Accolades

This list includes nominations, awards, notable publications, world premieres, and official selections in film festivals, literary competitions, and theatre festivals.

FEATURE FILM SCREENPLAYS
The Everlasting Gift (adapted from the novel)
2023: Winner, Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival, Best Feature Screenplay

2023: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Family Screenplay Competition

2023: Quarterfinalist, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition

2023: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Family Screenplay Competition

2022: Finalist, Hamburg Film Awards (Germany), Best Feature Script

2022: Second Round, ISA Fast Track Fellowship

2022: Official Selection, Shiny Sparkle Independent Online Film Festival, Feature Script

2021: Finalist, San Pedro International Film Festival, Screenplay Competition
2021: Nominee, The Workers Unite Film Festival, Screenplay Competition
2021: Official Selection, San Diego Movie Awards, Best Feature Screenplay
2021: Official Selection, Big Bear Film Summit, Feature Screenplay Contest
2021: Official Selection, Canadian Diversity Film Festival, Best Screenplay

Made from Scratch
2017: Grand Prize Jury Winner, Film Invasion L.A., Best Screenplay
2017: Finalist, Colorado International Film Festival, Screenplay Competition
2017: Official Selection, Hollywood Film Competition, Best Script
2016: Official Selection, The Inspired Minds Short Film & Screenplay Competition

Willa Cather Would Not Approve

2023: Official Selection, The Beverly Hills Film Festival
2023: Semi-Finalist, Omaha Film Festival

2022: Finalist, The Good Life Review, Honeybee Prize for Stage and Screen (short film version)

2022: Semi-Finalist, Santa Monica Film Awards Festival, Best Unproduced Script

2022: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Feature Competition

2022: Quarter Finalist, Scriptation Showcase Script Competition, Comedy Feature

2022: Nominee, Chicago Indie Film Awards, Best Unproduced Script

2022: Sixth Place, Hot Springs Screenplay Competition

 

SHORT FILM SCREENPLAYS
Baby Cindy

2018: Semi-Finalist, Chicago Horror Film Festival Screenplay Contest

2017: Winner, L.A. Shorts Awards, Best Short Film Script

2017: Winner, New York Film Awards, Best Screenplay

2017: Winner, NYC Indie Film Awards, Best Short Film Screenplay

2017: Finalist, Eerie Horror Film Festival, Best Short Screenplay

2017: Finalist, Fear NYC, Best Unproduced Screenplay

2017: Finalist, Filmmatic Screenplay Awards, Short Works

2017: Finalist, Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, Best Screenplay

2017: Finalist, NYC Horror Film Festival, Best Unproduced Short

2017: Finalist, South Carolina Underground Film Festival, Screenplay Competition

2017: Honorable Mention, Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Screenplay Short

2017: Nominee, Independent Horror Movie Awards, Best Screenplay

2017: Official Selection, Diabolical Horror Film Festival, Best Short Script

2017: Runner Up, Upstate NY Horror Film Festival, Best Short Script

2017: Semi Finalist/Top 5, The Film Empire's Scrypt to Screen Horror Contest

2017: Semi Finalist, Shiver International Film Festival, Best Short Script

2017: Semi Finalist, Los Angeles CineFest, Best Short Screenplay

Baby in the Basement (adapted from the short play)
2020: Semi-Finalist, Drama Inc. Screenplay Competition
2020: Nominee, Screenplay Competition, Beverly Hills Film Festival
2020: Winner, Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Actress (Josette Aderhold)
2019: Winner, Prisma Independent Film Awards (Rome), Best Short Screenplay
2019: Official Selection, Mediterranean Film Festival (Sicily), Best Screenplay
2018: Finalist, London Cinematic International Film Festival, Best Short Screenplay
2017: Finalist, Play Film Festival (Paris), Best Short Script

Boxcar (Dutch title: Wagon; adapted from the short play)

2018: Winner, Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Drama Screenplay
2018: Finalist, Film Daily Screenwriting Contest, Drama Short Script
2018: Semi-Finalist, Omaha Film Festival, Short Screenplay Competition
2017: Winner, European Independent Film Awards, Best Short Film Script
2017: Winner, Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque, Best Short Film Script
2017: Winner, L.A. Shorts Awards, Best Short Film Script
2017: Winner, Play Film Festival (Paris), Best Short Script
2017: Winner, New Renaissance Film Festival (Amsterdam), Best Short Screenplay
2017: Winner, Sunday Shorts Film Festival (London), Best Screenplay
2017: Winner, Tea Dance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Short Screenplay

