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A Soul to Shine
From the outside, starlet Olivia Hammond has it all—fame, fortune and a Hollywood hunk boyfriend. No one suspects her rising self-doubts and anxieties. In order to escape the realities of her chaotic world, she dives into an Oscar quality role of a young woman trapped in the horrors of postwar Berlin. It is here that Olivia feels most comfortable.
Her real and fictional lives collide when the director casts, Dimitri Malakhov, a Russian porn star, as her costar. She immediately fears her image and reputation will be tainted. Personally and professionally, she must face what frightens her most—exposing herself, her fears, her imperfections and her desires to the world.
The experience of filming the movie with Dimitri and being on location in Berlin destroys her prejudices, and judgments. It shatters all her illusions and perceptions. When liberated from her own confines, her life and love truly shine.
Manchmal das Herz muss zerstört werden, um zu heilen.
Sometimes the heart needs to be broken in order to heal.
Her real and fictional lives collide when the director casts, Dimitri Malakhov, a Russian porn star, as her costar. She immediately fears her image and reputation will be tainted. Personally and professionally, she must face what frightens her most—exposing herself, her fears, her imperfections and her desires to the world.
The experience of filming the movie with Dimitri and being on location in Berlin destroys her prejudices, and judgments. It shatters all her illusions and perceptions. When liberated from her own confines, her life and love truly shine.
Manchmal das Herz muss zerstört werden, um zu heilen.
Sometimes the heart needs to be broken in order to heal.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Ott
37 books51 followersSince my childhood, my imagination always got the best of me. Yes, I had an imaginary friend, talked to the shadows in my bedroom and dreamed and played exotic adventures. I never thought much of reading or writing until I watched the movie, Bridge on the River Kwai. At age twelve, I was completely taken with the intrigue and the human drama. Afterward, I started my first novel (never to be seen, thankfully).
It was my eighth grade English teacher who suggested a career in journalism; however I decided to pursue a career in fashion - big mistake. It has been a hard, painful journey back on path to my true passion - writing stories that affect the human condition and situations.
After graduating college with a degree in fashion design and fine arts, I moved to New York City where I studied screen writing with the Gotham Writer's group and attended NYU part-time studying filmmaking and acting. Learning how to write screenplays taught me how to write tight storylines and acting helped master dialog.
Living in New York City, inflicted with credit card debt, impassioned me to write my first non-fiction satire, Ooh Baby Compound Me which compares the credit card industry to fraternity hazing. Bad dating experiences inspired Wild Horses and eventually after much research - Love and Handicapping. My book, The Tourist reflects the dreamer's plight in an overly commercial and corporate world which many can relate.
Saying Goodbye, What the World Doesn't Know, I can only say was channeled by from an unknown source. I became consumed by a real-life love story and felt compelled to write. The repressed eighth grade journalist arose and I dug deep into uncovering a hidden love story. The same force encouraged The Insurrectionist - a story so powerful and intense, it had to be told. After writing The Insurrection I needed something light and fun was desperately needed - One with the Wind.
Throughout the years, I have learned stories are a dime a dozen, characters can blend into one and the same dialog can be repeated in many different ways, but the best writing comes from what we are most passionate. If the story compels the writer to near madness, it is a story that must be written.
It was my eighth grade English teacher who suggested a career in journalism; however I decided to pursue a career in fashion - big mistake. It has been a hard, painful journey back on path to my true passion - writing stories that affect the human condition and situations.
After graduating college with a degree in fashion design and fine arts, I moved to New York City where I studied screen writing with the Gotham Writer's group and attended NYU part-time studying filmmaking and acting. Learning how to write screenplays taught me how to write tight storylines and acting helped master dialog.
Living in New York City, inflicted with credit card debt, impassioned me to write my first non-fiction satire, Ooh Baby Compound Me which compares the credit card industry to fraternity hazing. Bad dating experiences inspired Wild Horses and eventually after much research - Love and Handicapping. My book, The Tourist reflects the dreamer's plight in an overly commercial and corporate world which many can relate.
