Anita Hughes's "Lake Como"

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Anita Hughes was born in Sydney, Australia and had a charmed childhood that included petting koala bears, riding the waves on Bondi Beach, and putting an occasional shrimp on the barbie. Her writing career began at the age of eight, when she won a national writing contest in The Australian newspaper, and was named "One of Australia's Next Best Writers." (She still has the newspaper clipping.)

Hughes received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College, and attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program.

Her debut novel Monarch Beach was released in June 2012, followed by Market Street in March 2013.

Here Hughes dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Lake Como:

The minute I started writing Lake Como, I began visualizing it as a movie - it is hard not to when the setting is one of the most picturesque lakes in the world!

Hallie is a young San Francisco interior designer and I see her as a vibrant and beautiful blonde - possibly Blake Lively. Hallie's mother, Francesca designs wedding cakes and she is one of those women who looks elegant in jeans and Keds with flour on her fingers. I see her as Ashley Judd or Andie MacDowell with a bob.

Hallie's grandmother - the San Francisco society matriarch Constance Playfair would be a lovely older actress with beautiful skin and exquisite fashion sense - perhaps Glenn Close.

One of my favorite characters is Portia Tesoro - Hallie's Italian half sister. Portia grew up in a villa on the shores of Lake Como under the thumb of her overbearing grandmother Sophia. Portia is beautiful and just a little bit wild. I think Emmanuelle Chriqui who played Sloan on Entourage would be fabulous as Portia. (And I miss Entourage so it would be great to see her on the screen again!)

The male characters are a little more complicated. Angus could be played by Matthew Goode who I loved in Leap Year and Peter might be Topher Grace (who I still have a crush on from That '70s Show!).

There is definitely a role that would be perfect for George Clooney, but I'll let the reader decide which character that would be!

Learn more about the book and author at Anita Hughes's website.

Writers Read: Anita Hughes (July 2012).

My Book, The Movie: Market Street.

--Marshal Zeringue