What I've done today:
- Done 3 loads of laundry
- Changed 6 diapers
- Dropped off and picked up preschooler
- Played games with my 7 yo
- Called insurance company to see why one of my twin babies mysteriously isn't covered on our insurance
- Read about my book becoming a movie on The Hollywood Reporter
- Freaked out!
It's happening! So much more news to come. I am at least freed to talk about. This has been in the works for two years and it's so exciting! More soon.
Ps. Notice how THR doesn't mention me or my book? Oh Hollywood, you just couldn't love writers any more, could you? EDIT: They added mention that it's based on my book and I co-wrote the screenplay. Thanks to the friendly commenters who alerted them to the oversight!
Pps. That's a terrible photo of Jerusha Hess. She's really beautiful. Not that we care about such things.
Ppps. SQUEE!
squee!
Posted by: Ruby Diamond | July 05, 2011 at 03:01 PM
WOW!!!! I just read Austenland last month and LOVED every single thing about it. This is going to be such an amazing move. SO excited for you!
Posted by: Melina from Reading Vacation | July 05, 2011 at 03:02 PM
Holy Cow!! I'm so excited for you!!! Will you be able to be involved in the process (i.e. help it stay close to what you wrote)?
Posted by: Rebecca | July 05, 2011 at 03:03 PM
Congrats! I really liked Austenland, and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie!
And Stephenie Meyer's a film producer? Who knew? (Obviously, not me.)
Posted by: Sariah Wilson | July 05, 2011 at 03:04 PM
This has just made my day! You have no idea, it has just been so crappy but this has made it all better! You need to clarify who is playing who, I think we can guess but it would be nice to know for sure which guy is which. I think JJ Feilds was so cute in Northanger Abbey and Freaking Bret McKenzie, get out of here. He is so adorable & tiny like a pixie. Keri Russel is in a favorite Hallmark movie of mine, The Magic of Ordinary Days.
Posted by: Connie | July 05, 2011 at 03:04 PM
Yay!!!!!!!! I am so excited! Congratulations Shannon! :)
Posted by: Ashley R. | July 05, 2011 at 03:04 PM
so excited! I love Keri Russell!!
Posted by: Megan J. | July 05, 2011 at 03:04 PM
Oh my lord, the cast looks AMAZING so far. That plus the source material gives me super high hopes for an awesome movie. Cannot wait!!!
Posted by: Annie | July 05, 2011 at 03:07 PM
Amazing news! Congrats to you!
Posted by: Debbie Barr (Celes) | July 05, 2011 at 03:10 PM
Congratulations! :)
Posted by: Jenni Elyse | July 05, 2011 at 03:10 PM
I made sure I told THR in the comments and I cited you as the author on the Twilight Lexicon story! congrats! It's a great book!
Posted by: Laura Cristiano | July 05, 2011 at 03:14 PM
AHHHHHH! So cool! Are you dying? I'd totally be dying.
Squee! So happy for you!
Posted by: Amberargyle | July 05, 2011 at 03:14 PM
Oh my goodness! I loved Austenland, and I LOVE Keri Russell! (My husband even jokes that I have a girl-crush on her, and I totally do!) I couldn't think of anyone better to play the part! So excited that two of my favorite things can come together! Congratulations!
Posted by: Angela | July 05, 2011 at 03:23 PM
Such cool news!!! I'll be buying a ticket for opening night for sure!
Posted by: Emily S. | July 05, 2011 at 03:27 PM
OOOHHWEEEEEEE
Posted by: Ing | July 05, 2011 at 03:31 PM
So excited for you!
I'm sure there's a reason for this, but I was a little disappointed that the "big reveal" happened on The Hollywood Reporter before it happened on your blog. Maybe you weren't allowed to break the news yourself?
Anyway, congrats. Keri Russel will be perfect.
Posted by: Lindsay | July 05, 2011 at 03:35 PM
How exciting! You can't do much better than Felicity, I mean Keri Russell!!
Posted by: Melissa | July 05, 2011 at 03:38 PM
Congrats!
Posted by: Susan Kaye Quinn | July 05, 2011 at 03:44 PM
Shut. The. Front. Door.
This is AMAZING! You got THE dream cast. Keri Russell? Bret Mckenzie? Jennifer Coolidge? (I love her. I think she's hysterical.) And I don't know this JJ Feild guy, but thanks to google images, I can now say that I approve. :) Ahh! Shannon, I'm so happy for you.
(P.S. Don't know if they edited it, but you're now mentioned as the author of the book/co-script writer.)
Posted by: Gretchen Alice | July 05, 2011 at 03:49 PM
Your name is further down. Not exactly headlining, but they mentioned you toward the end. Congrats!
Posted by: stacy | July 05, 2011 at 03:51 PM
Wow, six diapers! Give the girl a medal! (No sarcasm at all there. Mothers of twins deserve many shiny trophies and plaques.)
Oh, and AUSTENLAND YAY! And hey, you totally had a sentence in there––you co-wrote the script?! That's going to be awesome. Let's get an IMDb page up ASAP!
Posted by: Q | July 05, 2011 at 03:51 PM
I am so excited to see it!!!! I totally pictured a Jennifer Coolidge type when reading the book and I think JJ Feild and Keri Russell will be so cute!! Can't wait!!! CONGRATULATIONS SHANNON!!!!
Posted by: lotzofunmary | July 05, 2011 at 03:57 PM
So excited! I hope it's PG so I can see it . . .
Posted by: Mrs. Mordecai | July 05, 2011 at 04:05 PM
I was at your book signing for Actor and The Housewife at the King's English when you "accidentally" said that maybe there would be a movie coming. I'm so glad it's finally coming true! And that cast list is awesome! I cannot wait to see it!!
