Tony Domaille talks to us about his involvement with The Best of CafeLit 13

 

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How did you first get to know CafeLit?
I first read about Café Lit in Writing Magazine and when I had a look I was hooked.
  

What do you like about it?
There may be other examples, but I don’t know of an outlet with such an eclectic mix of stories. I love the variety

Tell us a little about the story or stories you have in the volume.
I have two stories in Best of Café Lit 13. 'A Gradual Release' is a comic tale of a serial killer coming up for parole, and really not wanting to be released. And 'Wildlife' sees a couple finding danger they never wanted on a safari holiday.

Why did you pick those  particular drinks?  
Bloody Mary for 'A Gradual Release' seemed appropriate for as serial killer story.
Dakari for 'Wildlife' seemed exotic and reminded me of the old TV programme Daktari set in Africa.

Do you have a favourite “Creative Cafe”?
Yes. CaféLit !

Do you write in cafes? 
I don’t write in cafes or public places because I’m far too easily distracted by people watching. And if I see someone writing in a café I can’t stop watching them, so how would I write anything myself?  

What are you working on now?
I’m halfway through writing my fourth full-length play. It’s a time travel story with a man having the opportunity to change his past. But if he does, what might he gain and what might he lose? It’s called The Thing About Time and should be finished later this year.

Do you have any writing news?
I have a collection of short stories recently published on Amazon. I Know a Place has a couple of dozen stories previously featured in a number of anthologies from a range of publishers. I thought it was time they appeared in one volume instead of so many!
I KNOW A PLACE: The Anthologies Collection: Amazon.co.uk: Domaille, Tony: 9798879407044: Books
 

Lazy Bee Scripts are about to publish my forty-first script, Early Grave. It’s a short comedy and all my award-winning and best-selling scripts can be found here –
Tony Domaille (lazybeescripts.co.uk)
 

My Derek Jacobi Award winning play Even Numbers is the Northern Ireland representation at the British One Act Finals in Perth, Scotland, this July. 

Fantastic, thank you.  

Tony Domaille talks to us today about The Script Challenge

 

Why did you pick this a particular story for creating your script?

 

It’s really quite an ask to tell a whole story on stage in ten minutes. The idea of a man, down on his luck, combined with a last moment reveal as a ghost story, seemed like a good choice.

 

What was the biggest challenge in turning this into a script?

 

In a short story we look to show and not tell.  On stage, it’s much more about what is said through convincing dialogue, so the big challenge is moving much of a story from mostly prose to only speech.

 

Has your script been performed or have you any plans  for this?

 

Not yet! But I run a tiny production company and the play will be part of an evening entitled ‘And the Winner is…’  where several of my award-winning short plays will make up an evening of entertainment. We are also considering a video short for release on the Internet.

 

Where would you like to see it performed?

 

We produce evenings of short plays in hotel, café and pub settings and Star Gazing would play well in the environment.  But I’d be happy to see the play staged anywhere.

 

Could you tell us which well-known actors you would like to see performing your script and why?

 

Ah, now there’s a dream!   Michael to be played by the brilliant Stephen Graham.  Delores by Sheila Ferguson (of The Three Degrees fame) and Eddie by my brother, Phil, so I could see him act with the best!

 

Do you have any more plans for similar scripts?

 

I have written a number of ten-minute plays that started life as short stories, and even more that were always straight to stage ideas.  I have eighteen published by Lazy Bee Scripts, Pint Size Plays, Stage-Write Plays and Ilkley Playhouse, as well as Star Gazing being published in The Script Challenge.  I have also published a collection of shorts and monologues on Amazon.  It’s a form I love, and I think I will always come up with more.

 

A conversation with Tony Domaille, a contributor to The Best of CafeLit 11

 

How did you come to write for CafeLit?

I take Writing Magazine every month and saw a call for stories in the Writer’s News section just as the pandemic began. Writing for a new outlet to me was great during those periods of lockdown.

What do you most like about CafeLit?

It’s so varied and eclectic. I can’t think of another ezine or magazine that publishes all genres and provides something new and surprising every day.

What else do you write?

I write mostly for the stage and have a number of award winning full-length, one act, and short dramas and comedies published by Lazy Bee Scripts and other publishers.  I’m lucky enough to have had my work produced in eighteen countries, from USA to Australia, as well as on BBC Radio.

Where can we find more of your work?

I write short stories for Your Cat Magazine and People’s Friend and have also had a number of stories included in multi-author anthologies.  I’ve also published some work on Amazon, including bespoke books for my grandchildren.

Tell us something surprising about you! 

I was police officer for thirty years, and while people say ‘write what you know’ I hardly ever write about crime!  

Anything else you’d like to say?

People can see the majority of my stage scripts at www.lazybeescripts.co.uk and www.stage-write.com.au and keep up to date with my latest projects on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  And I’m happy to be contacted  via tony.domaille@gmail.com