If you’re here from AfterEllen, welcome. Look around. Enjoy. Take a look at the sidebar for some audio, some video, and a sampler of some of the more popular posts.

Explanation for everyone else: the nice people at AfterEllen.com have a new feature where readers write in and ask their burning dyke pop culture questions. Someone wanted to know when Aud would be a movie (ha). Here’s my answer:

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Question: Will any of Nicola Griffith’s novels be made into films?

— Amy K.

Nicola Griffith

Answer: I wish I could answer your question with an enthusiastic “Yes!” But, alas, I cannot.

I passed your question along to Griffith (Stay, Always) and here’s what she had to say:

Short answer: no. Studios don’t have the guts or smarts to make a movie with a lesbian lead, and independents don’t have the cash.

I’ve had preliminary talks with producers, with a TV network, and with several Big Name screenwriters about three of my novels, but it always comes to nothing. Hollywood doesn’t believe a woman can open a movie. And they’re positively terrified of lesbian characters. I think Aud would make an awesome franchise character–she could kick Bourne and Bond butt–but she’s that frightening beastie, a woman who, to quote a review, has not once said “Yes, sir” to the dominant paradigm. So Aud won’t be appearing at a multiplex anywhere near you (anywhere on the planet) until the studios man up. But, woo, I tell you, whoever takes the plunge will make a mint of money. The world is so very ready to watch a woman, wearing Armani and a Sig Sauer, revel in killing the bad guys and getting the girls.

So it sounds like we won’t be watching Aud seduce Angelina Jolie anytime soon — unless, of course, any of you filthy rich lesbians (paging Ellen DeGeneres!) are willing to pony up the cash.

But Griffith has a few other projects in the works:

I’m working on a massive historical novel set in 7th century Britain, what used to be called The Dark Ages but is now usually referred to as Early Medieval or The Age of Conversion. I’m keeping an occasional blog about it, see for example this post. I’m also, in response to the old-fashioned and short-sighted methods of trade publishing, forming a publishing co-op, Ozymandias. And my partner (novelist and screenwriter Kelley Eskridge) and I have just launched a new business, Humans at Work. She’s the managing partner, I’m the silent beer-providing partner .

As you would probably guess from her answers, Griffith’s blog, “Ask Nicola,” is also a very entertaining read and a great way to pose your own questions to the author. Check it out here.

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So if you do have a question, please ask it (see sidebar for how). I’ll answer anything. Mostly.

*** Edit: we’ve formed a betting pool on when the Aud movie will happen. Grand prize = appearing as an extra. I’ll think of other prizes, too (probably over beer tonight *g*) So leave a comment with your best guess… ***