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Oscar-winning producer joins project to film local author's books

SURREY - Lorna Suzuki, an indie author from Surrey, has just made a big announcement this weekend - Don Carmody has signed on as producer to bring her first three novels to the big screen.

Suzuki's epic fantasy novel series The Imago Chronicles has 10 books, the first three of which were optioned by Michy Gustavia, an independent filmmaker and executive producer.Carmody is an Oscar-winning producer best known for films such as Good Will Hunting, the musical Chicago and the Resident Evil franchise as well as the more recent release Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. He has more than 100 films to his credit.Suzuki said the experience has been a heady one so far."To review the first draft of the screenplay or to look at the preliminary visuals, it's still very surreal for me."I'm just so pleased Ms. Gustavia met with Mr. Carmody when she did. And I'm grateful he took the time to read in a very short span of time all three novels that Lorna Suzuki were optioned, signing on as soon as he finished the third novel!" The first installment, The Imago Chronicles, A Warrior's Tale, introduces a powerful female protagonist who is half-human, half-elf, "shunned by one race and denied by the other."Casting is currently underway with full film production slated to start this fall. Suzuki said the filming is planned to happen in Toronto.She is lucky not only to find such success as an independently published author, but also in being so involved in the development process."I was asked to review and provide feedback on the screenplay, but one of the most interesting things I've been asked to do so far was in providing a shortlist of my top five pick of actors for the principle roles," Suzuki said."I must confess though, it was a bit mind-boggling to review over 1,000 photos/resumés of actors to consider for the principle roles. I think this was a process more enjoyed by my teenaged daughter, but overall, I was pleased when Ms. Gustavia and I agreed on a number of actors."Suzuki made the announcement at the Emerald City Comicon, held over the weekend in Seattle. The author is a regular at VCON, the premier sci-fi and fantasy conference in Western Canada.The 10th and final novel in The Imago Chronicles was published in October, and she is currently at work on the fourth book of the young adult fantasy series The Dream Merchant Saga, which she co-writes with her daughter, Nia.ccooke@thenownewspaper.com