Toronto-based Middle Child Films has optioned Mark Leiren-Young’s memoir Never Shoot a Stampede Queen, to be developed as a feature film.

Leiren-Young, who also write and directed Middle Child’s feature film The Green Chain, is adapting his book, a collection of stories from a year in which Leiren-Young worked as a reporter out west, for film.

Middle Child president Tony Wosk has a history with the book, having suggested revisions on an early draft of the memoir.

“Tony read the original manuscript and made suggestions for a new structure that not only inspired me to rewrite the book, but led to me taking another shot at getting it published,” said Leiren-Young in a statement.

Middle Child received funding from Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund for the option.