C. I. Jerez's "At the Island's Edge"

C. I. Jerez, who has a blend of Irish, Puerto Rican, and Cuban parentage, grew up near El Paso’s Mexican border experiencing a true cultural amalgamation. After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, she commissioned as a signal officer in the US Army and rose to the rank of major before transitioning out of the military. She holds an MBA from Webster University and a doctorate in international business from Liberty University. When not writing, she serves as cofounder and vice president for Ashire Technologies & Services Inc., a cybersecurity firm specializing in securing federal information systems. She lives in central Florida.

Here Jerez dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, At the Island's Edge:

I thought about the ideal producer and cast from the very beginning stages of pitching this novel and for good reason. The very first agent to get super excited about the idea for this book had recently sold another of her client’s novels to Benny Medina and Jennifer Lopez’s (JLO) production company Nuyorican Productions. And while I ended up being represented by a different agency, a seed was planted about the possibility for this story and how it would look on film.

I’m still convinced that if JLO or her team has an opportunity to read my book about a young, Puerto Rican single mother returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom as an American war hero grappling with PTSD, they will be interested in the film rights. Especially when they get to delve into the themes and cinematic depictions of family, culture, and daily life in Puerto Rico when Lina, my protagonist, finds herself returning home after twelve years away with her nine-year-old son, Teó who struggles with Tourette’s Syndrome, but is exceptional bright and precocious.

With this in mind I’ve cast the book’s main characters as follows:

Sergeant Lina LaSalle: Eiza Gonzalez, best known for the Michael Bay film, Ambulance.

Elijah “Eli” Montgomery: With the perfect look of a true Charleston, SC southern gentleman — Liam Hemsworth.

Leonardo (the ex): Would be perfect for Benito “Bad Bunny” Ocasio to make his film debut.

Cousin Dolores: Jenna Ortega from the Netflix series, Wednesday.

Lina’s Mom: Jennifer Lopez (JLO).

Lina’s Father: Carlos Ponce – those eyes make him a perfect fit.

Tia Lisandra: Roselyn Sanchez – beautiful and villainous.

Lina’s Grandma: Rita Moreno, of course!

Lina’s Grandpa: Jacobo Morales – a true Puerto Rican legend!

And there you have it! The entire cast!

Visit C. I. Jerez's website.

--Marshal Zeringue