Shauna Cross
Encyclopedia
Shauna Cross is an American screenwriter, novelist and former roller derby
athlete. She skated for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls
under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem", and subsequently wrote the 2007 novel Derby Girl
, a fictionalized version of her experiences in the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
league. In 2009, she wrote a film adaption of the novel, Whip It, which was directed by Drew Barrymore
and released in 2009. She was named one of Variety
s 10 Screenwriters to Watch in 2008.
in 2001 to try to break into the screenwriting industry. She supported herself in Los Angeles by working odd jobs optioning screenplays "here and there".
In 2007, Cross's novel Derby Girl
, about a teenage girl from a small town who takes up roller derby
, was published by Henry Holt and Co. Cross herself was involved in the early days of the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
league, Cross skated under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem" in the Los Angeles Derby Dolls
team. She originally did not want to write about her roller derby experiences, but her friends convinced to turn the idea into a fictional story. Although she was primarily a screenwriter, a friend of hers introduced her to her book agent, Steve Malk, who loved the idea. Cross wrote Derby Girl over four months, and Malk sold the manuscript (first titled Derby Doll to Henry Holt after shopping it to various publishers. Cross later remarked that "unlike anything else in my writing career so far, it happened very fast".
After she finished Derby Girl, Cross pitched the same premise as a film to Drew Barrymore
's production company, Flower Films
. It was picked up immediately after she showed them a script – under the new title Whip It – and Barrymore decided to direct it herself. Whip It was released in October 2009.
Cross has been hired to adapt Gayle Forman
's novel If I Stay
to a screenplay to be directed by Catherine Hardwicke
, She is also adapting Heidi Murkoff
's book What to Expect When You're Expecting
into a multi-narrative romantic comedy film and writing a screenplay called "Live Nude Girls", about the unionization of the Lusty Lady
strip club in San Francisco during the 1990s.
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
athlete. She skated for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls
Los Angeles Derby Dolls
The L. A. Derby Dolls is Los Angeles' original women's quad-skate banked track roller derby league. It was founded in October 2003 by Rebecca Ninburg and Wendy Templeton . The league is composed of more than 120 women divided into five teams who skate on a banked track.LADD plays real, unscripted...
under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem", and subsequently wrote the 2007 novel Derby Girl
Derby Girl
Derby Girl is a 2007 novel by Shauna Cross. It follows the story of Bliss Cavendar, a girl from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas whose mother wants her to compete in beauty pageants, and seeks escape in the world of roller derby....
, a fictionalized version of her experiences in the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls is an Austin, Texas based all-girl banked-track roller derby league. Founded in 2001, TXRD is one of several leagues considered responsible for the modern roller derby revival. It is skater owned and operated...
league. In 2009, she wrote a film adaption of the novel, Whip It, which was directed by Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
and released in 2009. She was named one of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
s 10 Screenwriters to Watch in 2008.
Writing career
After graduating from the University of Texas film school in Austin, Cross worked on a few local film productions before deciding to move to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 2001 to try to break into the screenwriting industry. She supported herself in Los Angeles by working odd jobs optioning screenplays "here and there".
In 2007, Cross's novel Derby Girl
Derby Girl
Derby Girl is a 2007 novel by Shauna Cross. It follows the story of Bliss Cavendar, a girl from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas whose mother wants her to compete in beauty pageants, and seeks escape in the world of roller derby....
, about a teenage girl from a small town who takes up roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
, was published by Henry Holt and Co. Cross herself was involved in the early days of the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls is an Austin, Texas based all-girl banked-track roller derby league. Founded in 2001, TXRD is one of several leagues considered responsible for the modern roller derby revival. It is skater owned and operated...
league, Cross skated under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem" in the Los Angeles Derby Dolls
Los Angeles Derby Dolls
The L. A. Derby Dolls is Los Angeles' original women's quad-skate banked track roller derby league. It was founded in October 2003 by Rebecca Ninburg and Wendy Templeton . The league is composed of more than 120 women divided into five teams who skate on a banked track.LADD plays real, unscripted...
team. She originally did not want to write about her roller derby experiences, but her friends convinced to turn the idea into a fictional story. Although she was primarily a screenwriter, a friend of hers introduced her to her book agent, Steve Malk, who loved the idea. Cross wrote Derby Girl over four months, and Malk sold the manuscript (first titled Derby Doll to Henry Holt after shopping it to various publishers. Cross later remarked that "unlike anything else in my writing career so far, it happened very fast".
After she finished Derby Girl, Cross pitched the same premise as a film to Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
's production company, Flower Films
Flower Films
Flower Films is a commercial film production company founded by Drew Barrymore in 1995 with Nancy Juvonen. Flower Films has produced ten movies and several television shows to date...
. It was picked up immediately after she showed them a script – under the new title Whip It – and Barrymore decided to direct it herself. Whip It was released in October 2009.
Cross has been hired to adapt Gayle Forman
Gayle Forman
Gayle Forman is an American writer who writes for young adults.Forman began her career writing for Seventeen Magazine in which most of her articles focused on young people and social concerns. Later she became a freelance journalist for publications like Details Magazine, Jane Magazine, Glamour...
's novel If I Stay
If I Stay
If I Stay is a young adult novel and thriller by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. In a coma, Mia has an out-of-body experience, and watches as friends and family gather at the...
to a screenplay to be directed by Catherine Hardwicke
Catherine Hardwicke
Catherine Hardwicke is an American production designer, film writer and film director. Her works include the independent film Thirteen, which she co-wrote with Nikki Reed, the film's co-star, the Biblically-themed The Nativity Story, the vampire film Twilight, and the werewolf film Red Riding Hood...
, She is also adapting Heidi Murkoff
Heidi Murkoff
Heidi Murkoff is the author of the world's best-selling pregnancy and parenting series, What to Expect, that began with What to Expect When You're Expecting. She is also the creator of WhatToExpect.com and founder of the What to Expect Foundation. Time magazine named Heidi one of the 100 Most...
's book What to Expect When You're Expecting
What to Expect When You're Expecting
What to Expect When You're Expecting is a pregnancy guide, now in its fourth edition, written by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel and published by Workman Publishing...
into a multi-narrative romantic comedy film and writing a screenplay called "Live Nude Girls", about the unionization of the Lusty Lady
Lusty Lady
The Lusty Lady is the name of a peep show establishment in the North Beach district of San Francisco. It was also the name of another now-defunct location in downtown Seattle...
strip club in San Francisco during the 1990s.