideas for the many types of things we write? Here is the link; http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2011/06/29/taking-on-a-job/ .

My other article in SelfGrowth.com was inspired by watching shows about loss and how to overcome it. Also how loss brings on a crisis of self worth and the ways to regain it. This is something I am striving for in my life so it is of much interest to me. Here is the link; http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/loss-and-self-worth .

I would like everyone to welcome my guest author Celia A. Andriello who has

agreed to come and chat with us about her five novels, her writing and the way she sees it all. Please give Celia a warm welcome;

What was the first book you remember loving?

My very first heart throb book was Man O'War. Like so many little girls , I was a horse addict. It was the public librarian that handed me that book. It was thick, hard covered and I handed it back to her and said, "Sorry, but I can't read."

"Can't read? Who said?"

"My teacher."

She handed it back, and with the conviction of a general she said, "You can read, and this book will prove it."

She was right. It took me forever to finish it and when I did. I read it again!

What kind of books do you like to read? Do those books have an affect on your own writing?

There isn't a genre of books that I haven't digested with gusto; but my all time favorite author, the author who holds my reverent esteem is Alexandre Dumas. I have read, and re-read his untarnished works countless times. With the stroke of his pen he cause me to hunger for more of his scrumptious prose. He has been a most singular influence in my writing. Throughout my novels there is always a modicum of Dumas' technique on every page.

Do you remember what is the first book that touched you deeply?

Perhaps it was because I was pregnant, but the first book that compelled me to weep had just hit the shelves. The title was Alive! by Piers Read. It was the true story of a sixteen young men, on a Colombian soccer team, that survived an airplane crash in the Andes Mountains. Their struggle to survive was heart wrenching throughout their entire ordeal, until they were able to walk/drag themselves to safety. I was only able to read it once; it was that powerful.

Is there an era of writing that affects you? 1920's, 1800's so forth?

An era of writing? My heart runs the gambit in this area, for if the writer is worth his or her mettle he/she will haul me by the throat into that period of time, and I will not return to the now until I have consumed all of the leaves offered.

Where do you like to write? Is there a favorite nook or corner?

My writers garret is here at my computer, but I cannot sit here and wait for inspiration to hit. Inspiration consistently comes through the efforts of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. If there's a writer's block, this couple has the power to heal!

Do you prefer one genre to another?

Genres- I have digested so many, that now I have grown bored. It's why I started to writing my own novels. Everything out there has become re-runs. I require something fresh and odd, as well as inspirational.

Do you like the feel of a book in your hands or do you prefer an electronic devise?

Electronic devices clog my arteries. I do not understand Kindle or the alike. They do not do what they purport, that is, they do not save energy. When I hold a book in my hands my essence absorbs its vitality.

Can you tell us about what your working on now?

My latest novel, like all of my novels, weaves child abuse into the outcomes of adult behavior. In my perspective, child abuse is not a 90 minute talk-show laced with cure-all prescriptions. It is very real and should never be implemented as insensitive entertainment. What I try to do is recognize it for what it is, and develop the characters to enrich their mental states by understanding why they do what they do. Not to cure themselves-for that is an impossibility- but to develop from the abuse to be more comfortable in their skin. There is no perfect person; so why strive for perfection when the fun is in challenge of the game known as life?

This 5th novel takes an abandoned child, now in adult form, and through the support of her once repulsed lover, as well as her friends, she learns that her frustrations with herself are actually gifts to her constituency. She is charming as well as devious, and volatile. combining all three together she constructs an outcome she designs and executes with the confidence of a cobra! (Gotta put that hostility somewhere.)

Thank you for a great interview Celia! It was very interesting and enjoyable. Please check out her books:)

If you have any questions for me please email at rithebard@yahoo.com or send me a tweet at @rithebard.

Sherri's Jewel Box cometh

My new on-line magazine Sherri's Jewel Box will be released to the public on July 4th!!! I figured that would be the best way to celebrate my patriotism...just kidding. I really just felt that a holiday weekend is great time to do all the work to make sure my first issue will be outstanding. I am so proud of it and I have been working so hard on it. I hope you all enjoy it.

