Kathleen Rooney's "Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey"

Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, as well as a founding member of Poems While You Wait, a team of poets and their typewriters who compose commissioned poetry on demand. She teaches in the English Department at DePaul University, and her most recent books include the national best-seller, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk (2017) and The Listening Room: A Novel of Georgette and Loulou Magritte (2018). Her new novel, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, is based on a true story of the Great War.

Here Rooney dreamcasts an adaptation of Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey:

As its title suggests, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey has two protagonists. Both based on real-life heroes of World War I, the former, Cher Ami, is a messenger pigeon, and the latter, Major Whittlesey, is an army officer. Their lives intersect unexpectedly during a harrowing friendly fire incident in the Meuse-Argonne Forest when Cher Ami successfully delivers Whit’s message requesting that the barrage cease.

I could see the book being adapted either into a fully animated film—an adult cartoon mixing darkness and humor in the vein of the fabulous BoJack Horseman—or into a live action picture in which the pigeons and other animals were done using special effects. Either way, my ideal casting of the protagonists remains the same.

Back in November of 2019, the writer-actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge did the New York Times Book Review’s “By the Book” interview and in response to the question, “Which subjects do you wish more authors would write about?” she replied, “I wish more people would write from the point of view of tiny, witty animals.” Cher Ami is tiny and witty! I adored Fleabag more than almost any other TV show I’ve ever seen because of the way Waller-Bridge knows how to use comedy to make inherently sad things even sadder. Also, Cher Ami is a British bird and Waller-Bridge has precisely the right accent. Thus, Waller-Bridge would be my absolute dream actor to voice Cher Ami.

As for Charles Whittlesey, the role needs someone with a blend of dignity and awkwardness, as well as a dry and self-deprecating sense of humor; somebody charismatic but not too much of a matinee idol-type movie star. Thus, I’d be thrilled to see Jason Segel in the role.

Learn more about the book and author at Kathleen Rooney's website.

The Page 69 Test: Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey.

--Marshal Zeringue

Julie McElwain's "Shadows in Time"

Julie McElwain is a national award-winning journalist. Born and raised in North Dakota, she graduated from North Dakota State University, and moved to Los Angeles, where she worked for a fashion trade newspaper.

Her first novel, A Murder In Time, was one of the top 10 picks by the National Librarian Association for its April 2016 book list. The novel was also a finalist for the 2016 Goodreads’ readers choice awards in the Sci-fi category, and made Bustle’s list of 9 Most Addictive Mystery series for 2017.

The series continues Kendra Donovan’s adventures in Regency England with A Twist in Time, Caught in Time, Betrayal in Time, and Shadows in Time.

Here McElwain dreamcasts an adaptation of Shadows in Time:

Except for the Duke of Aldridge, I can’t say that I had any actor in mind when I began writing the In Time novels. And with the Duke, in the back of my mind, I kept visualizing a younger version of the late Wilfrid Hyde-White, the phenomenal British actor who played Colonel Pickering in the 1964 musical My Fair Lady. While Mr. Hyde-White is no longer with us, I’d love someone with that same spirit, who can embody the Duke’s gentle kindness but at the same time is no pushover. Liam Cunningham comes to mind. I thought his character, Davos, in Game Of Thrones, had many of those qualities.

Another Game Of Thrones’ alumna, Kit Harington, would make a fabulous Alec. Or Aiden Turner, who played Ross Poldark in the TV series, Poldark. Both actors have the smoldering good looks and charisma that would brilliantly bring Alec to life on-screen. In the supporting roles of Finn Muldoon, I can see Chris O’Dowd as the Irish reporter. He might be a little too old to play Finn, but I love his sardonic sense of humor. I think Kit Harrington’s real-life wife, Rose Leslie, would make for a fantastic Rebecca. Her character, Gwen, in Downton Abbey certainly shares the same independent, feisty yet feminine qualities that Rebecca has. Sam Kelly is harder for me to cast, simply because in my mind he has a very distinctive look. But if I were to cast him, I’d go with either Robert Carlyle, who played Rumpelstiltskin in Once Upon A Time, or John Hannah, who was in The Mummy.

