so it seems i am headed back to nyc this weekend!! i was just informed i’ve won my SECOND AWARD for before i go in THREE WEEKS!!! i’ve was just named the grand prize winner of the 2007 new york book fesitval, as well as the winner of the fiction catagory!! WOW! i am speechless, probably for once in my life! the following is the press release…
2007 NEW YORK BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES WINNERS
NEW YORK (June 16, 2007) _ Riley Weston’s novel “Before I Go,” a timeless love story based in the world of ice skating, is the grand prize winner of the 2007 New York Book Festival.
Weston and other winners will be appearing on June 23, 2007 at the New York Book Festival in Central Park from 10 a.m . to 6 p.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held near the Naumburg Bandshell in the park. Author readings and signing, live music, clowns doing face-painting and balloon animals, book vendors, food and live music will be part of the day-long celebration of literacy and education.
Weston wins $1500 for her efforts in the competition. She is a triple-threat actress, TV/screenplay writer and novelist. “Before I Go” is her debut novel. She divides her time between New York City, Los Angeles and “somewhere in the Adirondack Mountains” in upstate New York.
and if that isn’t exciting enough…my thriller feature film stay is officially on it’s way to getting into pre-production! i’m working with two fantastic producers and they’ve just given my script to a few directors…
more to come!
ASYM= american society of young musicians. what a great night! on thursday night 6/7/07, i was invited to not only attend this cool event, but also PRESENT my first award!! it was so great!! first of all, some of the people who recieved awards? avril, as in lavigne, nickelback, gospel great, andrae crouch, evanescence, christina milian, young jeezy, and stevie wonder, who received a living legend award. to hear this man speak, wow. i cna’t even begin to express how unbelievable that was.
here’s the cool part! i gave the 2007 trailblazer award to dr. john, the new orleans jazz, rock, funk, r&b and bluesman! it was unbelievable to a part of such a great night. dr. john received his award right before stevie wonder. i had two + pages of dialogue to read about dr. john…and when i found out there was that much to read, i will admit the thought of my miniskirt showing inappropriate areas, me tripping, spilling or otherwise looking or sounding retarded went out the window when i saw a) what a great talent dr. john was and still is and b) when i saw all the pages i had to read! i literally called my sister and said, please pray i don’t mess this up! (ps, thanks sissy! it worked!) anyway, it was an awesome night!
i’m working all weekend on my new script, stay…i’m so excited about this one. the producers attached are amazing and we’re all excited to get it sold and in production as soon as we can! it’s a dark, psychological thriller…like what you’d get if you combined a college-age “sleeping with the enemy” with “fear”. twisted, i know.
more to come!
hi everyone!
it’s been a long time since i’ve written!! and there is so much to tell you all.
first of all, the biggest news…the independent publisher book awards were announced on friday, june 1st in nyc! and i was awarded the IPPY gold medal for STORYTELLER OF THE YEAR!! INSANE! my mom, my dad and my sister were all on hand to celebrate with me too. it was such a great night! and they gave me the largest bouquet of flowers i have ever seen. as in, bigger then miss america’s flowers. she had nothing on mine! i have to thank jim barnes and everyone at the independent publisher book awards for such a fantastic celebration. and yeah, my gold medal!!!!
the entire weekend june 1st-3rd was spent at book expo america in nyc. oh my GOD! it was so wild. i don’t think i sat down for three days straight. i signed about 500 books and met SO many great people. the booth for before i go was so beautiful. and i was so happy to see so many friends from my book tour! what a perfect weekend. i met a few production companies too…some that are interested in seeing before i go made into a independent feature…so stay tuned!
okay…big news on THE BLACK WIDOW! IT’S SHOOTING AS I WRITE! FINALLY! elizabeth berkley was cast as the black widow, olivia and alicia coppola was cast as the cool photojournalist, mel, who will hopefully save the day. i know if she does or not. but i’m not telling. heehee.
and more big news! BEING BAILEY, my coming-of-age teen drama, filmed before i left for nyc. it came out SO great that gotv networks…who produced it…is taking it out to the major networks now. i am so proud of this. i was the creator, writer and also had my first producer credit on this one. what an amazing experience.
and the last news to report…two of my feature films are in development with a great company now! one of the movies is a dark pyschological thriller called stay. it’s like what you would get if you crossed “sleeping with the enemy” and “fear”! the other one is a much lighter family comedy. i’ll have more news on both of them soon.
if any of you have purchased one of my books on amazon, please write in a review! and if you’re reading before i go now, please send an email and let me know what you think when you’re finished. i’d love to hear!
love, riley