DC: Gregory, when did you start writing?

Gregory: I began writing at the age of 9 under the care of an excellent teacher, Carol Siano. I grew up in a very small town where there wasn't a whole lot to do except read, explore the woods and watch television -- so I did a lot of that. Carol inspired me to write stories, so I did. I made little books, which I gave to her. At the age of 15, I realized this was what I wanted to do with my life. Carol, it turns out, had kept every one of my little books. She had them all in a small folder, which she graciously returned to me. They are all safe in my filing cabinet now.

I lost track of writing somewhere around the age of twenty. I was distracted by the death of a good friend and my parents' divorce, but I found my way back to writing five years later, and I have not stopped working since.

DC: Laura, when did you get bit by the writing bug?

Laura: It was in 1993 right before I met Greg.

DC: And what drew you to it?

Laura: My grandmother had just passed on and I was very very close to her. I was at a crossroads in my life. I have always been an old movie buff and wanted to write my own screenplay. I picked up a book by Syd Field and dove in, making every mistake known to writers. But I dove back into every mistake I made. And here I am with Greg.

DC: Gregory, your first book was published in '95, I believe it was?

Gregory: I had a book of short stories, GHOST KISSES, published by Winston Leyland. GHOST KISSES is a collection of gothic, gay-themed ghost stories, sort of my take on the old gothic soap, DARK SHADOWS. DARK SHADOWS was one of those TV shows I watched growing up.

DC: Interconnected stories?

Gregory: The stories are all separate, but interconnected by the tone, which is tragic but ultimately triumphant- that love lives on even if the body doesn't. And that gay men, in some ways, are isolated, but that love is universal. It was a totally wonderful experience writing, then selling that book. It opened many doors for me. The book has been well-received by readers, and was reviewed favorably in the London Times. And I must say, there is a wonderful story about that book's acceptance that directly (or mysteriously!) deals with my meeting Laura.

DC: I wanted to ask how you two met.

Gregory: In the summer of '93, I joined a writer's group that still meets weekly here.

Laura: I was in need of some like-minded people in the writing field. And I found this writers group. That's where I met Greg.

Gregory: I had had some success publishing short fiction and poems in smaller magazines, but I truly wanted to be a professionally-recognized writer. I joined our writer's group, and one night a few weeks after that, Laura came. I was so taken by her professionalism and her passion for writing. We became instant friends. A month or so after that, Halloween weekend, '93, we both attended a writer's retreat in the White Mountains. The day we left, I received three things in the mail: my first acceptance letter into a professional magazine, notification that I had won a national award, and a request for GHOST KISSES by Leyland. I always equate that turning point in my career with meeting Laura. That weekend in the Mountains was so important to me -- I returned home totally committed to my career as a writer.

DC: And Laura, what was it like for you?

Laura: It was a turning point for me as well. I went back home with a lifetime friend never knowing at the time we would later be writing partners, but knowing I was no longer screenwriting as a hobby to pass the time, but a change in my career. And thanks to Greg, I was stronger in the commitment toward that goal.

DC: It is a huge commitment. What was the first effort you two worked on together?

Gregory: In '97, my editor at TOPIA, an art magazine, assigned me to write a cover feature on the Boston Ballet Company and their NUTCRACKER production. I asked Laura if she would be interested in collaborating. We had started to write feature treatments together that summer and found we really clicked in making projects better, that we had great instincts together. Soon after that first feature article, we got the opportunity to pitch to STAR TREK: VOYAGER.

We got in with the Sci-Fi Channel's magazine, SCI-FI ENERTAINMENT, with an article on Roxann Dawson. That led to us writing a regular column and from there, to many, many feature interviews- including one with creator Jeri Taylor.

After our interview with her concluded, we asked to pitch. Impressed with what we told her about ourselves, she agreed. We pitched five stories. Two stepped on the toes of material already being developed, but she complimented us on what she considered to be an excellent pitch and so we were invited to pitch again. And again. And again. Eventually, the following summer, we cracked them -- with two episode sales in two weeks!

DC: I firmly believe that persistence is possibly the single most important trait in this business.

Gregory: Oh, absolutely. Not giving up. And also, the hardest thing to do.

DC: There are times...

Gregory: It's hard to believe in yourself and your talent when you know your work is quality, but the people with the power say, thanks, no thanks.

DC: Laura, does Gregory usually do most of the pitching?

