Helen Landalf's "Flyaway"

Helen Landalf’s debut YA novel, Flyaway, released on December 20, 2011 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Her other books include the award-winning picture book The Secret Night World of Cats (Smith and Kraus, 1998), illustrated by her autistic brother, Mark Rimland, and Movement Stories for Young Children (Smith and Kraus, 1996), a guide for teachers.

Here she shares her preferences for the lead actors in an adaptation of Flyaway:

In order to cast my contemporary realistic YA novel, Flyaway, which is about a 15-year-old girl struggling to come to terms with the fact that her mom is a meth addict, I’d need to find three strong actresses. For the main character, Stevie, who remains fiercely loyal to her mom in spite of mounting evidence that her mom is not only a drug addict but also a neglectful mother, I’d cast Abigail Breslin, who won an Oscar for her role in Little Miss Sunshine. Breslin, who’s now 15, would bring the necessary intensity to the role of Stevie.

Another strong actress would be needed to play Stevie’s Aunt Mindy, who takes her niece in and shows her – initially against Stevie’s will – how a caring parent actually behaves. For this role I’d choose the lovely Sandra Bullock, who has the combination of poise, warmth, and steel that the role demands.

And to complete my trio of powerful women, I’d cast Toni Collette in the role of drug addicted, narcissistic Mom. Collette’s work as a suicidal mother in About a Boy has me convinced that she could play Mom to a T.

Visit Helen Landalf's website and blog, and watch the Flyaway trailer.

--Marshal Zeringue

Eben Miller's "Born along the Color Line"

Eben Miller teaches at Southern Maine Community College and lives in Lewiston, Maine.

Here he dreamcasts an adaptation of his new book, Born along the Color Line: The 1933 Amenia Conference and the Rise of a National Civil Rights Movement:

Casting my book as a movie, I'll start with the easiest role to fill. In this collective biography, the role of a distinct place—the Troutbeck estate in Amenia, New York—actually nears in significance to some of the main figures involved. Happily, the sylvan setting where the men and women I write about gathered together in 1933 remains largely intact as the Troutbeck Inn and Conference Center.

Of the roughly two dozen up-and-coming African American leaders invited to Troutbeck in 1933, my book explores the lives of five key individuals. Their biographies, woven together with the story of the conference they attended at Troutbeck, illuminate a generational struggle to secure civil rights for African Americans.

I can see Derek Luke as Louis Redding, a graduate of Harvard Law School and the first African American admitted to the bar in Delaware. To portray him, Luke could capture Redding's professionalism, intellect, and commitment to social justice—all the while conveying the young man's struggle to meet the expectations of his small, middle class community in Wilmington.

As Abram Harris, a brilliant young economist who taught at Howard University, I'd expect Michael Ealy to cause a run on tweed and wire-rimmed spectacles. Beyond the vintage props, Ealy could offer something nearly as antiquated by voicing passionate advocacy for an interracial movement among American industrial workers.

Few who met Juanita Jackson failed to comment on her buoyant character and impressive dedication to the cause of African Americans' civil liberty, whether as a church-based youth organizer in Baltimore or as the founding coordinator of the NAACP's national youth movement during the mid-1930s. As Jackson, Kerry Washington could ably project these qualities, but also offer the role a necessary, thoughtful gravity.

Anthony Mackie could play a perfect Moran Weston, a divinity school graduate who served as an organizer with the Harlem-based Negro Labor Victory Committee. Extant during World War II, the committee was most noted for putting on spectacular "Negro Freedom Rallies" at Madison Square Garden designed to fuse entertainment and political action. What an opportunity to feature today's stars as celebrities from the past—Duke Ellington, Pearl Primus, Murial Rahn, and Josh White.

Seeking black freedom during a reactionary era was not without political peril, though. I envision Jeffrey Wright as Ralph Bunche, the Nobel Prize winning United Nations diplomat who in 1954 was forced to account for his loyalty to the nation. Did his belief that African Americans deserved equal economic opportunity make him a Communist? Wright could enliven Bunche's righteous indignation to this accusation.

