How did you come up with the idea for your screenplay?

I had heard a V.P. of Development say in a Screenwriters Online class that she would love to read a good Satan script. I thought maybe I should be able to do something with that as I had studied theology as a member of a Roman Catholic teaching order, the Christian Brothers. I came across an Internet article posing the question, Can one call heaven on a cell phone? I thought, well, that's it, my guy gets a call from the devil on his cell phone and he can't get rid of him. My devil would be sort of a telemarketer from hell.

What or who was your inspiration?

Faust's Mephistopheles was always a favorite character from my college days. He's the perfect vehicle for vain, materialistic values. And it doesn't hurt that he has a sense of humor.

Also, the Virginia Tech massacre was in the news at the time of the writing, and I have always been struck, going back to John Wilkes Booth, how the desire for fame has played a part in these tragedies.

How long did it take for you to write your script?

NO REST FOR THE WICKED was written in a fever of 28 days, but it took me thirty years of plotting along before I could get to that kind of writing experience, where things came more from the unconscious than the conscious. Upon finishing it, I had to wonder what it was and whether it should be sent out or kept in a locked drawer.

What were some of the challenges that you faced during the writing process?

The challenges for NO REST FOR THE WICKED came after it was written, trying to find a place for a screenplay heavy with Christian themes and images. Thank God for Christian ScreenWrite! It has made all the difference.

What is your writing background?

I reviewed screenwriting books for Creative Screenwriting in the magazine's first six years.

Do you have formal training as a writer?

I have a master's degree in Telecommunications and Film from San Diego State University where I took classes in screenwriting. I've also taken many other class and seminars, but sooner or later I find myself gravitating back to the old books, the playwriting classics. Personally, I feel Edward Mabley's Dramatic Construction is one of the most important books ever written on the subject.

Do you have advice for other writers who are dealing with Christian themes?

NO REST FOR THE WICKED was intentionally written for a micro budget. On a personal level, I don't believe big budget productions can risk themes consistent with the spirit of the gospel in any kind of significant way. I think young writers today concerned with Christian themes would do well to keep one eye on the emerging technologies.