Monday, October 30, 2017

The Journey from Book to Movie by Miralee Ferrell

Miralee Ferrell
Hi everyone, Annette here. I'm pleased to welcome Miralee Ferrell for a visit to Seriously Write today. She's the owner of Mountain Brook Ink, and she's also a multi-published author who has a heart to help other authors. She's here to share her story of working with a Hollywood producer. Read on!

The Journey from Book to Movie
by Miralee Ferrell

I thought it might be fun and interesting for readers to learn how this journey toward having a book made into a movie came into being—as well as to see how much God had a hand in it all.
In the spring of 2015, I received an email from a Hollywood producer, followed by a phone call. Imagine my surprise when she asked if I’d be willing to write a book for them. They were no longer producing the Love Finds You books into movies and were working on a different project for UP TV, a possible three-movie series, and she hoped I might be able to work with them. She explained that she’d optioned Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming, two or three years earlier, and loved it. Of the thirty-five or so titles she’d read of the line, that was her favorite. However, UP TV didn’t want to make historical or old west movies, so she’d shelved the project.
During that time period, I’d gotten my rights returned to all of my LFY books and had retitled them Finding Love in Last Chance, California, Finding Love in Tombstone, Arizona, and Finding Love in Bridal Veil, Oregon. Sundance became Outlaw Angel, and all four are still in print.
Here’s the amazing part: I came very, very close to turning down that contract offer with Summerside for Sundance. I was disappointed in the advance and royalty rate, and shortly after they released it, they sold the line to Guideposts, and that company didn’t continue the line much longer. Understandably, sales waned on their final releases, and I was disappointed with my sales from that final book as my others had done quite well. For a long time, I wished I hadn’t taken that contract and instead held out for one with another company for a three-book series. However, had I done that, I doubt Runaway Romance would ever have been written. It was Sundance that grabbed Chevonne’s attention and caused her to contact me.
It took several hits and misses of sending ideas to UP for various storylines before they approved this one, then the serious work began. Writing fifteen-page summaries of the book/movie idea, reviewing the script after it was written, and writing the book. Now, we wait for the final event—the airing of the movie and soon-to-be release of the book. It’s been an exciting, amazing journey and I give God all the glory for bringing it to pass!

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When a reality TV star meets the reality of life, will it be her downfall or her salvation?
Runaway Romance by Miralee Ferrell

Ann Stanway had it all—a starring role in a reality show, an adoring boyfriend, and a sparkling future with limitless possibilities. Until the rules changed and the life she’d thought was real no longer existed. Leaving L.A. seems like her only option, and she lands in Kentucky at a quiet Amish inn—as far removed from her past as possible. Now she knows what was missing in her life--peace, true friendship and, dare she hope, a man who accepts her for who she is--or at least who he thinks she is. 

Hunter Lewis is intrigued by the new woman staying at his friend’s Amish inn. Annie appears to be what she claims, but she’s secretive and won’t open up. He’s been burned by a woman before and can’t tolerate deception. But his interest in Annie is growing, and the attraction seems to be mutual—until something happens that makes Hunter question everything he’d thought was real. Dare he risk his heart, when he’s certain Annie is keeping secrets?

Can their new romance withstand the pressure, or will Ann choose to run again?


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About the Author

Miralee Ferrell is a best-selling, award-winning author with over 20 books in print. She started writing women’s fiction for Kregel, then moved to Historical Romance, writing for Summerside (the Love Finds You Line), Barbour, David C. Cook, and Mountain Brook Ink. She’s also written a couple of contemporary romance novels, as well as five middle-grade horse novels, called Horses and Friends. She’s not only an author, she’s the publisher of Mountain Brook Ink, a small traditional publisher with a vision to help new authors get published as well as multi-published authors. She lives in the Pacific NW with her husband, two dogs, two cats, and 11 chickens. She’s an avid horsewoman and enjoys hiking and riding the trails near their home with her grown daughter.

You can connect with Miralee at the following places:
Website/blog/newsletter signup      www.miraleeferrell.com
Website/blog for Mountain Brook Ink    www.mountainbrookink.com
Facebook Group (she prefers this over friend requests)  --

Miralee’s featured book, Runaway Romance (the book and movie) can be found on Amazon. It releases Nov. 1 in both print and ebook. The movie’s air date is yet to be announced, but it will be within the first quarter of 2018. You can find Runaway Romance here.