This Writing Life--Mark Terry

June 22, 2005
This may very well happen to other novelists on a regular basis, but it's never happened to me. I got an e-mail from my agent today saying a film scout was requesting to read The Serpent's Kiss. I should coordinate with my editor at Midnight Ink/Llewellyn to get her a copy. Well, that's exciting.

A while later, my editor e-mails back to say she also received the e-mail, and since The Serpent's Kiss is the first in the series, would she rather see that, or see that as well as The Devil's Pitchfork? Yes. Also, because my editor Barbara doesn't actually have a computer file of The Serpent's Kiss because it's not due until September 1st and I haven't started on the re-write, having scheduled it for post July 9 because of a vacation trip.

So Barbara sent this film scout a copy of The Devil's Pitchfork, and I spent an hour or so creating one big Word file and sending The Serpent's Kiss off to the film scout, too.

This, naturally, turns every writer into an avaricious fool dreaming of hot movie deals and bushels of bucks winging their way toward their bank accounts. Can lunch with Mel, a starlet on one arm, a trip to Cannes and the red carpet be far away?

Well, I'll give myself a few minutes of leeway and dream, then treat this with even more skepticism I treat encouragement from agents and editors. Don't even pay any attention to "The check's in the mail." Instead, trust only in these things once the check doesn't bounce, and we're a long way from any of that, possibly an eternity away.

Still, it IS exciting, and you never know. I of course think either book would make a terrific film, and my wife asked me who would be cast, which is a question I think novelists shouldn't give too much thought to. I mentioned possibly Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and she scoffed, saying, "Wouldn't you want this movie to get made?"

Well, let's not get into that today. Instead, let's bask in the brief glow of "hollywood-ism" and leave it at that. It is, at minimum, another brief but entertaining chapter in the Mark Terry, Novelist Story.

Best,
Mark Terry

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2005-06-22 3:23 PM Mongo Bizarro in a good way ... I think Previous Entry :: Next Entry Mood: Excited Read/Post Comments (2) Share on Facebook	June 22, 2005 This may very well happen to other novelists on a regular basis, but it's never happened to me. I got an e-mail from my agent today saying a film scout was requesting to read The Serpent's Kiss. I should coordinate with my editor at Midnight Ink/Llewellyn to get her a copy. Well, that's exciting. A while later, my editor e-mails back to say she also received the e-mail, and since The Serpent's Kiss is the first in the series, would she rather see that, or see that as well as The Devil's Pitchfork? Yes. Also, because my editor Barbara doesn't actually have a computer file of The Serpent's Kiss because it's not due until September 1st and I haven't started on the re-write, having scheduled it for post July 9 because of a vacation trip. So Barbara sent this film scout a copy of The Devil's Pitchfork, and I spent an hour or so creating one big Word file and sending The Serpent's Kiss off to the film scout, too. This, naturally, turns every writer into an avaricious fool dreaming of hot movie deals and bushels of bucks winging their way toward their bank accounts. Can lunch with Mel, a starlet on one arm, a trip to Cannes and the red carpet be far away? Well, I'll give myself a few minutes of leeway and dream, then treat this with even more skepticism I treat encouragement from agents and editors. Don't even pay any attention to "The check's in the mail." Instead, trust only in these things once the check doesn't bounce, and we're a long way from any of that, possibly an eternity away. Still, it IS exciting, and you never know. I of course think either book would make a terrific film, and my wife asked me who would be cast, which is a question I think novelists shouldn't give too much thought to. I mentioned possibly Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and she scoffed, saying, "Wouldn't you want this movie to get made?" Well, let's not get into that today. Instead, let's bask in the brief glow of "hollywood-ism" and leave it at that. It is, at minimum, another brief but entertaining chapter in the Mark Terry, Novelist Story. Best, Mark Terry Read/Post Comments (2) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top
:: HOME :: GET EMAIL UPDATES :: Mark's official website :: JA Konrath's Blog :: Eric Mayer's Blog :: Lee Goldberg's Blog :: Freelance Success :: Tobias Buckell's blog :: Paul Levine & other authors' blog :: Pete Terry & Electro-Metamorphosis :: Robert Gregory Browne's blog :: Cabbages & Kings--PJ Parrish's blog :: Murderati--buncha authors blogs :: Keith Snyder's blog :: Rick Riordan's blog :: EMAIL ::