Sara Grant's "Dark Parties"

Sara Grant was born and raised in Washington, Indiana, a small town in the Midwestern United States. She graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, with degrees in journalism and psychology, and later she earned a master’s degree in creative and life writing Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Grant is senior commissioning editor for Working Partners, a London-based company creating series fiction for children. She has worked on ten different series and edited more than 75 books.

Here she shares some suggestions about who should star in an adaptation of Dark Parties, her first young adult novel:

It wouldn’t be easy to make Dark Parties into a movie. Dark Parties is set in a society that has closed itself off under an electrified dome for hundreds of years. Its citizens are growing to look more and more alike. They don’t look identical but have a family resemblance. Neva, my main character, explains it like this: “I see myself around every corner — every minute — like living in a maze of mirrors.”

For that reason, I didn’t really picture the actors who might play the leading roles. When I’m developing a story, I sometimes have a notebook with pictures for each of my main characters. I didn’t do this with Dark Parties. I focused more on the identity marks that the characters create for themselves. Neva has a snowflake tattoo in the valley between her stomach and hip. Neva’s best friend Sanna carves an ‘S’ on her cheek. One character always wears red, pointy-toed boots.

Having said that...it is nice to dream of a red carpet walk...

My first casting call would be to Kevin Spacey. I’d offer him the role of Neva’s dad. I would like to say it’s solely based on the fact that he’s an award-winning actor and has the capacity to play the subtleties in Dr. George Adams, but the truth is he’s my favorite actor and I would love to have the chance to sit down and talk to him artist to artist. Okay, it’s more like actor to near-stalker fan.

I’d give my leading lady to Emma Watson. She has the edgy, strength that Neva needs. And after all the testosterone of the Harry Potter series, Emma needs a kick a** leading role.

For Braydon, I wanted someone lesser known, an actor whose mystery off-camera could match Braydon’s mystery on. We’d have to travel a few years back to a time when Jonathan Rhys Meyers had long hair. Then he’d be the perfect Braydon with a mysterious, bold, sexy vibe.

I love a little bit o’ the Glee. I think Cory Allan Monteith could play a convincing Ethan. He’s the boy next door but I think he could add the creepy edge that Ethan needs later in the story.

I found Sanna the hardest to cast. I want someone who could play Sanna’s enthusiasm and heart. She’s got to be loveable but able to play some really tough and emotional scenes. I finally selected Abigail Breslin. Probably the primary reason is because I loved her in Little Miss Sunshine. But she’d be about the right age and is a stunning actress.

So Hollywood, whaddya say? Anyone out there want to make my Oscar wishes come true?

Learn more about the book and author at Sara Grant's website and Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

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David O. Stewart's "American Emperor"

David O. Stewart's books include the highly acclaimed The Summer of 1787, the bestselling account of the writing of the Constitution, and Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy. He has practiced law in Washington, D.C., for more than a quarter of a century, defending accused criminals and challenging government actions as unconstitutional. Stewart has argued appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and was law clerk to Justice Lewis Powell of that Court.

Here Stewart suggests some actors who might play the lead roles in an adaptation of his new book, American Emperor: Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America:

For an actor in his middle years, Aaron Burr in American Emperor would be the role of a lifetime. The charismatic Burr, who romanced the ladies wherever he went, had remarkable adventures. A face-off with Thomas Jefferson in the election of 1800! Dueling with Alexander Hamilton! Traveling through America’s frontier to recruit an army to conquer Mexico and Florida! Defending himself against treason charges and cheating the gallows in a trial before Chief Justice John Marshall! To capture the mystery and magnetism of Burr, Johnny Depp would be perfect.

When I recently expressed this opinion to a fellow writer, I was dismayed to find that she believes Johnny Depp would be perfect for the movie version of her book. In quick succession, I posed the question to two other writers, both of whom stoutly contended that Mr. Depp should star in the movies of their books. So he is going to have to stop messing about with those Pirates of the Caribbean things and buckle down to some serious movie-making!

Other roles in American Emperor may be cast with comparable precision:

General James Wilkinson – A triple agent for Spain, Jefferson, and Burr, the alcoholic, florid Wilkinson is perfect for Tom Wilkinson (presumably no relation, but one never knows).

Thomas Jefferson – In the HBO series on John Adams, Stephen Dillane portrayed Thomas Jefferson brilliantly. A reprise of the role in American Emperor would be much appreciated.

Erich Bollman – A German adventurer who schemed to spring the Marquis de Lafayette from an Austrian prison, started and crashed numerous ventures in the United States, and then became a key figure in Burr’s audacious projects, Bollman is a natural role for Christoph Waltz. Type-casting for the Austrian-born Waltz? Sue me; he’d be great.

