Bethany Crandell's "Summer on the Short Bus"

Bethany Crandell writes young adult novels because the feelings that come with life's "first" times are too good not to relive again and again. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters.

Here Crandell dreamcasts an adaptation of Summer on the Short Bus, her debut novel:

I’m a visual writer, so it’s imperative that I have an image of a character in my head as I’m writing otherwise the details of that character will never fully develop. Here’s how I would cast some of the roles in Summer on the Short Bus.

Cricket: The word-vomiting, bitchy m/c.
AnnaSophia Robb (The Carrie Diaries) is my dream actress for this role. She can do snarky, cute, endearing and frustrating all at the same time--which is what we need to pull off a complicated, unlikeable character like Cricket.

Quinn: The love interest & Zac Efron lookalike.
This kid is Efron’s doppelgänger, so of course Mr. Efron is the obvious choice. (The clock is ticking, though. Too much longer and ole Zac won’t be able to pass for a teenager. This scares me.)

Rainbow: The happy-go-lucky camp director.
I’m hoping to persuade Julianne Moore and Carrot Top to conceive a child specifically for this role.

Claire: One of the campers.
Jaime Brewer. (American Horror Story.) Though it’s a supporting role, Claire is such an endearing character that you can’t skimp on the talent. Jaime is a rock star at sentiment.

Aidan: A drop-in camper.
James Maslow (Big Time Rush) We’d have to use a little peroxide for the needed blond effect, but this guy has the ease and smile to pull off the cocky, wheel-chair bound character of Aidan.

Visit Bethany Crandell's website.

The Page 69 Test: Summer on the Short Bus.

--Marshal Zeringue

Kate Racculia's "Bellweather Rhapsody"

Kate Racculia grew up in Syracuse, New York, where she played bassoon in her high school band. She received her MFA from Emerson and is the author of This Must Be the Place and the new novel, Bellweather Rhapsody.

Here Racculia dreamcasts an adaptation of Bellweather Rhapsody:

I love movies. They’re a part of how I learned to see the world and to tell stories. I gravitate toward vivid visual and auditory elements in my writing, and I always thought of Bellweather Rhapsody in cinematic terms. It’s a murder mystery-musical in novel form, about music and musicians, and there are orchestral performances, dance numbers and solos.

And characters that I think actors—male and female, old and young—would have a blast bringing to life, starting with the crumbling, possibly haunted Hotel Bellweather itself, which is The Shining’s Overlook by way of the Catskills (think of the set design!). Teenage twins Alice and Bert “Rabbit” Hatmaker come to the Bellweather for Statewide, a weekend conference for student musicians. Alice, a singer, is a diva in her own mind, and Rabbit, who plays bassoon, is painfully shy. I’d cast unknowns with genuine musical talent, like the kids in School of Rock. Their chaperone is their small town band director, Natalie Wink Wilson: a woman with a past, a self-destructive streak, and a .38 in her luggage. She’s a redhead with a dark wit—think Winona Ryder in Heathers with a dash of Dana Scully—and I imagined someone playing against type in the role, an Alyson Hannigan or Emma Stone (in about ten years), or heck, Gillian Anderson herself. The Clyde to Natalie’s Bonnie is Fisher Brodie, a wiry Scot and former piano prodigy turned conductor who can be a right bastard. I wrote the character with David Tennant in mind, though I would, of course, be happy to cast any number of intense British actors in the role (see: Cumberbatch, Benedict; Evans, Shaun). Viola Fabian—acting head of Statewide, who has a tangled past with both Natalie and Fisher—is the main antagonist of the novel: she’s ice-cold and arresting, the kind of woman Rhoda Penmark would grow up to become. I’d love to see what Julianne Moore, hair bleached white, could do with Viola; she’d tear the part to bits, be absolutely terrifying and then turn on a dime and find a tiny hint of confused humanity in her. Harold Hastings is the Bellweather’s steadfast concierge. He’s dignified to the point of stuffiness, proudly attached to his decaying hotel; he fancies himself a Michael Caine-type (and has the glasses to prove it), but I see him as Kevin Kline. For the last two main characters—Minnie Graves, who witnessed the murder-suicide that starts the novel and returns, fifteen years later, to face her fears; and Jill Faccelli, the Statewide prodigy whose disappearance kicks off the weekend—I’d also cast unknowns, or little-knowns. Jill should be another talented young musician. Minnie is a big girl, tall and heavy; she starts out timid and afraid, but never because of her size—her size is always her strength. She’s not the typical female body you see in the movies, and I know there are actresses out there who could play her to the hilt. Imagine if you crossed a younger Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth with Melissa McCarthy as Sookie St. James. She would be unstoppable.

