But, I’ll give you a bit of an intro anyway.
“Insecurity has plagued my life for many years. My journey of writing opened my eyes to view my experiences as life lessons, allowing me to evolve as the protagonist in my own story.
I hope my lessons move you in some way.
Jeanne”
She was working on a novel until a fellow Cornell graduate convinced her to try screenwriting. Together, they wrote several scripts and have pitched their work to some of the biggest production companies in Hollywood.
Beyond writing, Jeanne is one of the founders of ScriptChat, a Twitter screenwriting chat, where screenwriters come together to learn… with no ego. She’s the USA moderator, blog mistress, and pimp of all that is#scriptchat.
Self-described “writer of things,” Jeanne pursues writing anything from blog posts, articles, novels, short stories, screenplays… and beyond. Visit thePublished Clips tab above for more of her work. If it’s something that can move you, she’ll find a way to write it.
Follow her on Twitter for her full crazy stream of insecurity.
Email: jeannevb2@gmail.com
Okay, let’s get to it:
1.) Who is your least favorite cartoon character and why? The Roadrunner. I always found that character really annoying. “Beep, beep” and always avoiding being caught. Who does that? I wanted the Coyote to snatch it, eat it, and savor the joy of his kill. By the way, is that bird a boy or girl? No clue. Anyway, I can see the scene now: Coyote sits at a dining table, candles lit, red-and-white checked table cloth, napkin as a bib, knife and fork in hand, his mouth salivating as the roasted Roadrunner lay on a platter in front of him. Damn, now I’m hungry.
2.) I know that you’re a black belt in, what, tae kwon do? What’s the worst you ever got your butt kicked? What was your best match ever?
My black belt is in Chung Do Kwan, the oldest form of Tae Kwon Do. I’ve broken many toes and torn my ACL. But, I’d say the worst was when my master broke my nose. I thought I was being so smart by cutting an angle, but at precisely the moment of my dodge, he threw a punch to my face and BAM! Snap, crackle, pop. But worse than the break was when he reset it. I had no interest in going to the hospital, so I insisted he do it. It’s the only time I ever saw my master uncomfortable. He said, “Are you sure… this is going to hurt.” Bold-faced, I declared, “Just do it.” Then he did… more snap, crackle, pop. I admit, I almost fainted. It hurt way more than the break did! Probably not the best choice, but the nose works, and I don’t look like Rocky J
As for the best match, that was during my test for my first-degree black belt. I knew I’d have to fight at least two of the masters. I was most fearful of the prison guard and the 6 ft 8 one. Guess whom I had to fight? Yep. Both of them. Let me tell you, that prison guard is a rock! I pulled every ounce of mojo I had and got a few good kicks and punches in. Let’s be clear here, he could have killed me in one blow had he wanted to. I was just trying to survive. The truth is, form is my thing – the challenge of making it both powerful and graceful. That’s what jazzes me about the art, not so much the fighting. But I can hold my own in a dark alley any day.
3.) As the founder and reigning queen of “Scriptchat,” do you have any screenplays of your own in the works? What’s the best part about “Scriptchat”? The worst?
By now, most of my friends and followers have heard of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book I’ve adapted, SLAVERY BYANOTHER NAME, but beyond that, I’m writing a new comedy that I’m really excited about. Very LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE-ish. I have a few production companies waiting to read it when it’s done. Fingers crossed.
As for Scriptchat, the best part is the tequila. Oh wait, did I say that out loud? Note: Please don’t send me AA links in my DMs. Yes, people have done that. I’m not an alcoholic. I just play one on Twitter. Back to Scriptchat… the best part is the incredible community we’ve created, and for me personally, the treefort team of Jamie Livingston, Zac Sanford, Kim Garland and Mina Zaher. The four of them are the most supportive and crazy friends a girl could have.
The worst? There isn’t much of a downside, but the only thing that irritates me is when people lose their sense of humor in a chat or start bringing too much ego to the room. This isn’t a board meeting. It’s a party where learning happens. Hey, that would make a great t-shirt. *jots down note*
4.) If you were stuck in a tree with a wolverine waiting for you at the bottom (can they climb? Let’s just say they can’t), what would you do?
I do believe they can climb, but we’ll pretend they can’t. I could do what I do when the coyotes attack my Perv Dog – swing a baseball bat. But I’m assuming there isn’t a bat hiding in the tree. Is there honey in the tree? Yes, I see it. I reach my hand in and back out, now smothered in honey. The honey slowly drips down. Wolverine opens his fanged mouth to collect the drops. As he drifts into a full-belly slumber, I climb down and bite his nails off.
5.) Would you rather go to the germ farm that is a water park or a salad bar? Do you put your faith more in chlorine or sneeze guards?
I’d pick a salad bar. Less chance of urine contamination.
6.) Today, you said you heard a woman possibly giving birth in the bathroom at Panera bread. Do you often hang out in the bathroom there, monitoring people’s activities, maybe giving out paper towels?
I have my own desk in Panera’s bathroom. They’ve banned me from sitting with the rest of the public. I blame loud laughing at my Twitter stream while watching you and @ElysabethW banter and argue over sugary sweets and pie.
7.) If your kids wanted to be writers, would you encourage them?
Yes, absolutely. But I’d also make sure they had realistic expectations of how long it takes to break in. No rose-colored glasses allowed. Patience, patience, patience.
8.) What kind of running shoes do you wear? How often do you replace them?
I’ve tried tons of different brands over the years. Nike is my still my favorite. I don’t replace them often enough. Those suckers are too expensive. Actually, I should calculate how many miles I’ve run in my lifetime and how many shoes I’ve had. I started running when I was 13, so that’s 34 years of pounding the country roads. Oh. My. God. I. Am. Old.
9.) What’s your favorite brand of bottled water?
Generic. Water is water. Water is absolutely my favorite beverage, but you’ll never catch me with some fancy water bottle. Note: I see all those people out there dropping their jaws who thought tequila was all I drank. Refer to question #3 about my not being an alcoholic.
10.) Who has been the greatest influence on your career thus far? Your greatest supporter?
This is a question I won’t be flip about. Since you asked who has been the greatest influence on my career and not on my life as a whole, I won’t say my parents, husband or children. My career is a totally different beast I’ve had help taming. Hands down, the number one supporter and teacher has been my writing partner, Douglas A. Blackmon. Yeah, the guy won a Pulitzer and he’s the senior national correspondent of The Wall Street Journal, but that’s not why he’s so influential to me. He’s humble. Truly. He’s the perfect example of how a person can obtain success yet stay grounded. Never does he try to own the room or put his opinions above mine. He treats me as an equal. When I first flew to Atlanta to ask if I could adapt his book, he could have laughed me out of the room, but he didn’t. He gave me a chance to prove myself. Sure, I worked my ass off to earn his respect and trust, but he gave me the opportunity to try. I’ll never forget the day he called after reading the first draft of SLAVERY BY ANOTHER NAME and said, “I know you aren’t formally trained in writing, but man, that thing a writer has, you’ve got it.” Best. Day. Ever.
Thank you, Jeanne. You are an inspiration yourself. I’m glad to call you a friend.
