Great Times at the 2016 Camden Comic Con

                                                          

I’ve been to several Comic Cons on the east coast, but my all-time favorite is the one hosted by Rutgers in Camden New Jersey. Bill Haas and his team do an outstanding job of making sure the event runs in a smooth and organized way at the Camden Comic Con.  

                                                                

I was so fortunate to have my favorite sidekick at my side for this event. Dawn Byrnes and I have been doing book signings together for several years, starting with selling our writing group’s first anthology, Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey. Dawn has several stories published and she’s hoping to have her novel finished by the summer of 2017. Check out her blog and check out the South Jersey Writers’ Group site.

                                                                      

I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a Comic Con, but they are so much fun. People wear costumes of their favorite video, comic book or television characters and these fans put a lot of effort and time into making their costumes. We also some really cool vendors at the event.
                                                            

 
The young lady sitting at the table next to us was an Anime Artist named Kathy. Her work was fabulous and she had a steady stream of customers the whole day. Here is her site. Check it out.

                                                             

I sold a lot of books and made new friends. Thank you Beatriz for buying my books.  Dawn and I also met some cool visitors, Jeff Cleve, actor and puppeteer and, Tania Ann Monica, a model and actress.
                                                                                                    

                                                           

The busiest table at the Comic Con was manned by the pop culture duo, Glenn Walker and Ray Cornwall of The Gar Podcast. Glenn Walker is also the Editor-in-Chief of the pop culture site Biff Bam Pop! Glenn is also on the board of directors for the South Jersey Writers’ Group. Glenn, Ray and Jeff did ten hours of interviews including one with me and Director Christopher Eilenstine.
                                                            

As the senior writer for Biff Bam Pop, I’ve interviewed Chris on The Soulless Film here and the upcoming Shadows of the Forest and, I am one of the screenwriters for Shadows of the Forest. Thanks to Glenn, Ray and Christopher, I now have a movie deal for Roof Oasis. Like I said, great things happen at the Camden Comic Con and I’ll be looking for your visit next year.
                                                           

                                                       
So, yeah it was a great day, but the moment that touched me the most was when two girls from Pennsauken High School stopped in to say hello to me. For the last two years, I've been invited to the high school to talk to the students about writing. I usually spend the whole morning speaking to the junior classes.

Anyone who puts down the kids today should head over to the Pennsauken High School. These young men and  young ladies were well behaved, intelligent, curious and interested in what is happening in the world. They're much smarter than I ever was in junior year. Check out The Gar Podcast later in the week to listen to the interviews from the Comic Con.

 

Shadows of the Forest Indigogo is Live

                                                           

Exciting news for all my friends who ever wondered what's involved with making a film. Shadow of the Forest is Director Chris Eilenstine's creation.
                                                        

Shadows of the Forest is a dark fantasy and stars Edward X. Young, Nicolette Marie Davis, Mak Lowrey, Lori Reed, Brandon Allentoff, Sharon Smith, Bob Cleary and Michael Kay. Check out the IMDb page to see all the actors and actresses who will be in the film. Here is the link to an interview that I did for the film

"A best friend can enter our lives at any time. They can come from anywhere...and in any form."

I am so honored to be part of this film, but we'll need your help to make this happen.

Shadows of the Forest

                                                                

Keep your eyes open for information on the new film by Christopher Eilenstine. Shadows of the Forest is a horror fantasy and it's going to be different than anything you've seen before.

Fundraising will begin soon and updates will be coming as the filming continues

Steampunk Granny Chats with Shadows of the Forest, Michael Kay

                                                          

I met Michael Kay a few months ago when Director Christopher Eilenstine held the first cast reading meeting in Long Branch, New Jersey. Michael is one of the screenwriters and he plays that part of Johnlah in the upcoming film, Shadows of the Forest, which is a fantasy horror film.

Granny: “Hi Michael, nice to chat with you on Skype. I guess my first question is, how did you get involved with Christopher Eilenstine’s newest film?”

