Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures is negotiating a deal in the $700,000 range to acquire screen rights to Daughter Of Smoke and Bone, the Laini Taylor novel that was published late September by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers. There has been heightened interest in the book among studios–I’ve heard two others made bids–because of the potential for a big scale, visual effects-driven fantasy film that can connect with a young audience. The protagonist is a 17-year old art student who is sent by her awful father on travels across the globe to collect teeth for an unspecified but creepy purpose. This leads her to an encounter with an angel and revelations about her family that lead her into adventures involving otherworldly beings. The deal’s not done, but the book’s being brokered by Jane Putch (who’s attached as exec producer) and attorney Peter Nelson.