Writers Tricks of the Trade VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4 | Page 35

thoughts on a page very well. In fact,
when I was in high school, I had a teacher
say something to the effect of “you’ll nev-
er be a writer.” Well, that’s all I needed to
hear. Challenge me to something, and I’ll
always rise to the occasion.
My first successful piece was a poem
called “Holocaust” published in the Los
Angeles Valley College literary magazine
called Manuscript.
Fast forward a few years later, I was a
Child Development Major at California
State University of Northridge; a real “po-
etry nerd.” In fact, my friends called me
the “Jewish Maya Angelou.” A big compli-
ment to both of us.
Over the next ten years, I continued to
experiment with writing, while continu-
ing to “find my voice.” I tried my hand at
fantasy, prose. The interesting aspect was,
whatever I wrote, always seemed to have
to have a poetic flavor to them.
My next success came from a family
friend a few years later, Ron Mclarty. I
sent Ron the autobiographical poetic ver-
sion of my life, called PORGY’S REVENGE,
which came from Broadway’s “Porgy and
Bess.”
Ron showed it to his publisher, who
asked if I’d been published yet. “Not yet.” I
said.
“I like it.” Ron’s publisher said to me.
“She just has to be published first.” Yes!
Finally, in 2015, I was published by
Archway Publishing (the sister company to
Simon &Schuster). When the time came for
the back content, I suddenly realized who I
could ask for quotes. My mother, actress
Annie Abbott worked with Olympia Duka-
kis at the Whole Theatre Company. Both
W INTER 2019
had young families, developed a fast
friendship. It was her friendship with
Olympia over the years, which then al-
lowed me to ask if Olympia might be in-
terested in giving me a quote for the book.
“Send me ten poems, I’ll send them to
Olympia.” My mother replied. Two weeks
later, Olympia Dukakis sent an email to
my mother, asking if I would send her the
manuscript for my book.
YES! A home run even Joe DiMaggio
himself couldn’t have delivered.
Next, I spoke to my godfather, Joel
Zwick. I knew that Joel had directed Tom
Hanks in his Bosom Buddies days. Fur-
thermore, Joel had been allowed to make
the call to Tom Hanks to tell him: “You’re
hired!”
Joel and Tom have had a relationship
ever since then.
Fast forward thirty years to the film,
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Joel was di-
recting. Who was producing? You guessed
it. None other than his good friend, Tom.
So, I asked Joel, “You don’t suppose
there’s any chance that Tom Hanks would
give me a quote, right?”
“Send me eight poems. I’ll send them
to Tom.” Another two weeks went by, and
I got the quote from Tom Hanks.
Okay. Two home runs in a row? WOW!
Even the Dodgers couldn’t pull that one
off!
One of my favorite poems from the
book is a poem called I am Your.
Here’s an excerpt:
I
Am
Your
Crippled
P AGE 30
W RITERS ’ T RICKS OF THE T RADE