Michael Kay: “I actually got involved with Shadows of the Forest through Nicolette Davis who is playing the part of Heather. She and I had done a Shrek Musical together and, through Nicolette and her mother, I ended up meeting Chris.

Chris invited me to do pick up scenes on his previous project The Soulless and from there we struck up a good friendship. When Chris told me about Shadows of the Forest, I was brought in to do the writing along with you and Nick Kisella.”

Granny: “Michael, can you tell me a little bit about the part you are playing in the film?”

Michael Kay: “I play the part of Johnlah, who is Scaretina’s father. Johnlah is responsible for educating the younger shadows. He is responsible for training them on how to fend for themselves and to take care of each other. He is somber character. When he speaks, you know to pay attention because you don’t want to be on his bad side. Johnlah is very caring, but he is specific about doing what is best for the group.”

Granny: “I hadn’t realized that Johnlah was Scaretina’s father.”

Michael Kay: “We don’t directly come out and say it, but the way these creatures interact is not the same as being a husband, wife, or child. With these creatures, basically, the entire group is taking care of everyone else. When we came up with the background in regards to these creatures, I did a lot of research in regards to Native American history, and particularly, in New Jersey and looked at the ways that tribe would interact and care for each other.
                                                              

                                                            

Along with this research, I began to check the myths and different elements of the Jersey Devil because this creature has always popped up in the history of our state and there is no officially agreement of what this creature really looks like. The Jersey Devil is always pictured as a large creature and, we end up writing that into the story with the background of these creatures, Shadaohs, and that they are able to shape shift. They are able to take on the forms of any animal that they come in contact with and they are able to control vegetation; taking on the properties of vegetation in order to conceal themselves.”

Granny: “How did you prepare for your part as Johnlah?”

Michael Kay: “When Chris first thought of the character of Johnlah, he was originally going to be a large, old creature; like a guard dog for the Shadaohs. When the time came where Chris was finalizing the script, he evolved the character into a whole persona. Since that time of the first script reading, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about the character and, what his drives or goals would be.

Once this project is done and, I don’t know if this will be done in film or novel form, but there are additional stories now being developed with the first being a prequel called, “The Scars of Johnlah.” This will give us more background on Johnlah and how he got to where he is in the tribe. Working with all these new ideas has made the character of Johnlah stronger, realer for me where I find myself making these slight adjustments to my own personality in the way I handle people and events.

I’m in Pennsylvania right now visiting my girlfriend and I went for a walk along the Delaware Canal. I was connecting with nature the entire time, absorbing this while in the Johnlah mindset.”

Granny: “I understand perfectly having worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia; you do find yourself looking at the world differently. I can see how connecting with nature helps you with your character’s ways.”

                                     Mac              Edward   Nicolette

Michael Kay: “Yes it does, and I’m really excited about this whole project and I truly love it. Casting has come together really well. I work with Christopher Eilenstine on a regular basis. He’s given me additional responsibilities like getting the word out about this film; basically banging the pots and pans together.

Granny: “It makes sense when promoting an Independent Film to do what you call “banging the pots and pans together” and getting the word out there. Congratulations on becoming the production manager, Michael! What are your duties in your new role?”

Michael Kay: “Essentially, anything that Chris needs done, I’ll be making myself available in order to help people put their whole heart into this film. I just got in touch with a cast member Sarah Elizabeth Chapin who is playing Anderina, the Queen of the Shadaohs. We will be going over the background of how these creatures interact. This is going to be exciting.

Brandon Allentoff, who plays the character of Brian Fischer, is very into his character and the girls, Mackenzie and Nicolette have been knocking it out of the park with everything that they’ve been doing and they are very excited with their parts. Edward X Young, I love this man’s stuff. He is so great and whenever we get together it is always a good experience.

                                                             

Last week, Christopher, Brandon, Edward and I went to Connecticut to audition someone for a role. It was a great bonding experience. The more people we get involved, the more it will be like this for everyone.

But back to my responsibilities, this week is the Asbury Zombie Walk, Chris and I will be looking for additional make-up artists and, I’m contacting people I know and bringing them into the project.”

