Books to Screen by Hollywood Weekly Magazine, LLC

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BookstoScreen.net HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 1

2 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Prather Jackson VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson BOOK EDITORS Jane Ubell-Meyer Meryl Moss ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Hailey Ashley CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alex A. Kecskes Elyce Hastings LIFE & STYLE EDITOR Niki Shadrow Snyder niki@projectpopdrop.com ART DIRECTOR Rouland Medina DESIGN & PRODUCTION Denise Chavez Sharon Furlan Ella Goodman Florencia Benitez AFRICA OPERATIONS Egor Efiok Egorefiok@gmail.com BRAZIL OPERATIONS Fabio Glingani Rico@lapenda.net (310) 567-3333 INDIA OPERATION Ike Sinha Mobile +919599068592 LATIN AMERICA Karla Silva Karla@monarks.Biz 818.254.5505 Jose Beltran wpsevents@gmail.com 562.546.2840 DISTRIBUTORS CoMag MADER NEWS Call: (424) 371-9900 Email: HollywoodWeekly@gmail.com Instagram: @ hollywoodweekly Twitter: @ hollywoodweekly

Letter From The Editor For this special issue of Hollywood Weekly I am thrilled to introduce Books to Screen (bookstoscreen. net) Connecting Authors to Hollywood industry professionals. This new company was founded by two leaders in book marketing industry with decades of experience in publishing and film.

MEET OUR BOOK EDITORS

Jane Ubell-Meyer

Meryl Moss

Meryl Moss is the president of the Meryl Moss Media Group the powerhouse literary publicity, marketing, and social media firm, and founder and publisher of BookTrib.com: The Leading Source for Book News and Reviews. Jane Ubell-Meyer is a renowned television and film producer and the founder and publisher of Bedside Reading®, Bedside Reading® Book Lover’s Guide, On the Download an innovative digital book program, as well as being a contributor to Lux Lifestyle Magazine. Check out their website bookstoscreen.net and sign up for information about new rights available books and other newsy insights about the publishing industry. We at Hollywood Weekly feel partnering with Books to Screen is the ultimate connection. We hope you agree. Brava!

Prather Jackson Publisher

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Hollywood WEEKLY is a publication wholly owned by Prather Jackson HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY MAGAZINE LLC. © 2021 All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any content without written permisssion of the publisher is expressly prohibited. Letters to the editor may be sent to: PRATHER@HOLLYWOODWEEKLYMAGAZINE.COM. 8345 Reseda Blvd #117, Northridge, CA 91324. For advertising inquiries call: (424) 371-9900 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 3

2022

TRIBECA FESTIVAL

We will be representing the below documentaries at the Tribeca Festival this year from June 8 - 19. Please get in touch at publicity@norget.com or 917-833-3056 for further information. WDIR. AMÉLIE VAN ELMBT & MAYA DUVERDIER

EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY MARTIN SCORSESE Viewpoints (North American Premiere) The legendary Chelsea Hotel, an icon of 1960s counterculture and a haven for famous artists and intellectuals including Patti Smith, Janis Joplin and the superstars of Warhol’s Factory, has recently reopened after extensive renovations, which are now almost complete. Dozens of long-term residents, many in their later years, have lived amidst the scaffolding and constant construction for close to a decade. Against this chaotic backdrop, DREAMING WALLS takes us through the hotel’s storied halls, exploring its living body and the bohemian origins that contributed to its mythical stature. Its residents and the walls themselves now face a turning point in their common history. (80 min. Magnolia Pictures - Opens July 8) Screenings: Press: Thurs, June 9, 10:30 am - Village East Cinema 5 Fri, June 17, 5:30 pm - SVA Theater 2 (Q&A to follow with dirs. Amélie van Elmbt and Maya Duverdier and Chelsea Hotel residents) Sat, June 18, 2:30 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 4 Sun, June 19, 8:15 pm -Tribeca Film Center

LIFT, DIR. DAVID PETERSEN

Viewpoints (World Premiere) Filmed over ten years, LIFT shines a spotlight on the invisible story of homelessness in America through the eyes of a group of young home-insecure ballet dancers in New York City. After performing all over the world, ballet dancer Steven Melendez returns to the Bronx shelter where he grew up to give back to his community, offering a ballet workshop to children. As young dance students, Victor, Yolanssie and Sharia face the same chasm of home insecurity that long separated Steven from his audience and makes the arts inaccessible to so many children who share his background. The children he mentors offer him insight into turning a hidden trauma into dance, and together they make an aristocratic art form into an expression all their own. (87 min. Acquisition title) Screenings: Sun, June 12, 2:00 pm - Village East Cinema 2 (Q&A to follow with dir. David Petersen, Steven Melendez and special guests TBC) Press: Tues, June 14, 10:15 am - Village East Cinema 4 Wed, June 15, 5:15 pm - Village East Cinema 5 Press: Thurs, June 16, 9:15 am - Village East Cinema 6 Sat, June 18, 11:30 am - Cinépolis Chelsea 4 Virtual: Tues, June 14, 6:00 pm (on Tribeca At Home platform till 6/19)

MY NAME IS ANDREA, DIR. PRATIBHA PARMAR

EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY GLORIA STEINEM AND MORE Documentary Competition (World Premiere) MY NAME IS ANDREA is a hybrid documentary about controversial feminist writer and public intellectual Andrea Dworkin, who offered a revolutionary analysis of male supremacy with an iconoclastic flair. Decades before #MeToo, Dworkin called out the pervasiveness of sexism and rape culture, and the ways it impacts every woman’s daily existence. The film focuses on key moments in the life of this fearless fighter who, shaped by the values of justice and equality learned in the civil rights movement, demanded that women be seen as fully human. Woven in with rare, electrifying archival footage of Dworkin are performances by Ashley Judd, Soko, Amandla Stenberg, Andrea Riseborough, and Christine Lahti, who bring Dworkin’s powerful words to life. (91 min. Acquisition title) Screenings: Fri, June 10, 8:00 pm - Village East Cinema 2 (Q&A to follow with dir. Prathiba Parmar, prod. Shaheen Haq, EP Gloria Steinem and cast members Amandla Stenberg, Christine Lahti and Soko) Press: Sun, June 12, 9:00 am - Village East Cinema 6 Sat, June 11, 2:45 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 5 Sat, June 18, 11:45 am - Cinépolis Chelsea 5 4 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

SUBJECT, DIR. CAMILLA HALL & JENNIFER TIEXIERA

SANSÓN AND ME, DIR. RODRIGO REYES

Viewpoints (World Premiere)

Documentary Competition (World Premiere)

During his day job as a Spanish criminal interpreter in a small town in California, filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes met a young man named Sansón, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who was sentenced to life in prison without parole. With no permission to interview him, Sansón and Reyes worked together over a decade, using hundreds of letters as inspiration for recreations of Sansón’s childhood—featuring members of Sansón’s own family. The result is a vibrant portrait of a friendship navigating immigration and the depths of the criminal justice system, and pushing the boundaries of cinematic imagination to rescue a young migrant’s story from oblivion. (83 min. PBS Independent Lens - April 2023)

SUBJECT explores the life-altering experience of sharing one’s life on screen through key participants of acclaimed documentaries The Staircase, Hoop Dreams, The Wolfpack, Capturing the Friedmans, and The Square. These erstwhile documentary “stars” reveal the highs and lows of their experiences as well as the everyday realities of having their lives put under a microscope. Also featuring commentary from influential names in the doc world, the film unpacks vital issues around the ethics and responsibility inherent in documentary filmmaking. As tens of millions of people consume documentaries in an unprecedented “golden era,” SUBJECT urges audiences to consider the often profound impact on their participants. (93 min. Acquisition title)

