News From James Houston Turner, Author and now Screenwriter! Congratulations My Online Friend! And, Talanov is Back!

I'm so Excited Folks to hear from one of my favorite writers! James Houston Turner, with, perhaps, my most very favorite character, Talanov! Given the war now ongoing  overseas, I'm wishing Talanov was involved in making sure that Ukraine wins his "stupid" (my word) war!

And I'm also excited because, like me, James has had to deal with some physical issues which has taken him away... And successfully moved through those days...

And I'm, also so excited because during the time I was unable to review, another Talanov book was published in 2020! Fan Alert! Watch for my review asap... but I already added it to my TBR! And check out the big time photo op with Ll Cool J!

Search My Blog for "James Houston Turner" or "Talanov" to learn about past books!

Fri, Jul 28 at 1:41 PM

GREAT NEWS!!! Three of my screenplays – Square Pegs, Finding Star, and Hell Creek – have been nominated for “Best Screenplay” in the Content 2023 Film Festival & Media Summit, which is one of the premier Christian film festivals. 

I wrote my first screenplay in 1982, so acknowledgment like this after so many years means a lot to me. But as the late pastor Chuck Smith once told a group of us in a Calvary Chapel seminar, “Blessed are the persistent, for they will inherit everything.”

I love Pastor Chuck’s borrowing of language from the Beatitudes, and his sense of humor with it, because it drives home the truth of how certain biblical principles serve to make us better people. I won’t lie: the journey has been challenging, which only accentuates the sweetness of this moment. Thanks to all of you who have stood by me. Regarding Square Pegs, which was my “first rodeo” in terms of me helping produce a film (and what a learning curve that was), the film itself is scheduled for release later this year (or early next). I’ll let you know once I know more.

The support I’ve received with my award nominations highlights what I call the “power of one,” which is a testament to those individuals who chose to share my news on their social media pages. Thank you for standing with Square Pegs (and me) in this regard. To further highlight the importance of such sharing, one need only look at the recent surprise blockbuster film, "Sound of Freedom."

Movie is available on UTube

As I write this, it has earned a whopping $134m at the boxoffice. No one expected that, and it’s a living testimony to the power of one. Like many of you, I was one of those who shared news about this film on my FB page, and what I shared was in turn shared by 55 others. The power of one … magnified and multiplied. 

Like Sound of Freedom, Square Pegs has a message that will uplift, bless, and inspire. I can’t wait for you to see it. In fact, I can’t wait to see it myself!

~~~

On the Talanov front, my latest novel, 

Into The Eye,

which opens in Africa, is in the final stages of being written. It will be the third installment of what we hope will be a franchise of Talanov films, depending on the success of Greco’s Game, which is still moving forward with the good folks at Wonderfilm. I will definitely keep you abreast of pre-production news, which will accelerate later this year. 

As we speak, Talanov and his team have just landed on the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier as it pushes northward off the coast of Kenya. There's a lot of great action in this thriller, which will be released as a novel in 2024. Like Greco’s Game, it continues Talanov’s fight against the global plague of human trafficking. In the images above, we see his helicopter landing on the carrier.

~~~

Finally, I am excited to say, my script, Finding Star (completed with the assistance of Tara Lynn Marcelle), will be produced by Wonderfilm, and we are currently brainstorming a wishlist of actors for the main roles. 

Summary: Running from her "country-girl past" by living in the fast lanes of Los Angeles, where she is on the verge of landing her dream job in television, sassy food blogger Star Saldana has her world rocked when she learns her "other mother," Aunt Pim, is dying of cancer back home in Austin, Texas. After flying home to spend time with Pim, Star's dream job is given to someone else, forcing her to confront the "country-girl skin" she's been trying so hard to shed, especially when she must enter a local barbecue competition in order to win enough money to save Pim's beloved restaurant from being repossessed. Trouble is, Star doesn't know the first thing about cooking barbecue.

Set against the colorful backdrops of barbecue and country music, Finding Star will not just entertain you, but also speak to the unavoidable challenges of life many of us face at one time or another. More news on this front is coming soon. As always, if you no longer wish to receive these updates, let me know and I will remove you from the list.

In the meantime, a final hug of thanks to all of you for your enduring friendship and support. Until next time …

Jim

PS: feel free to keep up with these projects via my IMDb page: https://www.imdb.me/jameshoustonturner