Granny: “I’ll be at the next cast reading on November 7^th and I know Christopher has already done some publicity shots, but when does the actual filming of Shadows of the Forest begin?”

Michael Kay: “Christopher has already done work on a teaser trailer for the Indigo Website, Facebook and for our website once it’s up. I helped by setting up the costumes for the creatures. We will be officially starting directly after the cast reading and throughout the holidays and, I think into March or April. Because of the girls and their school work, we will be shooting mostly on weekends, plus both are currently working in plays right now.

The ultimate goal is to have everything completed and available to people by October 2016.

Granny: “Before I end this interview, let me ask you about the Indigo Kickstarter. When will this start?

Michael Kay: “Chris wants this done by the time this article goes. Once the Kickstarter is up, people can see what the film is about and what we’re doing so they can contribute. The make-up for the Shadaohs will be very detailed. We want people to see the creatures and say, “That’s amazing.”

Granny: “Any last words for my readers about the film? Why would they want to contribute and support this project?”
                                        

Michael Kay: “Christopher has always said this film is ET meets Pan’s Labyrinth and I agree 100%. It’s a great story about two girls from two different worlds bonding with each other, bonding with family and, identifying who the real villain is. We’re seeing this from all sides and going into the heart of the story. And, I promise you are going to cry at the end of the story. We’ll probably be shooting for a PG-13 rating, but kids and adults will love the film.”

                                                                   

Granny: “Thank you, Michael. See you at the next cast reading.”

I’ll keep my readers updated on Shadows of the Forest both here on my blog and on Biff Bam Pop.  See you later, my little Shadaohs.

You can read the interview I did with Chris, Brandon and Mac, here.

Steampunk Granny's Talks About Shadows of the Forest a Chris Eilenstine Film

                                                       

                                           

There is a fabulous Independent Director out there named Christopher Eilenstine. I've done several interviews here and here on Christopher's movie, The Soulless, which I consider a damn great film. Last year, I had the pleasure of attending my very first Red Carpet Premier of The Soulless Part One. It was awesome and you can read about my experience, here.

                   At the Shadows of the Forest Script Reading                                      

Over time, Christopher and I become friends and he introduced me to so many talented actors and actresses. I had the chance to interview a few, like Joe Parascand, Jason Propst and Kaylin Iannone. I became a strong supporter of Independent Films because of my connection with Christopher and Joe.

Recently, I was asked by Christopher to be one of the writers for a new film he is working on. It's called, Shadows of the Forest. I won't give away too much about the film, but I can share the teaser.  Here is the IMDb for the film.

Shadows of the Forest teaser
A teaser for the film.
Posted by Shadows of the Forest on Sunday, November 23, 2014

Christopher assigned three writers to work on the screenwriting with him, Nick Kisella, Michael Kay and little ole Steampunk Granny. Here is the IMDb .

                                 Makenzie                              Nicolette                                  

Christopher picked a day for the cast and special effects team and writers to meet for the first reading of the script. This was a real education for me because I had never done this before. I was plenty nervous and didn't know what to expect. Christopher had everything set up including snacks for the long afternoon ahead of us. It was amazing to watch the story come together as the two young actresses Nicolette Davis and Mak Lowrey along with the other cast members brought the words on the pages alive with emotion.

                                                            

                                                                                                                            
I'll share some of the photos taken that wonderful afternoon and you can keep informed on the progress of the film by following the Shadows of the Forest Facebook page  

Catching Up with Steampunk Granny

                                                      

I'm sending out a great big Christmas and Hanukah wish to all my family and friends! 

                                                           

I’ve been more than busy this past year and this past month has been a whirlwind of activities. Christmas shopping for the family has always been handled like a triathlon by me because I have such a large family with around twelve of us celebrating our birthdays on the first two weeks of December. My marine grandson, Jimmy is coming home with his true love for the holidays and we can’t wait to see him and meet the girl who is making him walk on clouds.

                                                                    

My husband is healing from his last medical adventure. We have a new dog named LeLe, and our Chihuahuas Godzilla and Snowflake have accepted her with open paws. The dog likes to play pool with Nathan and me.