Screenings: Sun, June 12, 5:30 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 4 (Q&A to follow with dir. Rodrigo Reyes) Mon, June 13, 4:30 pm - Village East Cinema 5 Press: Tues, June 14, 12:00 pm - Village East Cinema 6 Tues, June 14, 6:00 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 6 Virtual: Tues, June 14, 6:00 pm (on Tribeca At Home platform till 6/19)

Pre-fest Press Screening: Thurs, June 2, 10:00 am - IFC Center *reviews embargoed till premiere

Tribeca Talks: Latinx Voices + The Art of Non-Fiction: Featuring Rodrigo Reyes, Kristy Guevara-Flanagan (Body Parts) and Rebeca Huntt (Beba); moderated by IDA president Rick Perez Tues, June 14, 12:30-1:30pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 4

2022

TRIBECA FESTIVAL

RSVP: publicity@norget.com Screenings: Sat, June 11, 4:30 pm - SVA Theater 2 (Q&A to follow with dirs. Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera, participants Margie Ratliff (The Staircase), Jesse Friedman (Capturing the Friedmans), Arthur Agee (Hoop Dreams), Mukunda Angulo (The Wolfpack), Ahmed Hassan (The Square), and more) Press: Sun, June 12, 1:00 pm - Village East Cinema 4 Mon, June 13 - 5:30 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 4 Sat, June 18 - 3:00 pm - Cinépolis Chelsea 6 Tribeca Talks: SUBJECT Town Hall Event: Join SUBJECT’s participants for a lively discussion around the issues and themes of the film; moderated by Sonya Childress Sun, June 12, 3:15-4:45 pm - Village East Cinema 3

TURN EVERY PAGE - THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT CARO AND ROBERT GOTTLIEB DIR. LIZZIE GOTTLIEB Spotlight (World Premiere)

TURN EVERY PAGE explores the remarkable fifty-year relationship between two literary legends, writer Robert Caro and his longtime editor Robert Gottlieb. Now 86, Caro is working to complete the final volume of his masterwork, The Years of Lyndon Johnson; Gottlieb, 91, waits to edit it. The task of finishing their life’s work looms before them. With humor and insight, this unique double portrait reveals the work habits, peculiarities and professional joys of these two ferocious intellects at the culmination of a journey that has consumed both their lives and impacted generations of politicians, activists, writers, and readers. (112 min. Acquisition title) Pre-fest Press Screening: Wed, June 1, 10:00 am - IFC Center *reviews embargoed till premiere RSVP: publicity@norget.com

Screenings: Sun, June 12, 5:00 pm - SVA Theater 1 (Q&A to follow with dir. Lizzie Gottlieb, Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb) Press: Mon, June 13, 12:30 pm - Village East Cinema 6 Wed, June 15, 5:00 pm - Village East Cinema 2 Sat, June 18, 8:00 pm - Village East Cinema 2 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 5

BEDSIDE READING ® MERYL MOSS MEDIA GROUP BOOKTRIB.COM Announce the Launch of

BooksToScreen.net Matching Rights-Available Books with Film & Television Professionals

scan qr code & sign up at bookstoscreen.net for announcements about books with Hollywood allure

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REVIEWS

“Meryl Moss is brilliant and Books to Screen is a great opportunity for unrepresented authors to have access to the film/tv community. — Italia Gandolfo, GH Literary “Jane Ubell-Meyer’s reputation in the publishing world is why “Books To Screen” is exactly the resource I trust. Her access to great authors and books have helped me find the book I am taking to the silver screen.” — Yolanda Machado, President, Cozumel Films

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“I’ve known Jane Ubell Meyer for over a decade. Anything she touches turns to gold. Books to Screen sounds like such a valuable tool for producers like myself.” — Jeff Rivera, Executive Producer, Collective 5 Entertainment

BookstoScreen.net 6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Seymour Ubell COMING FALL 2022

THE SURPRISE HIT OF THE SEASON! “Touching, heart-wrenching and surprising. An impressive debut novel!” Award-winning author,

Matthew Coyle, Lost Tomorrows For more information: Jane Ubell-Meyer, Jane@BedsideReading.com HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7

By Most princesses need saving. This one will save you.

“A terrifically entertaining, complex, and original fantasy.” Kirkus Reviews

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Immortal origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg

When Jake Barnum begins working for The Desire Card, whose motto promises “Any wish fulfilled for the right price,” he’ll soon learn the price is more menacing than he could ever imagine.

IMMORAL ORIGINS is the first book in the DESIRE CARD series, an Elmore Leonard meets Tarantino mash-up, exploring the characters and situations around a Card and sinister, elite organization that promises “Any wish fulfilled for the right price,” and what we will do to survive when money isn’t enough to get everything we want. In this origin story from the 1970s, Jake Barnum begins working for the Card to pay off his brother’s hospital bills until the wishes become more and more suspect, even leading to murder.

REVIEWS

“Careful what you wish for, especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg’s fast-paced, highly-compelling, buzz-worthy new series. Can’t wait to get my hands on Prey No More to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next!” — D.J. Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author of Saving Meaghan and the New Husband

HONORS Prix du Polar nominee

LeeMatthewGoldberg.com

a CRY IN THE MOON’S LIGHT

Horror Genre: A Trilogy plus a Prequel and Guidebook by Alan McGill

A beautiful woman must travel across the dark forest of southern France. A mysterious creature stalks her, a deadly wolfpack is determined to kill her. It is the late 1700’s of eastern Europe. A beautiful woman must travel across the treacherous Dark Forest. to be by the side her dying grandmother. With only a young carriage driver to protect her, she must use her wits and all of her courage to cross the wild country. From the beginning, a mysterious wolf stalks her every move, and a deadly wolf pack, led by a black wolf, seems determined to kill her. When she stops at a hidden village deep in the forest, gruesome murders force her to flee to a nearby castle. A castle that holds its own secrets. And what follows will unravel everything she knows. It is a time of castles, muskets, werewolves and other hideous creatures of the night. Nothing is as it seems and it is only the beginning of this journey. Come, join us for all the horror, mystery and romance this story has to offer. You will learn as she does that only love can defeat evil.

“If you loved the style and atmosphere of the Hugh Jackman “Van Helsing”, then you’re in for something bigger and more fantastical.” ACryInTheMoonsLight.com

— Verified Purchase HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9

No Stone Unturned: A Remarkable Journey to Identity by Nadean Stone

LOGLINE Philomena meets Lion in this captivating memoir—the story of an orphan abandoned on Christmas Eve by her young, unwed mother and the 44-year journey undertaken to find her utilizing DNA technology and innovative detective skills.

SYNOPSIS A Memoir: Between 1945 and 1973, about 350,000 unmarried Canadian mothers were coerced or forced into giving their babies up for adoption. Many babies, like Nadean Stone, were illegally given away, like a puppy at the pound, for a nominal donation to the church. No Stone Unturned is a real-life story that contains elements of a movie or TV series: drama, pain, suspense, romance, royalty, politics, and more. It has multiple unexpected twists and turns, a kidnapping, a harrowing escape from a Caribbean island, and an emotional narrative throughout. An inspiring memoir of courage and perseverance proving that miraculous happy endings can be achieved when we never give up!

