Nia’s tale in big screen talks

Mar 23 2008 by Sarah Manners, Wales On Sunday

WELSH author Nia Wyn is in talks with film companies about bringing her sensational first book to the big screen.

Blue Sky July tells the story of Nia’s fight to help her son Joe overcome crippling cerebral palsy.

And now the memoir, described by one newspaper as “a heartbreaking tour-de-force which is taking the literary world by storm” is in line for a top award.

It is on the 10-book strong longlist for the Wales Book of the Year 2008.

“It’s wonderful,” said Nia Wyn, who lives in Cardiff with Joe, now aged nine.

“It feels lovely for my book to be longlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2008.

“There are some great names on that list and I feel privileged to be there alongside them with my little book.”

Three film companies have now started negotiations with Nia and her publisher Seren to bring the book to the big screen.

“It’s a very personal story and I want any film to be quite true to the book,” said Nia, a former journalist.

“We’re at the very early stages of the talks, so I’ll know more in a couple of weeks.”

Blue Sky July, which originally started life in the form of Nia’s personal diary written to help her deal with her baby son’s severe disabilities, has proved a publishing sensation.

With over 14,000 copies sold in the UK, by the end of the summer it will have been published in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.

Mick Felton of Seren, said: “We’ve also sold Dutch rights and the Italian rights should be finalised in the next couple of weeks.

“Now we’re talking to three film companies, though we have to still receive all the offers and sign up with one of them.”

Blue Sky July was also Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4, Book of the Month on BBC Radio 5 Live, book of the month last October in WH Smith, and was serialised in both The Guardian and Daily Mail.

And after an appearance on This Morning with Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield, and an interview with Simon Mayo on 5 Live, the book shot up the bestseller lists, making No 21 in the Amazon chart.

sarah.manners@mediawales.co.uk