The Miami City Theatre's SUMMER SHORTS FESTIVAL is one of the best known short play festivals anywhere in the country. It was at the 10th annual festival, in July of 2005, that I saw the first full equity, professional production of one of my plays - HOWIE'S LAST WORDS. I found out later that it was chosen from over 850 submissions. This production was the reason I decided to quit my former job as a helicopter pilot and write full time - and I will always be grateful to Stephanie Norman and everyone at the festival.