Friday, December 30, 2022

Julie E. Czerneda's "To Each This World"

Having written twenty-three novels (and counting) published by her beloved DAW Books and Hugo-winning editor Sheila E. Gilbert, as well as numerous short stories, and editing several anthologies over the past 25 years, Julie E. Czerneda was inducted in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2022. Czerneda’s works combine her training and love of biology with a boundless curiosity and optimism. The recently released Imaginings is her first short story collection.

Here Czerneda dreamcasts an adaptation of her new standalone science fiction novel, To Each This World:
To Each This World is a story I approached from the start with film in mind. Not in the sense of “here’s my book, it’d make a great movie” (Though that would be lovely and if you think so please contact my agent.), but by paying attention to what I enjoyed on film and television. The grit and reality of in The Expanse. The pacing and heart of Free Guy. The intensity of I am Mother.

Of course, thinking that way got me in trouble because I decided to start writing in the midst of a giant action scene with a crash landing in a dangerous alien jungle, and—it wasn’t me. I like to set up the world and characters before things get big and boom. Show where they came from before they go places. That beginning is now a chapter near the end, to show you how skewed blockbuster thinking got me. Phew! (Though if a movie maker likes that beginning I’d understand.)

Each is a big concept, far future, what if we reconnected with long-lost settlements on other worlds story, with a race against time to save everyone from a mysterious alien threat—or close neighbour, misunderstanding being another theme. Because the canvas is huge and sweeping, in time and space, I chose to tell it through three intimate viewpoints: Killian, the Human pilot of the alien Portal; Beth, a Human explorer on one of those lost settled worlds; and Henry, New Earth’s Arbiter and person in charge, who travels with the aliens and Killian to save everyone—if he can.

Casting those three? I came up with suggestions for Paul Semel’s interview earlier this year and can’t say I’ve changed my mind. For Killian: Gina Torres, who played Zoë in Firefly. Bold, capable, complex. Her physicality. For Henry: Robert Aramayo. His Elrond (Rings of Power) is a negotiator and I’m enjoying his deft little touches in every scene. Jodie Foster as Beth: She clearly can do anything, but I especially love the roles where she’s incredibly tough, and smart, while showing wonder and curiosity—and that’s Beth.

But…I do have a confession to make and it’s the first time I’ve told anyone but my partner Roger this, although Henry wearing a suit and sandals is me giving a deliberate clue.

Before writing Each, I rewatched The Mentalist. Simon Baker played Patrick Jane, a character I realized had a great deal in common with Henry. Not the tragic past—Henry didn’t go through anything worse than arguing with politicians on occasion—but Jane’s cleverness and creativity. His ability to manipulate situations based on his understanding of people. The anguish Baker portrayed powerfully when he had no good choices. Those helped me refine Henry.

Would I cast Simon Baker in my movie? It may surprise you, but no. I’m afraid that would blur Henry into Jane and they aren’t the same character. It does make me happy to finally reveal one of my sources of inspiration. My thanks to the actor and the show’s writers for seasons of enjoyment. You just never know who’s watching, do you?
Visit Julie E. Czerneda's website.

Q&A with Julie E. Czerneda.

The Page 69 Test: To Each This World.

--Marshal Zeringue

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Shirley Russak Wachtel's "A Castle in Brooklyn"

Shirley Russak Wachtel is the author of the short story collection Three For A Dollar, the book of poetry, In The Mellow Light, and several books for children. Her short stories and poems have appeared in various literary journals. A daughter of Holocaust survivors, Wachtel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a doctor of letters degree from Drew University and for the past thirty years has taught English literature at Middlesex College in Edison, New Jersey. The mother of three grown sons and grandmother to two precocious granddaughters, she currently resides in East Brunswick, New Jersey, with her husband, Arthur.

Wachtel applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, A Castle in Brooklyn, and reported the following:
A Castle in Brooklyn is a story about family and friendship. It is also a story which conveys the importance of home, taking us through the dream of establishing a home in a new land, and how the home remains a symbol of all of its inhabitants’ aspirations. Jacob survives a heart-wrenching trauma at the hands of the Nazis, and ultimately escapes from Europe to begin a new life in America. His lifelong dream is to build a home, a dream which he accomplishes with the help of his friend, Zalman, someone who was by his side during his daring escape. Esther, a young immigrant from Poland, gives up her own dreams of a career in real estate when she becomes his wife and, along with Zalman, the three live together in their “castle” in Brooklyn. But when an unexpected tragedy occurs, Jacob’s friendship with Zalman is put at risk, and so is his marriage.

