Saturday, October 21, 2023

Producer Jessica Lynn Johnson IWOSC Guest to Talk One Person Plays Saturday 10/28



(10-21-23 Los Angeles, CA) Next weekend, on Saturday, October 28, my guest at the IWOSC Westside Satellite will be Jessica Lynn Johnson, a playwright who helps folks develop their one person shows. The interview will be presented via Zoom. Jessica and I worked together with writer/artist Esther Pearlman to develop her one woman play Re-Inventing Me, based on her previous books and interviews. Re-Inventing Me was featured in SoloFest earlier this year with a great reception.

Jessica wrote and performed two very successful shows earlier in her career. Oblivious to Everyone is a one woman, ten character dramedy centering around Carrie, a media junkie, who develops multiple personalities due to her unhealthy obsession with American pop-culture. This show, her first, was produced and performed off-Broadway on 42nd Street. Her 2nd solo show, Ze, under the direction of Terrie Silverman, is 15 character one-woman play that follows Tessa, a 30-year-old Christian virgin, who falls in love with her Transgender best friend, yet is in turmoil over her feelings due to her religious upbringing. Ze toured internationally, and Jessica says it is one of her most treasured accomplishments.


Jessica's 1st play - Oblivious to Everyone

Nowadays Jessica focusses more on coaching other solo show playwrights to get their plays written and seen. We'll be covering all the basics and more.

This event is FREE to members of the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) and only $15 for nonmembers. To learn more about the webinar, Jessica, myself and to RSVP, go to:


The reservation cut-off is Friday, October 27th, at noon.

If you've been working on personal essays or a memoir, consider adapting your material to this new medium. I'd be happy to help, and can be reached at quinnrobin@aol.com.

Join us! The program is in the morning next Saturday from 10 AM to noon.

Happy writing!







 

Friday, May 19, 2023

Esther Pearlman’s Play Re-Inventing Me Is Now Available On Demand

 

The play follows Esther’s journey of Re-Invention
as she tries on different identities on her way to a Creative life.

Los Angeles, CA | May 18, 2023. On Thursday March 9th, author Esther Pearlman’s first play Re-Inventing Me premiered at the WhiteFire Theatre to a full audience. After writing 11 books by the age of 83, Pearlman decided to turn to playwriting as her next creative challenge. She was thrilled when her show was accepted as part of SoloFest, one of the largest one-person play festivals in the country. Now the theatre has made the play available to stream On Demand on its website, www.whitefirethreare.com.

“How beautiful it is to be any human at any age to have your life story up there on the stage,” commented Lisa Gold, a business coach who had encouraged Pearlman to try playwrighting. “I was a little worried whether it would really happen, but Esther did it all.”

The play starts with Esther’s early life. She grew up poor in Southwest Los Angeles, wearing homemade clothes classmates made fun of, while her family struggled to live on limited funds. The “No Jews or Blacks” sign posted on the front yard of her neighbor’s boarding house didn’t help this little Jewish girl’s self-esteem. But friendship did… Enter Kelly, whose adventurous spirit and courage helped Esther find her way to a life of Re-invention. As the play progresses, we experience the various identities Esther moves through in an attempt to find herself.

In interviews with attendees after the show, time and time again there was praise for the play and for the performance of actress Laurie Wardell. “I was amazed,” said Phillip Erasin. “To be able to remember all those lines, and to make it look so effortless for over an hour. I think she really captured the essence of Esther and her life.”

A word that came up about Esther’s story repeatedly was “Inspiring.” Here’s how Gold described the takeaway: “I’ve got a lot of 80s ladies that I am coaching, who want something more in life,” she noted. “The fact that I sat in the audience tonight and watched the culmination of Esther’s work, her writing, her casting, her life, her enthusiasm, it just makes me want to be her when I grow up.”

One of Esther’s successful Re-inventions is as a visual artist. The playful and colorful artwork of Esther Pearlman is featured in many of the backdrops in the play.

To stream the touching and amusing play “Re-Inventing Me,” go to www.whitefiretheatre.com, click on “On Demand Viewing” from the menu on the main page, then on the icon for the show on the lower right on the next page.  

“Regarding the play’s theme of Re-invention, I can see that I learned something from every evolution,” remarked Esther. “It’s never too late, or too early, to re-invent yourself.”
 
