When she wrote Alice, I Think, Susan Juby thought the story would make a good TV show.
While a good idea, she never really thought that would happen. The Nanaimo author was proven wrong when her popular teen novel was brought to life last Friday when Comedy Network's Alice, I Think premiered on the network. Juby held a party with friends and family and watched as her characters were seen by the nation on TV for the first time. In the fall the show will premiere on CTV.
"I'm really happy with it. I think it's hilarious," Juby said. "Most people I think like the idea of having their books have a life outside the page so it's really neat to see it take on a larger life. The books always made more sense for TV rather than film. They are episodic in nature and they lend well to that format."
She didn't write for the show but has seen episodes and has been watching since it started shooting. "As it goes further into the episodes the cast really meshes and it just gets funnier. I feel like they were really true to the spirit of the books."
The books were first published in 2000 and then re-released by an American publisher in 2003. In 2004, a production company called Slanted Wheel productions expressed interest in optioning the books for TV and in 2005 that was finalized.
"I expected that would be it," Juby said. "They would option them and I'd never hear from them again. I started getting e-mails saying it was looking good."
A screenwriter, Susin Nielson, was hired and she wrote some scripts. Based on those, CTV ordered 13 episodes of the show.
"It was just one awesome thing after another," Juby said. "Until it premiered last week, I could hardly believe it. I kept saying 'I'm not going to believe it until I get paid.' Then it was 'I'm not going to believe it until I see the set.' But now it's aired, so I have to believe it."
In the TV show, Langley steps in for Smithers where the characters live and where Juby herself grew up. Alice, I Think is about a young girl who's been home schooled by her rather eccentric parents.
When the audience meets Alice she's in therapy and about to enter regular school.
Juby visited the set a few times, once to do an interview for Vancouver magazine, another time to do a cameo on the show.
It will air in the third episode called Working Stiff. Juby laughs as she recalls her brief acting career as 'customer No. 2', who tries to buy a book from Alice when she's working in a used book store.
"It was really cool. When I visited the set they were really gracious about it," she said.
"My line is 'you do so.' I got a bit flustered and on about the 400th take I stormed out of the store and ran directly into a big light fixture. It was so embarrassing."
As for the cast, Juby said she's happy with the actors who were chosen.
"At first I was alarmed with how beautiful Alice (Vancouver actor Carly McKillip) is, she's a very beautiful girl, but she's an even better actress and I love the rest of them," she said. "I was prepared for a lot of trauma but I've been very happy so far."
Not one to rest on her laurels, Juby handed in her latest book this week to her editor. It's a different direction to be tentatively called Riding Straight and will be released next spring.
It's set in the Yellowpoint area about two young horseback riders, something Juby has become interested in. She has another book following that.
Alice, I Think airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on Comedy Network.