Gregory Murphy

Your one-act play contest sounds fantastic. My wife is a director, who develops plays (she directed THE COUNTESS -- that's how we met). A tremendous amount of work, as you know, to develop a play even if it's a good one. Ludovica's working on a 15-minute play now. Loves the precision engendered by the time limit -- like a poem. Kudos to you and your husband for providing a venue for playwrights to see and hear their work performed -- invaluable. Love northern Connecticut. My sister lives not far from you in Wooodstock CT. Reminds me of England. Hope the contest is a huge success.

I received INCOGNITO from Amazon.com today! It is a beautiful trade paperback, I imagine you must be very pleased with it. I can't tell you exactly when I will read it, but it is in my top 20 books that I have on hand when the inclination suits me. I have been reading rather voraciously as of late, so I can safely say it won't be that long. Looking forward to it.

HOUSEHOLD WORDS sounds fascinating. The title has such a Dickensian ring to it. It is intriguing how often creative minds bent on social change have so often failed in their personal relationships. Please keep me posted on its progress.

Meanwhile, although I am out of the NYC area now, I am still doing what I can to help in the advancement of theater. My husband and I founded a one-act play contest that is in its third year up in northern CT. It runs next weekend. http://enfield.patch.com/announcement... We received 277 hard copy submissions from all over the country this year and we hope to start accepting electronic submissions next year, which may double the amount received. We had to wade through a large amount of schlock this past summer, but it was all worth it to get the 12 plays that we chose. Very satisfying work, indeed, especially when you feel the gratitude of the playwrights whose work you have produced.

Great to hear from you, Janine. I have such positive feelings about Dramatists Play Service. One of the best organizations I've ever been involved with. Hope it was the same for you. I'm truly flattered that you pieced together a monologue of some of Effie's lines. Made my day. Emma Thompson wrote a screenplay "Effie". We're in court. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/art... I'm just finishing my second play "Household Words" about Charles Dickens's relationship with his two daughters at the time of his affair with a 19-year-old actress. Again, great to hear from you and I kook forward to following you on Goodreads.

Thank you for adding me! I used to work for Dramatists Play Service and would send you letters alerting you of the regional theaters producing The Countess. It wasn't until about 10 years later that I actually read the play, but I fell in love with it immediately. I pieced together some of Effie's lines into a monologue that was very successful for me at a community theater audition up in New England, where I live now. I was very excited to see that you have a novel (I have to get my hands on a copy), but I do hope you have another play on the horizon. You have a unique ability of making a period piece emotionally accessible to the actor, and I must imagine, the audience.