Kathleen Barber's "Both Things Are True"

Kathleen Barber is the author of Truth Be Told (2017, originally published as Are You Sleeping), which was adapted into a series on AppleTV+ by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine media company, and Follow Me (2020). A graduate of the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law, she now lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and children.

Here Barber dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, Both Things Are True:

I dreamcast on vibes rather than strictly on how well an actor physically resembles my character. So when I think about who I would cast to play Vanessa, the yoga influencer and hopeless romantic at the center of Both Things Are True, I imagine a cross between Sarah Jones, who played Tracy Stevens in For All Mankind, and Suki Waterhouse. Both have the energy and pluck that I envision for Vanessa.

For Sam, Vanessa's love interest, I feel like it's cliché to dreamcast Andrew Garfield in a romantic comedy, but he's the closest to Sam's vibe.

And then for Jack, Vanessa's ex-fiancé who flees the country under fraud allegations, I'd cast Glen Powell, largely on the based on the smarmy character he played on Scream Queens.

Visit Kathleen Barber's website.

The Page 69 Test: Follow Me.

Writers Read: Kathleen Barber (March 2020).

12 Yoga Questions with Kathleen Barber.

The Page 69 Test: Both Things Are True.

--Marshal Zeringue

Peter Rosch's "What The Dead Can Do"

Peter Rosch is the author of multiple dark fictions born from the various addictions he chased while living in New York City as an award-winning writer and creative director. He’s many years sober now but remains an addict’s addict. What the Dead Can Do is his debut novel.

Rosch grew up in the Southwest, lived in New York for nearly 20 years, and now resides midway between Austin and San Antonio in Wimberley, TX where he works as an author, freelance creative director and copywriter in advertising, and most importantly, full-time dad.

Here the author shares his suggestion for the director of an adaptation of What the Dead Can Do:

In many ways, What The Dead Can Do is a possession story. A unique one, but as a film, it’s a safe bet that it would pop up in the “Viewers Also Watched” section on Netflix underneath The Conjuring or The Exorcist and other possession films. Of course, like those, it’s much more, too.

What The Dead Can Do is the story of a recently deceased mother, grieving for the child she left behind after a plane crash, who seeks out a way to possess the living to kill that still-living child and reunite her family in the afterlife. Dark stuff. Heady stuff. Taboo stuff, maybe. But if I did what I think I’ve done with the story, it and the film adaptation will not be inaccessible to a broader audience. It was important to me to write this paranormal thriller in a way that would appeal to a wide array of people. Even now, as I wander the country promoting the book, I’ve referred to it from time to time as a paranormal family drama or a gateway book to horror. It’s a story that’s terrifying in a way similar to Poltergeist, which scared many of all walks and ages.

To achieve the right balance of horror, hope, and even humor, I had a handful of films on my mind as I penned the manuscript: 1982’s Poltergeist (story by Steven Spielberg) because it was so accessible as an instrument of horror. And because at 10, I saw it, and the family felt authentic and grounded to me. Still do. 2018’s Hereditary, directed by Ari Aster, was so very disturbing, and there is an obvious darkness to a story about a mother who is trying to kill her child. 2018’s The Wind, directed by Emma Tammi, because of the fear it evoked within the vast, unpopulated expanse of the New Mexico desert. There are many liminal spaces in What The Dead Can Do, and what Emma achieved with something earthly but similar was utterly brilliant. I also had Beetlejuice on my mind because, like my story, it has rules that the dead must adhere to in an afterlife that, like my own, was unlike any portrayed prior. And finally, and most importantly, 2015’s The Invitation, directed by Karyn Kusama, written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.