Visit Kate Racculia's website.

Writers Read: Kate Racculia.

The Page 69 Test: Bellweather Rhapsody.

--Marshal Zeringue

Chuck Black’s "Cloak of the Light"

Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical combat communications engineer, is the author of fourteen novels, including The Kingdom Series, The Knights of Arrethtrae series, and the Wars of the Realm series. He and his wife love traveling and spending time with their six children. They currently live in North Dakota.

Here Black dreamcasts an adaptation of his latest book, Cloak of the Light:

Much of my creative inspiration for Cloak of the Light came from some of my favorite movies: The Bourne Identity, Spiderman, The Matrix, The Adjustment Bureau, and Gladiator. I can’t help but think of Cloak of the Light in terms of the characters and the artistic genius I saw in each of those films.

Selecting an actor for the main character, Drew Carter is oddly enough the most difficult. Drew is quiet, confident, and a prisoner of his innate sense of justice. The ideal actor for Drew would be a young Matt Damon, but I would love to see how Doug Liman, director and producer of The Bourne Trilogy, would cast his films today. Whoever he picks would be the man. Perhaps Drew Roy from Falling Skies could pull of this quiet, subtly charming hero.

Hands down, AnnaSophia Robb is the perfect choice for Sydney Carlyle, the elusive heroine that keeps Carter mesmerized and surprised throughout the book. Robb is a great actress that could effortlessly capture the essence of Sydney’s uncompromising but mysterious character.

Benjamin Berg is a quirky genius with limited social skills who trusts no one. I think that Josh Hutcherson would bring Ben’s character to life in such a way that he might even steal the movie. Hutcherson did a phenomenal job with the difficult role of Peeta in The Hunger Games, and it would take such skill to pull off a great Benjamin Berg. After having already selected each of these actors, I realized that both Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb have already worked together in Bridge to Terabithia…a natural fit.

Ironically, today I got a text message from the Producer who purchased the option for my first series of books, The Kingdom Series. He was listening to the audio drama of Cloak of the Light and said, “This [book] will make an awesome movie.” Let’s go!

Learn more about the book and author at Chuck Black's website.

--Marshal Zeringue

Jeremy Robinson's "Xom-B"

Jeremy Robinson is the bestselling author of more than forty novels including Island 731, SecondWorld, the Jack Sigler thriller series, and Project Nemesis, the highest selling original (non-licensed) kaiju novel of all time. Robinson is also known as the #1 Amazon.com horror writer, Jeremy Bishop, author of The Sentinel and the controversial novel, Torment. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children.

Here Robinson dreamcasts an adaptation of his new novel, Xom-B:

In my new sci-fi thriller, Xom-B, my character of Freeman is a genius with an uncommon mixture of memory, intelligence and creativity. He lives in a worldwide utopia, but Freeman’s people once lived as slaves to another race referred to simply as “Master.” A revolution led to freedom from the Masters, but now the world is threatened by a virus, spread through bites, sweeping through the population. Those infected are propelled to violence, driven to disperse the virus. Uniquely suited to respond to this new threat, Freeman searches for a cure, but instead he finds the source—the Masters, intent on reclaiming the world.

Throughout writing, I pictured Jude Law as Freeman. Law has shown a wide range of emotion from the determination in Enemy at the Gates to the gentle quiet of the father in Hugo. I think he’d be perfect for the growth arc Freeman experiences in Xom-B, as he progresses from wide-eyed wonder at the world to a determined freedom-fighter.