Taleflick, an LA-based company has recommended No Stone Unturned for a film or TV series and selected it as a Taleflick Pick! This memoir represents a remarkably compelling and emotional story. The protagonist is determined and courageous, yet at the same time, so much of her strength comes from her deep feelings. The willingness and ability of the author to share with the audience the vulnerability in her own story is what truly makes this a must-read. She is honest and heartfelt on every page, and it effortlessly

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sweeps the reader along for the ride. The anecdotes within are at turns comedic and tragic, and they’re all unique and specific to her experience. This is a story that will stick with you.

Parklander Magazine Review

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REVIEWS

If ever a cable series suggested its own sequel that promised to be just as or more captivating than the original, The Handmaid’s Tale, this would be it.

NadeanStone.com

IMAGES

suspense - Psychological thriller by Lauri Broadbent

Would you go back on your word to the person who saved your life in order to save the life of a complete stranger?

When Professor Michael Peterson is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and is faced with no other viable options, he promises complete confidentially to undergo an experimental and highly secretive operation in brain cell grafting. While recuperating, he begins to have flashes of fragmented images that have no connection to his life. He soon realizes he is an unwilling participant in a murder plan initiated by his donor. Drawn into a maze of deceit and danger, Michael must choose between keeping his word to the person who saved his life or making an attempt to save the life of a complete stranger.

REVIEWS

Enjoyed this medical thriller

Verified Purchase

Great book! What a story! I’ve never run across a medical thriller with this premise before, and I’m hooked!

M. Harris, Amazon Reader

AWARDS

Recommend Read - Silver Badge, Author Shout

Enticing till the end!! I loved this book. It is surprisingly suspenseful and enticing. It had me hooked throughout and the ending was perfect.

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2019

2019 Reader Choice Award, Still Moments Magazine

@writtenwordsbylauribroadbent

Kobee Manatee:

Climate change and the great blue hole hazard by Robert Scott Thayer

IBPA 2022 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AWARD WINNER!

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A young, charismatic manatee and his friends swim from the Caymans to Belize in search of the Great Blue Hole when they encounter harmful effects of climate change and plastic pollution.

“A well-crafted, thoughtful, and well-illustrated addition to a noteworthy educational book series.” — Kirkus Reviews “Kobee Manatee is a lovable and magnetic host, leading readers into the waters that cover 70% of the earth while opening young minds to the connections between human actions and marine ecosystems. Creating opportunities, which inspire love for our marine animals can cultivate an environmentally responsible conscience that can last a lifetime.” — Dr. Tracy Fanara, NOAA Scientist

“Robert Scott Thayer presents an important environmental message in an engaging story with wonderful characters. Anyone who loves the ocean and wants to help save it should read Kobee Manatee: Climate Change and The Great Blue Hole Hazard. I’m looking forward to the next Kobee Manatee adventure.” KobeeManatee.com

—Readers’ Favorite HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11

Einstein’s Compass

a YA Time Traveler Adventure by Grace Allison Blair

Take a YA time traveler adventure with young Albert Einstein. When young Albert Einstein’s father gives him a jeweled compass, he does not know the adventure that awaits. Spanning from 10,400 BCE on the Islands of Poseidon to Switzerland in 1903, Einstein’s Compass sweeps across dimensions, all while Albert Einstein is growing into his destiny. But a dangerous creature hunts Albert and the compass. In this fantasy adventure, cosmic forces of good and evil clash with a budding scientist on the cusp of his greatest discovery. Einstein’s Compass is a fascinating blend of the factual and the fantastical with enough of the metaphysical, included leaving viewers wondering just what is possible and what is reality. Imagine a Wrinkle in Time meets The Chronicles of Narnia with a little Harry Potter thrown into the mix.

REVIEWS “An outstanding book for the YA audience. I liked how the book shows us the world of good and evil through the magical compass. I liked the time travel, history, and fantasy were combined to tell an interesting story.” — Ben Franklin 2020 Awards

“... a riveting fantasy about soul-searching and growth which will keep young adult readers engrossed to the end.” — D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

EinsteinsCompassBook.com

UNDER THE WILLOWS

PamelaMcCordbooks.com

by Pamela McCord

A supernatural ghost story. A voice from “beyond” helps a young widow and a cop find a missing child whose time is running out. A grief stricken young widow, Kelly begins to adjust to life in a small town when life takes another unexpected turn. A handsome detective and an Alexa unit that cries launches a frantic search for a missing child.

THE HAUNTING OF ELMWOOD MANOR by Pamela McCord Three kids and a haunted house. What could go wrong? It’s summer and fifteen-year old Pekin Dewlap and her best friends start a ghost removal business. Their first case is to clear a ghost from an old mansion where a young girl went missing a century ago. The ghost of fourteen-year old Miranda appears when Pekin begins reading “Harry Potter” out loud. What the teens don’t know is that something sinister in the house is preventing Miranda from crossing over.

the hero by Pamela McCord

A picture in the newspaper touches the imagination and the heart of an author who’s looking for inspiration for her next book, and a hero of her own. Writer London Calloway dreams she’s rescued by a soldier she saw in a newspaper photo and realizes he’s the inspiration she’s been searching for as she begins to write her next novel. Wishing she could find a hero of her own, fate steps in and she meets the soldier face-to-face. Is this the beginning of her wish coming true, or was that wish always an unattainable pipe dream?

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THIS IS THE

AGE OF THE WOMAN ( ARE YOU READY? )

Simon t. bailey takes you on a personal journey to embrace the power of this new era. IGNITE THE POWER OF WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE IS YOUR GUIDE TO:

Living in relationships that are whole, genuine and open. Understanding how and why men think the way they do. Being your best, most-vulnerable self. Celebrating and connecting with the women in your life more meaningfully than ever before. Creating new opportunities — and even new definitions — for success.

ORDER NOW ON SALE NOW!

SIMON T. B A IL E Y

To learn more about Simon’s latest project, visit simontbailey.com Series Available for Distribution HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 13

MY TURN by Allison Jones

AuthorAllisonJones.com

He wants her back. She wants to guard her heart. The epitome of success, Nina Bryant has everything under control or at least that is what she wants everyone to believe. Appearances can be deceiving. Her MO is to run but running isn’t an option when mistakes in her life start to catch up with her. She comes face-to-face with the main ingredient of a past hurt, in the package of the sexiest, most frustratingly charming man she’s ever known. Will past hurts give way for a second chance at love or will outside entities rip them apart? “Great book! I love the characters. You need to read both books! Allison develops the characters and weaves a great story that will make you want to hear more.” — Allison Imber

HER TURN by Allison Jones

She pops chocolate like Xanax. He is broody and rigid. Can opposites attract? Addie Snyder’s first novel is becoming an overnight sensation. Unprepared to being thrust into the limelight, she is desperate to shelter her brother, Owen, who has Down syndrome. She is his sole guardian and must protect him from the harsh world. But how can she do that with public events coming up? Her cold and emotionless publicist, and former Navy Seal, Jameson Ford has his own demons, but there is something about Addie that defrosts his icy wall. Together, they navigate the twists and turns as her book becomes a worldwide phenomenon. “Absolutely loved this book!!!! The characters were so much fun. Hate that the book ended.” — BJ Levis

“Absolutely wonderful book” — Amazon Reader

Running with our eyes closed by Mel Greenberg

Empty nester, Samantha meets her husband, Michael in romantic Italy finally ready to start a new chapter – until she discovers that the nest is full of secrets and lies.

