J.H. Trumble's Don’t Let Me Go"

J.H. Trumble is a Texas native and graduate of Sam Houston State University.

Here she shares some ideas for casting an adaptation of her debut novel, Don’t Let Me Go:

Casting for Don’t Let Me Go has proven to be more difficult than writing the book! Believe me, I’d much rather write. I think everyone forms an image of a character in their minds. Movies really have to sell the casting to the people. Take Robert Pattinson as Edward. At first, I thought no, no, no, no, no. Halfway through the movie, though, I’d changed my mind. Robert Pattinson is the perfect Edward.

So I’m going to cheat a little. I think casting should come from a lesser-known group of actors, so lesser known that I don’t know them either! Instead, I’ll suggest types.

Nate is probably the easiest for me to cast. Nice looking, athletic, brooding but funny. I think a younger Nate Berkus-type would make a great Nate.

Adam is a no-brainer—American Idol-era Adam Lambert all the way. Sexy, open, talented, passionate, loyal, beautiful.

Luke could be played by any number of blonde, goofy, boyishly charming young men. A Justin Bieber type.

Danial is Pakistani. But I do think someone like Ukrainian Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy is the right type--rugged, confident, fiercely loyal.

Curtis is a very minor character, and we only meet him at the very end. I’m including him because he’s so clearly in my mind a doppelganger for Daniel Tosh.

Learn more about the book and author at J.H. Trumble's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Benjamin Buchholz's "One Hundred and One Nights"

Benjamin Buchholz served as a Civil Affairs Officer in Safwan, Iraq, from 2005 to 2006. His nonfiction book Private Soldiers was published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press in 2007.

Here he writes about the actors he'd like to see in an adaptation of One Hundred and One Nights, his first novel:

I bet every author has this same recurring daydream or fantasy ... who stars in the movie production of their first novel. I certainly did (and do) think about this!

But, because this story is set in Safwan, Iraq, I'm faced with a dilemma. Do I cast someone relatively unknown who fits the right ethnic profile and hope the movie delivers that person to stardom, like, perhaps, Slumdog Millionaire did for Dev Patel, or do I seek a known star and trust the make-up, language-coaching and special effects crews to turn him into a middle aged, half-mad Iraqi man, troubled by visions of the ghost of his daughter?

For the purpose of this particular fantasy, let's go with Option #2 here and I'll toss out a couple names.

First, Brad Pitt. I think, with brown-colored contacts, he'd make a fine Iraqi man. I'm thinking more about the dinged-up Pitt from Inglourious Basterds than the Pitt from A River Runs Through It. I'd like to see the golden-god-on-earth look of him threatening to shine through, to break through the various layers of disguise that my narrator -- Abu Saheeh -- has wrapped around himself. Such a thing would produce an element of tension within the casting itself!

A more natural choice, however, might be Robert Downey Jr. He's got the craziness down pat and I prefer his brand of off-the-rocker a little more than, say, Johnny Depp. Abu Saheeh has more Sherlock Holmes to him than Pirates of the Caribbean.

Leaving the superficial A-list actors to one side, I think Abu Saheeh, in his understated mission of putting-his-life-back-together-again, might offer a chance to someone whose career is, in a similar way, down-and-out. Abu Saheeh compares himself to Dustin Hoffman at one point -- a little Rainmanish. So I could see that working. But maybe the best option of all would be someone totally forgotten yet containing a high degree of internally self-referencing American pop culture, someone who (in their very person) might reflect my little chirruping Layla back onto herself ... say, for instance, Ralph Macchio. That, my friends, would be a perfect call, with a slightly modernized version of Peter Cetera's "Glory of Love" echoing in our hearts and souls during the credits.

Learn more about the book and author at Benjamin Buchholz's website.

The Page 69 Test: One Hundred and One Nights.

--Marshal Zeringue

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D.C. Brod's "Getting Lucky"

Deborah (Deb) Brod has written fiction most of her life, but didn’t think she had a novel in her until after she graduated from Northern Illinois University with an M.A. in journalism.

Here she shares some suggestions for casting an adaptation of her new novel, Getting Lucky:

I would love to see Laura Linney play Robyn Guthrie, my slightly larcenous heroine. Although Linney doesn't physically resemble Robyn as I've imagined her, she's an amazing actress who can put a lot of layers into a character.

I don't usually have an image of a character when I begin the book. Each becomes more and more distinct as I write him or her. Mick Hughes was different. I've always imagined him as Scottish actor Robert Carlyle. (And I'd be okay with him keeping the accent.) Carlyle is kind of a chameleon, so I need to say that I see Mick more as a Full Monty Carlyle than, say, a World is Not Enough Carlyle.

