Claire Kells's "Girl Underwater"

Claire Kells was born outside Philadelphia and has lived in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco since graduating from Princeton University in 2005. An English major, she didn�t start writing fiction until her first year of medical school. Now a second-year resident, she spends her free time writing stories about love, loss, and adventure.

Here Kells dreamcasts an adaptation of Girl Underwater, her debut novel:

I�ve always been fascinated by casting directors, who play such a critical, yet unsung role in the filmmaking process. I feel like I finally got to experience their job for a few hours while searching for the perfect cast for Girl Underwater on IMDb�and it wasn�t easy! Fortunately I don�t have to audition any of these people in person (although that would be cool). Anyway, here goes:

Avery: Dakota Fanning. She�s young and talented and played a swimmer in Man on Fire when she was a kid�what more could you ask for? I think she would do an incredible job bringing Avery�s physical and emotional journey to life.

Colin: Ansel Elgort. He�s 6�4,� which is a plus. I loved his portrayal of Gus in The Fault in Our Stars, which he played with sensitivity and humor. He just needs to shave his head, then we�re good to go.

Lee: Does Jason Momoa have a younger brother? If so, he�s hired.

Avery�s Dad: J.K. Simmons. I love this actor. Anybody who can play a tough, no-nonsense, completely irreverent teacher in Whiplash with the brilliance he did could nail the part of Avery�s dad.

Edward: Chris Hemsworth. There will always be a role for Chris Hemsworth in every novel/screenplay/poem I write if he wants it.

Tim, Liam, and Aayu: I�m hoping a talented casting director would have better luck finding the right child actors than I did. That said, it can certainly be done (see Dakota Fanning, above).

Swimmer #19: Me. I�d even be willing to wear a swimcap and goggles for my cameo.

There it is! My dream cast.

Visit Claire Kells's website.

The Page 69 Test: Girl Underwater.

Writers Read: Claire Kells.

--Marshal Zeringue