Summer 2011

The reason I haven’t updated this recently – not that anyone’s wondering, I’m sure – is that I’m writing a novel and so have absolutely nothing to say. Can’t talk about it, can’t tell anyone about the characters or discuss the plot…can’t do anything in case it all disintegrates…God, novelists must be the most boring people on earth. An underground car park attendant has a more thrilling life. I’m not sure the world needs another novel but I got fed up with scripts not being done so have shut myself away until the end of the year.

And in fact I’m having the most wonderful time. I’m like a pit pony emerging from a coal-mine, shaking off its harness and galloping around a meadow. I just can’t talk about it. This isn’t to say the book will be any good – it’s a well-known fact that the more fun a writer has, the worse the end product. But just for the moment…

And in fact a screenplay of mine is going to be shot – well, it’s got a green light from ITV. “The Scapegoat”, which I adapted from the Daphne du Maurier novel, is due to go into production this autumn. It’s about two identical men who accidentally bump into each other, and one takes over the other’s life. We’ve moved the story from France to Yorkshire, where hopefully it will be filmed. Nice meaty part for an actor, who will have to play two characters; Alec Guinness did it in an earlier version.

And when the novel is written I hope to adapt two terrific contemporary novels, Amanda Craig’s “Hearts and Minds” and Louise Doughty’s “Whatever You Love”. Both strong and unsettling, and both well worth reading.

As for the Indian film, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (see previous News item) it’s now finished and Fox Searchlight, the studio, say they’re excited about it, so that’s nice. No idea when it’s due to be released into the cinemas, I suspect next spring. A new tie-in edition of “These Foolish Things” will be published. Somebody will have to change the name of the hotel from “Dunroamin” to “The Marigold” all the way through but otherwise it will still be the same. I must say, outsourcing the elderly to India becomes a more and more attractive prospect; can’t wait to join them.

Have a great summer, and do get in touch at info@deborahmoggach.com