Self-Publishing Author Spotlight: Danny Lopriore’s ‘Seasons of Sanctuary’ Catches Hollywood Interest

Outskirts Press author Danny Lopriore may well have a hit book and a hit show under his belt if his novel Seasons in Sanctuary gets picked up.

WhSeasons in Sanctuaryile doing a career day at Eastchester High School in New York, Lopriore met a television producer/writer for “Crossing Jordan,” “Third Watch,” and now “NCIS-LA,” and gave him a copy of of the novel. By the spring of 2008 the writer and a friend had written a screenplay, called “Coach Vig” based on the book.

With Seasons in Sanctuary Lopriore tells a story of a mobster’s struggle to choose between walking the straight and narrow or accepting the spiritual consequences of evil. Set in a gritty, working-class New York in the 1970s, it’s a vivid book about strife, struggle and hope for redemption.

“The screenplay has been pitched to several studios and networks, most recently USA Network,” Lopriore said.

No stranger to writing, Lopriore is a veteran newspaper reporter, editor and columnist who has covered high school sports and news for several daily and weekly newspapers in New York and New Jersey since 1989. He lives in Westchester County, New York, with his wife Dianne and three of their five children. Seasons in Sanctuary, published by Outskirts Press in 2007, is his first book.

Although Lopriore’s ongoing inroads to Hollywood are due in part to chance — with a bit of gumption mixed in — Hollywood Screenplayauthors with an eye on the Big Screen can improve their odds of getting their books notices by the right people. Outskirts Press offers three packages geared toward turning your book into a TV or movie screenplay and getting that script into the right hands. Visit the Outskirts Press Marketing Solutions page to learn more about the Hollywood Action Plan, Hollywood Book-to-Movie Treatment or the Complete Hollywood Screenplay packages.

Do you have a book you think has the makings of the next Hollywood blockbuster? Learn more about adapting your book the the Silver Screen!

Self-Publishing Author Spotlight: Darlene Cozart Inks Movie Deal

Many Outskirts Press self-published authors dream about moving from published author to the Silver Screen. For author Darlene Cozart, that dream is coming to fruition.

Cozart, author of five self-published books with Outskirts Press, including Miracle Angle Stories, In the Realm of Angels and An Angel’s Love, is working with filmmakers to bring her life story to live action in 2013. While there are more direct ways to make inroads to Hollywood through Outskirts Press, for Cozart the big break came somewhat by chance.

“I started taking my Angel Treasure Stories to the children who are fighting cancer. I knew that those precious babies need a good laugh and that my Mafia cookbook, Yo you Capeesh It’s a Cookbook would bring loads of laughs,” Cozart recalls. “So when I started doing this, a producer sent me a message asking me if I would be interested in doing my biography and what charity would I like to help. I told her that I wanted to help give a portion of the money raised with this movie to the Ronald McDonald House. They help so many families with their children, and when I called them they were so exited.”

Cozart was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up for a time in Tieton, Wash. She’s known for her work in music, live television and voice over work, and was up for a BCMA Music Award for Entertainer of the Year in 1991.

Cozart met with the filmmakers in late October for initial filming and is set to begin more intensive filming in January. There’s no solid release date for the movie, but when we get details about the release, we’ll keep you posted.

Do you have a book you think has the makings of the next Hollywood blockbuster? Learn more about adapting your book the the Silver Screen!