I saved my fantasy casting of Kendra for the last because I think her shoes would be the most difficult to fill. I’d love someone to embody her brilliance, insecurities, determination, humor as well as be able to handle the physical action required. When I’ve been asked this question before, I’ve mentioned Sofia Pernas. And I continue to find myself gravitating toward her. While she might not be as well known as other actresses, I’ve been impressed with her work on CBS’ Blood & Treasure. Pernas plays a swashbuckling art thief, and in that role, displays many of the same characteristics that Kendra has.

Visit Julie McElwain's website.

My Book, The Movie: Betrayal in Time.

Q&A with Julie McElwain.

The Page 69 Test: Shadows in Time.

--Marshal Zeringue

Fiona Davis's "The Lions of Fifth Avenue"

Fiona Davis began her career in New York City as an actress, where she worked on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in regional theater.

After getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School, she fell in love with writing, leapfrogging from editor to freelance journalist before finally settling down as an author of historical fiction. Fiona's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

She's a graduate of the College of William & Mary and is based in New York City.

Here Davis dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Lions of Fifth Avenue:

The Lions of Fifth Avenue is about two women, eighty years apart, who are connected by the New York Public Library as well as a series of book thefts that roil the building, in 1913 and 1993. Before I started writing my first draft, I figured out which stars I thought the main characters resembled and posted images of them on my bulletin board. Having an actual face to look at is crucial for staying close to the characters, especially as they grow and change over revision after revision. Here are my picks for The Lions of Fifth Avenue casting:

Laura Lyons: Laura is smart and capable, with a classic beauty, so I would cast Emily Blunt as Laura, the wife of the New York Public Library’s superintendent, who lives in an apartment deep inside the building with her husband and two children when the book opens, in 1913. Emily Blunt has such an intelligence behind her eyes, and I also love her quick wit.

Jack Lyons: Jack is the super of the enormous New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, and I would go with Emily Blunt’s real-life husband, John Krasinski, for the role. They’re a lot of fun to watch together - they tease each other and joke nonstop - so an undeniable chemistry would be already in place. And I love that he’s an inherently likeable guy, as Jack in my story has a complicated reaction to his wife’s desire to explore a career, and I didn’t want him to come off as a jerk.

Sadie Donovan: Sadie is a quirky duck, a curator at the library in 1993 who loves vintage clothes and old books. She’s out of step with her time. For her, I’d love to see the British actress Olivia Colman take on the role. She always seems slightly uncomfortable in her skin, and portrays characters who have heart but not a lot of social grace, which fits Sadie to a tee.

Visit Fiona Davis's website.

My Book, The Movie: The Address.

My Book, The Movie: The Masterpiece.

My Book, The Movie: The Chelsea Girls.

--Marshal Zeringue

Adele Parks's "Lies Lies Lies"

Adele Parks was born in Teesside, North East England. She has written twenty novels in twenty years; all hit the bestseller lists. She's been an ambassador for The Reading Agency and a judge for the Costa Book Awards, and is a keen supporter of The National Literary Trust. Parks lived in Italy, Botswana and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband, son and cat.

Here Parks dreamcasts an adaptation of her latest book to hit the US, Lies, Lies, Lies:

Daisy and Simon have been together for nearly twenty years. Many of those years were dominated by their yearning to start a family. We meet them when their longed-for daughter is six years old. She is the centre of their world; everything should be perfect now they are a happy family of three. However, Simon is pushing for a second child and Daisy is strangely resistant to even trying again. Thwarted, Simon is drinking even more than usual. One night at their friends’ party his drinking spirals out of control with brutal consequences. He doesn’t just embarrass himself - which Daisy and her friends Connie and Lucy are getting used to - he causes a devastating accident. Their little family can never be the same again. The fracture that Simon’s atrocious and destructive behaviour crates in their marriage looks set to be filled by Daisy’s old college friend Daryll. But is Daryll the hero she needs or an even bigger and more malevolent threat?

