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To say it’s been a long ride to get here is an understatement. I wrote the screenplay, Cook, when my daughter was just a little over 2 years old.

She’s going to be 13 in a month.

That is how long it takes sometimes to get a movie made. IF you get a movie made. The chances are so slim and yet it is a dream so many have.

When I first wrote Cook it immediately was optioned and Samuel Jackson was attached to star. Seemed like a sure thing, right? Five years later the option ran out and Cook sat on a shelf for two years. And then my manager, who always believed in my script, handed it to two producers who believed in it too. They have worked tirelessly to get my movie made. We had Samuel Jackson again! We didn’t have Samuel Jackson. We had a director! We didn’t have a director. We had financing! We didn’t have financing.

On and on, triumphs and tears, start dates and cancellations. But through it all my amazing producers, my incredible manager, my daughter, friends, family, fiance (ha ha, never thought I’d use that word again)  and, well, even I never lost hope.

We got a new director, a new star, new financing, new start date and lo and behold it all stuck! Production offices opened and each day I have gotten to witness art departments, costume departments, location scouts, casting, props, music and my director and producers make my screenplay beautifully come to life.

Clothing in my head is now being fitted for Eddie Murphy. Sets I envisioned are being built. Every detail that came pouring from my imagination to my fingertips and onto the page is suddenly and expertly being made into a reality.

It is jump for joy, dance and scream, pinch, pinch, pinch myself fantastic!

In seven days I will be standing on the set of my movie, Cook. Daughter by my side. Waiting to hear that word, that one amazing word spoken…

Action!