Playwright / Co-Director / Producer Esther Pearlman
Esther Pearlman enjoys art and finds it to be fun. In addition to oils, watercolor and collage, she has been very involved in doing black ink and Japanese Washi tape artwork. She has produced over 1200 pictures with this process. Venues where her art has been shown include the Lark Gallery, Izen Miller Gallery, Neutra Institute Gallery, Loveland Museum Gallery, Blue 7 Art Gallery, and bG Gallery. She also loves to write. Her latest book is Looking at the Bright Side, Mostly. Three of her earlier works are It’s Not Easy Being a Woman, Volumes I, II and III. Her book, A Face Is a Face Is a Face, features her Japanese Washi tape portraits. Esther has been happily married to a highly successful pharmacist for many years. He is now retired. She and her husband, Marty, have three children – two sons and a daughter – and two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. She loves being a wife, mother and grandmother too. See A Face Is a Face Is a Face for a book of her art. www.estherpearlman.com
 
Actress Laurie Wardell
Laurie Wardell is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, currently residing in Crestline, California. She has always been driven to the fine art of storytelling. Laurie studied acting with actor Grant James (Tombstone) and she has an extensive dance background with an emphasis in ballet in which she studied at Gayle Corkery School of Ballet. She has thrived in the roles of Libby Ruth in Always a Bridesmaid, Mrs. Starr in A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas, Anne Boleyn in Henry VIII, and Pam McHugh in A Gift to Remember. She is an accomplished singer/songwriter of folk, jazz and rock music, who is currently performing at various engagements in Southern California, having recently performed at a Lake Arrowhead Historical Society charity event. Her song “Shades of You” (written and performed by Laurie) plays as she bows and over the credits.  https://www.backstage.com/u/laurie-wardell/
 
Solo Coach / Producer Jessica Lynn Johnson
Jessica Lynn Johnson, recipient of the Best National Solo Artist Award, is the Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC, a company dedicated solely to the Direction and Development of one person plays. Jessica is passionate about the transformational power of solo theater and has aided in the creation of over 100 solo shows (and still going strong)! As a published playwright and performer, Jessica has “edu-tained” international audiences touring her own one person shows ZE and Oblivious to Everyone for over 13 years. www.soaringsolostudios.com/
 
Co-Director / Producer Robin Quinn
Robin Quinn is a writing coach and book editor who makes her nest in Los Angeles. During her 30+ years in the book business, she has edited over 300 books – specializing in memoir, spirituality, health and self-help. She has also written 10 scripts which were produced for children’s TV, including for such shows as Mighty Max and Bump in the Night. Robin has worked closely with Esther on her books for many years, and she enjoyed the process of working in this new medium of plays as Esther’s writing coach and more.
www.writingandediting.biz

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Author Esther Pearlman’s Play Re-Inventing Me to Be Performed at SoloFest, Thursday, March 9, 8 pm

Actress Laurie Wardell to play Esther, a woman who re-invents herself to find her creative path in life

Los Angeles, CA | February 22, 2023. This March, author Esther Pearlman celebrates the first performance of her autobiographical solo woman play Re-Inventing Me at SoloFest, the largest one-person play festival in the country. On the advice of her friend and advisor Lisa Gold, Esther decided to turn to playwriting after writing 11 books.

“The play been a lot of fun to do,” said Esther, who is a visual artist as well as an author. “I’d say it was a natural next step for me after so much other creative work. I’d like people to know what I’ve done over my life, to inspire them with what I have overcome, and to have them enjoy my humor.”

Esther grew up poor in Southwest Los Angeles, wearing homemade clothes classmates made fun of, while her family struggled to live on limited funds. The “No Jews or Blacks” sign posted on the front yard of her neighbor’s boarding house didn’t help this little Jewish girl’s self-esteem. But friendship did… Enter Kelly, whose adventurous spirit and courage helped Esther find her way to a life of Re-invention. As the play progresses, we experience the various identities Esther moves through in an attempt to find herself – from the Unconfident Child with learning difficulties, to the Attractive Young Woman who draws the attention of pre-fame Jack Nicholson and eventually her husband Marty, to the 27-Year College Student, to a Sexy Dancer Instructor, to an Eager Model in Training, to the Chatty Extra, and more.

As actress Laurie Wardell read Act One for her successful audition, she identified with a life of re-invention. “I had an immediate connection to Esther because of her creativity, directness and humor,” says Laurie. “We have similarities in our lives, as in being a writer, a dance instructor, as well as our shared experiences in overcoming obstacles. I have always been a storyteller and this is a story I wish to tell.”

