Zoë Foster Blake is the latest Australian author to collaborate with Made Up Stories after the production company optioned her new novel Things Will Calm Down Soon.
Published by Atlantic Books Australia at the start of this month, the story centres on Kit Cooper, a 30-year-old A-list hairstylist who is undeniably successful, yet restless.
Readers are with Kit as she decides to launch her own product and builds a brand, team, and multimillion-dollar business while single parenting, managing an unreliable partner and a dysfunctional wider family, and far too many school WhatsApp messages.
When Kit finds herself in the alien world of investors, suits, and mergers and acquisitions her relentless anxiety, imposter syndrome and head-spinning busyness begs the question of if things will ever calm down.
Papandrea, Steve Hutensky, and Katie Amos will executive produce a US-set series adaptation of the novel alongside Foster Blake.
It comes just over a week after Made Up Stories announced it was working on a series adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s newest novel Here One Moment alongside Nicole Kidman and Per Saari’s Blossom Films. The company also partnered with producer and agent Lee-Anne Higgins and Simon Baker to option Emily Perkins’ Lioness in August.
Papandrea said she continued to “be inspired to make super fun things I desperately want to see”, noting that Kit reminded her of “so many kickass women I know”.
“As a female founder, a mother, and a lover of books I knew immediately I had to bring Zoe’s brilliant, complex, and aspirational book to life as a US set TV series,” she said.
Foster Blake, whose 2014 novel The Wrong Girl became a Network 10 series, described Papandrea as a “passionate and proven champion of Australian female authors and their work”.
“I couldn’t think of anyone more suited or more formidable than Made Up Stories to bring to life the characters and world of Things Will Calm Down Soon.
“I’m delighted; I’m excited.”