Filler Faves: Casting Change

There were actually two inspirations for this book.  One was some terrible query someone on Critique Circle kept flogging about a guy replacing a famous actress with an android but then for some stupid reason having the actress voice the character.  The whole thing was rife with stupid plot holes but the dummy is probably still trying to sell it.  The other inspiration was my 2002 story The Leading Men about three men who are brought together to make a superhero TV show in the 60s.

The end result is Casting Change!  In the 60s there's a producer named Gus who's recently had an expensive flop that's put him on the outs with the studios.  But he gets a chance at redemption so long as he can do one thing:  recruit his ex-wife Lizzy Siskind to star in the movie.  There's just one problem:  Lizzy is pregnant! 

There are a couple of contrivances in that he has to use Lizzy or the author of the book the movie is based on will terminate the licensing rights and also that the movie has to be made in time for Christmas.  That way Gus can't just use someone else or wait until Lizzy has the baby.

After looking at some other options, Gus is put in touch with a woman who makes a magic potion that can turn someone into an exact double of Lizzy.  Gus decides to use the potion on himself to avoid letting anyone else know about the secret.

Gus thought being a producer was hard work, but he soon realizes just how hard it is to be a famous actress in Hollywood.  Not only are there 16 hour work days, but there are events and appearances and there's also a lot of casual--and less so--sexual harassment.  So it's not exactly a picnic.

The real Lizzy coaches Gus on how to be her and in the process they start getting a lot closer.  A LOT closer.  It turns out Lizzy is such a good actress she fooled everyone--including Gus--into thinking she likes boys when in reality she likes girls a whole lot more.

Eventually Gus finishes making the movie and changes back, but he soon finds Lizzy doesn't want him back.  Not as a man.  So he decides to become a woman again, only not an exact double of Lizzy this time.  He and Lizzy still have to keep things on the down low for the sake of her career, but at least they'll be together in some way.

It's a little bittersweet, but not an unhappy ending either.  I really hoped this would do a lot better than it did because I spent a few months writing it.  At 182 pages it's actually a novel, albeit on the short side.  Unfortunately the sales weren't really all that great despite that I did giveaways on my newsletter and LibraryThing.

It's really one of those that I think people who think gender swap stories are weird might still enjoy because there's a good story at the core about two people rekindling their love with the help of some magic.  So stop being snobs and give it a chance!