While I do not write a novel with casting in mind, it is fun to consider which actors might be best suited to play the central characters in my book. I believe Benedict Cumberbatch might be well-suited to play Jacob. Cumberbatch’s roles which include The Power of the Dog and The Imitation Game, reveal his ability to play characters who are determined to fulfill a goal, yet haunted by a mysterious past. Jacob is a reticent, but determined, character who is haunted by memories of family, so I think this actor would ably fit the role.

Natalie Portman is someone who has shined in her roles in Black Swan, Jackie, and as a super-hero in Thor. She would make a worthy Esther because, like other characters Portman has portrayed, Esther is someone who seems to play a subservient role at first, but later becomes a strong, independent woman who overcomes the worst of tragedies.

Zalman is Jacob’s faithful, hard-working companion who abandons a former life to be at Jacob’s side. Secretly, he is tormented by feelings he cannot understand, and is forced to make a difficult decision. Mark Ruffalo is a good choice for this role as in I Know This Much is True and The Kids are All Right, he portrays loyal individuals who must come to terms with their emotions. Physically, his stature resembles the way I imagine Zalman.

Florrie is a character I have much affection for. She is a good-humored next-door-neighbor who becomes a lifelong friend to Esther, seeing her through the hopeful and dire times. Minnie Driver has shown her capacity in a wide range of roles including Good Will Hunting and Circle of Friends. She would bring joy and compassion to the role of Florrie.

Finally, if I could choose a director for the movie version of my book, it would be Charlie Wachtel. Charlie Wachtel is currently working on his first project as a director, and in 2019 won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for BlackKklansman. Charlie would make the perfect director for my novel since he has a deep understanding of my characters and would make a film that will resonate with viewers. Also, Charlie is my son!
Visit Shirley Wachtel's website and Twitter perch.

The Page 69 Test: A Castle in Brooklyn.

--Marshal Zeringue

Monday, December 26, 2022

Elle Grawl's "One of Those Faces"

Elle Grawl is a lawyer by day and writer by night. After obtaining her B.A. in English Literature, she took a detour into law before returning to her love of writing.

Her lifelong interest in true crime and experiences as an attorney have provided her with plenty of writing material. Grawl enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and their two dogs.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her debut novel, One of Those Faces:
One of Those Faces is a psychological thriller that follows a young freelance artist in Chicago who discovers that a recent murder victim bears a striking resemblance to her.

While I was writing, I visualized the story playing out like a movie but I didn’t really think about which actors lined up with my mental images until after I finished the manuscript.

Harper: Harper is the troubled freelance artist at the heart of my novel.

Shortly after finishing my manuscript, I stumbled upon the movie Earthquake Bird. In this film, Alicia Vikander struck me as a great candidate to play Harper, the lead in my novel. Vikander really portrays a complex, insecure character that’s navigating interpersonal conflict while also dealing with her past traumas. I also think Nell Free from The Servant would be a great fit for the same reason. Both actresses portray their characters with this quiet intensity that comes across as very vulnerable due to their warped sense of identity and background. Visually, they also have similar features to Harper.

Iann: Iann is the attractive stranger that enters Harper’s life in the beginning of the novel. He’s a grad student and bartends part-time to make ends meet in downtown Chicago.

My first choice was Steven Yeun from Burning. I’ve been a fan of Yeun’s other roles, but in Burning he showed that he’s right at home in suspense/thrillers. However, I recently saw some clips from White Lotus Season 2 and Will Sharpe (who plays Ethan) would be a perfect Iann as well.

Erin: Erin is Harper’s best friend/rival. She’s beautiful, volatile, and superficially charming. Sydney Sweeney does a great job of playing gorgeous, alluring women who are at least mildly unhinged.

Detective Wilder: Michael Fassbender is not only insanely talented in any role, but he has the rugged, world-weary scowl that I always pictured on Wilder’s face.

Danny: Danny is a man from Harper’s past. He knows things about her that other characters aren’t privy to, yet he has the ability to put her at ease with his easygoing demeanor. Garrett Hedlund is my pick to play Danny in the movie, mostly because he has a boyishly handsome look and has previously played characters who have a knack for witty banter.
Visit Elle Grawl's website.

Coffee with a Canine: Elle Grawl & Olive and Truffle.