This novel investigates a number of different types of addiction - to alcohol, to people, to the concept of family. It’s also a book about deception and lies. No one is telling the truth. Not to each other or themselves.

Ok, if ever the world delivered all my Christmases at once, and Lies Lies Lies was made into a film, this would be my dream cast.

I’d love to see Emily Blunt play Daisy. Her range is incredible. She can nail fun or fearless, but she is also absolutely knockout when playing dramatic or vulnerable roles, like Girl on a Train or as strong, spirited, resourceful mother in A Quiet Place. Daisy is vulnerable and victimised but has incredible inner strength and resilience. My only caveat is that Blunt is actually far too beautiful to play Daisy, so she’d have to ugly-up a bit in make up!

I’d have Jake Gyllenhaal play alcoholic Simon; the father that puts his family in jeopardy. Whether or not Simon can redeem himself is a huge part of the forward momentum of the novel. Gyllenhaal is utterly brilliant at dark, complex and conflicted characters. Addiction is so beautiful and terrible, powerful and dangerous. He’d be perfect.

I’d like to see Tom Hiddleston play charming, charismatic Daryll who we all want to trust and be seduced by, but should we? He displayed a cold undercurrent to his good guy persona in The Night Manager and on stage in Betrayal.

Besides looking at the power of addiction and the danger of secrets, I also investigate the redemptive force of friendship. I’d cast Stephan James from If Beale Street Could Talk and Race as Leon. Leon is incredibly exposed, but is tough and formidable. Rachal McAdams is super-smiley and I think she’d make a great Connie. The friend who is the peacemaker and refuses to choose sides. I’d cast Lena Headey as Lucy, the stunning but apparently unrelentingly selfish friend. Headey played the steely Cersei in Game of Thrones and Daisy needs to borrow a backbone.

Visit Adele Parks's website.

My Book, The Movie: I Invited Her In.

Q&A with Adele Parks.

The Page 69 Test: Lies, Lies, Lies.

--Marshal Zeringue

Khurrum Rahman's "East of Hounslow"

Khurrum Rahman is a west London boy who now lives in Berkshire with his wife and two sons.

Here he dreamcasts an adaptation of East of Hounslow, his first novel and the first in the Jay Qasim series:

East of Hounslow centres around young British Muslim, Jay Qasim. A small-time dope dealer living in West London, who lives at home with his Mum and has just bought his pride and joy – a black BMW. Life seems sweet. What Jay doesn’t realise is that he is being carefully watched by MI5, who feel that he is just the man to infiltrate a terrorist cell, thousands of miles East of Hounslow.

As an author, maybe I shouldn’t say this, but my first love is the movies. If I go longer than a couple of weeks without going to the cinema, I start to get withdrawal symptoms. I simply adore the experience of watching a film over a tub of popcorn. It’s the ultimate escape.

I wrote East of Hounslow just like I would write a movie. I wanted the story to pop and come alive off the page where I could visualise Jay staring down at me from the screen and see the action running through my mind. The tone is based around some of my favourite films, combining the dialogue of Fargo and Reservoir Dogs, with the hard-hitting drama of Boyz ‘n the Hood and American History X.

I’ve always struggled to visualise an actor that could portray the role of Jay, I think he would have the attitude of Beverly Hill Cops’ Eddie Murphy, mixed in with a softness of Slumdog Millionaire’s Dev Patel, and the screen presence of True Romance’s Christian Slater. I don’t think that there is any actor, right now, who has that Jay look, though I do like the idea of an up and coming actor playing the role.

Direction, I would love to see East of Hounslow in the hands of the Coen Brothers to give it that distinctive, slightly off-beat style that they are so great at achieving. So, Ethan, Joel, if you’re reading this, give me a shout.

Follow Khurrum Rahman on Twitter.

--Marshal Zeringue

Rebecca Reid's "The Truth Hurts"

Rebecca Reid is a freelance journalist and author of the novel Perfect Liars.

 Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Truth Hurts:

The Truth Hurts is the story of Poppy - a lost young woman who gets fired while working as a nanny in Ibiza, and Drew - an attractive and wealthy older man who falls for her on the spot. They get married in a whirlwind romance and move back to Drew's English mansion. But of course, if something seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Once they get back to the UK, secrets start to surface.

