I installed MonoSlideShow today and it seems this would be a powerfull but relatively easy addition to Simple Gallery.  The flash based slideshow runs off an xml file so all settings could be exported by the gallery... 

http://www.monoslideshow.com/

My 2¢ worth

As an option you can embedded thumbnails.   We also use the mark.swf file to apply a common design (site under construction but I will provide a link soon). 

Have a quick look at the attached manual to see just how configurable it is - all through xml files so it's begging to be integrated with an app like yours  Perhaps a global XML template with Tokens for pic and gallery data?.  

I would love to integrate with Property Agent too to display featured properties with links to the listing page.

This might be what the generated XML would look like:

  src="MyPicture.jpg"
  Title="My Picture"
  Description="Pictuer with many attributes "
  Thumbnail="ImageHandler.ashx?width=40&height=31&HomeDirectory=%2fPortals%2f0%2fGallery%2fAlbum%2f4&fileName=MyPicture.jpg&portalid=0&i=200"
  ID="PicID"
  Link="/home/myurl.apsx"
... too many to list.
/>