L.A. Arbuckle, an award-winning producer and screenwriter, takes an unconventional route to novel writing in her debut, Conditional Love. The transformation of this bold, family drama from a screenplay into a novel is a story as intriguing as the plot itself—a twist on the typical book-to-script journey. Conditional Love pits a sassy Midwest mother, Neva Stevenson, against her three dysfunctional children in a high-stakes, million-dollar redemption scheme. As the story unfolds, it explores how a guilt-ridden mother will go to extreme lengths to fix the damage her past mistakes caused.
Years after garnering Hollywood’s attention, the journey of transforming Conditional Love from screenplay to novel became a story of redemption–not just for its protagonist, but for Arbuckle herself, marking a triumphant resurgence of her creative spirit. Once a rising star who produced over 70 television commercials and an award-winning television series, Arbuckle had teetered on the edge of a major Hollywood breakthrough with the original screenplay, only to see it stalled by the industry’s financial downturn in 2008, leaving the project languishing on a shelf for years.
Though Arbuckle’s dream of a cinematic debut may have dimmed, her passion for storytelling never wavered. She returned to the story she’d written years before, breathing new life into it as a novel. What sets Arbuckle apart from other writers is her unique perspective—having written screenplays and television shows, she brings a cinematic flair to her novels. This is especially evident in Conditional Love, where vivid characters and scene-driven plots make it feel like a movie on every page.
The Subconscious Edge: A Clinical Hypnotherapist’s Influence
One of the most notable aspects of Conditional Love is the psychological depth the author brings to her characters. As a trained clinical hypnotherapist, Arbuckle offers readers a rare lens into the subconscious triggers that drive her characters’ actions. Neva’s trauma and guilt, as well as the dysfunctional lives of her three children, are written with a psychological richness that elevates the emotional impact of the story. Arbuckle’s work doesn’t just entertain—it resonates on a deeper, more personal level, as readers are confronted with issues of trauma, regret, and the search for redemption.
For Arbuckle, the psychology of family dynamics is particularly important. “We’re stitched together by a million little threads–every glance, every fight, every quiet moment with family. Those threads aren’t just in our heads; they’re in our bones, our DNA, shaping us whether we like it or not”, she shares.
A Prodigy’s Comeback: From Writing at Age Four to Authoring Conditional Love
Arbuckle’s creative roots run deep. At the age of four, she wrote her first book, filling in a picture book with her own story—despite not yet being able to read. This early knack for storytelling developed alongside an impressive career that saw her win a regional radio jingle contest at age 8, then go on to build a successful advertising agency where she wrote, directed, and produced commercials and a television series before she penned Conditional Love in its screenplay form. When film production of Conditional Love was halted due to financial constraints, Arbuckle refused to let the story stay shelved, reimagining it as a novel.
The debut novel is a fierce testament to resilience–both in Neva’s story and Arbuckle’s own journey. ‘When the Universe screws you,’ Neva declares, ‘flip it off and rewrite the rules. This is your damn life. You can live it on your knees or standing tall in a great pair of stilettos–it’s your call.’ This novel is Arbuckle strutting back onto her path, heels sharp and head high.
Midwest Grit Meets Dark Humor
Raised in Iowa, Arbuckle brings a Midwest sensibility to her writing, which is evident in the gritty, no-nonsense attitude of her characters. Conditional Love is a family drama with a sardonic twist. The novel resonates with fans of darkly humorous family dramas like Big Little Lies or The Nest, blending biting wit with poignant emotional depth. Neva’s plan to win back her children’s affection with a million-dollar ultimatum sets the stage for a firestorm of tension, laughter, and unexpected revelations.
The Lottery Gambit: A Mother’s Bold Ultimatum
The central plot of Conditional Love hinges on a classic dream—the lottery win—but with a high emotional price. Neva’s bold move to leverage a million-dollar windfall in an attempt to repair her broken family offers an intriguing moral dilemma: How far would a mother go to fix the damage she’s caused? In Neva’s case, she will risk everything—her family’s trust, her relationships, and even her own peace of mind—to achieve the redemption she craves.
As Arbuckle expertly explores, the lottery win is no fairy tale—it’s a high-risk gamble that could either heal old wounds or tear the family apart. “Cowboy up or you’ll miss the whole damn rodeo,” one of the characters famously says, encapsulating the novel’s raw, unflinching attitude.
A Fresh Take on the Screenplay-to-Novel Journey
Unlike many authors who dream of their books being adapted for the screen, Arbuckle took the opposite route. Conditional Love began as a screenplay, garnering recognition in prominent screenplay competitions such as the Filmmakers International Screenplay Competition and Scriptapalooza. It even caught the attention of Hollywood veterans Terence Donnelly and Richard Benjamin. When the film industry’s financial constraints in 2008 caused the project to be put on hold, Arbuckle flipped the script entirely, breathing new life into the story as a novel.
This reverse adaptation—screenplay to novel—is a unique twist that sets her apart from other authors. Her ability to transform Conditional Love into a gripping, emotionally rich novel showcases her flexibility as a creator, proving her versatility and creative range.
Arbuckle’s work is a blend of gritty realism and psychological insight, with just the right touch of dark humor. Her characters are flawed, their stories compelling, and the stakes high. With Conditional Love, Arbuckle not only reinvents herself as a novelist but also sets the stage for future books.
Her next projects include two separate book series that originated as screenplays, with the first slated for release before Christmas. It’s clear that L.A. Arbuckle is on a trajectory toward literary success, and fans of complex family dramas with psychological depth won’t want to miss what’s next.
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