Excitingly enough, The Truth Hurts has actually been optioned. So when I play the dream casting game (which I have been doing on repeat since I first started writing it!) it's not entirely a fantasy. Of course, if it does make it to the screen in real life, then I'll defer to the wisdom of the producers and just be beyond blown-away that something I wrote in my tiny one-bed flat in London could become something so huge. But in the meantime, I love indulging in a game of fantasy casting.

Usually when I start writing, I 'shop' for my characters on the graduation headshot section of the websites for various drama schools. But when I was writing The Truth Hurts I had a picture of Florence Pugh on my desk. This was before she was so famous. I saw her in a little indie film about a fainting epidemic, and thought she was the most astonishing actor I'd ever seen. So she's still who I picture for Poppy. That said, my husband is absolutely insistent that it should be Sophie Turner. All of my picks so far have been British, but I'm very relaxed about the fact that if it does get made, it will probably be set in the US.

My Drew was always Tom Hiddleston. He's got this incredible charm and kindness to him, which I think you need in order to portray an older man who marries a younger woman that quickly. I would hate for Drew to read as creepy.

Gina, Poppy's best friend, was always written to be Nathalie Emmanuel, who played Missandei in Game of Thrones.

My fantasy casting hasn't ever extended into directing before, but I think in a dream world I would love it to be Jane Campion, because every frame she shoots is a painting, or Paul Feig, because I thought that A Simple Favour was the best (and most underrated movie) I've seen in years. Or if we're in the real realms of fantasy, me!

Follow Rebecca Reid on Twitter.

Q&A with Rebecca Reid.

The Page 69 Test: The Truth Hurts.

--Marshal Zeringue

L. Annette Binder's "The Vanishing Sky"

L. Annette Binder was born in Germany and immigrated to the U.S. as a small child. She holds degrees in classics and law from Harvard, an MA in comparative literature from the University of California at Berkeley, and an MFA from the Program in Writing at the University of California, Irvine. Her short fiction collection Rise received the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. She lives in New Hampshire.

Here Binder dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Vanishing Sky:

The Vanishing Sky tells the story of a German mother named Etta Huber who is trying to hold her family together during the closing months of WW2. Etta’s older son Max has come home from the Eastern front suffering from a mental breakdown, and Etta struggles to hide his condition from the authorities because she knows they’ll take him from her if they find out how sick he really is. She can’t rely on her husband Josef for help, since he’s become increasingly forgetful and nationalistic. At the same time, her younger son Georg, who is fifteen years old, runs away from his post in the Hitler Youth and tries to make his way back home to her.

One dream director for the book would have to be Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The Lives of Others is one of my favorite films. In it, Donnersmarck brilliantly shows how ordinary people struggled with doing the right thing when faced with the demands of the brutal East German regime. The regime and ideology are both different in my book, but the themes are largely the same — How do you navigate the expectations of an evil regime when the price of even minor resistance could be your freedom or your life?

Casting is trickier. It took eight years to write a first draft of The Vanishing Sky, and it would have felt odd to imagine the characters with somebody else’s face as I wrote their story. Now that the book is done, I still can’t really imagine actors portraying them, but I can think about them in terms of other performances that I’ve really admired.

Etta is in her early fifties, a devoted wife and mother who is willing to risk her life — and her marriage — to help her son. Her portrayal would require a performance utterly lacking in vanity. Like Reese Witherspoon (who was brilliant in Walk the Line) or Chela Horsdall (who beautifully portrayed Smith’s wife in The Man in the High Castle).

Josef, Etta’s husband, is tormented by his failure to distinguish himself during WW1, and he tries to find relevance now by helping Germany’s last-ditch efforts to push back the incoming Allies. He doesn’t express his anguish, but you can see it in his eyes. I think of Tommy Lee Jones’ performance in No Country for Old Men, Rufus Sewell, who brought great depth to his character in The Man in the High Castle, or the late Ulrich Mühe, who was deeply moving in The Lives of Others.

