I saw a great movie tonight, Christian Petzold’s Phoenix.  It’s set in post-war Germany and tells the story of a concentration camp survivor.  It was well-acted, heart-wrenching, and had the perfect ending.  I really love movies.  Some people like to go out to eat at over-priced restaurants or dance the night away at nightclubs, but I’m an easy date.  Just plop me in front of the big screen—as a matter of fact, I’m just as happy in front of the small screen with Netflix—and you’ve guaranteed me a great evening.  I will admit, though, I am one of those annoying people that says, “It wasn’t as good as the book” when the movie is based on a novel.  It makes me wonder:  if I am ever lucky enough to have somebody want to adapt one of my books into a movie, would I even be able to go watch it?  Would I be able to accept the changes that are necessary when adapting a book to film?  Would I hate the choices of actors and actresses?  When I wrote Wait For Me several years ago, I knew exactly who I wanted to play Kevin.  I had seen Jim Caviezel in a movie called Frequency and he was who I saw in my head while I developed Kevin’s character.  Well, that movie is 15 years old and while I still love Jim Caviezel, he is now in this mid-forties and is outpacing the chances of my book being made into a movie anytime soon.  Stephen King has made no secret of how much he hates Stanley Kubrick’s version of The Shining and for anyone who has ever seem the film, you might think he’s crazy.  It’s a classic.  As a writer, though, I get it.  Kubrick didn’t carry out King’s vision.  He saw something different and King felt betrayed, I’m guessing.  Someone met his baby and totally didn’t understand it.  To make things worse, the world loved Kubrick’s version of King’s baby.  Ouch.  I would have felt the same way.  So, if any of my books ever become movies and you notice a middle-aged redhead leaving the theater early, you’ll understand.