As the film’s synopsis puts it, Poster Girls’ story is this: “A military wife teams up with a diverse group of women working in an environment fraught with sexism and racism at a 1940s Southern wartime munitions factory.”

Plenty of people dream of writing The Great American Novel, but only a handful of aspiring authors ever make that dream a reality. Fewer still have their works optioned for film. And far fewer receive accolades before the film is even made. Ritchie is in that exclusive club.

The first-time author keeps having “pinch-me” moments. She says she started Poster Girls when she was a new empty-nester, to keep despair at bay after her triplets left for college.

Writing a novel can take years. But writing is only a prelude to something that takes even longer: revision. “I had no idea how long the whole thing would take. But every time I got to the next phase, I found I was still really passionate about this story, and I’d think: I’ve come this far; I might as well keep going.”

Once a book’s published, there’s no rest for the weary writer. That’s when the public relations campaign begins in earnest. And Ritchie has proven to be a tireless promoter, a one-woman PR powerhouse. She’s spoken at book clubs, literary festivals, public libraries, universities, churches, bookstores, breweries and more. (Check out the “Events” page on Ritchie’s website to see the exhaustive list.)

So, when a friend told her about a short “Meet Your Neighbor” segment on PBS’s “Carolina Impact” featuring Christina Capra, a recent transplant to Charlotte, Ritchie didn’t hesitate to invite her for coffee.

You Oughta Be in Pictures

Capra was raised in California, but she has roots in North Carolina; her mom is from here. Her late father is a member of Hollywood royalty. Frank Capra, Jr., was a film producer (Firestarter starred a young Drew Barrymore and was filmed in North Carolina) who helped found EUE/Screen Gems Studio in Wilmington.

Her famous grandfather was, of course, the Academy Award-winning director of such enduring classics as It Happened One Night, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and the beloved It’s a Wonderful Life.

The third generation of filmmaking Capras moved to North Carolina to attend UNC-Wilmington and earned her degree, with honors, in film studies.

“The Little Novel That Could”

Though she truly never envisioned seeing her characters on the big screen, Ritchie seized the opportunity to meet Capra, who was more than receptive. She believed in the power of Poster Girls’ story and, last March, purchased an exclusive option to make Poster Girls into a movie within the next few years. (Ritchie retains the domestic and international rights to her novel.)

Capra’s first order of business was to write the screenplay, which Ritchie said closely follows the book. Ritchie wrote her novel using the third-person close point of view, which “is when the story is told from one character’s perspective,” she said. “So, the reader knows what that character—the narrator—is thinking and feeling throughout.”

The Capra-penned screenplay for Poster Girls is getting lots of accolades. In addition to winning Best Screenplay at the 19th Annual Beaufort (SC) International Film Festival, it was also Screenplay of the Month and Best Feature Screenplay at the December 2024 Los Angeles Film Awards (LAFA), and is an official selection at the 25^th Annual Beverly Hill Film Festival, to be held April 1–6.

What a Difference a Year Makes

None of this means we’ll soon be buying tickets to see it at the multiplex. It’s another lengthy process—with an uncertain outcome—to assemble a production team and a cast and secure funding.

But Poster Girls has surprised Ritchie from the beginning. She far surpassed her humble goal of learning something new when she brought her story idea into Authors Lab.

Paul Reali, co-creator with Kathie Collins of Charlotte Lit’s Authors Lab, said that the program is designed to help participants write the best book they can. Over the course of a year, Authors Lab combines craft classes, coaching, and a supportive cohort community—with that last item being “the heart of Authors Lab.” Ritchie called her sub-cohort “the best cohort”; all six are still in touch.

Since the publication of Poster Girls, Ritchie has been vocal in her praise for Authors Lab. (Editor’s Note: Page Leggett wrote about Ritchie’s Authors Lab experience for Charlotte Is Creative shortly after the novel was published.) Today, as Poster Girls continues its romp on the film festival circuit, Meredith Ritchie has become Charlotte Lit’s very own “poster girl” for Authors Lab.