The author's book, Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson’s Last Days, won't be released until June, 2016, but he has already inked a deal with bosses at Warner Bros. to adapt the novel into a TV series.

In the tome, Smiley recounts the last 16 weeks in the life of the King of Pop, who died in June, 2009.

The bestselling author announced his book plans last year (14), revealing that in a "most interesting twist of fate", he was preparing to hit the stage at an event in his native Indiana - Jackson's childhood home - when learned of the singer's death, and then had to deliver the devastating news to "the people of our shared home state who loved Michael most".

Warner Bros. executives are also planning to develop Smiley's recent book, My Journey with Maya, into a TV series. The memoir chronicles his 30-year friendship with late poet Maya Angelou.