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CASTING CALL FOR ZOE GUSTAVES???

This window poster of The Identity Factor's action hero, Zoë Gustaves, stopped the chairman of a Hollywood film studio in his tracks in Los Angeles recently and he went in and bought a copy of James's novel then and there. Does this mean a film deal is in the making? "Not yet," says James. "And I emphasize 'yet' because we're hoping that changes."

Hollywood assessor, Joyce Irvine, who critiques novels for the William Morris Agency, called the book 'very cinematic.' Film producer Kristin Overn (Americanizing Shelley), called The Identity Factor "a film that needs to be made." James met Kristin recently in Los Angeles at the atmospheric El Compadre Mexican cantina on Sunset Boulevard to discuss the book.

"I've always wanted to write the film adaptation of my novel," says James, "but wanting and doing are two different things. Kristin was aware that I knew the mechanics of screenwriting as I had already written three scripts, one of which placed high in several U.S. and Canadian competitions. So when she asked if I could get her an adaptation in ninety days, I rather glibly said that I could. That's when she stuck out her hand and said, 'Then let's shake on it: you'll send me the script in ninety days.' I gulped and realized she wasn't kidding. She actually wanted a script of The Identity Factor in 90 days!

I stared at her hand for a moment then finally shook it. 'Good,' she said, raising her glass. 'Let's toast. After all, we're drinking El Compadre's flaming margaritas, and they're serious business. Just like writing a good script is serious business." She then explained several key elements that she likes to see in a good script - and Kristin has seen literally thousands come across her desk.

"No passive protagonists," she said, "and I can't emphasize that enough, although in Zoë's case, that's probably not going to be a problem. She is anything but passive! Your main concern is streamlining and condensing three hundred and seventy pages of the powerful novel you've written into 120 pages of dynamic script that will ultimately bring this unique story to the screen. Think you can do it?"

I took a deep breath and raised my glass. "See you in ninety days."

So... any guesses what I'll be doing in my cave for the next three months???

Speaking about his life as a smuggler and courier behind the old Iron Curtain and how these experiences inspired him to write espionage and geopolitical thrillers, James addressed an exclusive breakfast crowd on May 27 at the 60th annual NAFSA convention in Washington, D.C. "As an American living in Adelaide, James was a natural," says Denise von Wald, Chief Executive of Education Adelaide. "We did an Oprah Winfrey style of interview, as well as furnished guests with complimentary copies of James's latest thriller, The Identity Factor."

According to the NAFSA website (www.nafsa.org), NAFSA "was founded in 1948 as the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers to promote the professional development of American college and university officials responsible for assisting and advising the 25,000 foreign students who had come to study in the United States after World War II." Over the years, NAFSA has grown into an international organization of educational advisers. "We were in Washington to showcase Adelaide as an educational destination," says Ms von Wald, "and with James being a dual American-Australian citizen who has traveled and researched his novels both here and abroad, we wanted him to speak about some of his experiences, as well as share why he chooses to call Adelaide home."

This was followed over the course of two afternoons with sell-out wine tasting events featuring award-winning Jacob's Creek wine. Last year's guest speaker from Adelaide was astronaut Andy Thomas.

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For an e-brochure (pdf) on James as an author and speaker, click HERE.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: THE IDENTITY FACTOR SCOOPS FINALIST AWARD IN PRESTIGIOUS 2008 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS!

"What makes the Indie Book Awards so unique is the attention - and cash prizes - they are putting into helping the best independently-published books get the recognition and promotional exposure they deserve," says James. "Not only will they be showcasing these books at the huge Book Expo America in Los Angeles, but winners and selected finalists will be reviewed by New York agent, Marilyn Allen, of the Allen O'Shea Literary Agency. Ms Allen has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience, including serving as Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher and Director of Marketing for Harper Collins and directing sales and marketing teams for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books and Avon Books. Ms. Allen has worked with many best-selling authors, including Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Gray, Mary Higgins Clark and others. To visit the Next Generation Indie Book Awards website, click HERE.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA: THE IDENTITY FACTOR EARNS TOP PLACE FINALIST AWARD IN 2008 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE BOOK AWARDS

"To say this is satisfying is an understatement," says James. "Over and over, I hear how trends in fiction have changed, that geopolitical thrillers are out and suburban thrillers are in. So when I received news from NIEA director Ellen Reid that The Identity Factor had been honored with a finalist award, I was jumping up and down. With so many thousands of novels being published these days, to have my book score this high against such heavy competition is fantastic. I think it's time to party!" To visit the National Indie Excellence Awards website, click HERE.