It will feature the history and stories of classic, vintage and historical jewels. I am hoping that the stories and articles will inspire my readers to collect their own pieces. The sentiment for each piece and the history are what draws me to vintage jewels. The beauty, history and sentiment of the family pieces make them special, its the beauty of it that strikes me. Please come and enjoy my new magazine!

Here I am at the Paws for Troops event, from my little face it looks like I am having a good time, huh? I did, I sold books for charity, ate pizza, bought a nice purse, and met some pretty dogs. The most important thing is that they met their goal for the event. Yeah!!!! And I helped in my own little way, so I feel very good about that. So I would say that this event was a win-win, wouldn't you?

Photograph by Chuck Cason

Please welcome my newest author that has agreed to join us for a short chat about writing; Pamela Sisman Bitterman.

What was the first book you remember loving? Do you still own it?

The first book that I remember falling in love with, and probably the one that I have most often given as a gift in the 50-plus years since it was first read to me, is the quintessential children's book of my generation, The Velveteen Rabbit. I still have my ancient copy, the one my Mom read to me and the same one that I subsequently read to my own children. (I also still have my own "real" stuffed rabbit that I slept with through out my entire childhood.) Both are being saved for future generations... I'm convinced that my compulsion to ultimately pen children's books is due in large part to my own dreamy childhood memories associated with this story.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do those books have an affect on your own writing?

As I have revealed in earlier interviews, books I read absolutely have an affect on my writing.

So much so that my tendency to become completely absorbed in whichever good book I happen to be reading at any given time, precludes
my being able to both write and indulge my voracious reading habit, simultaneously.I love to read. Always have. Books offer a unique opportunity to learn, to think, to explore, to disappear, to re-invent,
to live a thousand different lives. Most writers who dare to spill their guts on paper will likely never know the extent to which they have affected change, or the many lives that they have touched. I like that. Ripples in a pond.

I do believe that we can learn a great deal about how to write well by reading well written books. However, I will also admit that reading badly written books that somehow miraculously made it to publication is what eventually prompted me to try my hand at the craft, arrogantly avowing that "I can definitely do better than that!"

Do you remember what is the first book that touched you deeply?

I so remember the first book that touched me deeply. At the risk of cliche' I have to join the ranks of millions by admitting that it was Catcher In The Rye. That book was the motivation behind my initially embarking upon a career path to help troubled children. Discovering A Separate Piece represented another profound reading event in my life. Hmmm, I am just now realizing something. See what happens when we write? The protagonists, in fact pretty much all the principal characters of both of these books, were young boys. As a tomboy growing up as the antithesis of the debutante/ Betty Crocker crazed peers of my youth, I was desperate for literary role models that were brave, empowered, heroic, introspective, and soulfully embattled. I apparently found precious few young female characters that fit that prototype. But authors? Now that's another story. One had to look no further then Atalass Shrugged's Ayn Rand, or the stunningly talented fifteen year old S. E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders. Both these books were also among my favorites and both have left an indelible mark. When the characters from a book stick with you, haunt you, become friends whose companionship you yearn for long after the story ends, then the author has done her job masterfully. That is always a goal of my writing.

Is there an era of writing that affects you? 1920,'s, 800's so forth?

The era of writers that most affected me should be fairly self evident by this point in the interview. They were the writers of my youth, the illustrators of my personal experience. Of course, works by Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Melville and the like were devoured and beloved. But Ken Kesy, Thomas Wolf, Jack Kerouac and J. D. Salinger became my surrogate best friends. Today, veteran authors like Barbara Kingsolver, and John Le Carre never let me down. And I'm always open to being swept away by new up-and-comers the likes of an Anne Lamont or a Dave Eggers, for instance. We need to believe that there's still great hope for their (our) ilk, right? I just read an interview with the renowned author Ann Patchett. Of the five books that she read in the last year and "wished she was still reading," was one by a (then) virtually unknown author whom she met when they shared a cab to the airport after a writers conference. We're all out there metaphorically waiting for that cab.