If I were given the opportunity to pick any director, it’d be Karyn Kusama. And, if she were busy, I’d pick Sara Dunlop out of the UK (because we are good friends and she is brilliant in her own right and would absolutely kill this as a feature film). That said, for me, there is no slow- burn horror film quite like The Invitation. The acting is superb, the editing is superb, and the vibe is nearly unmatched, in my opinion. You go into the film knowing very well that something is askew, and you can’t quite ever put your finger on it. At times, you may even wonder if it’s a horror film at all—and then, wham! It knocks you over the head and leaves you there to think about the horror you’ve participated in so dutifully. There is a lot more action up front in What The Dead Can Do than in The Invitation. But I know that Karyn would kill that, too. (See Aeon Flux or Jennifer’s Body). The feature film version of my novel in her hands would grab viewers and not let them go, teetering them on the edge of an uncomfortable personal madness that wouldn’t soon go away, even after the floor beneath them has been violently dropped.

Visit Peter Rosch's website and follow him on Facebook, BlueSky, Instagram, and Threads.

Q&A with Peter Rosch.

--Marshal Zeringue

Nolan Chase's "A Lonesome Place for Murder"

Nolan Chase lives and works in the Pacific Northwest.

A Lonesome Place for Murder is his second book featuring Ethan Brand.

Here Chase dreamcasts an adaptation of the new novel:

A Lonesome Place for Murder is about cross-border smuggling in a small Washington town, and how family secrets come back to haunt the town’s new chief of police.

Chief Ethan Brand stumbles on an abandoned smuggling tunnel, with a body lying inside. The dead man is somehow connected to Ethan’s childhood friend Tyler Rash. What was Tyler doing in the tunnel, and who wanted to killed him? Ethan and his senior investigator, Brenda Lee Page, have to find answers before the killer finds them.

This is a more personal story for Ethan Brand, and it’s also a story about brothers.

Ethan is confident but slightly reckless, and new to the job of chief. A young Kris Kristofferson would be a good choice to play Ethan. Kristofferson’s performances in Cisco Pike, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore show that combination of affable confidence and vulnerability.

For Brenda Lee Page, I’d chose Tyne Daly. She’s most famous from Cagney & Lacey, and I think she’s Dirty Harry’s best partner in The Enforcer.

In keeping with the Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid theme, James Coburn would be good casting for Tyler Rash, who’s older and more dangerous than Ethan.

Visit Nolan Chase's website.

Writers Read: Nolan Chase.

The Page 69 Test: A Lonesome Place for Dying.

My Book, The Movie: A Lonesome Place for Dying.

--Marshal Zeringue

D.W. Gillespie's "Grin"

Born and raised in Middle Tennessee, D.W. Gillespie has been daydreaming for as long as he can remember. His first short story was in second grade, and it involved (unsurprisingly) monsters wreaking havoc on some unsuspecting victim. Some things never change, and now Gillespie writes a healthy mixture of horror, sci-fi, and supernatural fiction.

He began writing seriously in 2002, and after winning the MacDougal Award for his short story "The Home", he's since been published many times in print and online. His body of work includes a dozen novels and dozens of short stories, including the novels Still Dark, The Toy Thief, and One by One. In recent years, he’s moved into middle grade horror, and his new novels include Give Me Something Good to Eat and Grin.

Here Gillespie shares some casting ideas for the adult lead in an adaptation of Grin:

Like a lot of authors, I do find it helpful, and even fun, to picture the characters as actors. It really helps to click some of those fine details into place as I write.

For Grin, I’ll admit that I don’t have a great choice for the main character Danny, just because I don’t know a ton of actors in that age group. He’s an anxious but brave early teenager who’s obsessed with video games, so I could see some of the Stranger Things crew fitting that description before they aged out of it.

The more interesting choice to consider in my mind is his Uncle Bill. Bill is…technically an adult. He runs a massive retro arcade called Pixel-works, and he (illegally) lives in a trailer in the parking lot. He’s both a big sweetheart and almost shockingly irresponsible at times, which makes for a fun mix. He also happens to be massively tall and strong, easily able to muscle around heavy arcade cabinets on his own.