Georg is tricky to cast because he’s only fifteen and looks even younger. He’s conflicted about his sexuality and knows in his heart that he can’t conform to the expectations of the Reich. I’m reminded of William Jøhnk Nielsen’s vulnerable performance in In a Better World. And Max is a talented and charismatic young man who’s suffered a breakdown on his return from the Eastern front. Asa Butterfield has the depth and the feel of Max as a young man.

It’s strange and wonderful to think all these characters are out in the world now, no longer limited to my own imagination, but (hopefully) alive in the imaginations of those who read the book.

Visit L. Annette Binder's website.

The Page 69 Test: The Vanishing Sky.

--Marshal Zeringue

Jay Stringer's "Marah Chase and the Fountain of Youth"

Jay Stringer was born in 1980, and he’s not dead yet. He’s the author of crime fiction, action thrillers, and dark comedies. Stringer’s work has been shortlisted for two Anthonys, the McIlvanney Prize, and a Derringer award. He is dyslexic and learned the sound of storytelling long before he could read the words.

Here Stringer dreamacasts an adaptation of his latest book, Marah Chase and the Fountain of Youth:

Note: This article is soundtracked by It’s a Good Day to Save the World by Danger Twins.

In Marah Chase and the Fountain of Youth, rogue archaeologist Marah Chase is in a race to find the mythical Fountain before a group of modern Nazis, who want the water to further their eugenics plan.

Talking about my book as a movie is an interesting challenge. Both easy and difficult. Easy because the book -and character- grew out of movies. But at the same time, as a writer I don’t like to give the reader too much description of the main character.

I can tell you Chase is somewhere around 36 or 37 in this book. She grew up on a farm in Washington state, with an American father and Scottish mother. She’s Jewish and gay, and I think that should be reflected in the casting.

For some reason I have less problems talking about supporting cast. On the previous book I played a game with myself as I wrote it, casting supporting spots for all of the actors who’ve played the Doctor in the modern era of Doctor Who. For the new book, I had certain actors in mind as I was figuring some of the characters out. (As a fun little side game, I also wrote one minor character as if he were being played by Beetlejuice, from the Tim Burton movie. I wonder if readers can spot him.)

August Nash, a former CIA agent-turned relic runner (the name for the Indiana Jones-like profession in my fictional universe) used to be Marah Chase’s mentor, but now they’re competitors. The two very best in the field. Legends. He becomes one of the main antagonists in the book, and as I was writing I could picture his dialogue delivered by either Timothy Olyphant or Chris Evans.

The other antagonist is Lauren Stanford, the billionaire heir to a global soda corporation. Her family have always been Nazis. Like, even before there were Nazis. Their brand of hatred dates back to London in the 1800’s, and they’ve been hiding in plain sight ever since, in business suits and political donations. She needs to be played by someone who can control the screen, but be both interesting and scary at the same time. I could see Madelaine Petsch or Samara Weaving in the role.

Chase’s main ally in the book is a trans man, named Hass. He’s from Somalia originally, but spent so long living in America that his accent has changed. He’s described loosely in the book as looking like both Doc Savage and Dwayne Johnson, but those comparisons are really based on his size. He’s a big strong action hero. Just as I think it would be important for Chase to be played by someone of the right ethnicity and sexuality, I think in my dream movie Hass would be played by a trans man, preferably of Somali descent.

As for director, the recent Harley Quinn movie wasn’t a hit, but I thought Cathy Yan was bold and creative with her handling of action. She’d be a great choice to helm the film.

Visit Jay Stringer's website.

Q&A with Jay Stringer.

--Marshal Zeringue

Jennifer Honeybourn's "The Do-Over"

Jennifer Honeybourn is a fan of British accents, Broadway musicals, and epic, happily-ever-after love stories. If she could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, she’d have high tea with Walt Disney, JK Rowling, and her nana. She lives in Stratford, Ontario with her husband, daughter and cat in a house filled with books.