                                                               

                                                                        

Three great things happened to me this month.

I’m working on the second book of the Roof Oasis series and I have just been informed that my vampire story, New Home, is being published in the Babes and Beasts Anthology. I’m so excited about this. More information will follow in the coming weeks.

                                                             

I was chosen as “Writer of the Year by the South Jersey Writer’s Group of which I am a member.

                                                                  

I was asked by Director Christopher Eilenstine to be a writer in his new horror film Shadows of the Forest. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4228058/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk2

                                                             

I became friends with an Independent Director, Christopher Eilenstine and the actors of his film, The Soulless. http://biffbampop.com/2013/11/21/director-christopher-eilenstine-talks-about-a-new-zombie-film-the-soulless/ and here: http://biffbampop.com/2013/11/23/interview-with-the-soulless-director-christopher-eilenstine-part-two/

Andy Burns of the Canadian Pop Culture site, Biff Bam Pop not only has me doing weekly recaps of extremely popular shows, but also some pretty amazing interviews on  his site. You can check it out here: http://biffbampop.com/category/interview/  Thank you Andy.

                                                                

 
I am doing more ghost investigations and have posted them on my blog. If you have ghosts, call me.  http://gilbertcuriosities.blogspot.com/2014/12/steampunk-grannys-latest-ghost.html

I’ve been blessed with a loving family and awesome loyal friends and, to tell you the truth, isn’t that really what life is all about; to love and be loved. Sending all my family and friends a hug and kiss for the Holidays. Love you all 

Steampunk Granny's Interview of The Soulless Star, Jason Propst

                                                          

I had the honor of meeting Jason at the premier of The Soulless Part One a few months ago. Jason plays one of the lead characters in this apocalyptic film directed by Christopher Eilenstine. He plays the part of David Peterson, father of Nicole Peterson. Nicole was played by three different actresses over the course of the film starting with Carlee Iannone in the opening scene, Kaylin Iannone at age 12 and finally Jennifer Teska as Nicole age 24. Join me now as we learn more about Jason Propst.

Marie Gilbert:  Jason, please tell my readers a little bit about you.

Jason Propst: I was born in Detroit, though moved to Florida at a very young age and lived somewhat transiently with my mother and brother - throughout the state - until I moved to NYC at about 17 years old.  Back and forth from Florida to NYC, I eventually moved to Italy for a couple of years, then various cities throughout Europe, working in the fashion business.

 

                                                                       

Marie Gilbert: You were in the fashion business?

Jason Propst: Well, one day while I was in New York, someone from the Ford Agency stopped me and asked me if I wanted to model. I wasn’t completely interested, but then he followed up with would you want to go to Italy in January? Of course that sounded exciting and so I ended up going to Italy and got involved with modeling. I went to Milan for the first show season, did some shows and ended up staying in Milan. Italy is incredible. Then I met some other agents and went to Germany and Paris, just traveling Europe a little bit. It was a very exciting time in my life.

After Europe I moved to Martha’s Vineyard, then Vail, CO.  I worked as a bartender and carpenter and went back and forth, seasonally, several years until moving to San Diego. After 2 years-ish in San Diego, I moved back to NYC for another year or so, then floated around between Vail, FL, the Vineyard, Boston, NYC, and a brief stint in Paris, some time in Huntington Beach, Los Angeles… I’m sure I’m forgetting a few others.  You get the point… restless bones.  Although I loved all the places I’ve been, they never really felt like home.  At some point I decided Vail would be my home, perhaps triggered by the birth of my daughter, and now that I’m back here I’ve never been happier.

I now own a business selling/installing design conscious building products.  Designing and building have always been a passion so I’m fortunate to have found something that encapsulates those components.  Building a brand is a special feeling.  It’s your own creation, not so different from a child, though also very, very different.  It’s another type of love.  So I’m no longer working… I’m living.  It’s an extraordinary sensation.

 

                         Jason Propst with actress Kaylin Iannone in The Soulless                                 

Marie Gilbert: No father in the picture?

