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I think a lot of writers are unrealistic about having their books translated into film.

Often in the past, there have been authors that were deeply disappointed in their adaptation, but that's because they haven't accepted the fact that a movie is a different thing, and it can't possibly be the same as the book.

Oftentimes when you see adaptations of books you like, you're let down. As an author, you assume that they are going to suck. A little bit of hope is dangerous.

I felt like I haven't had the typical experience of a novelist whose book becomes a movie.

Unfortunately, the author of a book pretty much gives up control of the story when the producers take over a book to make it into a movie.

I think my background in film taught me that a great book adaptation is not always slavishly faithful to the source material.

I'm always frustrated when somebody makes a movie out of a book and they leave the book behind, or the heart of it.

To be quite honest, I've been very blessed when I've worked with Hollywood. The studios that have purchased my work to be adapted to film have really liked the work and wanted to stay as close as they could to what the book was.

Since my adaptation of Ian McEwan's 'Atonement,' I get sent a lot of novels that people think will work as movies. So every now and then I make a point of sitting down and reading a couple of them.