
News that British actor Emma Watson has signed up with Warner Brothers to play the part of Sonoma County debut author Erika Johansen's fantasy adventure heroine, Kelsea, in the movie version of her brand new book, has catapulted The Queen Of The Tearling into the publishing stratosphere.
Who, in their wildest dreams, pens the first of a planned trilogy (with more to follow), a fledgling author's early work, igniting the passions of top publishing houses and is snapped up by a major movie production company before the first hardback edition hits bookstores?
Quiet, private, delightfully unassuming Erika Johansen, that's who. "It's a fairy tale in itself," she said. I'd say that with all her (mighty) ducks in a row, the trilogy is bound to be a massive, international smash hit, hot on the heels of Twilight and the likes. Though, much more appealing to readers over voting age. And Erika insists: "It's no Twilight."
Don't be looking for the sort of sappy romance that hits you a mile a minute at the start , or any part of the book. Kelsea, a decidedly plain, clever, chubby heroine, with guts and courage and conviction galore, is not a robotic 19-year-old, but doesn't (and, according to the author, won't) let a love interest take center stage and rule her story.
And if you missed the author's first official bookstore reading and signing in her hometown Copperfield's Bookstore, in Petaluma, CA, then don't be surprised if you have to wait in line around the block when the second and consecutive book comes out.
I love a success story. Especially in publishing. It's even more fantastic when the author is so entirely ego-free and not at all interested in the rally call of marketing hype.
Erika attended Swarthmore College, a small, private liberal arts college outside of Philadelphia, earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, went on to become an attorney, but switched back to following her heart in fiction writing.
She spoke about the 'beauty cult' in the U.S. "Parents tell their daughters that they are beautiful, no matter what," she said. "I disagree. Tell them that they might be pretty, they might not be, but they have far more strengths and gifts to focus on and offer the world."
Still, publishers asked if Kelsea could be made: "a little prettier?" Erika held her ground with a solid "No".
"I think there's a huge market for a heroine like Kelsea," she said. "No one has been brave enough."
She does not plan to attend the red carpet screening when the movie releases. She won't even watch it. "The book is pure and perfect and can never be changed," she said. "I won't let the movie version mess with my conception of the world."
Of course, Emma Watson is hardly a plain Jane. But considering alternatives, Erika is thankful that Kelsea is in good hands with the star who rose to fame as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter trilogy. Emma, herself, recently graduated from Brown University with a Bachelors Degree in English Literature. Emma, aged 24 has recently been named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.
As I haven't read it yet, here's the book blurb for The Queen of the Tearling from Harper Collins, the publishing house that won out a bidding war for the author's slam-dunk, fantasy-adventure trilogy.
"Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.
On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.
Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.
But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive."
Erika Johansen thanks her lucky stars that she is able to get up every morning and write. She's also partial to Boardwalk Empire reruns and knitting. She's hoping that if spotted with headphones and laptop, intent at work over coffee, we'll leave her be. She has several more books to write after all.