Esri Allbritten's "Chihuahua of the Baskervilles"

Esri Allbritten is the author of Chihuahua of the Baskervilles and The Portrait of Doreene Gray, the first two books in a mystery series that features the staff of Tripping Magazine, a low-budget travel rag that covers destinations of paranormal interest. The thing is, every time they cover a story, there’s a crime behind the supposedly supernatural event — kind of like Scooby Doo for grown-ups.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of Chihuahua of the Baskervilles:

The big casting challenge is Suki Oota, Tripping's photographer. Suki is very talented with a camera, but was fired from National Geographic for "fraternizing" with the natives. It's a good thing this California girl has a trust fund and doesn't actually have to work. Here's the problem -- how many half-Japanese, half-American actresses do you know? "Find me the Japanese-American version of Cameron Diaz!" roars my film's producer. "We want someone who is highly sexed and drolly comedic. She should also be willing to cut her hair short." Good luck with that.

Angus MacGregor is Tripping's co-founder and editor. Casting Angus isn't hard, assuming Billy Connolly is up for the role. Craig Ferguson could also do it. Usually dressed in tweed or corduroy jackets, Angus is warm and fuzzy on the outside, driven and a bit insecure on the inside. He's a recovering alcoholic who grew up in very rough part of Scotland and has no college education. Angus is a nice guy who also happens to be an opportunist.

Michael Abernathy is a literary novelist, or will be when he gets published. His work in progress is Don Juan Conejo, the story of an abused wife who develops an intense relationship with her pet rabbit. Michael (never Mike) is a skeptic who works at Tripping for the paltry paycheck and the résumé credit. There are gobs of intense-eyed actors with dark shaggy hair who look like Michael, but Mark Ruffalo has the personality. Plus, Michael tends toward assholiness, so he has to be played by an actor who is inherently likable.

As for Chihuahuas, we're spoiled for choice. Pick a couple and let's greenlight this project.

Learn more about the book and author at Esri Allbritten's website.

The Page 69 Test: Chihuahua of the Baskervilles.

Writers Read: Esri Allbritten.

--Marshal Zeringue