--Marhsal Zeringue

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Christiane M. Andrews's "Wolfish"

Christiane M. Andrews grew up in rural New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine and still calls northern New England home. Her debut novel, Spindlefish and Stars, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, and Booklist, and was named a Kirkus Best Book of 2020 and a Booklist Editors’ Choice for 2020. A longtime writing and literature instructor, Andrews lives with her husband and son and a small clutch of animals on an old New Hampshire hilltop farm.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Wolfish:
Wolfish, a very loose reimagining of the Romulus and Remus myth, centers on four key characters: a rising boy-king who receives a troubling prophecy; Alba, a young oracle-apprentice who, despite her best intentions, gives the king this prophecy; and the twins the king abandons in the wilderness in an attempt to escape his foretold fate. While one twin, a girl, is rescued by shepherds who name her Rae and raise her as their own, the boy is left to nature. Nursed by a she-wolf, re-stitched by insects, he becomes a wolf himself, and it is years before the twins—as girl and wolf—find each other again. When the king learns the twins have lived, he sets out in search of them, and as his hunt grows ever more desperate and cruel, Rae and the wolf must unite with Alba to try to stop his terrible reign.

While much of Wolfish is set in a realistic ancient world, it does incorporate some fantastical natural elements—in particular, the aforementioned mysterious stitching insects and the boy bound into wolf. Though I don’t envision actors or directors or cinematic elements as I write, I think David Lowery’s The Green Knight, in which the fantastical arises out of lushly filmed nature that highlights beauty and depth and mystery, is an excellent model. (This is visible to some extent in his Pete’s Dragon as well.) Guillermo del Toro’s films, too, that present the magical within the human world (The Shape of Water or Pan’s Labyrinth, for example) could be another possible direction, as could Bong Joon-ho’s Okja.

Actors are more challenging, especially since the characters in Wolfish age almost a decade and a half over the course of the novel—some going from infants to teens, others from teens to adults. So I will cheat a little and name a director who I believe works brilliantly with children and whom I would trust implicitly in casting the roles for Wolfish: Alice Rohrwacher. In Happy as Lazzaro (Felice Lazzaro) and, especially, The Wonders (Le meraviglie), Rohrwacher captures stunning performances from her young actors. (Someone like Alexandra Lungu, who in The Wonders plays a girl so immersed in the natural world she is comfortable holding bees in her mouth, would, in fact, make an excellent Rae.) Lazzaro additionally demonstrates Rohrwacher’s ability to portray character change over years, and both films skillfully highlight the tension between nature and civilization—an important conflict in Wolfish.
Visit Christiane M. Andrews's website.

My Book, The Movie: Spindlefish and Stars.

Q&A with Christiane M. Andrews.

The Page 69 Test: Wolfish.

Writers Read: Christiane M. Andrews.

--Marshal Zeringue

Monday, December 19, 2022

Denise Crittendon's "Where it Rains in Color"

Before making the big leap into the world of sci-fi & fantasy, Denise Crittendon held a string of journalism jobs. In addition to being a staff writer for The Detroit News and The Kansas City Star, she was editor-in-chief of the NAACP’s national magazine, The Crisis. Later, she became founding editor of a Michigan-based lifestyle publication for black families. After self-publishing two manuals that empower youth, “Girl in the Mirror, A Teen’s Guide to Self-Awareness” and “Life is a Party That Comes with Exams,” she entered the new-age healing movement as a motivational speaker for teens. These days, she fulfills ghostwriting assignments for clients and writes speculative fiction on the side. Crittendon divides her time between Spring Valley, Nevada and her hometown, Detroit, Mich.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of Where it Rains in Color, her debut novel:
After writing Where It Rains In Color, I couldn’t help but daydream about certain scenes and images appearing on the big screen.

The novel is picturesque and takes place on an idyllic world that’s actually bathed in fluttering, neon vapors. Tourists from across the galaxy flock to this vacation spot to get drenched in its brilliant mists, marvel at its high-tech underground city and gawk at Lileala who’s the Rare Indigo and considered the most beautiful woman in the galaxy.

That is until a surprise challenge shakes up Lileala’s life and transforms the entire planet.

Throughout it all, the colorful scenes and African culture put me in mind of an enchanting movie where the actors and actresses are dressed in elaborate garments by award-winning costume designer Ruth Carter (best known for the striking regalia in Black Panther and Coming 2 America).

Since the characters are descendants of Africa, if the book were adapted into a film, I’d love to see Lileala portrayed by an ebony actress like Lupita Nyongo or the Sudanese supermodel, Nyakim Gatwech (often called Queen of the Dark). When I finished my first draft of the novel, I began googling very dark black actresses and models. Nyakim mirrors Lileala, but there are also many other dark beauties who could be showcased as Lileala or members of her court.

