There’s a giveaway at the end of this post! Read on for a chance to win a free book.

…

Guys, I haven’t been completely honest with you.

“I love your books!” you tell me. And then, half joking, half serious, you wink and ask, “When’s the movie coming out?”

“I don’t know,” I say with a grin. “Do you know anyone in Hollywood?” Half joking. Half serious.

The truth is, I didn’t want to say too much. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I barely knew what was going on or how to navigate what was happening. But I’m ready to let you in on a little secret now:

I’ve been approached twice about the film and TV rights for the Mailboat Suspense Series.

Now, before you all get excited and rush to clear your calendar for movie night, let me explain to you what that means.

The Interest Is Out There

I’ll go ahead and say it. This NEVER happens. For Hollywood to contact an author out of the blue about a possible film or TV adaptation is extremely rare. In fact, during the first of my two experiences, I assumed it was a scam–until I looked the people up and found they were legit.

There are millions of books out there, and Hollywood can have its pick of whatever story it wants to adapt into a movie or TV series. The vast majority of authors will never hear from Hollywood. So the fact that this has happened to me TWICE is beyond unusual.

But It Could Be a While…

“When’s it coming out?!” you ask, no doubt bouncing in your seat.

Slow down, slow down! A lot has to happen before Mailboat hits the screen. First on my list is getting the right team together–an agent and/or manager and an entertainment lawyer. These people will make sure I make the right connections and garner the best possible deal.

And speaking of the deal… Most stories that catch Hollywood’s eye actually spend quite a while in limbo. The first thing a production company will do is “option the rights.” They literally pay the author for the exclusive right to consider making the movie or TV show. During that time, the author can’t allow anyone else to consider the property. This gives the production company time to consider if they can pull together the funding, attract a big enough audience, get the right people involved, and ultimately make a return on their investment.

At the end of this period, they might ask to renew the rights. A story can spend years being optioned, at the end of which a film or TV show MIGHT happen–or it might not. When it comes to Hollywood, absolutely nothing is certain. So it’s okay to get excited, but important to stay practical.

At this point, my rights for the Mailboat Suspense Series are not yet optioned. I’ve simply had inquiries from parties who may be interested, and I’m actively looking to option those rights.

So, Why Am I Telling You This?

Considering it could be years before the casting call–if that even happens–why am I bringing it up at all?

For one, moving the Mailboat Suspense Series towards Hollywood has become my number one priority. My publicist Rebecca and I are super busy talking to lots of people, educating ourselves, and networking. Considering that this project is taking a lot of my time and attention these days, I want to be able to talk to you guys about exciting new developments.

For another, you guys can help me! I know you talk about me and my books a lot. And every time you do, I make more fans and sell more books. The bigger my book sales and the larger my fan base, the better my odds of capturing a Hollywood deal. So please, keep talking about me! Let people know how excited you’d be to see the Mailboat Suspense Series on the screen. Together, maybe we can make it happen.

And finally… Do you know anyone in Hollywood? At the moment, Rebecca and I are doing a lot of networking and gathering advice. If you happen to know anyone with Hollywood connections, please reach out to me!

In the meantime, I’ll be sure to keep you posted on exciting new developments.

Enter the Giveaway!

I cleaned out my bookshelves recently and realized I have two copies of Discover Lake Geneva in my collection. I want one of you guys to have it! Full of photos from Lake Geneva’s past, this book is perfect if you want to learn more about the history and iconic landmarks of Geneva Lake, the setting of the Mailboat Suspense Series. I’ll even write a note to YOU on the inside of the book!

To enter to win, just answer the following question in the comments section below. (Or leave any comment at all!)

Would you rather see the Mailboat Suspense Series adapted into a movie or a TV series? Why did you choose that answer?

Rules & Stuff:

- The contest will remain open until Sunday, Nov. 7th, 2021 at 11:59pm Central Time.
- We will randomly choose one winner from the people who left a comment. We will get in touch with them via email to let them know they won. The winner may be announced in the comments, in Danielle’s newsletter, on her website, and/or on her social media pages.
- The winner will receive one free paperback copy of Discover Lake Geneva and can be personalized to the recipient by Danielle.

Are we excited for a film or TV version of the Mailboat Suspense Series? Start commenting for your chance at the free book!

Wanna see these books as a movie or TV series? Start reading now!

Let’s do something fun today! I’ve had requests for book club questions to go along with my books, and I would love to make such a thing available. (Let me know in the comments if you want me to include it in my books or as a separately available download!)

In the meantime, I thought I’d include some book club questions here! It’s been almost a year since I released The Girl on the Boat, and it continues to be one of my best-sellers, so I thought we’d start there. (Plus, it’s a quick read if you want to brush up or try it out in order to participate!)

To make it more fun, let’s include a giveaway! Answer any one of these questions in the comments below (or leave any comment!), and you could be chosen to win a free copy of any one book in the series (your choice!), in either paperback or ebook.

Warning: If you haven’t read The Girl on the Boat yet, there may be spoilers in this post and in the comments!

Okay, let’s go!

* * *

1 Which character did you like best? Why? Here are a few to choose from: Bailey, Tommy, Monica, Stan Lehman, Baron Hackett.

2 Did the characters feel believable to you? Did they remind you of anyone you already know?

3 Have you ever wanted something as badly as Bailey wanted to be a mail jumper? What was it? Why was it important to you?

4 Have you ever been afraid of getting someone in trouble, like Bailey was? Have you ever doubted your own mind because a person you disagreed with was popular or powerful?

5 Do you think Tommy should have pushed Bailey to report the break-in suspect, even when he didn’t know who it was? Why or why not?

6 Baron is smart and popular and apparently has many secrets! How did you feel about him in the beginning of the story? The middle? The end? Who’s side do you think he’s actually on?

7 Do you think Monica was justified in jumping to conclusions about who broke into the police station and why? Or should she have waited until more facts were available?

8 At the end of the story, what questions do you still have? What do you wish the author had gone into more detail about?

Contest Rules

- In the comments, answer at least one of the questions above. (For clarity, go ahead and include the question number!) Or leave a comment of your choice.
- The contest will remain open until Feb. 3rd, 2021 at 11:59pm Central Time.
- Danielle will randomly choose one winner from the people who answered a question. She will get in touch with them to let them know they won. The winner will also be announced in the comments.
- The winner can choose one copy of any of Danielle’s books–even Mailboat IV! (Releasing June 5, 2021.) The winner can choose to receive their book as an ebook (for any device) or as a paperback. If the winner chooses a paperback, they can also have it autographed for free.

Okay, people, this book club is open for discussion! Start commenting for your chance at a free book!

Need copies of any of my books for your book club? Get them here!

Category: Cast Your Vote

So, When’s the Movie Coming Out?!