Jason Propst: No father, but I did find him when I was twenty-one for the first time, but opted not to meet him for various reasons.

Marie Gilbert: Are you married? How many children?

Jason Propst: I’m not officially married but I have two kids, Jezebel and Saunder and live with my partner, Gabrielle. Jezebel just started kindergarten and Saunders starts next year.

Marie Gilbert: Were you always interested in acting?

 

Jason Propst: I’ve always been interesting in writing.  I love developing characters and visualizing locations and events.  It’s invigorating to invent situations and put it down on paper.  I get bored very easily though and there’s always a better story just beyond the one I begin - so finishing hasn’t been my strong suit.  However, there is a character that’s been with me for years.  Lately, she’s all I think about when I go to bed.  I have hopes of sharing her someday.

As far as acting goes, I’ve been drawn to it since my first trip to NYC.  I went to HB Studios, then from this recommended coach to that one.  Every town I went had a coach to inspire me.  I went to quite a few acting schools… several in California, several in NYC and one in NJ.  It was always a lot of fun, but I was young and insecure and auditions never went well.  I gave up acting after yet another nauseating audition in LA.  I didn’t want to feel sick to my stomach anymore.  I was well into my 30s before I felt comfortable with myself and fell back into Community Theater.

                                                          

Marie Gilbert: What drew you to work in the Soulless?

 

Jason Propst: I did a play with an actor, Steve Hirsekorn, who was also filming a movie at the time.  Steve asked me if I’d like to play a short role in his film and I was thrilled.  Chris Eilenstine was filming that movie.  Shortly after that, Chris called and offered me the role of David Peterson.  There wasn’t a formal script, so I was a bit nervous going in.  I wasn’t sure who the character would be.  But the opportunity to work on the craft was exciting, a zombie film? Awesome. A father? I’m a father… what a great tool to grow.  There were many factors… and most of them thrilling.

Marie Gilbert: Were you a zombie fan before starring in The Soulless? Did you watch a lot of zombie movies?

Jason Propst: No, there was a movie a while back called Body Snatchers, which I liked.  It had a Rock & Roll style to it.  It wasn't exactly zombies, but a similar type of thrill.  But that was ages ago, maybe 1993... beyond that, I wasn’t into that culture at all. 

Marie Gilbert: Was it hard doing a zombie film? If no then why and if yes...why?

 

Jason Propst: Zombie films are amazing b/c there is a large demographic of incredible people enveloped in this culture.  They bring things to the table that other genres of movies could never dream of obtaining.  For example, if Chris posted a call for zombies, he could have a dozen to fifty show up – half of them in full gear; waiting for makeup at 8am in 25 degree weather.  Try that with a romantic comedy and you’ll be standing in the cold, with only your best friends – if they had the time for you.  And this culture doesn’t stop at “cut.”  They take it home with them, they go to shows, create zombie dolls… it’s truly unique to horror.

 

All that being said, I’m not sure I would say it was hard, specific to a zombie film.  Characters have definitely come easier to me than David Peterson.  But it was more about raising a daughter in an apocalyptic world, than about zombies.  In that sense it was challenging.  The zombies were just color.

Marie Gilbert: Now that you’ve been in an Independent zombie movie that’s going places, are you now looking at other zombie movies and shows differently? 

Jason Propst: Yes, quite a bit. Well like I said, I really didn’t have any experiences with zombie films, but lately I’ve started watching “The Walking Dead” through Netflix. I’ve heard a lot about the show while I was filming this movie and I thought it would be interesting to watch... and it is. It’s a bit addicting and I love the show.

Marie Gilbert: Oh yeah. I write the weekly recap of “The Walking Dead” for Biff Bam Pop and yes, it’s addicting.

Jason Propst: Yep and beyond that I’ve watched World War Z when it came out. The similarity within The Soulless and “The Walking Dead” is the drama involved. The fact that there is drama involved gives it that addictive tone, whereas with movies like World War Z, it’s almost exclusively about the adventure.

Marie Gilbert: With the zombies in World War Z, you don’t identify with them like in The Soulless.

