Author pleased with asylum novel's draw

LONDON, April 19 (UPI) -- British author Chris Cleave says he is pleased his novel about seeking asylum, "The Other Hand," is getting attention from the likes of actress Nicole Kidman.

The London writer said he is surprised Kidman is seeking to star in a movie adaptation of his 2008 book since it deals with the weighty political issues of people seeking asylum, The Sunday Times of London reported.

"It is, I think, an example of word-of-mouth success," Cleave said, "which is in many ways all the more unexpected as I am dealing with a political issue: asylum seeking."

Cleave's novel only sold 3,000 hardcover copies last year, but its increasing popularity has resulted in 100,000 paperback copies sold in the last two months in Britain.

The Sunday Times said Kidman is attempting to purchase the rights to the book before unidentified film studios tab the drama for production.

The novel focuses on a London magazine editor who meets a 14-year-old Nigerian girl and two years later attempts to help the teenager seek asylum in Britain.