I'm back home from vacation, and just like after all trips, I'm SO glad to be back in my routine and familiar surroundings. Traveling is fun, but home is home for a reason. And unlike New Mexico, my home is set at about 5 ft altitude vs. 7000 ft, so I'm loving this oxygen, yo. Never realized what a difference that could make.

Anyway, the next few posts are going to be filled with vacation pictures, but before I subject you to those, I want to touch on some film stuff because the announcement about VA selling options has set my internet world buzzing. Here's a quick summary of important points:

* Selling film options means we now have a great production company (Preger Entertainment) and producer that can help make the book(s) into film. Me? I can't make a movie. My specialty is writing books. Theirs is making films happen, which is why we're lucky to have them on board.

* But, no film is being made yet. To do that, we need a lot of things: a script, a cast, and most importantly, a studio. Preger is currently pitching VA to studios, and when a studio picks it up, that's when all that other movie magic can happen. So, if you're hearing about filming taking place right now, it isn't true.

* Like I said earlier: I write books. I don't make movies, so I don't do the casting or directing or anything. People are writing to me about actor choices, but that'll be up to film makers when casting time comes.

* People are worried about differences between the book and a movie, but truthfully? It's impossible for any movie to be exactly like a book. Books are too long to put every page into 2 hours. So cuts and adaptations are always made. Some books turn into good movies; some don't. And of course, no actor will match every single person's vision of a character. It's just impossible.

* Will a movie "ruin the VA books"? I hear people worry about this too. The answer? Of course not! The books already exist, and I'll keep writing the way I want. Nothing will change them. :) A movie's a way of retelling them, and I wouldn't have signed with Preger if I didn't have faith in them doing something really awesome.

* How do we get this thing going? As mentioned, Preger needs a studio to get things started, and one of the best ways to get a studio's attention is to show the fan support. So, if you're on Facebook, join the Official Vampire Academy Movie Page. Its numbers are growing FAST, and it's really sending a message about VA-love. It's also where Preger puts official announcements and dispels rumors. Fans are starting lots of little movie pages, which is awesome, but please make sure to join up with the official one so there's an easy source to see all the fan support as a mass, rather than everyone being split in different places. Preger also has an Official VA Movie Twitter account.

* The Facebook page above is also a great place to discuss your thoughts about casting, what shouldn't be cut, etc. Even though there's no movie yet, Preger and I are both reading the comments there! If you're anti-Facebook, there's my Yahoo Mailing List too. Those are the best locations to discuss your thoughts rather than building long threads here in the comments.

I hope that clears up some of the questions! This is all very exciting, and in a lot of ways, I'm in as much suspense as you are. Film-making requires a lot of patience, but I know Preger and crew are already meeting with studios. So, keep your fingers crossed, and thanks for showing your support!

In unrelated but still cool news: Arcane Vault is now shipping shirts internationally, and I have it on very good authority (aka my own eyes) that some very cool new designs will be coming soon.

Stay tuned! Next time: Roswell pictures. :)