My amazingly talented friend, Chris Wilcox, and I were wondering the other day what it would look like to turn a website’s “About” page on it’s head. So we finagled our way into an old building near downtown Nashville and shot a short video that highlights the two sides of who I am–the left-brained analytical manager and the right-brained creative writer. I think it turned out great. Thanks Chris.
Archive - August, 2009
Concerning all things Ted
It’s been awhile since I updated everyone on the latest happenings at Creative Trust. Dan Raines, who is my boss and the other half of the Dekker management team, and I just wrapped up a season of strategic planning concerning all things Ted. You’ll be happy to know that neither Ted nor CT are easing off the throttle; there’s a lot of great stuff happening. I want to update you on the tip of the iceberg…
Stage Production
I’ve received a lot of questions about this one, but haven’t been able to answer them because things are still very much in the development stage. No one has successfully pulled off what we’re building out, so we have a lot of BIG question marks to tackle.
What I can tell you is this…the play is a retelling of redemptive history and focuses on Billy, Darcy, Marsuvees, Teeleh, and, of course, Justin. But it doesn’t happen in the world of the Circle Series or any other Dekker book. It’s much different…oh, so different. But familiar, too.
Right now we’re working through the storyboard and artist renderings. The one headlining this post is the artist rendering of the opening scene on stage. There are four sets total and this is one of 20 images we’ll be using to pitch the concept to potential supporters. Then the real work begins–fleshing out the who, what, when, where, and how of making the idea a reality. We may not be able to pull it off, but we’re exploring it as if we can. Continue Reading…
Thin Places for Me
At times I miss Colorado desperately. I won’t lie. Ten years in any place will most likely create soul ties, I suppose. For me, because the mountains have always been a “thin place” where heaven and earth kiss, timberline will always be home. At least this side of time.
A few years ago my Dad, who is an avid photographer, and I got to spend a day in Rocky Mountain National Park with a pro guide. Here are some of his shots from the day. I’ll never forget it. Thanks, Dad, for giving me a reminder of the wild though it’s no longer at my doorstep. I needed it today. Continue Reading…
My penthouse suite in the Tower of Babel
I’ve been thinking a lot about social media lately. I think about how it has set the barriers of entry effectively to zero (a good thing if you’re trying to break into the market), how we use it or don’t use it and why, how it impacts the business of publishing and is reshaping it in some drastic ways. We rely on it, use it to connect and build brands faster than ever before, and when the machine’s wheels grind slow, well, just look what happened with the recent Twitter outages.
Social network building has become a big part of what I do. And on a bigger scale it has become the primary medium through which business is evolving and through which we connect on a personal level. It’s all about friends, tweets, blogs, DM’s, unique visitors and whether or not you’re focused on SEO and you community influence. But for all the upside–and there is a lot, mind you–there is also downside. There always is. Single-sided coins are a myth.
As I have been going through my week I’ve found myself fixated on this corner of my life and wondered, “Why is having more Twitter followers or Facebook friends really important? Is it important at all? And why do I obsess (let’s call it what it is) about having other people like me and care about what I have to say?” These are tough questions because if I answer them honestly, which I’ve tried to do, the answers may uncover some pretty twisted priorities or worse…a crooked soul in need of straightening.
As I’ve thought about it, two things have become clear in my own experience: Continue Reading…