"the pioneer woman movie" news and stories

Suddenly, the little story of a woman on the prairie is not so little anymore. Ree Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman, is about to go Hollywood. Drummond's food-centric blog may be her claim to fame, but it's her serialized -- and sometimes soapy -- chronicle of her unlikely romance with her now-husband that has Tinsel town entranced. Columbia Pictures has optioned the book under the title "The Pioneer Woman," and Reese Witherspoon is rumored to be attached to the project.

It's not surprising: "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" has all the trappings of a big-screen rom-com, and Drummond has a huge built-in fan base. The book (which will be published by William Morrow in February 2011) captures the intoxicating nature of unexpected romance, and it's all the sweeter because it's a true story. After living in Los Angeles for years, Drummond made a pit stop to visit family in Tulsa on her way to live in Chicago. Days later, she met "Marlboro Man," an Oklahoma rancher with no desire to trade in his cowboy boots. Sparks fly; cue the swelling closing credits.