We caught up with the brilliant and insightful James Goertel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

James, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I had been writing screenplays for a number of years and was fortunate a few of them caught the eye of an entertainment lawyer in Hollywood. He was helpful in making introductions and getting some of my initial work to producers, directors, and studios. The feedback was always great, but no takers. Although, the folks that did have a chance to read the work were always supportive, highly complimentary, and enthusiastic about my style, stories, and original voice. By 2019 I had about given up and started a vanity project–my first novel. It was really an homage to North Dakota where I was born and I figured it would make a nice Christmas gift to family members who are also from and fond of the area. I finished “Dakota Damned” and self-published the historical fiction on Amazon. Fun. I loved the process. Time went by and then, out of the blue in 2022, I received a call from Brillstein Entertainment Partners in Beverly Hills. Their client, Cole Hauser aka Rip Wheeler of Yellowstone, had read my book, loved it, and wanted to talk. A few weeks later I was on the phone with America’s favorite cowboy and he asked me to turn it into a TV series which I promptly did, writing the entire first season in just two months. He is now shopping the project to studios and streamers while in discussions with A-list actors, producers, and directors who love my series manuscript. What I have found most meaningful about this project has been the blind faith Cole had in me to adapt my novel into a series, his loyalty to and love for my work, and his efforts and success in getting it in front of folks I could never have imagined– even in my wildest dreams.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I spent the first twenty years of my career as a sound mixer and was fortunate to go from local video projects to working with the likes of ESPN, Dateline NBC, ABC 20/20, CBS 6o Minutes and Sunday Morning. I was around the big leagues and worked with many movie stars, TV personalities, and sports figures and know through these experiences I got a taste for the high level work being done. So when I was offered a chance to do some script writing for corporate and industrial videos, I jumped at the opportunity and soon began thinking about crafting my own scripts with an eye toward seeing if I couldn’t somehow stir up some interest in Hollywood. A few key folks out in L.A. were early believers in my work and opened as many doors as they could which gave me exposure. The key, though, has been my untiring devotion to creating original scripts and books. I have fifteen screenplays, one full season series, and seven works of fiction under my belt. I was never going to be a one-and-done guy. If you’re going to give something like this a go, you have to be in it for the long haul, but more importantly you have to do the work. I use social media to market myself and my writing. I treat social media as a business tool and have had great success in cultivating interest in and an audience for my work. It was through Twitter (now X) that Cole Hauser found my book “Dakota Damned” after I tagged him on a post promoting it. Longshot? You bet, but Instagram, LinkedIn, and the like are tools that, when used properly and in a respectful manner, can open doors and create buzz. Think of social media as your own marketing agency for your craft and don’t mix your messaging–no cat pictures, please. Together, I think my original voice and deft social media marketing have made the difference in my recent, but hard-won opportunities. I know my brand and now others do too. The other key is to remember to have fun. All of this, even when there were no takers, has been a blast. You can find me easily on all of the various social media platforms, so feel free to take a peek at my particular take on self-promotion with which I am currently banging the drum for my new novella, “Up and Not Crying.” It’s my first foray into YA fiction and already doing well and getting eyes.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For years I was close to the brass ring. Through social media I somehow got the attention of the late, great actor James Caan–one of my all-time favorites. I also got him interested in a few of my feature-length scripts which he graciously allowed me to pass along to him through his agent. He loved them and had cautious interest in possibly throwing his hat in the ring. I didn’t know his health was failing, so when I read that he had passed I knew the dream of having him in something I’d written was over. But I still smile when I think of the few back-and-forths we had via personal messages. He was a big hero of mine and Sonny (!!!) in “The Godfather” which is one of my all-time films. Recently, there was another brush with “Godfather” royalty when Kevin Costner’s Territory Pictures got my “Dakota Damned” series manuscript to Robert Duvall. He read it and loved it. I wanted him for the lead, but in the end he felt the rigors of a series would be too much for him to undertake. But, he said to keep him in mind for a cameo. What?? Yes, please.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think if you love what you are doing, what you are creating, love the process, and sustain a sense of joy for creating something just for yourself, then the rewards are myriad and manifold. None of it should ever feel like drudgery. If it does, you probably should have picked accounting or something else as a career path. I feel a sense of reward every day because at the end of the day what I am doing is fun.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://author.amazon.com/profile
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgoertel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.goertel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-goertel-14162423/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesGoertel