Books abound

By Meredith Darnell
Baytown Sun

Published July 20, 2003

Numerous books authored by folks with connections to Baytown and the surrounding area hit shelves this year. Introductions to those books follow.

Half Moon, Full Heart
By Gene Cartwright
$23.95 (hardcover)
252 pages
Falcon Creek Publishing Co.

"Gene Cartwright ... this is Sam Jackson calling from South Africa ... "

That's a message Cartwright never expected to get. But he has it memorized.

Samuel L. Jackson was calling Cartwright to have him send his screenplay 'The Widowmaker'  so Jackson could have a read. Jackson is also pictured on the book jacket that has been made for the yet-to-be-published novel of the same story.

That details only some of Cartwright's successes, whose latest novel is 'Half Moon, Full Heart.' 

"Half Moon, Full Heart is best described as 'Romeo and Juliet' meets 'The Bridges of Madison County," said Cartwright. "It bridges two millenniums, two centuries, two different time periods, two heroes. It's brought together by the anguish and unfortunate circumstances of the life of the present-day career woman who finds herself here in southern California. Having a divorce, leaving the state, heading back to she is not sure where, she thinks the east coast. And she ends up stopping in Texas. And, everything changes there.

"It's not a romance story. It's a love story."

Cartwright grew up in Baytown and went to church at St. John's Missionary Baptist Church. He has had two novels published, six completed and four screenplays. He is also is working on a deal for his line of greeting cards, and Hallmark has shown interest in making a TV movie from his controversial novel, 'I Never Played Catch With My Father.'

"'Half Moon, Full Heart' is being channeled to Renee Zellweger,"  said Cartwright, almost leaving out another of his many projects.

Cartwright, who has been on Oprah and featured in Ebony magazine, has always loved to read.

"I remember taking my older sister's books from her when she came in from school. I was only 4, and she was in the first grade. I do remember my mom teaching me at the age of 4 how to read. I would read everything that had letters on it. It didn't matter.

"I would write if there were no one left to read,"  he said.