Janice Thompson's Blog, page 22

Meet the Hello Hollywood Family

Meet Athena…

Athena Pappas lives in L.A. with her (very Greek) parents, who run a Greek sandwich shop called Super Gyro's. In spite of the fact that she's thirty-ish, Athena still sleeps on the same Strawberry Shortcake sheets she enjoyed as a young girl. She's the head writer for the popular television sitcom STARS COLLIDE, but struggles with feelings of insecurity where her job is concerned. Why? Because ratings have started to sag.

Athena's Love Interest…

When the studio brings in Vegas comedian Steven Cosse as a new writer  on the show, Athena is sure her job is in jeopardy. Steven is not only talented, but shares Athena's Greek background. He's nothing short of tall, dark, and handsome. In fact, he's yummier than the baklava in the Pappas' sandwich shop. Athena soon feels threatened on more than just the vocational front. When her family finds out Steven shares her Greek heritage, matchmaking erupts both at home and on the set.

And Then There's Brooke…

Brooke is Steven's pre-teen daughter. She's new to L.A. and having a hard time settling in. When her father falls for Athena, Brooke's world begins to change…for the better.

Revisiting Characters from Book One (Stars Collide)

Hello Hollywood offers readers the opportunity to re-connect with the characters from book one (Stars Collide). Kat, Scott, Lenora and Rex are all back and offering a rollicking good time!

Meet the Stars Collide Family

I thought it might be fun to introduce the characters from the Stars Collide sitcom. They appear in all three of my Backstage Pass novels from Revell Publishing, (Stars Collide, Hello Hollywood, and The Director's Cut).

I'll start with Kat Jennings. In real life she's the granddaughter of Lenora Worth, a famous Hollywood star from the '50s and '60s. Kat plays the part of Angie on the weekly sitcom, Stars Collide. She's secretly in love with her co-star, Scott Murphy.

Speaking of Scott, he's a regular on Stars Collide, too. He plays the role of Jack, an L.A. talent scout. Jack is in love with Angie. . .quite a coincidence, since Scott is in love with Kat, the actress who plays Angie.

Enter one of the quirkiest characters in the show: Grandma Lenora. She dresses (daily) in costumes from her favorite movies from bygone eras. Lenora struggles with memory issues and doesn't realize that the 21st century audience of Stars Collide doesn't see her as the mega-star she once was.

Lenora carries a huge secret, one that involves the producer of Stars Collide, a dashing older gentleman named Rex. To learn more about Rex you'll just have to read Stars Collide. If you have a kindle, you'll find it here for free!

We'll talk more about the characters from book two (Hello Hollywood) when we meet again. Till then, happy reading!

Puppy Love

Friends,

I can't help but share the following funny story. I told you last week that the dog on the cover of my book Hello Hollywood had quite the story.

Well, that story has grown!

Last week I sent Gus (the Greek Domestic dog) a letter, supposedly written by my dachshunds, Sasha and Copper (photos below). Here's what it said:

TO GUS, the Wonder Dog!

Dear Gus,

Thank you so much for posing for the cover of our mama's book, "Hello Hollywood!" We took a look at your picture and think you're really handsome (and awfully sweet to sit still for so long for the photographer).

As a thank you, we're both sending you a couple of our photos (below) along with a box of goodies. Inside you will find two more of mama's books (historicals) along with a couple of treats for you. The purple squeaky toy should give you some clue as to what breed WE are.

Sasha and Copper

And speaking of us… With all of the attention you're getting over this cover, our mom hasn't been spending much time focusing on US. This has posed a HUGE problem on this end. We hope she will finish writing this note on our behalf so that she will play with us and stop bragging to all of her friends about you.

Waiting for Mama to pay attention to us...

Thanks again for sitting so still and for "happening" to be a Greek Domestic dog. We don't believe anything happens by accident! - Sasha and Copper

(Note from Sasha: I'm the pretty one with the lighter hair…)

(AND NOW, FOR AN UPDATE FROM OUR MAMA!)
After sending the note to Gus (along with a couple of goodies) I received the following email:
Dear Sasha and Copper,I received your package the other day.  Thank you so much.  It was like Christmas around here.  You were so thoughtful to think of me. My mom is attaching a picture of me with the chew toy and squeaky dog, so that you can see how much I love them.

Gus the Wonder Dog, with his new toys!

Mom says to tell your mom thank you for the books, and she can't wait to read them.

