Access all your favorite blogs from myajc! Home > Channel Serf > Archives > 2007 > January > 11 > Entry
Need a Nora Roberts fix?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Author Nora Roberts makes Tom Clancy look like a lazy slacker with her astonishingly prolific writing: 170 romance/thriller novels over 25 years with more than 295 million books in print.
But she’s been reluctant to translate those stories into film until Lifetime and Peter Gruber’s Mandalay Television convinced her after a year of negotiations. The result were four films with decent talent involved: “Angels Fall” starring Heather Locklear, “Montana Sky” featuring John Corbett, “Blue Smoke” with Scott Bakula and “Carolina Moon” with Claire Forlani and Oliver Hudson. Gruber’s company filmed the movies back to back and Lifetime will air them every Monday starting January 29 for four weeks.
If Lifetime were to translate every Roberts novel into a movie and air them weekly, it would take them more than three years. And by then, they’d have another 20 films to shoot.
“She just wrote a novel while we’re talking here,” joked Susanne Daniels, president of Lifetime networks during a session at TCA. “And she sold a million of them as well.”
For the unitiated, her books typically feature strong female characters, typically career women seeking love. They frequently confront a murder mystery. In the end, the mystery is solved and she gets her man.
The network’s goal, Daniels said, is “give women what they want. It sounds simple and obvious.”
Then Locklear, who plays a chef in “Angels Fall,” piped in by repeating Daniels’ mantra. “Just give women what they want.” Pause. “We’ll all be happy!”
When asked about whether any of the male actors actually read Roberts voluntarily, Corbett turned it back to the journalists. “How many men here read her? Raise your hands.” None did.
Congenial Corbett, who has done many female-friendly roles in “Northern Exposure, “Sex & the City” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” said he has been touring the past year with his band but liked the idea of playing a rancher in “Montana Sky,” so he shot his role while on vacation. (That’s a vacation?)
Then Locklear, who was in a quippy mood, jumped in again. “I never knew you were a rock star.” The crowd laughed, knowing her past romances with the likes of Richie Sambora and Tommy Lee. “But right on!”
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By J Woolwine
January 12, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this
I am hoping someone will make a movie about one of JD Robb’s “in death” (Nora Roberts) books. Someone needs to clone Roarke for every woman alive. What a guy! John O’Hurley would be perfect for the part in a movie. Don’t know how she writes all these books but they are wonderful!
By r diva
January 12, 2007 9:30 AM | Link to this
Anyone but John O’Hurley would be perfect for Roarke-he would make the part a parody and not what Roarke truly is. Pierce Brosnan would make a great Roarke. The more important question is who would play Eve Dallas?
I heard sometime ago that Mel Gibson’s company had optioned the “In Death” series for film. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.
By Lynn
January 12, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this
I think Hugh Jackman would make the perfect Roark. Haven’t figured out who will play Eve, maybe Angelina Jolie. Wow, what a combination!!
By diane
January 12, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this
I think Ashley Judd would be a great Eve. Hugh Jackman is a good choice for Roark.
By Jordan
January 12, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
The traffic in Down-Town Atlanta is ridiculous, while the mart event is going on. The direction of traffic from the atlanta officer’s need to take concideration in the people that need to get to work. Not everyone can take off work to go shop all day. I sat in traffic for atleast 35 min this morning, I was late because traffic was not being handled in the right manner.I am sure there are pleanty of people out there that feel where i am coming from, im just speakin up about it. Something has to change. Thank you for your time.
By Dee Waugh
January 12, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
I agree that In Death would make a great movie. Pierce Bronson for Roark and Angelina Jolie for Eve sound good. But who will play Juliana Dunn?
By angela
January 12, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this
George Clooney or Andy Garcia would be the perfect Roarke. I love the “in death” books and can’t wait for the next one!
By Amy
January 12, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
Pierce Brosnan - perfect description in the books! I think Ashley would be good too - I LOVE those books!
By debbie schmeisser
January 12, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this
need a nora roberts fix? contact me about her books.many for sale starting at 0.99 cents. check our website—www.vintageredmotorcycleparts.com please go to DEB’S COLLECTIBLES. THANX.
By l'villegirl
January 12, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this
Deb, please take your ads elsewhere! how rude, this is a blog not Craigslist.
By Skooch
January 12, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this
Who cares? Nora Roberts sucks! She sucks as bad, if not worse, than Danielle Steele. Why am I not surprised it’s Lifetime movies, where all the cheese that’s not from Wisconsin resides!
By Gman
January 12, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this
My wife read’s Nora’s books. She has a closet full of them. I finally asked her, why do you read her books so much? She answered, “I’m reading how romantic I wish you would be.” I just looked at her and said ‘ah’, then continued to read my playboy.
What comes around goes around.
By TJ
January 12, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this
Well thank you for your comment on something you obiously know nothing about. so if that is the case why don’t you take your negitive comments to the vent where they appreicate idiots????
By Karrie
January 13, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this
I have always pictured Mariska Hargitay as Eve, but i am not sure about Roarke. Asley Judd would be good to as Eve. Loved the last book when Mavis had her baby cant wait till the next book ..i would enjoy a movie but the movie is never as good as the book theres just not enough time to capture a really good book in a 2 hour movie.
By Trini
January 13, 2007 10:51 PM | Link to this
I love the Robb books. They’re great escapist fantasy but I don’t think that they would translate easily to film. Remember how awful V.I. Washawski was. I don’t even listen to Robb ausio books because Roark’s accent is so bogus. Pierce Brosnan is my dream guy but he’s 53, too old for Roark. Jackman is my fallback dream guy but he has brown eyes. Clooney-too old, brown eyes. Mariska Hargitay, too old, forever Olivia, but she does have the look. Don’t ruin a great book series with film. Just reread the earlier books!