Showtime adapting 'The President is Missing' by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Showtime says it has acquired the rights to adapt as a series The President is Missing, a novel former U.S. President Bill Clinton and author James Patterson are penning together.

The fictional thriller is set to be published next June.

"I'm really enjoying writing this book and working with Jim," Clinton said in a statement Friday. "And I can't wait to see Showtime bring the characters to life."

"Bringing The President is Missing to Showtime is a coup of the highest order," Nevins added. "The pairing of President Clinton with fiction's most gripping storyteller promises a kinetic experience, one that the book world has salivated over for months and that now will dovetail perfectly into a politically relevant, character-based action series for our network."

"The White House is such an exciting world to explore and is made even more so with the unique insights of a former president," Patterson said.  "Rich storytelling opportunities for this series abound."