Frances Sternhagen as Lizzie Guthrie. Definitely. And I see that she's on an "Oddly Sexy" actress list, which Lizzie would appreciate.

Marina Sirtis would play Erika Starwise, psychic extraordinaire, using that Star Trek: The Next Generation accent.

And, finally, there's Kurt Vrana, rogue environmentalist who will likely show up in another book. I like having him around. Although he probably looks more like Clive Owen, who would be fine by me, I have the feeling that Viggo Mortensen is just dying to play him.

And I'd demand that they give me a walk-on in the trailer.

Learn more about the book and author at D.C. Brod's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Sabrina Benulis's "Archon"

Sabrina Benulis graduated with a master’s in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University. She currently resides in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania with her husband, Mike, and her spoiled cockatiel, Caesar.

Here she shares some insights into adapting Archon, her debut novel, for the big screen:

Archon and its sequels in "The Books of Raziel" trilogy would make unbelievable movies. This is a pipe-dream for me, of course. Really, the odds of any novelist's books becoming a movie are quite slim, even if they're optioned, and then by gosh you'd better hope the adaptation is at least a little faithful to your book.

But if all of those magic dominoes happened to fall just right, it would be awesome.

Really, Archon requires a cast mostly of unknowns. Angela Mathers, my protagonist, is tall with a model's striking face, so an edgy actress in her late teens with some sharp acting skills would do well. Kim, my main male character, looks a lot like the magician Criss Angel with longer hair. I don't know if he acts!

Israfel is a strikingly androgynous angel with the beauty of men and women perfectly combined. Recently I saw a picture of the male model Andrej Pejic and was stunned by his resemblance to what I pictured Israfel to look like.

And one of my demons--Python--could be awesomely portrayed by Johnny Depp. You need that kind of quirkiness for his character.

Tim Burton would be great as the director. I say this because "The Books of Raziel" is full of action and heavy on gothic atmosphere, and Burton has proven himself quite well in both areas. However, the story becomes epic and I can't help but also look to Peter Jackson, who did spectacular work with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. If you're going to make a movie about another world, going into detail almost to the point of ridiculousness is the way to do it right.

My book, the movie...

It's an awesome dream.

Learn more about the book and author at Sabrina Benulis's website, blog, and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Jennifer Frost's "Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood"

Jennifer Frost is senior lecturer in history at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and the author of “An Interracial Movement of the Poor”: Community Organizing and the New Left in the 1960s.

Here she shares her preferences for the above-the-line talent for a cinematic adaptation of her recent book, Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood: Celebrity Gossip and American Conservatism:

Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper was a powerhouse of Hollywood’s golden age, and people either loved the “duchess of dish” or hated this “gargoyle of gossip.” For 27 years and 32 million readers over the mid-20th century, Hopper wrote her movie gossip column about the big stars, their movies and marriages, their secrets and scandals. What made her most stand out from the crowd of celebrity journalists of her day—apart from her famous, flamboyant hats—were her political coverage and her political conservatism. The intertwining of popular and political culture was exceptional in Hopper’s column but is commonplace in today’s mass media.

Whether reporting on entertainment or politics, Hopper wrote in a witty, catty style, wielding her gossip as a weapon. In return, she earned a reputation for herself in Hollywood as “unpredictable and ruthless,” “cold-blooded,” and “a vicious witch.” But she also was smart, blond, and attractive, always well groomed and dressed, and had many close friends and committed fans. Her great rival Louella Parsons, who preceded and competed with her in the Hollywood gossip business, was not one of them however. The Hopper-Parsons feud shaped both their careers, and should be a key plot line in the movie.

Hopper: Jane Alexander played a young Hopper in a 1985 television movie, Malice in Wonderland, but that movie only took Hopper to the start of her career and Alexander played her sweetly. To portray Hopper throughout her powerful career, Glenn Close would be perfect. She can play smart and ruthless as she does currently on Damages, and she can wear the fashions and hats of old Hollywood well as she did in the musical Sunset Boulevard.

Parsons: Elizabeth Taylor played Parsons in Malice in Wonderland, as did Jennifer Tilly in The Cat’s Meow, but again these movies covered Parson’s early career. Kathy Bates would be wonderful as the middle-aged Parsons, seeking to hold on to her exclusives and her edge in the face of Hopper’s rising career. Bates has proved herself many times over portraying historical figures convincingly, as she did with Gertrude Stein in this year’s Midnight in Paris.

