“Dos Gringos” for the screen?

The comment I continually hear from readers of my family book “Dos Gringos” is that it ought to be a film.

“In the middle of the Mexican Revolution, a penniless Norwegian and a drifting Irishman meet in an El Paso bar and are hired by a Pittsburg con-man to fix a gold mine in Mexico with parts which, they discover too late, purposely don’t fit.” I agree it should.  Some of what I have heard:

“This is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid—with accents.”

 “Can’t put it down.  So much intrigue.”

“A page turner, better than most out of Hollywood.”

“Thrilling – and funny.  Crazy guys.”

 If anyone has an idea how I can get this responsibly started toward a film, let me know. I have had classes in screen writing and would be open to working on a financed production. Quality is the thing.

 Let me know if you have ideas.

 If you haven’t read it –get  YOUR copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

The Kids love “Dos Gringos”

I visited the Hartsbrook School in Hadley, Massachusetts where my grandson, Forest, attends. I was surprised to have some of his friends come up and tell me how much they enjoyed my book “Dos Gringos.” I am hearing that from grownups all around, but I was so pleased to hear this from 7^th graders.

What do they like about this story of my Norwegian immigrant father’s escapades in The Mexican Revolution? They said it was funny. Some giggled it was “racey.” For sure a Hollywood version would be more visual, but 7^th graders have an imagination, too.

The Hartsbrook School is a Waldorf School and the education is broad, deep, and energizing to the students. Forest’s brother and sister have both graduated from there and are truly world citizens. i am impressed. I was visiting when Forest’s 7th grade performed “Mary Poppins” and it was excellent. What was so obvious was the children’s enjoyment in doing this.

Anyway I am glad they read real books as well as dance and sign.

Buy YOUR copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

MORMONS IN MEXICO

As you have read in earlier posts to this column, although born and raised in El Paso, on the Mexican Border, I was ignorant of the Chinese and Japanese in Mexican history. But I did know about the Mormons. After Utah was annexed by the United States in 1848, many Mormons, to escape the American ban on Mormon practice of polygamy, fled to Mexico.

I read there are over a million Mormons in Mexico today, including many Mexican converts. They are mostly in Chihuahua and Sonora. I knew about the original escape from Utah, but I should have assumed their legendary missionary efforts would be activated in Mexico as in the U.S. and elsewhere. George Romney, once a Presidential candidate, and father of Mitt Romney, was born in Mexico.

Our neighbor Mexico surely has a history which so many of us know little about. That is a reflection on our educational system that ignores the 1,969 mile border we share with that neighbor to the south.

Buy a copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

Chinese in Mexico? Sí!

As I knew nothing about the Japanese in Mexican history, although born and educated in El Paso, Texas, on the Mexican border, I knew nothing about the Chinese in Mexico. The Texas school system didn’t think it was important. But the history is long and often troubled.

There is a well publicized theory that in 1421, 71 years before Columbus, China’s legendary Zheng He and his spectacular Ming fleet of treasure junks discovered America. See “1421: The Year China Discovered the World”

The little known history of the Chinese in Mexico–one that is marked by a bloody massacre and a successful effort to shut down Chinese-owned businesses in one Mexican state–is documented in an English-language book authored by a UCLA professor. The book, “The Chinese in Mexico, 1882-1940” (University of Arizona Press, 2010) notes that Chinese migration to Mexico dates back to the 1600s when Spanish trading ships sailed between Mexico and the Philippines. About 60,000 Chinese entered Mexico during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of them with the intent of trying to gain illegal entry into the U.S., which had barred Chinese immigrants in 1882.

A nationalist fervor swept Mexico in 1910, the year in which the Mexican Revolution started. Many Chinese residents were killed and robbed. Their private residences and business were ransacked and destroyed. Pancho Villa was known to go out of his way to murder Chinese. But many survived, contributing to Mexico’s diversity and are tailors, barbers, and shopkeepers.

Japanese in Mexico?

When I went to El Paso, my hometown, to speak and sign my new book, “Dos Gringos” set in the Mexican Revolution, one thing I did not expect to learn was how little I knew about Mexico and its history. But all agreed that the Texas school system still teaches little about anything other than Texas history, and even that from an insular perspective.

Among the new things I learned was about Japanese in Mexico. Their settlement goes back to 1897 where they settled in Chiapas. Another wave came in 1901-07.  When the the Mexican Revolution began many Japanese Mexican emigrants left for the U.S., settling in the farming valleys of California and in Arizona and Texas.

They suffered a rough time during World War II, like in the United States, but afterward the Japanese population grew and shifted from agriculture to small urban businesses. Mexico became their permanent home. Today, young Japanese Mexicans continue to build upon the legacy of their past while playing a more integral role in Mexico’s multicultural society and Japanese Mexicans in general are proud of their community in Chiapas  called Colonia Enomoto and are very important in Mexican culture.

The Main Cause of Death in Hollywood!

