May 10, 2013
Congratulations Royce Buckingham on Your 2013-14 Sunshine State Young Readers Award and Sasquatch Book Award Nominations for The Dead Boys!

Sasquatch Book Award Nominee

Titles are selected by Librarians in the State of Washington in order to encourage students to read some of the best new books published each year.

http://www.wlma.org/sasquatch 


The Sunshine State Young Readers Award (SSYRA) is a program co-sponsored by the Office of Library Media and the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME). This program for students in grades 3-8 is designed to entice students to read high interest, contemporary literature for personal enjoyment. 

http://www.fldoe.org/bii/Library_Media/ssyrap.asp

May 10, 2013
AEI Client Dennis Palumbo's Night Terrors Reviews on Kirkus

 

NIGHT TERRORS

by Dennis Palumbo

Buy now from

AMAZON.COM 
BARNES & NOBLE 
LOCAL BOOKSELLER 

KIRKUS REVIEW

Pittsburgh clinical psychologist Daniel Rinaldi (Fever Dream, 2011, etc.) finds to his sorrow that even serial killers have fans.

Now that Wesley Currim has confessed to killing wealthy Wheeling coal-mine executive Edward Meachem and led Chief Avery Block and Detective Sgt. Harve Randall to the headless corpse, you’d think the case would be closed. But Wes’ mother, Maggie, swears he’s innocent and provides him with a cast-iron alibi he’s determined to repudiate. Do Block and Randall have the right man in custody? Dr. Rinaldi, who went along with them since Wes had refused to talk unless he was called in, can’t say. And he has no time to yield to Maggie’s pleas and break Wes’ confession because he’s been snatched off the street by FBI agent Neal Alcott and plunged into a different nightmare. Even though John Jessup, convicted of killing four prostitutes, has been beaten to death during a riot in an Ohio prison, the pen pal calling himself “Your Biggest Fan” is determined to avenge him by carrying on in his tradition. In short order, the prison guard who killed Jessup, the judge who sentenced him to four life sentences and the Cleveland ADA who prosecuted him are shot. Not surprisingly, Lyle Barnes, the retired FBI profiler who helped nail Jessup, is having night terrors, and Alcott wants Rinaldi to meet with him and calm him down. For his part, Rinaldi wants to be left alone to consummate his stymied romance with Detective Eleanor Lowrey of the Pittsburgh PD. How likely is that when the entire tri-state region is full of serial killers and killers-in-training?

Some thrillers are beach reads. Palumbo’s are strictly for late at night and for readers who have no pressing engagements early the next day.

May 10, 2013
Story Merchant Clients Lisa Cerasoli and Dennis Walsh Talk Books on Peter Anthony Holder's Podcast



 Listen to Podcast

Writer and filmmaker, Lisa Cerasoli, is the author of As Nora Jo Fades Away, a non fiction account of caring full time for her grandmother who suffered from Alzheimers.





 Dennis Walsh is a criminal defence attorney and the author of Nobody Walks: Bringing My Brother's Killers To Justice, the true story of how he avenged the murder of his youngest brother.

Peter Anthony Holder

May 10, 2013
Tome Tender Reviews Terry Stanfill's Realms of Gold

Realms of Gold by Terry Stanfill

May 10, 2013
Nook Users Book Club Reviews Larry D. Thompson's Dead Peasants

Jack Bryant was born and raised in Ft Worth, Texas.  Some might say he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.  Jack, soon to retire, is a successful plaintiff lawyer practicing in Beaumont, Texas.   He moved back to his home town to watch his son play college football and to show all of those people (from the right side of the tracks) how well this former poor boy did as an adult.  His son, JD Jr., is a walk-on at TCU and is balancing his training with spending time with his father.  Upon arriving home Jack meets Colby Stripling, a woman with a secret, as well as a real estate agent who sells him the oversized home that he pays for with cash, just because.

When Jack realizes that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be he decides to become a pro bono lawyer for the less fortunate.  His first case is for June Davis, the widow of a local man (Willie Jr.) Jack has become friends with. June finds out by accident that his former employer, Allison Motors, had a life insurance policy on her late husband that paid $400,000 when he died.  Jack attempts to get Allison Motors to relinquish the funds to June however, during the course of the trial it is determined that there is more going on than just one Dead Peasant policy.

This is a fun and fast paced novel without a lot of unnecessary filler.  The characters had very distinct personalities, even those that were not so prominent such as Willie Jr. You could see the confusion he suffered with the changing racial times and what he was brought up with.   The descriptions of the area are rich and accurate.  Being a Native of Fort Worth, I loved reading about Fort Worth, the local streets, buildings and areas that are so familiar to me.  On the other hand, I found some of the other details to be exaggerated. We understand that Jack is filthy rich and he likes things a certain way, but it felt like overkill or name dropping with the incessant use of name brands or school names.  It felt a little bit like product placement in the movies.  However, these negatives are not enough to distract from the story line.  The novel made us guess and then guess again as twist and turns led to the eventual killer.  This book is not too long (~210 pages) and would make for a great read weekend read. Excellent job!

    

About the Author:  Larry D. Thompson is a veteran trial lawyer and has drawn on decades of experience in the courtroom to produce riveting legal thrillers. Dead Peasants is is third After graduating from the University of Texas School of Law, Thompson founded the Houston trial firm where he still serves as managing partner. The proud father of three grown children, he lives and works in Texas but spends his summers in Colorado, where he crafts his novels and hikes the mountains surrounding Vail. His greatest inspiration came from Thomas Thompson, his brother, who wrote many best-selling true-crime books and novels.

May 10, 2013
Connie Martinson Talks Books with Dennis M. Walsh Author of Nobody Walks

May 10, 2013
Book Review: "Dead Peasants" by Larry D. Thompson
Larry D. Thompson in his new book, “Dead Peasants” published by Thomas Dunne Books brings us into the life of Jack Bryant.

Synopsis:

May 10, 2013
Nadine Maritz of My Addiction Interviews Martin Ott About His Thriller Interrogator's Notebook

THE INTERROGATORS NOTEBOOK WRITTEN BY MARTIN OTT

Martin Ott is a former US Army interrogator who wrote the The Interrogators Notebook. M.A is extremely honoured to have this interview with someone of such calibre. Even though I reside in South Africa I have always felt great honour towards the people that would do anything for the sake of their country.

The Interrogator’s Notebook is based around a character Norman Kross whose story reflects on real-world experiences and meticulous research. Norman Kross is a master interrogator skilled at deciphering secrets. He is however totally blind to the truths within his own life.

Martin, we are very honoured to have you here today. Tell us a bit more about yourself and your journey towards writing The Interrogator’s Notebook.

I wrote and published a short story The Interrogator’s Last Question about a former interrogator with a troubled family life, and this provided the genesis for The Interrogator’s Notebook. During the course of writing the novel I changed the setting – from DC to Los Angeles – as well as the structure. At one point, Saddam Hussein was even a character.

I kept my eyes on the news and researched interrogation throughout the process to make sure that I was accurate in my portrayal of Norman’s career. I was fortunate enough to have manager/producer/writer Ken Atchity read my novel, and he convinced me to publish it on Story Merchant Books.

Doing some research on the novel I noticed that some readers where fairly critical – in your case they are luckily view and far in-between. As an author I know that we need to know that not everyone would love what we write even though we put everything we have into it, how do you deal with the criticism?

I received feedback from fellow writers, editors, agents, and readers that I integrated into multiple drafts of the novel. I think you have to be open to feedback to become a better writer. The Interrogator’s Notebook has received a couple of negative reviews, and I only wish the feedback was more specific.

How long have you been an author, when did you know that writing was what you wanted in life?

I have always been an avid reader and began writing seriously, at first in a journal, when I was in the Army. I studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Michigan, and in the Masters of Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California to help hone my craft. I have always been interested in working in different genres, and I have also published 3 books of poetry and optioned several screenplays.

You have published dozens of short stories in publications such asConnecticut Review, The Literary Review, The Los Angeles Review, Nimrod, Praire Schooner and Quality Paperback Literary Review – were all your stories based on interrogation?

Only a couple of my short stories focus on the character of an interrogator. I have written stories from the point of view of small boy, a 70-year-old woman, and everything in between, including stories that test conventional form.

How close is your character Norman Kross to yourself? How close are his experiences to your own?

I think all authors dip into the well of their life experiences. I used the familiar locales of my hometown in Michigan and Los Angeles neighborhoods, but the details of Norman’s family are not very close to my own. I did, however, use a few details from my own experiences as an interrogator throughout the book.

Can you tell our readers a bit more about the book? What can they expect, what would draw them in?

There was a central theme that drove me to write the book: to explore what happens when a master interrogator is blind to the truth of his own family, friends, and relationships. I also wanted to explore what happens when someone who is used to being in control gets the tables turned on him.

How do you write? Do you set out a timeline and write accordingly, do you do graphs? A lot of people don’t do either what works for you?

I write because I don’t know how to not write. I set weekly and monthly goals for myself, and never seem to hit them! However, barely a day goes by where I do not write or edit creative work.

How do you feel writing and publishing has grown over the past ten years? Did you know from the word go what you were letting yourself in for or has publishing been a long hard journey?

I believe that electronic publishing and ebooks are creating a shift in publishing, and providing opportunities for dedicated authors to find audiences for themselves. For me, it has taken longer than some to get books published, but I never thought that it was a long journey or a hard one.

As an author, what satisfies you in your writing? Some people do it for money, some write for a hobby – me time. What makes it worth it for you?

I love the process of writing in a way that makes it more than a hobby. I don’t write for the purpose of making money, but I am very aware that the more I make directly from my writing the less time I have to spend on a dual career as a marketing professional.

Any plans on going to film?

Several readers in the entertainment industry have thought that The Interrogator’s Notebook might translate to film or television. I’m open to the possibility.

As a final question, where can readers and fans follow your work?

The best way would be to visit my writing website www.martinottwriter.com or follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ottpops. If there are any people interested in the craft of writing, I recommend my blog: http://writeliving.wordpress.com/.

Martin Thanks so much for your input, it’s been great chatting with you. MA wishes you well in all your future endeavours.

