Thanks to having a background in the movie biz, Janice Thompson has always brought a little Hollywood to her novels. Now with The Director’s Cut (Revell Books), she introduces us to an actress who eventually learns she’s not the director of her own life.
A diehard fan of musical comedy, especially The Sound of Music and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, author Janice Thompson isn’t embarrassed to admit that she’s not afraid to spontaneously burst into song. If anything, she always envisions her life with a pretty fantastic backing soundtrack. And that love of musicals, complete with exquisite choreography, is something that can’t help but translate to her writing as well. Known for her light comedic voice and quirky characters, Janice loves to take her readers to “fun places” and “teach them some hard truths along the way.”
With The Director’s Cut, Janice hopes the funnier stuff will make the lessons a bit easier to swallow. Centering around the theme of relinquishing control of our lives since God’s the one in charge anyway, Janice admits that she and the somewhat headstrong protagonist, Tia Morales, share quite a bit in common.
“I hope it doesn’t sound too self-centered to confess that I patterned Tia after myself,” Janice shares. “I direct at a Christian theater here in the Houston area. Taking my place in the director’s chair comes naturally. I’m not saying that I enjoy telling people what to do—okay, maybe I am saying that—but I’m pretty good at ‘seeing’ how a scene should be acted out on the stage.”
Pulling from her theater and movie-writing experience as she crafted Tia’s character, she knew from time spent working in Hollywood that you have to be tough to get the job done.
“But I also know that directors are people, too! That’s why I worked so hard to show Tia’s vulnerable side outside of the studio,” Janice says. “We directors love being inside the studio/theater because we have some level of control inside of those walls. Outside, however … well, that’s a different story! I can’t control my offstage life any more than Tia can control hers, so that’s why this book was so fun to write—it’s a lesson that everyone can relate to!”