Renée J. Lukas
Screenwriter – Author
Renée Lukas is a high-concept comedy feature writer. An optioned screenwriter. A published author of lesbian rom-coms (Bella Books). And a freelance writer of articles and essays across many subjects. And yes, she knows that some of these are sentence fragments. It’s for dramatic effect.
Read on to find out what new projects she has in the pipeline and how to purchase her books.
Thanks for visiting!
Parenting in the Age of Technology
“Parenting in the Age of Technology: How to Stay Connected to Each Other When Devices are Always Beckoning” by Renée J. Lukas When our son came home from college, we sat in the living room, my wife and I eager to hear how everything was going. We asked him questions, but were interrupted constantly by the intermittent buzzing sounds coming from his phone. Distracted, he kept checking it, while trying to talk to us. I was frustrated. I’ve become all too aware how difficult it is as a parent to compete with the lure of algorithms and instant gratification. My wife and I were trying to connect with our son, whom we hadn’t seen in a long while. We thought the occasion merited his 100% attention. We talked with him about it, but got those placating responses reserved for what I’m sure he considers older generations who “just don’t get it.” The reality is this: even if the house was on fire, the little buzz (or sometimes ding) of his phone would require his attention first. All of this speaks to a larger, more pervasive issue and a troubling question on the minds of parents everywhere: has technology, particularly social media, eroded our kids’ ability to fully experience real life? To make real connections with other humans? And, at the very least, their basic social etiquette? There’s no question about it. Today’s parents face real challenges due to the advancements in technology. So what can be done? Hand-held devices. When my sister and I were kids, we’d go to the mall and play video games at the arcade. Our parents
Living with an Adult Son Who Has a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
“Living with an Adult Son Who Has a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)” by Renée J. Lukas On January 2, 2010, the world stopped. It was one of those snow-covered, quiet days, except for the snowmobiles rumbling across the frozen lake near our house. Our oldest son Tucker, age 13 at the time, was on a snowmobile and crashed into the side of a house going 40+ mph when he accidentally accelerated. My partner and I were having lunch when the phone rang. All I heard her say was, “Which one? Is he dead?” Her voice was odd. We raced out to the snowy area where it happened. I stood knee-deep in the snow, as my partner ran around the corner of the house to view the scene. A quick thinking EMT packed snow around Tucker’s head to prevent swelling in his brain, but the odds weren’t good. No one wanted to tell us, but we knew there were doubts as to whether or not he’d make it. Because of bad weather, they weren’t able to airlift him to the hospital. I remember my partner and I in the car, closely hugging the back of a speeding ambulance all the way to the hospital. We were in full-on adrenaline, survival mode. I don’t remember anything we said to each other on the way there. At the time, gay marriage wasn’t legal, but we were partners in every sense. We waited and prayed together. Because Tucker is my partner’s son from her previous marriage to a man, only she and Tucker’s father were allowed to stay in the private room
7 Survival Tips for New Stepparents
“7 Survival Tips for New Stepparents” by Renée J. Lukas Leave Behind the Fear and Try These Instead No one ever says, “When I grow up, I want to be a stepparent.” That’s because everything you know about stepparents you learned from children’s movies, like the wicked stepmother who made Cinderella scrub floors. Not a positive image. A stepparent is the only role in the family that no one asked for. Parents split up and you were brought into the picture. The kids never asked for you. This was the situation I faced when I first started dating a woman who had kids. And who had been married to a man. Let me be clear—I was never going to have kids. That was not part of my plan. I was content to be the cool aunt who could get my nephew to giggle by making his SpongeBob slippers talk. Then when he had a meltdown or poop situation, I could give him back to my sister—like a return at Wal-Mart. But when I’d begun to date someone who had two sons—one in his early teens, the other age nine—I was naturally worried. Okay, terrified. I imagined hearing that phrase no stepparent ever wants to hear: “I don’t have to. You’re not my real mom!” I decided that instead of running in panic, I’d accept this detour that life had presented me. Now many years later, I have a family I never thought I would have. I can’t imagine not knowing them the way I do now. I won’t lie and say it’s been a non-stop Disney ride. But what