May 10, 2013
Fossil River - Kirkus Reviews

This pedal-to-the-metal speculative thriller revolves around the discovery of a highly territorial colony of predatory dinosaurs in Alaska that has survived undetected for millions of years.

The story begins in an America on the verge of collapse: The nation’s oil reserve is almost gone, and, within a matter of weeks, the country’s entire infrastructure could crumble. However, scientists have discovered the largest fossil fuel deposit in the world, within Alaska’s Noatak National Preserve, which could save the nation from imminent disaster. But there’s one major drawback: a large colony of vicious birdlike dinosaurs (classified as Deinonychus) that have lived in the secluded area for millennia. Zoologist Scott Chandler and his ex-girlfriend Kimberly Fulton, a pre-eminent paleontologist, are tasked by the president of the United States himself to help identify and somehow suppress the mysterious predators—– but an overzealous military presence turns the volatile situation into an all-out blood bath, as dozens of Marines enter the “lost world,” and none return alive. When Fulton’s wayward son and his girlfriend venture into the area, Chandler and Fulton are forced to attempt a desperate rescue.

The narrative features well-developed characters, a plausible and well-researched premise, vivid description and brisk pacing throughout. The only two significant criticisms are that the conclusion is somewhat predictable, and the overall concept isn’t particularly original; James Robert Smith’s The Flock (2006), for example, features a very similar setup. That said, readers who like intelligently written thrillers, à la Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park (1990) and Frank Schätzing’s The Swarm (2006), will likely enjoy this pulse-pounding trip into the Alaskan wilderness.

An undeniably readable thriller with breakneck pacing and jaw-dropping action sequences.

May 10, 2013
Feathered Quill Book Review of Night Terrors

A third book featuring Pittsburgh psychologist, Daniel Rinaldi is headed our way this spring and this reviewer is thrilled to be one of the lucky people to read it first. The title is Night Terrors by Dennis Palumbo. And it is chock full of terror on almost every page.

In the latest installment of this mystery series, Dr. Rinaldi is invited by the FBI, somewhat reluctantly, to treat one of their recently retired profilers. After a stellar career looking inside the heads of serial killers, Special Agent Lyle Barnes is missing a lot of sleep and is having horrible dreams. He dreams about these killers and how they tormented their victims and then wakes up screaming each night. Dr. Rinaldi is trying to get the agent to talk about his years as a profiler and try and remember what he went through in the capture of these criminals. This is not an easy job as the agent is in the cross hairs of an admirer of serial killers who is advertising the fact that he will kill everyone who had a hand in the capture of a recent killer (Judge, Jury and Executioner) and has started to do just that. To make matters worse, Agent Barnes goes on the run and the police and FBI are trying to find him before the killer does.

Dr. Rinaldi is also involved in a case of a young man who is accused of murdering a local businessman. His mother says that he is innocent and, even though the man has confessed, she is adamant about her son being set free. So, Dr. Rinaldi tries to help her prove her son is blameless even though he thinks that the man might be guilty. Dr. Rinaldi is beginning to think that these two cases are linked and both cases are becoming difficult to handle.

As usual, I really liked this book and it was a one-day read. After knowing Dr. Rinaldi for a while, it seems that he is getting a little over confident in the fact that he is good at his job and thinks that he is always right. In his defense, he usually is. Also, this installment is much more gruesome than the previous books.

Quill says: This particular story is lacking some of the humor that the others in the series had, and is also rather grisly in places. It might make an extremely good Quentin Tarrantino movie. As an admirer of Tarrantino, I still have to shut my eyes in some of the scenes in his movies. Good luck with Night Terrors and we will be looking forward to the next installment. 

http://www.featheredquillblog.com

May 10, 2013
Nadine Maritz of My Addiction Interviews the Nobody Nowhere Team

Three Way Interview – Beverly Nero for the road that led her to Nobody Nowhere, The involvement of Donna Williams author of Nobody Nowhererelating to autism and Dan Ireland the dream director for …. “Nobody Nowhere”

Beverly Nero came to know Donna Williams through her own struggles with her autistic son when he hit age 14. Donna became Beverly’s pillar of strength through some treacherous times.  In this interview we aim to cover various aspects of a mother with an autistic child, the assistance of an award winning author and the road taken toward getting Donna’s story to film.

Beverly, it’s a great honour for MA to be able to host this interview today.

Thanks, Nadine, the honour is surely mine.

From what I have seen in some of my research, you come from a very musical background.

Yes, I'm so proud of my dad, Peter Nero, (Grammy Award winning pianist/arranger/composer/conductor). Growing up hearing his warm up exercises every day was such a gift.  It still is, when we visit.

How did you start your career and when did you actually decide to take the leap towards producer? 

I started taking classes in NY when I was 12, got a BFA in theatre when I was 20 and moved out to the west coast.  I lucked out and booked a couple of commercials and a guest starring role in a pilot, and then spent most of my time studying in Emmy Award winning director Joan Darling's acting class where I learned all I needed to know about the business and about life in general.  During that time I worked on TV, film and a lot of stage. I loved the craft so much; I never thought I'd end up on this end of things.  On the other hand, all of the 'day jobs' I had, kept my utilities on and put me in good stead for producing. 

You have been involved in producing and fundraising for the well-known Deaf West Theatre.

Yes, I'd first been exposed to sign language through music, ironically, when we toured with my dad to Australia. The children we met there didn't care much about what my brother and I were performing for them on piano and drums, but I fell in love with the music of their sign language.  Flash forward to arriving in L.A. and a series of events lead me to Deaf West Theatre where I became the Artistic Directors "right ear."  In the non-profit world, everyone wears multiple hats, so all involved in producing became second nature.

How did you end up getting involved with Donna Williams the author?

My husband and I have a 22 year-old autistic son, Gordy.  When he turned 14 it was a challenging time and I searched online for 'a voice' that could speak for our son.  Sure enough, I found the writings of Australian author/consultant, Donna Williams and it was as if I had found an 'autism interpreter' for Gordy, just as I had interpreted for those in the deaf community.   Our conversation was limited to formal consultations through writing emails back and forth and gradually we became trusted friends online and eventually the screen rights came up for "Nobody Nowhere."  In our emails, I was enthralled by her every word - so ironic that a non-verbal child absorbed it all and was able to express herself so magnificently in the written word.  

I told Donna that if she wrote the screenplay herself, I knew enough people in the business that I felt I could help her bring her bestselling book / screenplay adaptation onto the screen.  So every day for the next 4 weeks I received a jewel in my inbox with a scene from her screenplay.  It was fun for Donna because she got to tell even more of her secrets in her screenplay and depict her more of her experiences, spit back dialogue she'd been threatened not to repeat, and in perfect Australian, Birmingham, Welsh, and German accents. She even does a great NY accent having been there as well.  An ill-fated love story became part of the narrative and her ultimate survival and the way she chose to share her story so bravely in case there was anyone else out there who could relate ... I was in awe with what I read, in awe of Donna's once in a millennium mind, and sure enough, when it was finished, my idol, director Joseph Sargent read it and agreed it was something very special and a story that had to be told.  He introduced me to Norman Stephens who came on to produce with me. Very gratefully, Ken Atchity agreed with Norman and has joined our blessed team.

Nobody Nowhere is an award nominated autobiography written by Donna Williams who herself struggled with autism from as early as she could remember. She was thought to be deaf, psychotic, disturbed and retarded. It was only as an adult that she discovered her difficulties to be caused by autism.

As Donna has taught us, there really is no such thing as 'autism' but a combination of conditions, symptoms, mis-wirings, genetics, birthing circumstances, environmental issues, any combo of which results in each individuals "autism as a fruit salad' of co-morbid disorders.  Donna can go on and on about the many 'fruits that make up her own salad,’ and she was able to help us manage the individual issues rather than dissolve into despair that there is no cure for this label that doesn't really exist, except to make sure that medical services can be covered within a system.

To date the first novel has grown into a spectacular nine books of which, Somebody Somewhere, Like Colour to the Blind and Everyday Heaven are some popular titles. How did Donna manage to link her struggles with that of publishing?

Her friend and journalist, Mary Kay Blakely did a series of fabulous articles about Donna when her first book, Nobody Nowhere, shot up to #1 on the NY Times bestseller list.  I have those articles if you'd like me to scan and email them to you.  She was a sought after guest on talk shows, etc. and at the beginning, it was all very difficult for Donna who would rather have a root canal than be famous.  As time went on, she would write to every single reader who wrote her with questions about her book, and she was compelled to keep writing to keep helping people all over the world who were coming to diagnose themselves and relies that had gone un - diagnosed before Donna's book came out.  Temple Grandin was Donna's U.S. 'counterpart'--about the same age, and their books were published around the same time, but they are as different as night and day, from their family backgrounds and advantages they had and didn't have, and the very nature in which they each experience their own worlds, proving that no two 'autistic' people are alike.  

As Norman likes to say, and some of Donna's book reviewers quipped similarly, Donna writes about 'the human spectrum' and after reading Donna's book, one can't help recognize that we're all just a little autistic. I think her favourite interview was walking along 5th Avenue with the late great Peter Jennings who quickly grasped that no eye-contact was much more comfortable for Donna at that time, and that 'she wasn't a huggie.'  Back to the heart of your question: In the beginning, Donna struggled with sharing her story with strangers, but as time has gone on, she's become the best of anyone I know at that--anything to help anyone with any of the conditions (past present or projected) that she grapples with.  She had cancer last year, double mastectomy, and posted brave videos on YouTube walking people through it as she experienced it. 

From what you have told me about Donna I can see that she is hugely influential. Can you tell our readers a bit more about the struggles she had to fight throughout her life, (apart from being autistic) and why she has been your inspiration thus far? 

She tells me--sometimes life gives you shit.  You just have to make it into sculpture.  And metaphorically, she does just that.  She's a hero for our times because in this age of entitlement, she's someone who takes our excuses away. 

When did you decide to start talking about film rights to the novel Nobody Nowhere, when did you know that this was something you definitely wanted to get to film?

I think that somehow got answered above as well--are you okay with that, or would you like me to separate? I got on a roll....