As for Lileala’s bff, Zizi, I see the singer/performer Janelle Monae. It’s okay that she has a lighter skin tone than Lileala. On Swazembi, her mildly bronzed complexion would be labeled “Tawny Dramatic,” which is also held in high regard. Janelle would be ideal because she’s smart and sassy, like Zizi, and tends to explore Afrofuturistic concepts in her music and videos.

For the eccentric clairvoyant known as Cherry, I picture Whoopi Goldberg or Viola Davis. Sterling Brown of Black Panther fame could play Lileala’s dad, Pineal Crew chief, Kwesi, and Forest Whitaker would be ideal as the planet’s high order clairvoyant.

It would be great to see Ghanaian model, Philomena Kwao as the beloved Ahonotay and Denzel Washington’s son, John Washington, cast as Brian, a good friend Lileala meets while living on an asteroid. Meanwhile, Zendaya would be excellent as the biracial character, Martore. I’m on the fence about who would best be suited to play Lileala’s fiancé, Otto, possibly Hill Harper or maybe an unknown/ up-and-coming actor. For minor characters, Blair Underwood and Vanessa Bell Calloway (from the original Coming to America) are on my wish list to portray The Nobility – the royal rulers of Swazembi.
Visit Denise Crittendon's website.

Q&A with Denise Crittendon.

The Page 69 Test: Where it Rains in Color.

--Marshal Zeringue

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Lorna Landvik's "Last Circle of Love"

Lorna Landvik's novels include the bestselling Patty Jane’s House of Curl, Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, and Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes).

Also an actor and playwright, Landvik has performed on numerous stages. A recent DNA test determined she’s 95 percent Norwegian and 5 percent wild.

Here the author dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Last Circle of Love:
I'm a big movie fan (although I'm getting tired of all these movies about super heroes who fly, become invisible, can scale skyscrapers, etc. -- when did Hollywood forget the real super heroes are regular people who figure out how to be/how to love/how to flourish in this world?).

If Last Circle of Love were made into a movie, its cast would be women who should be on screen more, but whose age (wrongfully) limits their roles. It'd be great to see Jane Fonda as Velda, the physically agile 80-year-old whose mind and world-view are becoming more supple as well. Sally Field could wonderfully play innocent, ebullient Edie and for Marlys, I think Reba McIntyre would nail the part. Christine Lahti could play a chic, ironic Bunny and Charlene, the youngest, but most uptight circle member, could be played by Naomi Watts.

Pastor Pete (Mallory Peterson) is a forward-thinking minister in her mid-thirties -- Blake Lively? Scarlett Johannson? For her friend, LeAnn -- Jessica Biel, Gal Gadot?

Godfrey is the in-recovery church custodian -- I could see a bearded, bedraggled Ryan Gosling. For Tad, the quirky choir director -- Daniel Radcliffe. LaVerne Cox would make a perfect Jolie. I think Brad Pitt would have a lot of fun playing Charlie, but as it's a much smaller part, I can't see him climbing aboard. (Although never say never...)

And psst -- any producer/casting director -- I'd be fabulous in any minor -- or what the hay, major -- role.
Visit Lorna Landvik's website.

My Book, The Movie: Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes).

The Page 69 Test: Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with Recipes).

The Page 69 Test: Last Circle of Love.

--Marshal Zeringue

Monday, December 12, 2022

Kitty Zeldis's "The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights"

Kitty Zeldis is the pseudonym for a novelist and non-fiction writer of books for adults and children. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, NY.

Here she dreamcasts the lead for an adaptation of her new novel, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights:
Since The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights takes place in the 1920’s and earlier, I like to imagine it filmed in black and white or perhaps a soft, sepia tone, giving it the look of old photographs arranged in an album.

I would love to see Cate Blanchett play the role of the main character, Beatrice Carr. Bea is Russian (her name was Yevgenia) but when her father is murdered and his tannery burned to the ground, she is forced to leave her homeland to escape the the virulent anti-Semitism that threatens her too. She goes to New Orleans, where she becomes a nursemaid in a wealthy family; soon she finds herself pregnant and loses both her job and her home. Desperate and alone, she seeks refuge in the District, the notorious area of New Orleans where prostitution is legal and eventually she becomes a highly successful madam. Life has been cruel to her and she’s had to develop a hard shell to survive. Yet beneath that exterior, something tender still resides. I see in Blanchett a steely elegance and reserve that matches Bea’s, but also a vulnerability and gentleness that are Bea’s as well.
Visit Kitty Zeldis's website.

