Author: Adrienne

I've been blogging at WP since 2007 as Valentine Bonnaire, but that was a nom de plume. I'm a writer. June is Santa Barbara Writers Conference. You can find me here and in Facebook. That was an old gravatar from my WP blog Valentine Bonnaire - and this is my new one. Really loving the new version of WordPress as Premium. Learning this one first before I move to the Business version. Nice to meet you! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrienne.d.wilson

ADAPTATION of my novel “Where” to screenplay Day 2

Posted on by Adrienne in Uncategorized

Where I Laid Me Down To Sleep by Adrienne Wilson

c. Adrienne D. Wilson – all rights reserved

You can find the characters Brittany and her therapist Tasha here in the novel: https://www.wattpad.com/30927602-where-i-laid-me-down-to-sleep-epilogue/page/3

Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com

3. INT. LOBBY CLINIC. DAY.

Tasha meets BRITTANY 14 and her MOTHER 45 in the lobby. She leads them back to her office where they both sit down on the couch. Brittany’s eyes are hollow. She stares blankly into space. Her mother is deeply tanned and wrinkled before her time. She seems like an 80 year old. They have been referred by the school counselor to the clinic where Tasha works pro-bono.

TASHA

(eyes looking deeply at both of them, back and forth)

What brings you in?

MOTHER

I can’t help her. I can’t raise a grandchild at this time in my life.

BRITTANY

(sinking back into the pillows, slight tears beginning to well up)

TASHA

(eyes on Brittany)

I understand.

BRITTANY

(barely audible)

I love him.

TASHA

(looks at Brittany)

Can we bring the boy and his family into next session?

MOTHER

(harshly)

No way. I have already spoken to his father myself and he’s going to college. He doesn’t want anything to do with this baby.

TASHA

Have the children spoken about this?

MOTHER

No, I don’t want her to ever see him again.  She is going to take care of this and that is final.

TASHA

Their are options for her.

MOTHER

No, there aren’t.

TASHA

I’d like to see Brittany alone for the rest of the session.

MOTHER

Why?

TASHA

Because I need to speak with her.

MOTHER

(exits, slamming door in a huff)

TASHA

Are you okay Brittany?

BRITTANY

No.

TASHA

There are lots of options for you to choose from, honey.

BRITTANY

I just want to be with him.

TASHA

I know.

BRITTANY

He doesn’t even care.

TASHA

I know it must feel like that.

BRITTANY

He told me he loved me.

TASHA

Have you seen him again?

BRITTANY

He doesn’t want to.

He said he never wanted to see me again, and that his father was really angry with him

TASHA

(tears start to well, up, close in on her eyes)

Honey, I’m so sorry.

BRITTANY

(in tears, reaches for Kleenex tissues)

I guess I’m going to have to do what my mom wants.

TASHA

I’d like it if you could bring he and his father in, Brittany.

BRITTANY

They won’t.

TASHA

I think that seeing them might be one of your options, and there are others.

BRITTANY

I don’t have any options.

TASHA

Yes you do, honey.

BRITTANY

I don’t feel like it.

TASHA

(gets brochures from her desk)

I’m going to refer you to a few places I know of.

BRITTANY

I just want to be with him.

TASHA

I know, honey.

I’m going to go get your Mom to come back in.

Tasha goes back to lobby where her next client is waiting, to retrieve Brittany’s mother who seems calmer. They walk down the hall and she hisses harshly.

MOTHER

I know why she wanted this. Her sister is having a baby.

TASHA

Is she?

Brittany looks at her mother as the two of them return, crumpled tissues all over the couch, she sweeps them into a pile.

BRITTANY

I want my family. I want my Dad back.

MOTHER

He’s not coming back, Brittany. You are going to have to get used to Justin, he is my boyfriend, and you are going to have to get used to the fact that your sister Mary is twenty one and responsible for herself.

TASHA

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Adaptation of my Novel “Where I Laid Me Down To sleep” to screenplay

Posted on by Adrienne in Uncategorized

I wrote the novel during NaNoWriMo 2013, and just now looking back at it. In the way that we look back at pages, so, the rewrite is to film. Novel is always easiest for me in many ways, because scripts are like haiku poems in a way. Anyway this book is intact at 50,000, and I wrote it over in Wattpad that year. So it is set in 1981, in Los Angeles, much of it. It’s a love story that has a tragic end, and is a Greek Tragedy in true Aristotle’s Poetics style. Here goes!

xxoo!