Donna Williams wrote the relevant screenplay herself. Is this a feasible and common thing to happen once author and film collide or was it her ability to actually do it that made it special?

When it had been optioned in the past, apparently there were many writers who took a shot at the screenplay, but how could anyone come up with something that really lived inside Donna's head?  Autism was on nobody's mind at the time.  An inside out approach to the story, letting her secrets and revelations and death-defying struggles come out (painfully for Donna oftimes, I'm sure) not only helped Donna learn even more about herself, but it created a wholly originally and truthful story, so much more relevant than anyone else could have possibly come up with from their imagination or research.  

She 'maps structures' so all she needed was a general structural guideline, which she equated to her slide shows when she lectures (she's a rock-star when she does-amazing how she can anticipate questions and give everyone answers it appears they've longed for forever). She's got a gift for any kind of writing.  Her poetry slays me, as do her song lyrics.  She is also a painter, sculptor, selling her works all over the world. 

Once you started receiving parts of the screenplay you reached out to Joseph Sargent who worked with you while you were part of Deaf West Theatre. He put you in touch with Norman Stephens, his favourite producer who in return brought you to Ken Atchity. After numerous debates you, Norman and Ken decided on the director Dan Ireland. What made you choose Dan?

I'd been introduced to Dan when he did a fantastic presentation on another project I'm working on with other producing partners. They needed a Londoner for that project, but I'd already fallen in love with Dan.  I attended a screening of "Jolene" and flipped out even more, and interestingly, Dan had always been on Donna Williams' list because of "Mrs Palfrey and the Claremont "   I'd given Dan an early draft of the script and asked him to hold on to it until the time was right.  He kept his word, and when I said 'okay, now'--I was so thrilled when he responded as he did, loving Donna's story.  When he and Donna met on Skype, they both felt an instant effortless soul sister/brother connection and they worked hard together to bring the script to the next level, which they did and Norman and Ken and I were ecstatic.

From what I understand, by now, you are in early casting. When do you expect to launch the film?

We have our male romantic lead attached ' a real live Welshman!' who we'd been eyeing for years, waiting for the right moment to approach, and we're very gratified that the feelings are mutual. We can't wait to announce him when the time comes.  He's brilliant, gorgeous, and beyond perfect for the role. 

Our huge female lead actress for the role of 'Donna' is currently pending in the hands of a wonderful actress and as soon as we can get a definite answer there, we will be able to move forward either way. There is so much incredible talent in that age range, and though an Aussie is ideal, there seems to be acceptance between Aussies and UK actors taking turns playing each other, whereas we'd feel uncomfortable casting Americans in the two leads. Authenticity is critical for this piece.  Donna was a 'nobody nowhere,' homeless at times, and there by the kindness of strangers and her own survival instincts did she live to tell the tale, but each location she had to sink or swim in is a clearly defined character in the story. 

Dan Ireland began his career at the age of nineteen. Dan is the co-founder and co-director of the enormously respected Seattle International Film Festival. The list of credits I noted for him runs over an entire four pages. He is behind the rising stardom of many actors like Renee Zellweger, Emmy Rossum, Rupert Friend and Jessica Chastain.

He has received awards such as:

"The Whole Wide World" – Best Film, Seattle Int'l Film Fest., Best Actor  -Vincent D’Onofrio. Seattle Int'l Film Festival, Runner-up National Society of Film Critics, Best Actress - Renee Zellweger, National Board of Review, Mar del Plata Film Festival.

  "Mrs. Palfrey At The Claremont" - Best Film, Palm Springs Int'l Film Fest., Best Film, Newport Beach International Film Fest., Best Actress - Joan Plowright, AARP Awards, Best Newcomer Rupert Friend, Golden Satellite Awards.

 "Jolene" - Seattle International Film Festival, Golden Space Needle Award, Best Actress - Jessica Chastain

                              

Dan in short, can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself?

Well, I think you’ve said it all above, but if I had to add anything it would be that I feel that I’ve been so fortunate in my life to have the freedom of living my dream. From creating and running a film festival to acquiring and producing films for a major independent distributor, to my journey of becoming a filmmaker, I’m one lucky guy.  I’ve been in love with film since as far back as I can remember, and as clichéd as that sounds, it’s the truth. To be able to have had the freedom of immersing myself in almost every aspect of the world of film has only pushed me further into my obsession of telling a story and creating the world around it. 

What was it about Donna Williams and Beverly Nero that made you agree to work on the film?

When I first met Beverly Nero on another project I was up for, I was immediately struck by her intelligence, her passion and her deep respect for other people’s opinions other than her own.  She was kind, generous and made me feel at home in what was otherwise one of the most challenging meetings I’ve had in recent years. The two other producers she was working with at the time were trying to make me prove I was worthy enough for their screenplay. Beverly was convinced that I was ‘the guy’ to do it, and she wasn’t afraid to say it in front of her partners. She made me feel worthy; she has a dignity and respect for talent. When she believes in you, there isn’t anything she won’t do for you.  You can’t buy that. We connected instantly, and after attending the screening of my film Jolene (Jessica Chastain), she came up to me and told me she had something special that she wanted to show me, but couldn’t just yet. So, she sent me the script of “Nobody Nowhere” and asked me not to read it until she told me it was okay. I loved that subterfuge, and like a patient boy at Christmas (is there one) I waited for the call.  And when it came, I read the script 10 minutes later. With Donna, she had me on the first page of her book, on which the film is based.  Characters like Donna Williams don’t come along every day, and stories like hers are a gift that any filmmaker with a heart, a soul, a sense of adventure (like Donna herself), and a half a brain would leap through hoops of fire to do. And when I finally met Donna on Skype, it was amazing.  There’s this amazing person whose story just shattered, enthralled and inspired you sitting across the computer screen, larger than life, more real than real, and more heartfelt that you ever imagined.  

How has working with Donna Williams influenced you as a director?

Working with Donna inspires me on a million levels and we haven’t even started shooting yet! As a director, you have to have a sense of objectivity with all of the characters you create, you portray. In Donna’s case, it’s already documented, so if anyone thinks I’m making anything up, all you have to do is read her beautiful novel to see the richness of this

 indomitable spirit. Donna’s story is unique in that it has the potential to help millions of people and families who live with autism.  

From my discussions with Beverly you have been involved with all collaborations regarding the screenplay directly with Donna. When it comes to casting how involved are you in selecting lead characters?

Seeing I’ve already been blessed by the casting gods, I think my producers are now looking to me to find the next big star. The simple truth… for that to happen, you must go with your intuition, trust your gut, never have your mind made up before you start to look for your actors, and above all DON’T SETTLE. Be willing to be surprised and more open than you ever dreamed of being.   

If you could take anything with you on working with this specific project what would it be?

If I could take anything with me on working on “Nobody Nowhere,” it would be the bravery, the fearlessness, the joy, the selflessness, and the innocence that got Donna Williams through her incredible journey. This is the story of an unsung heroine, and even though I can’t sing, I sure as hell am going to give it everything I’ve got.

May 7, 2013
Story Merchant Client Terry Stanfill Signs Her Novel Realms of Gold in Exeter Chapel

March 22, 2013
Bookworm Babblings Reviews The Messiah Matrix

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To what lengths would the Vatican go to suppress the secret origins of its power?

The Messiah Matrix is a myth-shattering thriller whose protagonists delve into the secrets of the past—and expose those who hide them still. 

A renowned scholar-monsignor is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run in Rome. A Roman coin is recovered from a wreck off the coast of ancient Judea. It’s up to his young American protégé--a Jesuit priest--and a vivacious, brilliant archaeologist to connect these seemingly disparate events and unravel the tapestry that conceals in plain view the greatest mystery in the ecclesiastical world. 

Together they pursue their passion for truth—while fighting to control their passion for each other. 

What they uncover is an ancient Roman imperial stratagem so controversial the Curia fears it could undermine the very foundations of the Roman Catholic faith. 

From the ancient port of Caesarea to Rome's legendary catacombs and the sacred caves of Cumae, this contemporary novel follows their exhilarating quest to uncover the truth about the historical existence of the real "Christian Savior."

The Messiah Matrix may prove to be one of the most thought-provoking 
books ever written.

MY REVIEW

 I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.    This was a great thrill ride.  The monsignor dies leaving a cryptic message.  It’s up to archeologist Emily, and Jesuit Priest, Ryan to find the connection between his death and a Roman coin.

Although the book starts off a little slow, it does pick up quite the pace later on.  Dr. Atchity weaves a fascinating tale, with a great adventure and lots of action.  The story was so well written that it actually has plausibility if it wasn’t a work of fiction or if someone was faltering in their faith.  I loved the plot and the characters were great, you could connect with them.  If you like archeological adventures like Indiana Jones and you don’t mind the slow start before the action starts, this is a great book for you.

  About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Atchity, former professor of comparative literature at Occidental College in Los Angeles and Fulbright professor to the University of Bologna, is author of 20 books, including scholarly books on Greek, Roman, and medieval Italian literature. In his second career as a literary manager, writers’ career coach, and producer he has launched hundreds of client books and two dozen films. His previous book, completed for New York Times bestseller William Diehl, is Seven Ways to Die. The Messiah Matrix was constructed from his lifelong study of all things Roman Catholic and his repeated visits to Rome while a professor of classics as well as producer.

 http://inspirationsbysimone.blogspot.com

March 22, 2013
Publisher's Weekly Reviews Night Terrors

Night Terrors: A Daniel Rinaldi Mystery

Dennis Palumbo. Poisoned Pen, $24.95 (352p) ISBN 978-1-4642-0131-8 

 

In Palumbo’s riveting third Daniel Rinaldi mystery (after 2011’s Fever Dream), the Pittsburgh, Pa., doctor applies his therapeutic skills to a prickly former FBI special agent, Lyle Barnes, who suffers from night terrors after a career of tracking down serial killers. Adding to Barnes’s woes is a murderer out to get every person who helped put serial killer John Jessup behind bars, including Barnes, who goes into protective custody. Meanwhile, Rinaldi agrees to help Maggie Currim prove the innocence of her troubled adult son, Wes, who has confessed to the gruesome decapitation of a local businessman. Answers prove elusive as the murders begin to pile up, and Barnes escapes from FBI custody. Palumbo ratchets up the stakes in this grisly psychological thriller, but maintains the emotional complexity as Rinaldi weighs his loyalty to his patients against his faith in the FBI. (May)

March 20, 2013
Join Ken on Jeff Rivera's Live Google Hang Out... Friday March 22nd 9am(pst) 12pm (est)

How to Beat Procrastination Dr. Ken Atchity on Managing Your Writing Career in the Midst of Chaos

If you are getting frustrated because you never seem to have enough time to write, then you’re going to want to stay tuned to our class with writing career coach and Emmy nominated producer, Dr. Ken Atchity this Friday, March 22nd at 9am PT/12pm ET. 

