Book Tour Stop: Hollywood Underground

 

Check out the tour stop for Linda S. Hudis's Hollywood Underground. 

Interview with Linda S. Hudis

Tell us about your latest book, who are the main character(s) and what can we expect when we pick it up?

If you like a nice, juicy, Hollywood crime thriller, then you should definitely check it out. My heroine is a touch cookie and a mom. Plus, she runs a business in the entertainment industry. We have all seen the news regarding the extent of the harassment and abuse that has been ongoing in Hollywood by men who have been using their power and status to abuse people. Many brave actresses and actors have been speaking out about this.  This is a work of fiction, but it’s my story.

 

Do you come up with the hook first, or do you create characters first and then dig through until you find a hook?

I have an acting background, so it was a huge help with developing my characters. Absolutely, in an artistic sense and regarding life experience as well. HOLLYWOOD UNDERWORLD is the first in a series about Tinseltown and the many lives of the people who live and work there. It’s a crime fiction story. If it were a film, it would be considered Film Noir. It’s about a courageous single mom and personal manager who gets help from a very handsome crime boss to find a missing actor client of hers. The inspiration came from my years as an actress in Hollywood back in the 90’s. It was a different world then, before the internet, so a young actress could easily find herself in many precarious situations, and I did! I wanted to take the reader on an adventure through the dark and seedy underworld of this magical, glittering place. So many people who love movies (me included) have no idea of what goes on behind the scenes. Harvey Weinstein is just the tip of the iceberg. I never met him (Thank God) but I men plenty of others.

 

Which of your characters would you want to share a campfire with, and why?

Dani Foxx. She and I have so much in common. My story is inspired by my life as an actress in Hollywood so it’s raw and gritty. When people think of Hollywood they think of glamour, beautiful movie stars and that kind of thing. My story takes the reader on a journey to that dark underbelly of that glittering world. It’s not for the faint of heart, but none of my stories are. If it were a film, it would be considered Film Noir. It’s about a courageous single mom and personal manager who gets help from a very handsome crime boss to find a missing actor client of hers.

Any favorite authors you enjoy to read in your spare time?

I have always loved reading and have always had a huge book collection. I still do!  I remember very well back int school h having read all the Judy Blume books (one of my first inspirations to be a writer) then moving on to Stephen King, Jackie Collins and many others. One day, while pregnant with my daughter, I was sitting at home, alone, and bored so I decided to start writing. I just wrote pages and pages to have something to do. The next thing I knew, I have about two hundred pages! My Father-In-law is the Late, Great English writer Norman Hudis. I showed him my pages to get his professional opinion and he told me I “had potential”. That was enough for me to give writing a go! So, I just went for it, and I have never looked back.

 What impact do you hope your books have on readers?

I wanted to take the reader on an adventure through the dark and seedy underworld of this magical, glittering place. So many people who love movies (myself included) have no idea of what goes on behind the scenes. Harvey Weinstein is just the tip of the iceberg. I never met him (Thank God) but I men plenty of others.

How do you approach character development in your stories? Do you have any specific techniques or methods that you find particularly effective?

I started out as an actress, I attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts and studied Drama.  I thought of the Method acting approach, and that is how I write. I know it sounds funny, but I let the characters tell me the story. I am “acting” when I bring my characters to life. They tell me what to do. As far as the subject matter goes, Hollywood is a very dramatic town. I moved to Los Angeles in the Spring of 1992 to pursue film and television work.  Back in the 90’s there was no social media or internet, so plenty of bizarre things would happen behind the scenes. I took inspiration from real life to create my story. My stories are very character driven, coming from an acting background helps me develop my characters, so I bond with my characters. I let them tell me what they want to do. They tell me the story.

How do you utilize social media and other channels to build your author brand?

I enjoy using social media to promote myself and to get my titles out there. It is a great tool if you use it right. Just stay away from the dark side of the Internet and you should be fine. Social media is a great way to get your name out there is ways that were not available to authors before.

 

How do you handle feedback and criticism from readers and reviewers?

I always consider the source. As an artist you have to have "The soul of a poet and the hide of a Rhinoceros." It's true and that motto came is very handy during my acting days. As my father used to say "Keep your sense of humor, you're going to need it!"

Can you discuss any upcoming projects or books that you’re currently working on?