Jason Propst: Right.

Marie Gilbert: What was it like to work for Director Chris Eilenstein? 

 

Jason Propst: Chris has something that I’ve seen in very few people; the tenacity to push forward regardless of the obstacles.  That is something I strongly admire about him.  He had this vision (albeit an amorphous vision at times, which is why we now have a trilogy on our hands) to communicate. 

 

                                                                   

And his drive to lay this vision on film was strong enough to push his family, his actors, his crew and producers to over a year of work.  I, myself, had committed to quitting several times because it was taking a tremendous amount of time; way longer than anticipated (another reason we now have a trilogy on our hands).  In the end, one of the factors that kept me going was his tenacity and will to succeed and, of course, the story.

Marie Gilbert: You had to work with three different actresses who played the part of Nicole Peterson, I’m not sure of Kaylin’s little sister’s name, but you worked with her, Kaylin Iannone and Jennifer Teska. Was it hard to adjust to their different acting styles?

 

                                                                   

Jason Propst: My first scene was with Kaylin.  We never even spoke.  We were thrust into this ice cream scene on Z Day and I had no idea how to relate to her.  It was completely awkward for me.  It took a while to get comfortable with her.  I couldn’t say exactly when it happened, but our relationship eventually developed into a boisterous friendship.  So unruly, in fact, that at times I longed for the good old days when it was just awkward. So riotous, actually, that I had to move almost 2000 miles away to retain my sanity.  And now that it’s getting drudged up again I may need to call my therapist.  I love her.

 

                                                                  

Jennifer.  So easy to relate to and work with her.  From the first scene I realized that she was going to make it much easier for me.  Although I have yet to see that scene, it created the type of father-daughter relationship we would have throughout the film; the bond that we would share, in spite of the characters we stumbled across; and the way we related to the rest of the cast and crew.  There was no adjustment… it was immediate chemistry.

 

                                                                         

Carlee and I only had a few scenes together.  The only adjustment I had to make was to rise to her level of commitment.  She was incredible and brought me to tears on our first scene (I think it was our first scene) together.  Then, in the park scene it was easy to think of her as my daughter.  She was so adorable.  Although, in the last few days of our association I recall a little Kaylin coming out in her and I fear for people.  Seriously… 2 of them?!!  Forget zombies.  There are Iannones out there!   I love them.

Marie Gilbert: If this film is picked up by a Network, would you be willing to travel to the filming location, especially if it’s a hit?

 

Jason Propst: There’s a whole lot of ambiguity in that question given the sacrifices I’ve made to get where I am now.  Certainly if everything fit I would love to work with everyone again and would welcome the opportunity to hone in on David Peterson with even more depth and insight.  I’ve made a lot of commitments here and I so love it.  It would be tough.

Marie Gilbert: Did you do MacGuffin before or after The Soulless?

Jason Propst: I did it before The Soulless. I was in Community Theatre ever since we came back to the East coast and I was doing a play with the writer/director of MacGuffin, Steve Hirsekorn. He had seen one of the earlier plays that I did and we talked about a mutual collaboration early on and I can’t remember if MacGuffin was before or after the play we did, but inevitably I did do a scene in the movie. It was fun. The girl playing opposite of me was Rebeca Spiro and I actually pulled her into a little short film that some friends of mine were doing later on. So yes, there is a community. It’s a circle.

 

                                                                             

Marie Gilbert: Are you doing any acting in Colorado?

Jason Propst: Vail is a ski resort but there is a theatre that I contacted when I moved here, the Vail Valley Theater Company.  I just missed auditions for Chicago, which is probably for the best since my singing voice really only shines in the shower and the occasional karaoke bar. I can audition when the next show comes up, but it’s only one and it’s not like New York or New Jersey where they are everywhere and you can just call up anytime you want...so there are limited opportunities as far as that goes. I have aspirations to act, but no time. There is just too much going on in Vail in the summer… rafting, hiking, wakeboarding, SUPing, biking, skating… on and on.  The kids are so happy and I’m so exhausted. 