Adrienne

You can see the novel here: https://www.wattpad.com/28740536-where-i-laid-me-down-to-sleep

Where I Laid Me Down To Sleep

c. Adrienne D. Wilson all rights reserved

Photo by Sami Aksu on Pexels.com

1 EXT. CAROUSEL SANTA MONICA PIER. DAY.

The carousel, empty, spins in black and white, fast, then slowing to a stop. Music, poignant and soft. An adult woman stands on a pier, alone, she is 50ish. We hear this voiceover, in a male voice, character is Tim speaking.

Sometimes staying alive is the hardest thing that you will ever have to do. Love can kill a person. Too much love or the wrong kind of love, or not enough love. That’s what I know now. And that’s what almost happened to Natasha Evergreen. She almost died.

2. EXT. CAMERA OBSCURA SANTA MONICA. DAY

TASHA 50 stands inside the Camera and spins the giant plate like magic looking at the landscape. Suddenly she sees herself at 22, locked in a kiss with JOHN SANDMAN on the pier, arms around each other, deep in love. She spins it again and sees herself with her mother as a young girl about to go to college.

3 INT. TASHA/MOTHER APT. BARRINGTON. DAY

TASHA 22 and her MOTHER 50 argue in apartment on Barrington. Tasha is in her second semester at JC, studying Art. Her mother thinks college is a waste of time. Tasha has quit her job and moved home, broken up with first love to go to school. A dream she wants to fulfill, on her own.

MOTHER

What good is this education going to be, anyway?

TASHA

(sighs)

It’s what I want, Mom.

MOTHER

Life isn’t always going to be about what you want, Tasha.  Mine hasn’t been.

TASHA

(sighing – very frustrated)

I know, Mother

Tasha makes for the rooftop balcony to get some air, thousands of birds cartwheel through the puffy Spring clouds and the massive towers glisten silvery. She can breathe. Her mother follows her to the balcony.

MOTHER

You have got to stop wearing your heart on your sleeve. You have got to stop being such a dreamer.

TASHA

(shakes her head, looks down at her wrist where a magic heart seems to float above it)

Okay, Mom. But, I’m so excited.

MOTHER

What good is school going to do for you, anyway?

TASHA

It’s going to be everything.

MOTHER

Where are you going to work?

TASHA

I’ll find something part time.

MOTHER

You have always done just what you wanted, Tasha.

TASHA

No, I haven’t.

MOTHER

Yes, you have.

Summer Garden Square #2 PICOT EDGE STARFLOWER

Posted on by Adrienne in Art, crochet, Crochet Design

Row 1 – chain six, join with slip stitch.

Row 2 – Chain up 3 plus two (first DC, chain 2) repeat for 8 spokes in ring.

Row 3 – Petals, yarn over create 4 YO puff on each spoke, chain one between, close with slip stitch.

Row 4 – SC 4 times in each chain one space, repeat around (32 sc’s)

Row 5 – SC in each SC, 32 SC’s.

Row 6 – Join with SC, chain 2 skip one, (16 sc’s, chain 2 spaces)

Row 7 – 3 DC’s each chain space, repeat around, 16 groups of 3

Row 8 – SC three times, FPTRC and catch SC, 3 SC’s- repeat around, 16 spokes, 16 groups 3 SC

Row 9 – Into middle SC, 4 DCS, repeat around,

Row 10 – 4 SC’s, FPDC over spoke, repeat around, 16 Spokes, 16 sets $ SC

Row 11 – Into center of 4 SC’s previous round, work 4 DC’s in same stitch, then around spoke Petal, as for beginning flower, YO 4 times, chain one to close. Repeat around 16 petals, 16 groups of 4 DC’s

Row 12 – Picot edge – join in any single crochet after petal, SC, in next stitch 2 HDCS, next stitch 3 DCs, picot at center DC, in same stitch. 2 HDC’s 1 SC, FPSC around petal. Repeat around. 16 times.

Summer garden

Posted on by Adrienne in Uncategorized

Designing a new block, for Bam Cal 2023 in Ravelry – for testing purposes in my group. The Final pattern will be a downloadable PDF. Copyright by Adrienne Wilson

tester code for Rav – TEST-AW-9ELMSF Summer Garden

Summer Garden is a textured square with a raised flower. Round by round images follow each row. The square can be made as a 6″‘ or larger. I used a 4″ hook, and primarily yarn from Stylecraft on these first samples, but, I loved the color ranges in Wool of the Andes as well.

