I thought that I’d start this mini autobiography when I began writing, instead of back in the 1970’s when I was an electrical engineer. In those old days I was designing, and installing solar, wind, and water turbine electrical systems --- I was part of the team that designed and built the first, and now officially the oldest continuously operating recycling center in the USA.  I’ve always thought green, and I’ve always been amazed at how long it’s taken for the rest of America to wake up and catch up with what I’ve been into at any particular time in my life. Anyway, after a successful career in the industrial world I wanted to do something I cared about, something that came natural to me, something that would leave a legacy behind---something  that others might be inspired by. I chose storytelling because it’s a gift that I have--I’ve always been a storyteller.

Embracing one of the most solitary professions, I became a writer. I still spend days, sometimes weeks alone in my studio immersed in the invention of plot and circumstance. I enjoy it the entire process from concept, through the finished work, the writing and developing my story into a book or screenplay is a satisfying experience. I was encouraged from the start by my friends and many other professional writers; they loved to read my work.

In 1993, Professor Richard Walters, the head of UCLA’s screenwriting department, wrote to me praising (at great length) my first screenplay. That script was read and passed around to some of the biggest producers in Hollywood of the time. It had powerful agents. The stars loved it. It was the best thing anyone had ever read, but none of them couldn’t get the movie made. The Hollywood years of my work are uncredited. Ever optimistic I pressed on, making more and more contacts, my life was like a roller-coaster ride. I never knew what was going to happen next.

I brought one my favorite screenplays to my agent here in San Francisco. I had to walk around piles of scripts that littered his floor just to get to his desk. I left his office thinking my screenplay might be read in the next year or two, but when I got back to my studio, I had a call asking me for another dozen copies. My agent flew to L.A. the very next day, where he worked tirelessly in and around Hollywood for six months trying to sell it. His phone calls to me were always encouraging, but he could not secure a movie deal. As a result of that script, an accredited Writers Guild of America agent quit the business entirely. His last call to me was a simple apology, after which he told me that if he couldn’t get that script made, then there was no sense in being in the business. It was the most exciting, original screenplay he’d ever read, nothing came close. I never heard from him again. 

My trademark style of writing brought more readers and agents with connections to publishers, and others to movie studios, and to those who can raise the unbelievable amounts of money to produce my manuscripts into books, my scripts into movies. It seemed my work could always find eager agents, Emmy Award winning, and Oscar Nominated Producers, but even what looked like sure deals didn’t pan out. Amazing to me, especially when I see how much trash is produced every year in the book and movie business. Ultimately the movie business didn’t work out for me.

I wrote and directed for Internet Radio during this period at I-media.com. I produced most of my radio content the Western Public Radio Studios located in Fort Mason, San Francisco. I worked with incredible actors, musicians, and audio engineers.

Producing for live stage and radio theater was a huge learning experience for me. I had over fifty actors that worked with me over the years. There were  thirty-four that brought their craft to, North Beach Private Eye, one of my all time favorite film noir scripts. One of the highlights of that production was working with Janis Stevens. She was and still is the Leading Lady in residence of the English Viennese Theater, in Vienna, Austria.

I found Janis Stevens through an actor working in a bit part for the production. My lead actress had to drop out for a family emergency two weeks before we were to record the show. I was, I thought, up the creek with out the proverbial paddle. I lost sleep and weight. I thought I would at the very least be quite insane before the production was complete. Where in the devil was I going to find a new lead actress?  Finding Janis Stevens was one of those legendary things that you hear about when producing, because it’s impossible but the end result was a perfect fit.

I wasn’t expecting much on the day I auditioned her. She was beautiful, a polished and refined woman, but could she act? I had no idea just how extensive her background was. I was in a bad mood and extremely pessimistic about grooming a new actor for the lead role. But Janis was like something that fell out of the heavens. She hadn’t finished reading her second line when I knew what I had . . . a perfect fit for her role of a lifetime.

Janis Steven’s acting talent was so far above most of the others in the production, that her talent in some ways was responsible for raising the performances of the cast as a whole. This happens in productions, I’ve noticed --- other actors with greater skills will often elevate the talents of others. What I produced with Janis Stevens, Brian Vouglas,  J.S. Gilbert, Karl Hans-Tubber, Samuel Vaughn, Michel Balaz, Bruce Goodchild and twenty + other actors will always remain at the top of my memories as a rewarding production experience. It taught me to keep my head up, especially when things look the bleakest.  I found out that, North Beach Private Eye was the kind of story that worked on any stage. Since I couldn’t get it made in Hollywood, I set about finding the funds to make it into an independent film.

In 2001 I found funding for North Beach Private Eye. It was to be an $11 Million production that would have been produced entirely here in San Francisco. After months of negotiations, the day I was to complete the deal was upon us.

Soon after, life played some more tricks on me and I ended up starring in, Debt’s Game, a independent film produced and directed by Eric Koester-Karsch. I played, Mr. Rizzo a mob boss who finances an independent film for a couple of student film makers that think they are pulling one over on me. I loved playing that role. It was a so much fun being such an evil person.