Mild spoilers, but later in the story, he gets taken over by a much more malevolent personality, so we’d need an actor who can embody both the goofy boyishness along with pure, gleeful evil.

In short, he’s a fun character, and I can think of two wildly different actors that could bring him to life. My first choice would be Eric Wareheim. The name might not jump out at you, but you’ve probably seen him here and there, especially if you watched any Adult Swim. He’s half of the comedy pair of Tim and Eric, and he also just happens to be 6’7” tall. He’s got the good-natured, innocent side of Bill without even trying, but I think it would be fun to watch him be menacing as well.

My second pick might sound even stranger at first, but picture Chris Hemsworth in Avengers Endgame, AKA Thor in his Big Lebowski phase. He’s still big and imposing, but he’s also got the comedy chops to make the movie fun. Plus, if you don’t think he can do menacing, you should really check out his wonderfully unhinged performance in Furiosa.

Visit D. W. Gillespie's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Leigh Dunlap's "Bless Your Heart"

Leigh Dunlap is the screenwriter of the hit Warner Bros. movie A Cinderella Story. A native of Los Angeles, she attended film school at the University of Southern California. She now splits time and personalities between South Carolina and South Kensington and dreams of one day giving it all up and searching for buried treasure. Until then, she writes movies and books. Including Bless Your Heart, her debut novel.

Here Dunlap dreamcasts one of the leads in an adaptation of Bless Your Heart:

I’m normally (or abnormally?) a screenwriter, and I’m used to writing things with the screen in mind. However, I usually try not to be too specific about characters. With screenwriting, you don’t have a lot a space on the page to describe a character. Maybe you just have one line. Example: Birdie marches into the room and commands it. She is 45 but expects you to think she looks younger. She is average height but wills herself to look taller. That’s all you get and that’s more than you usually get in a screenplay. I like to keep it simple and let the reader (or director, or casting director) fill in the blanks. I have to admit, though, that actresses invaded my writing process and I couldn’t help but fill in the blanks myself. The number one was Melissa McCarthy. She was, throughout the entire writing process, my Birdie. She’s one of those actresses who can do both comedy and drama, and Birdie is a mix of both. Bless Your Heart has six female leads – six! – but luckily the industry is overflowing with amazing actresses. I’d love for the novel to be adapted into a limited TV series and filled with talented women.

Visit Leigh Dunlap's website.

Q&A with Leigh Dunlap.

Writers Read: Leigh Dunlap.

--Marshal Zeringue

Carla Malden's "Playback"

Raised in Los Angeles, Carla Malden began her career working in motion picture production and development before becoming a screenwriter. Along with her father, Academy Award winning actor Karl Malden, she co-authored his critically acclaimed memoir When Do I Start?

Carla Malden’s feature writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, highlighting the marvels and foibles of Southern California and Hollywood. She sits on the Board of the Geffen Playhouse. Her previous novels include Search Heartache, Shine Until Tomorrow, and My Two and Only.

Malden lives in Brentwood with her husband, ten minutes (depending on traffic) from her daughter.

Here the author deamcasts her new novel, Playback:

Who would I dreamcast in the movie version of Playback? That’s a particularly fascinating and apt question because Playback’s predecessor, Shine Until Tomorrow, began its life as a screenplay. Much changed from iteration to iteration, but once upon a time, I envisioned these characters in a movie… and still do. Disheartened and disappointed – in life and in herself – Mari Caldwell is all the things she vowed she would never be: divorced, a single mother, a photographer shooting houses for sale instead of rock stars. When she makes an unanticipated trip back to 1967, she rediscovers her seventeen-year-old self, as well as the love she left there on a first visit. Mari is thirty-four on the inside, seventeen on the outside, and a mash-up of the two emotionally: a unique challenge for an actor.