Summer Garden
Flower Crochet Square

Design by Adrienne Wilson – copyright Adrienne Wilson – all rights reserved.

Row 1 – chain 6 and join with slip stitch to close.

Row 2 – chain 5 (acts as first DC, chain 2) 7 more DC chain 2’s in ring, gives you 8 spokes. Slip stitch to close.

Row 3 – around each DC, yarn over and pull up a loop 4 times, chain one to close, chain one. Repeat until each spoke has a petal top. Slip stitch to close. (8 petals, 8 chain one spaces)

Row 4 – add new color, in any SC space, two SC’s, FPSC around each flower petal. Repeat 7 times. Slip stitch into first SC to close. (16 SC’s 8 FPSC)

Row 5 – SC in all SC’s. Slip stitch to close (25 SC’s)

Row 6 – In any SC, with new color join with an SC. Chain 3, skip one, SC. Repeat around circle. 12 or 13 chain 3 spaces. Slip stitch into first SC to join – Keep yarn same for round 7. (Use 13 if making larger square)

Row 7 – 3 DC’s into each chain three space from previous round, chain one between each group. (12 or 13 groups of 3 DC’s)

Row 8 – In first DC of a 3 DC group, SC in next three DC’s. FPTC and catch SC from round 6, SC in next three DC’s. Repeat around (13 FPTC – 13 3 SC)

Row 9 – Join new color at top of FPSC, Chain 3 as first DC, 3 DC’s in same space,skip to middle stitch and repeat 4 DC groups around. (12 DC groups) or 13 for larger square.

Row 10 – Join new color in any SC row 9 between two DC Clusters — chain three (as DC) chain 2, SC in space between the two DC’s chain two and make FPDC around spoke, repeat around. (12 DC’s total). (or 13 for larger square)

Row 11 — Join new color, SC around any DC spoke, proceed to make petals, as you did in round three –yarn over 4 times, close with chain 1, in next SC space atop DC clusters, make DC chain one DC. Repeat around — 12 petals, 12 V stitches.

Row 12 – Join new color, in any 2 DC cluster, in one chain space between with a SC. Chain 5 and skip to next chain one space – repeat around. Slip stitch into first SC, do not change yarn for next round.

Row 13 – Chain one, in next chain space, one SC, two HDC, two DC, two HDC, one SC – repeat around. (12 Petals) Join to first SC with slip stitch to close round.

Row 14 — Flip work, you are working on wrong side. SC around each SC from previous round. Chain 5, continue around anchoring stitches with an SC, and chain 5 all around.

Next rows will begin to build the square, behind the circle, and create our corners.

Row 15 — working with wrong side facing, slip stitch into the first chain five space. In each space make 6 DC’s around. (12 DC groups) (13 for larger) You will be crocheting looking at the right side, but don’t worry! The row is well hidden, when we flip work back.

Row 16 – First corners.

For small square – use strips of yarn to mark for corners, each group of three 6 DC’s. 2 DCs 1 SC, 2 DC’s – FPHDC in all stiches until next corner. Repeat around.

This pattern will give you the 6 inch block. For the larger block, which has a fancy new edge and embroidery, that will be going into the PDF. The small square is for testing purposes.

ROW 10 — PETAL — V stitch — PETAL – no spaces (18 petals) V stitch between, no spaces except chain one in V stitch between DC’s.

Little Book of Comfort Day 1

Posted on by Adrienne in Uncategorized

Writing to, Little Eva – “Locomotion” and song “Born to be Alive”

Natalie waved goodbye to the Cafe, and decided to go shopping. A little retail therapy never hurts anyone, now does it?

If life opens up new doors on a daily basis, sometimes a person just has to walk on through. She was staying in a hotel room, because Leo had moved Priscilla into their old homeplace. That’s how mean he was. The more Natalie thought about it, the angrier she got. But it was anger that was going to move her forward.

She doubted that she would ever marry again. She was free, but what does freedom actually mean. There is no freedom when you live in a small town like she did. Why the whole Outer Banks was just a gossip realm, if you understand things like that. The Blue Ribbon Sisters had even ejected her, so baking was going to out of the picture. Besides, without a kitchen how was she going to?

The Jolly Pirate was just up the road.

I think I’ll go in, she thought. Why not?

The bar was packed with people, body to body, and all of them were quaffing the cocktails so quickly that one by one, they managed to get the liquid courage up to climb up on the stage and sing a song karaoke style.

