Holly Kerr: Cast for Baby! Baby? Baby!?

I was invited to be the ‘special guest’ at my sister-in-law’s book club last month.  They had read my book and thought it would be great to have me come and talk to them.  I had been to book club meetings before, but never as a guest and the introvert in me was quite nervous about it at first.  But despite taking 2 and a half hours to make the 45 minute drive (gotta love the first snowstorm of the year!) it was a great evening.  My writing is very much a solitary business, but I’m finding it really liberating to talk about it to readers.

One of the highlights of the evening for me was when Susan suggested we cast the movie version of my book. I’ve had a few comments from readers who thought the book would make a good movie. One editor insisted she could see it as a ‘Lifetime movie’ on T.V.  I’d be fine with a movie being made from my book.  Who wouldn’t?

I love movies almost as much as I love books.  Well, almost.  I’ve taken a few screenwriting courses, enough to finish a script and learned enough to realize the script I wrote should never see the light of day.

I wrote the book about ten years ago and it’s gone through many, many, many changes and drafts.  Looking back, I realize I wrote the novel similar to a screenplay.  The structure was similar, at least.  Setup at the beginning – act one.  Confrontation in the middle – act 2 – making sure the pace was quick enough so it wouldn’t lag in the middle.  Resolution at the end – act three.  Plus, there were plot points at the end of acts one and two.

Sound familiar?  If you’ve even taken a screenwriting 101 class, it would!
I structured the book into scenes that just happened to fall nicely into chapter-length chunks.  I’m not saying this is the right way to write a novel, it’s just how it worked for me!

Because of all this and my love of movies, casting  Baby! Baby? Baby?! during the book club was so much fun!  There were some great choices, some not so good ones and some where it was obvious the reader just thought the actor was hot.  Case in point – Ryan Gosling is very attractive, and a very good actor but I could never think of him as J.B.

So thanks to the ladies of the Waterdown Book Club, I’ve decided to cast my movie version of Baby! Baby? Baby?! for my enjoyment – and yours too, I hope!

Drew Barrymore as Casey Samms
*my husband thinks Rachel McAdams would be better, but since I’m doing this and not him, I get final choice
Ryan Reynolds as J.B. Bergen
*Five years ago, Gerald Butler would have been perfect but as pretty as he still is, I think he’s a little too old now

Josh Timberlake as Cooper Edison

Cameron Diaz as Brit
*if you don’t think she can be a bitch, watch Bad Teacher!

Elizabeth Banks as Morgan

Reese Witherspoon as Libby

Emma Watson as Emma

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Lacey

And Chris Evans as David Mason

For those who haven’t read the book – does it give you an insight in what the characters might be like?  And for those who have – any thoughts on my first attempt at being a casting agent?

About the Author

I live in Toronto with my husband, 3 amazing kids, and cat Sebastian, who has a supporting role in every book I write. Since Baby! Baby? Baby?! has been published, I’ve focused on writing more and have started two blogs; one about my views on books, writing and other stuff, and one on my observations of Bethany, a small town in Ontario. I’ve been busy working on a new chick lit novel and hope to see it published by the spring. I also volunteer at my children’s school by helping put out their newspaper and encouraging kids to write has become one of my favourite pastimes! I also love hanging out at the cottage with family and friends in the summer, all things Star Wars related and opening the pages of a brand new book.

Connect with Holly

http://hollykerr.ca/

http://www.facebook.com/HollyKerrAuthor