Having spent eight years in the 'producing music to film' industry, Cunningham writes with film in mind. She is currently 'listening' to Directors, Producers, Financiers re adapting the first of the trilogy, The Penance List, to film.

There are 'camps' that advise adapting PENANCE as a hard hitting, glossy, Basic Instinct style thriller (see below synopsis), and those that advise adapting the romantic subplot as a romcom (opposites attract; tough advertising exec falls for unsuitable Italian premiership footballer amidst the chaos of celebrity media and neurotic ex's) PENALTY PENANCE.

Two films may blossom from this novel.

Thriller - PENANCE

Feature Film Screenplay of the Novel 'The Penance List' by S C Cunningham

One Page Synopsis by Brandon Bisby.

Forgive me mother, for I am about to sin and sin and sin...

Three liberated yet vulnerable female friends, searching for 'Mr. Right' but mostly finding 'Mr. Wrong', are stalked by a crazed old relation desperate to exorcise demons from his troubled past.

Old friends, TARA, HELEN & JOSIE meet every Friday for lunch to discuss men, life and more men. Vivacious Tara looks like a man-eater but after the Chablis has worn off is fragile and impulsive; well-to-do Helen finds love in all the wrong places and Josie leads a double life, east-end girl by day, expensive call girl by night. They care and watch out for one another, unaware that a secret admirer stalks their every move.

One afternoon, tipsy Tara jeopardises her job to save an ad campaign and is propelled into a torrid love affair with the star: footballing sensation FRANCO ROSELINNI. Caught between his old flame, a volatile supermodel and the stalker, Tara and Franco find themselves targets for abuse and the hottest tabloid news story of the year.

Now deep within their lives, the stalker's plan nears its violent climax, exposing the innermost secrets of one and all. Forced closer together, Tara and her friends must tell the truth and face up to a past which now shapes their very existence.

Set

Based in London and Amalfi Coast Italy, based in London and Italy, Penance is an edgy thriller:  a wild, humorous ride through modern life.  From vintage champagne and penthouses, to the dark soul where sex and drugs take control.

Penance corrupts the innocent and unleashes the wicked.

DAVID HOWARD

IN REMEMBRANCE

Little David died each time the headmaster abused him. He endured so much pain and humiliation at school until an angel came to his salvation: beautiful Tara. But she wanted nothing more than to be friends. Bitch! Then mother died; poor, gentle mother. David was born again, deadened to the world. His hurt would become their torment. Oh, how he loved to prey.