PROJECTS - in Development
Welcome to Projects in Development
This is where the glue is still tacky. A home for our raw concepts, rough ideas, scribbled sparks, and not-quite-ready pieces. Some of what you see here may grow into full projects.
Others may just sit and stretch. Updates happen when we’ve got a moment—so check back. Or better yet, subscribe to our Jank & File newsletter, where we share deeper backstory, creative context, and the occasional polished version available only to our subscribers.
We’ve committed to three core projects for 2025: Synopsis: The Storytelling Game, our graphic novel Blood Sucking Lawyers, and the exhibition picture book Left at The Wellgate: The Untold Story of Mary Petrie Smith.
What’s next for 2026? We’ll be choosing from the ideas posted right here!
Project in Development #2 - Romance Novel - Series
A new project is unfolding—years in the making.
Jamie's journals have been through more than a few provinces, storage bins, and late-night rereads. What started as real-time confessions in the late ’80s and early ’90s is now taking shape as a fictional romance series. With all the heat, heartbreak, and “Oh no, don’t sleep at his place!” moments you’d expect. Not to teach lessons, but to spark memories. The kind that make you wince, laugh, and maybe even see yourself in the margins.
Collection of Jamie's journals throughout the years.
The Red Journal
Starting with one journal in particular... the red journal from 1988. These pages captured three chaotic, magnetic years in her 20's. And now they’re the creative spark behind a new three-part romance series. It’s the first time these stories are being reshaped, reimagined, and given room to grow.
The red journal written from September 1988 to July 1989.
The Inspiration
Before writing a single scene, Jamie is immersing herself in the world of romance—reading widely across subgenres and tropes, attending author conferences, trading notes with writers, and dissecting what makes the form work. It’s a deep dive into what love, loss, and bad decisions looked like then… and what they might still mean now.
Jamie and Frank attended and were sponsors of the
2025 Rose City Romance conference.
One of the books Jamie is reading to learn more about the Romance genre and Romance tropes.
The Manuscript
The series has a working title: Three Years in Kingston. Each book will be named after a man—one word, one chapter, one turning point. The names are in the journals (changed to protect the innocent). But like any good chorus, people and situations will evolve before the final draft.
The Production
This project blends past and present from big hair, answering machine tapes, and long-distance letters to transcribing the handwritten journals using AI transcription tools like talk-to-text software. Jamie’s experimenting with format, voice, and structure, still deciding on POV, character names, and which tropes will rise to the surface. Think of it as a writer’s room in motion, with no rules and no deadline, yet.
What's Next
Sometimes the best part is the part before the writing—the plotting, daydreaming, and structuring. This first book is still unfolding. Sign up for our newsletter to get subscriber exclusive updates delivered direct to your in box.
Project in Development #1 - Songs & Videos
During the pandemic lockdowns, over 30 original songs came pouring out of Frank’s notebooks. This is one we’ve decided to explore further—step by step through the creative process.
The Napkin
It started as a scribble on a Christmas napkin. A title. A feeling. A spark.
The Inspiration
As the lyrics took shape, Frank immersed himself in learning the craft of songwriting—starting with Popular Lyric Writing: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling by Andrea Stolpe, a renowned Berklee songwriting instructor. From there, he taught himself music production software, experimenting with melody, timing, and structure. It was a full self-directed deep dive, equal parts curiosity and grit—using whatever tools he had to bring the sound in his head to life.
The Lyrics
The first typed draft—covered in pencil edits, rewrites, rhythm tweaks, and new lines emerging between the old ones. During this unexpected pause between major projects, we revisited the song and began imagining how it could take shape visually. That exploration led us to our next step: creating a rough demo video to bring the lyrics to life.
"Pass Me By if You See Me Cry" - Demo Song & Video
The finished demo music video is just one part of this evolving creative journey. Introduced first privately to our Jank & File subscribers several months back... a quiet first release shared with the folks who’ve joined us for the ride. Now, available to the public on our Youtube channel.
There are several other songs we’re exploring behind the scenes too, because sometimes, just playing around with an idea can lead to something bigger than you expected.
"Come in She Said" - Demo Song & Video
Our second demo follows the same intimate, exploratory process as the first, written, recorded, and released quietly to our Jank & File subscribers. "Come In, She Said" is dedicated to Frank’s mama, Rosalina, and continues our behind-the-scenes play with storytelling through song. It’s another early share from the creative kitchen... raw, real, and part of a growing collection we’re building as we go.
Also introduced privately to our Jank & File subscribers several months back. Now, available to the public on our Youtube channel.