Mainstream thriller and Hollywood script writer Andrew Klavan’s young adult “Homelanders” series has been optioned for a movie, as the April 2009 hardcover debut title, The Last Thing I Remember, is released in softcover this month.

Are you concerned that some of the faith element may be lost in the film?
“You hope it will stay true to the original, especially the theme and the ideas, but you really don’t have a lot of power. ... Summit Entertainment made the “Twilight” books (into films) that had a definite undercurrent of faith and morality, and they kept that stuff in. There is always a danger with this in Hollywood.”

With a long and successful mainstream career, what brought you to Christian publishing?
“What brought me to Christian publishing was I became a Christian myself, which I hadn’t been. I was born and raised a Jew and lived many years as an agnostic, even an atheist for a while, so it was a very slow conversion. ... So when Thomas Nelson contacted me and asked me if I was interested in working in the young-adult (genre), I just loved that, and before they finished the sentence, I said, yes, I’m interested.”

How has writing for the Christian market been for you, as your mainstream work is known for being quite gritty?
 “Working in young-adult novels, the vision tends to be a little softer anyway. I don’t deal with the same kinds of subjects with young people that I deal with for adults. It’s just not the same market, so in that way I fit in. I do sometimes feel that there is a narrowness to the Christian market that can hurt storytelling, and I’ve worked very hard to keep my stories immensely exciting, very fast-moving.”

How has coming to faith changed your writing?
“This really surprises me more than anyone. ... One of my great fears as I was struggling with the issues of faith was I didn’t want to lose my sense of realism. You can’t tell stories about life if you don’t see life as it is, in my opinion. The funny thing is that I found that embracing faith has made my view much more realistic. ... I have found that by embracing Christianity has made my worldview much more realistic ... understanding people much deeper, on the one hand, and I think much more compassionate on the other, so I have been very happy with the work I have produced since my conversion. It really has been an absolute pleasant surprise.”

For an exclusive, extended audio interview, visit the Christian Retailing book blog at www.christianretailing.com.

Dr. Don Colbert, author of the best-selling “Bible Cure” health series, turns his attention to children with this month’s release of Eat This and Live! for Kids (Siloam/Strang Book Group).

What prompted this new book?

The skyrocketing rate of obesity and obesity-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes among children are reaching epidemic proportions. As a result, today’s kids are the first generation in American history who are expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. We’re releasing this book in an effort to educate parents.

A youth pastor in Oceanside, Calif., Jim Britts is the scriptwriter for the inspirational teen drama To Save a Life, released in theaters earlier this year and available on DVD this month from Affirm Films, Sony Pictures' faith-based movie division.

How did the movie do at theaters?

"Relatively well. We were in just over 750 theaters between the U.S. and Canada for about three months total. The feedback has been unbelievable. There are 155,000 Facebook friends, and stories are still going up every day on our Web site about how the film impacted them."

What sort of stories?

"From people that shared how the film saved them from not attempting suicide or inspired them to stop cutting. There are also many people who now feel empowered to reach out to the hurting and lonely in their worlds."

Are there any extras with the DVD?

"There are several deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes video, a couple of music videos, a blooper reel and a running commentary."

What additional/ancillary resources are available?

"We made a youth curriculum that thousands of groups have used that goes along with the film. It's really based off the belief that you're never more like Jesus than when you are reaching out to the hurting and lonely. A second youth curriculum is set to come out in August as well.

"There is also an adult curriculum, "To Save a Family," that an entire church can go through using the film. We also created Devo2 Go, which comes from the movie. It's a devotional that you listen to on your mp3 player.

"There's a nonfiction book helping teens live lives where they can make a difference. Finally my wife and I wrote the novel, and a sequel novel will be coming out this October."

Any plans for a follow-up?

"Yeah, I think so. I can't tell you much except the new script is about empowering people to help orphans around the world find families to live with. We're really excited."

How do you balance film-making with pastoring young people?

"I'm learning. I love it when the two really cross over. Not only was the film great in reaching teens, but it was also the best opportunity our youth group has ever had in reaching teens. I've definitely learned that I'm a youth pastor first and then also a screenwriter/author. It's really cool to see how God loves to break the mold and have very unique callings on our lives. I love being able to share that with students and be a dream giver in their lives."

What do you think of the Christian resources for teens that are on the market?

"There are some great ones. I really believe that if a teen isn't in love with the church and in love with the Word of God by the time they graduate, then they are probably a goner once they are done with high school. We need to keep creating ways for students to read the Bible on their own and get connected with the whole church."