This pic was taken at the McNally-Robinson bookstore in Winnipeg, Manitoba May 28th. Those two characters standing are my Grade 6 teacher and myself. This was a great moment for me since I dedicated my book Emperor of Mars to her as both a teacher and an inspiration.
I wasn't sure she would show up as she has some health issues but it all came together so well that it was almost unbelievable. Several other people who were in my class also showed up to fill in the years. All in all, an emotional evening for many of us.
As of this date, Emperor of Mars is in the top 5 books sold in Manitoba just behind the well-known Hunger books. McNally Robinson has 3 stores, one in Winnipeg, one in Saskatchewan and one in New York. They are unusually helpful to writers, supplying promotional goods for very little and sometimes for free and always ready with advice and support.
This has been a long trip, I left L.A. on May 15th and am still on the road, stopping in Calgary for a few days. Here I will contact the management of the Deer Lodge hotel near Lake Louise, and where we filmed Ghostkeeper way back in 1980. The hotel is interested in selling Ghostkeeper DVDs in their lobby. Go figure.
But I'm also talking to potential investors for the Ghostkeeper sequel, "Never Go Back". I'm hoping to put the project together for filming in November when the hotel closes for a few weeks to prepare for the ski season.
Later this week I head to Vancouver where I will meet with John Holbrook, the DP for Ghostkeeper, who has worked on a crew budget that would reflect a lower budget than what I had originally made, most likely utilizing an SLR camera, either the Canon 5D or the Nikon 7000.
Then I head down I-5 all the way to Sherman Oaks with a few stops along the way to see friends.
So, a journey that included a welcome stay in Jackson Hole, a stop in Montana where I helped my friend Doctor Dave rescue a 3-week old calf whose leg was crushed to a book opening in a small town, to a bigger book opening in a city, to the Ghostkeeper location.
And also a possible gig working with new screenwriters.
And of course, a whole lot of cousins, one of whom sadly passed away.
I've decided what is a priority when I get back, and it consists of 2 major projects, the new budget for Ghostkeeper and starting to work on my screenwriting book. Filming the new Ghostkeeper movie would help me finance Emperor of Mars for 2013.
One more thing about Ghostkeeper.
Some people suggested I remake the original but I never really considered that. Ghostkeeper 1980 is what it is and I really don't want to remake it because it wouldn't be as good oddly enough. There would always be a comparison and that would not work well for me.
Ghostkeeper 1980 reflected what I was then, there are lots of flaws in the movie, but as a first-timer, it reflects what I knew then.
And I think the plotline of the sequel, Never Go Back, is far more interesting than telling the same story.
We'll see.
