Short Story for you

Read one of my favourite short stories by my wife Maureen Jennings entitled Viaticum by copying and pasting this link
http://www.taddlecreekmag.com/viaticum.shtml

New Years Eve Eve

Two young friends of ours came over for a party at our house and tried out the new shower!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Best wishes to all for a happy and prosperous 2006, from Maureen and Iden

Party til it's 2006

We attended the annual Shaftesbury Films Christmas party last night. The horrible weather did not keep the film and tv crowd away from all the wonderful food and booze. It was a significant evening for Maureen and I, as all their parties seem to be significant to us. We got to see many of the friends we have made since the dream come true of having Maureen's novels made for television, including Richard Zeppieri, Michael De Carlo, Janet Maclean scriptwriter, Robert Carli who did the wonderful background music, and all the amazing staff at Shaftesbury, Scott Garvie
, Christina Jennings, Julie Lacey associate producer, Janice and Rebecca, and on and on. This was the fifth year we have been involved with Shaftesbury and the first time we were not discussing books into film. We were discussing a television series based on Maureen's characters, thirteeen episodes of them. Here's the latest: One script has been written and delivered, the outline is due next week for the whole show, and all execs are moving forward on the series. Christina is excited, Scott is excited, Julie is delighted. We will be waiting for a decision from Bravo early in the New Year. UKTV is negotiationg with Shaftesbury to be involved contractually in the series, and we are getting into the nitty gritty negotiations. So all looks good. The only bad news is that it looks like they will be re-casting the series, from the Movies of the Week, as our current star Peter Outerbridge, is involved in another full length series which will be going forward again next year. We are not sure if he can do two series. We really hope he can stay in the series as he created the character, brought him to life in a way we had hoped would happen, and in our opinion, he is the best actor for the series.

Is it the best yet?

So many people felt that Maureen's last book, Night's Child, was her best book. Certainly one we were looking forward to see adapted for a tv movie, and a script already done that stays true to the novel. But alas, the gods who control the TV world feel that Murdoch should have his own series at the moment. We wait til March to find out (see below post "to be or not to be" - the series). In the meantime, fans of Maureen's work will go WOW when they read Vices of My Blood. We got the galley proofs last week and the novel is coming in at 370 pages. I was able to read the whole book without having to view it with a critical eye as was the case on an earlier draft. Critical only in the sense that i always give Maureen lots of feedback she can use to make any changes she agrees with. Then it was off to the editior who did a masterful job in sharpening the story. So this Galley proof was the final edited manuscript. There have been lots of changes to Murdoch's personal life since we last left off in Night's Child. The changes continue to take place in the new book, some of which will surprise her fans. But there is a new character emerging who first appears in Under the Dragons Tail. Dr Ogden. Not the Dr Ogden of the films in the person of the lovely Keeley Hawes, but the Dr Ogden Maureen created who we last met up with in a two page correspondence she had with Murdoch in Dragons Tail. In fact she is a character who reminds Murdoch of a Nun/teacher he had in school. In any event she is in quite a lot of the novel and really helps Murdoch solve the crime. The autopsy scene is amazing, but I guess you will have to wait and read the book to find out eh! (image courtesy Shaftesbury Films)

To be or not to be - The Series

Looks like Murdoch - The Series is moving forward. Another step was taken on Thursday last week when the producers, Shaftesbury Films, met with Chum/Bravo to present their ideas on how a 13 episode series would look. These episodes will be based on Maureen's characters, not her novels, and not the movie's of the week. Although they plan on bringing in the main character, Detective Murdoch, and Inspector Brackenried, Murdoch's superior, Dr Ogden and Ettie will be back as well. The latter two are not really continuing characters from the novels, although Dr Ogden is now showing up in Maureen's latest books, Vices of My Blood, and also the new one A Journeyman to Grief.
The words used in an email correspondence from the CEO of Shafstesbury Films were these; "CHUM are delighted with the development so far. So we are writing scripts. Won't know if we get a series order until the scripts are delivered. I would guess Feb/March."
So there you have it in a nutshell. It looks good at the moment, and as the three movies of the week did so well for Bravo/Chum, there is already an established track record for Murdoch on tv, so it is not like they are floating a brand new concept. They'll just be giving viewers lots more Murdoch. We now wait to see the scripts and hear the results.

Arthur is Golden

Attended the North American premiere of Memoirs of a Geisha last Thursday night at the Isabel Bassett Theatre. Very crowded but a wonderful interview with the author. The film was excellent and the acting especially was first rate. The little girl actress who plays Sayori in the first third of the film steals the show in my opinion. All Chinese, Japanese, Malyasian cast with the exception of the American soldiers who the filmakers decided to drop into the story at the end. That was my biggest objection as the book's ending was changed, probably to make sure there were some Americans included in the story. Too bad the powers that be feel they have to change something that already works fine. Afterwords we went to a reception where I broke a glass in the line up to get sushi. Low blood sugar, fatigue and irritability in having to stand in a long long line. I call this part organized chaos, and I will never go to one of these events again because of the poor ogranization. See the movie when it comes out. In the meantime we are still wating to hear about our tv series. Peter Outerbridge and Rebecca Gibson were both nominated for Manitoba Film awards for Except the Dying. The awards will be presented in early 2006.
Here is my South Park persona. looks like me eh?