Richard Price is one of our premier novelists. Since his publication of his first novel in the mid 1970's entitled The Wanderers, he has given readers masterpieces of the urban genre, inspired by his Bronx upbringing and his commitment to the realities and the eccentricities of the American landscape, its "rages, dislocations, furies, and yearnings." His other novels include Clockers (made into a movie), Freedomland (currently in production and starring Samuel L. Jackson as Lorenzo Council and Julianne Moore as Brenda Martin and directed by Joe Roth).

His most recent novel is Samaritan, another ethical urban masterpiece. An online review may be found at Salon.com. Again, Price does not shurk the responsibilities of an American novelist to deal with the problems, psyche and absurdities of our times.

Richard Price's screenplays include Clockers, Sea of Love, Ransom, the Color of Money, and Shaft, among others. He is a National Book critics Award nominee and Academy Award Nominee. He has written for the New York Times and Esquire.

Any novelist seeking to write for film should read his novels. Also "read" his films. They are both very teachable for any class in scriptwriting and/or novel writing. His interviews in which he discusses novels and films can be found online at Salon.com and at the Randomhouse website devoted to his novel Freedomland.

Turning novels into films or films into novels? Think Richard Price.

Susan Shaw is a freelance writing of web content, including the subjects of film, business, and science. Susan Shaw manages the following film-oriented website, Film Financing, http://www.filmfinancing.myeweb.com and has an online bookstore.