Posted by: Marianne | July 05, 2011 at 04:06 PM
GAH! Keri Russell is my favorite actress EVER! Seriously! To have HER of all people star in YOUR movie!? I'm the happiest person in the world right now.
Honestly, if I could have picked any actress I wanted to have that part, it would be Keri.
Posted by: Enna Isilee | July 05, 2011 at 04:20 PM
OH MY GOSH!!! I'm exited, so I can't even imagine how much you must be!! Wow. I'm going to have to beg my mother to take me to see this when it comes out!! I am going to go place a hold for Austenland at the library right now!!
Posted by: Ms. Book Nerd | July 05, 2011 at 04:25 PM
OHMYRFREAKINGGOD!!!!!
So totally THRILLED for you! Yay Shannon Hale, whose genius is finally being realized by Hollywood!
Posted by: Dassie | July 05, 2011 at 04:27 PM
Austome! That is a new exclaimation that I am creating in honor of your news :)
I went to school with Jerusha and she's awesome. So clever and so funny. What a good match.
So happy for you and yours.
Posted by: Shelly Brown | July 05, 2011 at 04:28 PM
Congrats, Shannon! I look forward to the movie -- especially after reading the bit in the article about how the heroine must battle killer robots. Getting permission from Yul Brynner's family to use his likeness for the CGI robots was an especially nice touch.
Posted by: Eric James Stone | July 05, 2011 at 04:31 PM
Oh, happy happy day!!! I'm especially giddy about JJ Feild! I just watched Northanger Abbey the other night (for the umpteenth time) and thought to myself, "Gee, I wish I could see more movies with JJ Feild in them." And now it has come true!
Posted by: JanaBananaGirl | July 05, 2011 at 04:58 PM
Wooo HOOOOOO! Awesome Shannon! So excited for you and since you're a cowriter, it's going to be awesome!
Posted by: Janeil Jones | July 05, 2011 at 05:01 PM
Squee! I agree!
Posted by: Lalani | July 05, 2011 at 05:08 PM
So excited to see Keri Russell in it though I kinda always imagined a less pretty actress. More plain anyway. This movie will be awesome! Congratulations!
Posted by: Angela | July 05, 2011 at 05:08 PM
Congrats! That is super exciting! I still haven't gotten around to reading Austenland yet, I'll have to try and find it at my library.
Posted by: Elisabeth | July 05, 2011 at 05:09 PM
Yay!!! Such cool news! I can't wait!!
Posted by: Robin_Weeks | July 05, 2011 at 05:42 PM
Congratulations! This is great news!
Posted by: Juanita | July 05, 2011 at 05:43 PM
wooo!
when i read austenland the first time I remember thinking 'if someone DOESN'T make this into a movie, they're stupid.'
good to know, someone's not stupid anyway. i'm so excited!
Posted by: kirsten | July 05, 2011 at 05:54 PM
Congratulations. This is awesome.
Posted by: Calliope1of9 | July 05, 2011 at 06:18 PM
CONGRATS!!! This is so awesome. I'm glad it wasn't my favorite of your books being made into a movie as I want to buy the rights for that one myself someday (speaking of which, I emailed your agent and he never got back to me). Yay for Shannon!
Posted by: Samantha Brooke | July 05, 2011 at 06:25 PM
Awesome awesome. I'm super excited for you.
Posted by: Debbie Cranberry Fries | July 05, 2011 at 06:29 PM
OMG YES!!! :) :) :)
Posted by: Christen | July 05, 2011 at 06:33 PM
Oh my word. I am so excited. I love Keri Russell. I love this. This is so much better than any super secret project I was thinking. WOW!
Posted by: hwalk | July 05, 2011 at 06:35 PM
I just read Austenland last week and I totally pictured Jennifer Coolidge! And J.J. Feild will be great! I loved him in Northanger Abbey. Great casting! Congratulations!
Posted by: Collette | July 05, 2011 at 06:40 PM
That is awesome! Do you have any clue what it's rating will be? (PG, PG-13?)
Posted by: Emma | July 05, 2011 at 06:50 PM
Hurrah! :)
Posted by: wendy toliver | July 05, 2011 at 07:09 PM
"[Keri] Russell recently wrapped movie Goats..." If that's not proof she was destined to be involved with Shannon Hale, I don't know what is. So happy for you!!
Posted by: Angie | July 05, 2011 at 07:36 PM
I recently picked "Austenland" up at a second hand store on a whim. I'd read "Book of a Thousand Days" already and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give it a try. (Especially after reading the first sentence. Brilliant!!)
I LOVED IT!!! I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it before! I read it in one night and laughed so hard I had to leave my room because I kept waking my husband up. The whole time I was reading, I kept thinking about what a great movie it would make. First thing the next morning, I ran to my bestie next door to tell her all about it. She also read it one day and has passed it on to another friend who loves it. I can't wait to tell them it's going to be a movie. I'm envisioning a faboo girls' night right now. :D Congrats to you!
BTW- I'm reading "Princess Academy" with my 8 year old daughter right now. :) Keep the great stories coming!!
Posted by: Erin | July 05, 2011 at 07:49 PM
My friend thought I was having a fit or a heart attack when I screamed. I AM SO EXCITED!
Posted by: Rin Isilee | July 05, 2011 at 08:14 PM
Congrats!!! What FANTASTIC news!
Posted by: Melissa | July 05, 2011 at 08:31 PM
WooHOO!! Starts filming this week! Crazy fun - Congratulations!! (movie announcement AND 3 loads of laundry -- this calls for celebration!)
Posted by: Annette M | July 05, 2011 at 09:18 PM