Also, thank you for the compliment on how handsome I am.  I can see by your pictures that you are very pretty, also.  I am strangely attracted to short-legged, long dogs.  They make the best dogs, don't you think?

Please go easy on your mom for not having enough time for you.  After all, her work is what keeps you in kibbles.  AND, she writes nice stories that my mom likes reading.  The way I see it, it is a win-win situation.  You know how much she loves you.

God bless,

Gus

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Gus, the Party Animal!

PS: I also asked Mom to attach another picture of me, so that you can see I sometimes am a little party animal, like Zeus.  I guess it's the Greek in me.

There you have it, folks! That's puppy love if I ever saw it!

Squeaky-Clean Hollywood

Okay, so here's a confession.

You don't get a lot of these from me, so listen closely. In my latest series from Revell (Backstage Pass) I (apparently) made my cast a little too squeaky clean. This, according to some reviewers and critics. I created a sitcom world where several of the key players are already Christian when the story begins. Not all, mind you, but several.

If I had it all to do over again, would I change anything? Nope.

So, why did I do it?

Several years ago I took my drama team to southern California, where we visited with a wonderful group of actors from an organization called Act One. We fell in love with these awesome believers. They are making huge strides in the industry, with members taking on roles in sitcoms, nightly dramas, etc. Folks, Christians are everywhere in Hollywood!

Don't believe me? Check out the Hollywood Prayer Network. I get their regular emails. In them, I keep up with the prayer needs of those in Hollywood. Again, the church is alive and well, even in L.A.

Still don't believe me?

Fine. Just visit Church on the Way. The last time I attended, the prayer request list on the bulletin went something like this: "Pray for so-and-so this week. She has a major audition for a soap opera." "Pray for such-and-such this weekend. He's working as a camera operator on (famous) sitcom and needs our prayers."

Get the idea? 

Yep. Christians are everywhere in Hollywood, even on the set(s) of great, well-loved shows. Not all of these people are overly vocal about their faith, but they're there–praying, hoping and believing they can make a difference in their world.

So, yeah…call me squeaky clean. I'll go on believing huge strides are being made in Hollywood. Who wants to believe with me?

Channeling Dick Van Dyke

A Real Writer

If I could name one childhood television show that made me want to be a writer when I grew up, it would be The Dick Van Dyke Show. I watched it over and over again as a teen and twenty-something, never dreaming I would one day be a "professional" writer like Rob, Sally and Buddy. Oh, how I envied their exciting lives! The joy of brainstorming new ideas each week for The Alan Brady Show. The cute office. The funny sub-characters. The great song and dance numbers (usually thrown into the show in random fashion). I loved it all.

Out of Love for Dick Van Dyke…

I decided to use The Dick Van Dyke Show as my inspiration while I wrote Hello Hollywood, my latest novel from Revell Publishing. My point-of-view character, Athena Pappas, is the head writer of Stars Collide, a famous Hollywood sitcom. Like Rob Petrie, she works with two fellow writers. Athena is so keen on channeling Rob and the gang that she actually arranges her office to look like the one on the Dick Van Dyke show. She thrives on the funny stuff. (What sitcom writer doesn't?)

Up and Down the Plotline…

Like the fictional character of Rob Petrie, Athena faces challenges along the way. She often wonders if this week's episode will be as good as the last. (Don't all writers worry that their latest project won't live up to the prior ones?) She's more than a little worried when Stephen Cosse, a Las Vegas comedian, is hired as a fellow writer. If she doesn't get her act together, he could very well replace her.

In true sitcom fashion, love wins out, comedy rules the day and song and dance numbers ensue. Well, maybe not song and dance numbers, exactly, but close.

To learn more about Athena's desire for "all things Dick Van Dyke," why not pick up a copy of Hello Hollywood today! And while you're at it, why not leave a comment below with your favorite episode?

Check out one of mine here.

Sitcoms That Changed My Life

"Hello. My name is Janice and I grew up addicted to sitcoms."

The sitcom (situational comedy). Oh, how I loved 'em as a kid! Side-splitting laughs, crazy characterization, a rollicking good time. Who could ask for more? Why, I could hardly wait to get home from school to watch some of my favorites.