Where do you like to write? Is there a favorite nook or corner?

My most disciplined writing takes place in my office, mostly during the early dawn hours. But I write everywhere, on whatever is handy, whenever an idea presents itself. My moleskin is often anything with enough room to scratch out a notion on-a grocery list, gas receipt, stupid flyer stuck under the windshield wiper of my car.

Do you prefer one genre' to another?

Although I primarily write nonfiction, when I read I love losing myself in really good adult fiction. I have the adventures that become the stuff of my nonfiction, and that then becomes the perfect package deal for me. I get to do it, survive it, and then re-live it on paper. However, I am now dabbling in my first adult fiction project (see question #8), and am finding it ridiculously liberating, and so much fun! I have had two non-fictions, one homily and one children's book published so far. Although writing children's books has always appealed to me, as they are an invaluable vehicle by which one can profoundly touch the hearts and minds of impressionable future generations, it is harder then it looks. There is a science to it, with very precise format requirements for age and target audience appropriateness. But once you learn the parameters and integrate these guidelines into the creative process, you have in effect found the keys to the kingdom. I'm afraid I'm not a big fan of science fiction or fantasy. Although the writing for those genres can be beautifully creative and artfully composed, I personally have difficulty suspending logic for the duration of the read. Probably a failing on my part, and ultimately my loss.

Do you like the feel of a book in your hands or do you prefer an electronic device?

I do like the feel of a book. I like to hang onto them, smell them, share them, scribble in their margins, and yes, dog-ear a page. I would hate to see cloth books disappear from tomorrows artistic landscape. But much of my stubborn devotion to hard copies is as sentimentally driven as it is financially and environmentally counter-indicated. Although I admit to being a bit of a neanderthal with the new technology, I suppose I have to also admit that electronic reading devises are probably the way of the future. Two of my most recent manuscripts have been published digitally, so in that respect, I suppose I even hope that to be true. In fact, most new books that I read today, I download to my own kindle.

Nonetheless, the learning curve of my reluctant though "strongly advised" delve into the new computer generated publishing business has as often led me to an awed sense of proud accomplishment, as it has to having to be physically restrained from furiously flinging any one of a number of fancy hand held devices out of my second story window.

Can you tell us about what your working on now?

At present, I am actively working on marketing my published books. Hence this Author Highlight, for which I am very grateful! That being said, the Self-Promoter hat is not the most comfortable fit for me, just as it probably isn't for most writers. It is a necessary evil, all the same. And although I actually enjoy doing these online interviews, there is undeniably that marketing method to my madness.

My works-in-progress are presently an adult fiction, and a second children's book. But my primary work-in-progress is always myself. Consequently, if the next great adventure opportunity suddenly presents itself, I will be off and running! In all likely-hood it will then become the subject of a subsequent nonfiction and quite possibly my next published work as well. I love writing but living big and full for as long and as well as I can still wins out, hands down, as my diversion of choice.

Thank you so much for that wonderful interview, I think we learned a lot about your inner thought process:) If you would like to check out these book trailers for more information, please follow these links; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M5owy_L4cU , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6sI2hj-v5w , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPD4LEPi3Qs .

If you would like to ask questions, offer suggestions or just chat please contact me on twitter at; @rithebard or at my email rithebard@yahoo.com .

To check out my books please go to; http://outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?ISBN=9781432758110

Exciting Events Approaching

So many things are happening right now, I feel like a beautiful rainbow has opened up for me. I have a great event coming up it is a charity called Paws for Troops. The event is called Paws-atively Purr-fect Fund Raiser. It is to help both our veterans and animals heal from the trauma they had been through together. Its a great cause! I am very proud to help out. I donated my books and I will be signing at the event and my Mom donated one of her beautiful needlepoints. So exciting! For more information please check out http://www.pawsfortroops.com/

My new magazine is coming along very well. It is called The Jewel Box and here is the new logo. What do you think of it? My on-line magazine that celebrates the beauty and sentiment of family jewels. Pieces that you collected from your mother or grandmother. I am also going to focus on hot new pieces of all different types as well as historical pieces. It is a special, personal project of pure love. It will be premiering at the end of the month and I can't wait!!!