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A mid-life coming-of-age story for any woman who has ever felt like she was playing a supporting role in her own life. 47-year-old Samantha has been a devoted mother and wife, until now. Her heart is as empty as her newly emptied nest. After months of soul-searching, Samantha finally finds the courage to leave her seemingly perfect life behind. But when she joins her husband, in Italy, Samantha discovers he’s not the man she thought he was. From their first kiss to what could be their last dance, Samantha and Michael leave nothing to chance to see if they can overcome the lies and secrets between them.

“In this debut novel... In the sun-kissed Tuscany region of Italy, Samantha is reexamining her life and her 25-year marriage to Michael. The ensuing narrative gives Samantha’s choices the gravitas they deserve as she vacillates between different paths to take... revealing the difficulty of navigating a troubled relationship.”

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MelMediaLLC.com

— Kirkus Reviews

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 15

LOGLINE Mysteries with a mission and a side of humor. AmySPeele.com

CUT Can you buy your way up to the top of the liver transplant waiting list?

“In Peele’s novel, we see humanity’s worst traits meet its finest. Greed and ambition are surrounded by selflessness and kindness. Fear and insecurity struggle with courage and tranquility. It’s a winning formula.” ― San Francisco Book Review

MATCH

What do politics, living donor kidney transplants, and the current opioid crisis all have in common?

Match is a captivating story where Bay Area transplant nurse Sarah Golden confronts a series of murderous crimes that lead her into a world of greed, corruption, fear, and terror were she must find for her own survival. Amy Peele knows what makes a great medical thriller and has created one of the best in Match. Highly recommended.” ―DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly series.

Who would kill the four most prominent immunologists in the HOLD world to prevent a life-saving medical advance from being achieved?

Sarah and Jackie are armed with smarts, humor, and enough persistence to help them face the white-collared demons of corporate America—but with dangerous players gunning for them and death threats being made against their families, will they be able to solve this mystery before someone else gets hurt?

LOGLINE Chilling murder mystery wrapped in a ghost story served with a slice of romance, set in a beautiful resort location.

AuthorRandyOverbeck.com The Haunted Shores Mysteries feature cold-case murder mysteries with an air of the paranormal, intermingled with an enticing thread of romance. Teacher and Coach Darrell Henshaw has the gift of seeing ghosts, though he is not happy about it. These ghosts—a black teen lynched years ago, a bride murdered on her wedding night and two young Latino children who have disappeared—all cry out for justice, pulling Darrell into a web of danger and intrigue. Aided by his girlfriend Erin, Darrell struggles to unravel the lies and secrets surrounding each death, only to discover that each crime is tied to a more pervasive evil, like racial injustice and human trafficking. 16 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

the haunted shores mysteries “A mesmerizing story which consumes the reader from the very first page…will keep them on the edge of their seats and up until the wee hours!” —InD’tale Magazine “A wonderful protagonist, an ordinary man put into extraordinary situations and rising to the challenge. The other characters are welldrawn and believable, and the settings by the shore add richness to the story.” —Over My Dead Body Magazine

The Secret of Etemenanki by James Ragon

Debut Saga Draws Comparisons to Clancy, Brown and Cussler Talk about impressive comparisons, The Secret of Etemenanki has “the accuracy of Tom Clancy, the intriguing story creation of Dan Brown, and the magnificent similarity of Clive Cussler with the ease of transition through various acts of excitement. Author James Ragon has produced a novel of significant order, hitting his first written work out of the park.” The Secret of Etemenanki also has been compared to Treasure Island, Raiders of the Lost Arc, or the Temple of Solomon, with elements of Ivanhoe. It is a story of competing interests set in a time of war. When Father Vilhardain finds Sir Byron Fitzwalter wounded, alone and at death’s door at the killing fields of ar-Saffuriyah, their fates are bound together. One is a priest on a secret and dangerous mission. The other is a young Knight Crusader hungry for glory. The year is 1187 and the Muslim forces of Sultan Saladin have just crushed the Christian armies struggling to maintain control of the Holy Land. As two great faiths continue to fight and kill for supremacy, the pair journeys from the heart of Rome to the legendary city of Babylon, deep in enemy territory. From deadly political subterfuge and relentless assassins to the full power of Saladin’s massive army, the two must navigate unimaginable peril to save the Western world. JamesRagon.com

Unyielding destiny by Spiros Gratsias

This is one of those books where you find yourself rooting for a hardened criminal: member of a New York crime family, convicted of two armed burglaries, prisoner in Alcatraz. It’s a book that filmmakers can relate to on several levels: the public’s fascination with organized crime, heavy moral dilemmas, and larger-than-life settings as characters in their own right: the depressed lower east side in the 1930s, the field of war, inside prison walls, and the streets on New York infiltrated with crime and gangland territorial conflicts.

Destiny might be the end of you . . .

Frank Morris was born in the desperation of a tenement in New York City’s Little Italy. He is orphaned and adopted by the boss of a powerful NY crime family. As a veteran of the Korean war, inmate of Alcatraz penitentiary, and phantom hitman, Frank’s altruistic and selfless true nature is revealed as he battles to escape the darkness of his unyielding destiny. BookLife Review says, “This fast-paced, grittily realistic novel hurtles forward in a series of actionpacked scenes. Captures the tone and tenor of the criminal underworld, transports readers to society’s underbelly, a place where jokes and threats go hand in hand.” AuthorSpirosGratsias.net HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 17

The Data Collectors Trilogy by Danielle Palli

LOGLINE A “Political Space Opera,” a Sci-Fi Adventure Full of Whimsy

SYNOPSIS Much like we observe and collect data about our environment, wildlife, and endangered species, the Data Collectors were sent here to collect and report back information about us. At one time, humans lived on many planets, in many solar systems; but now we are endangered, and currently live on a single planet... Earth. The Data Collectors are trying to determine what is causing our near extinction to save humans as a species. Meanwhile, special interest groups would rather see the human race die off sooner, rather than later. After all, if they can preserve what natural resources we have left, Earth is prime intergalactic real estate.

The Data Collectors Trilogy has been called a “political space opera with touches of magic realism [with] shapeshifting aliens, endangered earthlings and a sci-fi adventure full of whimsy.” The series follows the misadventures of Lucene Jones, a natural-born empath of two genetically enhanced Data Collectors as she attempts to uncover her past and rebuild her life with the Peace-Keepers on Erde. The story is filled with quirky characters like Ivan “the tinkerer,” Morphinae, a shape-shifting Balance-Keeper, and Cepheus Baruch, a former reptile-like Royal who abandoned the Training Grounds and the throne at a young age. The trilogy is easily adaptable as an anime or cartoon series, TV or streaming service series, a graphic novel collection, or a three-part movie series. The trilogy

18 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

draws awareness on cultural and social themes including climate change, challenging stereotypical age and gender roles, relationships, and sexual orientation, immigration, segregation, and class systems—cleverly disguised as entertainment.

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REVIEWS

It is sci-fi, romance, and adventure, with a comedic element that leaves the audience not knowing whether to laugh, cry or get angry. (Amazon rank: #1 Sci-Fi Romance ; #2 Sci-Fi Genetic Engineering; #10 Romance). “A creative masterpiece. Palli takes us on an interplanetary journey of intrigue, conspiracy and possibility.”

