Scott Sparling's "Wire to Wire"

Scott Sparling grew up near railroad tracks in Michigan. He now lives outside Portland, Oregon, with his wife and son.

Here he shares some insights into adapting his new novel Wire to Wire for the big screen:

Okay, I’m stumped. I have no idea who should play the main characters in Wire to Wire.Here’s what I do know:

The big railroad ferry that carries freight trains across Lake Michigan – called the Chief Tecumseh in the book – should be played by the ship it is based on, the Arthur K. Atkinson. Unless it’s already been sunk or turned into scrap metal.

The song over the credits should be Joe Ely’s “Boxcars,” Bob Seger’s “Railroad Days,” or Jon Dee Graham’s “Beautifully Broken.”

No glue should be huffed during the making of the film.

More seriously, I think the reason I can’t picture actors playing Slater or Harp or Lane from Wire to Wire is that I’ve lived with the characters too long in my head. So I turned to my editors for help. Here’s what they said:

For Lane – the damaged, glue-sniffing but irresistible woman at that apex of the love triangle – try Mila Kunis or Emmy Rossum. It needs to be someone who can look through all the lies life has to offer, and is seriously freaked. Remember the expression on the face of that famous National Geographic Afghan refuge? Like that.

Michael Slater spends a lot of time staring at video screens and having visions/hallucinations. That might lead to Emile Hirsch, who got pretty trippy in Into the Wild, or Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul.

For Charlie – the small-time drug dealer, puppet-master of Wolverine, Michigan where the book is set – the editors agree on Giovanni Ribisi from Public Enemies and Avatar. Pretty close match, I think.

Harp is the strong, proud, uncompromising freight rider in the book, and he’s the one character I have a Hollywood match for. Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights. I can totally see him rolling into a boxcar and fading into the night.

Learn more about the book and author at Scott Sparling's website and blog.

The Page 69 Test: Wire to Wire.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Robert Dugoni's "Murder One"

Robert Dugoni practiced as a civil litigator in San Francisco and Seattle for seventeen years. In 1999 he left the full-time practice of law to write, and is a two-time winner of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University with a degree in journalism and worked as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times before obtaining his doctorate of jurisprudence from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

Here he shares some ideas about casting the lead in an adaptation of his new novel, Murder One:

I’ve had readers suggest Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Junior. Damon and Downey seem more the type. I never thought Downey until I saw him in the Sherlock Holmes movie and he carried it off so well. I can’t honestly say who would fit the role well. I’d almost like to see an unknown or little known actor get a shot. Since Murder One is the fourth in the series, it would have to be an actor with some staying power.

Learn more about the book and author at Robert Dugoni's website and Facebook page.

The Page 69 Test: Wrongful Death.

Writers Read: Robert Dugoni.

The Page 69 Test: Bodily Harm.

My Book, The Movie: Bodily Harm.

The Page 69 Test: Murder One.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Jason Henderson's Alex Van Helsing series

Jason Henderson is from Dallas, Texas, and writes the Alex Van Helsing series. The first Alex Van Helsing book, Vampire Rising, comes out in paperback on July 26th, the same day as the hardback of the second adventure, Voice of the Undead.

Here Henderson highlights the main considerations in casting the leads for adaptations of the series.

I love the question of “how would you cast a movie?” of the Alex books because—well, this is how I think of these books while I write them. I see a movie in my head.

Here’s the first five sentences of Alex Van Helsing: Voice of the Undead:

Alex Van Helsing accelerated the gunmetal-gray Kawasaki Ninja and watched the trees along the road around Lake Geneva melt into a twilight blur. Just a few miles to Glenarvon Academy, just a few more minutes, and no one would be the wiser.

Training had gone on longer than Alex had expected. What was supposed to be a late Saturday afternoon exercise with Sangster, his—what should he call Sangster?—his mentor had turned into a half-day ordeal. Sangster, who everyone else knew as Glenarvon’s literature teacher, had let Alex join him and a team of active agents in a mock incursion into a vampire stronghold.

So, what have we learned?

We know that Alex is a young vampire-hunting spy who rides a motorcycle, and that he has a mentor, also a literature teacher, named Sangster. So these are the roles I would worry about the most.

