About the Author:
Books and Films
Welcome! Browse around and have fun. This isn't your normal website.
COUNTING IN DOG YEARS AND OTHER SASSY MATH POEMS
"Rollicking verses on numerous topics...Readers can count on plenty of chuckles."—Kirkus
Order from your favorite bookstore or from the links below:
bookshop.org
amazon
I wrote the screenplay, and I'm working on the novel, for THENA, a film in post-production. Thena is from the suburbs of Silicon Valley but because of her choices, she ends up in a group of homeless youth in the Haight in San Francisco. Her desperate brother comes looking for her.
Metamorphosis Junior Year, an Elysium Bandini film based on my novel, was at the Mill Valley Film Festival. It was named one of top 11 must-see films in the San Jose Mercury News!
WELCOME
My site is more like a collage than most, because that's the way my mind works and because my career has been unconventional, unpredictable, and exciting. I'm the author of over 80 published titles. My books include fiction, YA, picture books, and poetry collections.
So far, I've written a screenplay for each of my novels. I'm very happy to say that NAKED has been optioned for film, and THE ART OF LOVE is in post-production.
I was screenwriting mentor for the film METAMORPHOSIS, JUNIOR YEAR, based on my novel and my script from the sold-out play. For the film, I was thrilled to collaborate with my sons James and Tom Franco, producer Iris Torres, and a team of gifted young filmmakers. The film was shown at a number of venues, including the San Jose Cinequest and Mill Valley film festivals and was chosen as one of the top ten films by the San Jose Mercury News for both festivals.
I am very lucky to be able to collaborate with my sons. I worked with my son James Franco on several film projects. I also acted in James' film Broken Tower and played his mother on General Hospital. My son Tom Franco illustrated my novels and has co-produced films with me. I can always rely on my son Dave Franco to help me with my novels and screenplays, and he and James read the audiobook for Metamorphosis, Junior Year.
I am constantly inspired by the fearless creativity of my sons.
FILM BASED ON MY NOVEL METAMORPHOSIS, JUNIOR YEAR
The film METAMORPHOSIS, JUNIOR YEAR, based on my novel, was shown at the Mill Valley and San Jose Cinequest Film Festivals.
I worked with my sons James and Tom, producer Iris Torres, cinematographer Christina Voros, and a team of ultra talented film students and actors.
High school artist, Ovid, is the main character in Metamorphosis, Junior Year.
Ovid admires Mei for being so strong and rebellious, like his runaway sister, Thena, whom he desperately misses.
MY YA NOVEL, METAMORPHOSIS, JUNIOR YEAR
My first YA novel, METAMORPHOSIS, JUNIOR YEAR, was published by Candlewick Press. My sculptor son Tom is the illustrator, and my actor sons, James and Dave, read the audio version!
"The cool teen narrator, Ovid, may be on Facebook or texting his high-school friends in northern California, but he also recognizes the parallels between his life and classical mythology..." - Booklist
"Ovid captures it all in his private notebook filled with prose entries in realistic teenspeak, beautifully crafted poems that provide a back story and surreal black-line illustrations that the author's son reworked from his own high-school notebooks..." - Kirkus Review
My artist son Tom Franco started painting early. Now he is the illustrator of my novels and his art is on the cover of NAKED.
Tom Franco's illustration for the chapter called "Slam Dunk" in my YA novel, Metamorphosis, © Tom Franco
MY NOVEL NAKED
I'm thrilled to tell you that my novel NAKED, which takes place in Stanford's Rodin Sculpture Garden and brings sculptor Camille Claudel back to life, was acquired by Gallery (Simon & Schuster). This is my first novel for an adult audience.
My son Tom Franco created the image for the cover and interior drawings of sculptures by Rodin and Camille Claudel. Drawing copyright Tom Franco.
"The Time Traveler's Wife meets Midnight in Paris"
--San Jose Mercury News
"a seamless blend of fiction, biography, and contemporary culture"
-- Publisher's Weekly
NAKED NOVEL FILM NEWS
Betsy Franco's book NAKED was optioned by producer Todd Traina of Traina Productions/Red Rover Films.
“We are thrilled to be working with Betsy Franco, who is a multi-talented novelist. Everyone who has taken a look at NAKED so far has been deeply moved and feels that a film version would captivate audiences with its combination of unique characters, intelligence and magic realism.” (Todd Traina, Traina Productions/Red Rover Films)
WOMEN IN THE ARTS EVENT
The Women in the Arts event, to honor Camille Claudel, the protagonist of NAKED, was electric, and I'm pleased that so many people attended. People are still telling me about spring-offs and collaborations as a result of the evening.
