If I Stay is another YA book with a cult following that has been adapted for the silver screen. Its journey, however, is all its own. The book, written by Gayle Forman, has received largely positive reviews since its publication and was optioned almost immediately for adaptation. The story follows the aftermath of a car accident wherein Mia, 17, has an out of body experience. She sees all her family and friends gather around her in the hospital and realizes she has to make a decision whether to wake up and live her life, albeit an entirely new life that looks unlike anything her old life previously looked like, or to slip away and die. In 2011 after the book had been adapted and a rough first-draft screenplay had been written, Forman published a sequel entitled Where She Went.

In ’09 after a bout of job jockeying, Shauna Cross, writer of Whip It, landed the gig to adapt. She worked closely with Forman, and although a draft came in relatively quickly, the development process took a little longer than anticipated. After another lengthy search, RJ Cutler came aboard to direct. With RJ on, that’s when the project started picking up steam and Chloe Moretz signed on. The project has been long in gestation, but will likely prove to be more than worth it. Will you be seeing #IfIStay? Tweet us @YAmzine!

---