Re-Inventing Me features the playful and colorful artwork of Esther Pearlman as backdrops to indicate her various Re-Inventions and more. “It only made sense,” notes Esther, “since both art and writing are such a big part of my life.”

The play Re-Inventing Me will be performed live on Thursday, March 9th, at 8 pm at the Whitefire Theatre, 13500 Ventura Blvd. in Sherman, Oaks, CA. Tickets for the 75-minute show are $25 and can be purchased at www.whitefiretheatre.com. The performance will be recorded, edited and made available afterwards for three months to out-of-towners and others to view in the On Demand section of the theater’s website for $20.

“Regarding the play’s theme of re-invention, I can see that I learned something from every evolution,” notes Esther. “It’s never too late, or too early, to re-invent yourself.”

 

Playwright / Co-Director / Producer Esther Pearlman

Esther Pearlman enjoys art and finds it to be fun. In addition to oils, watercolor and collage, she has been very involved in doing black ink and Japanese Washi tape artwork. She has produced over 1200 pictures with this process. Venues where her art has been shown include the Lark Gallery, Izen Miller Gallery, Neutra Institute Gallery, Loveland Museum Gallery, Blue 7 Art Gallery, and bG Gallery. She also loves to write. Her latest book is Looking at the Bright Side, Mostly. Three of her earlier works are It’s Not Easy Being a Woman, Volumes I, II and III. Her book, A Face Is a Face Is a Face, features her Japanese Washi tape pictures. Esther has been happily married to a highly successful pharmacist for many years. He is now retired. She and her husband, Marty, have three children – two sons and a daughter – and two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. She loves being a wife, mother and grandmother too. See A Face Is a Face Is a Face for a book of her art.

 

Actress Laurie Wardell

Laurie Wardell is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, currently residing in Crestline, California. She has always been driven to the fine art of storytelling. Laurie studied acting with actor Grant James (Tombstone) and she has an extensive dance background with an emphasis in ballet in which she studied at Gayle Corkery School of Ballet. She has thrived in the roles of Libby Ruth in Always a Bridesmaid, Mrs. Starr in A Laura Ingalls Wilder Christmas, Anne Boleyn in Henry VIII, and Pam McHugh in A Gift to Remember. She is an accomplished singer/songwriter of folk, jazz and rock music, who is currently performing at various engagements in Southern California, having recently performed at a Lake Arrowhead Historical Society charity event. In addition to being an actress, Laurie is a fashion stylist and a Pilates instructor. https://www.backstage.com/u/laurie-wardell/

 

Solo Coach / Producer Jessica Lynn Johnson

Jessica Lynn Johnson, recipient of Best National Solo Artist Award, is the Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC, a company dedicated solely to the Direction and Development of one person plays. Jessica is passionate about the transformational power of solo theater and has aided in the creation of over 100 solo shows (and still going strong)! As a published playwright and performer, Jessica has “edu-tained” international audiences touring her own one person shows ZE and Oblivious to Everyone for over 13 years. www.soaringsolostudios.com/

 

Co-Director / Producer Robin Quinn

Robin Quinn is a writing coach and book editor who makes her nest in Los Angeles. During her 30+ years in the book business, she has edited over 300 books – specializing in memoir, spirituality, health and self-help. She has written 10 scripts which were produced for children’s TV, including for such shows as Mighty Max and Bump in the Night. Robin has worked closely with Esther on her books for many years, and she enjoyed the process of working in this new medium of plays as Esther’s writing coach and more.

www.writingandediting.biz


 

 

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

 

Memorial Weekend Zoom Webinar - Writing the Celebrity Biography

IWOSC Westside Satellite Host Robin Quinn interviews Ray Richmond,

author of  Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life

 

Saturday, May 28

12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Pacific

Free to IWOSC members

$10 for nonmembers

Online using Zoom

Registration closes at noon, May 27

More info & RSVP: https://iwosc.org/writing-the-celebrity-biography/


Los Angeles | May 24, 2022 – Originally Ray Richmond was approached to write a Betty White biography to coincide with her 100th birthday, January 17th, 2022. Unfortunately the world lost Betty on December 31, 2021 – just 24 days after Ray’s book about her was released. Fans were drawn to the original hardcover edition of Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life, and it outsold its first print run. A packed schedule of media interviews followed for Ray.

