Exploring Creativity, Resilience, And The Journey From Screen To Page
Shannon Bradley-Colleary discusses her inspirations, challenges in adapting To The Stars, and the importance of friendship, genre exploration, and creative freedom in her multifaceted career.
Shannon Bradley-Colleary is a storyteller whose career defies easy categorisation. From her early days as a dancer for INXS at the VMAs to her memorable role in Revenge of the Nerds III, she has always embraced creativity in its many forms. Yet, it is her transition to screenwriting and authorship that has truly cemented her place as a versatile and compelling voice in the arts.
Her film To The Stars, which premiered at Sundance in 2019, is a poignant exploration of friendship and resilience set against the backdrop of 1961 Kansas. The film’s success, including its international debut at Karlovy Vary and distribution by Samuel Goldwyn Films, is a testament to her ability to craft narratives that resonate deeply with audiences. Beyond the screen, Shannon has published five books, ranging from novelisations of her films to adaptations of her widely celebrated blog, The Woman Formerly Known As Beautiful.
In this interview, Shannon opens up about the inspirations behind her work, the challenges of adapting stories across mediums, and the importance of friendship and self-expression in her writing. She also shares insights into her experience working with Heather Locklear on the Lifetime movie Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story and offers invaluable advice for aspiring writers navigating the complexities of genre and creativity.
Join us as we delve into the mind of a writer who continues to push boundaries, challenge conventions, and inspire through her art.
What inspired you to write “To The Stars” and set it in 1961 Kansas?
I was initially approached by my dear producer friend, Peter (Pierre) Fox, to contribute to a film triptych set on a farm—a concept born entirely from Pierre’s access to a free farm location. The project was structured around the stages of life: one story for Youth, another for Middle Age, and the final for Old Age. I was tasked with writing the Youth segment.
As it happened, my maternal grandmother grew up on a farm in Wakeeney, Kansas, raised by Czech immigrants (romantically referred to as Bohemians) in the early 1900s.
Through family stories and perhaps osmosis, I absorbed the essence of farm life: the resilience needed to endure harsh weather and an arid, often desolate landscape, alongside the profound joys and trials of growing up in an isolated, Bible-steeped community. I chose 1961 because it was certainly a time when the character, Maggie Richmond, would have found herself in dire circumstances.
The tryptich film was never produced, but during my time at the UCLA Masters Program in Screenwriting, I grew my 30-page story into a feature-length film that eventually found its way to Sundance.
What was the most challenging part of adapting “To The Stars” into a novel?
The transition was surprisingly challenging. In To The Stars, the characters’ secret lives and hidden truths must unfold gradually, catching the audience off guard when finally revealed. Maintaining this level of mystery in a novelization proved difficult, as the format often delves deeply into characters’ inner thoughts. To preserve the element of surprise, I introduced a narrator in the novel—a perspective absent from the film—who could withhold key details from the reader until the climactic moments.
Can you share more about the themes of friendship and societal pressure in your work?
I’m a child of divorce and at a pivotal time, around age nine, I was entering my third school within an 11-month period. I was in a fairly vulnerable state, and it was at this time I met my lifelong friends, Kelly and Viv. The two of them were also going through difficulties at home. We somehow found each other, perhaps drawn unconsciously together by shared inchoate pain. We developed a deep bond that helped us thrive. So, friendship is an essential part of the writing I do because, for me, my family of choice helped me manage the challenges with my family origin.
How do you balance writing memoirs, self-help books, and fiction? How has your personal blog influenced your career as an author and screenwriter? (Note: I combined the two questions above because they have a similar answer.)
Aside from To The Stars, all of my books originated from my personal blog, The Woman Formerly Known as Beautiful. For about eight years, the blog was my primary creative outlet. Writing two to three posts weekly gave me the freedom to explore a wide range of topics. Once I felt I’d fully explored a subject I was passionate about, I’d move on to the next thing that caught my interest. I even wrote a war screenplay due to my fixation on Sebastian Junger’s work.
With the blog, I also paid attention to what resonated with my audience, using Google Analytics, and leaned into those topics—at least until my own interest ran its course.
I’ve always resisted being branded as a specific genre writer. While this has occasionally been a disadvantage—Hollywood prefers writers to fit neatly into a box for easier marketing, especially for gun-for-hire jobs—it’s been deeply rewarding for me as a storyteller eager to explore and master different forms and genres.
Fortunately, Hollywood purchased scripts I’ve written in comedy, drama, horror, and action – not all of them were produced. That’s just the nature of the screenwriting business. It’s also why I started my blog: I needed a room of my own, a space where my work could be seen without gatekeepers.
What was it like working on a Lifetime movie with Heather Locklear?
Despite what the tabloids would have you believe, Heather Locklear was a consummate professional who did everything she could to elevate the Lifetime film. She stepped way out of her comfort zone, digging deep to portray the trauma Kristine Carlson endured when her husband Richard, creator of the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series, suddenly died.
Heather went above and beyond take-after-take and I believe gave one of the sincerest performances of her career. She was also incredibly friendly and generous with everyone on set. A true joy.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers looking to explore multiple genres?
Follow your passion for different genres, but first establish yourself in the one you feel most drawn to and where you feel you have discovered your voice. Once you’ve found success there, branching out becomes easier. Many writers, like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, began in specific genres before exploring new ones. Writing across genres enriches your craft and keeps creativity alive—just ensure you’ve built a foundation to springboard from. Bon chance!