Molly Gordon is spectacular at running the emotional gamut on The Bear. She makes each moment feel fresh, unpremeditated. She’s smart and funny and vulnerable all at once – precisely like Mari. She could pull off Mari’s self-protective, verbally convoluted rants while maintaining Mari’s core yearning for connection.

Jimmy Westwood is the singer-songwriter with whom Mari rekindles the first love that sparked during her previous visit to the Summer of Love. Early 20s, rock star gorgeous, the heart-and-soul of the Sixties, Jimmy embodies a young girl’s Byronic fantasies and a young woman’s longing for simpler, less freighted romance. I do have someone in mind for Jimmy, though I have no idea whether or not he’s the slightest bit interested in acting: Henry Taylor. I’ve seen Henry Taylor, son of James Taylor, perform with his father several times; he is the ideal physical type, projects a tenderness that is at the heart of Jimmy’s appeal, and, like his father, has the voice of an angel. Added plus: his paternal connection to the actual era in which Playback takes place adds a lovely layer of both nostalgia and relevance.

As a former screenwriter, I definitely think – and write – in terms of scenes. In terms of actors, however, I fluctuate between having someone specific in mind versus creating a conglomeration of people I know personally. If there’s a specific actor who would be perfect for a part whom I can keep in mind, that’s a gift.

Visit Carla Malden's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Mara Williams's "The Truth Is in the Detours"

Mara Williams drafted her first novel in third grade on a spiral notebook—a love story about a golden retriever and the stray dog who admired her from beyond the picket fence. Now she writes about strong, messy women finding their way in the world. Williams has a BA in English Literature from the University of California at Berkeley, takes creative writing from Stanford Continuing Studies, and actively engages in writing groups and critique circles. Williams’s novel The Second Chance Playlist was a winner of the 2024 Emily Contest. When not writing or reading, Williams can be found enjoying California’s beaches, redwoods, and trails with her husband, three kids, and disobedient dog.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Truth Is in the Detours:

I don’t typically imagine actors while I’m drafting my books. I’ve never had a cast at the outset, simply because I visualize the characters as their own, individual people and have a hard time substituting an actor in their place. However, I do picture scenes, landscapes, gestures, and action like cinema, so I am constantly visualizing the book in my head. The Truth Is in the Detours centers around Ophelia, a pink-haired thirty-something virtual assistant whose life is a disaster, and Beau, a successful, uptight academic whose life isn’t as perfect as he’s pretending. I find these two characters incredibly hard to cast, simply because they feel like real people to me. But the book also has a large cast of side characters, who would be incredibly fun to imagine with veteran or character actors. This exercise has confirmed how far Hollywood still needs to go to diversify. When searching to fill a diverse cast of characters with big name actors, the options are more limited.

Scene: Road trip along the West Coast, beginning in San Diego, traveling into the southern California desert, the central and northern coast, and up into southern Oregon.

Ophelia Dahl: Amanda Seyfried. With her ability to shift between comedy and drama seamlessly, she would make a perfect Phe. I could see her playing sassy, prickly, and vulnerable equally well. Also, there’s a long-running Mean Girls joke in the book, and it would be hilarious to cast one of the original “Plastics” in the role as a nudge nudge wink wink to the audience.

Beau Augustine: Alex Tarrant is a dead ringer for Beau. Put some black-framed glasses on him, and he passes for his doppelganger.

Cherry Stewart: Ophelia’s best friend from high school has a sweet veneer with a darker core that Lily Collins could play so well.

Natasha Bridgewater: Natasha is a sharp-tongued woman filled with regret and self-loathing who confesses to lifelong secret. I think Jean Smart would play this role perfectly.

Jeremiah Abernathy lives in nowhere town California and manages the fairgrounds. His emotional scene would let Sam Elliott shine.

Carlos and Serena Navarro, Beau’s college friends, could be played by Tyler Posey and Diane Guerrero. I could see their comedic back and forth working well in the roles.

Mary Johnson: The role is brief but pivotal, and I believe Michelle Pfeiffer would be a perfect match for the part.

