brandi OUT! valerie LEAVES!

brandi OUT! valerie LEAVES!

Nope readers didn’t misread the headline – two original characters: Brandi Brashears Pierce and Valerie Caldwell Marshall have been shown the door and will exit “All Or Nothing” in the coming weeks.

For me this was a difficult decision as I know that I wanted two characters to go and it seemed only natural that one of them would be Valerie. The character also had a similar exit during the original run of AON (2001-2006) when she plummeted to her faux-death in the Brazos River.  Much like right now, I was at a loss for what to do with the character and so I wrote her off the series – Never with the intent to have her return from a watery grave. And before the series ended its 120 episode run that’s just what happened, Valerie reappeared and began tormenting Jillian Malone Marshall who she later had a hand in killing. So why Valerie and when will readers see the character again? Valerie is expandable and even though she has strong ties to the canvas (Bradley, her ex-husband and Josh, her son) she’s serving no storyline purpose. How Valerie exits is still unclear to me, there are two different scenarios about where she goes and two about why she goes there. One thing that I will say is that Valerie is very much alive when she leaves River’s Edge this time.

Brandi Brashears Pierce has lead a troubled life – one that I promise will be explored, but that time isn’t now! Brandi who caused the car accident that killed her best-friend’s son Jered was found guilty of First Degree Homicide by Vehicle for driving while under the influence. A jury of piers in 2005 (River’s Edge time) sentenced her to 25 years in prison, of which she has served 5. For me personally the five year jumped worked so well for Brandi’s character, because there is no way she could have went free after what she has done to Natasha and her family. Brandi’s exit comes in late February/early March when Natasha comes face-to-face with Brandi for the first time in five years! There’s a lot of hate between these two women and I like to think a very small dash of love! This will be an epic showdown because Brandi will exit with a bang – and gives as good as a vengeful Natasha can give. While Valerie’s exit is more long term with occasional recurring visits (after all she does know Jillian had a secret when she died) Brandi will be back in full force ready to take on the entire state of Texas, especially when she gets the proof she needs to blackmail someone!

Thoughts? Comments? Is there a topic you would like me to cover in my Behind-the-Scenes blog…just leave a comment or shoot me an email at josh@aondrama.com

Until next time, step to the edge and leap…

behind the scenes…

behind the scenes…episode 006

YAY! January 2010 and I have two new episodes under my belt for All Or Nothing!! It was so much fun writing this episode that I began while I was in Oklahoma visiting family and friends a few weeks ago. So let’s dish:

Gregory/Megan

I absolutely love this pairing and I’ll be honest it was a shock to even me when I paired these two up. Readers may or may not be aware but the characters of Brittany, Ryan, Megan and Douglas Richmond (who is off the canvas currently) came from a writer I met in 2001 named Richie. He wrote a webseries titled, “The Lives We Live” and it revolved around families in the New England town of Watersdale. When he decided to stop writing his series he sent the foursome over to River’s Edge. Megan has been one of those supporting characters who lived through other people’s actions, Brittany’s mental break and Ryan’s sexuality. Now however she is poised to become one of the most powerful women in River’s Edge as Mrs. Gregory Holloway…if her and Gregory make it to Las Vegas!

Justin/Angela

WTF? So yeah – I think this pairing has me questioning what is going on? I like the shock value they have hopefully brought to the series but other than that…their pairing is falling flat! Even though I sent readers down this doomed storyline, I’m going to reward them with follow through and fallout! PS: It’s beginning!

Mysterious Motel/Mysterious Suicide

Who is this mysterious man? What’s he doing in this rundown motel? Why does he have a Christmas gift from Phillip Bradshaw and a gun!? The answers that readers seek will all in due time be answered. The answers for the most part are answered in Episode 008 and this sets the stage for an epic boardroom battle that will pit The Bradshaw Corporation against King Fashion. This out of the blue suicide is setting the stage for a great storyline with long legs!!

Best of the Rest

Nicholas proposal!
Madison Banning’s arrival!

Thoughts? Comments?

Until next time, step to the edge and leap…

welcome home…

Originally Posted: April 30, 2009

You never know how long these things are going to lat! I certainly didn’t imagine that when I created “All Or Nothing in 2001 that I would still be writing the stories of these characters almost eight years later but low-and-behold here we are! I want to scream it from the proverbial rooftops…”ALL OR NOTHING IS BACK!!”

When I last left these characters in 2006 they were much like me at a turning point in all of their lives…those stories will be rehashed over time. But it was always like something wasn’t completed for me in terms of these people that I had grew to know over the years. I created “AON” in 2001 because I lacked something I think a lot of writers do, I was an awkward kid living in a world that I thought was quite frankly screwed up. I created a world in which I could escape and in that world I wanted to create people that I knew in my own life. I wanted to create people that I would be friends with (Jodi Bradshaw) and create people who I hated and then do bad, bad things to them, Clarissa Bryant anymore? She was murdered!

The more I got to know the people of River’s Edge the more I started resenting them for behing around and I got tired of seeing them and in 2006 I moved away from River’s Edge. Earlier this year when I was pushed by something to sit down and get to work. Before I knew it I had a 12 page outline of a story that will show the writers in daytime that just because you’re over the age of 50 you can still drive story and be leading lady in this genre that is sadly on life support. From the writing came the design of a beautiful new website that I hope readers think is elegant and class.

There is so much in store for the people of River’s Edge that readers truly have no idea what this journey is about do for not only me as a writer but to the characters that I came to love in 2001. I’ve stayed true to who they were then and who they will become now.

I hope that you will join me for this journey as we meet new faces and reacquaint ourselves with the ones we’ve come to know and love.

Until next time, step to the edge and leap…