I have a new article in Working Writers it is about inspiration. One of my favorite subjects that I feel is deep and mysterious. Here is the link; http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2011/06/16/inspiration/ . Let me know what you think?

I would like you all to welcome my new guest for my interview series author Cindy Jones. She wrote a wonderful book called My Jane Austen Summer; A Season in Mansfield Park. Welcome Cindy!

What was the first book you remember loving? Do you still own it?

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was the first book to have special meaning for me. I read a copy from the school library in fourth grade and remember having to renew it at least once in order to finish it. Although I had been reading novels since second grade, especially Nancy Drew mysteries. The Secret Garden was different. The walled garden, the locked door, and the secret relationship provided my first experience with Gothic elements in literature and started my love affair with books.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do those books affect your writing?

I like to read books that have literary sensibilities and commercial tendencies. I crave complex characters and beautiful prose but need a tension-filled plot to go with them. And since I write the books I would like to read, my craving dictate my writing. My favorite contemporary book is The City of Your Final Destination by Peter Cameron. I also love Jane Austen, Henry James, Edith Wharton and Daphne Dumaurier.

Of all your work what is your personal favorite?

My personal favorite is whatever I happen t be working on at the moment. Writing a novel is an intense experience and I lose myself with the characters and the story of each project while I'm working on it, starting with the novel I wrote in the fifth grade, followed much later by the first novel I wrote as an adult (now buried in a drawer), to My Jane Austen Summer and my current work-in progress. I love them equally, especially during the time they need the most attention from me.

Do you have a favorite character that you created?

My favorite character of my creation is also the protagonist of my current work. Working closely over a period of years tends to make them come alive in my imagination so that sometimes I think I catch a glimpse of them in the real world, or I refer to them in conversation before realizing what I've said. A man drove a golf cart past a window where I was sitting one day. I remarked to myself, "There goes Henry," (the male lead in my current project), but I immediately realized my lapse. Another time I suggested we stay with my character while traveling in England, before realizing my mistake.

What is your favorite character from another writer?

I love Fanny Price, a bookish woman who becomes the heroine of her own story, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. I identify with a person who creates an interior world through reading, and I admire her courage in taking such a strong stand against the villains in her story.

Do you prefer on genre to another?

I have a preference for complex and compelling fiction.

Do you like the feel of a book in your hands or do you prefer an electronic devise?

I was surprised to discover that I could lose myself in an electronic novel just as completely as I could in print. I enjoy the convenience of an e-reader and the rich feeling of an abundance of titles waiting for my attention. However, if I am reading carefully for research or discussion purposes. I like to have the printed version in my hands for ease of flipping back and forth through pages, highlighting and note taking. I'm sure the electronic reader will evolve to address this issue or I will adjust by necessity, but until such time, I mainly use my e-reader for pleasure and stick to print for work related reading.

Can you tell us about your current work-in-progress?

I'm working on a novel about contemporary women who trade places. The story involves travel, India, Romantic Poets, and the power of imagination.

****

Thank you so much for joining us and giving your take on reading and writing. I really appreciate it:)

If you have any questions or suggestions please email at rithebard@yahoo.com or on twitter @rithebard.

Big News

I have wonderful news that I am announcing for the first time. In a couple of weeks I am launching an on-line magazine called The Jewel Box. I am very excited about this new venture. I have been working on it for months and I am very close to completion. It will be a magazine devoted to collectors of Vintage Jewelry. It is also about Heritage Jewelry which is very near and dear to my heart. It will come out every other month. I will give everyone more information as I get closer to the launch but I am sooooo excited about it.





