Ann Howard Creel writes historical novels about strong female characters facing seemingly impossible obstacles and having to make life-changing decisions. In her novel The River Widow, a former tarot-card reader turned widow and stepmother must escape the clutches of an evil family while also facing the crime she herself has committed. In The Whiskey Sea, a fierce young woman becomes one of the only female rumrunners on the Atlantic Coast during Prohibition. And in While You Were Mine, a New York City nurse must give up the child she has raised as her own during World War II.Here the author dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Mercy Road:
This is such a fun exercise but is a little difficult for me. As I’m writing I don’t imagine actors—I see my characters as completely new faces. But by making myself imagine the film version of Mercy Road, I came up with a few actors that would work for me.Visit Ann Howard Creel's website.
I choose Carey Mulligan as Arlene Favier, a young horsewoman turned World War I ambulance driver. Mulligan’s portrayal of Bathsheba in the recent remake of Far from the Madding Crowd demonstrated her ability to be both strong and vulnerable. And that’s how I see Arlene.
For Jimmy Tucker, the hometown boy that Arlene runs into in France and ultimately falls for, I choose Sam Worthington for many of the same reasons I chose Mulligan. I think he can do it all. Worthington really stood out in the film, The Debt, and also gave a fine performance in Avatar. He looks the part, too.
Choosing someone to play Felix Brohammer, the so-called bad guy in my book, is the toughest pick. I’m going against typecast here and choosing Daniel Radcliffe, famous for playing Harry Potter. Of course in the Harry Potter series, he’s a likeable young person, but I think he can play a bad guy just as well.
Now all I need is a film rights contract!
The Page 69 Test: The River Widow.
--Marshal Zeringue
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