Molly Ringwald and Alan Davis, Together At Last...

Even though I'm filled with the thrills of a new writing project, I'm still promoting my last one. Part of me wishes I could forget about that now. It's old news. It's done. But then my fledgling entrepreneurial side weakly raises its hand to remind me I have books to flog. My ethereal creative aura (no honestly, it's there) takes a knock when I put it like that, but that's the reality of the sitch.

I am this cool in my head.
Classic Molly.
From over 30 years ago.

With that in mind, it's time to return to a bit of Leeza chat. Leeza McAuliffe Has Something To Say has been out for a few months now. I forget about it most of the time. Especially now I'm concerning myself with new characters these days. But then something happens that reminds me of the McAuliffe family. Last month - as I've banged on about already - I watched Tales of the City. In the penultimate episode, an actor popped that I never see much these days. It took a second to place her but then I did. Molly Ringwald. You know? From the 80s? From Pretty in Pink and the Breakfast Club? I had a weird reaction. Initially I thought, 'Oh God, I know her. Who IS that?' Then I thought, 'But that's impossible. It can't be. That's Leeza's mum!' Then I stopped being weird and saw it was Molly Ringwald. 

When I was planning the story of Leeza McAuliffe three years ago, I decided that present day Molly Ringwald would be the ideal image to have as Leeza'a mum. Then, just to seal the deal, I called Leeza's mum, Molly. I am a creative genius! I did this with all the main characters. I found someone real that I could keep in my head as I wrote their words and worked out their voice. Seeing Molly Ringwald pop up out of the blue was a surreal moment. It was like my book had been secretly dramatised and no one had told me.

So, as part of my policy of IF IT'S IN MY HEAD I MUST SHARE IT ONLINE, here are my go to actors for some of the cast of Leeza McAuliffe Has Something To Say, coming to Netflix this autumn*. (Ha, can you even imagine!) 

Molly Hart-McAuliffe 

(Mum)

1. DIA Dipasupil/Getty Images
Leeza's mum is passionately committed to all causes that matter to her. A sporadic vegan and defender of the environment (in as much as can be convenient for a parent of several) she isn't shy in making her views known. These views are often at odds with Grandma, and occasionally Leeza. Molly is an staunch advocate of a Family Meeting, although is less keen on democracy when Leeza wants to share her views.

Seb McAuliffe - aka Mac

(Dad)

No idea why my brain went towards Alan Davis, but it did. Leeza's dad is calm, supportive, and fun. He is fully onboard with the lifestyle changes Molly wants, although he'd never have thought of them himself. He is happiest when he can wear shorts instead of work clothes. He also knows to step out of the line of fire when Molly and Ursula go at it. His best moment was when his coriander seeds sprouted. 

Spike

The oldest of Leeza's little brothers, Spike is a pain to live with. He calls Leeza, Loser, struggles with the concept of privacy, and tends to go hyper after too many sweets. He sings 'Let it Flow' in the style of Frozen when he wees. The image of Vern from Stand By Me was strong from the start, but as Vern has always reminded me of my own oldest little brother, there was a lot of crossover along the way.

Ursula Hart

(Grandma)

2. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA
Ursula is stern, convinced her views are the only way to think, and at constant odds with her daughter. But she means well. Her house is spotless, and she despairs of the more-relaxed stance Molly and Mac take to hoovering. Somewhere along the way, I must have decided that this was exactly the same as Diana Rigg. Who knows? Diana Rigg might be a slovenly pussy cat.

Willard

3. 2013 for People Magazine. Courtesy of Firenze Post.
Willard is nothing like Grandma because he is smily and fun, so it makes no sense to Leeza why they start dating. He has unlimited energy with the younger boys, but also knows how to treat Leeza like the almost-grown up she is. He introduces her to JD Salinger, and she perseveres even though she hasn't an igloo what is going on. Robin Williams would have nailed this part.

Jake Woolton

Jake is slightly older, cooler and savvier than Leeza, but a friendship is forged when she moves to his village. His shining moment is when he is honest in his feedback about the bridesmaid dress. (Read it and see.) Or when he steps up at the harvest festival? In later years, maybe Jake and Leeza have their first snog together. Or maybe Jake comes out to Leeza and she's the first person he tells. Or maybe Jake is killed in a threshing accident on the top field. Who can say? Whatever his future, Will Poulter in his younger days is the image I had throughout.

You know you're intrigued.
Come on, get involved!

What's interesting looking back, is how these images changed over time. By the end of the first draft, I'd moved away from actual Robin Williams - Willard had begun to have his own face. Likewise, the character of Jenna - not featured above because my initial mental image was of a child I used to teach - began as caucasian. By the end I knew she wasn't. No idea why, but she and the others morphed into their own identities along the way. And what about the main woman? What about Leeza? What's the mental image I have of her? Well, the answer is, I don't really have one. Yeah, I know, not cool. It's all about her and I don't know what she looks like. Nice one Bondie... NOT. But here's the thing. Because the diary is life seen through her eyes, we are also looking through her eyes at everything that happens. WE are Leeza. She is US! How's that for pretentious waffle? Beyond a brief description about her preferring jeggings and leggings to skirts and dresses, or that she once had a fringe but regretted it, there's very little to go on.

I did cover the bulk of this post
on a Twitter thread a little while
ago. It amused me, anyway.

The thing is, anyone who reads a book will visualise the characters differently. That's the joy of moving on from picture books. It's all down to the reader. The author relinquishes control the second they pass on their work. I've had these images with me for three years, but it would have been irresponsible of me to share this when the book first came out. Readers have to be left to forge their own ideas as they read. But here we are, months later, and I'm taking back a smidge of control. Or sharing my creative process. Or trying to fill a blog post when I can't think of anything else. You decide.

Have a lovely week, folks.



*It is not coming to Netflix this autumn.


Photo references
1. https://www.newsweek.com/molly-ringwald-why-small-moments-film-relatable-and-when-shell-return-1294705

2. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2013/apr/30/diana-rigg-laying-into-women

3 https://stmuhistorymedia.org/the-pain-behind-the-smile-the-robin-williams-story/