If you live in Orange County, I urge you to watch my interview next week on cable. Depending on what city you live in, and what cable provider you own… What’s Up Orange County has invited me as a guest on their show. The host of the program, Scott D. Stewart is excited to chat about Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History, which I’m glad to share with his audience.

   The interview is scheduled to take place at the Starting Gate in Los Alamitos. For a complete listing of the program - check out Gary Lycan’s radio column in the Orange County Register on Sunday. The segment will also eventually air on YouTube.

Here is the schedule (depending on where you live):

COX COMMUNICATIONS

   TIME WARNER CABLE  

   The fourth library in Illinois has just added Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History. The city along the Missouri / Southern Illinois border now carrying my paperback is Wood River, most famous for being near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803-04.

   Merriweather Lewis declared the mouth of the Dubois River to be the expedition’s official point of departure, known today as Wood River Creek. Many local businesses, schools, streets, and bridges still bear the names Lewis and Clark. The trek was the first organized journey undertaken by the U.S. to the Pacific Ocean (and back). The expedition was directed by the Federal Government to determine how much land was acquired during the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. President Jefferson determined - military and scientific exploration was necessary.

   The lasting result of the excursion would be Western expansion by settlers. It’s historical importance is well-documented. In fact, the first official meeting with the Sioux Nation happened during this trip in what is now North Dakota. The expedition would cross the Continental Divide, through Portland, Oregon, and atop Mount Hood. From this vantage point, the team witnessed the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

   The city of Wood River drips in historical significance. I’m proud to include this locale as the 25th place to carry my work.

—————————————————————–

   A 26th library can also be found in central Wisconsin. The Marathon County Public Library system located in Wausau has just added my paperback. The central part of our nation is still enchanted with classic cinema, for which I am grateful.

   By the way, I plan to highlight The Dairy State in my next book when I focus on actor Jack Carson. This noted studio era-comedian spent his formidable youth in Milwaukee before eventually traveling to Hollywood. His love of Wisconsin was very well known.

Until next time.                          ”never forget“

   I received a cordial call from Katherine Royalty from the Central Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library system. She recently ordered a copy of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History for their main location. She additionally mentioned that my paperback has been placed on the August recommended-buy list for all 72 branches in L.A. (13 branches are in Hollywood alone) !!

   Each library makes their book-buying decisions based on interest and need. Royalty assured me that recommendations from the Central Library carry weight in the ordering process. She was pleased over the positive reviews I’ve received from Amazon contributors, and showed enthusiasm over my work. She asked me to call her in mid-August to confirm the exact branch locations adding my book to their prestigious shelves (and I will pass the info on to the readers of this blog at a later date).

   With all the proposed library cutbacks and layoffs going on currently by the L.A. City Council and the Mayor’s office, I urge folks to contact City Hall (by phone or email) to voice their protest over these unfortunate budgetary decisions. We owe our subsequent generation of readers to provide comprehensive opportunities in education within the nation’s 2nd largest city.

——————————————– 

   On a personal note, I’d like to wish my mother the very happiest of birthdays. I’m sending her (and the rest of my family) to the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to attend the Hollywood Book Festival – 2010 Best Book Awards event. This should be a great time!

   I love you mom…

Until next time>                      “never forget“

   Once again, thanks to Laura Danforth of Danforth Book Distribution for providing me this month’s retail numbers. Because of the latest July invoice, I just confirmed Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History has crossed the 900-books-sold threshold.

   This figure still doesn’t cover sales during my Spring book-signings at local Borders and Costco stores, nor does it reflect the spike at Amazon (when my paperback sold out 4 times in a 48 hour period after my appearance on FOX 11 in May). I consider this fantastic news.

   FYI, Danforth Book Distribution handles over 65 books each month, making sure noted authors can be found at major book stores around the country (and all over the world). Click on the link below to find out the literary work Laura distributes:

http://danforthbooks.com/

 Unil next time>                         “never forget“

   Kudos to Larissa Wohl, a cable news reporter for El Segundo TV, for her fine journalistic report about the recent Author Fair at their local library. The segment now appears on YouTube. It’s a nice chance to check out this news story if you don’t live in El Segundo. 

   Here is the link to the news segment:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElSegundoTV#p/u/8/wpFDugaDihQ

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History is very prominent in the report. I’m glad I didn’t end up on the cutting room floor (lol). The real winner in the piece is the concept of reading books, which is a noble premise.