Director: For director, Todd Haynes is the right choice. He has made movies set in Hopper’s heyday—the 1940s with HBO’s Mildred Pierce and the 1950s with Far from Heaven—and he beautifully establishes the mood, feel, and color of these historical eras. Also he would be up to the challenge of casting a host of famous supporting characters, such as Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, and Elizabeth Taylor. What makes him even more appropriate is his self-conscious use and understanding of nostalgia, which was a major theme of Hopper’s gossip column. Throughout her career, she expressed disappointment in the present and sought to return Hollywood and America to her imagined “golden days of yesteryear.”

Learn more about Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood at the publisher's website.

At the Wall Street Journal, film historian Steven J. Ross named Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood to his list of the five best books about politics and the movie industry.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Ali Brandon's "Double Booked for Death"

Ali Brandon is the pseudonym for Diane A.S. Stuckart, who is the critically acclaimed author of historical romance and short fiction, as well as the award-winning Leonardo da Vinci mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. The first in Brandon’s new Black Cat Bookshop mystery series, Double Booked for Death, hit the shelves December 6, 2011.

Here she writes about the actors she'd like to see in an adaptation of Double Booked for Death:

Ah, yes, every writer’s secret dream…to have his or her book turned into a movie. And, in that most perfect world, we writers get to cast our own stories. (Of course, we’ve already written the award-winning screenplay with no pesky directorial interference.) But choosing is harder than it looks, and so I gave much thought to whom I envision bringing to life my new Black Cat Bookshop Mystery, Double Booked for Death.

My red-haired protagonist, Darla Pettistone, was actually based on one of my nieces; however, Lauren Ambrose of Six Feet Under fame would be great in the role. She’s just about the right age and has that same wide-eyed look as Darla…all she needs to do is darken her hair to true auburn.

In my story, I’ve already described Darla’s bookstore manager, retired professor James T. James, as having a voice reminiscent of James Earl Jones. Even though the actor is older than my 60-something James, I’ve adored him ever since I first saw him in a really awful 1970s movie called Swashbuckler. And so, Mr. Jones, you win the role, hands down.

Darla’s best friend, the ex-cop Jacqueline “Jake” Martelli, is easy. From the start, I’ve envisioned her as a Xena-esque figure to complement Darla’s more innocent “Gabrielle” personality (though without the pesky subtext, as Darla once says). So Lucy Lawless with her Xena, Warrior Princess black hair and a great spiral perm gets this role.

Another important character is Mary Ann Plinski, owner—with her brother—of Bygone Days Antiques, the shop next door to Darla’s bookstore. The feisty septuagenarian was actually a tribute to my own Aunt Mary Ann. I don’t think she’d object to another of my favorite stars, Helen Mirren, aging herself a bit to take on the role.

Finally, it’s time for the most important casting choice…that of Hamlet the cat. Sadly, the real life Hamlet on which my literary version is based has long since passed on. Given that, I suggest an unknown for the role. Hamlet should be played by a bold and clever shelter cat who will rocket to fame once the movie is released and bring needed attention to the plight of homeless felines everywhere.

Learn more about the book and author at the official Ali Brandon--AKA Diane A.S. Stuckart--website.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Diane Stuckart & Ranger, Delta, Oliver and Paprika.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Patrick Lee's "Deep Sky"

Patrick Lee's first novel, The Breach, hit the world at the beginning of 2010. It was followed by a sequel, Ghost Country, and the final volume of the trilogy, Deep Sky, is out this week. The series tells the story of Travis Chase, a man who finds himself caught up in the chain of events surrounding the world's most violently kept secret.

Here the author shares some insights about casting the lead in an adaptation of the series:

Strangely enough, the character I never have a visual sense of is my protagonist, Travis Chase. That's probably because I'm usually writing from his point of view, the story focusing on what he sees and, more importantly, what he thinks.

Other characters I do get a sense of, visually, but not specifically enough that any certain actor or actress comes to mind.

In the past, I've hinted that a great lead actor would be a CGI mix of Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon. This would be cost-effective and probably not difficult to schedule.

Alternatively, they could always cast me in the role, freeing up the budget to cast someone like Natalie Portman as Paige Campbell. That is a brilliant idea--why am I the first to think of it?

Failing that, I'm available to play Man in Elevator. Or the off-screen role of Man getting yelled at by the key grip for tripping over lighting cords.

Learn more about the book and author at Patrick Lee's website and blog.

--Marshal Zeringue

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