A new era emerges from instant messaging:

The newly released book ‘Instant Message’ (IM) launches itself into the future of on-line dating: “What the hell am I doin’? I can’t believe I have my black ass on this bus tryin’ to meet a woman I love who I’ve never seen. A white woman. A southern white woman at that!”

This is a true story! Liz types her message online as Malik grunts “I don’t have time for this chat-room shit!”. Knowing New York women are filled with attitude Malik is intrigued by the oversized blue font on his computer screen. The Alabama lilt captures his attention.

With husband Herbert inattentive, and three lively children demanding her attention, Liz finds friendship on-line, turning to her parents for support. Racial discrimination is ripe in Cullman, Liz’s brother shows nothing but hatred for Malik.

There are moments of humor through ‘Instant Message’ - The Poodle Woman meets her match, and Malik travels to a Real Estate Brokers convention in falling snow. Adapted to a novel from a screenplay and published by AuthorHouse, ‘Instant Message’ has it all—love and prejudice, hatred and lies.

Authors Steven Jackson and Barbara Jones have an explicit story to tell!

Steven Jackson worked for Universal City Studios in the production ‘Friday Night Lights’ directed by Peter Berg, along with Roland Emerich’s production ‘Day After Tomorrow.’ The New York author, actor, and screenplay writer of, ‘Numbers…..A Gangsta’s Child’, was interviewed about his passion for writing and acting.

“In my teenage years I use to write in my diary about my daily activities and my thoughts. So yeah! I’ve had a deep desire to express myself through writing for over twenty years. When I was a teenager I was a handsome guy, I wanted to enroll into Barbizon Modeling School, I thought since most of the guys in my neighborhood wanted to kick my butt because their girlfriends liked me, I might as well do something with my good looks. But my mother put an end to that pursuit due to her needing me to work in one of her stores.

The things I had to do for my mother in them days were worth writing down, plus it gave me something to write in my diary. Yeah I had a dairy! Girls are not the only ones who write in diaries. Anyway, my real writing experience came when I was much older and I was a license Real Estate Broker.

One day I received a call from an old buddy of mine, he wanted me to take a look at a screenplay he was shopping to film executives in Hollywood. He wanted my opinion on the storyline. After reading the script I wanted to express myself on that level so I started writing, and my buddy became my script agent. I was taught that the best stories come from personal experiences so I wrote about situations that took place in my life and I ended up with three screenplays. ‘Numbers….A Gangsta's Child’ being my first. At the same time I thought since I still had a little sex appeal maybe I could pursue my earlier dreams of becoming a model. You know, representing men in my age group.

So I conducted a search online for modeling agencies. I made a few phone calls. An agency asked me to come in. They had me read a monologue and the next thing I knew I was scheduling an appointment with a photographer for head shots! A dream come true! But the thing is it wasn’t for modeling it was an acting agency looking for new faces for background work in movies being filmed around town.

The agency sent me to a site where Roland Emerich was working on a movie called ‘Day After Tomorrow’, from there I started searching for my own assignments and landed a gig with Peter Berg. I spent ten days in the Astrodome Stadium in Houston, Texas filming a movie called ‘Friday Night Lights’ starring Tim Mc Graw, Billie Bob Thronton, Derek Luke.”

Steven Jackson was asked if he wrote the screenplays when he was on the set with Peter Berg and Roland Emerich: “Yes! After that experience working in school films and a few major film productions I spent days and nights developing the characters. I felt I had a story to tell and I wanted to tell it!

‘A Gangsta’s Child’ and ‘Blood Thinner Than Mine’ were written before ‘Instant Message’. All are screenplays. ‘Instant Message’ was selected to be published first, with the idea that a Internet love story would be more appealing in today’s society because the Internet is still relatively new. Plus I wanted to be one of the first authors in the industry to publish a book about real life Internet soul-mating and bring it to a more broader platform.”

Steven explained the inspiration behind his screenplays: “ ‘A Gangsta’s Child’ was inspired by my mother who got involved with organized crime back in the late 1970's. She had a ten year run before the feds ended her career in the underworld and subsequently forced her with her children to leave the State of New York. True story!

‘Instant Message’ came about one night when I was taking a break from working on a real estate report. I decided to surf the web and ventured into one of those chat-rooms. From there ‘Instant Message’ was born.”

Co-author of ‘Instant Message’, Barbara Jones, was asked about future online stories being released.

“Steven and I are working on a sequel, a continuation or part two. The Internet is constantly in development of new ways for people to venture out into the world without leaving their homes. I reckon ‘Instant Message’ will one day hit the big screen. Folks will pay to watch this story at the movies.”

Steven Jackson concluded: “Like Barbara said, we are working on ‘Instant Message’ part two. There is a lot more to this love story that needs to be told. This is one hell of a story created online. From Alabama to New York City ‘Instant Message’ is definitely filled with Sex, Lies and Hatred!

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Submitted By:

Pamela Faye
Arts Editor
Ph: Aus. (61) 7 5450 7624
Mobile: (61) 409 506 020
pamela@rollingseas.com.au

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