Until next time>                       “never forget“

   If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s amazing. I’m talking about my wife’s Movie Quilt. She designed it to honor my book Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

  The design showcases a number of cinema-related items including a director, a clapboard, reels of film, a projector, and Hollywood. It also highlights memorable movies - Gone With The Wind and The Wizard Of Oz. Featured in the outer section:  Clark Gable, Vivian Leigh, Judy Garland, and Frank Morgan. Laurie also captured 42nd Street, the Busby Berkleley musical, in the interior layout.

   It really is magnificant. The snapshop here doesn’t do the actual quilt justice. But I felt it was time to at least tease you with a photo of it. I’ll display this wonderful quilt at upcoming book-signings including  Cinecon in September and The Latino Book and Family Festival in October.

   Thank you honey!  

Until next time>                  ”never forget“

   A dollar for every one of my books sold benefits MooseHeart, a non-profit educational facility located in Chicago, sponsored by Moose International, Inc. This fact is listed in the Copyright section of my paperback. I’ll be proud to provide a check to the charity upon completion of sales of the first edition of my work (approximately $2500).

   Now Amazon is also providing proceeds from the sales of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History to a charity. According to their website:

BOOKS FOR PEOPLE is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which funds the tutoring of homeless children in Los Angeles. All profits from books purchased go to pay for tutors.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/storefront/index.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sellerID=AOG4J3OGFSGMA

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History is making its way into small towns. The rural community of Kewanee, Illinois has a small public library, which has now added my paperback. This is the 23rd national location to house my work.

   Kewanee (Indian for prarie chicken) is located near Peoria, and is well known as The Hog Capital of the World. In reality, the town’s largest plant manufactures steam boilers. These well-known boilers were featured in The Blues Brothers movie, and an updated film version of the John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. Their high school monicker is The Boilermakers  (the same nickname as Purdue University).

   Middle America has tremendous Midwestern values, and a great place to find Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

Until next time>                          “never forget”

   I’m delighted to announce the Hollywood Book Festival has just awarded Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History as a Finalist - Honorable Mention (Biography / Autobiography Category) in their 2010 Book Contest. This is now the second honor my paperback has received. Actually, my book was one of the runners-up to the overall winner of the entire contest, which I believe is quite impressive.

   Here is the overall results in my category according to their press release:      

HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL NAMES 2010 WINNERS

HOLLYWOOD, CA. (July 12, 2010) - The 2010 Hollywood Book Festival has named God, The Universe, and Where I Fit In by Dr. Laurie Ann Levin as the winner of its annual competition honoring books worthy of further attention from the film and TV industries.

BIOGRAPHY/AUTOBIOGRAPHY 

WINNER

  God, The Universe, and Where I Fit In / Laurie Ann Levin

HONORABLE MENTION

• Homeboy’s Soul / Don Armijo and Fred Stawitz
• Laffit: Anatomy of a Winner / Madelyn Cain
• Breaking Clean / Judy Blunt
• Agnes Moorehead:  The Lavender Lady / Quint Benedetti
• Wheeling The Deal / Chip Jacobs
• Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History / Manny Pacheco
• The Passion and Death of Rahman the Kurd / Carol Prunhaber
• The Little Coat / Alan J. Buick

Here is a link to the entire press release:

http://www.hollywoodbookfestival.com/winners2010.html

   The Hollywood Book Festival will be holding their annual awards ceremony on Friday, July 23 at the Roosevelt Hotel. The hotel, one of the restored gems of Hollywood, was the home to the first Academy Awards, and is convenient to the main attractions of the city.

   What a feeling of accomplishment to be considered in this select group.

Until next time>                          ”never forget“

   Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History is breezing along in retail sales, thanks in large part to the Hollywoodland Experience gift shop along Hollywood Blvd. In fact, the whole Hollywood-Mega chain in the area are moving my paperback out of their stores on a weekly basis.

   Because of this wonderful news, I can now report 33% in sales, and that figure should start moving upward rapidly as I start receiving monetary compensation from Costco, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

   I will be stopping at the Universal Citywalk gift shops to see if there is an interest in my book… With a little luck, I will report even more good news later in the week.

   Summer is sizzling with each purchase of Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History.

Until next time>                        “never forget“