Gary b Haley 
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 PictureGARY HALEY
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
I live south of Denver with my perfect grade-school son, and my wife, who is a brilliant doctor. (Yes, I married up.) I Have family scattered throughout the United States, including two grown daughters from a previous life, my 80+ year-old mother, a couple of brothers, four grandchildren, AND a great-grandson. I have too many cousins to name, or even remember, as my grandmothers had 22 siblings between them.

Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
I had four screenplays in this season’s Wiki contest. Two were finalists and two were semi-finalists. However, most of my screenplays come from experiences from living multiple lives. One of the screenplays that was a finalist is based on my knowledge of Wing Chun, Kung Fu. I am eleventh-generation Wing Chun, although I am no longer practicing. The screenplay is designed to deliver knowledge from a well-known student of Wing Chun that appears to be nearly lost to history.
Some of my 11 screenplays are adaptations from the several novels I’ve written. One of those novels, JFK FYI, was the best-selling JFK novels for 19 straight weeks. (Keep in mind that there are thousands of JFK books out there.)

How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
I began writing Leeward in novel form years ago, so most of the work was already done. When I started the screenplay, I had it complete, edited, and ready for Wiki in less than three weeks. But again, it was mostly written in novel form, and even though it’s been years, it was all still burned into permanent memory. Most of my screenplays have taken two to four months to complete, including several rounds of rigorous editing.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
To share knowledge, and to make people feel and experience what I have experienced without having to live through it. I’d also love to see my screenplays on screen.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
All my scripts are complete with several rounds of editing before I release them to anyone.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
My favorite TV show will always be M*A*S*H, but Modern Family comes close.
My favorite mini-series will always be Band of Brothers. (I wasn’t even the same person I used to be after watching that series.)
My favorite movie will probably always be The Outlaw Josie Wales, although I never laughed so hard at a movie when I watched Galaxy Quest.
My favorite reality show is The Curse of Oak Island (although that name is killn’ ‘em, and I wish they’d get rid of the narrator). Otherwise, I love the history they are uncovering.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Don’t take ALL the advice you get. Just make the changes that make sense and resubmit.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
In autumn of 2026, we are beginning to film JFK Q&A, which is a screenplay adaptation of my novel by the same name. It will be filmed near Cleveland by award-winning director Adam Michael. (JFK Q&A is a sister novel to my best-selling JFK FYI.) AND, if you watch movies, keep an eye out for that novel, JFK Q&A, as it’s going to be featured in TWO movies. “Better Places to Go” and “So, I’m the Crazy One?” – FUN!