Sangster? That’s easy. Mr. Sangster, Alex’s insanely fit, machine-gun-wielding, enigmatic literature teacher, is patterned after Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 2. In fact, the first time we learn Sangster’s secret, it’s in a scene where Sangster rides the Triumph that Cruise rode in MI:2. So, over a decade after MI:2, Cruise is still your go-to guy for Mr. Sangster.

But Alex Van Helsing. That’s tougher. Alex is 14 years old, so he doesn’t use a firearm—he favors a vampire-destroying composite plastic crossbow-- and rather than the larger Triumph Speed Triple that Sangster favors, Alex rides a sleek Kawasaki Ninja. Alex is described as dark-haired and fit enough to climb mountains and jump out of airplanes, and he’s not described as being ridiculously tall. In movie terms, by the way “14” doesn’t translate to anything we need to worry about. He could be a 16 year old, an 18 year old. The point is: high school. How old is Jonny Quest? Who knows?

I go to a lot of schools and people take one look at these covers and say: Justin Bieber. But I have no idea if the Canadian megastar is the type to fight vampires while riding a motorcycle, so we should probably puzzle over this some more.

Look at Alex on the covers above and below.

Nah, it’s impossible. Alex is Alex. When Harry Potter was first cast, we had no idea who Daniel Radcliffe was, and now he is Harry. So maybe a complete unknown is the way to go. Tell you one thing—the young actor would have to have gravitas, the ability to seem older than his years and also crack a joke. He has to be 14 going on 30.

Can I go back into the past? Remember how Parker Stevenson on The Hardy Boys always seemed so stoic, even when trying to re-start a private plane that was about to crash into the earth? No? Well, anyway, we need someone like that.

In my mind, I see these characters. They are. Casting is much harder.

Learn more about Jason Henderson and his work at Alex Van Helsing: The Blog.

Writers Read: Jason Henderson.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Diane Janes's "Why Didn't You Come for Me?"

Diane Janes is a full time author, who lives and writes in the English Lake District. Prior to be accepted for publication she was shortlisted twice for the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger and her first novel The Pull of the Moon was a finalist for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger in 2010.

Here she shares some ideas for casting a big screen adaptation of her latest novel, Why Didn't You Come for Me?:

Why Didn’t You Come For Me? is set mainly in the English Lake District which contains some of Britain’s most beautiful scenery (remember Miss Potter?) so in theory it should be a movie maker’s dream. Other scenes include a real life castle in Scotland and a west country seaside village. All these locations are well off the beaten track, thereby avoiding problems with crowds and extraneous noise – just in case any movie maker out there happens to be thinking about picking up the option…

An ideal cast? Ralph Fiennes would make a good Marcus, I think and Aidan Turner would do a good cameo as Jo’s first husband Dominic. (Aidan Turner would also do a fantastic job with Danny, one of the leading characters in my first novel The Pull of the Moon.)

For Jo, we would need someone still beautiful, but past the first flush of youth – I hate the way women looking far too young, too glamorous and with never a hair out of place are cast in leading roles which require an older, more careworn face. Aside from these reservations, I don’t have a particular actress in mind – let it just be someone who is capable of conveying the full emotional range required by the part – and not Renée Zellweger – who does a good English accent, but is too robust to play Jo.

Supporting roles? Although she looks nothing like Maisie Perry as I envisage her, Alison Steadman is such a great actress that she would do a superb job with Maisie Perry. The same applies to Philip Glenister and the part of Brian, the artist and gallery owner. Sean would need to be played by an up and coming teenage actor, still in drama school, who would obviously go on to win some kind of Most Promising Newcomer award before conquering Hollywood – his presence alone ensuring that the film attained ‘classic’ status….

Learn more about the book and author at Diane Janes's website.

The Page 69 Test: Why Didn't You Come for Me?.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Will Allison's "Long Drive Home"

Will Allison's debut novel, What You Have Left, was selected for Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers, Borders Original Voices, and Book Sense Picks, and was named one of 2007's notable books by the San Francisco Chronicle. His short stories have appeared in magazines such as Zoetrope: All-Story, Glimmer Train, and One Story and have received special mention in the Pushcart Prize and Best American Short Stories anthologies. He is the former executive editor of Story.