BirdlandMediaWorks.com

if i didn’t care by Danielle Palli

Funny, Irreverent and Endearing Characters Shine in This Sleuthing Cozy Mystery

Bawdy, brainy and uncouth, If I Didn’t Care is a story that is meant for stage, TV, movies and as a streaming mini-series. It follows the adventures of the unfortunately named Rue Brennan who lives in a tiny studio apartment in the Lower East Side of Manhattan and is piecing together odd jobs as a freelance journalist and part-time figure model. Her boyfriend, Spencer Hargrove, who is all about appearances, thinks she can do better. He is about to unveil a new product created by his up-and-coming startup SpencerTech at the height of the tech boom. Spencer convinces Rue to take a job as an administrative assistant working for Cyber Forensic Consultant and Private Investigator Darwin Fennec, believing it to be a career more befitting a woman of her stage in life. In the meantime, her hyperactive upstairs neighbor Midge, prone to day drinking and saying whatever comes into her head, would rather see Rue ditch Spencer and spend her time with Darwin instead. In an unexpected twist of fate, Darwin and Rue attend the theater on the same night, each witnessing the murder of a stage actress. The only problem is, they both have become suspects, Filled with funny, irreverent and endearing characters, there’s plenty of surprises, misdirection and sleuthing. BirdlandMediaWorks.com

THe ROAD TO HOME by Ellen Gibson-Adler

Tracking the Transformative Journey of a Military Family

Fans of Jeannette Walls, Anne Tyler and Tara Westover will relate to this final book of Ellen Gibson-Adler’s trilogy series, a moving and unforgettable story that portrays the transformative journey of a military family ultimately forced to put down roots. The reconciliation and reckoning of the characters we have grown to love in the saga adventures of the Lyons family is buoyed by their humor, wit, and a determination to rise above the odds that stand in the way of their eccentric, talented, damaged, and lovable personalities. Nelle swallows rejection and blooms in love, while her parents struggle to remake themselves after the realities of war and isolation shred their former selves. Cast as perpetual outsiders on an anchorless vessel, they fight to find footing on unfamiliar ground amid strangers. As Nelle and her family grapple with charting a future steeped in the turbulence of growing up and growing old, we embrace the successes and failures of these all-too-human characters. Through the lens of loss, the light of laughter, the revelation of wisdom, and the peace of acceptance comes a beautiful story of how forgiveness leads to the road to redemption and the power of love. BookTrib.com/2019/10/07/ellen-gibson-adler-2/ HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 19

Masters of the Broken WatcheS by Razi Imam

LOGLINE A Globe-Trotting SciFi Thriller Whose Time Has Come

SYNOPSIS You’ve probably seen the lithographs of the artist M.C. Escher, whose mind-bending optical illusions make you question the nature of reality. That’s the aptest comparison we can conjure for Razi Imam’s Masters of the Broken Watches. His debut novel is the literary equivalent of an Escher piece. It’s a bubbling stew of speculative science that makes you question the nature of time itself. And while your mind is being blown by the ideas in this imaginative thriller, you’ll be in exotic locations from Central America to remote Vietnamese fishing villages with memorable characters who’ll keep you wondering if they can survive one scrape after another. It’s an action adventure like Indiana Jones, a science adventure like Jurassic Park and a human feel-good story like Slumdog Millionaire. Sebastian Miles and his team of marine biologists stare at their watches. Time outside their lab has jumped forward by twenty-two hours. Minutes before this illogical space-time event, they were analyzing a mysterious glowing nodule extracted from an unknown marine specimen. News of this marine life reaches powerful governments, inadvertently triggering a race to hunt, capture and control it. But these governments and their nationalist leaders have never faced a team of scientists known as the Paramarines. They have no idea to what lengths Sebastian and his Paramarines will go to protect the species from capture and exploitation.

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REVIEWS

Wow. I don’t read a lot of Sci-Fi BUT this was an outstanding read. I finished the book in 2 days, could not put it down. What an incredible imagination Mr Imam has. Would not be surprised if some makes a movie from the book. —Joseph P Gentile

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What a cast of characters! The underappreciated but brilliant minds that endeavor to research and investigate the unknown. They are heroes, one and all. This was science fiction, but what if it’s not? What a brilliant concept for possible solutions to some of our greatest human challenges. I say why not? Thank you for allowing me to indulge in this adventure. Looking forward to more of the same. — Grace Nakawatase

I typically don’t read much science fiction, but the story kept me engaged chapter to chapter and very interested in wanting to know what happens next. It’s an easy read, and makes you ponder that time as we know it, is not how we know it. This book would make a fantastic movie. I highly recommend it. — Jack G

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raziimam.com

Flight of the Rondone by Patrick Girondi

LOGLINE A true rags-to-riches story of love, beating the odds or as Girondi calls it, pure luck. The New York Times stated that this story is “meant for television.” It is a gritty and realistic tale told with little regard for empire or etiquette.

SYNOPSIS The protagonist, a high school dropout, is nicknamed in Italian U Carneveil (Walking Circus) for his entertaining and eccentric nature. Patrick Girondi starts his career shining shoes, stealing car parts, and escaping life-threatening situations while outwitting the Chicago police. He claws up to being a famous success story on the Oprah Show. His fortunes quickly change when his eldest son, Santino, is diagnosed with a fatal blood disease. Girondi hunts for a cure in a drama that has boundless implications in the world of gene therapy. As Girondi writes, “I’d been strangled, shot at, skated more than twenty arrests, made it through 3 FBI witch-hunts and went from the docks to trading and big money. I would see my son cured. How hard could it be?” After decades of struggle, he delivered the world’s first commercial batch of vector with the potential to cure Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia. But again, the success of the cure—and the fate of his son—is imperiled, in a world of lab jackets, mysterious deaths, and cut-throat Wall Street bankers.

author BIO PATRICK FINLEY GIRONDI, originally from the South Side of Chicago, is an Italian American singersongwriter, author, and founder of San Rocco Therapeutics.

Girondi has released five music albums and is the author of Diamond in the Rough. He has led his company, San Rocco Therapeutics, since 1993, with the mission to cure Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia.

patgirondi.com

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 21

THe Beach babes by Judith Keim Highlights the Strength of Women’s Friendships Cate Tibbs, Brooke Ridley, and Amber Anderson, friends since they were awkward thirteen-yearolds who called themselves “The Beach Babes,” are about to face their 40th birthdays. Cate rents a house for them along the Gulf Coast of Florida for a long weekend, hoping it will give them the opportunity to re-ignite their friendship. Cate, an author trying to finish a book, doesn’t know that Amber, a model, and Brooke, the mother of a boy in college and younger twin girls, have their own issues, but together they support each other through their own crises.

THE DANCE FLOOR WARS: Dispatches from the front by Durden Kell

A Fun Romp in the War Between the Sexes Take John le Carré Cold War tales, roll them into a comedy set, add a dose of confessions of the heart, and you will have The Dance Floor Wars series. Another look at love and relationships with a twist from Durden Kell. This story is told by journalist Gordon Wesley Asbury whose reporting on The War Between the Sexes has never been more fun, poignant, and truthful than in book one of the series, Dispatches from the Front. Gordon meets Lucinda and falls in love with her. He reports from “the front,” the Dance Floor, where Lucinda is a favorite. What he learns is most entertaining.