Stay tuned to this page then, when we will be doing a Live Google Hangout. You will be able to ask Dr. Atchity all your questions about how to beat procrastination, how to schedule writing in your already busy schedule and what to do if you cannot get an agent in the Facebook comments below.

March 8, 2013
All Things that Matter Talks with Kenneth Atchity About the Messiah Matrix

February 25, 2013
Story Merchant Client Dennis M. Walsh will be signing copies of "Nobody Walks" on February 28th. 7PM at Book Soup

February 20, 2013
Stellar Review for Story Merchant Client Dennis M. Walsh's Nobody Walks on CriminalElement.com 

Fresh Meat: Nobody Walks by Dennis

M. Walsh

Katherine Tomlinson

Nobody Walks by Dennis M. Walsh is the true story of a man who set out to find his brother’s killer (available February 12, 2013).

In the summer of 2003, a meth-addicted criminal named Christopher Walsh went missing. More than a week later, his body was discovered in a storage locker in Van Nuys, California. Walsh had been shot five times in the head and neck and then stuffed head-first into a trash can before being put in the storage locker. It was the kind of crime that happens every day in the seedier parts of Southern California and like most crimes of its nature, it originally went unsolved. It wasn’t that the detectives investigating the murder were uncaring or incompetent, but murder in the Southland is a rising tide as implacable and unstoppable as the ocean rising over the New Orleans levees in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

No one might ever have known who killed Christopher Walsh if it weren’t for his brother Dennis, the only male in his family who didn’t follow in the footsteps of their criminal father. As an attorney, not as a vigilante, Dennis M. Walsh turned his skills and education toward the cause of finding justice for his baby brother and this book chronicles the story every step of the way.

This is a gut-wrenching tale and one of the most potent moments occurs when Dennis is waiting to be let into the storage unit to identify his little brother’s body. He is blindsided by memories, from the day their mother brought him home from the hospital to the way Christopher always carried around a stuffed animal he called “Lambie Pie.” In that moment, before Dennis confirms his death, Christopher Walsh comes alive for the reader and when we discover, without any doubt, that it is his decomposing body sealed into the trash barrel and emitting a foul odor, we feel it like a punch in the gut.

We’re standing right next to Dennis as he responds to the condolences of the storage unit’s owner with a vow that will become his mantra for the next years of his life:

    “There are four brothers left, and we’re coming,” I said. “Anybody who had anything to do with the planning, the murder, moving the body, or the cover-up is going to answer for it. Make no mistake about it—and you can tell each and every one of those assholes out there—nobody walks on this case. Nobody!”

There have been a lot of true crime books written by family members who have spent years hoping for some sort of closure only to be frustrated again and again. (YA novelist Lois Duncan’s Who Killed My Daughter? offers the results of her investigation into the death of her daughter Kait and names the person she believes responsible, but the case remains open.) These books rarely end well, and often the story behind the story they tell is of an author whose life is wrecked beyond salvage. Nobody Walks breaks that mold.

Walsh’s prose isn't particularly graceful but he is a storyteller and the story he’s telling is as compelling as any police procedural with its unraveling of family secrets and lies. For years, the Walsh family mantra had been “Don’t tell Dennis,” and after Christopher’s death he starts hearing stories from his brother Dan that alarm him. Many of those stories mention the name David Steinberg, a high school friend of Christopher’s recently involved in a shootout with an off-duty sheriff and who had once boasted to a confidential informant: “I jack people.”

Theoretically, Walsh isn’t in the investigation alone. But as his other brothers lose themselves in increasingly bloodthirsty fantasies of how they’re going to punish the killer or killers when they’re caught, he’s once again the outsider in the family as he insists they work within the system to do what needs to be done.

The cops don’t want Walsh’s help either, and as months, then years go by, it gets lonely for the author. Walsh is candid about the quality of that loneliness and writes about the companionship of his wolfdog Johnny Rio and Frank the cat, who are often the only living creatures he sees outside his law practice. Life goes on and death waits for no one. (One of the funniest moments in the book—albeit a blackly comic moment—occurs when he is scattering his mother’s ashes.) And through it all, Walsh continues to ask questions and pursue answers.

Where those questions take him and what those answers hold introduce us to a cast of characters with names out of a Damon Runyon story and lives out of an Irish tragedy. And we’re with Walsh all the way, not just on the same page, but there. This is a visceral, intense read. This is a story of justice delayed but not denied; a story of a brother’s love and a family’s sorrow. Poor Christopher.

February 20, 2013
Join Me At the Santa Barbara Author-Mentor Workshop February 28 - March 3

The Santa Barbara Author-Mentor is a unique and intimate novel workshop that takes place on February 28 - March 3, 2013. It provides an ideal mix of experienced professionals dedicated to working one-on-one with aspiring authors to not only teach them the knowledge and skills they must have to be successful, but also provide them with valuable commentary on their completed novel or work-in-progress. 

Faculty include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Jane Smiley and Robert Olen Butler, literary agent of renownKimberley Cameron, agent and major film producer Ken Atchity, writer/author and popular columnist Cary Tennis, and Algonkian director and editor, Michael Neff. More on them below. 

 

Ken Atchity
Literary Agent and Film Producer
  
With more than forty years experience in the publishing world, and over fifteen years in entertainment, Ken Atchity and his organization are responsible for launching dozens of books and films. His life's passion is finding great storytellers and turning them into bestselling authors and screenwriters. As well as being a famed literary agent at AEI, he has produced 26 films, including "Joe Somebody" (Tim Allen; Fox), "Life or Something Like It" (Angelina Jolie; Fox), "Shadow of Obsession" (NBC), "The Madam's Family" (CBS), "Henry's List of Wrongs" (New Line), and Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not (starring Jim Carrey; Paramount-- approaching production). His 14 books on writing cover every stage of a writer's career.

 

 

 
The Santa Barbara Author-Mentor Novel Workshop creates an intimate and professional environment that combines private meetings with small-group workshops, thus enabling aspiring authors to wisely approach the writing and publication of their novel. At the Santa Barbara event, aspiring authors will: 1) work one-on-one with top authors and savvy market professionals; 2) acquire the market skills and advanced story and narrative technique they must know to become published; 3) learn the necessary inside mechanics of the publishing business; and 4) leave the workshop with a detailed plan to work towards publication of their novel ... [more]
  
How Does The Santa Barbara Author-Mentor Workshop Differ from Other Writer Events?
  
In several fundamental ways, as we note above, but we will elaborate. First of all, and most importantly, the Santa Barbara AMW creates a way for the writer to get close and relaxed with authors and professionals in a manner that larger events disallow. Private face time with the right people is priceless. 
Second, attendees are taught (even before the workshop begins by means of pre-event assignments and mailings) to address all the major conflict/complication, plot, theme, narrative/voice, dialogue, scene construction, and character arc-and-development issues that affect their novel. 

Third, writers are prepped in advance for their interactive sessions with authors and literary agents, and the sessions are not rushed. The authors and agents are relaxed during the sessions and not bombarded by hundreds of conference goers. 

Fourth, the Santa Barbara AMW requires the writer to complete exercises far more advanced and beneficial than those conducted at other conference workshops. 
Fifth, amateur opinions do not arise to compromise the quality of the workshop. Judgments on a writer's work are approved, filtered, and/or provided by professionals in attendance. 

Come Prepared to Write and Learn From The Best
  
Because this workshop accepts far fewer writers than most conferences, those writers who are accepted are given more time to establish relationships with professionals who are present; and unlike several major celeb conferences, Santa Barbara AMW doesn't simply import name authors or agents to give inspirational messages and smile over cocktails. 

Our prize-winning faculty are there to meet with writers in a setting conducive to productive discussion of writing and publishing. Writers with manuscripts will have an opportunity to pitch their work, and writers with works-in-progress will be able to network and learn about the publishing biz. To read more information about our approach, click on Frequently Asked Questions.

The Santa Barbara AMW employs the Algonkian workshop syllabus as well as the Algonkian study guide and reference manual. Once you've examined them, it will be obvious that literary craft at the Santa is taught more exhaustively than craft at other workshops and conferences. [more] 

The Villa Rosa Inn: Where It Happens
  
The Villa Rosa Inn is one of the finest Santa Barbara inns, combining an ideal location with the sort of personalized attention you'd expect from the area's top bed and breakfast inn. Every room at the Villa Rosa boasts a spectacular view, whether of the ocean, the harbor, the mountains, or their beautiful garden courtyard. The inn also offers deluxe rooms with fireplaces. Its location is only 84 steps away from Santa Barbara's stunning East Beach, as well as an easy stroll away from famous Stearns Wharf, with its numerous shops, restaurants, and activities. 

The inn provides a deluxe continental breakfast daily, so you can sit back and enjoy the morning. For total relaxation, you can lounge by the pool or soak in the spa in the garden courtyard. Later in the day, you can enjoy mingling with other writers and faculty around complimentary wine and cheese or evening port and sherry. 

The Villa Rosa Inn is a unique environment that offers all of the amenities associated with larger resort hotels, while maintaining the intimacy of a small inn. The quality of construction, the ambiance of the interior design and the attentive, personable staff ensure that no detail is overlooked.

We could not have chosen a more suitable location for this type of intimate workshop. 