For Freeman’s companion and bodyguard, Heap, who we don’t really see because of his armor, I’d like to see Karl Urban. He’s capable of far more than the role would allow him, but he’s definitely demonstrated how well he can exude menace when we could see so little of him, in the vastly underrated Dredd film from 2012.

I think J. J. Abrams would be my director of choice. He’s shown he can do sci-fi and action, but can also capture youthful exuberance, as in Super 8. I’d want to write the screenplay myself, of course, but if not me then maybe Duncan Jones and Nathan Parker, who wrote Moon from 2009, another excellent and underrated film. They managed to layer on the tension toward the end of the movie, and even though it didn’t have the big budget action scenes, I think they’d do Xom-B justice as far as tone goes.

Learn more about the book and author at Jeremy Robinson's website.

The Page 69 Test: Xom-B.

--Marshal Zeringue

Tania Unsworth's "The One Safe Place"

Tania Unsworth is a British writer living in Boston. She is the author of two books for adults published in the UK.

Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of The One Safe Place, her first book for children:

I wrote The One Safe Place almost as if it was a movie running in my head. That’s not something I normally do, but the technique worked for this particular story and so I went with it. I didn’t have specific actors in mind, but I had a very clear idea of the setting. So it’s no surprise that I think it would make a terrific movie! My main character – the boy Devin – has a condition called synesthesia which causes his senses to overlap. Colors have sounds for example and noises bring physical sensations. This creates a surreal - and sometimes nightmarish - aspect to the story which could be wonderful translated to the screen.

In terms of actors, Tilda Swinton would be perfect as the icy, pitiless Administrator and I could see Bill Nighy making a sinister appearance as Gabriel Penn. He has just the right amount of sorrow behind his eyes. As for the children, one of my hopes would be that the actors were the same age as the characters they played (am I the only person who thought the main characters in the movie of The Hunger Games looked far older than their counterparts in the book?).

Performances from child actors that I’ve loved include Alexander Nathan Etel in The Water Horse, River Phoenix in Stand By Me, Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine and Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun, among many others. All prove that even quite young kids can be devastatingly good actors. I’d be really excited to see what talent might be discovered if The One Safe Place really was made into a move.

Of course the book also has animals, some of whom play pivotal roles in the story. There’s a performing pig and a downtrodden parrot to name just two. If working with children or animals is something to be avoided, working with both might be a recipe for disaster.

Or it could be a lot of fun!

Visit Tania Unsworth's website.

The Page 69 Test: The One Safe Place.

Writers Read: Tania Unsworth.

--Marshal Zeringue

Evie Wyld's "All the Birds, Singing"

Evie Wyld grew up in Australia and London, where she currently resides. She has won the John Llewellyn-Rhys prize and a Betty Trask Award, and she has been short-listed for the Orange Award for New Writers, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and the Costa Novel Award.

Here Wyld dreamcasts an adaptation of her latest novel, All the Birds, Singing:

I’d love Elizabeth Moss to be Jake - she’s got such a great face - she looks like she’s had a life, and even though she’s tiny, she still looks like she could punch someone out. I think her performance in Top of The Lake was exactly the kind of buttoned down toughness that I’d want for Jake. Toni Collette as well - she’d be fantastic. I’d love it if Oliver Reed could be brought back to play Lloyd. I don’t like it when actors look like they’ve spent their whole lives acting. I like a face that reflects a past.

Follow Evie Wyld on Twitter and visit her website.

Learn about Wyld's five notable books about farmers.

The Page 69 Test: After the Fire, a Still Small Voice.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Evie Wyld & Juno and Hebe.

Writers Read: Evie Wyld.

--Marshal Zeringue

Michelle Gable's "A Paris Apartment"

Michelle Gable graduated from The College of William & Mary. When not dreaming up fiction on the sly, she currently resides in Cardiff by the Sea, California, with her husband and two daughters.