Some of Natalie’s oldest friends were in there. Including the handsome guy on the stage. In fact, he was singing to old Rod Stewart songs, as she ordered her drink from the bartender. The little tables were almost all taken but she found one in the corner, letting her eyes slide around the room slowly, to see who was there. It wasn’t long before a man asked her to dance.

“Want to?” he asked, extending his hand.

“Maybe later”

“Okay”

It was not going to be possible to think about men yet, Natalie had been so burned by what Leo had done. Even dancing with another man was not something she cared to do. But the Jolly Pirate was full of warmth and enough loudness to drown out whatever feelings she had been holding. She’d gone for the biggest tiki cocktail ever.

Benjamin

Benjamin snuggled into the covers as the early dawn light swept over the sea, the winds had made him wake time and time again in the night, but he was warm, even with the storm like a gale. Coffee sounded good. He looked at the pretty flowers he had gotten at Super Tigers. Just coffee, half and half and sugar, he thought. Then a really long hot bath. The wooden walls of the cottage gleamed in Autumnal hues. The bathtub was a giant claw foot, so old fashioned and large, two people could have fit in it. Pearly pink light over the Sound.

Speck was outside waiting.

Benjamin sighed, a long sigh, a sigh that was releasing everything trapped inside.

For the first time in a long time he felt better. He didn’t have to do anything. Just be in the silence.

Do you know what it’s like to finally find a totally comfortable atmosphere? That’s what Benjamin had found. No rules, no phones, no constancy. He was adrift with nothing but a fishing pole. Life sets people on courses and we never know where those will lead or take us.

“I can’t believe we were here, Dad,” he whispered. “I wish you could have met Beth.”

Natalie awoke in the giant lonely King sized bed she had in the hotel. A little fire glimmered in the corner of her room. She sighed.

Her world had cracked apart, but she felt stronger.

Okracoke Island seemed like she could live there. Get away from Kitty Hawk and all the people she had always known. The thoughts began to jell in her mind, moving around slowly like wisps of thought. She had picked the hotel that was closest to the wild ponies. They reminded her of childhood, and herself as a little girl with her own parents, the pony she had had then. Winky had the best mane, riding bareback along the dunes.

I think I’ll get a horse, she thought. Leo never gave a damn about anything I wanted exactly, it was always about him.

Heart of Clouds – Screenplay – 24

Posted on by Adrienne in 1970's, Adaptation, Novel, Heart of Clouds, Screenplay, Screenwriter

Heart of Clouds

by Adrienne Wilson

*adaptation of my novel to go to FILM

(for Walter Halsey Davis, of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference)

Book is registered at WGA, and I will reformat this script for the WGA as well. I’m at page 154.

INT. CHRISTINA BEDROOM. PINK LIGHT.

Teenie sits holding her mothers hand, glad she is awake and alive. She describes Mr. Honeygarten and Claire in childhood.

TEENIE

Mom I met a boy on the beach. His name is Devlin Underwood and he moved here because his mom died last year. He lives with his grandparents now. He wants to be friends Mom.

CHRISTINA

Oh honey, I’m so glad you met a friend like that, Teenie

TEENIE

He’s really nice Mom

CHRISTINA

Tell me something about him

TEENIE

Well he left me this shell

CHRISTINA

He did?

TEENIE

He built a total castle on the beach, Mom

CHRISTINA

A castle?

TEENIE

It is Mom

He took all these pieces of driftwood and just stacked them all together into a structure – I found it the other day

CHRISTINA

Wow

TEENIE

Mom I think he saw me crying and it’s like totally embarrassing

CHRISTINA

What were you crying about?

TEENIE

Dad. Sometimes I really miss him Mom

CHRISTINA

I know you do honey

TEENIE

I really wish he would call Mom

CHRISTINA

Tell me about the castle again

TEENIE

Well that first day I saw him he ran away. I saw him up on the dunes and I called out to him but he ran away

CHRISTINA

(smiles)

Your father ran away from me like that

Teenie I never told you about Delos did I?

TEENIE

(looking at her Mom with wonder)

Who was Delos?

CHRISTINA

(nodding and smiling)

He was the first boy who ever held my hand Teenie

TEENIE

How old were you

CHRISTINA

I was fourteen and so was he

TEENIE

Mom you never told me

CHRISTINA

Maybe I was saving it for today

Delos. Puppy Love

TEENIE

What’s puppy love Mom?