TITUSVILLE, NEW JERSEY: THE IDENTITY FACTOR RECEIVES TOP 10% FINALIST DISTINCTION IN 2008 ERIC HOFFER BOOK AWARD

"I was thrilled to receive this award," James says. "The Eric Hoffer Award was created to honor the best books from independent publishers, especially those with political themes that the big publishers tend to avoid. LA's the Place online magazine summed up both my excitement and my frustration with my book's outspoken political theme: 'This book is definitely a "must read," ironically for the same reason it was rejected back in 2001 after the attack on the Twin Towers: it's Middle Eastern theme. The book... has heart, provokes thought, and inspires - all while taking you on an unforgettable, high-velocity ride of sheer enjoyment.' "

Hoffer Award founder Christopher Klim, a university journalism instructor, explains: "The award was named for Eric Hoffer, a self-taught American author who was blind until the age of fifteen. Hoffer embodies the American spirit to transform from nothing and achieve greatness. His books are still sold and translated all over the world."

In an interview with Library Juice, Klim states he started the award because he realized "none of the major awards even consider small press and independent books. This is the purpose of the award: to bring these books and authors to light. Books can be from small, academic, and micro presses, as well as self-published authors. Many are undisciplined, but many are brillliant." Speaking to the notion that mainstream publishers shun books with political themes outside their perceived narrowminded constraints, Klim says: "I've met intelligent people around the country with developed book concepts that range from political to corporate issues but were deemed 'too controversial' by the big publishers and were therefore squashed. I know for a fact that Manhattan agents are perusing our winners for potential publication with a larger press." For more information visit www.hofferaward.com.

JAMES INTERVIEWED IN HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE, ARTIST INTERVIEWS

Attracting over one million visitors per month, the glamorous Artist Interviews Magazine is one of the first online magazines to hit the internet. The winner of seven international awards, "AI" recently featured an in-depth interview with James about the various life experiences that influenced him both as a person and a writer. To read the interview, click HERE and scroll down to the photo icon of James, which will link you to the interview.

LOS ANGELES: G'DAY USA A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!

Says James: "Wendy and I had an awesome time at The Mystery Bookstore signing in Westwood Village (see my special G'day USA website at http://www.australia-week.com/la_events/la_turner.html). Many people who were not able to attend ordered copies of The Identity Factor by mail. Thank you! And a special thanks to those of you who braved those LA freeways in order to come to the first G'day USA satellite event ever for an author. Meeting you (and getting your e-mails) is what makes this writing journey worthwhile."

I also met Terri Irwin in the hotel gym. We got to talking and she said she would love to read a copy of my book. Okay, so maybe she accepted a copy to get rid of the blubbering, sweaty guy annoying her on the treadmill, but when we met again later that night at the gala, she flagged me down and said, "Mate, I am so excited about your book. I cannot wait to read it." She then gave me a kiss on the cheek and invited Wendy and me to visit her in Brisbane. Terri Irwin. Pure class.

We also met Olivia Newton-John -- whose singing that night was absolute magic -- plus the gorgeous and talented Melissa George and the legendary John Travolta. Harrison Ford was there to present the "Excellence in Film Award" to Phillip Noyce, who - in addition to directing a raft of fabulous Australian films - directed Ford in screen adaptations of two of Tom Clancy's novels. Pop singers Kylie Minogue and Christine Anu were also there, as was the Qantas choir, the amazing Pembroke orchestra (from Adelaide), Australia's great former cricket captain Steve Waugh, professional golfer Ian Baker Finch, and the dynamic host of Australian Idol and Take40.com - Andrew G. Last year's sellout crowd event honored actors Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts, and the late Steve Irwin. Music was by The Veronicas.