Laura: Greg does the pitching. He has a great voice. He remains steady at all times.

Gregory: I may do the pitching, but everything we create is a joint effort. Had it not been for Laura's excellent ideas, we never would have sold that first VOYAGER.

DC: Laura, what else have you been doing?

Laura: I have written a novel that is waiting to be put into the computer. After I do that I am going to send it to our NYC agent.

DC: Is that the Peter Rubie Agency?

Laura: Yes, June Clark is our book agent.

Gregory: We have come to the conclusion that we can't continue to work from Massachusetts, that all screenwriting ultimately finds success in Los Angeles. New York for books, LA for scripts. So we are moving there by summer's end. We recently were invited to send specs in to ANDROMEDA. Majel Roddenberry recommended us to the Executive Producer, Robert Wolfe. We sent in two specs -- an X-Files and a Voyager. Two weeks later, their story supervisor called to say they'd been read and that they were excellent. So we now have an appointment to come in to Andromeda in November for their third season, to pitch and hopefully write the full teleplay.

Laura: Greg is wonderful with people, networking as well as pitching.

Gregory: <--slides 20 bucks to Laura.

Laura: ;)

DC: How have you managed to build a career to this point from out of town?

Gregory: By believing in each other, ourselves -- and by using every single professional opportunity to its greatest extent. By using our magazine connections to interview celebrities and show creators. Kate Mulgrew is a great example.

Laura: Well, we also think on our toes. We are opportunists. We believe in every connection is an open door. Don't frown upon anything.

Gregory: We first interviewed Kate in March of '98. She is lovely -- a truly lovely lady. She was impressed with our writing.

DC: Was this for Sci-Fi Entertainment?

Gregory: Yes. We've interviewed her dozens of times since. We were just on the set of Voyager with her and the cast/crew last March. She considers us the most talented and trustworthy writers she knows.

Laura: I love this story.

Gregory: When we asked her to write the foreword for our new book, STAR DATES, she was thrilled. We arrived on the set, and the publicist, not knowing our history with Kate, said -- don't approach her, don't make eye contact. We were like -- Kate Mulgrew? Or are you talking about a Solar Eclipse?

So we took our seats on the set. We'd brought her flowers, as we always do when we see her. During a break in the scene, she had found the flowers in her trailer. She came to the set where we were sitting with Mike Vejar, the episode's director, and a room full of hair/makeup/pr people. She walked over to us, pulled us both into an embrace, kissed us -- through this sea of people.

We had a lovely chat, then she was called back to the set. The publicist tugged on my arm and said -- how well did you say you know her?

Laura: LOL!

Gregory: We've learned this business is full of lovely, talented people who recognize honesty in others. We've used our friendships and opportunities to open doors but never, ever without proving our selves through our work. I've met more Hollywood types outside of Hollywood.

DC: The wannabe syndrome?

Gregory: That's the one! I've learned as a writer that being humble is very important. The instant one gets a swollen head, the universe has a funny way of coming along and chopping it off. Not everybody can write, so we are the lucky few.

Laura: Tenacious helps too.

DC: So do you have a representative in LA now, for scripts?

Gregory: We met with Dean Schramm of the Jim Preminger Agency during our trip to Hollywood a few weeks ago. We had coffee, chat, and left four scripts with him. Then we were recommended to the Gage Group, and Jonathan Westover. We just sent him four scripts as well, so we are now waiting to find out who will pony up the representation agreement.

However, since sending off those scripts, we got ourselves into ANDROMEDA. Perhaps with a sitcom as well. We aren't writers to wait for - or miss – opportunities. Our good friend, John D'Aquino, stars on THAT'S MY BUSH. If they get picked up for a second season, he has promised to set us up for an interview with the producers.

Laura: We have a lot of our film ideas floating about to many production companies as well.

Gregory: The jobs don't miraculously appear at your door - you have to make them.

Laura: Exactly.

Gregory: So we make them!

DC: What other publications do you have in the works?

Gregory: We write for two major Boston newspapers, the Herald and Metro. We have written for a few years for CINESCAPE, a genre magazine, but that just got bought out -- its future is uncertain. We are doing work for ASPCA Animal Watch, just pitched stories to ESPN -- THE MAGAZINE, and SIERRA. I write sports features for HEARTLAND USA. That's a pretty decent recent list.

DC: Many irons…

Gregory: It takes many irons to pay the bills -- and to pay for a move to Hollywood.

