The book is incredible. It had never happened to me but I couldn't let it go. Once I started reading, I was hooked. Seeing a futuristic world from Lana's point of view was amazing. She's such a calm character, like water, but she can also be a storm and be quite dangerous. I loved seeing her grow, evolve and discover her own limits. I loved seeing her become stronger and be a hero.

There were many cliché, typical of any dystopia. Although I do appreciate, as Ella said, that it wasn't set in the United States, that they were very aware of what caused the doom of previous civilisation and actually remember it to avoid making the same mistakes. It has such a strong message to raise environmental awareness, being one with nature, respecting it, giving back. I also love that the main character isn't sixteen for once in a while.

Lana is a very observant character and it makes her perfect for the first book, because from what I know, the second is from Rony's Point of view, a character that is introduced in the first and is friends with Lana and of course, Sasha. The romance is there but it is not essential and they don't even end up together in the first book, keeping the tension for later which is amazing, I think.

I just loved it. All of it. And I need to talk to someone!

I finished the book at three in the morning. I'm a slow reader as I don't have practice, but I still wake up early and rush to the bookshop. Sadly, Ella is not in the shop and the owner tells me she has morning classes and I could find her later.

I go to work but I'm on my toes the whole day, dying to talk about the book with someone. Is this how readers feel? It's exciting but also exhausting. It's so much more than watching films because I'm hours invested in the story, imagining everything in my mind, so many details that can't be in a film and I can close the book, scream against my pillow and then continue reading without missing anything. The book waits for me even when I look away because there was some noise.

Oh boy, I can't believe I've been missing this for so long.

"Miss Tachibana, are you all right?"Teru asks me when he notices me spacing out in the office.

Father's office is big, clean and sterile. The biggest and most notorious thing is the wall covered in books. Father keeps them all here, where they belong because they are his work.

"Teru-kun,"I call him. "How many times have I asked you not call me Miss Tachibana? you've known me since I was in my nappy."

"My apologies, Mis-Mulan-Ann."I finally smile and nod when he refers to me properly. I really dislike when people call me by my name.

I chuckle at my own silliness. Teru has worked alongside Father since he started the company and he is almost like an uncle to me, but Teru is too professional at work. If there's someone who can put personal life and work apart, that is Teru. Teru is also ten years younger than Father, same monolid eyes with a severe expression, but his brown eyes are kind and generous, also loyal and wise. Contrary to my father, Teru wasn't born in England, he moved when he was ten with his family so he has a bit of an accent that is more evident when he is stressed. I trust him more than anyone else in this company, but I also know he is aware I'm not ready to be here, taking such responsibility and he wants Father to come back.

"I'm fine, just thinking of the book and exactly how it would be better. It is such a rich book and the landscape is crucial. Also the characters. We need to cast the perfect actors for the three main characters. People who can really capture the essence of these,"I ramble, going in my mind over all the characteristics provided by the writer about the characters, and then thinking of which actors could be good for the part so we can send them the script and try to get them interested in auditioning. "Have you read the book, Teru-kun?"I question him.

"I have,"he replies and I sigh.

"Do you have someone in mind? Someone we should contact and send the script to, trying to convince them,"I muse and Teru thinks about it for a few seconds.

"I do have some suggestions, but we should discuss them with the casting team. The official casting will take place next week, and if you have some suggestions, you should make them soon,"Teru reminds me and I nod.

I know of so many actors and actresses that would do amazing for this project and I'm writing down the names to discuss them in the next meeting, once we have the script which should happen tomorrow. However, I still can't come up with suggestions for the three main characters, that contrary to all clichés do not make a love triangle, although I do seem some appeal in the idea of Rony and Sasha getting together.

Did I mention that in Typhoon relationships are not delimitated by gender? Homosexuality is equally accepted as heterosexuality and no one even notices it. Rony is in a relationship with another boy and that isn't an issue at all, it is portrayed as normal as breathing and no, no one has a problem with that. At all. Wonderful, isn't it?

"Maybe we should talk to the author and ask her if she imagined her characters as some actor in particular? She hasn't mentioned anything about it, right?"I know she hasn't, but I want to make sure. What I last heard is that she completely makes her characters in her mind because actors are too perfect and real people aren't like them so the moment one visualises the characters as certain actor, they lose realism.

I agree but now it frustrates me.

"No, she has not but we can ask her again. Perhaps since the movie deal she has thought of some adequate actors for her characters."

"Please, do that,"I ask him, rubbing my temples because I start to have a headache.

Teru leaves me alone in the office and I decide that if I keep trying to come up with some actors, I'll just get a migraine. If don't have to do anything, then Father won't be proud of me or the rest of the people in the company won't accept me. I really want to do this well. Especially after reading the book. I don't want to produce a poor adaptation. I don't want to disappoint a fan.

Maybe Ella has suggestions. She read it before, she's had time to think about this.

I still have some hours to go, so I start to do research on the possible locations for the film. It would be ideal to go to South America to shoot as the book is set in that continent. But transporting all the crew there and then coming back is too troublesome. If it were a few scenes, maybe, but we will spend a few months in this location for what the preliminary reports say. New Zealand has amazing landscapes. If we decide to do the whole film in one of those places, then we would have to find or assemble a whole set there for the start when we already have the facilities here. I look for places in Ireland but everything looks so Irish, it would be evident. Then I decide to do more research on Glencoe and it seems like the best and closest option we have. I can actually see some of the places exactly how described in Typhoon.