Here Gable dreamcasts an adaptation of The Paris Apartment, her first novel:

As some point, every writer imagines his or her book on film, right? Not me. I guess that’s what happens when you merge a spreadsheet-loving finance dork and a writer in the same body. I am way too practical for that level of fantasy.

But that’s absolutely no fun at all. So since you asked, I’ll let myself dream…

A Paris Apartment takes place in the City of Lights during two times periods: the present day and the Belle Epoque. The modern-day protagonist, April Vogt, is a smart and no-nonsense kind of gal, both in mannerisms and appearance. She sees herself as tight and structured:

“And that, April thought, was more or less how she was thrown together. Straight, dark, and tailored, made entirely of clean lines.”

Because of this I immediately picture Jennifer Garner. Though she is more beautiful than April imagines herself, Garner would make an excellent Sotheby’s continental furniture expert. She is capable of serious as well as funny and has played many smart but unsure and bumbling characters. April is often awkward, especially in the company of handsome French attorneys!

April’s husband needs to be coiffed and slick, not to mention chiseled. Jennifer’s real-life spouse Ben Affleck might make a perfect Troy Edward Vogt III, even if his coloring is slightly off. After all: “April liked her men one way: big, sandy-haired, and American.” Or so she tells herself. Nathan Fillion also comes to mind.

I’m not too familiar with French actors but in my head Luc Thébault, the salty Parisian attorney April must contend with, resembles Ed Weeks, also known as Dr. Jeremy Reed from the hilarious comedy The Mindy Project. I wonder if Weeks can do a French accent? Also, how can I get Mindy Kaling involved?

Courtesan Marthe de Florian, our Gilded Age narrator, would be brilliantly portrayed by Marion Cotillard. Helena Bonham Carter could also bring the woman to life.

The late, great portraitist Giovanni Boldini is a prickly sort (“that pig Boldini” as described by several). The actor must be able to pull off surly, disheveled, and attractive all at the same time. Robert Downey, Jr. and Guy Pearce both have strong Boldini potential.

I don’t know what director might best serve A Paris Apartment but mostly I see the book as a compelling HBO, AMC, or Netflix-type series or mini-series, where April and Marthe’s stories can be told over several episodes or seasons.

I guess I’m not so practical after all – my mind is already working on the supporting cast. So, should I write the script or do you all have someone for that?

Visit Michelle Gable's website.

The Page 69 Test: A Paris Apartment.

--Marshal Zeringue

Dandi Daley Mackall's "My Boyfriends' Dogs"

Dandi Daley Mackall has written many books for children and adults. She has held a humorist column and served as freelance editor, has hosted over 200 radio phone-in programs, and has made dozens of appearances on TV.

Here she shares some thoughts on the coming adaptation of her book for teens, My Boyfriends' Dogs:

Funny thing is, this book is in the process of becoming a Hallmark movie right now! I’ve made a living writing books for 30 years, and this is the first time one has become a movie (if you don’t count one animated series and a few Scooby Doo and Yogi Bear episodes). I was able to see part of the filming last month, and watching my characters walk around as real people, saying dialogue that once was only in my head—that was surreal. And wonderful. Plus, everyone was so nice to me. I learned that movies film scenes out of order, which would drive me crazy if I were an actress (and nobody invited me to act). So the first day on the set, I got to watch the filming of the climactic wedding scene, and the next day we moved outside to a little village and shot the scene where Bailey and Eric first met. The shoot was scheduled from 7 to 7, and the crew must have set up hours earlier.

Honestly, when I write, I don’t picture celebrities. If I’m not picturing myself (usually at a younger age…), I’m imagining people I’ve known, or glimpsed somewhere. In My Boyfriends' Dogs, Erika Christensen (of Parenthood, Traffic, etc.) stars as Bailey Daley, and she’s perfect—cute, funny, smart. I loved her boyfriends, too. And don’t even get me started on the dogs (Adam the Golden, Eve the Dalmatian, and Shirley the Shih-Tzu)—I fell in love with them. The movie airs on the Hallmark Channel 9 o’clock Saturday night, July 19.