Visit Mara Williams's website.

Q&A with Mara Williams.

The Page 69 Test: The Truth Is in the Detours.

--Marshal Zeringue

Gabriella Buba's "Daughters of Flood and Fury"

Gabriella Buba is a mixed Filipina-Czech author and chemical engineer based in Texas who likes to keep explosive pyrophoric materials safely contained in pressure vessels or between the covers of her books. She writes epic fantasy for bold, bi, brown women who deserve to see their stories centered. Her debut Saints of Storm and Sorrow is a Filipino-inspired epic fantasy out with Titan Books. Saints has been named one of Spotify’s Best Audiobooks of 2024, and Buba a Spotify Breakout Author of 2024, and Saints was one of Reactor’s Reviewer’s Choice: Best Books of 2024.

Here Buba dreamcasts an adaptation to her new novel, Daughters of Flood and Fury:

Daughters of Flood and Fury is Book 2 of the Stormbringer Saga which I pitch as my Filipino Mythology Avatar the last Airbender, but the Avatar is not a Pacifist. Imagine a mid-17th century southeast Asian archipelago brimming with magic and dragons with dozens of gold and pearl rich kingdoms and city states struggling to ally against greedy western powers. Where daring pirates raid western ships loaded down with Oriental riches - gold, silks, slaves - and elemental shamans entreat their goddesses to keep these thousands of islands born of fire, dotted with volcanoes from exploding or being swamped by sea and storm.

Book 2 has 3 point of view characters. Lunurin, a Stormcaller in service to the Goddess of Storms and Vengeance, and Alon, a tide-touched healer named to the Goddess of the Sea and the 2nd son of the ruler of one of the richest city states in the archipelago newly freed from the colonial empire. They are the protagonists from book 1 now married and wrangling enemies and allies across the archipelago into an alliance to face the Spanish armada coming to re-conquer their city. I also introduce the Point-of-view of Inez, once a postulant in a nunnery, who suffered greatly at the hands of Spanish priests in book 1 and now finds herself chasing missionary rumors of her sister Catalina returned as a martyr gathering the faithful to the reconquest.

If this were being cast 20 years ago I would beg for my male narrator for the Audiobook, Dante Basco to play Alon. It was an absolute pie in the sky dreamcast to have him agree to voice Alon. After all Dante Basco is the original Filipino elemental magic man, Prince Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender. But Dante now directs as well as acting, producing, and voice acting, so he would make an amazing director for Daughters of Flood and Fury. He has an absolute spot on vision for the energy of my work. He could also play an excellent and devastating Jeian (Alon’s volatile older brother.)

Manny Jacinto would be a more age appropriate casting for Alon, and he was an early face claim for Alon, especially after I’d seen his pandemic long hair selfies. Manny just plays such wonderfully sincere and conflicted characters I know he would do Alon’s arc justice, and really bring the heart needed, as Alon struggles to keep his family and Aynila’s Alliances from falling apart in the face of the approaching armada.

For Lunurin’s fancast, I think Nadine Lustre would be excellent, she’s a Morena filipina actress whose been quite vocal about how her Morena coloring disadvantaged her in casting calls in her youth, and has been an advocate against colorism in the Philippines. And her hair is perfect for Lunurin a stormcaller who’s power is bound up in her long wavy hair. Lunurin being played by a morena actress is very important to me, I would not want her white-washed.

For Inez, Olivia Rodrigo, especially in her early career work plays a really convincing conflicted teen. Not only is Olivia Rodrigo mixed filipino, she’s proven she has the vocal chops to make Inez’s crocodile singing ocean magic really chilling.

I could go on, because nothing would make me happier than to cast all my favorite filipino actors and actresses as my characters but those are the big 4 that would make Daughters of Flood and Fury a really epic movie.

Visit Gabriella Buba's website.

--Marshal Zeringue