  

February 6, 2013
Story Merchant Client Dennis M. Walsh will be signing copies of "Nobody Walks"

February 6, 2013
Interview with Musician and Author Dr. Warren L. Woodruff for Simply Buckhead by H.M. Cauley

The Magic of Music by H. M. Cauley by

January 22, 2013
The Lost Valentine to Re-Air on Hallmark Channel

The Award-winning movie
"The Lost Valentine"
to air on
Saturday, January 26, 2013
9/8 c
The Hallmark Channel

"The Lost Valentine," the award-winning, critically  acclaimed movie starring Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt, will air on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 9/8 c on The Hallmark Channel.  The movie is based on the best-selling novel, "The Last Valentine" by author James Michael Pratt. In the film, a young and cynical female journalist (Jennifer Love Hewitt) learns love may transcend trials and time as she discovers a story that will change her life forever. When war separates lovers on their wedding anniversary Feb. 14, 1944 at LA Union Train Station, Navy pilot Neil Thomas makes a promise he isn't sure he can keep - to return to the train station safe by their next anniversary. For sixty years Caroline Thomas (Betty White) keeps her promise by waiting at the train station until her missing in action husband can finally keep his with the "lost valentine." The message and meaning shows romance and love can be real; worth fighting, and maybe even dying for.   The film was a collaborative effort between Hallmark Hall of Fame in Association with Paulist Productions, Atchity Entertainment International and Ridini Entertainment Corporation.  It first premiered on Sunday, January 30, 2011, on the CBS  Television Network as a Hallmark Hall of Fame World Movie Premiere. Billy Magnussen and Meghann Fahy in "The Lost Valentine" The night it premiered, the movie was Hallmark Hall of Fame's most highly rated movie in four years, and won CBS-TV the night with over 15 million viewers tuning in. WATCH it Saturday, January 26, 2013, 9/8 c on The Hallmark Channel!      L to R:  Betty White, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sean Faris in "The Lost Valentine. PURCHASE "THE LOST VALENTINE" TODAY! "The Lost Valentine" is one of the most loved Hallmark Hall of Fame movies.  Buy the Gold Crown Collector's Edition today at Hallmark.com     The film is also available at    Amazon.com.  GET THE BOOK  by best-selling author James Michael Pratt at Amazon.com!

January 7, 2013
Dr. Kenneth Atchity The Messiah Matrix Interview

The Messiah Matrix from lance robbins on Vimeo.

January 7, 2013
Rudy Yuly's Sparkle is named one of the top five books of 2012 by Crim Fiction Lover!

David Prestidge: Top Five Books of 2012

By DavidPrestidge ⋅ December 5, 2012

It’s been a year when self-publishing and the rise of the digital book have made a huge impact on the range of crime fiction available to reviewers and the reading public. Anyone who has the stamina and bloody-mindedness to plan, plot and complete a book can now see it on screen, if not feel the pages with their fingertips. One of my choices came out as digitally self-published novel, but the top four made it into print, which suggests that, rightly or wrongly, the much-maligned traditional publishers don’t always get it wrong

 

                                               

5 - Sparkle by Rudy Yuly
Joe Jones and his severely autistic brother Eddie – a pair echoing Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men – make up a firm who have the grisly task of cleaning up crime scenes. Joe’s whole life is based round keeping Eddie safe, while making a precarious living from his autistic brother’s bizarre and obsessive cleanliness. Joe is tired, permanently at his wit’s end, and his social life is a car-crash, but when Eddie discovers something at a murder scene which defies logical explanation and then becomes fixated by a gentle female zoo attendant, Joe’s tolerance is stretched to the limit. Sparkle‘s plot initially requires some suspension of disbelief, but as well as being a terrific whodunnit the book is an absorbingly written account of a condition which lies somewhere between an affliction and a gift. There is a real surprise at the end, which I certainly did not see coming.

January 7, 2013
Ken Atchity Author and Story Merchant with Host Yi Tian on ActorsE Chat

Video streaming by Ustream

Ken Atchity Author and Story Merchant with Host Yi Tian on ActorsE Chat

January 7, 2013
Fiction Addict Reviews Story Merchant Client Larry D. Thompson's Dead Peasants

Dead Peasants by Larry D. Thompson
Posted by Josh Olds On November - 15 - 2012

Genre: Legal Thriller

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: 10/2/2012

Reviewed by Paul Pessolano

While the title Dead Peasants might bring to mind an medieval take of a murderous Queen, this novel by Larry Thompson is actually a legal thriller that deals with the shady practice of employers taking out insurance policies on individuals who no longer work for their company. The hope is that the employer can then collect on the individual’s death without them ever knowing about it. When high-profile lawyer Jack Bryant begins investigating a series of unexplained deaths, it appears that certain employers have taken the unscrupulous legal shenanigans to deadly lengths.

Bryant, fresh off of a stellar case, has decided to retire, move to his hometown of Forth Worth, and live off the money he’s made. He purchases a mansion and falls in love with his Realtor, but, due to some secret from her past, ignores his advances. But retired life is boring, leading Bryant to open up a pro-bono business. And that is when things begin to go awry. When one case leads them to dead bodies, it appears as if they are due to an employer to collect on his “dead peasants.”

This is a great story for those who like a good lawyer based book that has both courtroom drama and old fashion gum-shoe investigation.  The book is well written and suitable for any audience.

December 14, 2012
Mischief, mayhem and minions: Author Royce Buckingham introduces readers to the life of a Demonkeeper

by: Wathira Nganga

Tsunamis that wipe out entire towns. Doors that creak when no one is there. Earthquakes that split the ground open. The world is full of uncontrollable phenomena, big and small, which threaten the order of civilization that humans have so carefully built up over millennia.

In Royce Buckingham’s most recent fantasy series, demons personify the chaos that plagues mankind. The three books in the series follow the adventures of Nat Grimlock, a young Demonkeeper.

Demonkeepers are a secret order that has been policing and controlling demons for centuries. 17-year-old Nat suddenly inherits the job after his mentor dies under mysterious circumstances. Soon afterward a powerful demon escapes from Nat’s basement in pursuit of a homeless boy named Ritchie.

Nat’s race to recapture the rogue demon and save Ritchie in time sets in motion a bizarre series of events that sends Nat from the streets of Seattle to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Along the way he meets some allies as well as foes, including a vengeful Demonkeeper, known only as “the Thin Man,” who’s after his position.

In “Demonkeeper” and its sequels “Demoneater” and “Demonocity,” Buckingham has not created an alternate fantasy world, but a fantastical view of the mundane, where rust demons consume metal and demons in the form of sculptures come to life.

Demon encounters can be humorous, like the demon Gloop that can disguise itself as a booger, or deadly, like the water demon Drench that threatens to engulf the city of Seattle.

The human characters, however, are not always as clear cut as the demons. Buckingham does reveal Nat’s past throughout the trilogy, including the death of his parents and his natural ability to see demons when other humans can’t.

But the readers don’t know much about his love interest Sandy, or the street boy Ritchie.Ritchie at least seems to mirror Nat’s personal story, at least from the little Buckingham reveals about him. He has had the ability to see demons from an early age. But how he ended up on the streets, or any part of his life before the action in “Demonkeeper,” is a mystery.

Ritchie plays an extremely important role when he reminds Nat of his duty in the second book in the series, "Demoneater." When Nat realizes a wind demon called Flappy was the storm that killed his parents, he tries to take revenge. Ritchie calmly reminds him demons are only creatures of chaos with no will of their own.

“You taught me not to kill,” he says to Nat. “Even the dangerous ones. They know not what they do, right?”

Ritchie exhibits maturity as the series progresses, as do Sandy, who occasionally helps him catch a demon, and Lilli, a fellow Demonkeeper from San Francisco. Buckingham hints that they all have fascinating backgrounds, which are in most part kept hidden from the reader.

Although the demons do create chaotic situations for their human keepers to create suspense and drive the plot forward, Nat’s friends could have had more depth if the reader knew their full stories. “Demonkeeper” and its sequels is a good fit for middle-grade readers who love urban fantasy and….did anybody hear that door creak?

Royce Buckingham answered a few questions for Page Views about his work:

Continue reading →

December 14, 2013
Gabookguy Reviews Dead Peasants

“Dead Peasants” by Larry D. Thompson
published by Thomas Dunne Books. 

Category – Mystery/Thriller 

When I first saw the title of this book I thought it must be the story of a medieval King killing off his serfs.  The term “dead peasants” is actually a legal insurance term for when an employer takes out an insurance policy on his workers and continues to pay the premiums even after his dismissal or retirement.  The employer hopes to collect the benefits upon the person’s death.  This practice has been deemed illegal in most states. 

Jack Bryant is a high profile lawyer who has just won a monumental decision that will allow him to retire.  He moves back to his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. 

He purchases a mansion and falls in love with his realtor but the relationship must remain plutonic as his realtor is hiding something from her past.

Jack finds life a little boring and opens up a “pro bono” business.  One of these cases has Jack, his son, and his realtor looking into several unexplained deaths in the surrounding area.  They all seem to have a common thread and several attempts are made on their lives. 

This is a great story for those who like a good lawyer based book that has both courtroom drama and old fashion “gum shoe” investigation. The book is well written and suitable for any audience.

December 14, 2013
Story Merchant Client Dennis Walsh's Nobody Walks Stell Review on Kirkus

NOBODY WALKS Bringing My Brother's Killers to Justice 

Author: Walsh, Dennis M.
Review Issue Date: December 1, 2012
Pages: 304 Price ( Hardcover ): $26.99
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-250-00548-9
Category: Nonfiction

 Pulpy, engrossing account of losing a family member to a senseless murder and retribution delivered through the criminal justice system. Attorney Walsh was the only one among his four brothers to follow the straight-and-narrow path, perhaps due to the example set by their father, a Cleveland cop turned mobster. But none of them were prepared for the death of Chris, the youngest, at the hands of fellow denizens of the meth-and-gangs subculture on the fringes of Southern California’s pornography business. Walsh lived a sibling’s nightmare, asked to identify Chris’ decaying body. Street gossip quickly pinpointed the killer, David Steinberg, Chris’ former roommate, who was an associate of white supremacist prison gangs. Despite fears that he might pre-emptively sabotage eventual prosecution, Walsh began sniffing around Chris’ friends, a motley group of drug users, porn stars and entertainment-industry hangers-on. Many agreed to cooperate with him, given the implied threat of his more criminally inclined brothers’ thirst for vengeance. The narrative is sensibly straightforward, following the turns as police, prosecutors and Walsh make efforts to gather evidence on, arrest and successfully prosecute Steinberg and his cronies. As the author himself might agree, he is in some ways too close to the material. The narrative is populated by a surfeit of underworld figures who don’t really come alive as fully developed characters, but instead seem caricatures of seamy decrepitude. Still, Walsh captures the arc of his family’s involvement in an act of senseless malice, calling into question the cultural endurance of macho violence within certain subcultures and the difficulty of holding men responsible for horrific acts within the legal system’s overtaxed framework. Gritty, effective, personalized tale of the outlaw lifestyle and its consequences.

