Jenny Hubbard's "And We Stay"

Jenny Hubbard is a poet and playwright. Pat Conroy called Paper Covers Rock, her debut novel, “one of the best young-adult books [he's] read in years.”

Here Hubbard dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, And We Stay:

A cast of smart girls and women: that’s what we’re after.

Saiorse Ronan’s vulnerability, and otherworldly sensibility would lend themselves exquisitely to the character of Emily Beam.

Should the director choose to embody the ghostly presence of Emily Dickinson, Mia Wasikowska would be perfect.

Lena Dunham as Amber. Amber is weird and dishonest but lovable, and Lena would nail all of that, and then some. She will need some Avril Lavigne hair, or at least hair that she can sweep over her eyes from time to time.

K.T.: Allison Williams, or an unknown Allison Williams look-alike. (Yes, I’m a fangirl of Girls.)

You can’t go wrong with Patricia Clarkson in any adult female role, and I’d cast her as Dr. Ingold, the headmistress, because she exudes an inner strength that stems from an extra empathy gene.

For the other key adult in the film, the French teacher Madame Colche, let’s go with Kristin Scott Thomas, another A-plus actress with classy subtlety. Plus, she is fluent in French!

For Paul Wagoner, we need a tall, thin boy with floppy hair and a dark side—a cross between Paul Dano and, well, Paul Dano.

Learn more about the book and author at Jenny Hubbard's website.

My Book, The Movie: Paper Covers Rock.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Jenny Hubbard and Oliver.

--Marshal Zeringue