Documentaries, screenplays & books

I've been so busy lately that my brain is mostly mush. But exciting things are happening no matter how mushy things get.

Look for news soon about our documentary film on Frances Glessner Lee.

While this post may be a little on the lame side - at least you know I'm still alive and working hard to bring you more documentaries, screenplays and books.

The Artist Murder Investigator: Cynthia von Buhler

Read all about the subject of our film, Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse, Cynthia von Buhler. She's fascinating and we adore her! As you may know, Cynthia - like us - was so inspired by Frances Glessner Lee that it opened up a whole new world to her.


 The Artist Murder Investigator: Cynthia von Buhler

Frances Glessner Lee Documentary update and more!

Our newest documentary film on Frances Glessner Lee is going very well! (Despite that fact that we could use quite a bit of travel money) But we are plugging along anyway. The footage is beautiful thanks to our incredible DP - Matt Ehling. And our sound is pristine thanks to sound guy and co-director John Kurtis Dehn.

We really are stunned by all the new information that is surfacing about Frances. And we feel so lucky to have her family participating in the film. I think Frances would be really proud of her great -grand kids. They truly are wonderful people and I feel lucky to know them. And if it weren't for this project, we would have never met. So believe me when I say I am grateful for the wonderful opportunities Frances has afforded me. I'm also grateful to the Jerome Foundation and the McKnight Foundation for their generous support. And I'm grateful for you - a person the cares enough about the Nutshells and the Frances Glessner Lee to read this blog post. And I know hundreds of people read this blog every week, even though very rarely does anyone comment. How do I know? There's a cool little feature that allows bloggers to see how many visits they get on each post.

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If you want to buy an Of Dolls & Murder DVD - go here and buy one for yourself and gifts for others. You will be supporting indie filmmakers and we will adore you forever and ever.  (And it's inexpensive and we will send out ASAP)

If you want cute puppies - go here.

From the Nutshell Saloon and Jail. Did he really just slip on a banana peel and die? Or are darker forces at play?

From the Nutshell Two Story Dwelling - you can tell a lot about a crime scene from the trash. 

Buy the Of Dolls & Murder DVD

Don't forget! You can buy the Of Dolls & Murder DVD right here! This documentary film stars John Waters, the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death and some pretty amazing experts! And some say the DVD extras are just as good as the film. 

Garage - one of the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Don't Give Up

Don't Give Up poster in my yoga class

This is the sign from the Universe you were looking for. Yay you! If you want to know more about this, check out this blog post from Laurel Van Matre - owner of Yoga Garden and the best yoga instructor I've ever known.

Want to know more about Susan Marks? Of course you do! ;-)

12/18/25 

Yikes! I haven't updated this forever. I did finally get around to making that website. Take a look. Be in touch and let's talk storytelling and being unstoppable. 

If I wasn't so busy making documentary films, screenwriting, novel writing and everyday freelance producing work - I would create a website that spells out my various projects a little clearer. I've been getting a lot of inquiries lately about what exactly I do, especially since my screenplay advanced to the quarterfinals for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting.

The inquires go a little something like this: Whaaa? I didn't know you wrote screenplays. I thought you were just into dead dolls, or Betty Crocker, or John Waters, or underwear, or goldendoodles, or what have you.

I know it's confusing because I don't do just one thing - like write books. Or two things - like documentary filmmaking and screenwriting. I do all those things because a good story is a good story is a good story.  Oh and I'm also a historian because that's what my degrees are in. Yup, I graduated from grad school too.

So here's a down and dirty lowdown on me - Susan Marks. But feel free to contact me if you still have questions about my work.


BOOKS

• I wrote the book, Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America's First Lady of Food. (Simon & Schuster, 2005 hardcover, University of Minnesota Press, 2007 paperback) If you want the book, go here.
• I wrote another book about the history of Band-aids. That was sort of a strange gig. 
• I wrote a history book on Minnesota. Go here if you love MN history and archival photos.
• I wrote another history book on Munsingwear - the underwear company.
• I'm currently writing two novels. But I can't tell you what they are about just yet. 

SCREENPLAYS

• Finding Poppy Pepperdine - 2013 Quarter-finalist for Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and a few other screenwriting competitions.
• Bridal Bingo
• 2 work-in-progress screenplays - currently untitled

 
 DOCUMENTARY FILMS (with filmmaking partner John Kurtis Dehn)

• The Betty Mystique - a documentary film about the history of Betty Crocker
• Of Dolls & Murder - a documentary film about the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, narrated by John Waters. Get it here! 
•  Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse - a documentary film about artist Cynthia von Buhler and her Speakeasy Dollhouses. Get it here!
• Her Miniature Life of Crime - a documentary film about Frances Glessner Lee and her dollhouse crime scenes.  (currently in production)

AWARDS

•  2014 Minnesota State Arts Board Grant
• 2013 McKnight Media Arts Fellowship
• 2012 Jerome Artist Grant
• 2007 Jerome Artist Grant 
• Many film festival awards for Of Dolls & Murder and The Betty Mystique

I know I left out a lot, but I think I hit the highlights. Thanks for your interest and support in my art and career. It means a lot to me.

To show my thanks I am leaving you with some images from my various gigs for the sole purpose of entertaining you - because you are awesome.

"Let's Get Down to Business" ad from my book In the Mood for Munsingwear

Looks like Author Susan Marks is giving it away for free. ;-) 

Sock Monkey Betty Crocker made by my talented mother, Alice Marks

Sadly, this Corn-Sausage Pie ad did not make it into my book.

I'm Sorry Cake ad from my book Finding Betty Crocker. This image also hangs on the wall in my kitchen.

My book in the dollar bin! aka the glamorous life.

Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Some emails are just better than others, no? Happy news from the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting! Of Dolls & Murder director, Susan Marks (that's me) made it into the quarterfinal round with screenplay, Finding Poppy Pepperdine.

Wow, 372 out of 7,251 submissions made the first cut. Kind of amazing.