Write the sequel, Hollywood Boulevard. I’m working on that right now. Also, my husband and I have several screenplays that we have written. We have several different genres such as action, thriller, horror, drama and even comedy. We were very lucky as we entered our screenplay, CRASHERS (also my book) into the Sherman Oaks Screenplay Competition. The screenplay was an official selection and, although it didn’t win, we got great literary representation out of the contacts we made. CRASHERS is currently in development with Face 2 Face Productions, as our manager is also a producer. I am still very ambitious and have never given up on my Hollywood Dream

What can readers expect from your future works? 

My other titles are CRASHERS, a crime mystery about a trio of young people who get caught up in the seamy world of auto insurance fraud. They stage car accidents to get insurance money, and events spiral out of control, of course. My husband is a professional stunt driver, so he helped me out a little. My other book, CITY OF TOYS, is based on my struggling actress days. It is about four beautiful women who live together in Hollywood. They are all aspiring actresses, and some pretty upsetting things happen to them, as they did to me. All my books are edgy, but that is what I like to do. I like to shock people. My late father-in-law was the English comedy writer Norman Hudis. He wrote for BBC television writing the “Carry On” series. He also wrote for American television shows back in the 70’s. He told me I was a “good commercial writer”, and that is all I needed to hear!

Title: Hollywood Underworld

Author: Lindy S. Hudis

Publisher: Project X Publishing

Publication Date: August 4, 2021

Pages: 203

Genre: Crime Thriller

 

BOOK BLURB:

 

Nick Savage was supposed to be the next sexy Hollywood heartthrob, until he turned up dead…

His personal manager, Dani Foxx, is a seductive former actress with spunk, guts and a take-no-prisoners attitude. She lives in the Woodland Hills section of the San Fernando Valley with her teenage daughter. They must survive and protect each other in the world’s most glamorous and sin-filled city. Then an unidentified body discovered under the Santa Monica pier is found to belong to the up-and-coming young actor.

Dani’s partner, the dashing and charismatic A.J. Tarentella, is the son of a mob boss, raised in a ruthless crime family. He now is the proud owner of the Tarantella Agency, a Private Investigation Company located in the heart of Beverly Hills. He used his father’s work ethic, connections and family ties to build his powerful business empire, and now he is always there to help those in need.

When another gorgeous nubile actress on the brink of getting her breakout role mysteriously vanishes as the body of a beautiful young girl is discovered in Runyon Canyon Park in the Hollywood Hills, Dani realizes this is no coincidence. Who is targeting young Hollywood stars? And more importantly, how can Dani stop them before the next body surfaces?

Together, A. J. and Dani find themselves tangled in a web of organized crime, Hollywood secrets, and a vengeful faded movie star with a lethal vendetta.

PRAISE:

“They say Hollywood is a dream factory, and having worked in the film business myself, I can say that can be true. But the reality behind the facade can sometimes be the stuff of nightmares. For every big break, there's a thousand broken dreams. And for every actor hustling to land a role, there's another who decides the compromises required just aren't worth the damage it does to a person's soul. This novel is about reality, the pain, the moral compromises, the crime, and the shattered lives that litter the streets behind the scenes. This book, though fiction has a lot of truth in it, and the novelist pulls no punches. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!” - Amazon

You can purchase your copy at Amazon.

Book Excerpt:

Los Angeles, California

Spring

 

“Kill her.” The irate and imposing male voice bellowed into the phone.

“Who?” The nervous - and not too bright - hitman swallowed hard and butted out his cigarette.

“Who do you think, moron?”

“Uhm…. I don’t….”

“Dani Foxx.”

“Oh, of course…Whatever you need, boss, I’m all over…”

“And I want it taken care of today, do you understand me?”

“I understand.”

“Don’t screw it up again, I want this problem solved.”

“Don’t worry, boss. The bitch is as good as dead.”

 “She better be!”

“I’m on it, boss.” He reached for his shoulder holster and checked his gun.

 “Then get on it. Now!” The angry boss slammed down the phone.

“Yes, boss.” The hitman pulled on his coat and dashed out of his North Hollywood apartment.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lindy S. Hudis is an award winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City.

She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld - A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime, mystery series.

In addition, she has written several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”.

Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including 'Best Short Film' at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Fransisco International Film Festival.

She is also an actress, having appeared in the indie film Expressionism, the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children” , “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film “Indecent Proposal” . She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

Website & Social Media:

Website/Blog ➜  https://lindyinparadise.wordpress.com/

Twitter ➜ https://twitter.com/Lindyscribe

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/LindyScribe/

Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/lindys.hudis

Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470478.Lindy_S_Hudis