As for cameo roles, I'll continue this marvelous daydream by picturing a supporting cast featuring Giancarlo Esposito (as W.E.B. Du Bois), Sam Waterston (as Joel Spingarn), Alfre Woodard (as Alice Dunbar-Nelson), Andre Braugher (as Lews "PaPA" Redding), Terrence Howard (as Walter White), Lance Reddick (as Roscoe Dunjee), and Glenn Close (as Mary White Ovington).

John Sayles, David Simon, and Oprah Winfrey—this project awaits your talents and influence.

Learn more about Born along the Color Line at the Oxford University Press website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Beth Fantaskey's "Jessica Rules the Dark Side"

Beth Fantaskey is the author of Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, Jekel Loves Hyde, and the newly released Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

Here she explains her difficulty in imagining any particular actors portraying her characters on the big screen:

I can’t, for the life of me, choose actors to play my characters. As I write, the people I create become very vivid in my imagination, and they never look like anyone but... themselves. Every now and then, readers will send me pictures of actors and say, “This is who I imagine as Lucius Vladescu.” Or, “This actress would be perfect as Jessica Packwood.” And I think that’s great. But inevitably, I look at the images and think, “No, Lucius has a different nose,” or “Jess’s eyes aren’t quite like that.” I can’t even seem to speculate on choosing actors, myself. It’s almost like I’m afraid I’ll start writing dialogue that I think would be suited to the actor, not the character. I suppose I need to really believe in the unique people I’ve tried to create, or they won’t come across as genuine on paper. I’m not a very “quirky” writer, and I usually don’t over think things, but that is one strange habit that I have. Keep sending me photos, though. I love to see who other people are picturing as they read!

Learn more about the author and her work at Beth Fantaskey's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Charlie Price's "Desert Angel"

Charlie Price's novel, The Interrogation of Gabriel James, was hailed as “top-notch” by Kirkus Reviews, “surprising” by Booklist, and “gripping” by BCCB, and won the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery.

Here he shares some suggestions for casting an adaptation of his latest YA novel, Desert Angel:

When I learned about this blog I was surprised to realize I don't think about my characters as movie actors. I usually build them from an early quixotic impression and they grow more distinct as I write. I start with an overall person in mind --- fourteen year-old girl, spiky blond hair, waif-like, tomboy features, etc. and that character gets clearer as she responds to situations page by page.

Though I love movies, usually watch two per week in theaters, and several more on Netflix, I'm sixty-six. My movie conversations go like this: God that guy is good. Greg … uh, no that's not it. Wasn't he in … um, the military movie about time shifts? Oh, come on, you know, he was with what's-her-name in that love story ... and so on. Hardly enlightening, but I know what I like and whom I like, even if the details escape me. Senility has its drawbacks. It turned out to be a Googlean task to decide on the actors but I thoroughly enjoyed the process lumbering along memory lane.

Kirkus gave my new book, Desert Angel, a starred review and called it a "relentless and heart-stopping thriller," so I want charismatic, engaging actors who can keep a tight edge in fast turns.

The story follows Angel’s flight into barren country near the Salton Sea in Southern California as she tries to escape the man that abused her and murdered her mother. When the man, Scotty, finds Angel, he will kill her, too. She may not survive without help from the illegal immigrant community that she encounters as she flees. I have a great deal of respect for the breadth of the Mexican-American community and after living in Michoacan a while ago, it is particularly important to me to portray that community with depth and dignity.

The cast and director:

Angel needs to be gritty, tenacious, and almost terminally self-reliant. – Kristen Stewart (The Runaways)

Scotty, slick and venomous. (the killer) – John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)

Rita, steadfast and perceptive. (the woman that takes Angel into her home) – Rosario Dawson (Unstoppable)

Vincente, a hard-working fun-loving hot-head. (Rita’s husband) – Michael Peña (Tower Heist)

Momo, strong, good-looking, inexperienced but willing to risk. (the boy that tries to help Angel) – Victor Rasuk (Stop-Loss)

Ramon, kind but tough and unflappable. (a leader in the immigrant community) – Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica)

The Director, a person who can blend the combination of edgy thriller and the marvelous, impossible enigma of adolescent girls. – Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight)

Learn more about the book and author at Charlie Price's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

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

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

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

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

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

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