Irish-Canadian producer Jay Daniel Beechinor has optioned the film and TV rights to Newfoundland and Labrador author Megan Gail Coles’ (pictured) debut novel Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club.

The bestselling novel takes place in St. John’s during a winter storm on Valentine’s Day, where the “class, gender, and racial tensions” between characters are exposed. It was acquired by Beechinor under his production banner The JDB Film Company.

The deal was negotiated by Samantha Haywood, president of literary management company Transatlantic Agency.

Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club will be developed into a series, Beechinor tells Playback Daily. Coles is attached as executive producer.

The novel was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2019 and for CBC’s Canada Reads competition. It was published by House of Anansi Press.

“Megan has a unique voice and her characters are dynamic,” says Beechinor. “It is beautifully written and will make a fantastic series unlike anything else on television.”

Image courtesy of Transatlantic Agency