Movie Updates: Jane Eyre & Wuthering Heights

So while catching up on my movie news I came across some pretty cool--and unsure--things about the newest versions of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Now, Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books of all time. Definitely in my Top 3. Therefore, it's needless to say that I was a bit nervous when they were going to redo it because I have a very clear image of what Jane and, especially, Rochester, look like. None of the past movies really gave me what I was looking for in terms of that, but does any movie? However, I'm happy to say I can breathe a little now that I saw this:
Yes, that is Mia Wasikowska from Alice In Wonderland! And she is playing Jane. Let me first say that I'm so, so happy that they uglied her down because Jane was never the pitch-perfect heroine we find--too often--today. I honestly think she looks stunning in this photo.

Of course, it is not just Mia that needs to carry the film. The actor that plays Rochester needs to be just as spectacular. I'll freak out if he and Mia have absolutely no chemistry! And I mean I will literally yell at the screen. Sadly, there are no pictures of Rochester as of now, but I did find a picture of the actor. Everyone, meet your future Rochester...

This is Michael Fassbender; an up-and-coming German actor who made his face known in 300, Inglourious Basterds and the latest X-Men film where he'll play the young Magneto (I'm going to take a fangirl moment here and go, SWEET!). Not a bad choice and while he is a bit cuter than what I think Rochester appears to be, I'm expecting great things from him.

Now with Jane Eyre out of the way (they do have a complete cast list up on IMDB, so be sure to check the rest out), I'll move on to Wuthering Heights. This book did not merely touch me as Jane Eyre did mainly because I thought Catherine and Heathcliff were a bunch of whiny brats. The only part of the book I did like was when (SPOILER WARNING) Catherine's daughter, Young Cathy and Hareton were older and Catherine was dead and out of the picture. Kind of mean, I know, but I just couldn't stand Catherine. Casting for this one has been up and down. According to IMDB's "Trivia" section on the film's page, they have settled on a Catherine and Heathcliff though they haven't posted it under the cast list yet so it could still change. Seeing that they don't have any photos, I created something using the two actors who are apparently the current choices for the leads.

I'm sure many of you recognize Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl. As of now he is lined up to play Heathcliff after another actor dropped out of the role. I believe the girl chosen to play Catherine is the final choice. Her name is Kaya Scodelario. Most popular from the BBC show, Skins, she had a bit role in the latest Clash of the Titans. I will say that appearance-wise, they couldn't have picked a better pair. Even making this, I kept saying, "Damn, they look hot together." And if there's anything Catherine and Heathcliff believed it was that their looks were also a perfect match. {Cough} {Gag} {Cough}

Well, that's pretty much it. Currently, Jane Eyre is set for a March 2011 release while Wuthering Heights is still in pre-production, though it also has a 2011 release. Despite it all, these 2 books are classics that will forever stay with us. Even though I hated Wuthering Heights, I would still recommend it.

Develop back in development

{Stretch} {Bend} {Stretch} Ah... Breaking out of writer's block is like a good stretch in the morning. I'm back now to Develop, the second book in The Connection Series. I haven't worked on it for two months thanks to a cork being slammed into that part of my brain that wanted to write it. But it's been removed and I feel liberated with a whole new batch of ideas and scenes. The final editing stages of Connect are almost done then come this July/August, it will be available for those wanting something new in the YA genre. That may seem like a big thing to say, but it's what I feel. Having read so many YA books in my life, I can honestly say my series takes the popular theme of superpowers, though it goes in a very different direction than you may have seen before.

So now that I am free from the dreaded writer's block, I will go forth with Develop and return to my schedule.

Another One Bites The Dust

Queen is my favorite band and this past episode of Glee gave me the title for this entry. So with the countless rejections I've received from agents, I have thus decided to move onto self-publishing. I know that is has only been 6 months since I sent my query out there, but the fact that 2 agents were interested and said no kind of knocked me down and it was tough to get up. But I did and I am moving on. Self-publishing may seem like the last option, but in all honesty I find it to be a true beginning. By doing it I get complete creative control and show the readers just how I pictured the cover and not what some designers may think it should look like. What you see in the Cover Mock Up sections for Connect, the first novel, is close enough to what I'm going to do, but will modify it a little.

I plan to release Connect sometime this July or August granted the final edits and all are done in time. It will be available through online vendors and once I have the actual links I will post them here. Also working on getting my little tush into the New York Comic Con and hopefully be able to do an event at the Barnes & Noble I work at. Again, this is looking way ahead in advance, but since I haven't blogged in a while I wanted to share with you my current status. A new page has been added with details about Connect. It will be altered in the next few weeks and updated once the cover is complete.

And remember... A lot of success stories have come out of self-publishing. I just believe in this series so much that I want to get it out there now.