Monday, April 25, 2011

Starstruck!

So, today, I had the great surprise of speaking with a student whose mother wrote this screenplay -- "Man in the Moon." I saw the movie ages ago (it's Reece Witherspoon's first-ever movie - dang, was she young!!). It's a lovely coming-of-age story about first love. Very sweet.

Well, today, when I heard about this student's mother being THE writer, I got so starstruck! I know he thought I was nuts, lol, but I started barraging him with all these questions about his mom - Did she have an agent? (yes) How did she come up with the story? (it's based on HER life!) What's she up to now? (is publishing her first novel in July - link here).

He even told me that his grandfather was a pastor (a little different from in the film), and that a country church in a certain scene was THE church his grandfather preached in...

How cool!!

Just wanted to share. I figured other writers would totally "get" my being starstruck today!

I'm curious - do y'all have any author/celebrity stories to tell? People you've met where you've picked their brain about the process or their experience? I'd love to hear it!

8 comments:

  1. Unfortunately, no.
    -I know one of Kevin Bacon's 1st cousins.
    -One of my 1st cousins works in Hollywood doing I'm not sure what.
    -I know an animator at Pixar. He -almost- knows my name. At least, he knows enough to ask what my name is when I'm not even around because he can't remember it, so he knows whom I am, even he can't keep my name in his head.
    -I have a friend (a close friend (close enough to get me into special screenings)) that works for LucasArts.

    And, yet, no stories :(

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  2. LOL, Andrew! The Kevin Bacon thing cracks me up (you know, the 6 degrees thing...).

    I actually met Luke Wilson (actor) and talked to his brother, Owen, on the phone in the mid-90's. I worked with a girl who knew them, so I met them through her. They weren't famous - in fact, they'd just written the screenplay for "Bottle Rocket" and were headed to Hollywood. I remember making note of their names, curious to see if they'd "make it." They did!

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  3. I have met so many authors and gotten to talk to them at conferences. That is a great way to enjoy that starstruck thing. I met Kate DeCamillo (Because of Winn Dixie) a few weeks after she got the movie deal and she was in the midst of flying to California to be on the set. It was totally cool to hear all about that. The conferences are great for that. You sit down at dinner with people that you can't believe. You dance with them. You talk with them. It is awesome.

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  4. Neat, Jeanne!! That's a great idea. I've been to a few conferences, but I was too shy to mingle, silly me. :-P

    Next time, carpe diem! I'll get bolder!

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  5. I haven't had any of those moments yet. *sniff* But I remember seeing that film on TV ages ago and liked it. thanks for the book link. :)

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  6. You're welcome! I'm excited to read her book!

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  7. Oh, man! Now, I have total envy!

    And, yeah, we always win six degrees. Unless his cousin is around.
    heh

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  8. LOL - yeah, I remember the Luke Wilson meeting vividly - he was REALLY tall (well, I'm really short, lol) and he had long, straight hair down to his shoulders. Neat to see his movie choices (I recently saw "Tenure" and "Henry Poole," both really quirky, and liked them a lot).

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