Michelle Trachtenberg was embarking on a new path as a screenwriter before her death at the age of 39. The actress was on the verge of closing a deal on a screenplay she'd written based on the book Toy Monster: The Big,

Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg was reportedly working on a screenplay based on the 2009 book 'Toy Monster' by Jerry Oppenheimer before her death

Michelle Trachtenberg was working on a screenplay based on a book that exposed Mattel before her unexpected death

Before her death at 39, Michelle Trachtenberg wrote a screenplay titled, 'Toy Monster.' Director Casey Tebo exclusively tells PEOPLE that studio executives struggled to see the late actress for anything beyond her iconic television roles,