Casting Call: Goddess, Spellbound

It feels like I've been waiting forever to reveal this cast for Goddess, Spellbound! Now that it's released, I finally can show you. This might be my favorite cast yet.

The main character, Sandy/Sanura goes through quite a change during the story. From insecure and somewhat shy to a true goddess. As a descendant of the goddess Bastet, Sanura has always envied the sleek grace of cats, and she can't go anywhere without cats surrounding her.

Sanura's obsessed with all things Egyptian, so when her museum scores a world-class exhibit of Egyptian artifacts, it's the thrill of a lifetime for her. Until the warrior mummy awakens, and a dead vizier tries to kill her.

Emma Stone can play fragile and fierce equally well, and would make a perfect Sanura.

Iker, the warrior who served under the queen pharaoh Hatshepsut, has been tasked with ensuring the queen pharaoh's soul finally sails off into the Afterlife, but first he has to convince Sanura that she's the only one who can perform the Pyramid Text spells to free Hatshepsut's soul.

Strong and sensitive, Iker was always Shemar Moore in my mind.

Sanura's intern, Howie, has a few surprises up his, er, sleeve. He's less interested in artifacts than revenge, and once he reveals his true self, Sanura's not sure which version of Howie she dislikes more.

I can't give away any more than that. You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.

Matthew Gray Gubler was always Howie.

User, the vizier who returns through the false tomb door on exhibit at Sanura's museum, is the worst sort of villain. He's already dead, so there's no use trying to kill him. And he's been waiting for final victory over Hatshepsut since her death in 1548 B.C. He helped erase her from history, but won't rest until he makes certain the queen pharaoh's soul doesn't reach the Afterlife.

Sir Ben Kingsley would make a wonderful User.

Bastet is a multifaceted goddess. Not only is she the daughter of the sun god Ra, but she's the goddess of cats, a a warrior, but also a gentle protector of home and children, a healer and dancer, moon goddess, a goddess of pleasure. She goes by many names: Lady of Flame, Eye of Ra, Lady of the East, Goddess of the Rising Sun, The Sacred and All-Seeing Eye.

Another easy choice. No one but Angelina Jolie could play Bastet. 

Mrs. Allgood has a small but vital role in the story. She's a generous benefactor who donates more than money to the museum.

But she's another character I can't reveal too much about. She was a lot of fun to write, and especially when I imagined Dame Judi Dench as wielding her cloisonne walking cane.

Finally, the queen pharaoh herself.

Hatshepsut ruled from 1478 B.C. until her death twenty-two years or so later. Though Hatshepsut is generally considered one of the most successful rulers, history doesn't reveal much about her. After her death, her likenesses were chiseled from monuments, and her deeds stricken from pharaonic records. She was not buried in her official tomb, probably for fear of someone disturbing her remains.

She's the central part of this storyline, the wronged queen who seeks only justice and final release.

Minnie Driver would make an excellent Hatshepsut.


I love that there are so many strong female characters in this story. And the setting allowed me to explore ancient Egypt, which has fascinated me since I was little.

You can find out more about Goddess, Spellbound here.

Casting Call: Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake

Another Casting Call! I've missed doing these.

Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake has a somewhat large roster of characters. I won't show them all to you, but here are the major ones.

This holiday novella's the story of two people who never quite got over each other.

Sierra O'Brien married her former love's school rival and retreated into her life. Big mistake. She endured years of verbal abuse before her husband's sudden death. Out of that tailspin, she manages to right herself and move forward with her life. To do that, she needs to leave all the terrible memories behind, so brings only her clothes to her hometown of Bliss. She never counts on running into Carter, but she's inspired by his success to launch her own business. Plus, she intends to find someone who made her feel as good as he did.

Emma Stone is a perfect Sierra.

After their breakup, Carter Grove became a success machine, pushing himself to ever-greater success to fill the void left by Sierra. He became a top rival of Steve Jobs, but it cost him two marriages. Both wives loved his bank account more anyway. When he runs into Sierra along the PA Turnpike, he's drawn home to Bliss too.

From the beginning, David Giuntoli was Carter.

Oren and his dog Jack hike across the country together, and happened into Bliss while following the Appalachian Trail. Lucky for them. The locals opened their hearts when Jack was struck by a car. Oren's in town doing odd jobs to raise money to pay for his operation. He's also known to dispense wisdom when needed.

Luke Kleintank was always Oren.

Carter's estranged wife, Barbara, stars in the reality show Unhappy Housewives. And she plays the role to the hilt. When she learns Carter's returned to Bliss, she makes the most of the opportunity to play the injured spouse.

Sandra Bullock normally plays the America's sweetheart type, but I know she could be a killer Barbara. Just look at that expression! I wouldn't want to go up against her.

Sierra's longtime friend, Rosalie, has never left Bliss, but found her own bliss as a singer-guitarist. She's happy playing gigs around town.

Carey Mulligan is Rosalie.

Shotsie owns and runs the Bliss Music Emporium. Once a backup singer for Janis Joplin, she now inspires young people by giving guitar and voice lessons.

Sally Struthers is the perfect Shotsie.

Sierra's parents welcomed her home, and offered her a job in their coffee shop, The Sweet Spot, until she can get her own business going.

Dianne Wiest is Ellie O'Brien, and Sam Shepard is Bob.

Carter's parents never held much regard for his wife Barbara. They'd pegged her as a gold digger from the beginning. So they're more than encouraging Carter to hang around for Thanksgiving, and afterward.

Diane Keaton is Carter's mom, Deborah, and Aidan Quinn is Carter's dad Curtis.


Thanks for checking out this Casting Call! I hope you'll read Blue Moon Over Bliss Lake too.