Check out my Camille Claudel Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/1TVAacq.
SHORT FILM BASED ON A TOBIAS WOLFF NOVEL
I directed my acting-on-film students in a short film I wrote, Old School Confessions, Then & Now. It screened at a wonderful event honoring Tobias Wolff. My film was based on his novel, Old School.
Photo from Old School Confessions: Then & Now. The film includes real confessions from contemporary high school students.
SELECTED PICTURE BOOKS
My third book with the marvelous illustrator Michael Wertz!
"A dazzling compilation of concrete poetry that highlights marine life, this book lives up to its title."
– School Library Journal
Zero is...the kites in the sky once the wind stops blowing. 0 kites.
"Like Franco's Mathematickles, this is another fine addition to the growing number of books that make math concepts both enjoyable and memorable."- School Library Journal
"Zero is absolutely brilliant!" - Valerie Lewis, Hicklebee's Bookstore
On Kirkus' list of best books of 2009, Northern California Independent Booksellers Award for best illustrated, nominated for the Northern California Book Award
A Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Winner!
The book was inspired by my cat muses, Frida and Jada.
"To my mind, Franco really has a keen sense of how to make a poem interesting and like nothing you’ve ever encountered in a children’s poetry book before."
- Fuse8, School Library Journal
NCTE Notable Poetry Book of 2009
Starred review in School Library Journal: "This follow-up to A Curious Collection of Cats (Tricycle, 2009) is dazzling indeed. Each of the 34 poems features a different animal, most of them engaged in true dog behavior. Overall, a delight for kids, their adults, and maybe even their beloved canine companions"
This book is fun to read aloud because it's school poems for two voices.
"...fresh and dynamic...steady rhythm and a sense of humor...playful tone." --Horn Book
"A cheeky romp through elementary school children's academic and social lives..." --Kirkus
On Booklist's list of lasting books of 2009
"In this evocative picture book, Franco guides readers through one possible food chain..." Horn Book
"Franco's words scan with an irresistible beat that will invite participation..." Booklist
MONOLOGUES FOR TEENS
My new book on amazon. Help spread the word to teen actors and drama teachers. www.21monologues.com
Are you looking for a 1 to 2 minute monologue, or do you know someone who is? I wrote the monologues, James filmed them for an art installation, and Tom designed the cover.
Teens in high school and college have already landed parts using the pieces! Perfect for a holiday gift!
PLAYS AND FILMS
I had a peak experience when Judge Luckey, The Teen Arts Council, and The Palo Alto Children's Theater staged my play of my novel, Metamorphosis, Junior Year. I used feedback from the teens who workshopped scenes from the play. The set included animated visuals of my son Tom's drawings.
As an added bonus, my son James produced a documentary of the making of the play. I love teens, and the whole experience was very dynamic and collaborative. James even mentioned the novel on Jay Leno--they got some good laughs out of it.
I was lucky enough to write two other plays and produce and direct two short films as artist in residence at the Children's Theatre.
My short with Vin Misra, FACEOFF: TYRANNY VS RESISTANCE, was in the Palo Alto International Film Festival. It consisted of monologues written and performed by Gunn students. The novel In the Time of the Butterflies inspired the monologues.
The Teen Arts Council produced three successful staged readings of my new play, "Irrepressible," at the Palo Alto Children's Theatre.
"Breakfast Club meets A Chorus Line" is how I describe it.
Censored and other one acts was a hoot to write. Directorial debut of Leah Bleich. I had a great time acting in one of the one-acts, too.
My son Tom and I are going to host more open mics for teens. I'll keep you posted. We had a wonderful event and open mic at Hicklebee's Books.
IMPROV AND ACTING
I dove into comedy for a while-writing and acting in SNL-type sketches with a comedy troupe, Suburban Squirrel, which was an offshoot from my Stanford drama class. My son James even mentioned us on Letterman--twice! We gave two performances, one on stage and the sequel on film. And...Judd Apatow's crew came over to film a comic video I wrote. It was so much fun, I'm moving to LA to become an actor...just kidding. But, honestly, it did get me a Hollywood audition, which James also mentioned on Letterman. Some people have asked about that: I didn't get the part but had an amazing time doing it. I was the crazy mother in James' film Broken Tower, and I played his crazy mother on General Hospital. I was also in an episode of The Deuce.
I took Acting on Film with Marty Pistone at Stanford, Acting on Stage with Kay Kostopoulos, and Improv with Melanie Chartoff. All my classes help me with my acting and writing. I ended up teaching Acting on Film at the Palo Alto Children's Theatre.