During IWOSC’s May Westside Satellite, Host Robin Quinn will interview Ray about his writer’s journey on the book and his experience of telling the story of Betty White’s life.

o How he got the job

o Choosing an approach to the book

o Selecting Mary Tyler Moore co-star Gavin MacLeod for the Foreword

o How he started the book

o Selecting material from all the options

o Getting to the person behind the image

o Interviewing other celebrities about Betty, including Carol Burnett and Candice Bergen

o Managing photo rights and credits

o Navigating the media attention when the book sold well

o How this experience was different than writing previous celebrity memoirs

o And more!


Ray Richmond has worked as entertainment journalist and author since 1984. He has served as a TV critic, columnist and reporter for a number of publications, including The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, The Los Angeles Daily News, The Orange County Register and (online) Deadline Hollywood. He has interviewed many of the most famous celebrities and icons in the world, including Elizabeth Taylor, Lucille Ball, Shirley MacLaine, George Burns, Chris Rock, Martin Scorsese, Ben Stiller, Amy Schumer, Steve Carell and Jimmy Kimmel. Ray is the author most recently of the best-selling coffee table biography Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life that was published in hardback on December 7, 2021 and released in paperback on April 12, 2022. His other books include The New York Times bestseller The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1997) and TV Moms: An Illustrated Guide (2000). He has also ghostwritten and collaborated on many books, including the memoirs for the legendary actress Janis Paige (Reading Between the Lines [2020]) and character actor William Sanderson (Yes, I’m That Guy [2019]). In August 2022, he will take over teaching a graduate course on the “History of Television” at Chapman University in Orange, CA. Ray was born in Whittier, and he currently lives in Valley Glen, CA.


Westside Satellite Host Robin Quinn is an LA Book Editor and Coach, who has served the publishing community for more than three decades. Her recent editing projects include Amazon bestseller Everyone Is Psychic: How to Awaken Your Intuition to Improve Your Relationships, Enrich Your Life & Read Others by Ann O’Brien, the mystical novel The Hsien by Rehmannia Dean Thomas, and multi-award-winning Heroines of Avalon and Other Tales by Ayn Cates Sullivan. In addition to editing, she also provides copywriting services and ghostwriting. Her specialties include spirituality, self-help, health, memoir and uplifting fiction. www.writingandediting.biz


The Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) offers monthly panels and seminars to help further the careers of indie scribes. More info at: https://iwosc.org/

Any questions or issues with registration, contact Robin Quinn at quinnrobin@aol.com. 
More on Robin's services at www.writingandediting.biz.



 

 

Saturday, January 09, 2021

An Afternoon with Esteemed Literary Agent Ken Sherman



LA Agent Ken Sherman

Los Angeles, CA – 01/09/21. The Westside Satellite of the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC) will feature veteran literary agent Ken Sherman as their guest on Saturday, January 16, 12:30 pm. Sherman will be interviewed by Satellite Host Robin Quinn, a Los Angeles book editor. The program will be presented on Zoom. This informal interview will provide an opportunity to get an update on what’s happening with representation for book authors, to become acquainted with this particular agent, and to hear his thoughts on craft and building a lasting career as an author.

Ken Sherman is President of Ken Sherman & Associates, a Los Angeles based literary agency established in 1989. His literary agency handles film, TV and book writers and often sells film and TV rights to books. The agency is open to most adult fiction genres, including literary, romance, women’s fiction, fantasy/SF, suspense/thriller/mystery, and horror, as well as nonfiction. He makes contact with most of his new writers through referrals.

This event, which will focus mostly on books, is free to IWOSC members, $10 for non-members.

To RSVP, go to: iwosc.org/los-angeles-westside-writers-group/


Westside Satellite Host Robin Quinn

A long-time IWOSC member and LA Book Coach and Editor, Robin Quinn specializes in self-help, memoir and uplifting fiction.  For questions about the Westside Satellite, contact Host Robin Quinn at robinkayquinn2 AT gmail DOT com. Learn more about her services at www.writingandediting.biz.   

 

  

Thursday, December 10, 2020

 

WINNER AT

26th ANNUAL IRWIN AWARDS!


Author Mark Kingston Levin and I at an earlier BPSC meeting pre-COVID.

Last night, I was co-host and award-winner at the prestigious Irwin Awards. 
My award was for “Best Media Kit.” 
This virtual event was the Book Publicists of Southern California’s first meeting on Zoom.
 

I’d like to congratulate all 12 of the “Irwinners” of last night’s 26th Annual Irwin Awards, run by the Book Publicists of Southern California (BPSC). The Irwin Awards originated in 1976 to honor book publicist Irwin Zucker, founder of the book group. At age 93, he is still an active publicist. The awards are a way for book people to stand out with their projects.