My Book, The Movie: Not Our Kind.

Coffee with a Canine: Kitty Zeldis & Dottie.

--Marshal Zeringue

Thursday, December 8, 2022

Zachary Daniel's "Manifest Destiny"

Zachary Daniel is Midwest native raised in Germantown, Wisconsin. Now residing in Salem, Oregon he enjoys sports, travel, boating, family, friends and drink.

He graduated University of Wisconsin La-Crosse with a degree in Nuclear Medicine. Not too long after, he transitioned to finance and started Digital Edge Wealth Management.

Here Daniel dreamcasts the lead for an adaptation of his new novel, Manifest Destiny:
The lead role would go to Edward Norton. An actor with a wide range and many projects under his belt, but this role would be most akin to his part in Fight Club. The look of a middle age white guy. A slight social disconnect to his perception of self and how those around him perceive him. A troubled and haunted individual who deals with his past in unhealthy ways.

Norton could pull off the role so well because the lead would require an actor to play a complex emotional range needed to bring the character to life. A life where the main character holds onto past traumas that cloud his judgment. Is estranged from his family and struggles to reconnect. Has anger buried deep, but can put on a happy façade at times. Is both impulsive, and dangerous if paths are crossed wrong. Sometimes awkward and sometimes cruel, there is always an element when he's on screen that you don't know what he might do because he is capable of anything. When the novel is made into a movie, I hope he plays it.
Visit Zach Daniel's website.

The Page 69 Test: Manifest Destiny.

Q&A with Zachary Daniel.

--Marshal Zeringue

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Alex Kenna's "What Meets the Eye"

Alex Kenna is a lawyer, writer, and amateur painter based in Los Angeles.

Before law school, Kenna studied painting and art history at Penn. She also worked as a freelance art critic and culture writer. Originally from Washington DC, Kenna lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and giant schnauzer, Zelda. When she’s not writing Kenna can be found nerding out in art museums, exploring flea markets, and playing string instruments badly.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her debut novel, What Meets the Eye:
I was addicted to film and TV thrillers long before I started writing crime fiction. That’s probably why I always pictured my book, What Meets the Eye, as a movie.

The story follows Kate Myles, a struggling PI, who lost her family and police career after an accident damaged her back and led to an opiate addiction. Struggling to pay the bills, Kate reluctantly agrees to investigate the suspected suicide of Margot Starling, a beautiful and famous painter. Along the way, Kate seeks help from her former LAPD partner, Luke Delgado, with whom she shares an unspoken attraction. The book also uses a series of flashbacks to trace Margot’s rise in the art world.

I’ve been casting the story since the first draft of the first chapter. Here are a few of my fantasy picks.

Kate: From the beginning, I’ve pictured Kate as Jessie Buckley. Buckley can do literally anything, is naturally likeable in an intelligent, adult way, and is blessed with an incredibly expressive face. In the book, Kate is struggling to regain custody of her seven-year-old daughter, who she only sees on weekends. Buckley was brilliant in The Lost Daughter as a loving, but deeply flawed, mother. She also carried a slow-burn mystery in The Woman in White. Buckley excels at playing understated characters who don’t try to draw attention to themselves. In her hands, even the most quiet, introverted women become magnetic through the sheer force of her talent and charisma.

Margot: Like many great visual artists, Margot is not neurotypical. She struggles with bipolar disorder and has experienced significant trauma. Jennifer Lawrence (a writer can dream, right?) would be perfect for Margot. In Silver Linings Playbook, Lawrence starred as a young, mentally ill widow, who falls in love with a man suffering from bipolar disorder. She brought an incredible amount of nuance and sensitivity to the part. Lawrence could convey Margot’s passion, talent, and pain without turning her into a caricature.

Luke: For Luke Delgado, Kate’s LAPD love interest, I’d have to pick the dynamic Pedro Pascal, who was great as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones. Luke is a manly guy, with a broken nose he never bothered to fix, and a fierce loyalty to the people he cares about. Pascal already convincingly played a rugged law enforcement officer in Narcos. And of course, he happens to be sexy, which doesn’t hurt.