Marie Gilbert: What are your feelings about Independent Films?

Jason Propst: I love independent films.  I generally prefer them because I love watching talented people I’ve never seen (or have seen very little).  There are so many gifted actors, directors, writers, etc. and the more I experience, the better my life… in acting, writing, creating, or what have you… also it’s important to support independents if only to embolden those would-be creators to go for it.  I like a good blockbuster as much as the next guy… but I feel special when I’m watching an independent.  I feel like I’m a part of something that the masses are not.  Independents make me feel ever-so-slightly more unique… don’t ask me why that matters… conditioning perhaps… but that’s the effect.

Marie Gilbert: You mentioned earlier that you were interested in writing. Could you tell us about the story you’re working on?

Jason Propst: The story that I’m working on is science fiction with a strong helping of drama and existentialism. It's another world entirely.  Architecture is different, transportation is different... even varying degrees of gravity, which changes innovation and technology, as well as politics, mentality, strengths and weaknesses... virtually everything is affected.  That is why it's been such a mainstay in my creative warehouse.  I can change anything.  Then I learn to recognize how those changes affect everything else.  It's a barrage of epiphanies and excitement.  I have a few chapters written, but they are incessantly changing.  I took a Creative Writing Class to help me extrapolate the main character and develop her more in the story.  Positive feedback makes it even more exciting.

Marie Gilbert: Do you have a title for the book, yet?

Jason Propst: The working title is “The La La Room.  It delves into a father-daughter relationship much like The Soulless, but there is also a son… and they may not be entirely related.  I guess you’ll have to wait and see.  That is to say, I’ll have to wait and see.

Marie Gilbert: That is so great and I’m wishing you luck as a writer and if you ever want me to read it for my point of view, let me know. Are you thinking of joining a writer’s group in Colorado?

Jason Propst: Well, you know I just started a business out here and we haven’t actually opened yet. We’re getting a lot of our products from Italy, so things take a while to get to the showroom and it’s a work in progress designing the showroom and that’s taking up most of my time.

But, that is a great idea and I will probably join soon.

Marie Gilbert: Because then you won’t feel isolated in your writing and I felt that joining a writers’ group was the best thing I ever did.

Jason Propst: Yeah and it motivates you to prepare something for the group as well. It gives you deadlines.  That helps me quite a bit.

Marie Gilbert: Tell me more about your business?

Jason Propst:  My partner and I sell design conscious building products. We sell Italian kitchens, doors, floors, appliances, windows, hand-crafted carpet – almost everything one needs to finish a home or space. Our floors are from Norway, German carpet, Italian windows and cabinets… modular homes from Finland, etc.  We aim to find the products that have value and aren’t offered anywhere else.

Marie Gilbert: You’re products are different?

Jason Propst: Yes, our kitchens for example… there is one other company in the U.S. that provides these kitchens - located in Miami.  And, with our doors, the only other company that provides these doors is located in New York.  So, we source these amazing products, get exclusivity in our market and the products sell themselves.  The Vail market is high-end… but we’ve noticed that people aren’t looking for brands as much as value.  Our products are the best in the world, but many aren’t established brands yet.   Therein lies the value.

Marie Gilbert: That’s awesome and I wish you the best of luck.

Jason Propst: Yes it’s going tremendous even before we’ve opened up our doors. It’s just a rocket ship.

Marie Gilbert: Do you have a Web page that I can share with our readers?

 

                                                                  

Jason Propst: Yes, it’s www.yournewbox.com

Marie Gilbert: I’ll share the link so people in your area will read this. Whenever I’ve seen cabinets, floors and buildings from Europe, I just feel that they’re made better. There is no wasted space.

 

                                                                          

Jason Propst: They are miles ahead of us as far as design goes and as far as craftsmanship goes, when you touch and feel it, it’s just worlds apart. We do offer domestic cabinets and commodity products so people can see the difference.

Marie Gilbert: I’m so excited for you, Jason, and I’m wishing you the best with your business and your writing.

Jason Propst: Thanks Marie.  I wish you all the best as well.