Debt’s Game  is a modern look at the noir genre of films that were popular in the 1930’s, 40,’s and 50‘s. The film was received well at film festivals across the USA. There are two versions, the shorter version in my opinion is better. Copies of either version are scarce but worth watching. It was a great and unexpected experience for me. Like I said, life played a trick on me, but instead of branching off into acting, I stuck with my strongest suit and continued writing.

In 2000 more of my work was under consideration for television. Tomorrow’s Christmas was a script set during the Great Depression. I developed it as a feature film but the charm and simplicity of the story was considered by the producers to be particularly adaptable to television. Having several productions under my belt and knowing the amazingly complex issues that go along with even the smallest production a Hallmark Hall of Fame production was beyond my wildest expectation. But Hallmark turned it down after three rounds of intense negotiations. Their reasons were never clear but the younger executives thought that American audiences wouldn’t like a family story set during the Great Depression.

In 2002 I put Tomorrow’s Christmas away thinking, I had come so close and I had tried my best. I was really wondering, “What’s wrong with my writing?” and “Am I a bum that is no good at this thing called storytelling?” Dark days passed, and it seemed that I was completely out of the loop when I got a call from Marti Wiechert, the President of Arizona Women in Film. Later that year it was my great honor to accept, The Living Legacy Award, from Arizona Women in Film for Best Screenplay.

This Award has been presented to other notable stars:

1996 - Debra Schindler -- Producer "Waiting To Exhale",

1997 - Ann Miller, Anne Jeffries, and Brenda Baldwin

1998 - Diane Ladd,  Jayne Madows,  Jane Withers, Lynda Carter,

1999 - Gloria De Haven, Donald O' Conner

2000 - Jane Russell

2002 - John Burns - Best Screenplay - Tomorrow’s Christmas

My hopes for, Tomorrow’s Christmas lit up again when in 2003, the award and the amazingly talented, Lee Levinson, a 7 time Emmy Winner, who has also been honored with two Peabody Awards, became the champion of the screenplay. So much promise  but the script was turned down by Hallmark again.

After so much encouragement from those who could say yes, after so many years of writing scripts for movies, and so many more disappointments, I had had it. I was seriously thinking of taking taking a job in any other field.

I wrote only one other script in the next couple of years. It’s called “Dance in Her Shoes.” It’s one of the best things I’ve ever written but I never bothered to shop it around.

Sometimes I think that when I’m really old, I might just sit down and rewrite the very best my screenplays as novels. We’ll see.

*****

The summer of 2005 seemed my darkest hour, I felt useless. My wonderful wife and I were struggling financially. Oddly that’s when Pengey tumbled out of my pen, and the many adventures of my favorite penguin came alive. My wife and I agreed that  the character of Pengey could be an important figure in children’s literature. We decided that the book was more important than our immediate needs.

In April 2006, Pengey and I won the Family Choice Award. We were also selected as finalist in the USA Book News Award (Best Book Awards) and we were awarded special consideration from the Teachers Choice Awards for Pengey’s First Adventures.

Now Pengey and I are at the beginning of our second journey with, The Further Adventures of Pengey Penguin.

We were selected from thousands of contestants and honored as a finalist, the Top Four Children’s books by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Today, October 20, 2008 we were informed that The Further Adventures of Pengey Penguin was selected by USA Book News as a National Best Book Finalist “Top Ten in Children’s Fiction”

Pengey and I did it again. I am very proud to accept the award and honored that the judges have selected the Pengey Penguin Classics for the second time since we began publishing three years ago.

October 2009 -- I’d like to add this, the most recent update. March Entertainment, a Canadian Animation Company owned by Dan Hawes has expressed interest in making Pengey’s Many Adventures into a feature length animated film, which may very well include Pengey II and Pengey III. Mr. Hawes and my producers in Hollywood had their first meeting in L.A. in August ’09. The financing is in place. I don’t want to say anything more about this deal. It feels more real than any other movie deal I ever been connected with. I don’t want to jinx the deal.

Those of you who are in Pengey’s Fan Club will be the first to know when we begin production. Wish me and Pengey luck, Okay? Thanks!

In closing I’d just like to say, for me, continuing to write has been bolstered more by all the positive feedback from you, the readers of Pengey’s adventures than from anything the book or movie industry promised.

In the four years since “Pengey One” was released  I’ve received thousands of letters, e-mails, post cards from parents, drawings from children, thank you notes from grandparents, teachers, and kids who have all fallen in love with Pengey Penguin.

It’s a great feeling to know that so many families treasure the Pengey Classics and keep them as permanent additions to their libraries.

I’ve gone on to write, The Further Adventures of Pengey Penguin, Volume III. Not to worry, we will get around to publishing it.  I’ve been working on Pengey 4 while I recover from my heart attack of September 17, 2008. I feel so lucky to be alive.

It’s my promise to you, that the Pengey Penguin Classics will continue to develop in positive ways and give you and your kids, the fun, fresh, unique, and wholesome experience that you’ve come to expect from Pengey Penguin and me.

All the Best to all of you,

John Burns and Pengey Penguin