CHRISTINA

Well it’s kind of hard to explain, but sometimes it happens when you are about fourteen or so

TEENIE

It does?

CHRISTINA

Once he took me up to some caves by a creek, and he held my hand as we climbed over the rocks. It was the first time a boy held my hand

TEENIE

You were my age Mom

CHRISTINA

A little bit older

TEENIE

What was he like?

CHRISTINA

He was the nicest boy, he really was

There was another boy too, Teenie

TEENIE

(raises eyebrows, close in on surprised look)

Another boy?

CHRISTINA

His name was Charles

TEENIE

Mom you never told me any of this

CHRISTINA

I guess I didn’t did I?

TEENIE

Mom!

CHRISTINA

Well I guess you weren’t going to turn fourteen before

TEENIE

Mom!

CHRISTINA

Now that you’re going on fourteen I guess it’s time we had a talk about boys

TEENIE

(very surprised that she and her mother are talking this way)

Mom!

CHRISTINA

Charles made a ring for me once

TEENIE

He did?

CHRISTINA

We better have some breakfast. I want to hear all about Devlin and his castle

INT. CHRISTINA KITCHEN. PINK LIGHT

Christina making two bowls of cereal with bananas, and Teenie’s first cup of coffee.

CHRISTINA

I put a lot of cream and sugar in this

TEENIE

(amazed, her first cup of what adults drink)

CHRISTINA

Teenie Alexander I think my little girl is growing up

TEENIE

I am Mom

CHRISTINA

Tell me about Devlin

TEENIE

Only if you tell me about Delos and Charles

CHRISTINA

You go first

TEENIE

First he left me a shell, and then I left him a note. I hid it Mom. Then he left me a note back.

Mom was Delos your friend?

CHRISTINA

He was honey, that summer

Now that I think of it Teenie, he asked me to kiss him but I didn’t

TEENIE

He did?

CHRISTINA

He told me our friends, Susie and Paul had kissed, and he wanted to do what Paul did, but I didn’t want to so I didn’t

TEENIE

Did you kiss Charles?

CHRISTINA

Yes, honey I did

TEENIE

Was it when he gave you that ring?

CHRISTINA

It might have been – he designed the ring himself because we were both taking a jewelry class together

TEENIE

Did he like you?

CHRISTINA

I think he did. We were reading a book called The Hobbit when we took that class and he designed the ring that looked like it came right out of the book

TEENIE

Did you wear it?

CHRISTINA

Well it seemed like if I wore it it would mean something so I kept it in my jewelry box instead. I wasn’t sure why he gave it to me, to be honest

TEENIE

What did it look like?

CHRISTINA

It was silver with a dragon swirling all around it

TEENIE

Mom what was kissing like?

CHRISTINA

When I was fourteen I didn’t kiss boys often Teenie – Charles and I might have just kissed each other on the cheek when he gave me that ring

(pauses)

I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea about me

TEENIE

(thinking of invisible kiss she left for Devlin)

Mom can a boy and girl be friends without kissing?

CHRISTINA

(smiles warmly at her daughter)

A kiss is a really special thing Teenie. A boy and a girl should be really good friends

before they try and have a first kiss

Never kiss a boy if you don’t want to Teenie

TEENIE

I won’t Mom

HEART OF CLOUDS – SCREENPLAY – 23

Posted on by Adrienne in Adaptation, Novel, Heart of Clouds, Screenplay, Screenwriter

Heart of Clouds

by Adrienne Wilson

*adaptation of my novel to FILM

(for Walter Halsey Davis, of the SB Writers Conference)

*note on sound for Christina, scene in bath with too many pills –

INT. CHRISTINA BATHROOM. TUB. Ghastly Brittle White Light

Christina slumps in the tub, she has swallowed so many pills, she is senseless. Memories of Jax and she, happy, at work, the absence of Jax. She does not know how to go on. She manages to get up, and stumbles to her bedroom. Looks at her wedding dress. Camera lingers on her hands smoothing the fabric, symbolism of the lace. She holds it up to the mirror, studies her face, fallen, all hope gone. Everything gone.

FLASHBACK

Christina and Jax eloping, her mother’s face a mask of cruelty.

CHRISTINA MOTHER

Don’t expect any help from us, Christina

You made your bed and now you have to lie in it

one of mine, an image of Christina, mood as she is at lowest ebb.

Christina manages to fold the wedding dress, replaces it in layers of tissue paper, before she collapses on the bed. She swallows the last of the pills.

