I don't blog on here too often bc DA is a sort of hide-away for me. I came here before to look at art & that's still what I do. I don't link this acct anywhere bc it's one of my secret treats to myself.

BUT I wanted to share my film news w any of you who do know I'm on here

x-post from my public blog:

The easy part--

Universal did an exclusive new release in VARIETY. The press release "Universal Makes Wicked Deal" went live last evening/night (depending on your time zone). [link]

Today, there is an MTV article "Wicked Lovely Adaptation Confirms Faeries as the Next Fantasy Trend" and bunches of places where the news has been re-released. [link]

What this means? Honestly, it means that a) the universe has been kind to me and I'm very grateful and b) there is a film in development.

Since WL sold (in March 2006), the interest in things paranormal has continued to grow. There wasn't much of a YA paranormal market before I sold WL. It's grown. A lot. We've had some nibbles of film interest (one I was interested in, and some that I wasn't), but the right people weren't appearing. I signed with a new agent in July 2008, & I had no film agent, so we weren't even shopping WL to film people.

Then, out of the blue, my agent got a call. Some guy named Vince Vaughn was interested in talking abt film deal. . . and I, as a not-typically-a-movie-person, had no freaking clue who this guy was. I googled him. I found an article about this documentary on graffiti art & music & Northern Ireland, & I read some interviews, & I learned that a) he's kinda kickass interesting and b) he made films both as an actor and a producer.

[NOTE: I am now watching some of his films. The camera doesn't do him justice though. In person, he is so freaking charismatic that you say what's on your mind . . . which meant I admitted "I had no clue who you were so I googled you & read abt the Ireland graffiti thing." Fortunately, he isn't an egotist, and the conversation was good. A man that digs graffiti, Ireland, & music? *sigh* Yeah. I totally loved talking to him.]

We set up a conference call. The producers are Wild West Picture Show Productions--Peter Billingsly (also an actor and producer), Vince, Valerie, and Victoria Vaughn. It became immediately obvious to me that they totally get my books, so I agreed when they asked to take it to Universal.

Universal said "yes."

Then, Valerie--who is shades of amazing that I can't even explain--called to say that Caroline Thompson (our top choice!) wanted to write the screenplay.

*pauses*

Ok, now I've already said that I don't do movies, right? There are exceptions. Caroline has written several of them. In fact, i own several films that she's written. [NOTE: I own maybe a dozen films. My family, of course, has somme, but I personally don't buy many movies.] She wrote The Secret Garden (which is one of 2 VHS tapes I own, the other is Hamlet which I bought for a class I was teaching back when VHS was what we used in the classroom). She also wrote Nightmare Before Christmas . . . which became weirdly "meant to be" be when Caroline commented on the shirt I was wearing in my author picture for WL. I bought myself a Jack hoodie the day I sold the books (March 2006) as my gift-for-selling. Yeah, I could've NEVER guessed that Caroline would one day adapt my book.

I've seen most everything she's written. I've talked to her & emailed with her & generally could not think of anyone I would trust more. She gets it. She gets my world, my characters, folklore, fairy tales, & feminism. With Universal, Wild West Picture Show Productions, & Caroline, I have faith that my texts are in the right hands.

And--continuing with the surreality--they have totally kept me involved. There are calls, email, & I flew out to LA to sit down with them (and will do so again). I explained that I didn't expect any involvement, & that I trust them, & they reply (repeatedly) that they want me involved. So I am. I answer all their questions; I send them folklore references; and I generally think that even if the film never makes it to the screen, I'll still be very happy bc I'm having fun

So that's the long version . . .