How My Book Became a Movie

A True Story

I vividly remember the day my agent called and said, "A film producer would like to turn your book into a Hallmark Movie. " To be honest, I thought it would never happen. But it did! It was a roller coaster experience that took many years of grueling rewrites, waiting for approvals, praying, trusting, meeting with producers and releasing creative control of the original story. Finally the day came when I got on a plane and flew three thousand miles to be on set. I was ushered to a director's chair and given a headset with my name on it. I saw the familiar actors take their marks. I heard the director call out, "Action!" and that was the moment I knew that dreams can come true. For over a decade I recorded the process in my journal, starting with the day when the first ideas for a Christmas novella began to flit through my thoughts. I marked important conversations, significant meetings and wrote out heartfelt prayers. I drew upon those notes as I compiled the personal account you will find on the pages of this book. Never did I expect the process to be so challenging and humbling as my book went from story idea to publication to film production and became a Christmas movie for the Hallmark Channel titled, "Finding Father Christmas". In this book I share with you the inside details of what happened, what didn't happen and what I'd do differently if and when another one of my books is considered for film production. I was motivated to compile the key steps of this journey and write this book because of the many writers I know who are eager to see their book go into production and appear on the screen one day. As soon as I was able to share my news about "Finding Father Christmas" I found I was repeatedly answering the same questions and telling the same stories. Writers wanted advice on how to break into Hollywood. Readers were asking what it was like being on set and spending time with the actors. Friends who were about to give up on a longtime dream said that when they heard me talk about my journey it gave them the encouragement and inspiration they'd been looking for. That's why I wanted to share my experiences in this easy to read book. It's for writers and readers and all who are curious about the behind the scenes steps that led to production as well as the motivation that kept my artistic soul alive during the process. For anyone who has ever thought their dream was impossible, it is my hope that this book will renew your vision and inspire you to trust God in new ways.