star eater

Star Eater began with a scene: the scene where Kai wakes up in Link's bed, having sleep-walked himself there. It's a ridiculous scene that you're more likely to find in shoujo manga than an urban teen fic fantasy, but there it is. A boy wakes up in the bed of his crush having no idea how he got there. Awkwardness ensues.

I didn't know the circumstances. I didn't know character names. I just had this scene to start. And then I saw Howl's Moving Castle and the soundtrack became my #1 writing music. One of the tracks is named "The Boy Who Swallowed A Star." I thought, what a fascinating idea. But I didn't want to rip off the movie and besides, I was reading a lot of Hindu myths at the time. I like this notion of a being containing a universe. What if the star wasn't as important as what was around it? What if the darkness was sentient? And I dove down an anti-matter Wikipedia hole.

I like the idea of this darkness creature subverting our typical notions of 'the dark.' Akuma is clearly not human and so he doesn't have the same morals, but he's still capable of love, protection, and affection. And really the rest of the book was an endless litany of answering questions. How do we get to that sleep walking scene? How does this boy get the star and darkness creature inside him? Well, teenagers can be dumb, but not that dumb. But what if it was a toddler... A toddler would certainly put something shiny in his mouth.
 Okay, so what would having this creature and a star inside a boy do to him? How would that affect his body? His family? His social skills? And what if it came with powers? What kind of trouble does a kid with powers and neglectful parents get in to?

Hence, Star Eater was born. The answers painted this  isolated kid who somehow managed to reach a holding pattern between his parents and his secrets, until he couldn't hold it together anymore. And how does he respond when, suddenly, other people need him?

THE cast

If I had my way, this is who'd be cast in a movie of Star Eater.

Kai Davault

Played by Ian Chen. Surprise or not, Ian is 16. One of the big parts of Kai's character is how young he looks, way younger than his age. I feel like Ian inhabits that space of appearing younger and being able to milk that.

Akuma

No one has a voice like Keith David. Hands down. Ever since his voice work in the Disney show Gargoyles, I am a huge fan. Since Akuma's character is gravelly and avuncular, Keith is perfect for that role.

link palmer

Lonnie Chavis is perfect for Link. I mean those adorable ears! Lonnie embodies the sort of gawky charm of a burgeoning heart throb, which makes him perfect for the role of love interest.

Ava Wright

Ava is, at the end of the day, sweet faced. Aubrey Anderson-Emmons has that innocent charm, which hides a more diabolical mind.

Mason Wright

Mason is a  weight of the world type of kid. He has seen the monsters from under your bed. He has fought them. And I think Gage Munroe can bring that to the role.

joseph wright

From Teen Wolf, I slated JR Bourne for the role of Joseph immediately. He can bring menace and strength in equal measure and he's so smart. Perfect for Joseph!

Mr. Palmer

I will admit now I love Adam Baldwin. Between Chuck and Firefly, the guy is just weirdly wonderful. And he can carry that military, hard-ass, yet softie quality to the character of Mr. Palmer, Link's dad.

Kai's Dad

I think Daniel Wu is super impressive. Period. His work in Into the Badlands was amazing. Though there would be no martial arts in the role of Kai's dad, I enjoyed how he played an ineffectual father figure in Into the Badlands. Plus, I'd like to see him play a character that's a but more superficial.

agent matthews

Chiwetel Ejiofor has this fantastic, grim half-smirk that reads that he is not buying the bullsh*t you are serving. Although, physically he's not a large guy, he carries with him this quiet, threatening strength that the immovable figure of Agent Matthews possesses.
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