2017: Finalist, Rome International Cinefest, Screenwriting Contest
2017: Finalist, Los Angeles Television, Script and Film Festival, Screenplay Competition
2017: Finalist, The Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival, Screenwriting
2017: Finalist, The StoryMode Independent Short Film Awards, Best Short Script
2015: Semi-Finalist, Shore Scripts Screenwriting Competition (London), Short Film

Bracelets and Boyfriends (Production title: Bracelets; adapted from the short play)
2017: Winner, Rendezvous Film Festival, Shorts Screenplay

Dummy 
2023: Quarterfinalist, Filmmatic Horror Screenplay Awards, Season 7

2022: Winner, Stanley Film Awards, Best American Writer
2022: Winner, Golden Wings International Film Awards, Best Horror Short Screenplay

2022: Winner, Adbhooture Film Festival (India), Best Dialogue
2021: Winner, The Thing in the Basement Horror Fest, Best Short Screenplay
2021: Semi-Finalist, Plot Point Awards, Short Script
2021: Official Selection, Horrors4You, Script Competition
2019: Finalist, New York City International Screenplay Awards, Short Script

Hot Rates to Omaha (adapted from the short play)

2023: The Short List - Pilots and Shorts, Barnstorm Fest

2023: Official Selection, The Red List, Coverfly, Top Dram Shorts

2022: Finalist, Film Crash Screenplay Competition, Short Film Screenplay

2022: Semi-Finalist, San Diego Shorts, Best Unproduced Script

2022: Official Selection, Shiny Sparkle Independent Online Film Festival, Short Script

2022: Official Selection, Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival

Make It 'til Dawn (adapted from the short story)
2022: Winner, New Wave Short Film Festival (Munich), Best Script

2022: Special Mention, Adbhooture Film Festival (India), Best Horror Screenplay

2022: Quarterfinalist, 80 Screams International Film Festival. Screenwriting

2022: Official Selection, Queer Global Arts Fest
2021: Semi-Finalist, Chicago Horror Film Festival, Short Screenplay
2021: Official Selection, Hollywood Horrorfest, Screenplay Short Film
2021: Finalist, Oregon Screams Horror Film Festival, Horror Comedy Short
2021: Finalist, Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest, Short Screenplay
2021: Finalist, Tokyo International Short Film Festival, Best Script

Mary Go Round

2024: Current Nominee, Bloody Hats Film Festival, Best Short Script

2024: Current Official Selection, Tokyo International Short Film Festival, Best Short Script

2024: Nominee, Venice Shorts, Best Screenplay (Unproduced)

Number 76 (adapted from the short play)
2021: Honorable Mention, Red Dragon Creative Awards, Best Short Script
2017: Finalist, Windy City Film Festival (Chicago), Best Short Screenplay

Passengers
2022: Second Place, Filmocracy Scriptwriter Showdown, Drama Genre Edition

2022: Semi-Finalist, San Diego Shorts, Best Unproduced Script

2022: Quarterfinalist, Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition 

2022: Quarterfinalist, WeScreenplay Shorts Contest

A Sort of Madness (adapted from the short play)
2022: Winner, Luis Bunuel Memorial Awards, Short Script
2022: Winner, 8&HalFilm Awards (Italy), Best Script
2022: Winner, New York Tri-State Film Festival, Best Script

2022: Finalist, London Film & Television Festival, Best Short Script
2022: Official Selection, short-filmz, Short Film Screenplay

2022: Official Selection, Madrid International Film Festival, Short Screenwriting
2022: Honorable Mention, Night of Comedy Shorts (Italy), Short Screenplay

Tagged (adapted from the short play)
2022: Winner, Hamburg Film Awards (Germany), Best Short Script
2022: Honorable Mention, Art Film Awards (Macedonia), Short Script
2021: Winner, Oz Indie Film Festival (Australia), Best Short Screenplay
2021: Official Selection, Pasadena International Film Festival, Short Screenplay
2021: Semi-Finalist, Prix Royal Paris Screenplay Awards, Short Script