I was very excited to receive the first award of the evening for Best Media Kit. When Irwin initially saw it, he said, “This is the best press kit I’ve ever seen. It covers all the angles.” I took that as quite a compliment coming from a veteran publicist like Irwin.

The media kit was written for the sci-fi series, 30th Century, by author Mark Kingston Levin, PhD. A brilliant man with a PhD in quantum mechanics, Mark had been awarded over 30 US patents for his ideas. His dream was to become a science-fiction novelist in his retirement, and he did publish the three books in his trilogy before he passed away last year.


Here is the full list of winners:

B. Michael Antler, Author, Josephus: A Novel. Best Historical Fiction

Michael Bowker, Author, Gods of Our Time: A Paris Love Story, Best International Novel of Year   

Virginia Dale, Author, Rich White Americans, Best Fiction of the Year

Sarah Frank, Author, The One Chance Series, Teen Author of the Year

Lori Golden, Author, My House of Lies, Best Memoir of Year

Bo Lebo, Creative Director, New Health Options, Publicist of the Year

R.L. (Rick) Hann, Author, Executive Malice, Best Mystery Novel of Year

Robin Quinn, Lead Writer, Book Editor: Quinn's Word for Word, Best Media Kit for Mark Kingston Levin’s 30th Century Sci-Fi Trilogy

David Ruggiero, Author, Say Goodbye and Good Night, Most Romantic Book of Year

Lon E. Varnadore, Author, Junker Blues, Best Science Fiction Series

Sara Winokur, Author, Double-Blind. Best Mystery-Thriller of Year

Ron Zayas, Author, Lessons from the Len Master, Best Business Book of the Year 

It was an honor to help BPSC transition to the world of virtual meetings on Zoom. Because of my frequent use of the platform since COVID struck, I offered to host the group, and became a co-host of the evening. I was happy in this way to pay back to the group and Irwin Zucker for their support of my business over the many years.

We’ll be back with the BPSC’s next event in February. Visit the website for the Book Publicists of Southern California for more information about “How to Make the Media Fall in Love with You” in 2021.

 

 

Tuesday, May 05, 2020

Check Out "The Allure of the Memoir" Panel 
This Saturday (2:30 PST)
at FREE All-Day Online LA BookFest



This Saturday, the book-loving community will gather for an online celebration at LA BookFest. The event (from 10 AM to 6 PM PST) includes:
  • Panel Discussions and Conversations
  • Author AMA (Ask Me Anything) Live Chats
  • Author Readings
  • Virtual Booths and
  • a Book Giveaway sponsored by Books That Make You

I'm excited to be moderating the panel "The Allure of the Memoir: Telling the Human Story" at 2:30 PST. I have gathered 5 intriguing memoir writers to discuss the genre and explore such questions as:
  • "Are memoirs art of the heart or works of narcissism?"
  • "Where does the memoirist draw the line or is anything fair game for the memoirist to address?" 
  • "How do memoirists tell the true story and avoid issues associated with so-called fake memoirs?" and
  • "What are the memoirs that memoirists themselves recommend?"

Whether by a celebrity or someone else with a great story, a memoir is a dive into a human experience that’s relatable, inspiring and entertaining. In a time of Coronavirus challenges, we need such engaging tales more than ever! This panel will share memoirists’ stories and journeys and techniques.

Panel
Sue William Silverman, Author, How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, a memoir in the form of an essay collection, as well as Fearless Confessions: A Writer's Guide to Memoir.


Ray Richmond, Founder and President of Family Sleuth Memoirs, collaborates on memoirs and family histories. His clients include film legend Janis Paige, author of Reading Between the Lines: A Memoir. 

Diana Lee Brown, M.A., M.F.T., Author, Fly By: A Daughter’s Journey from Tragedy to Tribute, 
Most Inspirational Book of the Year, IRWIN Awards, 2019. 


Bilal Alaji, Author, award-winning and best-selling This Ain’t My Life: One Man’s journey to finding his destiny. Best memoir of 2019 Pinnacle Book Award, SPR finalist 2020.


Gerald Everett Jones, Host, Get Published! podcast and an award-winning author.



I'LL BE THERE TO MODERATE

THIS GREAT GROUP OF WRITERS.




SEE YOU AT THE FAIR!

TO SIGN UP AND FOR MORE INFO: https://www.labookfest.com/