Saying Goodbye, What the World Doesn't Know, I can only say was channeled by from an unknown source. I became consumed by a real-life love story and felt compelled to write. The repressed eighth grade journalist arose and I dug deep into uncovering a hidden love story. The same force encouraged The Insurrectionist - a story so powerful and intense, it had to be told. After writing The Insurrection I needed something light and fun was desperately needed - One with the Wind.
Throughout the years, I have learned stories are a dime a dozen, characters can blend into one and the same dialog can be repeated in many different ways, but the best writing comes from what we are most passionate. If the story compels the writer to near madness, it is a story that must be written.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 20, 2015
Face it, Hollywood is the land of make believe, the mortar and brick Never, Neverland. When a promising young starlet is chosen to play a role that could land her accolades, awards and solid fame, she struggles with taking it or not, because of her co-star. Olivia has it all, a promising career, a steady, and adoring boyfriend, but is it just a another façade in a city where everyone wears a mask? is it really what she wants?
Is she really full of insecurity and needing that adoration of her fans and co-workers to prove her own self-worth? Is she living life to the fullest? Her co-star is a famous actor in his own right, a famous porn actor from Russia, so what would he know about true acting? Why would anyone think she would want to be within an arm’s length of such a person? Olivia has nailed her inner diva.
Dimitri is as shocked as everyone else that he has landed this role, but he is determined to prove his worth, both as an actor and as a person. He refuses to be defined by his “attributes.” What unfolds is a tale of two strangers playing pretend for the cameras while off-screen, they discover the true human under the hype. Is it possible that Dimitri really is so much more than Olivia could have imagined? He is larger than life both on screen and off and he has peeled back the layers to the heart of Olivia. Is it just another sensationalized Hollywood working romance or do they share what it takes to last a lifetime?
A Soul to Shine by Jennifer Ott shreds the classic Hollywood hype and brings two real people to life, free of the trappings of fame and pretense. While painting amazingly deep and thought-provoking scenes, Ms. Ott has uncovered two souls that fit together like a hand in a glove, who share their strengths, weaknesses and their inner self with each other, free of the cares of fame. The metamorphosis that Olivia undergoes is like watching a pinched and shriveling bud flourish under the nourishment of love and true friendship. Do NOT expect a fast and sunny read, there are few truly light moments, but even through the darkness, a light of hope shines brighter with each page. Settle back and enjoy this trip into a world we only dream about knowing and realize it might be more “house of emotional horrors” than “mirrored funhouse,” unless there is love.
Publication Date: September 4, 2014
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN-13: 9781312472952
Genre: Adult Fiction | Women's Fiction
Print Length: 284 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Is she really full of insecurity and needing that adoration of her fans and co-workers to prove her own self-worth? Is she living life to the fullest? Her co-star is a famous actor in his own right, a famous porn actor from Russia, so what would he know about true acting? Why would anyone think she would want to be within an arm’s length of such a person? Olivia has nailed her inner diva.
Dimitri is as shocked as everyone else that he has landed this role, but he is determined to prove his worth, both as an actor and as a person. He refuses to be defined by his “attributes.” What unfolds is a tale of two strangers playing pretend for the cameras while off-screen, they discover the true human under the hype. Is it possible that Dimitri really is so much more than Olivia could have imagined? He is larger than life both on screen and off and he has peeled back the layers to the heart of Olivia. Is it just another sensationalized Hollywood working romance or do they share what it takes to last a lifetime?
A Soul to Shine by Jennifer Ott shreds the classic Hollywood hype and brings two real people to life, free of the trappings of fame and pretense. While painting amazingly deep and thought-provoking scenes, Ms. Ott has uncovered two souls that fit together like a hand in a glove, who share their strengths, weaknesses and their inner self with each other, free of the cares of fame. The metamorphosis that Olivia undergoes is like watching a pinched and shriveling bud flourish under the nourishment of love and true friendship. Do NOT expect a fast and sunny read, there are few truly light moments, but even through the darkness, a light of hope shines brighter with each page. Settle back and enjoy this trip into a world we only dream about knowing and realize it might be more “house of emotional horrors” than “mirrored funhouse,” unless there is love.
