Monday, May 13, 2019

Detention: The Complete Animated Series



I just learned that all episodes of "Detention," an animated show I worked on, are available on DVD. Yay! I voiced the kid in the green shirt and yellow hat and wrote one of the episodes. Fun series! 


Here's the blurb:

"Eight oddball friends at Benedict Arnold Middle School can't avoid getting into trouble as they navigate through the uncertainty and angst of adolescence, always ending up in after-school detention. Join the gang - Shareena (voiced by Tara Strong, Teen Titans GO!), conspiracy nut Emmitt (voiced by Billy West, Futurama), pugnacious Gug (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, Happy Feet), twin geniuses Orangejella and Lemonjella (voiced by Tamera Mowry and Tia Mowry, Sister, Sister), comic-book fanatic Jim Kim (voiced by Roger Eschbacher, Histeria), Duncan the yo-yo champ (voiced by Bob Doucette) and annoyingly perky Shelley Kelley (voiced by Pamelyn Ferdin, Sealab 2020) - as they try to stay out of the clutches of the ominous Miss Kisskillya (voiced by Kathleen Freeman, DuckTales), who runs detention like a drill sergeant. Needless to say, it ain't easy!" 

CLICK HERE if you're interested in owning your own copy.

detention dvd animation fun

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Elvenking: Am Editing!


 
I did it! Hallelujah, I did it! Two years and five months after starting it, and a week behind on my goal of getting it done last weekend, the FIRST DRAFT of "Elvenking: Leonard the Great, Book 3" is finally complete. 
 
I've got a big edit ahead of me since my first drafts always meander (meaning they're sloppy), but I kind of do this on purpose to avoid sticking on something until I get it right. I write my sloppy first drafts with the happy knowledge that I'll be fixing them later. It's a method that frees me up to soldier on. In this case, due to LOTS of animation writing (yay!) and some personal stuff, the soldiering on was more like a never ending march with full gear. But now it's complete, and I am happy. Onward!
 
First Draft Ending Stats: 186 pages (MS Word, standard page layout) and 71.5k words. #wip #elvenking #AMEDITING!
 

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Animation Writer Q&A: Commercials?




Q: (With regard to a writing sample) I noticed that the Fairly Odd Parents cartoon is 11 mins per episode. How many commercials are there during those 11 min episodes? 

A: It's more instructive to look at it as a full half hour with 2 - eleven minute episodes. The rest of the time is split between commercials and credits. When writing an eleven minute sample episode, you don't need to worry about the commercials, just write the episode (18-20 pages, screenplay format).

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Thoughts about the above question? Got a question about animation writing in general? Leave it in the comments.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Mini Review: PANDORA GETS JEALOUS by Carolyn Hennesy



Pandora brings a box (THE box) to school for her project and when it accidentally gets opened, has to round up all of the bad stuff that escaped within a year . . . or else! Filled with tons of heart and humor, Pandora Gets Jealous is a fun, well-written story where the beguiling main characters face genuine peril. Author Hennesy knows what she's doing and keeps things moving along at just the right pace. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Recommended.

Purchase Pandora Gets Jealous HERE!

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Mini Review: PALM TREES AND SNOW FLAKES by Scott Bury



A fun and fast-paced read, "Palm Trees and Snowflakes" is a welcome continuation of the "Hawaiian Storm" mystery series. This time, FBI Special Agent Vanessa Storm does battle with a shady operation that's trying to saturate Honolulu (and beyond) with a lethal designer drug called "Snowflake." Author Bury spins a good yarn, deftly combining a strong mystery with romance and elements of a police procedural. Recommended.

Eater of the Dead: A Dragon Friend Excerpt

Just in time for Halloween! Check out a featured Dragon Friend excerpt on the BestSelling Reads blog: "The spooky season is upon us! H...