Monday, January 13, 2014

Casting Call: A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe

I love showing you the cast of my stories! These are the actors who I imagined in these roles as I wrote A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe.

Loss has left its imprint on Clarissa Hartman, which she's honored with various ink. At 18, she left home and landed in Marfa, a tiny town high atop the West Texas plains. A waitress, she also paints candles and murals. She loves her two best friends, Amy and Jeff, who own the Blue Moon Cafe, and their impending nuptials are turning her world upside down. So does the best man, Dylan Wall.

From the first word, Charlize Theron was Clarissa (use your imagination to add the tattoos).

Dylan's riding high on the success of his self-made PR firm, but he senses a crash coming. Little does he know that agreeing to be best man at his old friend's wedding will lend him the perspective he needs to change. Little does he know, too, that the sharp-tongued waitress who'll be maid of honor will likewise help him change - for the better.

Stephen Amell is Dylan.


Groom-to-be Jeff Smiley came to a Mystery Lights festival in Marfa years earlier, but walked away from his six-digit salary as an engineer after falling head over heels for Amy, a college grad he met at the festival. Eight years later, the Blue Moon Cafe has been written up by travel writers as a five-star eatery. Jeff's just over the moon happy with Amy living in Marfa.

After Dylan can't seem to get along with anyone - especially Clarissa - Jeff wonders if he made a mistake asking him to be his best man.

Adrien Brody is Jeff.




Amy never guessed she'd find her soulmate in a far-flung spot, but loves her life with Jeff.

She can't wait for the wedding, except that her best friend Clarissa seems to be in a tailspin, especially after meeting Dylan.

Anne Hathaway is the perfect Amy.


J.D. was a very fun secondary character to write. Growing up in Texas, he's been everything from a cowboy to a pilot. He's loyal and fierce as a pit bull when it comes to Clarissa. She's never given him any reason to expect more than friendship, but he can't help loving the girl. Her tattoos are enough to convince him she's had more suffering than a young person deserves, and he'd love nothing more than to take care of her.

When Dylan shows up, J.D. takes him for a glider ride he'll never forget - and makes another point Dylan will never forget: never to hurt Clarissa.

I loved having Sam Elliott's voice in my head as J.D.

Harvey had a small but important role in the story. A chef at the cafe, he's also somewhat of a spiritual guru when needed.

My Jersey boy Kevin Smith is Harvey.

And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed this Casting Call for A Wedding at the Blue Moon Cafe.