Perrotta, Field co-wrote 'Children' script

NEW YORK, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. novelist Tom Perrotta says he was pleased film director Todd Field wanted his help in bringing his book, "Little Children," to the big screen.

Starring Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson, the film follows several characters experiencing anxiety and dissatisfaction in a seemingly idyllic suburban community.

Field and Perrotta are scheduled to promote the publication of their collaboration, "Little Children: The Shooting Script," at a discussion and book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Manhattan's Lincoln Center on Monday.

"My concern was always just wanting it to be good and not wanting things to get softened or sanitized. You can imagine the bad Hollywood version of this," Perrotta recently said in New York.

The author said he knew his material would be in good hands when he first heard the director of "In the Bedroom" was to helm "Little Children."

"A lot of the time we were sitting in the same room, in front of the same computer screen, typing in a line," Perrotta said. "As the book writer, you're somewhat invested in the way that you've done it already. I think Todd really took the lead in terms of figuring out the movie parameters."