My newest novel is The Secrets of Tree Taylor, out this month from Knopf/Random House, and I confess I pictured myself as young Tree (Theresa), growing up in the sixties in the small town of Hamilton, Missouri, which happens to be where I grew up too. So, in case anyone out there would like to make a movie of this novel, I’ll happily take acting lessons.

Visit Dandi Daley Mackall's website.

Read--Coffee with a Canine: Dandi Daley Mackall & Moxie and Munch.

--Marshal Zeringue

Catherine McKenzie's "Hidden"

Catherine McKenzie is an internationally bestselling author of four novels, most recently Hidden. She is a full-time attorney and regular contributor to The Huffington Post.

Here McKenzie dreamcasts an adaptation of Hidden:

There are three central characters in Hidden - Jeff, Tish and Claire. I could see Ben Affleck or George Clooney playing Jeff - a charming guy who lacks a bit of self-confidence and has always felt upstaged by his older brother. I think either one could bring that mix of charm and vulnerability to the role.

Claire is Jeff’s wife. She used to be full of confidence, but she’s been broken down by life a bit. I could see Catherine Keener playing her. She has the right level of upfront smarts with this ability to be broken underneath.

Tish is the potential “other woman”. She’s always been a bit of a dreamer, and her dreams haven’t really come true. Sandra Bullock might be good in the role. Tish has a humorous side to her - it’s one of the things that draws Jeff in.

Two other important roles in the book are the children - Jeff and Claire’s son, Seth, and Tish’s daughter, Zoey. They’re twelve and eleven years old, respectively, a tough age. I saw a child actor in the movie Algonquin recently, who’d make a great Seth. As for Zoey, no one in particular comes to mind, but it would be a great role for an unknown.

And there you have it. If Hidden was cast by me, today.

Visit Catherine McKenzie's website.

The Page 69 Test: Hidden.

Writers Read: Catherine McKenzie.

--Marshal Zeringue

Clea Simon's "Panthers Play for Keeps"

Clea Simon is the award-winning author of three feline-centric mystery series, the Theda Krakow mysteries, Dulcie Schwartz feline mysteries, and Pru Marlowe pet noirs, the last two of which are ongoing. (She is also the author of three nonfiction books, including The Feline Mystique: On the Mysteries Connection Between Women and Cats [St. Martin's]). Simon's latest books are Grey Howl, the eighth Dulcie mystery (for Severn House), and Panthers Play for Keeps, the fourth Pru Marlowe, which was just released by Poisoned Pen Press.

Here Simon dreamcasts an adaptation of Panthers Play for Keeps:

Pru Marlowe, the protagonist of my new Panthers Play for Keeps, is such a strong woman. Dark, sexy, a bit of a bad girl… plus she loves cats. While I can imagine several actresses vying for the chance to play her, I can really only see one star in the role: Gina Gershon.

That generous, provocative mouth, always ready to give her opinion? That raised eyebrow, skeptical of everyone – every human – she meets, particularly the men? No question. All she would have to fake – maybe – would be Pru’s special gift, her ability to hear the thoughts of the animals around her. It’s that special sensitivity that gets Pru into so much trouble, and also what urges her to work so hard for the animals she meets.

Gershon – the sexy star of Bound and many other movies – may be more like Pru than we think. For example, the actress has already proven her willingness to go out on a limb for the feline in her life. In her 2012 book, In Search of Cleo: How I Found My Pussy and Love My Mind, the actress relates the extent she was willing to go to reunite with a lost pet. Playing Pru in a film version of Panthers, she’d have Wallis, her curmudgeonly tabby, right by her side. But she could use that wit and persistence in the hunt for the rare Eastern panther – or mountain lion – that appears to be bringing death and destruction on a western Massachusetts town. I have no doubt that Gina would relate as much to the beautiful wild beast as she would to the townspeople. And that, after all, would be the point.

Visit Clea Simon's website.

Writers Read: Clea Simon.

The Page 69 Test: Panthers Play for Keeps.

--Marshal Zeringue