Publication Date: September 4, 2014
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN-13: 9781312472952
Genre: Adult Fiction | Women's Fiction
Print Length: 284 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
November 25, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
In A Soul to Shine, Olivia Hammond seemingly has it all. Her latest movie, another blockbuster, was just released. Her boyfriend, Trent, is head over heels for her, wants to marry her and even start a family. But despite looking happy on the outside, inside she’s a wreck. She doubts herself, is anxious over what the critics think, and struggles with thoughts of the future, and what she wants her life to turn out like. She tries to escape these troubling thoughts by diving into the role of a young woman trapped in the horrors of postwar Berlin, a role she plays in a new, Oscar-worthy movie she’s shooting.
Dimitri Malakhov is a Russian porn star. Despite his profession, he’s actually quite loyal to his girlfriend – only sleeping with others when the job demands it. He’s been struggling to start a career in the United States, so when he gets a call by a director to play in an actual movie, not just a porn movie, he’s a little shocked. But he accepts the job anyway, even if it means he has to help his co-star, famous Olivia Hammond, ‘open up a little’, as the director calls it.
Olivia and Dimitri start shooting the film on location in Berlin, reliving the lives of the characters they play during postwar Berlin. Meanwhile, Olivia starts to open up and expose the parts of herself she’d wanted to keep hidden. The closer Olivia and Dimitri get, the more her view on the world, on herself, on what she wants in life, changes. Dimitri too starts struggling, wondering if he still loves his girlfriend, Daniella, wondering if he made the right choices, and if he truly is the person he wanted to be. As they both struggle to find their true selves, they come to quite a few startling realizations.
Whereas the plot is all right and interesting enough, it’s the characters that truly make this book shine, which I guess was the author’s intention all along. Dimitri and Olivia have little in common at first glance, until they realize they’re actually going through a similar inner turmoil, and they help each other find the strength to turn their lives around. It was easy to connect with both characters, particularly Olivia, and to sympathize with their struggles. The setting of Berlin worked well too, and gave the book an extra dimension.
This was an engaging read with tons of character development. By the end of the book, I cared about the characters so much I was reluctant to let them go.
In A Soul to Shine, Olivia Hammond seemingly has it all. Her latest movie, another blockbuster, was just released. Her boyfriend, Trent, is head over heels for her, wants to marry her and even start a family. But despite looking happy on the outside, inside she’s a wreck. She doubts herself, is anxious over what the critics think, and struggles with thoughts of the future, and what she wants her life to turn out like. She tries to escape these troubling thoughts by diving into the role of a young woman trapped in the horrors of postwar Berlin, a role she plays in a new, Oscar-worthy movie she’s shooting.
Dimitri Malakhov is a Russian porn star. Despite his profession, he’s actually quite loyal to his girlfriend – only sleeping with others when the job demands it. He’s been struggling to start a career in the United States, so when he gets a call by a director to play in an actual movie, not just a porn movie, he’s a little shocked. But he accepts the job anyway, even if it means he has to help his co-star, famous Olivia Hammond, ‘open up a little’, as the director calls it.
Olivia and Dimitri start shooting the film on location in Berlin, reliving the lives of the characters they play during postwar Berlin. Meanwhile, Olivia starts to open up and expose the parts of herself she’d wanted to keep hidden. The closer Olivia and Dimitri get, the more her view on the world, on herself, on what she wants in life, changes. Dimitri too starts struggling, wondering if he still loves his girlfriend, Daniella, wondering if he made the right choices, and if he truly is the person he wanted to be. As they both struggle to find their true selves, they come to quite a few startling realizations.