My new ad is up from Valley Scene it is kind of cool to have an ad both on the west coast in this paper and on the east coast in The Boston Review. It gives people who do not have a computer or time to look at one, a chance to see that my book is available and buy it. Please check it out at; http://www.jejprint.com/valleyscene/#/18/ .





I will be having a new article coming out in the Working Writer later this month. I will give you the link when it is available for everyone to see. I am also working on a couple of other projects that when it gets firmer I will tell you all about it. It is exciting that things are finally popping for me. May they keep popping:)





My new interview is with Ellen Brazer she is an award winning writer for her new book Clouds Across The Sun. She has graciously agreed to join us for a interview;


What was the first book you remember loving? Do you still own it?


The first book I ever loved reading was Leon Uris' Exodus. Actually it was the first book I ever willingly read that some teacher had not assigned to me. Uris opened my eyes to Israel and to the courage of a people struggling to survive after the Holocaust. Later in my life, Leon Uris came to Miami as a speaker, and I hosted him for the entire day. I can still picture him, black leather jacket, jeans and boots. He was one really cool guy and yes, I still own the book.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do those books have an affect on your writing?

The first requirement I have from a book is that it is going to take me to a place I have not been before and that I am going to learn something from reading that book. The subject has to be intriguing and the writing excellent and the reason is simple; it does affect my writing. When I am reading a great book my own words just seem to surface in a gentler manner.

Of all your work what is your personal favorite?

Clouds Across The Sun is a work that I am very proud of. I love that all the reviewers say the same thing, they couldn't put it down. Yet, how can i not also love Hearts of Fire? That is my baby!








Do you have a favorite character that you created?


I don't mean to be evasive but I really don't. I love all my characters. I had a great challenge when I had to tap into the evil side of humanity. So while I hate who the bad people in my novels represent, I had an interesting time birthing them. Most of my characters are based on the real life stories of people that I have known. Perhaps that is why I find it impossible to tell you my favorite.


What is your favorite character and book from another writer?


I loved the psychic and good witch Ellen from Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.


Do you prefer one genre' to another?


I love good historical fiction. Although my new most favorite book in the entire world is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.



What inspired you to write? Who was your biggest inspiration?


I was waiting for some medical test results to come back. I was extremely successful in business when I was very young and while waiting for that phone call I asked myself what mountain had I yet to climb. The answer for me was writing a book. I have a dear friend who is a Pulitzer Prize winner. When I wrote my first draft of Hearts Of Fire I pressed the caps lock key on the computer and wrote the entire first draft in capital letters with almost no punctuation. It was my writing friend who said, there is something here and you must keep going. That first book took me 10 years to write. The manuscript went from under the bed, to the closet and then back under the bed again. A doctor friend took it on a ski vacation and he was the one that finally got me to become serious about getting the book published.



Can you tell us about what your working on now?


I am writing a historical novel that takes place in the year 135 of the common era. It was a time period when the Jews believed that Shimon Bar Kockba was the Messiah. Following him, they managed to defeat Rome and for a three year period Israel was under the control of the Jews. And So It Was Written is the story of two brothers, one who becomes a famous physician in Rome and the other becomes a commander in the Jewish Army. There are some very unique and controversial elements to this book that I am keeping close to the vest so stay tuned. I am in the process of rewriting and I hope to be finished within the year.



Thank you for joining us, Ellen and telling us about your wonderful writing. If you would like to look into her work her website is; http://www.ellenbrazer.com/ .


If you would like to ask a question or just say hello:) please tweet me at @rithebard or if you would like to speak to me about anything please email me at rithebard@yahoo.com .

Breaking news: I will be signing books on June 25th at the Paws For Troops event in Sherman Oaks! Every cent is for chaity please go to web site for charity for details; http://www.pawsfortroops.com/

Action at Last!

Well I had a lot happen in the last few weeks. My co-op ad appeared in the new Boston Review. The ad is a full page ad on the last page of the new issue. My book is in the second row in the center. Maybe because I was looking for it, my eyes went right to it but I thought it stood out against the rest. Let me know what you think, if you see it.

