Gerard Bianco Studio

In 1988, The StoryTeller, created and produced by Jim Henson, first aired. It is a series that retold European folk tales, using live action and a dog puppet. An old storyteller (John Hurt) sits by the fire and recounts these tales to both the viewer and to his talking dog. I watched these wonderful stories back then, with my children, and I watch them still on Netflix. I never tire of them. As a storyteller, I am intrigued by the tales of old and read them often. I search for clues that answer the questions: What is it that makes a good story a great story? Why do some stories last for generations, while others die after only a short time, never to be heard again? Now, there is a comic book anthology, released by Archaia Entertainment  that mirrors the TV show, using luxuriant illustrations and an Old-World atmosphere to tell the tales. Between the pages of this book are reprised stories that are sure to tickle the fancy of the most demanding story listener. They are also a welc...

 My new website, writerenroute.com , is now up and running. I’ve worked hard on designing the site and I’m very happy with the results, especially the home page. The cover image is a triptych, composed of an reproduction of my novel, The Deal Master, as well as an image of my latest book, Discipline: A Play. Both images flank a center section that contains a quote equally important for writers and non writers, alike.       “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” __Anton Chekhov       The importance of this quote is obvious to writers . Every writer learns early in his/her education that “showing, not telling” is an invaluable writing technique. But in what way is this quote important to non writers?       My dad was my greatest teacher in life. Rarely did he “tell” me what I needed to say or do. He showed me by example. In almost any situation, I’d take clues from my dad on how to act an...

My latest book, Discipline: A Play , has just been published (January, 2012.) As you might imagine, it is very exciting to see the fruition of your thoughts and words in the form of a book that people can read and comment upon. From beginning to end, the process of writing a book and seeing it published is indeed thrilling. But before you quit your day job to focus on your writing, beware: the euphoria of seeing your work in print does not last long. It is usurped by the countless hours of marketing needed to sell your book in today’s volatile market place. Discipline is my second book, and as I begin its promotion, I find that I am spending a lot more time marketing than I did with my first book, The Deal Master, published in 2006. Times have changed. Social media is now at the forefront of book marketing and an author must develop an aggressive marketing campaign utilizing the major social media sites. Anyone over the age of 30 is required to painstakingly learn what the young kids k...