TEENIE

Finds her mother passed out, in bed. Teenie is scared, when she cannot rouse her.

Mom wake up.

(in tears)

Mom

(whispers in her mother’s ear)

Mom wake up.

Takes her mother’s hand and notices a tiny freckle. Christina’s hand is ice cold.

Mom wake up, please

Please Mom

(close in on Teenie’s tears falling on her mother’s hand)

Please mommy don’t leave me alone

Teenie places on of her hands on her own heart, and another on her mother’s heart, barely beating under the thin bathrobe.

TEENIE

Heart I need you to speak to Mommy

I need your heart to talk to my heart, Mom

Please talk to my heart Mom

CHRISTINA

(eyes fluttering)

TEENIE

Mom I was so worried

CHRISTINA

(tears, seeing her daughter, blurred as through gauze)

Oh honey

TEENIE

I love you so much Mom

CHRISTINA

I love you too

You’re my little girl

You’ll always be my little girl Teenie

Always and forever

You mean everything in the world to me

TEENIE

(wraps her arms around her mother)

The two of them lie quietly in the brilliant white light, no longer garish, we pull back until two small figures, in the light

INT. GRANDPA/GRANDMA JESS. KITCHEN. WARM GOLDEN LIGHT.

Grandma Jess, bustles in her old fashioned kitchen cracking eggs for omlettes. She is making three different kinds, their favorites. She’s been so worried about Devlin, and so glad to see the pup and effect it has had on the boy.

GRANDMA JESS

He has such a sweet soul Jess. The dearest boy in all the world.

GRANDPA JESS

(reading the paper)

How’s that pup doing this morning, son?

DEVLIN

(smiling and laughing, cuddles pup)

He’s great. I think he’s going to chew up everything I own though. All my shirts.

GRANDPA JESS

(bursts out laughing at the antics of pup squiggling)

DEVLIN

Guess what I named him?

GRANDPA JESS

I knew you’d figure out a name pretty soon Dev

DEVLIN

Brownie

GRANDPA JESS

Well son, I don’t think I could have come up with a better one myself. He does resemble a brownie doesn’t he?

DEVLIN

(hands the pup to his grandfather)

GRANDPA JESS

(pup squiggling and licking his face, chews his shirt collar)

A pup is a pup is a pup. And this pup has all the energy in the world

DEVLIN

Today is going to be his first day at the beach. Grandpa

GRANDPA JESS

Guess you have to get him used to it, son

GRANDMA JESS

(brings out a little red collar and leash for Brownie)

I thought red would make a good contrast to his fur. Think he’ll like it?

DEVLIN

It looks great Grandma. Your first little collar Brownie

(Devlin tries it on him, while Grandma Jess finds two dishes for water and the pup’s food)

GRANDMA JESS

He’s such a little dear isn’t he?

GRANDMA JESS

All right my dears, what sort of omlette would you like this morning. We have spinach and cheese or mushrooms and cheese or just plain cheese, or nothing at all except egg. What shall it be?

DEVLIN

Cheese for me

GRANDPA JESS

Spinach and cheese

GRANDMA JESS

(secretly teaching Devlin how to cook)

Devlin will you help me with the spinach?

(uplift, happy music, as the two of them make the omlettes, a golden sizzle)

DEVLIN

(begins to tell his grandparents about Teenie)

I met a girl on the beach the other day

A really special girl

(hugs Brownie on his lap)

I can’t wait to show Brownie to her because I think she might love him too

GRANDMA JESS

Why Devlin, that’s wonderful

What is she like son?

DEVLIN

I think she might be an artist. Or a writer. She was crying the first day I saw her

GRANDMA JESS

Do you know why?

DEVLIN

Sort of. She sort of told me how sad she was since her dad had been gone

GRANDMA JESS

Where did he go?

DEVLIN

She said he had to leave the village to search for a job

He used to be a reporter for the paper, Grandpa

GRANDPA JESS

(loud sigh)

I’m surprised that industry is still in business in America, after what they have done to all those poor people. I’m sorry to hear that son.

(shakes his head back and forth)

Making a little girl cry because her father had to leave town to look for another job

GRANDMA JESS

I’m glad you met a new friend Devlin. What else have you found out about her?

DEVLIN

Not too many things so far, she has beautiful hair, though

You should see the way it looks when the sun shines on it

GRANDPA JESS

(smiling ear to ear looking at Grandma Jess, twinkling)

It sounds like the day I first saw your grandmother, Devlin. I had my harmonica with me that day, though. I thought she had the prettiest smile I had ever seen.