A new article I wrote is now up in Working Writer. The name of the article is called Write What You Love. Here is the link; http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/2011/05/20/write-what-you-love/ . It is a subject that I have discovered that I am passionate about. I really believe now that you have to follow your passion.


This is a very special article I wrote that was just published today in SelfGrowth.com. Its called A Stolen Letter led to a Lifetime Together . http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/a-stolen-letter-led-to-lifetime-together . Its about how my Mom and Dad met. Its romantic, sweet and I think touching. I know I am a bit biased; so you be the judge and let me know.

I also have an ad in Valley Scene Newspaper. Here is the link for the ad; http://www.jejprint.com/valleyscene/#/18/ . It is kind of cool because my ad is right next to a great pic of Kirk Douglas in Spartacus, which is a great film and there is my little ad. Really cool!


Please welcome one the kindest and most approachable people its been my pleasure to meet in show business. He is Writer/ Producer Steven L. Sears. His list of credits is to long to put here but he wrote for many wonderful T.V. series and I met him through the wonderful world of Xena. So please give a warm welcome to Steven Sears...






What was the first piece you ever wrote?



First thing you're going to learn about me is that I'm nuanced. I rarely have simple answers. For example, first thing I ever remember writing in a performance context? Or first thing I wrote in a screenplay format? Or first thing I wrote that I was paid for? See What I mean?

So, one at a time. The first thing I remember writing was a short sketch for a Sunday School event. Honestly, I think I was about five and I wrote a skit about a man who wanted to make a gold cross for God but couldn't afford the gold, so he had to make it out of gold, silver, tin or whatever he had available. He was ashamed to give it to God but when God saw it, he loved it because it was so different and came from the heart. Hey I was five.

My next memory was less noble. It was in seventh grade and I wrote a skit for a Talent Show that involved a really bad computer date (how bad? I played the girl).

So fast forward to the beginnings of my career. I didn't start out writing full scripts. In fact, I had no intention of actually being a writer. I was an actor and I was doing auditions around town. Instead of doing the same scenes from the same plays/movies that everyone knew. I decided to start writing my own three minute audition scenes. Keep in mind, this was for auditions, not to get a job as a writer.

A little while later, I started writing TV scripts purely for the fun of it. The first one of those was a BENSON script. Again, just for the fun of it, no one paid me, it wasn't a part of the series. I still had no intention of being a writer.

I met another guy at the restaurant I was working at(I mentioned I was an actor) named Burt Pearl. He and I decided, purely for the fun of it, to start writing scripts. Through a series of events(which I won't bore you with here), Burt and I managed to get a meeting with the producers of a series called RIPTIDE. Off that meeting, we were given an assignment to write a script. That RIPTIDE script was called THE CURSE OF THE MARY ABERDEEN. That one started my professional career as a writer.

After that, the only other thing of note was the first time I was paid to write a script on my own (Burt and I were a team, but we separated later). That was an A-TEAM script called FAMILY REUNION.

What kind of books do you like to read? Do those books have an affect on your own writing today?

I enjoy reading a wide variety of books. Unfortunately because of my schedule, and the fact that I am also a writer, it becomes hard to read long fiction books. So a lot of my reading is non-fiction. I'm a fact and knowledge junkie. Science, history, trivia, etc. I can pick those books up, read a bit, and put them down to come back to them later. They are quick bits, not long involved stories.

When I am reading novels, they tend to be full biographies, historic drama, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, comedy, psychology/sociology books and so on. For example, right now I'm reading William Goldman's THE PRINCESS BRIDE and Jeff Shaara's World War II novel THE FINAL STORM. I love anything by William Goldman and Jeff Shaara. I also have two Zombie short story anthologies, one Apocalypse anthology and five history magazines sitting on my bedstand and in my iPad.

Do they have an effect on what I write today? Everything in my life affects how I write. Always has, always will.

Of all your work what is your personal favorite?

