Modern adaptation

NEW YORK -- As they eye the profits made by Hollywood studios on books adapted for the screen, New York publishers can't help but be jealous. They also want to boost the visibility of their titles in a market that has been flat for several years. Now, HarperCollins is trying to attack both problems by putting a producer smack dab in the middle of the publishing process.

Last week, William Morrow, which is owned by HarperCollins, announced the publication of Michael Zadoorian's "The Leisure Seeker," a poignant novel about the final cross-country odyssey of a couple facing Alzheimer's and terminal cancer. At the same time, indie producer Jeff Sharp announced that his company had optioned the film rights.

It might seem like just another book deal -- but the story of how this one came together speaks volumes about the rapidly shifting terrain in the book-to-film world and the increasing convergence of New York literati and Hollywood filmmakers. Although the two businesses are radically different, HarperCollins and Sharp have found some intriguing common ground -- and a plan that just might enable the publisher to share in the profits of successful adaptations.

"This partnership was based on the idea that publishers and filmmakers should have closer links when books are turned into film," Sharp said.

It all began with a passionate pitch. At a meeting of William Morrow editors late last year, Jennifer Pooley briefly described the plot of Zadoorian's novel. Her summary moved many in the room, and when Pooley asked who else wanted to read it, 15 hands shot up.

One of them belonged to Sharp, producer of "Boys Don't Cry," "Proof," "Nicholas Nickleby" and "Evening." He was in the meeting because he had just launched a book-to-film unit, Sharp Independent, at HarperCollins; his mandate was to sift through submissions and pick out titles ripe for adaptation. Although he had optioned a few books that were already slated for publication, he had not yet jumped into the mix and participated in discussions about whether to move forward with a manuscript.

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A literary buzz

While editors were buzzing over the distinctive literary voice in "The Leisure Seeker," Sharp heard a movie taking shape and made mental notes: The tale of parents saying a final goodbye to their children would connect with the potent baby-boomer film market. It had memorable characters. Sharp believed the novel might become an offbeat road movie in the tradition of "Little Miss Sunshine," "Thelma & Louise" and "Harold and Maude."