Roger Newbury
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Hi Guys and Gals
Started Jun 3, 2008
Roger's Page
Sheerness, North-East Kent, UK
Well... as I expect many of you have done also; where do I start?
I'm just over 50 yrs old, and have been writing properly since 1989, although I only have four completed full length novels: ('Traitor's Net' - 'Medusa's Curse' (Supernatural-Horror/Thriller) - 'Inside Justice' (Crime) and 'The Druids' Stone' (another horror.) I realised it may appear that these stories have been published, and you're probably thinking... 'I've never heard of them! or him!' and you'd be right.. alas, not one is as yet published... but I am hoping one day 'Medusa's Curse' and 'Inside Justice' will be... perhaps... if I'm lucky!
With regard to 'Medusa's Curse' (which I wrote in 1992,) I have also written a screenplay based on this story, as I often thought, as I was working on it, that it had the potential for a real shocker of a film!
Unfortunately as with the novel/manuscript, this too is in desperate need of re-working and updating, which I hope to begin starting work on, early next year.
I also write comedy stage plays, specifically for the amateur drama market; I have 6 completed comedy plays set around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, with several more in development. I have several other plays, some serious and controversial plots in development, and other comedies.
I'm a father of 4 grown up children, and grandfather of 2. I also roadie for a great mate, who's a solo guitarist/singer, and I'm an adopted uncle to his two young children!! woo-hoo!
I'm currently unemployed, but I sometimes help out with my local community radio station.
I have trodden the boards as a 'very' amateur actor, and had roles in 4 full length plays, two of them Shakespeare's works; 'Twelfth Night' & 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'! I also spent several years as the resident Lighting & Sound technician, rigging/designing the lighting for both amateur & professional groups.
More later...
http://ItIsElementaryWatson.googlepages.com
Mark Billingham, Clive Cussler, Peter James, Ian Rankin and lots of others.
The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan, most with Bruce Willis, Star Trek old and new, 'Whose Line is it anyway?' (absolutely brilliant show!!)
All About Me & Mr. Sherlock Holmes... (courtesy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
(This will be an on-going description... please bear with me...!)
About 3 years ago, I was listening to BBC Radio 2, one Saturday afternoon, when unexpectedly (for me), on came this half-hour comedy programme, starring Roy Hudd, one of the UK's leading variety/Vaudeville style comedians.
I listened to the programme, and was immediately hooked; but it wasn't until a few weeks had passed, that it occurred to me, that I might be able to write some full-length comedy plays, primarily for the amateur dramatics market. I suppose I'm lucky in that I have over 10 yrs experience in amateur theatre, whereby I gained first-hand knowledge & practice in acting, backstage work, scenery and props-mastery, also lighting arrangement/rigging & design, as well as sound effects.
However, I had already begun writing comedy plays, while I was involved with my local theatre, but there were not based upon the works of Conan Doyle, these were stand-alone, and although I still have hard copies of these, I may have to work on them later.
It was indeed, thanks to Roy Hudd, (with whom I have been in contact in the past) that I now have 6 completed Holmes themed plays, and quite a large number of other potential projects underway.
In all honesty, I think it was the unusual manner in which Sherlock Holmes was portrayed, that really appealed to my creative nature, and I believed that I could expand this subject, by developing some original comedy storylines, and create some really strange foes for Holmes and his three cohorts; Dr. John Watson, Mrs. Hudson (who I felt would add sufficient menace of her own "Battle-axe style"!) by including her as an integral character, being embroiled within the 'case', causing Holmes and Dr. Watson a degree of consternation and concern; and poor sufferable Inspector Lastrade.
Of course, any Holmes play wouldn't be the same without Prof. James Moriarty, Holmes's Arch Nemesis, so I have included him in some of the plots. Overall however, I felt that, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had done with his original stories, it would be interesting to give Holmes some very unusual cases to solve, and some rather extreme unexpected unusual developments!
I hope that my unique perspective, and interest in amateur theatre will show through in these plays, and my diverse-if-not-warped, sense of humour will prevail. I enjoy writing these comedy Holmsian plays, and to be perfectly honest, I tend to draw from my favourite comedians of old, as inspiration:- Morcambe & Wise, Norman Wisdom, Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Keystone Cops, Laurel & Hardy amongst many others.
Without intending to defame Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous creation, I can but hope that my efforts, in creating a comedic variation, will hopefully be seen as bringing Holmes into a fresh -if unusual - and entertaining scope. I have always been fascinated by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creations, and I can but hope that my theatre style comedies are seen as a fitting tribute to the man, and to Holmes as a fictional character!
Roger Newbury's Blog
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I remember reading George G. Gilman western novels, about a man called Edge, set in the post American civil war. Then I read Martin Caidin's…
Didn't get the job!
I'd applied for a job recently that I thought would be right up my street; alas after several weeks of waiting, an interview and several phone calls, I received a letter today stating that I had been unsuccessful. Aahh well... just have to keep trying I suppose!
At 10:34pm on February 9, 2009, Maria said…
Hi Nubs,
Thanks for the invite good to hear from you. I don't log in here very often, but when I do I'll be sure to say hi...
At 6:03am on August 6, 2008, Cheryl Norman said…
I'm finally back on line after two weeks of no modem. We have lots of summer storms here in Florida and lightning struck my modem. I'll try to do better about posting and staying in touch now.
Cheryl Norman
At 5:19pm on September 17, 2007, Delphine Cingal said…
If you like Mark Billingham and Ian Rankin, try John Harvey if you haven't already read anything by him.
At 11:52pm on September 16, 2007, Donna Moore said…
Hi Roger - thanks for the invite. Your comedy plays sound interesting!
At 10:28pm on September 16, 2007, Rhys Bowen said…
Thanks for inviting me, Roger.
My grandmother had a summer place in Whitstable, not far from your hometown, so I remember cockling and picking mushrooms in the meadows in autumn.
At 7:03am on September 7, 2007, L. A. Starks said…
thx for add
At 5:41am on September 7, 2007, Cheryl Norman said…
Roger, if you're the author of four books, you're an author. So what if you haven't had one published yet? It took me six years and ten manuscripts before finally selling my first in 2001. The only way you won't eventually get published is if you give up. There are thousands and thousands of us who call ourselves writers, but only those who stay the course make it (of course, some make it bigger than others *LOL* and I'm no Clive Cussler!). Good luck to you!
At 5:21am on September 7, 2007, Keith Dixon said…
Thanks for the invite, Roger! I too have some history in theatre (I did a joint English/Drama degree) and have written plays in the past. Have you thought about self-publishing your novels through someone like Lulu.com? If you've tried and can't get a publisher or agent interested, you may as well release them into the world through another means!
At 11:16pm on September 1, 2007, carole gill said…
I mean them too. all the best to you, Roger. As one writer wrote to me yesterday: never give up, it'll happen! with you, it already has--but you want it to be a continuance and a progression--so it'll happen--! Me, I just want to get PUBLISHED!!!!!!! seriously, take care and keep me posted. all the best to you.
At 5:55pm on September 1, 2007, carole gill said…
You're so very welcome. I do admire you. If publishers sound interested--! wow! good, good luck on that, Roger!