Along with its New York counterpart, G'day USA Los Angeles has become one of the premier social and promotional events of the year, reaching a worldwide audience of 400,000,000.

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While in Los Angeles, I was especially excited to meet up again with Peter Rocca, director of the film adaptation of my previous novel, The Second Thirteen. There are still some hurdles to clear, but things are lookin' very encouraging.

By far the most memorable part of this trip, however, was spending time with Ally - Alexandria Elizabeth Turner - my captivating and incredibly beautiful granddaughter, who just turned one. What a gorgeous little pistol! She is definitely my #2 girl.

Thank you, Bill Rich, of Bill Rich Photography, for not only opening your home to us, but for your fantastic photos (Bill is a renowned, award-winning photographer in Los Angeles, whose lens has captured the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Voight, and more. Check out his websites at www.therichimage.com and www.billrichphotography.com). And a very special thanks to Qantas and Jacob's Creek, for helping make this extraordinary trip so... extraordinary.

LOS ANGELES -- AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR PETER ROCCA ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO HIS SCREEN ADAPTATION OF JAMES'S ACCLAIMED ESPIONAGE NOVEL, THE SECOND THIRTEEN

"Originally set in Miami, the screenplay will now be set in Sydney, to be more in line with the novel and take advantage of the wonderful financial incentives being offered by the Australian Film Commission. We would never have known about these incentives had not James introduced us at last year's G'day LA." Now in active negotiations with a funding and distribution company, Rocca hopes to shoot the film both in Australia and Italy.

Having worked on the film, The Italian Job, Rocca - a former stuntman - speaks fluent Italian and loves Italian food. When asked if he is daring enough to try Turner's homemade pizza, he quips: "I love living on the edge but that's pushing it. He keeps telling me that charcoal's supposed to have health benefits but I'm not convinced." (Click HERE to read the interview with Peter, where he talks about working on the hit TV show, 24.)

Kansas-born, Adelaide-based novelist James Houston Turner celebrates his second chance at life 16 years after his cancer operation. Not many people have two birthdays, but acclaimed fiction author James Houston Turner has been receiving “sweet sixteen” birthday wishes from all over the world via his MySpace site. The “sweet sixteen” actually refers to Turner’s 1991 cancer operation, where doctors at Australia’s Royal Adelaide Hospital cut out half of his jaw bone in order to excise a malignant tumor the size of an orange. They then fashioned him a new jaw bone out of hip bone, grafted skin and vessels from his arm into his mouth, where teeth and gums used to be, took muscles and arteries from his other arm to reconstruct his face, then grafted skin from his thigh back onto his arm.

"I feel a bit like a Legos man," he says: "interchangeable parts." Turner was told if he lived eighteen months, he would probably live to be 100. “After 16 years, I am happy to report I am well on my way toward that goal!” Turner exclaims. But it has not been an easy battle. “I thought I had been given a death sentence,” Turner recalls about being told he had cancer. “To make matters worse, when the cancer specialist in San Diego found out that we didn’t have health insurance, he simply walked out of the room, leaving me alone in the examination chair... (Click HERE to read article in its entirety.)


1991. Diagnosis: cancer. The tumor in James's jaw was the size of an orange.	James was told, "If you live 18 months, you will probably live to be 100..."	James as he looks now.

JAMES HOUSTON TURNER FEATURED IN DELTA TAU DELTA FRATERNITY MAGAZINE, RAINBOW

James has been featured several times in Rainbow magazine. Other featured Delts included bestselling authors Richard North Patterson and Forrest Gump's Winston Groom. James has also been featured as a Delt living abroad in the "Global Delts" issue, and he was quoted on the cover: "Like the view of Earth from Space, the view of America from afar is spectacular." An article in "Books by Brothers" mentions James's current film option with The Second Thirteen and his upcoming launch of The Identity Factor as part of the prestigious G'day USA festivities in Los Angeles. Other featured Delts include Drew Carey, Matthew McConaughey, Will Ferrell, David Schwimmer, James Marsden, Academy Award winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan ("Traffic"), and football legends John Elway and Gene Washington.