December 14, 2013
Clint Hill Has a Street Named After Him at S.S. Training Center

With Lisa McCubbin

December 13, 2013
Suspense Magazine Reviews Story Merchant Client Dennis M. Walsh's Nobody Walks

“Nobody Walks: Bringing My Brother’s Killers to Justice” by Dennis M. Walsh

Every once in a great while, a true crime is written that pulls at the heartstrings, while it also provides a tale of suspense that will be remembered for a good long time. This is that story.

The complete and utter anguish of a family that loses a son and brother is the subject that this author takes on. Being a criminal defense attorney, Mr. Walsh valiantly tells the story in true ‘Technicolor,’ of his youngest brother’s death and how the family came together, stayed within the law and were able to bring the killers to justice.
It was 2003, when Christopher Walsh was found in a storage locker stuffed into a trash can. As most often happens, the murder investigation slowed down and almost came to a standstill. It took seven long months for the authorities to file charges, and many years to get the case to trial.

When the body was first found, Dennis Walsh announced to one and all that he would keep his brother’s murder alive and not let it become a cold case. And truer words had never been spoken. As the story unfolds, readers see that the Walsh family was close, but unfortunately the father—once a policeman—left the force and got involved with the underworld along with the rest of his sons, except for Dennis. It seems that Dennis was the only son who did not turn to an unsavory path that would make him a criminal. Perhaps that was fate working, considering Dennis took the job of solving his brother’s murder upon his shoulders, and went from suspect to suspect asking questions, becoming one with the jail birds and the people who put them there, without breaking the law.

This is a very heart-wrenching story of a family that made sure justice was served, and readers will find themselves rooting for Dennis from the very beginning.

December 13, 2013
PUTTING CLIENTS TOGETHER: Story Merchant Client Robert Dembik Interviewed by SM Client Diane Maroney For her IMAGINE PROJECT

December 13, 2013
An Afternoon and Evening With Author Larry D. Thompson

December 1, 2013
Guest Post on Laurence O'Bryan

A SHORT GUEST POST: KEN ATCHITY – MASTER STORY MERCHANT

I met Ken Atchity on a visit to a writer’s conference in San Francisco. Ken was one of the speakers. He is both a master storyteller and a great producer. Below you will find a brief biography of Ken, and below that his answer to this question, what is your number one piece of advice for storytellers, Ken?

Kenneth John Atchity or “Ken Atchity” is an American producer and author, who has worked in the world of letters as a literary manager, editor, speaker, writing and career coach, book reviewer, brand consultant, and professor of comparative literature.

Ken’s films include the Jim Carrey movie, Ripley’s Believe It or Not and Amityville 4 among others. 
  
He and his companies, The Story Merchant, Atchity Entertainment International, Inc. The Writers Lifeline, Inc, and The Louisiana Wave Studio, LLC, produce films and develop books for publication; and books, screenplays, and films for television and cinema. They also consult with writers about their career strategies and tactics.

So, Ken, what is your number one piece of advice for storytellers?

My advice to storytellers is to recognize that your stories can change the world, and that you can make that happen best by retaining control over your own career and getting your stories onto the Internet and into print without losing your publishing or other rights!
You are born under the lucky star of the Worldwide Web and it would be a crime for you not to take advantage of that piece of good fortune.

Ken is supremely positive about the impact of the web and about the opportunity it provides for writers. We are on the cusp of a new age. Thanks Ken.

http://lpobryan.com

 

 

 

Publishers Weekly Reviews Story Merchant Client Dennis M. Walsh's Nobody Walks: Bringing My Brother's Killers to Justice

Nobody Walks: Bringing My Brother’s Killers to Justice

Dennis M. Walsh. St. Martin’s/Dunne, $26.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-2500-0548-9


Walsh, a criminal defense attorney for 30 years, tells the blistering true story of the 2003 murder of one of his brothers, Christopher, who was discovered in a trash barrel in a California storage locker. Despite law enforcement’s reluctance to pursue the case since the author’s father and younger brother were in prison on drug charges, Walsh shoulders the burden and delves into the nadir of the criminal underworld, quizzing thieves, skinheads, Nazi bikers, hookers, and porn queens to construct something meaningful from various lies and schemes. Good leads dead-end and seemingly ironclad confessions crumble, but the author’s resourcefulness and determination to catch his brother’s killers keep this sordid tale moving along at a quick clip. Walsh keeps his law practice operating throughout the ordeal, but still finds time to persuade reluctant witnesses to offer their testimony and cooperate with authorities; after four years of sleuthing, the trial finally begins. The hearing is a real corker, chock-full of twists and turns, and written with passion and an eye for drama. Taut and relentless, this chronicle of a former cold case puts one man’s resolve and the American idea of justice to the test. B&w photos. (Feb.)

November 20, 2012
My Addiction Books Reviews The Messiah Matrix

 NOVEL REVIEW: MESSIAH MATRIX

Messiah Matrix can be noted as a high- minded novel which draws readers into a world filled with corruption, murder, romance and history. The author, Kenneth John Atchity explores a highly controversial idea about the story of Jesus Christ.   

             

                Atchity’s extensive research manages to compel the reader’s attention within the first two pages as the novel kicks off with the murder of a monsignor, a confession from his killer and the discovery of a valuable artefact which might just change our understanding of Christianity as we know it.

                Readers are drawn into the mind of Father Ryan, a young Jesuit priest who is obsessed in finding the connection between the murders, the message which was delivered by the assassin and his own personal doubts about his religious faith. By questioning the inconsistencies within the Catholic teachings his path crosses that off Emily – a spirited beauty who is the discoverer of the historical artefact.

                Together they set off on a journey that not only unravels Christian history but also poses extreme risks for them in face of church authorities. Their findings cast them into a splendidly crafted net that lures readers through Roman History and the ancient story of Augustus. It ends with the truth revealed about the Christian Saviour—one which will come as a surprise to many.

               

 In conclusion: This novel, in my opinion is splendid. The storytelling accelerates in momentum and grabbed my attention from the word go. Sure, there were times where my brain was in panic from all the revelations, but there were also times where the pages just turned themselves from the riveting adventure.

                I’m sure the story will raise many questions for people who grew up in deep faith. What’s nice about Atchity’s writing though is the fact that he doesn’t force readers into believing in the book’s premise; instead he merely lays out his research, marvellously joining it together in a provocatively crafted romantic thriller.

Not a light read at all but if you are up for intellectual entertainment - a must read.

November 20, 2012
Laurence O' Bryan's The Istanbul Puzzle Has Been Short Listed for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year!

 “What road led to choosing HarperCollins to publish your book?”

Wishing you all well."

Laurence O'Bryan's Istanbul Puzzle has been short listed for the Irish crime novel of the year 2012. You can support him by  Voting Here . Votes are accepted internationally. The award ceremony will be televised in Ireland on the 24th November.


Also by Laurence O' Bryan 

November 20, 2012
Check out Story Merchant Client Wendy Eckel's Book Trailer - The Rosalie Hart Series

November 5, 2012
Larry Thompson's Thriller Thursday

TT5 – The Messiah Matrix, with author Ken Atchity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:08 — 18.8MB)

A thriller of Biblical proportions from The Story Merchant

Ken Atchity joins us once more to discuss his new novel, The Messiah Matrix, how it was published, and prospects for this and other novels with Hollywood potential. More than modern thriller (which it definitely is),The Messiah Matrix is a thought-provoking, original examination of the origins and evolution of modern Christianity.
From the website:

The Messiah Matrix is a contemporary thriller that takes the reader on an exhilarating quest from the ancient city of Caesarea to Rome’s catacombs and beyond, and provides gripping confirmation for all those who have ever wondered about the actual historical existence of the “Christian Savior”.
The Messiah Matrix may prove to be the most thought-provoking thriller ever written. Classical scholar and Yale Ph.D. Dr. Kenneth John Atchity is the only author alive today capable of creating this literary and historically-based masterpiece.

The Messiah Matrix website is here: http://www.messiahmatrix.com.

October 25, 2012
Join Ken Atchity At the Women In Film Malibu Breakfast November 9th !

WIF Networking Events WIF Malibu Breakfast with Dr. Ken Atchity, Ph.D. Friday, November 9th 8:00 - 10:00 am Malibu Chart House Restaurant 18412 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA 90265   Ken Atchity is a "story merchant," writer, producer, career coach, teacher, and literary manager, responsible for launching hundreds of books and dozens of films.  Event details: CLICK HERE In This Issue WIF Fall Membership Drive WIF Board Election 2013: Vote today! WIF Member News WIF Networking Events: Speaker Series, Breakfast Series, and Master Class WIF Group Meetings WIF Halloween Happy Hour WIF AFI FEST 2012 Host Film: SUN DON'T SHINE WIFI and Awareness Film Festival Present: MARGARITA WIF PSA Production Program Meeting WIFI Monthly Meeting WIFTI Summit 2012 WIF Resources Page Member Discounts Join WIF on the Web Dear Candace, This Fall is a great time to become a WIF Member!  Our Autumn Membership Drive is now through November 15th, so spread the word!  2013 WIF Board Election time is here, so don't forget to vote using the link below.  We've got some exciting events next month as we welcome Ken Atchity and WIF Board Member Madelyn Hammond at our Breakfast Series and Lindsay Doran at our evening Speaker Series.  Michele Gendelman also joins us at LA Film School as we break down the "Anatomy of a Pitch."  We're proud to present our 2012 host film at AFI and WIF International presents at Awareness Film Festival.  It's almost Halloween, so don't forget to stop by for networking (and candy) at next Monday's Happy Hour.  We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!   Warm regards, Women In Film WIF Fall Membership Drive October 15th - November 15th Join WIF and become a part of a dynamic organization that is dedicated to empowering, promoting, and mentoring women in the entertainment, communication and media industries. Free Master Classes, WIF Goal Support Group, Writers Groups, and Actors Groups Free Screenings Discounts on Networking Breakfasts and Speaker Series WIF discounts on community film expos and forums Join our PSA Production Program and WIF International Committee List your name and job skills in WIF's Membership Directory and Career Lounge For more details and an application, visit wif.org/join!

