I remember reading The Lovely Bones whilst stuck on reception at The Big W. I remember being incredibly moved and upset by it, and absolutely in awe of the writer’s ability to make me believe the story and the characters wholly and completely.

I haven’t read Push. I hadn’t even heard of Push till I read a newspaper interview with the author a week or so ago…and thought, crickey, that sounds awful…..

I’ve now seen the movie versions of both (don’t ask me how, or I expect I will end up in jail).

Precious (based on Push) is one of the most moving and upsetting films I have seen in many a moon, and I completely and wholly believed all the characters (including one played by my favourite crazy Pop Tart – Mariah Carey) and the story.

The Lovely Bones is one of the biggest disappointments ever to grace the silver screen… and I’m putting it in the same box I put PS I Love You and Confessions of a Shopaholic, two other brilliant books absolutely massacred in the movies…

I can only imagine how fabulous it must be to be a writer who’s book gets optioned (I believe that is the phrase), and then some bigwig Hollywood Producer dude promises you script approval and the like….and the royalty cheques must help with the gas bill. But, it must be like having your leg ripped off by a hungry hippo when you finally see your baby in all its post production glory at a red carpet preview screening and they’ve fucked it right up….