GRANDMA JESS

Oh Jess, let the boy finish his breakfast now

She sounds like a very nice girl, Devlin. I’d love to get the chance to meet her.

GRANDPA JESS

(winks at Devlin)

GRANDMA JESS

When you get to know her a little better maybe she’d like to come for dinner?

DEVLIN

Okay Grandma. One of these days maybe I’ll ask her. I want her to meet the two of you, too. But first I just want her to meet Brownie.

GRANDPA JESS

(smiling)

You go on then son

DEVLIN

(cradling the squiggling pup, pulling on Dev’s collar)

I’m not going to have any shirts left at all

(the three of them laughing)

We’re going to my castle. You’ll see Brownie.

*to page 158 in novel, Chapter “Chances”

HEART OF CLOUDS – SCREENPLAY – 22

Posted on by Adrienne in Adaptation, Novel, Heart of Clouds, Screenwriter

Heart of Clouds

by Adrienne Wilson

*adaptation my novel to film

(for Walter Halsey Davis, of the SB Writers Conference)

INT. DEVLIN DREAMING. NIGHT

Devlin cuddles his new puppy, sleeping peacefully, not fitfully as other nights. A quiet and beautiful dream of Tut and Teenie on the beach, montage clear blue sky, hawk circling, exquisite ocean waves, clean beauty of the sea

GRANDMA JESS

Stands watching him at the door to his bedroom, her face soft, she has been concerned, tonight different, she is grateful for the pup calming his sleep, no nightmares

INT. CHRISTINA BEDROOM. DIM BLUE LIGHT

CHRISTINA

(to the ceiling)

Jax why did you have to leave me?

(runs a bath, swallows the first of what will be many pills)

(looks at self in mirror, as if she can’t recognize herself, close in, pasty white face, lost eyes)

Why is life so hard?

Jax, why did you leave?

FLASHBACK

Christina in her male Doctors Office, he sits listening to her.

CHRISTINA

My nerves are like glass

DOCTOR

(pulling out many random samples, writing prescriptions, no care to take a proper history)

Let me give you some of these, and these

(close in on pill bottle after pill bottle)

CHRISTINA

Sometimes I feel like a window that has shattered into a million tiny pieces and no one will ever be able to put me back together again.

DOCTOR

Take these, you’ll feel better in a day or two

INT. PRESENT. BATH. GHASTLY WHITE LIGHT

CHRISTINA

(in the bath, memories)

Montage of Jax asking her to marry him, slipping ring on her finger, her wedding dress

JAX

Christina, I will love you forever and ever

CHRISTINA

(effects of pills taking hold, she slips under the water several times)

If something happens to me who will take care of Teenie?

Who will take care of my little girl?

(she swallows more pills)

INT. DEVLIN BEDROOM. MORNING. HAPPY LIGHT

GRANDMA JESS

Wake up sleepyhead

DEVLIN

(smiling, to puppy, cuddling him, laughing)

Hey little guy are you okay?

(puppy licking his chin, pulling collar of his pajamas)

Hey quit that

Hey cut that out

(puppy barking and lunging, full of life)

What am I going to do with you?

You nut

GRANDMA JESS

(smiling at the antics)

Come on downstairs, Devlin. I’ll get breakfast ready. Have you decided what to name him yet?

DEVLIN

I’m working on it, Grandma.

You little monster

Brownie. i think I’ll name you after my favorite dessert because that’s what you look like that to me.

DEVLIN

(yelling and happy)

He’s Brownie, Grandma!

(Devlin hugging puppy, heads downstairs to breakfast)

I’m taking you to the beach right after breakfast

*chapter is Sleepytime to page 146 in the novel

HEART OF CLOUDS – SCREENPLAY – 21

Posted on by Adrienne in Adaptation, Novel, Heart of Clouds, Screenplay, Screenwriter

Heart of Clouds

by Adrienne Wilson

*adaptation of my novel for film

(for Walter Halsey Davis of the SB Writers Conference)

Chapter “Love Tokens” page 134, in the novel

Photo by Yelena Odintsova on Pexels.com

EXT. HONEYGARTEN HOUSE. AFTERNOON

Teenie at Honeygarten’s gate, Melloman wagging his tail, happy to see her again.

