Under ordinary circumstances, Ben and Mina would never have had reason to speak to each other; he's an easy-going people person with a healthy skepticism about the paranormal, and she's a dangerously obsessive monster-hunter with a crippling fear of betrayal. But the small town of Prospero, California, has no ordinary circumstances to offer. In order to uncover a plot set by the seemingly innocent but definitely shape-shifting monsters-that-look-like-friends-family-and-neighbors, the two stark opposites must both find ways to put aside their differences and learn to trust each other.
Today is my stop on the Splinters Blog Tour! This is the first book in a planned trilogy from co-authors FJR Titchenell and Matt Carter. Jolly Fish Press says, "[Splinters is] a thrilling young adult novel that features two strong, independent protagonists. Splinters mixes mystery, humor, and science fiction in a way that will leave readers desperate for more." This book spans several genres and will appeal to readers young and old. Studios have already expressed interest in the film rights for Splinters. So, for today's stop the authors have written a special post, just for us! (And keep scrolling all the way down to enter for your chance to win an ARC of Splinters!)
Splinters Dream Movie Cast
Yeah, it’s impossible not to fantasize about. We’ve talked plenty about who would be part of making the perfect movie adaptations of The Prospero Chronicles. For now, we’ll stick with our thoughts for this first installment.
Fiona: Chloe Grace Moretz. No question, no contest. Mina’s been written for her since day one.
Matt: She’s tough, and fearless, and has shown that she knows her way around beating up bad guys and weapons, but has a vulnerability that makes her more than just a killing machine.
Ben Pastor:
Fiona: We have no solid contender in mind who would work in the real world, but while we’re dreaming, let’s imagine we can put Jared Padalecki through a timewarp and make him sixteen again. Just to give everyone an idea.
Matt: Please don’t hate us for our lack of knowledge in younger actors.
Haley Perkins:
Aldo Kessler:
Diana Todd:
Fiona: Like Ben, we’ve got no one in mind who’d be YA material by the time a real life movie could get off the ground, so let’s use that dream timewarp again and throw in Teresa Palmer.
Fiona: No perfect fit in mind, not from any time. Call this one an open casting call for a very, very special kid. Yeah, he’s the dorky, smartass, soon-to-be high school freshman in Splinters, but he’s got a lot ahead of him. Whoever plays him is going to need depth, range, and a very well-timed growth spurt in a couple years.
Diana Todd:
Fiona: Gabrielle Anwar. Mina’s mother lives a suited, stifling existence, but she didn’t always. She needs to radiate an unfortunate variety of life experience.
Matt: Take some time to watch some of the later season episodes of Burn Notice and you’ll see why we chose her for Diana. Diana’s a survivor of the Splinters a generation removed from Mina. She’s tough and determined but very, very tired of where this life has led her, but never count her out in a fight, especially when someone she loves is on the line.
Sam Todd:
Fiona: Michael Emerson. Loving father? Terrifying monster? Both? Neither? Will we ever know?
Billy Crane:
Fiona: Michael Emerson. Loving father? Terrifying monster? Both? Neither? Will we ever know?
Matt: Yeah, we chose him pretty much entirely on his vague creepiness.
Fiona: Evan Peters. Yeah, he could still pull off being one of the teens, but let’s let him play his age for once.
Matt: He’s got that smartass attitude and wiser beyond his years look that would work great for Billy.
Alexei Smith:
Fiona: Sacha Baron Cohen. Why? Energy and fearlessness.
Matt: Alexei Smith is an odd character. A glitchy Splinter with odd tics and mannerisms who is incredibly over-the-top while still having potential for being dangerous? Yeah, Sacha Baron Cohen, all the way.
Christine Perkins:
Fiona: Elizabeth Mitchell. We may not see much of her in Splinters, but we will soon.
Matt: Given her importance later on, I couldn’t think of anyone better for the part.
Kevin Brundle:
Fiona: Dave Franco. Yeah, he was sort of written with actor in mind too.
Matt: Kevin’s a complicated kind of guy, smooth and popular but a little awkward in his own ways.
And while we’re at it, since we’re film geeks who love and appreciate and dream about many of the behind the scenes aspects of films as well……
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Special Creature Effects by: KNB EFX
Matt: A lot of this series is heavily influenced by our love of 80’s horror movies. Probably our favorite director of the genre (and any genre, really, since he’s so damn versatile) is Sam Raimi, for his cartoonish, over-the-top-while-still-scary directing aesthetic. Several scenes from the book (including the infamous Deer Scene) we wrote with his movies in mind.
Special Creature Effects by: KNB EFX
Matt: What can I say? I’m a nerd for makeup artists, and their work on everything from From Dusk ‘til Dawn to The Mist to The Walking Dead would be ideal for Splinters. I mean, yes, I know, if made into a movie they’d probably want to go all CGI for them, but, come on, have a little bit of love for the makeup world? Please?
About the Authors
F.J.R TITCHENELL and MATT CARTER met and fell in love in a musical theatre class at Pasadena City College and have been inseparable ever since. Though they have both dreamed of being writers from a very young age, they both truly hit their stride after they met, bouncing ideas off of one another, forcing each other to strive to be better writers, and mingling Matt's lifelong love of monsters with Fiona's equally disturbing inability to let go of high school. They were married in 2011 in a ceremony that involved kilts, Star Wars music, and a cake topped by figurines of them fighting a zombified wedding party. Titchenell and Carter live in San Gabriel, California.
You can find F.J.R. Titchenell online here:
You can find Matt Carter online here:
And don't forget to snag your own copy of Splinters:
Giveaway Time!