Here he explains his choice for director and star of an adaptation of his new novel, Long Drive Home:

I occasionally daydream of Zach Braff directing a film version of Long Drive Home. Braff grew up in South Orange, New Jersey, which is where I live and where the book is set. I thought he had such a perfectly light touch in his only movie, Garden State, not to mention an inspired performance. Natalie Portman was a revelation, too.

I also like the idea of Braff playing the protagonist, Glen Bauer. The novel walks a fine line, inviting readers to identify with a character who makes some terrible decisions with disatrous consequences. I find Braff, as an actor, naturally sympathetic. I think his appeal would create an interesting tension onscreen--a guy you want to like, even root for, against your better judgment.

At any rate, I hope Braff directs another movie soon.

Learn more about the book and author at Will Allison's website.

The Page 69 Test: Long Drive Home.

Writer's Read: Will Allison.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Adam Mitzner's "A Conflict of Interest"

Adam Mitzner graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. and M.A. in politics, and from there went directly on to law school at the University of Virginia.

After law school, he joined the litigation department of a large New York City law firm, and after a few more stops, is currently the head of the litigation department of Pavia & Harcourt LLP. Pavia & Harcourt recently received some fame because it is the law firm where Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor practiced before she was appointed to the bench.

Here he shares some ideas about casting a big screen adaptation of his new novel, A Conflict of Interest:

I don't think about casting when I'm creating characters. More often than not, they're an amalgam of people I actually know. However, after A Conflict of Interest was finished, and there was some movie interest, I couldn't help but wonder who could bring the characters to life. I think that Michael Ohlig is perhaps the most complicated of the book's characters, and so I'd like to see a very talented actor in the role. Someone who can portray what I see as Ohlig's swashbuckling nature, as well as a vulnerability. Maybe Harrison Ford, or Jeff Bridges or Pierce Brosnan?

As for the protagonist, Alex Miller, perhaps it's my and Alex's love of Batman that would have me cast Christian Bale, but he combines the intelligence and conflict that I was going for with Alex. A similar mix of intelligence and beauty is necessary for the female leads -- Abby Sloan and Elizabeth Miller. For Abby -- Rachel McAdams? Elizabeth is an artist, so I'd want someone with a creative flair, but she's also a serious person. I was a big Lost fan -- Evangeline Lilly?

Learn more about the book and author at Adam Mitzner's website.

The Page 69 Test: A Conflict of Interest.

Writers Read: Adam Mitzner.

--Marshal Zeringue

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David Gullette's "Dreaming Nicaragua"

David Gullette is an English professor at Simmons College and the author of two books about revolutionary poetry in Nicaragua.

Here he shares some suggestions for casting an adaptation of his new novel, Dreaming Nicaragua:

The year is 2000: Jesse Pelletier is a Vietnam Vet who runs a small hotel in a little port on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua. He’s 56. It’s been 10 years since he divorced his wife and got on his daughter’s shit-list. But the daughter, Suzy, has decided to come to Nicaragua to visit the old man and see if they can reconcile. Jesse’s love interest is a half-Nicaraguan California woman, Caitlin Cuadra, who has her own sailboat: she’s skinny, tough and gorgeous in a post-chemo sort of way (she’s been battling the Big C.) Jesse’s old Vietnam buddy Tapper also turns up—he says he’s been exporting Nica shrimp to LA (turns out he also trained Contras in Honduras in the 8os): he’s semi-drugged-up, foul-mouthed, and clearly into more stuff than just shrimp.

Jesse should be played by a solid 50-ish actor who knows how to suggest a subfloor of panic and bad dreams beneath a surface of calm and competence: Kevin Spacey. (I would have said Sam Shepard, but he’s too old.)

Suzy is a plummy role for a stubborn, snarky 20-something: Jennifer Lawrence is just old enough for this part.

Caitlin has to look like a woman returning from near-death: the face gaunt, savaged, intensely sexy: Patti Smith has the authenticity to ace the role. That she’s not an “actress” is perfect.

Tapper was written with Nick Nolte in mind—not the earnest photographer of his first Nica movie, Under Fire, but a darker, more menacing riff on the role of the homeless dude in Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Read more about Dreaming Nicaragua at the Fenway Press website.

The Page 69 Test: Dreaming Nicaragua.

--Marshal Zeringue

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