Sarah Dessen will not have a new book out anytime soon

As much as it pains me to say it, Sarah Dessen has decided she needs a bit of a break from writing, for now.  This in no means necessary is the beginning of the end.  She fully intends to write another book and even more after that but, as she stated in her most recent tumblr post, she doesn't have the right idea yet to keep her writing much past page three.  Understandable.  Anyone who's tried to write nearly anything has been there.  I know I definitely have.  But, thankfully, her new book, Saint Anything, did release in May, so we have that to hold us over for a little while.  According to Dessen it is "one of [her] best."  All the more reason to run out and pick it up ASAP! I can't wait to read it!

 

"Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion’s share of their parents’ attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time."
                                 -Saint Anything book jacket
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Looking for Alaska Movie

John Green's first book Looking for Alaska is finally getting adapted into a movie.  The script was in development for quite a while before The Michigan Film Office announced on August 6, 2015 that the filming would begin in the fall.  But filming has been delayed until January 2016 because they are having trouble casting, particularly the role of Alaska. 

There has been no official release of the cast, as of yet, because the director and producers are looking for a more established actress to play Alaska, rather than the newcomers they were considering.  It's rumored that some actresses being considered for the role of Alaska include Taylor Swift and Chloe Grace Moretz. 

The casting of Pudge is also being taken very seriously.  Some rumored possibilities include Mitchell Hope and Logan Miller.  There's no information on the exact release date, and probably won't be one until Paramount Pictures chooses the cast.

About Looking For Alaska:

"Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words–and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps."
                                                    -Looking for Alaska book jacket

Live-action Beauty and the Beast retelling

Filming is already underway for the live-action retelling of the animated Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.  This film is set to release March 17, 2017. 

 

The Cast:

 

Emma Watson as Belle

 

Dan Stevens as the Beast

 

Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts

 

Luke Evans as Gaston

 

Kevin Kline as Maurice (Belle's father)

 

Josh Gad as Le Fou

 

Audra McDonald as Garderobe

 

Ian McKellen as Cogsworth

 

Ewan McGregor as Lumiere

 

 

 

It will be interesting to see how these actors portray these beloved characters on the big screen, as well as seeing how director, Bill Condon, alters the story of the original The Beauty and the Beast for this live-action adaption.

 

Photos courtesy of Hollywood Reporter.

 

Marlon James wins the Man Booker prize 2015

At age 44, Marlon James has become the first Jamaican writer to win the Man Booker prize for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings.  This novel goes into detail of the fictional history of the attempted murder of Bob Marley.  One of the chair judges for this award, Michael Wood, said the novel based in 1976 was "an extraordinary book."



James hopes that this win will shed some light on Caribbean writing as a whole.