John: Adding to Kate’s troubles are her hostile interactions with her ex-husband, John. John and Kate were fundamentally incompatible and share a mutual resentment. Initially brought together by physical chemistry, they were trapped in a bad marriage after Kate fell pregnant. I envisioned John as having a mild case of OCD and Kate a flaming case of ADHD. John’s the guy who makes his bed every morning with hospital corners. Kate’s the woman who leaves the oven on and has to go back to the grocery store because she forgot the milk. Now she has to keep him happy to obtain visits from her daughter, while John condescends to her and spits out insults. For John, I would love to cast Dev Patel. Patel is an incredible actor who could play any part, and he always seems to radiate kindness. Just for variety, I’d love to see him as a low-grade jerk. He has the nuance to show John as someone who is flawed, but not a one-note monster. And his good looks could help explain why Kate initially fell for John.
Visit Alex Kenna's website.

Q&A with Alex Kenna.

--Marshal Zeringue

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Sharon Dempsey's "The Midnight Killing"

Sharon Dempsey is a PhD candidate at Queen’s University, exploring class and gender in crime fiction. She was a journalist and health writer before turning to writing crime fiction and has written for a variety of publications and newspapers, including the Irish Times. Dempsey also facilitates creative writing classes for people affected by cancer and other health challenges.

Here Dempsey dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Midnight Killing:
The Midnight Killing is a murder mystery that deals with toxic friendships and long held secrets that refuse to stay buried. A murder, staged as suicide, draws my investigators Forensic Psychologist, Rose Lainey, and Detective Inspector, Danny Stowe, to investigate the cold case of a missing child. The story opens with a crime scene: James McCallum, thirty-five-year-old architect, found hanged in the grounds of his former school, Osbourne College in Belfast. There’s some suspicion as to whether or not it is suicide since there has been no suicide note left as such, but an old friend, Lorcan Burns, contacts the police saying he had a missed call from the victim, and a text message saying: ‘I’m really sorry but I can’t keep going. The reckoning is coming.’

When Rose and Danny dig into James’ life, they discover encrypted files on his computer all about a missing child, Maeve Lunn, in the Donegal town of Mistle.

Emer, Ivy, Lorcan, James were best friends at school and have kept in touch over the years. The remaining three gather to mourn their friend and find themselves drawn back to the past and a secret they have held tight for nearly two decades.

When I write I do visualise the scenes and write as close to a cinematic style as possible without losing the interiority and integrity of a novel. I love story in every format so it’s tempting to think about how my book would look on the screen. The beautiful settings of Northern Ireland and even the city of Belfast, lend themselves to heightened drama so that would be another huge motivator to see it transferred into a screenplay. As for dream casting, I would love to see either Colin Morgan or Jamie Dornan play Danny Stowe. They both have the right look (handsome beyond!) and the perfect build to carry it off, plus they have that emotional intelligence that I hope my character of Danny conveys. And as for Rose, well, actor Valene Kane would be at the top of my wish list. I think she’s mesmerising on screen and has that quiet intelligence and steeliness that suggests you can’t mess with her!
Visit Sharon Dempsey's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Larrie D. Ferreiro's "Churchill's American Arsenal"

Larrie D. Ferreiro is an engineer, historian and the author of several award-winning books in history, science and technology, and was the 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist in history for his book Brothers at Arms: American Independence and the Men of France and Spain Who Saved It. He teaches at George Mason University in Virginia and Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.

Here Ferreiro shares some ideas for adapating his new book, Churchill's American Arsenal: The Partnership Behind the Innovations that Won World War Two, for the screen:
Churchill’s American Arsenal would work well as a miniseries streaming on Amazon, Apple TV+ or Netflix, alongside other WWII epics such as Masters of the Air and Band of Brothers.

Churchill’s American Arsenal describes how British and American combat scientists and engineers, working both across the Atlantic and side by side, invented and brought to the front lines the weapons and innovations that won World War Two. The book is constructed around Churchill’s post-Dunkirk speech, each chapter describing how these inventions played key roles in various parts of the European campaign: fight in the air, fight on the seas and oceans, fight on the beaches….

Each episode of the miniseries would be character-driven, with the focus on the American and British combat scientists who were equally home in the laboratory and on the war front – not only building and testing the latest inventions (radars, fighters, tanks….) but also demonstrating them in battle alongside the foot soldiers and deckplate sailors. An international cast would bring the personal stories of these real-life combat scientists into vivid detail.

Think of The Imitation Game meets Saving Private Ryan, serialize it, and you have Churchill’s American Arsenal – the miniseries.
Learn more about Churchill's American Arsenal at the Oxford University Press website.

My Book, The Movie: Brothers at Arms.

The Page 99 Test: Brothers at Arms.

The Page 99 Test: Churchill's American Arsenal.

--Marshal Zeringue