Here Honeybourn dreamcasts an adaptation of her new novel, The Do-Over:

When I was writing The Do-Over, I imagined the main character, Emelia, as Madelaine Petsch, the wonderful actress who plays Cheryl Blossom on Riverdale. I even gave Emelia Madelaine’s gorgeous red hair. Emelia is a bit misguided, she’s starry-eyed about popularity and what it would be like to be part of that crowd. She’s been a little bit in love with Ben for years, so when he finally notices her, she is so flattered that she can’t see him for who he really is. This feels like her chance and she’s going to take it, even if it means putting aside her burgeoning (and confusing) feelings for her best friend Alistair.

For Alistair, Emelia’s love interest, I saw him as a Timothée Chalamet-type, a bit of Bender from The Breakfast Club. The outsider who is comfortable with not fitting in and has no interest in being part of the popular crowd — in fact, he’s quite disdainful of the popular kids and what he believes they stand for. He sets himself apart through his clothing — fingerless gloves, movie t-shirts, a beanie — and his refusal to play nice with Ben and the other popular kids. He just can’t understand why Emelia would even want to be friends with these people and he certainly doesn’t understand when she chooses Ben over him.

For directors, I love Nahnatchka Kahn. She directed Always Be My Maybe, one of my favorite movies last year. It’s such a great romantic comedy, full of humor and heart, and I think that would make her the perfect choice to direct The Do-Over if it was ever made into a movie.

Visit Jennifer Honeybourn's website.

My Book, The Movie: Just My Luck.

--Marshal Zeringue

Sung J. Woo's "Skin Deep"

Sung J. Woo’s short stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times, PEN/Guernica, and Vox. He has written three novels, Skin Deep (2020), Love Love (2015) and Everything Asian (2009), which won the 2010 Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Literature Award (Youth category). In 2014, Everything Asian was chosen for Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township. A graduate of Cornell University with an MFA from New York University, he lives in Washington, New Jersey.

Here Woo dreamcasts an adaptation of Skin Deep:

Skin Deep is a traditional mystery novel, starring a private eye in search of a missing girl. Except unlike most mysteries, my detective is a Korean-American transracial adoptee. Siobhan O’Brien’s dad is Irish and her mom Norwegian, so she had quite the interesting childhood.

The book takes place in two distinct locations, Llewellyn College and the Krishna Center for Yoga, both located in upstate New York. As Siobhan works through her case, she encounters a Korean billionaire, his impossibly beautiful wife Cleopatra, plus the president of the college who used to be a runway fashion model. When the book moves to the Krishna Center, Siobhan meets Krishvananda, a guru with stadium-level magnetism and Dharma, a yogic expert. On Siobhan’s side are her bookkeeper Stacy and love-interest/lawyer Craig.

Siobhan should be played by Nora Lum, better known as Awkwafina. She’s eight years younger than Siobhan’s 40, but I have no doubt she can play a tad older. She was excellent in The Farewell, really showing her dramatic chops, and for my book, her comedic side would come into play as well.

Im Jin Ah, better known as Nana, would make an excellent Cleopatra. She’s entirely too young to play this part, but that would be the point, because in the book, Cleo is a woman in her fifties who looks like she’s thirty.

Irrfan Khan would’ve made a fabulous Krishvananda. God rest his soul.

Dharma’s real name is Benjamin Roth. He’s a sinewy, athletic older dude with mystical inclinations. Of course it has to be Matthew McConaughey. He was born to play this role!

Stacy has huge frizzy strawberry blonde hair. It’s got Natasha Lyonne written all over it. I can just hear her lovely, gravelly voice speaking her lines.

Craig used to be overweight, but no longer. Seth Rogan, you are him.

And there’s only one actress to play the ex-fashion-model president of Llewellyn – Cate Blanchett. There’s a very thin line between great acting and ham acting, and Blanchett knows when to cross this line better than anyone.

As far as directors go, how about M. Night Shyamalan? As long as he doesn’t write it! He’s such a technically astute filmmaker and I wish he would lend his directorial talent to more projects. Also, Lulu Wang, the director of The Farewell, would be fantastic; a female heading this film actually makes very good sense.

Learn more about the book and author at Sung J. Woo's website.

--Marshal Zeringue