DC: So let's talk about the move- are you excited?

Gregory: Oh, yes, quite excited -- and a little unsettled, too. There's a lot to do.

Laura: Very excited. We know they only way to go now… is in LA.

Gregory: It really is so important to be there in people's faces.

Laura: Exactly. Most of this stuff is through meeting face to face.

Gregory: The week we spent in LA was amazing -- we got so much accomplished, but it was all one-on-one.

DC: What are your fondest hopes? If you could have anything happen as a result of the move, deep hidden wish time, here- what would you like to have happen?

Laura: Well like every screenwriter- credit, then money. People think it's the other way around.

Gregory: To be taken seriously, because we have good, solid ideas and to be writing on staff with Laura. Writing with Laura has taken me to places few writers ever get the chance to see- all the way to the other side of the galaxy and back, in fact!

DC: You must have spent a lot of time getting to know the show and the characters.

Gregory: That's a good point, Daphne -- When we began pitching, we were given the writer's bible for VOYAGER. We sat down and brainstormed - and we actually watched the show!

DC: Always a good thing…

Laura: We were just sent the bible for ANDROMEDA. You need to know the story and the characters like they were your own.

Gregory: We read it cover to cover and asked ourselves -- who are these characters? what have they done?

Laura: What haven't they done?

Gregory: Yes -- so we have begun devouring the ANDROMEDA bible, so that by the time we go in there, we know the show inside and out.

Laura: We always ask… What haven't they done… What would they like to see in the characters…

Gregory: We've always been told our pitches are solid. We really do try to be creative while operating within the confines of that universe.

Laura: The bible for ANDROMEDA was a great read. We now know what we would love to see in the growth of the show and characters.

DC: Do you ever give yourselves latitude to create a minor or guest character?

Gregory: Yes, we do create minor or important characters as needed, but they don't eclipse the main characters.

DC: What gets you excited about a story idea? What makes you say, oh we GOTTA write this one?

Laura: Most of the time when we know the story has never been done before. We know the characters will grow through this experience. There is jeopardy.

Gregory: Laura has a keen and lovely way of really being CREATIVE -- I mean, she thinks and gets deep into a really good story, and creates excellent characters and really intriguing situations that make you care about the characters and their plight.

Laura: I owe you 40 now!

DC: What individual strengths do you bring to the mat?

Gregory: Laura has a great sense of humor. I am a fierce editor.

Laura: We both have that same awareness for our writing. That depth of where it needs to go. Greg is a wonderful creator as well as a wonderful teacher.

Gregory: Also, what is so wonderful about working together, is often I'll say something to find she's thinking the same thing, and visa versa. With our recent X-Files script, ONE HOUR BEFORE, which is told backwards in tense one hour intervals, Scully meets a college boyfriend thought dead for four years. I wrote this sappy, sweet meeting between them on a rainy night, and I hated it. I said to Laura -- it feels so BLAH. I want her to -- and Laura said, SMACK HIM- which was what I really wanted to do all along.

DC: So in fact you give each other permission to make the 'risky' choices.

Gregory: Why not take risky chances, if those are in fact the right decisions to make?

DC: That must be a wonderful feeling- knowing someone else is in your corner.

Laura: Oh, most definitely. I always feel like I have someone watching over me. I would not change anything for the world. Just our location!

Gregory: I love my writing time with Laura -- it's very sane, safe, and rewarding. I love seeing the diverse things we've done with our writing -- which we used to do alone.

DC: Writing can be such a solitary experience, and we've seen how powerful writing in tandem can be- Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio spring to mind. How much does it help you both to have someone else there to push you to do your very best work?

Laura: It challenges me. But in a healthy way. I always want to improve for us, not just for myself.

Gregory: Ditto.

DC: Tell me more about the upcoming book. What other projects do you have in the works? Any pet ideas or scripts you're working on currently?

Gregory: We are writing a book that Kate Mulgrew has done an excellent foreword for, and a novel collaboration with Grace Lee Whitney from the Original Star Trek. It's called STAR DATES. Interviews with one hundred of the most luminous stars of Science Fiction. We have just been invited by my good friend, Rob Tobias at ESPN to submit a script for their new original programming network, and we are gearing up for our ANDROMEDA pitch.

Laura: We are always watching and looking for opportunities, so next week we could have 10 more things on that list.

Some of Laura and Gregory's many interviews can be found at www.trekgalaxy.com.