TEENIE

(softly to Melloman)

Wait til I tell Mr. Honeygarten about Devlin

Look what he gave me, Melloman

(pulls Devlin’s rose out of her pocket)

I met a boy Melloman. I met the cutest boy.

INT. HONEYGARTEN PARLOR. GOLDEN LIGHT

(Teenie knocking on his door, entering)

HONEYGARTEN

Would you like a cup of tea, my dear

I’m afraid I haven’t got any of those special teacakes but I might have some cookies about

(catches sight of the rose in Teenie’s hand)

Oh my what a lovely rosebud that is

TEENIE

A boy gave it to me

HONEYGARTEN

He did?

TEENIE

(shyly hands the rose to Mr. Honeygarten)

His name is Devlin

It’s a little like your roses

HONEYGARTEN

(thinking of Claire, but present)

That it is, Teenie.

TEENIE

(at china cabinet, getting the tea things for the two of them)

These are so beautiful Mr. Honeygarten

Which spoon would you like?

HONEYGARTEN

I’ll let you choose, dear

Would you like to tell me about Devlin, my dear?

TEENIE

I think so Mr. Honeygarten. He’s the nicest boy I ever met

HONEYGARTEN

Why, that’s wonderful

Where dd you meet him?

TEENIE

He built a castle out of driftwood

HONEYGARTEN

He did?

TEENIE

It’s magical

HONEYGARTEN

It is? What was magical Teenie, dear?

TEENIE

Everything I guess. Mostly the shell though.

HONEYGARTEN

The shell?

TEENIE

The beautiful abalone shell he left for me that very first day

HONEYGARTEN

Oh my, that sounds very intriguing

TEENIE

I left him a little note

HONEYGARTEN

I see

TEENIE

He left me a note too

HONEYGARTEN

He did?

TEENIE

It was a feather

HONEYGARTEN

How extraordinary

My dear I once gave Claire a feather

She used to wear it in her hat

TEENIE

She did?

HONEYGARTEN

Let me show you something dear

(on the table beside him, a stack of ancient journals and letters, he reaches for one and puts on his spectacles)

This my dear is the first poem I ever wrote to Claire

TEENIE

You wrote poems to her?

HONEYGARTEN

(smiling, wistfully, dearly)

I did but I was only a lad and I don’t suppose they were terribly good Teenie

She seemed to like them though, my dear

TEENIE

(reaches to take a letter, petals fly out)

You wrote poems to her

HONEYGARTEN

I did. Sometimes it was the only way I knew how to speak to her. I was quite in awe of her, actually

TEENIE

(quietly sipping the tea, lost in thought, close in on her face)

(sounds of an old grandfather clock ticking)

HONEYGARTEN

She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, Teenie. I was a bit afraid of her, I expect. Because of that.

TEENIE

How was she beautiful?

HONEYGARTEN

Her hair, my dear

TEENIE

(thinking of what Devlin had said)

Her hair?

HONEYGARTEN

That was only one thing. I felt that everything about Claire was beautiful

HONEYGARTEN

(takes a locket from his pocket)

Look my dear

TEENIE

(looks at the perfect curl inside)

HONEYGARTEN

I’ve carried it always

TEENIE

She gave that to you?

HONEYGARTEN

I asked for it my dear

(smiles, laughs a bit)

Of course that was many poems later, you see?

In the days that Claire and I were young, that was the sort of thing people did. I expect it might seem quite strange to you, but for us it was a love token

TEENIE

(puzzles at concept of love tokens, intrigued)

Mr. Honeygarten? Would you read me one of your poems for Claire?

HONEYGARTEN

I thought you would never ask

(recites a love poem)

I worked on that for quite some time before I dared to give it to her, my dear. I wanted it to be just perfect

TEENIE

Is a poem like a love token Mr. Honeygarten?

HONEYGARTEN

(nods)

(the two of them begin to look in all his old sketchbooks of his drawings of Claire, and all her hats)

(smiling)

She had so many of those. One hat for each day it seemed

TEENIE

Can a love token be a rose?

HONEYGARTEN

Yes Teenie. I was especially thinking of this poem.

TEENIE

(watching as he unfolds a poem with a rose petal inside)

HONEYGARTEN

She once put a rose in my lapel. I have saved this petal all these long years

TEENIE

I’m going to save my rose like that too

(puts Devlin’s rose in her pocket)

Do you think it might be a love token?

HONEYGARTEN

I daresay it was my dear. And I expect the feather he left for you was as well

*establishing first crush for young teens

*to page 140 in my novel Heart of Clouds