Learn more about the book and author at David O. Stewart's website and blog.

The Page 99 Test: Impeached.

--Marshal Zeringue

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J.T. Ellison's "Where All the Dead Lie"

J.T. Ellison is the international award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Taylor Jackson novels, multiple short stories, and has been published in over twenty countries.

Here Ellison shares some ideas about who should star in an adaptation of the latest Taylor Jackson book, Where All the Dead Lie:

For years, I’ve been trying not to answer this question. I’ve put it out there for my readers to comment on, not wanting to influence that psychic connection people have with fictional characters. I’ve always felt that if I tell you what Taylor Jackson looks like to me, it may alter your reading of the novel.

I’ve come to change my mind on that, mostly because I’ve finally seen a few actresses who I think could successfully interpret the character. So much of Taylor Jackson is physical – and I’d love to see that physicality explored on the screen. I was very surprised to realize that Blake Lively is probably as close to Taylor in my mind as a real person could be. I’d always thought of her as Charlize Theron, but Charlize is a tiny bit too refined. Blake, even though a bit young for the role, has the presence necessary, and if you’ve seen her in The Town, the acting chops to pull it off as well. And she can do the hair. Taylor has great hair.

Baldwin – I’ve got nothing. A really scruffed up Thomas Gibson would work – he’s not quite as pretty, but he has the right smoldering intensity.

But from the very beginning – Memphis Highsmythe, the Viscount Dulsie, was modeled on Daniel Craig. My editor saw him as Simon Baker – but no. He’s Craig all the way – that barely contained fury, simmering just under the surface, the coiled grace… he’d be perfectly cast.

Sam Owens is Natalie Portman, hands down.

Learn more about the book and author at J.T. Ellison's website and blog.

Writers Read: J.T. Ellison.

The Page 69 Test: Where All the Dead Lie.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Brian Doyle's "Bin Laden’s Bald Spot"

Brian Doyle is the editor of Portland Magazine at the University of Portland, in Oregon—the best university magazine in America, according to Newsweek, and “the best spiritual magazine in the country,” according to Annie Dillard.

He is the author of five collections of essays, two nonfiction books (The Grail, about a year in an Oregon vineyard, and The Wet Engine, about the “muddles & musics of the heart”), two collections of short prose, and the sprawling novel Mink River, which Publishers Weekly called a “original, postmodern, shimmering tapestry of smalltown life.”

Doyle's new book is Bin Laden's Bald Spot & Other Stories.

Here he shares some suggestions for casting bin Laden and other characters in an adaptation from the collection:

For my new collection of stories, Bin Laden’s Bald Spot, I would choose old Gregory Peck to play His Murderous Idiocy. You want a tall gangly guy with a fixed stare, which in Peck’s case was always taken for intent calm dignity, but in His High Killingness I would ascribe to a roaring arrogant mania; he really thought, I bet, that he was important, and right that killing children would be a good thing for his religion and his idea of how the world should be (something like the year 900, but with cell phones). Seth Rogen or Albert Brooks as his hairy and rotund first mate in crime; Willem Dafoe as the insane ranting cleric (a generic role, representing lots), and dozens of walk-ons as the children who thought he was pretty much the worst dad ever. What a waste of gifts, poor Usama – a brilliant, charismatic, visionary, wealthy dude, who used all those gifts to damage his religion more than anyone in centuries, who cackled while children were roasted, and who must have watched in rage as the Arab world turned toward freedom without the slightest help from him or his ideas about how to topple the world that made him so angry.

Learn more about Bin Laden’s Bald Spot and visit its Facebook page.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Dean Crawford's "Covenant"

Dean Crawford worked as a graphic designer before he left the industry to pursue his lifelong dream of writing full-time. An aviation and motorcycle enthusiast, he lives with his family in Surrey, England.

Here he suggests a couple of actors who might play the lead in an adaptation of his new book, Covenant:

Funnily enough, a copy of my debut novel Covenant is in Los Angeles at the moment! Although I did not write the novel with a film in mind, as the movie would have to look very different from the book, many readers have told me that it would make a great film.

I’m a die-hard Harrison Ford fan but as the hero of the novels, Ethan Warner, is in his thirties, I could see Hugh Jackman playing the role. He’s got that almost ordinary-guy-in-the-street look about him, but also looks like he could do some damage if he got angry enough. My editor mentioned Kiefer Sutherland as a possible lead a few months ago. I try to write Ethan Warner as human as possible, not one of these indestructible James Bond type characters, so any actor in the role would benefit from appearing slightly vulnerable, the reluctant hero.

Learn more about the book and author at Dean Crawford's website and blog.

Writers Read: Dean Crawford.

