Peter Gruber's Mandalay Television and Stephanie Germain Production have inked a deal with Lifetime to develop six Nora Roberts romance novels into scripts, then choose four of them to produce as two-hour, $5 million TV-movies, says the Reporter. Previously, Lifetime reaped immense ratings success with adaptations of Roberts' Montana Sky, Angels Fall, Blue Smoke and Carolina Moon, starring the likes of Heather Locklear, John Corbett, Diane Ladd and Jacqueline Bisset. Shooting on the new quartet is set to begin in the fall with an eye on spring 2009 premieres.Nora Roberts fans, and I know you are out there: Which four books would you most like to see adapted for TV? — MWM
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As a writer, I work alone. And I like it. When creating my books, I'm not only the writer, I'm the director, the costume and set designer, I'm hair and makeup. And I'm the entire cast. The wrap parties are pretty quiet, but I get all the champagne and pizza. It's a great job, and not nearly as schizophrenic as it sounds. Really.
When a book's being adapted into a movie, the writer turns all those other fun jobs over to the movie experts. If the writer's lucky, those experts may want her input.
I'm really lucky.
My first stroke of luck was in having producers like Mandalay and Stephanie Germain Productions interested in adapting four of my romantic-suspense novels for TV [airing Mondays beginning Jan. 29; see complete schedule below]. The second, having Lifetime showcase those films, slammed it out of the park.
It was fascinating for me to read each draft of the scripts. The translations keyed into the heart of the stories. As casting progressed, my del
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UPDATE ON ROB LOWE: Be sure to check out Brothers & Sisters exec producer Jon Robin Baitz' brand-new TVGuide.com blog entry regarding Lowe joining the cast.As first spilled by the Ausiello Report, former West Winger Rob Lowe is joining ABC's Brothers & Sisters as a Republican senator and romantic interest for Calista Flockhart's Kitty (and no, that was not a euphemism). Lowe will appear in at least six episodes; Mike has the details.... Per Reuters, Alicia Witt (Cybill) will star in Blue Smoke, a Lifetime movie based on the Nora Roberts best-seller about a female arson investigator haunted by a pyromaniac stalker. Scott Bakula, Talia "Adrian!!!" Shire (as Witt's mother) and Matthew Settle (Brothers & Sisters) also star.... Relative newbies Rachel Specter (Entourage), Brendan Miller (Accepted), Anna Osceola, John Keefe (The Practice), Christopher Todd (The Sopranos) and Jocelin Donahue will populate the Comedy Central pilot Not Another High School Show, which promises to ...
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