Monday, July 9, 2012

Casting Call: In the Midnight Hour

If you're not familiar with Casting Call, it's my blog series where I show you who I imagined in the major roles while I wrote each story. You can find more under the Blog Series tab, beneath the Casting Call heading.


Normally, I imagine my stories as movies in my head. As usual, the characters of In the Midnight Hour played their parts very vividly.


Josie's my flawed heroine - the daughter of divorced parents, who themselves are flawed. As a teen, Josie strikes out on her own because she has a better chance away from her mother.


Since she was young, Josie's seen ghosts, a fact she learns to keep to herself after alienating friends and coworkers. She sees some of the ghosts so often, she considers some as friends, but it makes for a lonely existence. She doesn't quite know where she fits in the world until she signs up as a ghost tour guide in Gettysburg. After that, things begin to click into place, though some things, not for the better.


Before I began a first draft, Pauley Perrette was Josie, from her Goth look to her scratchy voice to her tattoos.


Eddie is Josie's roommate - with benefits. In the beginning, she felt sorry for him, so took him in. But he hasn't gone job hunting in months, and while Josie's working two jobs, he does nothing but play video games. Josie's ready to move on, and out, without Eddie. He's not so ready.

Matt Dillon's played down-and-out characters convincingly before, and would be perfect as Eddie.

Nicholas Whitby tags along during Josie's ghost tours. He's adorable but a bit odd, something Josie can relate to. At first, because he wears a Union soldier's uniform, she thinks he's a Civil War reenactor. Later, she finds out he's no actor.


James McAvoy was always Nick in my movie version.


Garrett signed on as a ghost tour guide after Josie. Somewhat of a mystery, he doesn't give much away about himself, but Josie senses his attraction to her. She keeps him at arm's length until she realizes he, too, can see ghosts. It's not often she runs into someone to whom she can speak openly about spirits, but Garrett's easy to talk to. Until he says Nick's a threat to Josie. Garrett has secrets of his own.


Christian Kane was always Garrett in my head.


Bonus! Turns out Garrett's one of triplets.


His brother Theo is more business-like, so this pic fits him.


Zane is much more easy-going, with shorter hair.


I'll take three of Christian Kane anyday. :)




Sue is another ghost tour guide, and another good friend who takes Josie in when she abandons Eddie.


Mena Suvari would be perfect as Sue.

You can view the book video, read the blurb, excerpt and more here.

Or purchase In The Midnight Hour here. :)