2022: Finalist, Shiny Sparkle Independent Online Film Festival, Short Script
2021: Finalist, Hollywood Gold Awards, Short Script
2021: Honorable Mention, New York Movie Awards, Short Script
2021: Official Selection, Chicago Indie Film Awards, Best Unproduced Script
2021: Winner, Best Script Award (London), Best Super Short Script
2017: Winner, Changing Faces International Film Festival (Sydney), Best Screenplay Short
2017: Winner, Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Screenplay Short
2017: Winner, Universe Multicultural Film Festival (Los Angeles), Best Short Screenplay

TELEVISION
Ambrosia (adapted from the novel)
2017: Finalist, New York Short Film and Screenplay Competition, Best Teleplay
2017: Official Selection, Atlanta Comedy Film Festival, Best Comedy Television Episode
2016: Finalist, The Hollywood Screenplay Contest, Television Sitcom
2015: Semi-Finalist, FilmMakers TV Writing Competition (Los Angeles)

Her Other Life (pilot episode)

2022: Quarterfinalist, Final Draft's Big Break Screenwriting Contest, Diversity/Television

The Other Side of Pretty (co-writer)

2018: Finalist, Sundance Institute/YouTube New Voices Lab

PLAYWRITING
Baby in the Basement

2012: U.K. Premiere, Bike Shed Theater, Exeter (England)

2011: Official Selection, FronteraFest, Hyde Park Theatre (Austin)

2011: Official Selection, NYC 15-Minute Play Festival, American Globe Theatre

2004: New York Premiere, The Creative Place Theatre, Love Creek Productions

Before Harmony Sleeps with Jeff

2020: The Best Men's Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

Better Places to Go
2003: Winner, Elly Award, Best Original Script

2003: Winner, Ely Award, Best Original Production

Boxcar

2016: World Premiere, Playcrafters Fringe Festival (Pennsylvania)

Bracelets and Boyfriends
2007: Winner, Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Award, Best Stage Play

2007: New York Premiere, Emerging Artists Theatre, MTC Studios

2006: Official Selection, Second Annual Evening of Shorts, Kingwood College (Texas)

Clean

2005: Official Selection, Kentuck Arts Ten-Minute Play Festival (Alabama)

2005: Alabama Conference of Theatre’s Ten-Minute Play Festival, Troy University

The Clutch

2015: Official Selection, In the Works, One Night Stand Theater (Colorado)

2012: Off-Off Broadway Production, The Producer's Club

Deena and the Dino Mights

2015: World Premiere, Mile High 24 Festival, Vintage Theatre (Colorado)

2015: Official Selection, Animal Kingdom, One Night Stand Theater (Colorado)

Don't Mention It
2008: Winner, World AIDS Day Writing Contest, Stage Play

2008: World Premiere, Moments of Play, Salem Theatre Company (Massachusetts)

2008: A&U: America's AIDS Magazine, September/October Issue (edited by Chael Needle)

False Hopes

2000: The Best Women's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

Fractured

2019: The Best Women's Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

Frozen Stars

2002: The Best Women's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by D.L. Lepidus)

Hour Glass

2017: Official Selection, Cracks Theatre Festival, University of Guam

2009: South Africa Premiere, Franklin Players One Act Festival (Johannesburg)

2009: Canada Premiere, Highwood Memorial Center, High River (Alberta)

2005: New York Premiere, Where Theater Starts, Hudson Exploited Theater Company

Johnny Ramirez Really Wants to Kiss Me
2013: Official Selection, DC Queer Theatre Festival (Washington, D.C.)

2010: Off-Off Broadway Production, Short Play Lab, Roy Arias Studio Theatre

2008: Winner, Slam Boston Award, Boston Center for the Arts, Best Stage Play

2007: Official Selection, Stage This, Too! (New York City)

2006: Official Selection, Queer Shorts, Stage Q (Madison, Wisconsin)

Just Before the Drop

2019: Official Selection, Short Plays & Contemporary Dance, Firehouse Theatre (Virginia)

2017: 105 Five-Minute Plays for Study and Performance (Smith & Kraus; edited by John Capecci and Irene Ziegler)

2007: New York Premiere, Short Stories 8: Urban View, Native Aliens Theatre Collective

Last Dance

2020: The Best 10-Minute Plays (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

