Lori Roberts, an accomplished author with six published books and a seventh on the way, has reached an exciting new milestone in her career. Her book, Where the Sweetgrass Grows, is being adapted into a feature film. Although she has authored many books, this marks her first step into the world of turning books into movies."For an author, having a book make it to this stage is an accomplishment I didn't expect. I am very blessed to have a screenwriter who saw the potential in the book and wanted to see it come to life as much as I did!" Roberts shared.
Roberts is excited to watch Where the Sweetgrass Grows come to life on set but understands that changes will happen when turning the book into a movie."I'm anxious to see how the different actors portray the characters I created. I already know from seeing the original script that not every character is in the script, and some characters are different than what I wrote. That is why I always say, to read the book first!" Mrs. Roberts remarked.
Lori's path to the movie set has felt like a dream. Tom Anderson, the screenwriter leading the adaptation, contacted her earlier this summer when several studios were competing for the script. By October, he told her that Global Edge Pictures had picked up the film. He also invited Lori to join the cast and crew on set and possibly appear in background scenes—a thrilling moment for her. "It’s exciting to be part of the story," she says.
Reflecting on film production and casting choices, Roberts shared, “Production is supposed to start in late January, if all goes according to plan. Right now, remote locations that won't be able to be produced inside the sound stage will take place in and around Bakersfield, California. I'm not sure how close that compares to the Lowcountry of South Carolina, but I know there are tricks to the trade to make anything possible. Actors/actresses have already been chosen for several of the parts, and casting should be finished soon. I've spoken to and seen several of the actors already posting on their social media sites about taking on a role in the movie. So far, I'm pleased with the selections and even knew some of them from other things they have done in the past.”
As for what lies ahead, Roberts shared interesting information about future screen opportunities. “I plan to finish the third book in the trilogy. Early on, there was a mention that if this book is optioned for Netflix, it could potentially become a series. We'll see how that goes! I also plan to attend the production and hope to be able to watch a viewing once it’s complete,” explained Mrs. Roberts.
Senator Nation would like to congratulate Mrs. Roberts on her writing accomplishments!
