The New Year brings new things, and with the sales of my book continuing to do well it’s time to look around for fresh challenges.
One is to learn a bit more about this screenwriting business – and for some time now I’ve been hankering to adapt Robert louis Stevenson’s famous ghost story ‘Thrawn Janet’ for television.
I love ghost stories, the Gothic, anything supernatural, and I don’t think it’s parochial at all to want to discover the rich seam of Scottish Gothic that lies underneath and within so many of our stories, tales and legends – in fact, it makes so much more sense of them.
But as for that story, it took me some time to find its key. But I did eventually at an academic conference, of all things, where Douglas Gifford, the retired professor of Scottish literature, handed me the point of the story during his talk.
So now the TV script is on its way and I’m quite pleased with it, which is always a dangerous sign. So much more to learn, no doubt. But at least a colleague of mine has offered to make it. Which is what I really need to learn how to do this.
I’ll keep you up to date with any developments.
davidtmanderson
Anne Duguid said
Don’t know how I’d missed that story–fascinating read and I shall be watching out for it on TV.
Given me lots to check out. and think about..
And I still talk about beuks–despite constant pronunciation reminders from a past headmistress with the voice beautiful. Now I see where it comes from.
davidtmanderson said
I don’t know if it will ever make the small screen, but it’s worth a shot, and worth getting it made anyway.
Thanks for following the blog! Please keep talking about beuks!
David