Ah, the second thing you will learn about me. I don't have "favorites". I'm not wired that way. The eclectic nature of my mind and my fancy doesn't allow for favorites. It's like asking which is your favorite child. If you love them all, it's hard to answer unless you get really really specific. The first script for RIPTIDE will always be a favorite because it was the first. The first script I wrote for Xena (DREAMWORKER) will always be a favorite because it set up major arcs for Gabrielle's character. The first screenplay I ever sold, HARRY O'FELL (not produced) is a favorite because it was my first screenplay and was optioned for a pilot. So, you see "favorite" isn't a word that applies to me.

Do you have a favorite character that you created?

heh heh, you can imagine what this answer will be. Yes. And no. They are all characters I invested a part of myself in so they are all special for different reasons.

What is your favorite character from another writer?

Woo hoo! I'm really not trying to avoid your questions, believe me, this happens a lot. Many of the questions I get are of the "favorite" kind and it frustrates people because I can't answer the question. I've loved all sorts of characters and remember a lot of them. Honestly, if I didn't like the character, odds are I didn't read much of the work and forgot about it. Here're some names that register: The Hardy Boys, Brains Benton, Jupiter Jones, and most of the heroes of the books in my childhood. But there have been many more characters that I have enjoyed whose names elude me at the moment.

Do you prefer one genre to another?

My preferences change with time. I've always enjoyed science fiction because, when well written, they create questions in the reader's mind. The golden age of sci-fi was fantastic with that, usually putting a spin in the last page that made you think. I've enjoyed zombie stories for the longest time because zombies are just zombies, but the real stories deal with the psychological effect the living dead have on the living. Historical dramas, when well written, are always attractive me. David McCullough writes some exceptional books on history. His book on John Adams was wonderful! Jeff Shaara writes books based around real historical characters in real events, dramatizing only the details. He (and his father before him) write wonderfully immersive stories.

Do you like the feel of a book in your hands or do you prefer an electronic devise?

Interesting question. I had one of the first electronic books. It was an RCA device and if I didn't have a dog lying on my lap as I type this, I could turn around and grab it from my bookcase. It was a gift from a girlfriend's family back in 1999. I loved it! Because I could carry a mini-library with me wherever I went. Keep in mind, my reading habits are eclectic and go back and forth, so instead of being stuck with one book or carrying several with me, I could travel with this one ebook and read them all. Today, I have an iPad with my kindle on it as well as on my android phone and I enjoy those for the same reason. The iPad gives me the additional luxury of being able to download scripts onto it to take with me wherever I go.

Now do I love the feel of a book in my hand? No, not especially. Don't hate it, but it doesn't call to me as a literary purist. What I like is having books on bookshelves; something about that calls to the child in me where I dreamed of being able to have my own "library". The books I really DO enjoy having are the autographed copies that I have. I have a few shelves of autographed books that I'm quite proud of. Somehow having an author sign my iPad just doesn't seem as satisfying or practical.

Can you tell us about what your working on now?

I haven't had a series on the air in almost a decade. After finishing my last series (SHEENA)I was so burned out as I had been working non-stop for a couple of decades. So I told my agent I wanted to do development for a while. The risk of that is of course, that you drop off the radar as far as working on series. I accepted that, I needed to. So I started developing and doing projects here and there. Fortunately I was paid for most of my development (many times you aren't), but I'm now itching to get back into things.

So, currently, aside from hawking myself to new and existing series, I just finished a multi-series pilot deal with Cookie Jar Entertainment (one of those pilot scripts is being taken out to the networks as we speak), I'm in discussions with Cookie Jar for another project right now. I'm doing consulting work with Artists, Inc. (an animation house, I wrote a short animated feature for them two years ago). I'm writing a spec pilot script titled SNAP right now (an edgy look at the world of the paparazzi) as well as a series about two women on a quest in a dangerous land. And so on so on and so on. It never stops. Then again, when it's a passion you never want it to end.



Wow! Great interview thank you so much Steven for taking the time to speak to us:)

If you would like to get in touch or ask me a question please tweet at @rithebard or email me at rithebard@yahoo.com.

Till next time...