AN author who Taunton has adopted as its own is set to become a Hollywood star as she prepares to act in a film based on a book she wrote herself.

Capella Van Ryan, who is originally from Letterkenny but moved to Taunton in 2005 with her husband, first starting writing her hit book The Snowboat in 2010.

Somerset County Gazette:

Author Capella Van Ryan, who first moved to Taunton in 2005 

Plans are now afoot to turn the book into a movie by Dream Cinema Productions.

The book is the first in the series, with the second book, The Austrian Express, also being turned into a script.

The 33-year-old said: "I've been writing for more than eight and a half years. I started writing The Snowboat, back in 2010, it's the first in a series of 10. It's the only one published so far, as the second in the series will be made to movie as well by the same company.

"I am also a script writer and I wrote the script to these movies. Also, I have another movie with MGM UK being considered at this time.

"I am the client of John Avila, Max Millionz Enterprises in Key West, Florida. I've been signed up with him for writing scripts, acting and modelling. That was how I was given the lead female role in The Snowboat. Currently, as I wish to keep The Snowboat, with a British influence, we are trying to secure a very large male for the leading male role."

The budding actor fell in love with the town after moving here more than a decade ago, and she plans to return as soon as the movie is finished.

She added: "My husband lived in Taunton for several years before I moved here. He loved it so much and decided to bring me there.

"Then I fell in love with the place and the people, and it just became my home right away. I had to leave for work and to pursue other things, but the plan was always to return there someday. There is so much history there which is very inspiring to me for my next works.

"I will be moving back as soon as the movie has been complete to be a forever home, I just love it there so much."

Somerset County Gazette:

The cover of Capella's book, published in 2015 

The Snowboat is story about a young widow, Nicolette, who falls in love again - but her new beau is not as perfect as she first thought.

A riveting tail involving lust, murder and the Albanian Mafia unfolds as she fights for survival.

Filming for the movie is set to start later this year, and is expected to be completed in around nine months.