Whereas the plot is all right and interesting enough, it’s the characters that truly make this book shine, which I guess was the author’s intention all along. Dimitri and Olivia have little in common at first glance, until they realize they’re actually going through a similar inner turmoil, and they help each other find the strength to turn their lives around. It was easy to connect with both characters, particularly Olivia, and to sympathize with their struggles. The setting of Berlin worked well too, and gave the book an extra dimension.
This was an engaging read with tons of character development. By the end of the book, I cared about the characters so much I was reluctant to let them go.
April 28, 2015
Olivia Hammond has grown up in the limelight of the big screen. She’s the quintessential Hollywood diva: moody, self-absorbed, temperamental and snotty. She and long time beau, Trent Macklemore, have the perfect relationship. At least it appears that way to those who are looking in from the outside. In truth, she is detached and he is holding on as if his career, and thus his life, depend on it.
She longs to get out of the box her career has put her in, when the chance of a lifetime emerges. This new role will challenge her, not only as an actress, but also as a human being. He co-star is the complete opposite of everything she’s pegged him to be. What she sees is a handsome man, who must be brainless since he uses his body to earn a living as a porn star. In truth, he is a very talented actor and educated free spirit, who has much to teach this judgmental diva.
Unable to understand why she is drawn to this man she has judged so harshly, and more importantly, why he continues to deal with her in love, everything she’s learned about love, about life, about herself, is challenged. And she is all the better for it. Every so often, we are given a glimpse of something so real, so profound that we leave the experience forever changed. The circumstances surrounding the filming of this movie does that for her.
Jennifer Ott has such a beautifully subtle way of infusing her stories with life altering truths, if one is bold enough to receive them. Her way is not fussy or demanding, instead it’s like offering a tray of cookies to visitors to partake or not. What each person receives is at the reader’s own discretion. Her words are eloquent, skillful. She is not afraid to challenge stereotypes and taboo subjects, but does so gently. This is not the first book I’ve read by Jennifer and her words never fail to move me. Her characters have many layers and her stories are well-developed. Her gift of writing leaves no question. She is a master at the craft.
5 stars
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
She longs to get out of the box her career has put her in, when the chance of a lifetime emerges. This new role will challenge her, not only as an actress, but also as a human being. He co-star is the complete opposite of everything she’s pegged him to be. What she sees is a handsome man, who must be brainless since he uses his body to earn a living as a porn star. In truth, he is a very talented actor and educated free spirit, who has much to teach this judgmental diva.
Unable to understand why she is drawn to this man she has judged so harshly, and more importantly, why he continues to deal with her in love, everything she’s learned about love, about life, about herself, is challenged. And she is all the better for it. Every so often, we are given a glimpse of something so real, so profound that we leave the experience forever changed. The circumstances surrounding the filming of this movie does that for her.
Jennifer Ott has such a beautifully subtle way of infusing her stories with life altering truths, if one is bold enough to receive them. Her way is not fussy or demanding, instead it’s like offering a tray of cookies to visitors to partake or not. What each person receives is at the reader’s own discretion. Her words are eloquent, skillful. She is not afraid to challenge stereotypes and taboo subjects, but does so gently. This is not the first book I’ve read by Jennifer and her words never fail to move me. Her characters have many layers and her stories are well-developed. Her gift of writing leaves no question. She is a master at the craft.
5 stars
_____
Reviewed by Tumika
September 18, 2014
On the first level, this is a story about two actors finding each other and a new and more fulfilling romantic relationship. On the second level it is the story of the hardships facing the people of Germany after World War II that is being portrayed by the young actors. On the deepest level it is the story of how setting aside prejudices and preconceptions can open up a whole new world of opportunities. This author, as in her previous novels, again surprises us with great depth of plot and characters. This is a delightful and inspiring read.
April 28, 2015
Love love loved this book! Highly recommended. Rich and beautifully complex characters. A must read!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews