TRIPP ZOOME BOOKS

For anyone who DIDN'T watch the movie I wrote on the Disney Channel - DADNAPPED - (and not having kids between 8 - 14 is no excuse!), the plot revolved around a famous author who writes books featuring a super-cool teen James Bond-type named TRIPP ZOOME.

A TRIPP IN TIME, ZOOME TIME/BOOM TIME, and TRIPP'S LAST TRIP are just a few of the books my Dad character wrote featuring the self-assured sleuth. These books are big stuff and fans just can't get enough of the former dentist's crazy plots and frequent use of dental floss as a deterrent.

What's been fun since the movie's been airing is I'm getting lots of searches for "Tripp Zoome Books". Seems kids are curious how they can read the same books that inspire my teen heroes in the film. Though the plot is light and silly - one thing I'm proud of is I created teen characters who love to read. Books are important to the story and okay - this movie isn't winning an Oscar, but "Reading Rocks" is definitely one of the messages.

Maybe reality should follow fiction and I should write the books that I wrote about in the movie...

DADNAPPED ON DISNEY

It's time. After 2 years - 4 drafts - numerous notes - and who knows how many hours in edit suites (probably tons) - the movie that I wrote for the Disney Channel will be airing Monday night at 8:00pm e.s.t.

It's exciting to know that the characters I made up and the story I plunked them into will finally be alive and in color and the subject of online debate and comments from tweens all over the world.

DADNAPPED began as a one sentence idea I had years ago: What if a girl had to compete for her father's attention with a fictional character that the father felt closer to.

In the movie - Melissa (played by the wonderful Emily Osment from Hanna Montana) despises that her father's success as an author comes from the series of books that feature Tripp Zoome, a super-slick teen James Bond type of kid who is so popular fan-conventions are devoted to him. Dragged along on a vacation with her dad, Melissa is confronted by her fictional nemesis, Tripp Zoome, when her father makes a "quick stop" at a Zoomer Convention, where he gets kidnapped by a bunch of teen fans desperate to prove they are Zoome Worthy!

Forced to prove she is just as clever as "Tripp" Melissa teams up with some Zoome-maniacs and figures out how to get her father back!

I haven't seen the movie yet - but the trailers look fun and the Disney Channel is promoting it as part of their "Night Of Stars". I'll be watching Monday night.

Hope you will be too!

DADNAPPED IN PRE-PRODUCTION

As I sit staring at my backyard where several leaves have the nerve to change colors already - I have good news.

My Disney Channel movie (no, not High School Musical: The Musical) is in pre-production, which for any non-film folks out there means the director and his minions of hard-working crew folk are on location in Utah gearing up for the actual shoot which will happen starting mid-October.

WOW! I'm very excited that this idea I had over 10 years ago is now (numerous rewrites later) actually getting made. Sadly, the title DADNAPPED has to change and I'm resigned to it, though have no good alternative title yet.

They might still need extras - so if you're in Utah, check it out!

On the writing front: I've just sent my amazing agent Jill Grinberg five chapters of something "new" and top secret! I value her input and hope to be able to tell everyone about it soon.

And - I'm gearing up for my big Texas trip, which is also scheduled for mid-October. I'll be visiting the CyFair school district for two solid weeks of author-silliness, and with the exception of missing my family, it promises to be a blast!

More on that later...