by Terry Haycock, Freelance Writer
28-Day Novel Launches a Career!
by Terry Haycock, Freelance Writer
It took only 28 days for Catherine Lanigan to produce a novel
from the screenplay "Romancing the Stone"and that was without the
benefit of a word processor, or even a typewriter. She took the job for "quick
cash for the holidays," not realizing the book would sell 1.2 million copies
and launch a successful career.
The original screenplay for "Romancing the Stone" was written by Diane
Thomas. Just before concept meetings were to begin for the sequel, "Jewel
of the Nile," Diane died tragically in a car accident. The producers called
Catherine. She emotionally recalled, "Writing the screenplay was my way
of keeping Diane alive."
Catherine traveled from her home in Texas to Los Angeles to work with Michael
Douglas and five teams of screen writers. As she moved around the studio, and
was privy to Mr. Douglas' decision-making processes, she listened carefully,
observed his quick decisions and realized that some day she would utilize this
knowledge. Now, eighteen years later, she is producing the Chicago-based film
of her newest novel, "The Christmas Star."
"The bottom line," said Catherine, "is when you are writing you
still have to write from your heart and your soul. Otherwise you'll never have
the passion to see it through to its very end."
Although all of her nonfiction books also come from the heart, her two novels
required writing from her soul: examples are her 15-year-old Wings of Destiny
and her latest work, The Christmas Star.
"There actually is a celestial phenomenon called the Christmas Star,"
explained Catherine. "It's a silver crescent moon with Venus hanging off
the bottom and Mars just beneath." She said when the Christmas star hangs
in the western sky, it looks like it's leading straight to Bethlehem. It comes
only every thirty years.
Catherine first got the idea for her book while looking at the Christmas Starin
1995 as she returned from Midnight Mass. Thinking that she didn't want to wait
thirty more years to write about it, she began to reflect upon that time - thirty
years ago America was embroiled in the Viet Nam War. At that moment,Catherine
knew that for the first time, she wanted her book to feature a hero rather than
a heroine. She wrote her synopsis and put in a drawer. Six years later, she
awoke at 3:00 AM, went to the computer and "couldn't stop writing."
She describes it as a story of "incredible, incredible faith and belief
and undying and unconditional love." This was the perfect answer to her
quest for "something uplifting, something what would regenerate the feeling
of love and hope and give the strength of faith back to some who may have lost
it [after 9-11]."
Catherine hired Blanco & Peace Enterprises, Ltd. to publicize The Christmas
Star, and credits the firm with the "best cover" and "best
reviews" she's received to date. While also crediting her sister Nancy
for encouraging her, and Jodee Blanco for a superb publishing job, Catherine
stressed that in the beginning, "Sometimes the path of the writer is to
follow the heart. We need faith or it can't happen. It's your heart that will
move it along."
Catherine shared the following tips with IWPA members: