STORY MERCHANT CLIENT LISA CERASOLI AT LA WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL
Talkback after the official screening of "14 DAYS with Alzheimer's" at the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival at the West Hollywood Library, March 25th, 2012.
New feature film planned as 'answer to Oliver Stone's fanciful 'JFK'
President John F. Kennedy, shown with wife Jackie.
In marketing Oliver Stone's 1991 New Orleans-shot, Kennedy-assassination conspiracy theory "JFK," Warner Bros. referred to it as "the story that won't go away." Now, some 21 years later, another film company is doing its part to make sure that claim remains true.
President John F. Kennedy, shown with wife Jackie.
The Los Angeles-based Atchity Entertainment, in partnership with the Florida-based Ramos & Sparks Group, announced plans today (April 16) for a feature film based on one insider's account of the Kennedy assassination. The production is described it as an "answer to Oliver Stone's fanciful 'JFK.'"
The new film will be based on the New York Times bestseller "The Kennedy Detail," written by former Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine - a former member of Kennedy's security detail -- with journalist Lisa McCubbin.
The book has already spawned a Discovery Channel documentary, also called "The Kennedy Detail," which was narrated by Martin Sheen and nominated last year for a News and Documentary Emmy in the long-form historical programming category.
For its part, Stone's 1991's "JFK" was based on a book by New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison who -- unsatisfied with the official line -- launched his own investigation into the assassination. Shooting for two months in town in summer 1991, "JFK" stands as one of highest-profile films to shoot in New Orleans prior to the state's 2002 adoption of filmmaking tax incentives.
'The Kennedy Detail,' by former Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine and dissecting the Kennedy assassination, will be the subject of a new movie.
Upon its release in December 1991, the film earned more than $200 million in worldwide box office, as well as eight Oscar nominations, including for best picture. (It won two, for film editing and cinematography).
It also, however, generated no small amount of controversy, as Stone was widely criticized for playing fast and loose with the facts.
The new film, producer Rich Ramos says, will be different.
"As a life-long student of the Kennedy administration and the events of November 22, 1963, I could see immediately that this book provided a clear picture and keen insight into the everyday workings of the administration as well as that horrible day in Dallas," producer Rich Ramos said today in a news release.
"The true story contained in 'The Kennedy Detail' needs to be brought to theaters around the world so that history can be presented accurately, once and for all."
Producers are targeting a 2013 release date - exactly 50 years after the assassination -- although it's unclear when production will begin or where it will take place. No cast has been announced.
This month only, Poisoned Pen Press, is offering Story Merchant Client Dennis Palumbo's debut Daniel Rinaldi Thrilller, MIRROR IMAGE, as an e-book for just 99 cents!
If you
haven't yet made the acquaintance of trauma expert and police consultant
Dr. Dan
Rinaldi, a character Kirkus Reviews calls "Jack
Reacher with a psychology degree," this is your chance.
To
purchase the e-book of MIRROR IMAGE at this
special promotional rate, just click on this link:
Here's
what some noted mystery authors have to say about MIRROR
IMAGE:
“Dennis Palumbo
establishes himself as a master story-teller with his first crime novel,
Mirror Image. Using his background as a licensed psychotherapist to good
advantage, Palumbo infuses his fast-moving, suspenseful story with fascinating
texture, interesting characters, and the twists, turns and surprises of a
mind-bending mystery. Very impressive.”
---Stephen
J. Cannell (writer/creator of The Rockford Files; New York
Times best-selling mystery author)
“Mirror
Image is a rich, complex thriller, built around a sizzling love affair. A
compelling read, with surprising twists and characters that leap off the
page.”
---Bobby
Moresco (Oscar-winning writer/producer of Crash and Million Dollar
Baby)
“Mirror
Image is a
deviously plotted thriller with lots of shocks and surprises you won't see
coming, and a smart, sympathetic hero-narrator who takes you along as he peels
back layers of lies and wrong guesses to get closer to the truth.” ---Thomas
Perry (Edgar-winning, New York Times best-selling crime
novelist)
“Dennis
Palumbo’s experience as a psychotherapist hasn’t just helped him make his hero,
therapist Dr. Daniel Rinaldi, authentic, human and a man in full, it’s endowed
him with the insight to craft a debut thriller filled with action, deduction and
romance, expertly paced for maximum suspense.” ---Dick
Lochte, award-winning author and critic
“Dennis
Palumbo’s novel is stark and disturbing but there’s a humanity running through
the core of it that makes this book special. Maybe it’s Palumbo’s dual training
– as a writer and as a psychotherapist – that allows him to plumb the depths and
bring up not only darkness but those occasional diamonds of light that sparkle
and illuminate and make a book worth reading.”
---T.