The main cause of death in Hollywood, they say, is encouragement. I can understand that concern as the encouragement I have received for the film potential of my latest book, “Dos Gringos” has been mounting. But, I don’t consider it threatening.

Readers, including screenwriters and others in the film industry have said that “Dos Gringos” is visual, moves along, well written with a unique voice. The characters are well developed, deep, but at the same time humorous. They say all that and more. And at this time, the centenary of The Mexican Revolution, and set in El Paso and Juarez, anything having to do with Mexico gets attention.

“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid—with accents” they call this story about a Norwegian and an Irishman who meet in an El Paso bar and against all common sense, are conned into going to Chihuahua to fix a gold mine with parts that, they learn too late, purposely don’t fit. I welcome all the positive comments. 

I am encouraged–healthily encouraged.

Buy a copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

About Screenplays~”Dos Gringos” a film?

 A friend asked me, “Do you have a story?” When I said I did, she encouraged me to take a screen-writing course, which I did. That started my writing life. I took lots of film courses, but then met a woman who was a line-producer for John Malkovich. She advised me, “Never write a screenplay. A screenplay is never your own. Write a novel. The best films come from novels.” That changed my direction. She added that a novel is like a painting, no one can change it, even if they want to. The story is yours. The screen play can be constantly changed.  But that is only half of the story.

Because of my screenplay learning, my novels are often said to be “filmic.” Being so, I wanted to still learn more and I took a three-day course from Tom Schlesinger and learned so much

That is why my last published novel, “Dos Gringos” is said by all to be so visual, like you are really there, so “filmic,” that it moves, so entertaining, With all that support, I am reminded by my film friends that the main cause of death in Hollywood is “encouragement.”  But, still, “Dos Gringos” would be so much fun as a film.  I will not be deaf to such encouragement. In fact, the ball is already rolling.

Buy a copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

Learning by Giving

I learn so much when I give a talk to groups about my books and my writing. The story I tell depends much on who it is told to. The audience determines my message, although sometimes there is still a surprise in there for me.

Recently, my talks and book signings are about my latest book “Dos Gringos,” the tale based on my immigrant Norwegian father’s escapades in the Mexican Revolution. Earlier it was, or still is, on my book “Walking on Ice – An American Businessman in Russia,” an account of my many years working and living in Russia. You can imagine the interests vary with the audience. But not always.

 Aside of the usual questions about the book, I often find interest in the writing process and how I personally evolved from a pure international business life to now writing novels based on my multicultural experiences in many lands. The audiences have expressed substantial satisfaction in the gatherings. In the process, I learn much, not only from the questions, but sometimes my own answers.

I enjoy the opportunity to interchange information with others. We all learn. Contact me via my Contact Page to discuss and schedule a talk in your area.

Buy here  “Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia”

Buy a copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

DO REVOLUTIONS EVER END?

Like most revolutions, the Mexican Revolution is a story – but unlike most stories, it is one that never ends. As we sit across the border from Juarez, named for the great hero of Mexican independence, the conflict continues. Many factors contribute to the criminality of today. While celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Revolution, we cannot ignore the conflicts today. We have a lot to consider and to learn.

It’s important for us, sitting in the safety of El Paso, Texas, deemed the Second Safest City in America and across the Rio Grande is Juarez, considered the most dangerous city in the world, with 5,500 killings since January 2008, that we reflect, learn from these tragic events, and take action as we can to change it. Revolutions are about change and like many events in life history; the end result is often not what many thought it would be. It is our responsibility to keep our hearts, and minds, and actions, directed toward change that is beneficial to all, to peace, to happiness for all. What can we Americans do to help bring safety and order to our neighbors in Mexico? What is the American role in this criminality? It is drugs and guns. And we must take steps as responsible citizens and human beings to invest our elected officials to take effective action.

 In my recent trip to El Paso to promote my book, “Dos Gringos,” I found a silence about the violence across the river. I realize there is not much an individual can do about this costly issue, but I was surprised there was not more concern expressed.  Change is difficult to manage and usually resisted. But lives are at stake here and we have to make the change quick and lasting.

Buy a copy of “Dos Gringos”  here.

SHANAYA FASTJE ~ Amazing Young Author

It is always amazing to see the brilliance of the young. I love young kids of any type, color, or class. I have had a few myself, and now as grandkids. When a real shining star comes along it is so hard to resist getting to know them more. It was my pleasure to meet Shanaya Fastje of El Paso, Texas. She was two tables down from me, with her attentive parents, at the El Paso Public Library Great Southwest Book Fair where I was there with my novella “Dos Gringos.” This 11-year old has already published three books (she’s ahead of me,) excelled at studies and sports, and honored by the governor of Texas as a “Shining Star of Texas.”

You can see Shanaya’s “Mystery School“ books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She is personable, articulate, and involved. She was certified a Math Master by the El Paso Community College and has earned the Blue Belt in Martial Arts. In every other way, she appeared to me to be a normal young girl, but just sharp, polite, and confident.

“May the source be with you,” Shanaya.

Shanaya’s web page is at http://www.shanayafastje.com/index.htm