--Marshal Zeringue

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Doug Magee's "Darkness All Around"

Doug Magee has been a photojournalist, screenplay writer, children's book author, death penalty activist, film producer and director, war protestor, college football player, amateur musician, and the basis of the Aidan Quinn character in Meryl Streep's Music of the Heart.

Here he shares some ideas for casting an adaptation of his new novel, Darkness All Around:

There are three principal roles in Darkness All Around. Sean Collins is a man who disappeared from his home town eleven years earlier and has returned claiming he killed a woman while blacked out before he left. I did a book trailer and used the actor Chris Henry Coffey to play Sean (he can be seen in the film Trust). If I had to choose a star, it would probably be Ryan Gosling. Sean's ex-wife, Risa, would be played by Michelle Williams (though the actress Julie Ann Emery who was in the book trailer would be terrific). Risa's current husband Alan could go to a number of actors but Clive Owen with an American accent would be great.

View the trailers and learn more about the book and author at Doug Magee's website and the Darkness All Around website.

Writers Read: Doug Magee (June 2010).

The Page 69 Test: Never Wave Goodbye.

My Book, The Movie: Never Wave Goodbye.

Writers Read: Doug Magee (October 2011).

The Page 69 Test: Darkness All Around.

--Marshal Zeringue

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C. K. Kelly Martin's "My Beating Teenage Heart"

C. K. Kelly Martin's books include I Know It's Over, One Lonely Degree, and The Lighter Side of Life and Death.

Here she shares some ideas about who should direct and star in an adaptation of her new novel, My Beating Teenage Heart:

Director/writer Andrea Arnold was so fearless and emotionally authentic with Fish Tank that she’d be at the top of my list to direct a film version of My Beating Teenage Heart, the story of a dead girl who begins to remember the story of her own life as she tries to help the grief-racked 17 year old boy she finds her consciousness attached to.

Here’s a rundown of my dream cast:

Ashlyn Baptiste – she’s a challenging character to cast because her ethnic background is a quarter French Canadian, quarter African-American, quarter Chinese-Jamaican and quarter Scottish and throughout the book we see Ashlyn at various ages. I think there’d have to be a series of unknown actors playing her. For most of the novel Ashlyn’s unseen, just a consciousness observing Breckon so it could be that we’d only view her in flashbacks of her own life and hear her thoughts as a voice-over in the present.

Breckon Cody – Logan Lerman. He was terrific in the show Jack and Bobby and now he’s playing one of my favourite YA characters (Charlie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) so I know he can handle complex emotions. That’s essential because Breckon’s being torn apart by grief and guilt but he’s also constantly trying to hide how deep those feelings run.

Jules Pacquette – Saoirse Ronan. She comes across as self-possessed and unique which makes her perfect to play Breckon’s theatre student/punk girlfriend Jules and I known from The Lovely Bones that Saoirse can do a perfect North American accent.

Mr. Cody – Aidan Quinn. He’s currently in the show Prime Suspect, has a long list of credits and has been a personal favourite of mine since 1984’s Reckless. I saw him playing a dad in the Irish film 32A a couple of years ago, which made me look at him in a different light. But he’s always been extremely talented at tapping in to really primal feelings, like anger and anguish.

Mrs. Cody – Alex Kingston. I first discovered her on ER and have thoroughly enjoyed watching her play River Song on Doctor Who. I know she’d give a really nuanced performance as Breckon’s mother who is grief-stricken herself but still very worried about him.

Skylar Cody – I think there’d need to be a casting call to find the right young actor to play Breckon’s tomboy sister with the white blond hair. Dakota Fanning as she was in I Am Sam would’ve been absolutely perfect.

Mr. Baptiste – Lenny Kravitz. I think of Ashlyn’s dad as kind of a cool guy while being laid back about it and at the same time, pretty nurturing in a quietly steadfast sort of way like Lenny’s role in Precious.

Mrs. Baptiste – Phoebe Cates. I haven’t seen her onscreen since Bodies, Rest & Motion (she’s probably best known for roles in the Gremlins movies and Fast Times at Ridgemont High) but in my ideal vision of this movie we’d lure her back to play Ashlyn’s mom who is smart and down to earth and described in the book as having “an amused intelligence in her face that has always made people wonder what she was thinking.”

Celeste Baptiste – Lenora Crichlow. There’d need to be someone younger to play Ashlyn’s older sister when they were kids but I think Lenora Crichlow of Being Human (the original British series) would make a terrific college-age Celeste. She has such a warmth about her and I can easily picture her as the sister Ashlyn sees as more confident and cooler than she is, things she admires her for while being just slightly envious.

Learn more about the book and author at C. K. Kelly Martin's website and blog.

My Book, The Movie: The Lighter Side of Life and Death.

--Marshal Zeringue

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