Malena Lott's "Fixer Upper"

{[['']]}

Malena Lott is an award-winning writer and the author of three novels. Her latest release, Fixer Upper, is available in the Kindle store and will soon be available at other e-retailers. She resides in Oklahoma with her husband, three kids and a dog and readily admits to watching The Holiday and Love Actually every Christmas.

Here she shares some ideas for the primary cast and director of a big screen adaptation of Fixer Upper:

Being married to a film critic, I get to watch a lot of movies, including small indies that don't come to the big screen or don't quite make it to Oklahoma. It makes the exercise of picking one actor per character challenging, but after some wine and thought, here's my just-right picks:

Jennifer Connelly would make an incredible MACY THOMPSON BAXTER, the protagonist in my humorous third novel, Fixer Upper, who leaves the posh life for the pastures when her husband, U.S. Senate hopeful Trevor Baxter, misses her surprise birthday party to work on his campaign instead. The dashing, debonair Trevor would be none other than cutie-patootie Greg Kinnear, who really does handsome jackass like no one else.

Back at Dust Bowl Vineyard and Winery in Wakefield, Oklahoma, we have an amazing group of women Macy can turn to as she starts renovating her life with her hot pink toolbelt, one villian and two guys who are very happy to see Macy back home.

Vintage-wearing straight-talker and baker TIFFANY (Macy's best friend): Amanda Peet (2012)

Vineyard owner, long-time farmer's wife and widow ANNE (Macy's mom): Susan Sarandon

Sassy, sexy octogenarian (married four times) NANA (CORA - Macy's paternal grandma): Betty White (Golden Girls)

Macy's nemesis, the butterfly-tattooed man-eater SHERATON: Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

BOONE, the town's crooked mayor, who is trying to buy the vineyard: Ian McShane (Deadwood)

Hot carpenter, CARTER, Macy's first love and high school boyfriend: Matthew McConaughey (How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days)

IAN, Macy's brainy classmate who has also come back home to heal his broken heart: Paul Rudd

Finally, the director would be Nora Ephron (of course! Sleepless in Seattle). She's so witty and fabulous and spot on.

Visit Malena Lott's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue