Casting Call: Orion Rising

The cast of characters of Orion Rising has lived in my head so long, it's wonderful to be able to finally share them

The story spans three decades, so I'll focus on the Byrne family after the children have grown. I've told it through each of the three perspectives of Percy, Allie, and Mary. It always felt more like Mary's story, so her POV is in first person, but I also wanted the others to have a chance to tell their story, too, because the loss of their youngest sibling affects each in a distinctly different way.

Mary was closest in age to Aurie. Because they never found his body, Mary holds out hope the longest that someday Aurie will return.

Naomi Watts is one of those actors who's a chameleon - she can play poignant, complex roles with seeming ease. She's not your typical Hollywood beauty, which makes her all the more appealing.

Naomi would be perfect as Mary.


As a kid, Jack Ellis looked for trouble, and if he couldn't find any, he caused it. Always in a fight, he had rough edges that smoothed only a little as he grew into a man.

Clive Owen has that look about him - scrappy, handsome in a regular-guy kind of way.

He'd be great as Jack, and he and Naomi would make a nice couple. :)

Percy's the eldest Byrne, the only boy in the family after Aurie disappears. He and Aurie had never gotten along, maybe because Aurie was too young for Percy to relate to, but Aurie's disappearance haunts Percy into adulthood.

I've always imagined Percy as Owen Wilson - again, not your traditional "handsome" guy, but someone you might run into on the street. Owen's known for his goofy roles, but after seeing him in a few serious movies, he's more than capable of giving life to Percy - haunted by loss, floundering in relationships, but searching for redemption.


Allie's the middle child, but boy does she exhibit the qualities of a first-born. Intelligent to a fault, she's driven by demons as much as ambition, though she'd never admit to the former. She strives for success, and perfection, and when it doesn't come... well, you'll have to read the book to find out. :)

Amy Adams has a brittle quality about her that makes her perfect as Allie. She may look wide-eyed and innocent, but don't get too close, or you'll feel her claws.


Daniel Byrne is their father, raised by a dad who loved astronomy, the constellations and their myths, and he passes that passion down to his own kids. First by naming them after constellations, and then through their family outings to the banks of the Orion River, where he shares those age-old tales of adventure, romance, danger and tragedy. Little does he know how close to reality those tales are, but he finds out first hand.

Robert Redford has the same sensitive, intelligent, thoughtful, caring qualities as Daniel.

Celeste Byrne is the mom, wife to Daniel. She once had artistic aspirations, but after marrying, settled for raising their kids and satisfying her love of music by giving piano lessons to local kids. Things affect her deeply, and when tragedy strikes her family, she's not quite equipped to deal with it without a crutch.

Katharine Ross has the same haunting beauty as Celeste, and her artistic sensibilities and intelligence.


Obviously, with a book spanning three decades, there are many more characters than these few, but you've seen the major players.

Pick up a copy of Orion Rising and the rest will come to life for you!


View the book video, Casting Call,reviews and more here.