Copious Notes

The screen rights to Eastern Kentucky University creative writing professor Derek Nikitas‘ novel Pyres have been optioned by Andrew Fierberg of Vox3 Films, which has produced films such as this year’s Rage starring Judi Dench and Jude Law.

Derek Nikitas. Photo from St. Martin's Press.

The 2007 novel is about a rebellious teenage girl dealing with criminal conspiracies surrounding her father’s death and the detective investigating the murder. The book was nominated for an Edgar Award, one of the top honors in mystery writing, for best first novel. The screenplay is being developed by writer and director James Ponsoldt, whose first feature film was Off the Black, a Sundance Festival official entry starring Nick Nolte.

Nikitas’ next novel, The Long Division, is coming out in November.