Vienna Resident Author David Baldacci Sees Children's Fantasy Novel Heading to the Big Screen

One of Vienna's most famous residents, best-selling author David Baldacci, will see one of his upcoming books — a fantasy novel written for children ages 9-13 — come to life on the big screen.

Sony Pictures has optioned the novel, "The Finisher," to be published March 4, 2014 by Scholastic. The fantasy novel follows 14 year-old Vega Jane, who lives in the village of Wormwood, "beyond which nothing exists except for the Quag, a forest filled with terrifying beasts," a description of the book reads.

The film will be produced by Matt Tolmach, who brought "The Amazing Spider-Man" to life.

In other Baldacci news:

The film Wish You Well, based on Baldacci's 2001 novel of the same name, will make its U.S. debut Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis at the Heartland Film Festival. Baldacci wrote the screenplay and is a co-producer of the film. The film stars Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy and Josh Lucas. The book is based on the life of Baldacci's maternal ancestors in the Appalachian hills of Virginia. 

Baldacci will attend a kick-off event for the book in Roanoke today (Thursday) for Roanoke Valley Reads. The movie was filmed last fall in nearby Giles County.

Baldacci's novel, "King and Maxwell," based on the lives of two ex-Secret Service agents and the latest in the series, will be in bookstores Nov. 19. The TNT TV series "King & Maxwell," based on the series, was canceled, after airing 10 episodes its first season this summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter and other news outlets. The show averaged about 3 million viewers per episode.

Baldacci is an international best-selling author whose first novel "Absolute Power," published in 1996, was made into a film starring Clint Eastwood. Baldacci and wife Michelle Baldacci were recognized last year by the Fairfax Library Foundation for their efforts to promote literacy.