I spend the rest of the afternoon making calls and doing more research before I can finally go home. On my way I go over some portfolios of actors, seeing suggestions and pondering them. I ask Father's driver, Aaron, to drop me by the bookshop, hoping to find Ella this time.

I heave a relieved sigh when I see her.

"Ann! Nice to see you again,"she exclaims when she sees me again. "Did you finish the book?"

"Yes!"I reply in her same excited tone, so glad that I can finally talk about it with someone. It would be weird to discuss it with Teru. He's so...calm. I bet he would be Water bound. "I came looking for you in the morning but I was told you had classes."

"Oh yeah, I juggle between classes and my work, and mostly because I love it in here, not because I need it. It's just...so soothing to be here among books. I can even study and it is never that busy so I can do it."

"That's remarkable. Are you done for today? I thought I could treat you to dinner or a coffee if you like, so we can discuss the book? I've bene choking the whole day!"

Ella laughs, probably understanding the feeling and then watches her mobile to know the time. "I finish in ten. Can you wait?"I nod. "Do you want the second book, by the way? The third hasn't come out but it will soon and I am dying."

"Yes please!"

So Ella sells me the second book and as I wait for her, I start reading and if it weren't because Ella tells me she's done, I would've stayed there all night reading. I love Rony even more and it's only been three chapters.

We go to the caféElla sent me the day before and I buy coffee and macaroons for the two of us. We start talking immediately.

"Did you love it? What did you think of the whole bonding?"

"I thought it was really cool and I loved the fact that it wasn't connected to some test or ritual at sixteen like in most dystopias, you know? That they join the Earth Forces when they feel ready is great. I love that some do it at twelve and others at twenty-five. It is not forced,"I ramble and Ella can't wipe the smile from her face.

"I know! But you have to finish Wildfire and you'll realise there's so much more. I love that you don't get the full picture of the conspiracy behind the utopia in the first book. And that the Element Bond people are born with it reminds me of Graceling, did you read that?"I shake my head. "Oh you must, I bet you'll love it, too."

"I feel you'll recommend me more books than I can keep up with,"I say and she laughs but doesn't deny it.

We keep talking about the book, about those things that caught our attentions and the symbolism we think they have. The metaphors and imagery. The characters and their evolutions. We spend hours there, just talking and I think I haven't had a good time like this in so long.

Yes, in school I had some friends but they were more like people I got along with because we spend most time together but we weren't really friends. I could never connect with them and I haven't even missed them. I never hung out with them outside school like I'm doing with Ella. We never had fun like this or talked too gleefully and oblivious to the tick of the clock.

My mobile goes off, reminding me that I have obligations and that I have to go back home. I actually don't want to part ways, we didn't even discuss all I had in mind. But I need to go, I have an important meeting tomorrow first thing in the morning, which reminds me...

"Ella?"I call when we're waiting for a taxi for Ella. I've called Aaron to pick me up. "Do you have someone in mind for the characters? I fail at imagining who could play Lana, Rony and Sasha,"I confess and she thinks about it.

"Hhmm..."she mumbles. "There's a model that reminds me of Lana, but she's blond and Lana is described with black hair and water eyes. Zoe Miller,"she says and there's a sad look in her eyes. "For Rony...he is described to have dark skin and fire eyes. I really don't have someone for him, I always imagined my own version of Rony. For Sasha...hmmm...do you know this actor that's like becoming super famous? Gareth Maddox?"

"The Ice Prince?"I ask and Ella laughs. It's not me calling him that, the media gave him that nickname. I'm still not sure why.

"That one. I think he could play a good Sasha. And he fits the description."

I doubt it. Sasha is such a joyful, playful, stable and optimistic character. He is Earth Bound. Gareth Maddox is cold, arrogant and distant. How could he play someone so different from himself? I doubt he is that good of an actor.

"Watch his latest film. You'll understand why I think he's good,"Ella says and I realise she's read my expression, she knows I'm questioning her judgment. "Oh, taxi!"she calls next and before the vehicle stops she turns to smile at me. "It was so nice talking to you. When you get some free time call me, okay? Or if you need someone to discuss Wildfire with you. You've got my number! Bye!"

I wave at her and see her getting in the taxi and then getting away. I guess I have homework to do tonight.

__________________________

Hello! I'm sorry for not updating before, I went to Lollapalooza and couldn't make time to edit the chapter and post it. Gomen! (Means sorry in Japanese)

1) For those really happy about Ella and that are imagining some story with Niall and they getting together and all that... go back to Call Me Ella and read the epilogue. These books are connected, I won't change the context and events from the previous books.

2) Also, Ann lives in Oxford. Ella studies in Oxford. This bookshop is in Oxford. In Brave Bold Belle, Liam and Belle see Ella in a antique shop in London. It's not the same place.

3) Typhoon is an idea I had long ago and I never thought I was going to write it because I don't think I can. But as I write IJA I want to try and write it. I don't know if I will, but there's a possibility.

You can follow me on twitter @BelWatson

And dedication to the previous best comment: @Spaghettinni

Bel, xx