Open Query Letter

Conch is the Winner
of a Best Script Award
at the Yucca Valley Film Festival!!

As an educator, I've witnessed many life-changing moments for both children and adults. As a writer, I’ve contemplated their struggles off campus. These stories share the real struggles of being a student, educator and parent along with the hope I see for our future.

Listen to an AI podcast discussion on the meta themes of my work.

Conch, 100 pages, dark comedy, was the Winner of a Best Script Award at the Yucca Valley Film Festival, and a Quarter Finalist at the Wiki: The World's Fastest Screenplay Competition.

In the sunbaked Coachella Valley, the service industry hums with an unseen power structure orchestrated by an enigmatic figure known as "The Conch." When Marlee and Maddee, twin swimmers sidelined by the pandemic, return home, they unwittingly become entangled in a web of corruption, organized crime, and deception. As they uncover a sinister operation exploiting local workers and retirees, they must decide whether to challenge the system or become part of it.


This story needs to be told to be out of respect for the Coachella Valley, and the families that struggle to support each other and this sacred land. Those who would take advantage of the vulnerable for any reason must be exposed and stopped. Together, families can overcome any obstacle they face. Sometimes sacrifice is a requirement to the success of the family, but with the right amount of support and love, all trials can be resolved. In the Coachella Valley, there are many families who rely on each other for their very survival. This is a story of those families and how they persevere in spite of the intense heat of the summer and the challenges of desert life.

Marigold, 100 pages, drama.

When a high-achieving USC legacy student and a brilliant Oaxacan migrant team up in a vocational construction class, they must use medieval architectural principles and modern engineering to build a home for a family in need—and prove to their families that legacy is something you build, not something you inherit.

Set in the High Desert, Marigold follows Chelsea Bernstein, a high-achieving "USC legacy" student under immense pressure from her father, Nathaniel, to maintain her elite academic status as an Edison Scholar. Her path intersects with Memo Rojas, a talented Oaxacan migrant, when they enroll in a new vocational construction class led by the spirited entrepreneur Mari Gold Poule, who uses the WICOR methodology to bridge the gap between academic theory and manual labor. Despite Nathaniel’s dismissive view of the trade as blue-collar nonsense, Chelsea and a diverse group of student-engineers known as The Collective apply advanced principles like Ad Quadratum and the "Sacred Cut" to build a modular home for Memo’s family during a harrowing storm. The narrative reaches its climax when Chelsea defies her father’s rigid expectations by choosing the build over her SATs, a decision that ultimately reconciles their fractured relationship and leads to the establishment of Cochran Farms, a permanent community housing lab. The story concludes with Chelsea finding a selfless purpose beyond her inherited legacy, realizing that her true vocation was built for someone else, not for me.

Keepers, 101 pages, melodrama, was the Winner of the 1st Scene Performance at the WildSound Writing and Film Festival, a Finalist at the Santa Barbara Screenplay Awards Diverse Writers Outreach, and Honorable Mention at the Palm Springs Diversity Screenplay Contest.

A burned-out teacher makes a shocking discovery, and an important choice, that forces him to confront his own history as he learns the complexities of forgiveness and unites his family.

This story needs to be told to help people understand the importance of men confronting and processing their father wound so they can become a fully mature man. Jed learning that his father was a hero helps him to better support his grandchildren. Armando returning to his family relieves his sons from their separation trauma.

 This is the shocking episode of the forgetful professor:

Revision, 106 pages, psychological thriller, was a Finalist of the Hollywood Screenplay Contest, a Semi-Finalist of the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards Diversity Initiative, and a Quarter-Finalist of the Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards & Pitchdeck-Sizzle Reel-Trailer

Every writer edits their work - what if you could edit your life? After a horrific childhood trauma, Jack learns an innovative way to suppress his painful memories and break the cycle of violence until he is manipulated into confronting his past. Only his new love, the equally damaged Olivia, can save him.

This story reveals the devastating impact of unhealed trauma and the illusion of control, as Jack’s attempt to forget the unbearable truths of his past distorts his reality—until Olivia’s love breaks the cycle and helps him face what he can no longer outrun.

This is the tale inspired by my own experience during the 1992 Los Angeles uprising:


Get Along, 100 pages, neo-western, was a Nominee (top 3) for Best 1st Time Scriptwriter (feature scripts) at the Script Awards Los Angeles, and a Semi Finalist at the Wiki: The World's Fastest Screenplay Competition.

A diverse neighborhood struggles for survival during the 1992 Los Angeles riot, a period marked by intense violence and civil unrest. Nate, a recent graduate of USC, wants to help the community surrounding his family-owned business in South Central by creating a tutoring center for the local students. However, his efforts and best intentions are met with resistance from Tameron, who’s revolutionary spirit challenges Nate to better understand the deeper issues faced by those he endeavors to support. As tension’s rise, Nate’s grandfather frames his ambition by sharing stories of their ancestors' 1880s journey from Prussia to New Mexico. Together, they navigate one of the most significant days in LA history, witnessing firsthand the power of community resilience amidst chaos. A story of empathy overcoming adversity, weaving hope through time and communities.

This story needs to be told to better understand the tension between works of social entrepreneurship, and those they endeavor to serve. As Nate struggles to find his way in life, his desire to contribute and make a difference in the world is a noble goal. However, Nate makes assumptions and takes actions that offend Tameron, who lives in the community he selects. Bigotry stands in the way of progress and it takes the wisdom of their grandfathers to ease the tension between the two so they can find a common ground to move forward.

This is the love story of a recently widowed public school administrator:


Ed Code, 105 pages, romantic comedy, was a Finalist at the Wiki: The World's Fastest Screenplay Competition

When high school administrator Edward Lehrer faces the tragic loss of his wife and daughter in a car accident, he must navigate the complex dynamics of a small-town high school while confronting his own grief and the moral challenges that arise from his choices, all set against the backdrop of escalating student conflicts and personal dilemmas. 

This story gives permission to grieve and reinforces the importance of feeling the spectrum of emotions surrounding grief as Ed and Roxy lean on each other daily in support of their high school’s students and staff, who travel their emotional recovery journey’s with them.



And finally, a story that advocates for the value of Career and Technical Education:


I am seeking representation and I look forward to meeting with you.



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