October 9, 2012
Larry Thompson Gets a Thrill Out of the Family Profession

The Fort Worth Library and Barnes and Noble University Village will mark the occasion by co-hosting a book launch party Thursday at the downtown library, where Larry will talk about the role Fort Worth, his law practice and his late brother have had on his career as a suspense writer.

"My brother wanted to be a writer since he was 8 years old," Larry said. "The highlight of his day would be to throw a noun up against a verb and say, 'That's a good phrase I just wrote.' I could never match my brother for his writing ability, but I think I'm a better storyteller. I guess there is something in our gene pool somewhere."

Larry's decision to finally peck out a novel came late in life -- long after he had founded the law firm of Lorance and Thompson and tried hundreds of lawsuits, long after his four children were grown, and long after his big brother died of liver cancer in 1982.

"I don't know if I could have been a good writer when I was 30 years old," Larry said. "Now that I'm in my 70s, I have a lot of experiences to draw on....

"I said, 'What do I know?' I know about lawyers and courtrooms and medicine and doctors. Let's put all that together and see what I can come up with."

What he came up with on his first trip out was 2008's So Help Me God, a legal thriller that put the debate over abortion at the center of a courtroom battle with larger-than-life lawyers.

In a nod to his brother, Larry Thompson took a character who was left in a coma in Tommy's last book, Celebrity, and made him the main character in his first book.

September 24, 2012
Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance Reviewed By Sandra Shwayder Sanchez for Bookpleasures.com

September 11, 2012
Book Review: Demonkeeper by Royce Buckingham

By Mandy Southgate, BLOGCRITICS.ORG

Nathaniel Grimlock is a demon keeper, taken in as a young boy to become an apprentice to master Demon Keeper Dhaliwahl. Now Dhaliwahl is gone, and Nat has been left behind to look after a household of demons and to keep the demon world in order. The only problem is that Nat's only non-demon companion is a sheep dog called Bel, and Nat has to admit that he is lonely. What could possibly be the harm in meeting other young people his age, in perhaps getting a girlfriend?

What could be the harm, indeed? In Royce Buckingham's Demonkeeper, demons are all around us. They are the manifestations of chaos in our universe and can range from the playful and mischievous to the outright malevolent. When Nat ventures out and meets junior librarian's assistant Sandy, he also catches the attention of two neighbourhood boys who break into the house and release The Beast, one of the nastiest demons of all. Can Nat restore order and keep the girl, and most importantly, can he do it before the Thin Man catches up with him?

Demonkeeper is a short novel aimed at children aged 10 and up. It is laugh-out-loud funny in places, and my favourite part of the book was when Nat accidentally microwaved one of his demon minions (it exploded but don't worry, the demon survived).

Nat is a fabulous character with a dry wit and self-deprecating sense of humour. Most of all, he is a strong character with an enormous responsibility on his shoulders who grows from reluctant and clumsy to heroic and competent. I liked the idea of his three demon minions as well as the Thin Man's minions.

Most of all, Demonkeeper is a cautionary tale and I really enjoyed The Beast's raison d'etre and the notion of lost children and the adults they become.

Demonkeeper is the perfect book for reluctant readers and should appeal to both boys and girls. It is fun, exciting and original and I am pleased to see that it is the first in a trilogy.

I give Demonkeeper four out of five stars and will certainly continue to read this trilogy.

September 11, 2012
What's a Good Agent or Representative? By Dr. Kenneth Atchity

 “What's a good agent?" is a difficult question to answer, especially in today’s topsy-turvy world of publishing. Traditional authors’ representatives work strictly on commission and are, as a result, mainly interested in highly commercial "properties"—authors and/or properties that are “brand names” or “household words.” Authors’ representatives often help new writers, but today most deal only with writers they regard as solid commercial prospects or extraordinary literary talents. Most representatives nowadays ask writers to query before sending the manuscript. This doesn't mean they won't read your work; it means they don't want to read subject matter that doesn’t fit in with their own marketing. Since they work on speculation and commission, they have to deal with several (or many) writers at a time, and are more inclined to devote their energies to promoting a potential best-seller. They're usually interested in working with an author who produces continuously. Someone who writes two short stories a year will not be worth taking on. Authors’ representatives may urge new writers to handle their own submissions of short stories, poetry, and children’s books. And authors’ representatives may or may not help you sell articles.

Because of the shift toward Internet publishing, some reputable agents now charge reading fees, deductible from future commission. Authors’ representatives receive a commission on everything they sell for you, ranging from 10 to 15 percent, and will nearly always negotiate a contract that will more than justify their commission..

September 11, 2012
Dead Peasants by Larry D. Thompson - Book Launch Thursday October 4, 2012

September 11, 2012
Speaker Series: Mrs. Kennedy and Me - San Francisco Yacht Club

Wednesday September 12, 2012 6:30 PM. 

September 6, 2012
My Addiction: Interview - Kenneth Atchity the Story Merchant

Kenneth Atchity is an American producer and Author who has worked as a literary manager, editor, speaker, writing coach, brand consultant and professor of comparative literature. He’s been called the story merchant. Continue reading →

September 7, 2012
Bodyguard for Mrs. Kennedy - "Mrs. Kennedy and Me"  Tells about his work protecting the first lady. 

Click Below to View Full Article.

September 6, 2012
Ken Atchity Discusses "The Messiah Matrix" and Many Misconception Aspiring Novelists Have About the Business on writersBreak.com

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my literary manager, Emmy-nominated film producer and writer Kenneth Atchity about his new thriller, “The Messiah Matrix,”  and the many misconceptions aspiring novelists have about the business of writing. Here’s what he told … Continue reading →

September 6, 2012
Books, bones & Buffy gives Realms of Gold: Ritual to Romance 4 out of 5 Stars! 

"An Italian archeologist and a dreamy scholar from New York cross paths and go on a journey through time in this riveting novel by Terry Stanfill. Trying to describe Realms of Gold is hard because this intricate tale is filled with not only detailed descriptions of Greek and Italian artifacts and the people who created them, but layer upon layer of complex characters, both past and present. Add to that Stanfill’s gorgeous writing style and you have a winning combination. "

Read the rest of the review here at Books, Bones & Buffy 

August 30, 2012
Stephen Gyllenhaal To Pen, Direct ‘The Kennedy Detail'

Stephen Gyllenhaal has signed as screenwriter and director of The Kennedy Detail, which focuses on the men of the Secret Service protective detail assigned to President John F. Kennedy. The project is targeted for a November 2013 release, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination. “This is the project of a lifetime and I could not be more excited to be part of it,” said Gyllenhaal. “Everyone knows how this story ends, but the true stories told through the eyes of this extraordinary band of brothers, from JFK’s election to that awful day in Dallas, have never been told. It is time to share their perspective with the world”. Gyllenhaal has begun work on the script with his research including interviews with many of the surviving members of President Kennedy’s protective detail and their family members. The film will be based on the New York Times best-selling book The Kennedy Detail by former agent Gerald Blaine and award-winning journalist Lisa McCubbin, with a foreword by former agent Clint Hill. Hill has signed as a special advisor to the project, and McCubbin and Hill will be associate producers. The Kennedy Detail is being produced by Atchity Entertainment International (AEI) of Los Angeles, Atchity and Chi-Li Wong producers, and Ramos & Sparks Group of Tallahassee, Florida, with Richard Ramos and Robert Sparks producers. Production is expected to begin late January 2013.

August 30, 2012
MY ADDICTION - AUTHOR INTERVIEW - TERRY STANFILL - REALMS OF GOLD: RITUAL OF ROMANCE

Terry Stanfill received her degree in English Literature with a minor in Medieval History from the University of Connecticut. She raised funds for the restoration of San Pietro di Castello, the ancient cathedral in Venice and was decorated by the president of Italy with the Ordine Al Merito. We are honored to have Terry standoff some time for a written interview on her novel Realms of Gold.

August 30, 2012
BLOG CRITICS BOOK REVIEW: THE MESSIAH MATRIX BY KENNETH JOHN ATCHITY

Kenneth John Atchity, Ph.D. is brilliant. His new novel, The Messiah Matrix, is a compelling story that may challenge readers to view religion differently. Ken Atchity, a Classical scholar, accomplished author and Hollywood producer, does not disappoint his readers. The Messiah Matrix is a creative, thought-provoking, action-packed, historically laced, and masterfully detailed page-turner. (Watch out for paper cuts!--You'll be turning the pages quickly. It's that good!)...

August 7, 2012
Latest Issue of Shelf Unbound 

STORY MERCHANT BOOKS

Read the latest issue of Shelf Unbound Here!

July 25, 2012
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH - DR JIN ROBERTSON

For many, Dr Jin Kyu (Suh) Robertson is proof that people have the power to have more fulfilled and satisfying life once they choose to become the sailor of their own ship. We are therefore immensely grateful to be able to have the opportunity to do an interview with Dr. Jin Robertson.

July 18, 2012
Books, bones & Buffy gives Messiah Matrix 4 out of 5 Stars! 