Here are the ones at the top of my list: 

My Three Sons
Leave it to Beaver
I Love Lucy
Mary Tyler Moore
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Brady Bunch
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Family Affair
Newhart
The Flying Nun

On and On I Could Go!
So, what captivated me? Why did I spend countless hours watching these television shows? Simple. They placed quirky characters into exaggerated situations…situations that caused those characters to squirm!

Many people ask why I write comedy. The reasons are many, but near the top of the list is this one: I love putting quirky characters into sticky situations. What fun! And that's exactly what I did in Hello Hollywood, my latest release from Revell Publishing. Athena Pappas, head writer on "Stars Collide" faces some wacky challenges when Stephen Cosse (a comedian from Vegas) is hired to join the sitcom's writing team. Chaos ensues.
Ah, Chaos!
Isn't that what we live for? Okay, okay…so we don't exactly ask for it in our own lives, but we love watching fictional characters try to wriggle their way out of the muck and the mire. Perhaps, if THEY can make it…we can too!
Contest!
To enter a giveaway for Hello Hollywood, please leave a comment with the name of your favorite television sitcom. Please explain why you loved it so much (and/or how it impacted your life). Thanks!
Interested in More? 
Check out the link for Hello Hollywood (below) for a rollicking sitcom-lovin' good time!

Bow-Wowza Cover Art!

Here's the Story of a Lovely Canine…

Not every book I write has a great cover art story, but Hello Hollywood does! It's a story that merges an author, a cast of fictional characters. . .and a very real dog named Gus.

Gus, the Wonder Dog!

When I set out to write Hello Hollywood I hadn't given thought to adding a dog. A phone call from my awesome editor changed my mind in a hurry. Her opening line: "Hey, what do you think about adding a dog to the story?" was met with a resounding "Yes!" on my end. (I'm a dog lover, after all.)

All Things Greek…

Because the story is about a Greek family it only made sense to add a Greek dog. With the help of my awesome friend (and dog-sitter) Heather Tipton, the "Greek Domestic Dog" breed was chosen. Little did I know what havoc this decision would wreak with it came time to shoot the cover of the book!

Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

I found out in the fall of 2010 that the photographer was having trouble locating a Greek Domestic dog and might have to go with another breed. Bummer, right? Wrong! While browsing the Internet, he happened to locate just the right dog–a Greek Domestic dog named Gus who'd been rescued from a shelter about an hour outside of D.C. Ironically, the photographer happened to be going to D.C. for Thanksgiving. (Go God!)

Go, Gus!

Gus sat for the cover (and did a fine job, I might add). Then, just a couple weeks ago (right after the book's release) I received a note from a newspaper reporter in Virginia, wanting to do a story about Gus and his big "break" as a cover model. What fun! The reporter put me in touch with Gus's owners and we exchanged emails.

I'm indebted to Gus and his owners! In fact, I decided to put together a little gift package for my canine friend. It was sent (along with a photo of my two dachshunds, Sasha and Copper) just this week.

A thousand thanks, Gus!

My Hollywood Years

A Kinder, Gentler Era…

If I close my eyes, I can flash back to a kinder, gentler era. No, not the fifties. Not even the sixties. My "kinder/gentler" era took place in the late 70s, when my father decided to move our family from the Houston area to Los Angeles.

Yep, it's true. I lived in L.A. when I was eighteen. Why? Because my father had illusions of grandeur. Like gazillions who had walked the road before (and after) him, he wanted to get in the movie business. Unlike most, my father actually had connections – writers, directors and so forth. He was also filled with ideas. So, off we went, traveling from Houston to L.A.

Our House…

I still remember the home we rented–a two-story, five-bedroom house in Bel-Air West (directly off of Mulholland) with a fabulous pool and hot tub in the back yard. The area behind our home was a canyon (one that actually caught on fire)!

Touring L.A.

While writing "Liar's Moon" (the movie that would go on to be filmed starring Matt Dillon and Cindy Fisher), I worked at Tele-Credit (a check verification company on Avenue of the Stars in L.A.). I also (of course!) spent time at Malibu Beach. (What eighteen-year-old wouldn't?) My favorite thing to do, however, was to drive through Hollywood Hills. Oh, how I loved looking at those houses!

Jump ahead from 1977 to 2010:

I came up with the idea to write Hello Hollywood (book two in the Backstage Pass series). The goal? To relive my time in Los Angeles and to pay tribute to my dad. Over the next several weeks I'll be sharing more details about my time in L.A. (as well as a host of other things related to the book). I hope you'll enjoy this journey with me. In the meantime, click the link below to purchase a copy of Hello Hollywood for yourself! (By the way, the cover below is the original cover. It has been changed, due to a copyright issue. Look for a blog entry in a few days about the dog on the cover!)

