Eight is Enough Messageboards

Re: EIE weekend!!
 Saturday, 04-Mar-2000 10:36:50 

      Hi, Nancy,
      It sounds like you are adapting well to your new position. That's great! Keep learning, and 
      enjoy the job.

      Thanks for asking about my writing project...I'm now "shopping" my Barbara Payton book to 
      various publishers in LA and NYC...An agent in LA thinks the manuscript has potential as 
      a possible screenplay, and has taken on the task of getting it seen on the west coast, so
      I'm basically waiting to see where it lands!

      I spoke to Christine and she says that Susan is doing well. Unfortunately, Susan's moved 
      and as of yet I don't have her new phone number, however I trust she will get in touch 
      with me soon. I'm interested in finding out how the interview went with the E! 
      ENTERTAINMENT Television crew...I've been so caught up with the book project the last few
      weeks, time kind of got away from me, and as a result, I've lost touch with Susan 
      (though I'm sure that's only a temporary situation). Christine says Susan is loving her 
      job at the retirement home and the people there think she's terrific.

      I have begun work on my next writing project...collaborating with the beautiful 1970s 
      actress/singer CONNY VAN DYKE, from the films HELLS ANGELS '69, FRAMED and WW AND THE 
      DIXIE DANCEKINGS (Burt Reynolds) on a writing project on her life and career. She's 
      had SOME interesting life...starting her career as a young kid, singing at car shows, 
      the first white female singer signed to Motown (at 15!), winning the Miss Teenage 
      America contest, writing songs with Stevie Wonder and other Motown acts, lending clothes 
      to Diana Ross, guest-starring roles on POLICE WOMAN, IRONSIDE, ADAM-12, a Nashville 
      recording career, working with Gene Rayburn/Richard Dawson/Brett Somers, etc., on 
      MATCH GAME, the last singer allowed to perform onstage at the Grand Ole Opry's old 
      Ryman Auditorium, an abusive marriage to a former Alabama DJ who wound up destroying 
      her acting and singing careers, etc. (And that's just a LITTLE BIT of what she's 
      experienced!) So, I'm pretty excited about this opportunity and hope that between 
      Conny, her son Bronson Page, and me, we can come up with something great! 

      I hope to still work with Susan someday on documenting HER story...all we have to do is 
      somehow coordinate it. Stories about life's true survivors, I think, are always the BEST
      kind. Best wishes, John


      John