BlueRoomBooks.com

JudithKeim.com

storm surge by John F. Banas Lots of Moving Parts Battling Messy Relationships, Katrina and the Mob

Brenda’s husband might be having an affair with her ex-fiance’s wife. And now Brenda, her husband Don and her ex, John, are driving 18 hours to New Orleans together in a small car to save her daughter from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. That’s all the setup you need to dive into Storm Surge, the fast-paced, easy-to-absorb debut novel from John F. Banas. But it hardly stops there. Brenda’s daughter Ashley, a student at Tulane, is not evacuating because she is stuck trying to convince her Aunt May, who lives in a nearby assisted-living center, that it’s time to get out before it’s too late. Oddly, the management of the facility seems to have no sense of urgency. Add to this that the ex, John, is in debt to the wrong sort of people, but, as an insurance agent, has a scheme to collect on the policy of Brenda’s husband Don – should Don turn up dead. And there’s more -- discord among the ranks of the criminals with which John is engaged. Will Brenda be able to survive the ravages of Katrina, find her daughter, and prevent a professional hit without painting a target on her own back? Check out this intriguing novel, with enough moving parts to keep everybody guessing.

pagepublishing.com/books/?book=storm-surge 22 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

SLAY THE DRAGON:

An adam weldon thriller by William McGinnis

LOGLINE Die Hard and Eye in the Sky meet Braveheart

SYNOPSIS White-knuckle, upbeat, rip-roaring story packed with suspense, amazing escapes, and plot twists for lovers of James Bond, Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp and Chev Chelios. A police officer is brutally murdered in an Oakland protest. City hall shuts down any serious investigation. ExNavy SEAL Adam Weldon and his African American cop buddy BC take up the search for the killers only to find themselves hunted, outmatched, and at risk of being killed at any moment. Fighting for their lives, they discover the murder is part of a relentless, 40-year, “unrestricted warfare” assault on America by an implacable, seemingly all powerful foe determined to dominate in the world. A sovereign state with database files on everyone and the ability to track—and kill—anyone, anywhere, at any time. Can Adam and his team—and American democracy itself—survive?

“Better than Bond! Move over Ian Fleming: Bill McGinnis is the new king of thrilling, action filled, block buster novels that will become famous books and movies.” “Uniquely, McGinnis builds Slay the Dragon around actual world events and challenges, primarily those facing the US, often those where we are stumbling as a country. McGinnis interweaves these realistic, controversial threats into his plot and strives for world justice and peace to prevail. What a treat this is!”

“Super hero Adam Weldon up stages James Bond in numerous ways, incorporating state of the art technology that actually exists, even if you haven’t heard about it. …I can’t wait to see Slay the Dragon as a movie” —N. Robyn

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REVIEWS

Winner of the Literary Titan 5-Star Gold Book Award !! “Slay The Dragon is a riveting thriller novel … and suspenseful spy story. This unpredictable mystery novel will engulf the reader in its exploration of geopolitical predicaments while providing … a unique storyline that will keep them engaged from the first to the last page.” —Literary Titan Review

WilliamMcGinnis.com

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 23

THE Jessica james mystery SERIES by Kelly Oliver

LOGLINE A Different Sort of Sleuth: Clever and Hilarious Cowgirl Philosopher Jessica James

SYNOPSIS If James Patterson and Janet Evanovich had a love child....meet cowgirl philosopher Jessica James. If you like your sleuths fierce, funny, and female, you’ll love Jessica in this perfect mix of intrigue, humor, romance, suspense, and mystery. Readers and filmmakers will find that author Kelly Oliver has delivered a clever, endearingly awkward, and downright hilarious heroine in her thrilling and suspenseful Jessica James Mystery Series. This seven-book continuing collection, set in the American West and Chicago, is an irresistible treat for fans of kick-ass women sleuths and laugh-out-loud funny mysteries. With more wit than grace, philosophy graduate student and former barrel racing champion Jessica stumbles into murder mysteries, human trafficking, rape drugs, art scams, and corporate corruption.

• Jessica wants her degree but has just become a suspect of first-degree murder. (Wolf) • She comes back from vacation, but if she’s not careful, she might leave in a body bag. (Coyote) • This isn’t her first rodeo. But if she can’t rope in a predator, she may be the next one to fall. (Fox) • She’s in Sin City to search for her dad. But is she about to place her final bet? (Jackal)

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• Donors to the new world-class Chicago museum of Russian art are dropping like flies, and Jessica is at the center of the carnage. Can she track down the killer before she falls into his trap? (Viper) • She’s obsessed with finding an old boyfriend. But can she track him down without leading the mafia straight to him? (Cottonmouth) • In a fast-paced whodunnit, facing life as an unemployed philosopher, a pair of pocket rockets in Texas Hold ‘Em sends her to Italy where she takes a crash course in Art Crimes. (Cobra)

REVIEWS

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Consider some of the intriguing storylines and imagine them on the screen:

The Chicago Tribune calls the Jessica James Mystery Series “edgy, thrilling and captivating.” Adds the Baltimore Sun, “If you are looking for some grit, thrills and chills, look no further, the Jessica James Series is the must-read series of the summer.”

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kellyoliverbooks.com

BED OF ROSE AND THORNS by Lee Hunt

A Fantasy World with Epic Battles and Avid Romance

This book has been described as “a showstopper that has everything -- a wellimagined fantasy world, great characters, incredible tension, and fierce love. It is rich, detailed, and skillfully constructed, and there are plenty of first-rate action scenes.” Sir Ezra is an Elysian Bell; he has a frightening potential that he keeps hidden deep beneath tight layers of steel armor. He secretly loves a dark Queen whose touch would mean his death. Banished for brutally slaughtering the Prince of Erle and husband to the Queen, Sir Ezra can only dream of seeing her again. Every night, his soul travels to distant lands, remembering the Queen, her deep convictions, brilliant mind, unending work, hidden loneliness, and a single night of horrific bloodshed. Recalled to the Queendom after eleven years, Ezra hopes to catch at least a fleeting glimpse of the woman he was sacrificed for. Instead, he finds a nation in rebellion and the Queen to be an elusive phantom. His only friend, Sir Marigold, challenges his presence and tells him that he is not needed in the capitol. Looking for both the truth and the absent Queen, Ezra finds only more secrets and enemies. LeeHunt.org

last worst hopes by Lee Hunt

Misfits Left to Save the World in This Glorious Fantasy “This is an extraordinary epic tale with a phenomenal conflict, following a motley group of misfits in the struggle to defend what is left of their land against an invincible enemy. It will have great appeal to fans of classic fantasy novels such as those of Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan.” Their world was ending, all the heroes were dead, the leaders confused, and their enemies were head and shoulders above them. But there was no one else; they were the dregs, the last worst hopes. Nehring Ardgour has summoned Skoll and Hati from hell. They have torn through the proud and ancient country of Engevelen and the angelic Methueyn Knights that protect it. Armies have died, cities have fallen. None of the great remain. No brilliant inventors, no powerful knights, no master wizards. No heroes. But it gets worse. Farrah Harbinger has looked into the future and foretells the coming of an enemy worse than all the others, a creature of destruction and entropy like no other. A being who will grind all hopes and memory of civilization into dust: the One, True Devil. Who can stop it? Who is left to even try? No one would pick Val, Mick or Dav to save the world, and yet there is no one else left.