How to Build a Hero (er, Gyro)

What do you get when you merge a large Greek family, two Hollywood sitcom writers, a pre-teen girl with angst, a dog that's traveled the globe to land in L.A., and a family-run gyro shop? A recipe for great entertainment!

Several months ago I sat down to write Hello Hollywood, book two in the "Backstage Pass" series from Revell Publishing. To be honest, I'd had such a blast writing Stars Collide, the first book in the series, that I wondered if I could top the experience. Boy, did I ever! By cooking up a whole new cast of characters, I managed to give myself the writing adventure of a lifetime! And I learned a little something

about how to build a hero (er, gyro) in the process!

Starting with just the right characters was key. I'd created my heroine, Athena Pappas, in book one. I already knew this feisty Greek sitcom writer had the moxie and the talent to make it in Hollywood. But I needed to give her a problem, one sure to bring her down a notch. Enter Stephen Cosse, a comedian from Las Vegas. When this fun-loving single father is hired to write scripts to boost the sitcom's sagging ratings, Athena is not impressed. Her handsome co-writer sets her nerves on edge. Has he come to steal her job, perhaps?

Chaos ensues when Athena's oversized Greek family gets involved. Her parents fall head-over-heels for Stephen and his pre-teen daughter. And what's not to love? He's a great guy, an awesome father and (much to Athena's chagrin) a talented writer, one who brings a fresh voice to the show. He's also tall, dark and handsome. . .and getting harder to resist as the days go by.

But she must resist. . .right? Any writer worth her scribblings on the page knows you don't fall for the guy who could put an end to your career, even if your parents are convinced he's "the one." No, you look the other way. You turn and run. In Athena's case, the pages of her "life script" fall into place and she ends up running straight into his arms.

Oh, what a blast I had writing this comedic story! I loaded it up with elements from the old Dick Van Dyke show, (even patterning the sitcom office after Rob Petrie's office). One of my favorite scenes takes place in the Pappas family's sandwich shop, where Athena teaches several other characters how to build the perfect hero (er, gyro). By the end of the scene she's convinced them all that building a yummy Greek sandwich and putting together the perfect Greek hero are pretty much one and the same. (A pinch of this, a dash of that, and. . .Opa! Yummy!)

So, what are you waiting for, readers? Ready for a comedic romp through Tinseltown, one sure to leave you smiling? Grab a copy of Hello Hollywood and let's build a few heroes together.

 

Battling Sickness

Sword of the Spirit

Be merciful to me, LORD , for I am faint; O LORD , heal me, for my bones are in agony.  My soul is in anguish.  How long, O LORD , how long?  Turn, O LORD , and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.  Psalm 6:2-4

David's Battle: Sickness

David knew what it felt like to experience sickness.  Like all of us, he went through times where he just didn't feel good.  His human body experienced pain and suffering, just like ours do.  Many times in his life he grieved until he made himself sick.  David knew that his healing came from the Lord.  In this scripture, he cried out to God for help. He told God just how he was feeling when he used the words, "for I am faint."  He also expressed it pretty well when he said, "my bones are in agony."  Sounds pretty intense.  But God restored David time and time again and this great man of faith learned that the Lord is in control of every area of life!

Strategic Questions:

How does God feel about healing?
Why is it so hard to believe that God wants to heal us when we're sick?
Can you think of a time when you were so sick that you had to depend on others to pray for you?

Putting On Your Armor:

Have you experienced sickness?  If so, then you understand what David went through.  Sometimes the human body just seems to break down.  When we don't get enough rest or eat the proper foods, we can get sick.  But God is in control.  This is nothing too difficult for Him.  Even the toughest sicknesses are not too hard for God.  Ask God to increase your faith to pray for those who are sick.  He will give you plenty of opportunities to reach out with your faith and touch those who need your love and your concern.

S.O.S. (Speaking to Our Savior in prayer)

Dear Lord,

Please increase my faith so that I can pray for those who need healing.  Help me, when I feel sick, to have the faith to believe that You can heal me.  Thank you for this body you've given me.  Help me do a good job taking care of it.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Which Side Are You On?  (Thought for the Day)

Is it possible to be physically healthy but spiritually sick?