2016: World Premiere, Spectrum: LGBT New Play Festival, Funky Little Theater Company (Colorado)

Let's Not Confuse the Situation

2005: World Premiere, The Makor Theatre 10-Minute Play Festival (New York City)

Number 76

2009: Official Selection, Mid-America Dramatists Lab (Chicago)

2006: Official Selection, Kingsborough Community College Festival (Brooklyn)

2001: New York Premiere, John Houseman Studio Theater, Love Creek Productions

2000: The Best Stage Scenes (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

Pensacola

1996: Nomination, Elly Award, Best Leading Actress

1996: Nomination, Elly Award, Best Original Production

1996: Nomination, Elly Award, Best Original Script

Relocations

2013: World Premiere, Rough Writers Festival, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

A Rum Cake for Rita

2019: The Best Women's Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

Shallow End

2020: Finalist, Billy Roche International Short Play Award

Shimmer

2022: The Best Men's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Debbie Lamedman)

2022: The Best Women's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Debbie Lamedman)

Sky Lines

2010: Off-Off Broadway Production, The Producer's Club
2007: Third Place, New Works for Young Women, The University of Tulsa

Sloe Gin Fizz

2007: Official Selection, Fifth Annual Lavender Footlights Festival (Miami)

2000: The Best Men's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

Somebody's Baby
1997: Winner, Elly Award, Best Original Script

Syrup

2020: The Best Women's Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

Taking Off

2009: Off-Off Broadway Production, Zero to Sixty in One Page Theatre Festival

Threnody

2017: Official Selection, Cracks Theatre Festival, University of Guam

1999: The Best Men's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

1999: The Best Stage Scenes of 1999 (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

1999: The Best Women's Stage Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by Jocelyn Beard)

1997: Nomination, Elly Award, Best Original Script

Trophy

2020: The Best Men's Monologues (Smith & Kraus; edited by the True Acting Institute)

The Truants
2020: Winner, Best Stage Script, Script and Storyboard Showcase (Los Angeles)
2020: Nominee, Best Stage Play, Woodbury Film Festival (Salt Lake City)
2018: Finalist, Storyline, DaVinci International Film Festival (Los Angeles)

Unrequited

2003: New York Premiere, The Creative Place Theatre, Love Creek Productions

Vixen

2017: Official Selection, Punk Monkey Productions, Play Noir (Los Angeles)

We Never Made it to Paris

2012: Off-Off Broadway Production, The Producer's Club

NOVELS
The Everlasting Gift

2022: Third Place, The BookFest Awards, Romance - Holiday

Marijuana Mermaid

2022: Third Place, The BookFest Awards, Young Adult - Girls and Women

Mesmerized
2023: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition

2022: Selected for Wheat Ridge Reads by the City of Wheat Ridge Cultural Commission

2011: Second Place, 2011 Rainbow Awards, Coming of Age/Young Adult Novel

Swimming to Chicago
2012: Finalist, American Library Association, Rainbow Books, GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens,
2012: Finalist, ILA (Independent Literary Award)

Wonder Land
2014: Finalist, American Library Association, Rainbow Books, GLBTQ Books for Children and Teens

POETRY
Cherry Drop (poem)

2020: Nominee, Pushcart Prize, Halfway Down the Stairs 

Latin Freestyle (poem)
2008: Third Place, Split This Rock Poetry Contest

Walking to Kmart to Buy a Dolly Parton Album (poem)
2011: Winner, Hart Crane Memorial Poetry Award, Kent State University

You Wonder (poem)
2008: Winner, World AIDS Day Writing Contest, Poetry

Volatile (poem)

2000: Third Place, Florida State Writing Competition, Free Verse Poetry

SHORT STORIES
Backfire
2011: Finalist, Saints and Sinners Short Fiction Contest, Selected by John Berendt

I Think We're Alone Now
2018: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition

Mary Day
2017: Semi-Finalist, William Van Dyke Short Story Prize, Ruminate Magazine

Riding with James Dean
2018: Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition

DIRECTING (Theatre)

2018: Winner, Meritorious Achievement Award for Directing, the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, The House of Yes

1997: Nominee, Elly Award, Best Director of a Drama, Steel Magnolias

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
1996: Winner, Outstanding Achievement in Theatre, American River College
1996: Winner, Outstanding Student Director, American River College