LeeHunt.org HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 25

AUGIE SWEETWATEr and the dolphin’s tale by William Harrigan

LOGLINE A New Matinee Idol in the Brilliant Augie Sweetwater

SYNOPSIS Talk about connections to characters whose books were turned into movies, Augie Sweetwater has been compared to Harry Potter – a modern-day wizard and new literary hero in William J. Harrigan’s Augie Sweetwater and the Dolphin’s Tale. This is a wonderous book for children but an imaginative story for all ages about kids taking on marine-biologyminded adventures, international conspiracies and the power of friendship. Augie is a brilliant 11-year-old with a gift for inventing amazing things that always get him in hot water. This exceptionality puts a major target on his back that sticks out to more than just amateur bullies. Beleaguered, brilliant Augie is under attack from kidnappers who want to hold him hostage and use his inventions for their own personal gain. How many 11-year-olds do you know who always wear bulletproof t-shirts? Coop Cooperlick is the new kid in school, a 14-yearold with a passion for rock climbing and a knack for quick action. Mika Deerwood is a lovely 13-year-old Native American with aspirations of Olympic gold in fencing. Together, the three are going to make history.

26 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

The story demonstrates just what kids are capable of when they’re given support and understanding. Augie Sweetwater and the Dolphin’s Tale brings out every reader’s sense of adventure — whether they be a child or an adult — and shows them just how powerful friendship can be. You can expect an intelligent, thoughtful adventure/ coming-of-age story that offers positive perspectives on various challenges kids and adults experience. Animal lovers and techies will both enjoy this book. The tongue-in-cheek humor will definitely appeal to the target audience of young adults. Harrigan’s tale swimmingly combines marine biology, STEM and international espionage to create a book that’s fun and very unique. In fact, the story reminds one reader of another young sleuth whose books were successfully adapted to film and television: Nancy Drew.

THE road king chronicLEs trilogy by Harry Harrigan

LOGLINE Action Thrillers Place Author in Elite Company

SYNOPSIS Fast-paced and full of adventure, readers have compared Harry Harrigan’s The Road King Chronicles trilogy to books by James Patterson, Dean Koontz and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series – hallowed company for those seeking the next possible book-to-screen property. Blue Ridge Run is the first book in series, and the author taps his own military experience to craft this vivid thriller about Master Sergeant Roman Keane and his fellow soldiers on a search for justice. Roman is six hours and one last salute from retirement. He’s got a Silver Star, a titanium knee and a plan to see America on his Road King motorcycle. No more patrols, no more firefights. But just as he twists the throttle to pass, a woman’s bare foot smears a bloody print on the van’s back window. Roman turns back to help, triggering a chain of events that puts his brother Virgil and two old friends in the crosshairs of a murderer. Saving them sends Roman on a desperate ride from Savannah to DC, where he discovers that the past he has been trying to forget has not forgotten him. It’s been waiting patiently, holding his secret like a time bomb.

The story continues in book two, Second Hand Snake, in which Roman will have to ask himself the hardest question anyone can face: how far will you go to save your friends? In book three, South Dakota Dead, Roman discovers that the past he thought was dead and gone has a way of rising up to finish what it started.

From the very first page, readers are thrust onto the highway and into the action — and the story never slows down. For fans of suspense and plot twists, The Road King Chronicles manages to pull off a handful of interesting surprises and captivating storytelling

roadkingchronicles.com

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 27

AGAINST THE GLASS by Linda M. Habib

LOGLINE Women’s Reproductive Choices are Explored in Emotionally Riveting Historical Fiction When her ability to birth a legacy is ripped away, can she rise above her suffering and forge a new path?

SYNOPSIS

This emotionally drenched historical novel takes readers to iconic settings from New York City spots like the New York Marble Cemetery, Studio 54, Caffe Reggio, and Serendipity and on to Paris and Florence. It’s 1966. Candy believes she can have both marriage and a career. But she falls in love and becomes pregnant, only to be devastated when the father, a local football

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hero, strong-arms her into an illegal abortion. And when the dangerous procedure leads to an emergency hysterectomy, she wakes up barren and abandoned. Battling through depression knowing that her family’s line will end with her, Candy vows to soar beyond society’s conventions and pioneer her own future. And as she sets out to achieve her dream to support women, she’s determined to overcome abusive professors, tumultuous personal relationships, and the painful guilt that won’t let her go. Will she triumph in a male-dominated world and finally learn to forgive herself?

REVIEWS

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Like a voyeur, follow Candy Krzyzanowski in Linda Habib’s riveting Against the Glass on her heroine’s journey from a naive nineteen-year-old who suffers unimaginable harm to a woman struggling with her ensuing demons, as well as the societal upheaval and the woman’s movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s, which she uses to break free of traditional conventions and serve society.

Midwest Book Review says, “Linda Habib’s stark presentation of situations that seem incredible on the surface is actually a realistic representation of how it felt to be an ambitious young woman hitting a glass ceiling not just in the business world, but in school and science communities.”

Kirkus Review says, “At the end of the story, readers find a character of remarkable strength and empathy.”

28 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

LindaHabib.com

Tomorrow’s Flight BOOK PIPELINE FINALIST

by M.E. Ellington & Steven Stiefel

LOGLINE When a piece of an airplane is uncovered in the same strata of earth as a T. rex skull, paleontologists and crash investigators try to determine what happened; meanwhile, plane crash survivors fight to stay alive in a peculiar world of unimaginable horrors.

SYNOPSIS For the passengers and crew, American Cruise Air’s Flight 839 was supposed to be a routine red-eye. But destiny changes people’s lives in ways they can’t predict—or even imagine. When a dinosaur femur is unearthed in the central Nevada desert, the last thing Andrea, a graduate student in paleontology, expected to find was the tail section of an airplane in the same strata of earth. After the airplane crash lands in unfamiliar terrain, Sarah begins to document the daily routine she and her fellow survivors follow. Slowly but surely they come to realize that they have crossed through time. The daily horrors of Cretaceous life become more clear as they encounter a family group of Tyrannosaurus rexes that become increasingly interested in the survivors and their shell of an airplane. Meanwhile, Andrea tries to determine what happened to the passengers and crew in the abandoned wreckage they find in the present day. As timelines collide, one woman’s battle for survival becomes another woman’s fight for the truth.

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REVIEWS

#3 Book Manuscript on Coverfly’s THE RED LIST For The Year 2022 (Sci/Fi Book Manuscript, 2022)

“A sharp and gripping SF/prehistoric time-travel thriller… The authors deftly develop the diverse plane castaways and the badly conflicted and semi-tainted mix of scientists/academics and air-crash investigators at the ancient (or not-so-ancient) accident site.” — Kirkus Reviews

The Amazon #1 International Best-Seller TomorrowsFlight.com

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29

The quantum effect by Nicklois Leonard

SciFi Military Thriller Explores the Real Story Behind COVID-19

Perhaps Literary Titan says it best about Nicklois Leonard’s military thriller The Quantum Effect: Mission COVID-19, “It gets right into the action. Aside from the CIA, Navy, health, and defense ministries involved in the plot, the story feels like an adventure film due to its fast pace and rapid plot twists. The subtitle referencing the topic on everyone’s mind these days makes this a most timely tale, but the sci-fi elements that frame this story make it not just of the here and now but also of the past … and future. Was the COVID-19 virus man-made, or naturally occurring? Was the virus accidentally or intentionally released? Does Area 51 really exist? Do you want to know the truth? This work suggests answers to these and other questions by taking the reader on a suspenseful thriller ride. Engaging the US government including the White House, Department of Defense, CIA, and the Navy SEALs, as well as the Chinese Ministry of Health, this novel reveals how they are all caught in an intricate web of clandestine operations based on the discovery of a new highly advanced time-travel technology. Follow Commander Maxwell as he leads his team on a high-stakes game of cat and mouse deep inside Chinese territory, in cooperation with the CIA, to learn the truth behind COVID-19 once and for all. BookTrib.com/2021/10/20/nicklois-leonard-author-profile