"Although I knew from the book blurb more or less what The Messiah Matrix was about, I wasn’t quite prepared for the unique combination of carefully researched material and breathless adventure story. The subject matter of The Messiah Matrix is controversial, even for someone like me who has no religious leanings, and I expect it will cause a stir in the religious community, and with those of the Catholic faith in particular.... "

Read the rest of the review here at 
Books, Bones & Buffy 

July 18, 2012
Portland Book Review Reviews Fever Dream by, Dennis Palumbo

When psychologist Daniel Rinaldi is called from his practice to the scene of a bank robbery, he has no idea just how much trouble is coming his way. As a consultant to the Pittsburgh Police, he aids with traumatized victims at crime scenes and the police need to question the lone survivor of a gory scene where hostages were killed at the bank. Soon Rinaldi is caught in a swirling morass of suspicion, kidnapping, murder, and politics. Death threats against the District Attorney, who is running for governor, further complicate the investigation. Then a reporter asks Rinaldi to accompany him on a journey to question a man who claims to have evidence of corruption by the DA. The reporter wants a psychologist’s take on the honesty of the man. The journey takes Rinaldi into a harrowing situation where he barely escapes with his life, and any evidence may have been lost or destroyed. Author Dennis Palumbo is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice. Formerly a Hollywood screenwriter, he is the author of the mystery collection From Crime to Crime. His short fiction has appeared in magazines. Fever Dream is his second novel. While the plot of this novel is a complex tale woven from several threads, it is a thoroughly amusing and enjoyable romp. The brisk pace and intelligent writing about the adventurous and heroic psychologist will leave the reader wanting more.
Reviewed by Fran Byram

July 9, 2012
The Messiah Matrix Lands "In My Mailbox" on Books Bones and Buffy.com 

Welcome to Lucky 13 In My Mailbox, 
hosted by The Story Siren

The Messiah Matrix by Kenneth John Atchity. Now available. I recently reviewed Seven Ways to Die by William Diehl and Kenneth John Atchity, and loved it. (You can read my review here.) Atchity’s latest sounds terrific and has been compared to The DaVinci Code. 

Here’s the description from Goodreads:

To what lengths would the Vatican go to suppress the secret origins of its power? The Messiah Matrix is a myth-shattering thriller whose protagonists delve into the secrets of the past—and expose those who hide them still. A renowned scholar-monsignor is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run in Rome. A Roman coin is recovered from a wreck off the coast of ancient Judea. It’s up to his young American protégé–a Jesuit priest–and a vivacious, brilliant archaeologist to connect these seemingly disparate events and unravel the tapestry that conceals in plain view the greatest mystery in the ecclesiastical world. Together they pursue their passion for truth—while fighting to control their passion for each other. What they uncover is an ancient Roman imperial stratagem so controversial the Curia fears it could undermine the very foundations of the Roman Catholic faith. From the ancient port of Caesarea to Rome’s legendary catacombs and the sacred caves of Cumae, this contemporary novel follows their exhilarating quest to uncover the truth about the historical existence of the real “Christian Savior.” The Messiah Matrix may prove to be one of the most thought-provoking books ever written. Classical scholar and Yale Ph.D. Dr. Kenneth John Atchity is the only author alive today capable of creating this literary and historically-based masterpiece. 

Those are some bold statements! Don’t you want to read it to see if they’re true? What’s in your mailbox this week? 

July 2, 2012
Elaine Edelson's Aries Fire Amazon Kindle #1 Best Seller Historical Fiction

"'Aries Fire' is filled with twists and turns and develops into a love story with an unexpected ending. Edelson creates a main character that the reader learns to love. I certainly will be looking forward to reading Edelson's next creation."
--Brittany Murphy BookNookClub.blogspot.com

Amazon Best Seller Rank:
#1 Historical Fiction
#24 Overall Free in Kindle Store

June 22, 2012
Author Interview for Dr. Fuddle and the Gold Baton written by Warren l Woodruff. Musically inspired novel.

Dr. Warren L. Woodruff is a passionate music instructor whose affection for classical music led to the creation of Dr. Fuddle and the Gold Baton. We are honoured to be able to do an interview with someone of such talent.

Author Interview - Warren L. Woodruff, Author of "Dr. Fuddle and the Gold Baton"


June 9, 2012
BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES "SEVEN WAYS TO DIE" FOR GRAND PRIZE

NEW YORK - A crime thriller with a unique back story is the grand prize winner of the 2012 Beach Book Festival, which honors the summer’s hottest reads. “Seven Ways to Die” is the final book from best-selling author William Diehl, who passed away five years ago after writing 400 pages of the novel, yet leaving it still incomplete.

His wife allowed his friend and fellow author, Kenneth Atchity, to step in and complete the work. Atchity, who has written 15 books and produced 30 films, used notes and an outline to finish the whodunit. Fans of intriguing plots and page-turning reads will not be disappointed.

The judges awarded the book top honors for its colorful characters and intriguing plot, making it a perfect beach read for the coming season. The authors will be honored at a private awards ceremony to be held June 22 at the Grolier Club in Manhattan.


June 8, 2012
Hollywood snaps up hot ebook titles
PRODUCERS MINE A NEW SOURCE OF BRANDED MATERIAL
by Rachel Abrams

ebooks are emerging as a sexy new source of material for Hollywood.

With the "50 Shades of Grey" series hitting 10 million sales this week, ebooks are emerging as a sexy new source of material for Hollywood. The majors are keeping a close eye on digital bestseller lists and showing a willingness to pay traditional book-rights fees for digital titles -- provided they come with built-in brand awareness.

The hunt to option such titles is heating up after a handful of high-profile sales of ebooks, many self-published, including April's $3 million sale of "50 Shades" to Universal. Observers credit "Shades" with paving the way for subsequent sales of "Wool" and "On the Island," both of which sold for big bucks despite the fact that both went straight to Kindles and iPads without going through major publishers.

"As we've known for years and years, the studios have been much more interested in brands, whether that's a board game or video game or traditional book," said Steve Fisher, veep of APA and a literary agent who represents books-to-films deals. "The last couple of deals have really indicated a huge willingness on the part of studios and other buyers to be open to ebooks in a way they hadn't been before."

Fisher most recently repped the author of "On the Island," a romance eBook which MGM snapped up (Daily Variety, May 14). Tome by Des Moines, Iowa resident Tracey Garvis-Graves spent five weeks on the New York Times bestseller list before the Lion forked over a low- to mid-six-figure fee.

"The effect is that they're looking more closely than ever at the ebook list for the original ebook bestsellers," said Jody Hotchkiss, a literary agent with Hotchkiss and Associates.

But traditional books have a key advantage over their digital counterparts: publishers tend to get into business with known quantities, or properties vouched for by literary agents. With ebooks, it's the Wild West when it comes to identifying promising authors and material. Digital books are virtually free to publish, and there's no gatekeepers vetting their quality.

According to data from research firm Publishers Marketplace, film and TV producers bought rights to 209 books last year and 79 so far this year. Very few of those were ebooks, and nearly all sold before they were published.

That means ebooks grab the attention of lit agents only after they start rising on the charts or generate enough word-of-mouth buzz. Currently high-charting ebooks include "Beauty" by Laurell K. Hamilton; Neal Stephenson's sword-fighting epic "Mongoliad"; romance "The Marriage Bargain" by Jennifer Probst; and "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire -- none of which have yet been picked up. Meanwhile, E.L. James' steamy "50 Shades" continues to top the ebook chart.

The New York Times began listing bestselling ebooks in early 2011, a few months before thriller author John Locke reached 1 million in sales for his ebooks. But just like with traditional book publishing, getting discovered is a big challenge for the ebooks that aren't perched atop the bestseller list.

"The tricky thing about ebooks is that there are a lot of them out there," Fisher said, pointing out that ebooks don't get promoted the way traditional books can be. Reps often catch wind of self-published material by looking at the top-sellers lists on Amazon and iTunes.

"We follow sales by looking online, just as anybody can," said Jane Dystel, president of literary management agency Dystel & Goderich. Dystel found "On the Island" author Garvis-Graves by checking online book sales, later bringing the scribe to Fisher.

"The availability of ebooks is much greater today than it was even six months ago ... as the availability of good books increases, of course Hollywood is also going to be more interested," she said.

But because many are self-published, ebooks must also contend with the stigma that they're not the same quality as traditional novels. Most agents would rather not dig through the virtual slush pile in the hopes of finding a "50 Shades."

"I'm finding that book scouts in New York are really integral to this process even more so than they are (for) traditional books," Fisher said. "It's harder for your average ebook to separate itself from the pack, but a lot of these authors are very savvy at promoting themselves."

Case in point: Amanda Hocking, the 28-year-old self-published writer whose popular paranormal teen novels landed her a movie contract with Media Rights Capital last year. After selling more than 100,000 ebooks, Hocking landed a $2 million deal from St. Martin's Press for a four-book series, turning down a higher bid from a competitor that she felt wouldn't reach as many readers.

"Studios have signalled that they don't care whether it's an ebook or a hardbook because, ultimately, they bring the same kind of brand awareness that they so value," Fisher said. Studios are willing to pay for that brand awareness. In a non-competitive situation, traditional book rights often fetch between $150,000 to $250,000 -- a range that now applies to popular e-fare.

While agents like Fisher may not always deal with publishers when it comes to ebooks, they rely heavily on book scouts -- filters that tend to go in and out of vogue as studios cut back budgets and depend upon junior execs to bring in material.

"In-house book scouts stopped being common when the studios determined that New York publishing was less important for movies (than) 10 to 15 years ago," Hotchkiss said. Studios, for example, often have a book scout in-house or work with an outside company. Disney, 20th Century Fox and Sony, for example, have a scout on staff, while Warner Bros. and Universal work with outside companies on an exclusive basis.

But as hot ebooks continue to go mainstream, Hollywood will surely continue to pay attention.

"Studios and major buyers out here were taking their book scouts' calls a lot more quickly and suddenly paying attention to New York in a way that I hadn't seen in years," Fisher said of the immediate effect of the "50 Shades" sale. "I think that any qualms that buyers had about getting behind an ebook ... (are) gone."

Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com


June 6, 2012
FOSSIL RIVER BOOK TRAILER





June 4, 2012
Guest Post: The Power of a Pin: Why Pinterest Is a Game Changer
by Penny C. Sansevieri

By Dennis Palumbo
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 350 pages
ISBN 9781455114771