By Charlotte Brook
Author, screen-writer, producer and actor, best known for her roles starring in The Mindy Project and The Office, Mindy Kaling has teamed up with Amazon Publishing and Amazon Studies to launch their very own imprint which imagines stories all the way from page to the screen. Beginning in late 2022, Mindy’s Book Studio will publish stories selected by Kaling which will then be exclusively adapted to screen streaming on Amazon Prime Video. This could be what readers have been waiting for: a guarantee that adaptations will be as faithful to the book as possible.
The studio is said to be publishing books across a range of genres, from both emerging and established diverse voices. In the press release, it was stated that we can expect everything from “fresh romantic comedies and poignant coming-of-age stories to make readers laugh – and cringe – to suspenseful dramas with unforgettable female protagonists.” In addition to choosing the books to be published, Kaling holds the first-producer option for the adaptations, making sure that the unique qualities of these books and the authenticity of their characters will be translated onto the screen. Kaling says that she is “passionate about bringing unique stories to readers and viewers” and “can’t wait to help discover and support talented new voices through Mindy’s Book Studio.”
Julia Sommerfeld, an Amazon Publishing publisher, also praised the initiative: “Mindy is brilliant at bringing to life highly entertaining, funny, sharp and bingeable stories.” Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, commends Kaling as “a relentless innovator in the creative community,” as a result of her “visionary voice, trademark wit and tremendous artistic acumen.” These are all things we can expect to see imbued throughout her storytelling as she collaborates with authors, making their stories come to life.
In addition to her best-selling collection of personal essays Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) and the Amazon Studio’s hit film Late Night, Kaling has also signed for her debut novel to be published in 2023 under Mindy’s Book Studio, alongside a further essay collection in 2024. The novel is teased as a “comedic and twisty page-turner” while her second essay collection offers Kaling’s latest reflections on life, motherhood, friendship and being a boss.
Definitely something to watch out for, coming later this year!