This is not at all how I envisioned things would go down if (big IF) I ever got a film deal together. I was sitting in the hallway of a Holiday Express in my pajamas. My three boys, who were wired from sundaes at Friendly’s, were torturing my 24-year-old brother inside the room by wrestling on the bed. Every now and again a loud thump was heard as one of them got tossed to the ground. Then came the shrieks of fear as retaliation ensued. My brother, who serves as my “manny” and is more of a big brother to my kids, could be heard yelling, begging, pleading and bribing. “Guys! Your mom has an important call! Maybe the most important call of her life!” And because young children have such a finely tuned sense of consideration for others, this worked like a charm.

Not. More screaming, then laughter. Thuds. A woman from the room across the hall popped out and gave me an evil stare which was met with the wave of my hand and a desperate, frantic look.

Meanwhile, the scrappy little device pressed to my ear (that a few years back passed as a cell phone) was on low battery, and was so kindly reminding me of this with a very loud beep every thirty seconds. Having soaked the battery several times in snow, rain and the kitchen sink, it was holding up admirably and I had no one but myself to blame for not embracing technology and getting a proper BlackBerry. In my defense, I wasn’t expecting such an important call.

And this call was important. Probably one of the most important calls of my career. It was a conference with my manager John Lavitt, and Wyck Godfrey of Temple Hill Entertainment – THE PRODUCER OF TWILIGHT.

In my wildest dreams of the distant past, such a discussion about making one of my novels into a movie with the hottest Hollywood producing team  (professionally speaking of course) would be done in a posh LA office. I would be wearing a sharp business suit, heels I could just barely walk in, hair blown dry for once, and a small entourage of loyal representatives. Surely if there was movie interest in one of my books, I would be a big time author in need of such things.

But I am not. I am a relatively new author working day in and day out to build a following and progress as a writer. And so, there I was, in that hallway in my pajamas, phone dying, chaos mounting, discussing the movie deal for Social Lives with Wyck and John. In spite of my surroundings, I remember the conversation well and I have carried it with me through every bump in the road my novel and I have encountered.

Social Lives is, at its core, a book about the extraordinary circumstances that can lead a person to do unspeakable things. It’s about social structures that suck people in, define them, and spit them out changed and sometimes damaged. It is a study of social culture and human nature and how sexuality still plays a leading role in the lives of women, from the early teen years through adulthood. My manager, John, has always gotten this about the book. But as any writer can tell you, having someone outside of your camp confirm that you have indeed done your job well, is the ultimate reward. So, when Wyck Godfrey told me that he loved my novel, that he thought it would make a fantastic dramatic film and provide solid emotional roles for women actors, I was blown away.

My cell phone and I both survived that call. My children managed not to hurt each other and my brother – well he’s young. He’ll bounce back. Wyck, his partner Marty Bowen, and their company are working to put the pieces together even as they are producing the Twilight sequels at breakneck speed. Of course, I haven’t told them yet that half the Walker clan plan to be extras in the big party scene and that my sister Jenn will not rest until she meets Robert Pattinson. But I suppose that can wait until the next call!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS