My very short story

[ScriptNurse]

I can think of no better place!

[Chuck58]

I've read in a number of places that it isn't a good idea for a screenwriter/novelist, or novelist trying to turn screenwriter to attempt to adapt his/her novels into a movie. I'm beginning to understand. The script I'm currently working on is beginning to bear no resemblance to my book, other than the first scene and one long section later that encompasses roughly 2-3 pages of mostly action.

That segment will likely be reduced substantially.

Concerning my character and the Kolchak series, it is fun to write primarily because it's imagination and if I incorporate a ghost, demonic entity, the undead. The investigative process is accurate as far as I take it, but the rest comes out of my warped mind.

[ScriptNurse]

Ah, such memories are evoked by the mention of Kolchak, starring Darrin McGavin. Waaaay back when I was an actor in Hollywood, I worked on KOLCHAK a couple of times and it was always fun.

Your premise sounds very intriguing.

[Chuck58]

My novels were and are written in the mystery supernatural genre, if such a thing exists. What I did was steal the idea from Kolchak, the Night Stalker, and turn him into a retired police detective who opened his own private investigative agency. He seems to attract cases that involve the paranormal.

My screenplay is an adaptation of my first novel, before discovering my series character. The character in the screenplay is a serial killer who is killing on orders from God, who let it be known that Heaven needed new souls. My character's 'ministry' is to send souls to Heaven.

[ScriptNurse]

Did you write your novels in any particular genre?

[Chuck58]

I was born, which kind of figures since I'm here, in Madison Wisconsin. I consider that an accident. My father was stationed there with the for a couple of years prior to going to the Pacific. My mother moved there to be with him. Otherwise, I'd have been a native born Vermonter.

When I was about 12, we moved to New Mexico and I've lived here ever since. I went to parochial schools in the days when Nuns wore habits. If nothing else, the nine years under their tutelage gave me a solid foundation in the 3 R's.

I attended a public high school from 10th grade to graduation, in 1964, enlisted in the Army in 1965 and, due to an attack of 'John Wayne Syndrome' chose Infantry. I qualified for any MOS I wanted and remember that even the recruiter tried to talk me into other areas.

After the Army, I did nothing for several months and then saw an ad for the Albuquerque Police Department. I took a shot and 25 years later, in 1993, retired - and discovered that retirement was what I was meant to do with my life. I achieved the rank of Sgt, and spent the last years as a detective.

Somewhere in the middle of it all, I got married. We've got two sons, both grown, and have several grandchildren.

I began writing in 1993, although I've been writing since 3rd grade when Sister Mary Martina asked us to write a story about something in our classroom. I chose my pencil. Of the 32 kids in the class, she chose my story to read, and I was hooked from then on. I've got three not very successful novels published, a few short stories. For some masochistic reason, I've developed an interest in screenwriting. And, here I am, one month and 21 pages into the thing, wondering why I did this to myself .