The entry begins:
When I’m in the midst of writing a novel, I often imagine the book as a movie, and I write from what I see on the screen in my mind.Visit Lauren Belfer's website.
A film of Ashton Hall would require a combination of English and American actors. The story begins when Hannah Larson, an American woman, and her nine-year-old son, Nicky, arrive at an historic English manor house outside Cambridge to care for an ill relative who rents an apartment there. Within a few days, Nicky has thoroughly explored the house on his own, and he’s stumbled upon a secret from the past. As Hannah and Nicky begin investigating this secret, they create new lives for themselves in England.
Hannah is about forty, and although she keeps up a strong, happy façade for the sake of her son, she’s struggling on the inside. She has to be portrayed in such a way that her inner vulnerability and sensitivity are always clear. I can think of many wonderful actresses working today who would play the role of Hannah beautifully, and I don’t want to name just one. As I think of actresses of the past, however, my mind keeps going to Ingrid Bergman. She wasn’t American, of course, and she was blonde, not dark-haired like Hannah, but she always brought a touching and riveting vulnerability to her roles.
While Hannah is living in England, she becomes close friends with Martha Tinsley, a research librarian at Ashton Hall. For this role, my dream choice would be Michelle...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: A Fierce Radiance.
My Book, The Movie: A Fierce Radiance.
The Page 69 Test: And After the Fire.
Writers Read: Lauren Belfer (May 2016).
My Book, The Movie: And After the Fire.
Q&A with Lauren Belfer.
My Book, The Movie: Ashton Hall.
--Marshal Zeringue
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