Ian Robinson posted on "What's the Power of Stage 32?: Screenwriter Lands Three Paid Gigs after Networking on Stage 32"

Hi Maurice It's a drama called Rough Diamonds and it's set in South Africa starting in the 1960's.

Hey Ian Robinson! Great to have you here! Always happy to connect! Feel free to reach out to me at j.mirch@stage32.com when you are ready!

Hi Maurice

I normally live in South Africa, but I'm in Italy on an organic farm working as a volunteer.

A bit of a short background, if I may: I raced cars (AlfaSud and Formula Ford) in the late seventies and early eighties, I was a Creative Director, I'm a Chef, I was a Front-of-House Manager at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town, we (with my ex-wife, Athena) owned our Gourmet Picnic Restaurant called Horizons with stunning views over the Drakensberg in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal (2004 to 2007), and I run an organic business since 2003.

Onto writing: this is the line which I put in all the promotional material for the book, Rough Diamonds:

Rough Diamonds is dark, gritty, dirty and filthy. It's a killer read... By I D Robinson Fiction. Soon to be coming to the big screen... (It's published on Smashwords)

I've written a fiction book that I believe that has potential to be a movie and a TV production.

There's a two-page synopsis if you'd like to read it? Here it is:

ROUGH DIAMONDS SYNOPSIS

The fiction is set in a mining village and Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa last century (starts in the sixties).

It revolves around the children's grandparents giving three uncut diamonds to the children. Along with those, they give them each a bracelet with their names engraved on. The diamonds and the bracelets are central to the story.

The diamonds are known only to the children, not their parents. The grandparents kept it that way as the father is a drunk and the mother will be susceptible to blurt it out to the father.

While young, tragedy strikes them as a male friend is accidentally killed on a trip to a nearby mountain. The three siblings are in shock, they frantically hurry back down to break the tragic news to the late boy's parents. Jako is demonstrating the three uncut diamonds in the cave and leaves them there for "safekeeping".

There's some funny business between young Jako and ugly-as-hell Madelaine in the tree house, a next door neighbour.

Later, the two brothers and their sister, they're separated in their teens as a result of tragic truck accident on their way to Eshowe to escape the father's increasing gambling debts.

The one brother, named Mike, falls off the truck while taking a pee and bangs his head and loses his memory. A raging inferno destroys what evidence that remains. The parents and driver are burnt to a crisp.

The other one, Jako, and his sister, end up in an orphanage and turns to crime to support his sibling (he has no option) who was badly hurt in the accident. She dies.

The two don't realize the other brother survives the accident.

Mike (with a new name - Philip) was adopted by a rich sugar cane farmer as his background was a mystery. They have beautiful, twin sisters the same age as . Many years later, Phillip as studied law.

Jako is on the run from the orphanage - he ends up in the north, where he catches a small fishing boat by a mean-as-hell Captain. They set sail, but the weather turns foul. Jako is only one to escape with his life and he was washed ashore in four meter, thundering breakers just south of Mozimbique.

In a remote spot, there's a terrorist war raging, he meets up with Chris, a black. They make it to a game reserve and Jako falls in love with Caitlyn. They have a girl, they gave the name of the deceased girl. Then disaster strikes, the family goes for a game drive, Caitlyn was devoured by lions.

Phillip, grown up to a good looking young man, is in quandary to choose between the good looking daughters.

Jako is blackmailed to hand over the diamonds to Madelaine. She ends up being murdered. Jako and his friend, Chris, are charged with murder.

But, the diamonds are at the mountain. Jako commandeers a horse, but as he's grown up, he was stuck in the cave for days. At last, he loses enough weight to escape the underground.

Phillip takes the case, and Jako doesn't realize it's him because he's grown a beard. Eventually, he shaves the beard off, and Jako recognizes him.

The bracelets are changing hands. Chris, tackles the guilty party at the scene of the crime and gets his blood from the guilty party over the bracelet. He turns the bracelet over to Phillip, the lawyer.

Madelaine's husband is guilty of murdering Madelaine. He has a weak personality, and he is raped by one of the men with whom he shares the cell. Severely depressed, he commits suicide. Just before, he admits to the murder of Madelaine, and requests that Jako and his friend, Chris, are freed.

The diamonds are lost in a fire in the township. But, a 10 year old, black girl discovers them, setting up a follow on story.

Ends.

There's a second story which is non-fiction and it's illustrated and it's called SOME PICNIC!. You can see what my writing style is for non-fiction. My writing and concepts (with ideas partly contributed by my ex-wife, Athena, for SOME PICNIC!) is forward thinking .

SOME PICNIC! is tranquil, relaxing and with those remarkable views where you can see all the way to the skyline. After you've dined, it feels as if you could fall asleep in the Horizons Gourmet Picnic environment. You should. It's full of pics and written by Ian Robinson It's a true story. (They're on Smashwords)

Hope you enjoy them.

Thanks Ian

Hi Maurice

Thanks for the compliments.

The word missing is "Phillip". The last sentence is supposed to be "has". Sorry about that and it's good you picked that up.

There are a few reasons for not replying sooner ...

I'm in Italy, not in South Africa, because of the virus.

I'm stuck in the countryside and I don't know how long I'll be here in the countryside.

More importantly, my French SIM card has run out, there's little way to get a new Italian SIM. I've got to arrange transport to the town.

I've got a South African number.

Thanks for sticking it out with me.

Ian

.Ian Robinson - I didn't read your earlier post but this line just grabbed my attention "I'm in Italy, not in South Africa, because of the virus." - THAT is a story you could easily and interestingly tell in a short form personal documentary.