Dennis Venter's Friends

Dennis Venter's Discussions

Started this discussion. Last reply by Julie Morrigan Apr 9, 2007.

Started this discussion. Last reply by Sean Chercover Apr 10, 2007.

About Me:: Ex-attorney who hated law. Turned to writing with the naïveté of an ignorant. Wrote for five years on the great South African novel without earning a red penny. Worked at a large chain bookstore selling the books of others. Fell into TV writing through another bookseller and now have over 150 produced television credits in both drama and sitcom. Last year optioned a script to a Hollywood producer which lead to two writer-for-hire feature film jobs. Still dream of the novel. Hopefully one day will find the time (and strength of character) to go for it again.

Books And Authors I Like:: The Old: James Lee Burke, Robert Crais, Lee Child, John Stanford, Michael Connelly, Stephen King, John Irving, Tom Robbins, Nelson De Mille, Elmore Leonard, Carl Hiaasen and many many more.

The New (for me): Victor Gischler, Duane Swierczynski, JD Rhoades, Laura Lippman, Meg Gardiner, Ken Bruen, Al Guthrie, and hopefully many more of the authors on this site.

Movies And TV Shows I Like:: The Wire, Sopranos, Deadwood, Rome, Rescue Me, 24, Dexter, The Shield, Boston Legal, various CSIs (when they're not jumping the shark with ludicrous storylines), Prison Break, Bones, Criminal Minds, Without a Trace, Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Weeds. (and then my guilty pleasures...Gilmore Girls, Everwood, Buffy, Angel).

At 1:51am on February 4, 2008, Harley L. Sachs said…: Yes, the gatehouse of Borthwick Castle where we had our honeymoon did have a black and white TV. That was 1960=61 after all. Thanks to watching TV and translating Emil Zola my wife learned English. Living with a small coal fireplace is pretty primitive, especially when the water heater tank is built in above it and produces about five gallons of hot water. For a bath that means about two inches of water in the tub before the water stards to run cold again, like taking a bath in a puddle.

As for characters in series books, Smiley in leCarre's books was terrific. One does get attached to the characters. The risk is they take over your own life as an author. For a fun analysis of that pitrfall, read my book "IS" about what is real and what is not. It's available as a cheap download or inexpensive paperback at www.lulu.com. I wrote it as a kind of self-therapy to rid myself of wondering what my characters were doing NOW when they, of course, do not exist.

At 2:21pm on October 4, 2007, Morgan OReilly said…: Thanks for the invite to be your friend.

At 4:10am on September 19, 2007, Douglas Quinn said…: When you get a chance, check out my Crimespace Blog re the info and pics from my recent book signing event.

Smiles,
Douglas Quinn
www.douglasquinn.com

At 8:43am on September 18, 2007, ed goldberg said…: Glad to be your friend. Often wanted to visit South Africa. Been to Kenya. Maybe in a couple of years.

At 2:47am on September 18, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: Dennis,
You're right about the success. "Success comes to those who wait." Or something like that. Of course, you can't just sit and wiat. You have to work your but off for that fifteen minutes of fame. I'm really impressed with your resume. Goodness! I'm in the company of greatness!
Yeah, we get a lot of rain here, too. My landscape is becoming a jungle. When it gets cool enough to trim the trees and shrubbery, the garbage company will have to send an extra truck to pick up our yard debris. It will be stacked to the sky.
Heard any good "lawyer" jokes, lately? I assume those kind of jokes are abundant in South Africa as well as in the U.S. Most of the lawyers I know take the jokes in stride, but one I knew (he's dead now) HATED those jokes. ( I think he took his job too seriously I always enjoy life. I never take it too seriously.)

At 4:34am on September 13, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: Is summer never going to end? It's still in the upper nineties here. Humidity is probably the same. Don't ya'll have summer year round, like we do? Southwest Florida only has two seasons. Spring and summer. We're looking forward to the Winter temperatures, which is usually in the seventies. What television scripts have you written? Share that part of your experience with me.

At 1:01am on September 8, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: Hi, Dennis,
I like your poetic verse descriptions of south Africa. Sounds like a journalist (or a novelist), and a little bit like James Mitchner. It still sounds like an interesting place to visit. I've never been to that part of the world. Oh, well. Maybe one day.

At 7:17am on September 7, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: Oh, forgot. I like your Mike Hammer impression photo on "Your Page."

At 7:16am on September 7, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: OH! I hope you're not a former defense attorney! I'm pro law enforcement (former deputy sheriff), & I'm forever on my soap box. I saw enough injustice and inequities in the justice system, that I sometimes get carried away. My detective in my murder mysteries is the same way. He states that if he HAD to be an attorney, he'd have to be a prosecutor.

At 6:23am on September 7, 2007, Charlotte Williamson said…: Dennis, old pal, old buddy, old friend,
Tell me about south Africa. It sounds so exotic.
What part of Law did you hate? All of it, or just the idiocy of the whole thing? I especially abhor defense attorneys, myself.
Keep working on that novel. I'm writing my third.
Charlotte