Aby C.G. TIME TO FORGET IN EAST BERLIN Fewston Two Lovers Face the Dilemmas of a Nation Divided

There is no better way for people interested in Germany’s history and the dilemma and cultures of the two Berlins to absorb this information than in a novel such A Time to Forget in East Berlin by C.G. Fewston. Midwest Book Review says the novel “captures the microcosm of two individuals’ love, relationship, and options and expands them against the blossoming dilemmas of a nation divided. The book will reach beyond the usual audience of war fiction epic readers to tug at the hearts of those who may not have anticipated such a compelling blend of descriptive prose and psychological inspection.” Several months after the ending to A Time to Love in Tehran (the first book of the trilogy), we find our hero John Lockwood, a former CIA officer, living a new life with a new identity in East Berlin, where he is dating the young Antonina “Nina” Rosenberg while the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) recruits John for another mission. Writes bestselling historical fiction author Matthew Harffy, “A Time to Forget in East Berlin is a dream-like interlude of love and passion in the paranoid and violent life of a Cold War spy. The meticulous research is evident on every page, and Fewston’s elegant prose, reminiscent of novels from a bygone era, enhances the sensation that this is a book firmly rooted in another time.” CGFewston.me 30 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

ON THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED by Ed Hajim

LOGLINE At the age of 3, Ed Hajim is kidnapped by his father, driven cross-country, and told his mother is dead. He presses his face against the car window, watches the miles pass and wonders where life will take him — where you’d least expect.

SYNOPSIS In a memoir filled with human drama, wisdom and timeless life lessons, ON THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: An Unlikely Journey from the Orphanage to the Boardroom (Skyhorse; March 2, 2021) tells the improbable story of how Hajim bounced from foster homes to orphanages, in a daily struggle to survive, to living the American dream as an accomplished Wall Street executive and model family man with great moral fiber and the means to give back to a world that seemed intent on rejecting him. Throughout his career, Hajim was guided by his instincts to know when a situation had run its course. “Sometimes it’s better to sever ties and leave on your own, even if the next step is unknown,” he writes. “That’s often the road less traveled, but it’s so worth the journey.” The “unknown” also played a major part in Ed’s personal life, when a long-kept secret he couldn’t possibly have imagined was revealed.

On the Road Less Traveled is a moving, personal history that demonstrates the importance of being faithful to one’s core values — a roadmap for a life well lived.” —Renée Fleming

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REVIEWS

“Ed Hajim’s life story makes Horatio Alger look like an underachiever.” —Ken Roman, former CEO, Ogilvy & Mather

“A ‘must-read’ in every school in the US.” —Barbara Hackman Franklin, 29th U.S. Secretary of Commerce

edhajim.com

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 31

RIDING WITH GHOSTS, ANGELS, AND THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD by John Russell

LOGLINE Come Along for Psychic’s Spine-Chilling Paranormal Adventures When it comes to book-to-screen opportunities, consider the book that Uri Geller calls “an incredible supernatural journey that will mesmerize your soul.”

SYNOPSIS As an internationally known professional psychic and paranormal investigator for 50 years, John Russell has experienced a host of compelling and sometimes spine-chilling paranormal adventures. His book Riding with Ghosts, Angels, and the Spirits of the Dead is an episodic collection of really good ghost stories... all of which happen to be true! John has logged thousands of miles on his motorcycle, Melissa, and readers ride along as he encounters UFOs, mystical weather, Civil War phantoms, electronic recordings of spirit voices, crop circles, Indian spirits, haunted forests, and even a phone call to a ghost! Each entertaining, unique essay offers a spiritual truth or insight for further contemplation.

“I could see this book, and this compelling character, being adapted into a television series,” said one of the judges at the 29th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. “It’d be like Unsolved Mysteries meets Knight Rider, but instead of Kit the car, you’d have Melissa the motorcycle.” John’s experiences show us that powerful, unseen intelligences on the Other Side observe us and listen to us; communicate with us in astonishing ways; are sometimes able to grant our desires; may offer us further insights into the spiritual realm; and can literally save our lives - as long as we listen to them and pay attention.

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The author has been interviewed on radio by Coast to Coast AM’s George Noory, who says, “John’s books provide a unique perspective on the psychic and paranormal realms. Fans of true ghost stories will be entertained by accounts ranging from UFO encounters to Guardian Angel guidance that proved to be lifesaving.”

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REVIEWS

This is a journey seldom experienced by the average person. So come along with John (and his beloved motorcycle, Melissa) on a magical ride as he travels thousands of miles off the beaten path.

ridingwithghosts.net

Malevolence by Britt Lind

The Pangaea Solution by Charles Jacobs

Rescued from Hollywood Streets, Now Targets of Ruthless Assassins Author Britt Lind is no stranger to the world of television, movies and stage. And now her latest thriller looks like the perfect vehicle for those media. In Malevolence, Rosemaria Baker, a cop whose blood runs true blue, has become a prosecutor who now gets to put the perpetrators in jail instead of just arresting them. Her world is interrupted when two girls who Rosemaria rescued from the Hollywood streets become targets of ruthless assassins after a third girl is murdered. But just as things seem to be falling into place, Rosemaria faces an unexpected, terrifying threat and must depend on those who love her to rescue her from certain death.

BrittLind.com

LOGLINE The Cost of Keeping Up Appearances SusanShapiroBarash.com

From the outside, the high society women of Palm Beach look like the golden ideal—wealthy, privileged, glamorous, and bathed in the glow of the South Florida sun. But on the inside? The shocking toll of living a lie is vividly portrayed in the Palm Beach novels by Susannah Marren (pen name of Susan Shapiro Barash, a gender professor for more than 20 years). In A Palm Beach Wife, Marren introduces Faith Harrison, the quintessential Palm Beach woman—a captivating beauty, ideal wife, beloved shopkeeper and mother. In a town where affluence and perfection rule, Faith is respected and adored by all.

Ex-FBI agent battles a global think tank bent on altering the human race When former FBI agent David Blum investigates the truth behind his father’s recent death, he uncovers a link between a world-renowned professor of genetics and an apparent plot by a shadowy international think tank to infect millions of people with a deadly virus. Ultimately, though, Blum discovers that the actual plan is infinitely more profound than anything he had imagined, forcing him to confront his own sense of morality. “Never lagging, always delivering ... generating considerable suspense and enough plausibility for a novelistic version of a big-budget movie.” — Kirkus Reviews

CharlesJacobs.com

A PALM BEACH WIFE by Susannah Marren

When she learns of her husband’s impending disgrace, she must fight to keep her world from unraveling. In A Palm Beach Scandal, Marren follows the Cutlers, the ultimate Palm Beach family with two dazzling adult daughters, Elodie and Aubrey. The sisters are polar opposites but fiercely loyal to each other. When Elodie receives the shocking news that she is unable to conceive, she turns to Aubrey. Aubrey, a free spirit, can’t say no despite her mother’s warnings. And then one stupefying secret is unearthed, and no one in the Cutler clan can turn back.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33

“JO’S MOTHER, BABE, IS A LIFE-EMBRACING ROLE MODEL FOR ANYONE SEEKING TO MAKE THEIR DAYS DANCE WITH LOVE AND JOY.”

THE PERFECT BEACH READ AMAZON BESTSELLER

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CHASING WATERFALLS A STORY OF RECOVERY, RESILIENCE, AND DEFYING ONE’S PROGNOSIS

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