This is happening! Well, something is . . .

Tweet from earlier today ...

Sorry to let you down at the end with that title! We didn't want to get too 'click-baity,' but we are reaching the stage where the TV show is a bigger reality than ever before. At this point, the people who will make this TV magic happen KNOW who will play Matthew Clairmont: CUE FRUSTRATED, YET ANTICIPITORY SCREAM! Oh yes, friends. We live on that ledge right along with you. Again, nothing for us to say but: "Here's Deb's latest update" (re-posted in The All Souls Con Attendee's group, after being first posted in the All Souls Discussion group):

As we approach the "From Fantasy to Reality" portion of our TV programming (!) I just wanted to pop up from my writing lair to say I've been touched and amazed by your enthusiasm and energy about the casting for the forthcoming TV show. As we start shooting in September (!!) I imagine you will soon discover who HAS been cast in the show. No, I can't give you any hints, nor do I know exactly when you will discover what I already know about the production. Those announcements are way above my pay grade.

HOWEVER, I do know that I can rely upon all of you to behave with graciousness and to give warm welcomes to the actors who have taken us all on. I have seen the fans for other franchises turn sour on social media and I know I can rely on you all to keep things in perspective and to show some empathy for all concerned.

Can you imagine how thrilling and daunting it is to know that you are going to be occupying the shoes of any of these characters?? I can't. I'm not sure I would have the courage.

So you need to kiss goodbye your insistence "she has to have blue eyes!" and "he has to be American" and give up your worries "but she's not red-haired" and "his jaw isn't right" and "but he's 25!" and "she's not 54!" and EMBRACE the process of ADAPTATION that Bad Wolf is engaged with. They are doing an absolutely stunning job with A) a fixed budget B) actors who have schedule/life/contractual conflicts C) a lot of people like me sharing their (strong) opinions. The actors who have been cast are all absolutely amazing. You will recognize many of them. Some of them will be discoveries and once you see them in their roles (as I have seen them) they are going to amaze you.

A few things to remember:

1. Heels, hair coloring, contact lenses, makeup, and wardrobe exist on set for a reason. Also: sometimes someone is just so amazing that it is actually *me* who says: let's skip the hair color and leave them as is. Because seriously--it's not that big a deal, really, is it?? We are a family of readers who think ALL SOULS have worth and value, and would never fetishize someone's hair, skin, or eye color as somehow DEFINING them. (BEFORE YOU PANIC MATTHEW HAS BLACK HAIR AND DIANA IS BLONDE--WE MIGHT ADJUST THINGS HERE AND THERE BUT WE HAVEN'T GONE MAD)

2. They are ACTORS and therefore their job is to embody the spirit and language and story of a character. It doesn't matter if they've only played X kind of role. Look at me--I was a history professor. Then I took a chance on something different. This can work out well!

3. Actors in recurring roles in other shows are unlikely to appear in roles in our show because they are barred from doing so in their contracts. Of course you are bound to put them in your fantasy castings because they are on your screens and you are familiar with them but just remember that when the time comes and you think "why didn't they hire X." Yes, they might have been perfect. They also may have been completely uninterested or unavailable!

4. I have been engaged in adapting my books for film and/or TV for FIVE YEARS. Five years. It only took me four years to write them all. Think about that. So people have been working very hard to bring us all some great television. It will not be the books. It cannot be the books. I will explain all the ways in which the TV show is bigger than the books and less than the books in due course but please do rest assured that so much care has been taken on this project, with YOU all in my mind. I have been part of every decision made in this production, and support each and every direction we have taken thus far even when we have had to diverge from something in the books in order to tell you a good story in a broadcast timeframe.

Sorry this has become a hugely long post! But I hope you will read it and know that there are some really amazing times ahead for all of us and for our favorite characters.

Stay tuned.

X

Deb

Also, to assure you that the screen shot at the top is indeed genuine, here is the actual tweet from earlier today.

Keep up the vigiliance! Our next post will likely be sad -- but stoic, OR surprised, yet intrigued, OR ridiculously ecstatic, with all dignity on holiday. Stay tuned to find out!

We love you madly, but we may just need straight-jackets after this whole ordeal . . .

Crusade on!