Jefferson Parker (Edgar-winning, New York Times best-selling author of
The Renegades and Iron
River)
"Mirror
Image is a standout mind-bender! A wonderfully constructed novel that has
you seeing double -- and all through the eyes of an intriguingly fresh
character: a psychologist. Dennis Palumbo knows his craft. This guy can
write." ---Ridley Pearson (New York Times best-selling crime
author)
New at bn.com: Aries Fire by Elaine Edelson
Aries Fire
by Elaine Edelson
Nook eBook: download at bn.com
Author’s website
“The violent and conspiratorial murder of the renowned scholar, Hypatia of Alexandria, 415 CE leaves her tempestuous 17 year old bastard daughter, Seira, fleeing for her life. A target for
extermination by unknown forces, Seira is hurled into a world of
religious wars and political intrigue between the Roman Empire and
Attila and the Huns.
The fates relentlessly test Seira’s mettle as she searches for her mother’s murderer and her father’s identity. As she matures from an impatient, obstinate, and reckless young woman to a brilliant warrior, scholar, and healer, Seira seizes control of her destiny and
finds herself in Constantinople–the center of power for the Eastern
Roman Empire–in the presence of the Empress and Emperor, the men who
loathe her, lust after her, and fear her. It is in the high court that
all the forces that have shaped her over the years converge in the final
act that will determine her fate and forever shape the tides of
history.”
Mrs. Kennedy And Me Number 7 On Publisher's Weekly Best Seller List!
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "Drift" by Rachel Maddow (Crown, $25). TV commentator Maddow looks at American military policy from the Vietnam War to the present, exploring the rise of private security companies and executive authority. Last week: 1
2. "Weeknights With Giada" by Giada De Laurentiis (Clarkson Potter, $35). Giada De Laurentiis shares her tips for getting meals on the table quickly. Last week: 2
3. "The Big Miss" by Hank Haney (Crown, $26). Haney delivers an insightful account of his six years coaching Tiger Woods. Last week: 3
4. "Trickle Down Tyranny" by Michael Savage (Morrow, $26.99). Savage, a conservative spokesman, discusses his opinions of President Obama's policies. Last week: —
5. "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" by Ree Drummond (Morrow, $29.99). More recipes from the woman who chucked urban life to marry a cowboy and move to his ranch. Last week: 5
6. "Imagine" by Jonah Lehrer (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26). Lehrer looks at the science behind what sparks creativity. Last week: 4
7. "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" by Clint Hill with Lisa McCubbin (Gallery, $26). A 
memoir from Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent assigned to guard Jacqueline Kennedy from 1960 to 1964. Last week
8. "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed (Knopf, $25.95). A memoir of Strayed's 1,100-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. Last week: 10
9. "All In" by Paula Broadwell with Vernon Loeb (Penguin Press, $29.95). The author chronicles Gen. David Petraeus' career and his impact on the U.S. military. Last week: —
10. "The Blood Sugar Solution" by Mark Hyman, M.D. (Little, Brown, $27.99). A doctor describes his guide to losing weight and staying healthy, which involves maintaining balanced insulin levels. Last week: 8
For the week ended April 7, compiled from data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide.
— Publishers Weekly
Mrs. Kennedy and Me: Discussion and Book Signing with Clint Hill
Thursday, April 19, 2012, 2:00 pm - Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas Texas,
| Mrs. Kennedy and Me: Discussion and Book Signing with Clint Hill |
For four years, from the election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in November 1960 until after the election of Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Clint Hill was the Secret Service agent assigned to guard Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. During that time, he went from being a reluctant guardian to a fiercely loyal watchdog and, in many ways, her closest friend. Fifty years later, Clint Hill tells his story for the first time, offering a tender, enthralling and tragic portrayal of how a Secret Service agent who started life in a North Dakota orphanage became the most trusted man in the life of the First Lady. Filled with unforgettable details, this is the once-in-a-lifetime story of a man doing the most exciting job in the world, with a woman all the world loved, and the tragedy that ended it all too soon — a tragedy that haunted him for fifty years.
Program is free with paid Museum admission or $5 for program only. The Museum will not be taking reservations. Seating is limited and will begin at 1 PM. Books can be pre-ordered at store.jfk.org and will be for sale on-site. Pre-orders placed by Wednesday, April 18, 2012 can be picked up at the event.
Liz Smith Reviews Mrs. Kennedy And Me
Clint Hill's Tender and Loving Memories of America's Most Famous, Fabulous and Fascinating First Lady — Jackie!
"TRUE LOVE is like a ghost: everyone talks of it, but few have met it face to face."
--La Rochefoucauld
I HAVE delayed writing much about a new book titled "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" because, frankly,
every time I look at it, I choke up. This is the story that Clint Hill, the special agent of the Secret Service to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, thought he would never write.
But, finally, with the help of Lisa McCubbin, he has done so for Gallery Books of Simon & Schuster. Talk about being unable to put a book down; I was enthralled with this memoir from start to finish, tears streaming down my cheeks at the end when President Clinton summoned Mr. Hill to the White House in 1994 to tell him that Mrs. Onassis was dying, and to thank him for service to his country during JFK's administration. And after.
This, simply, is a love story -- and a great one, in that the adored First Lady formed a real bond with her protector, Clint Hill. A friendly respectable bond. And after all the scandal-ridden, tell-all, tell-what-they-imagined, and really tragic books about the Kennedys - this one is a readable relief.
Clint Hill came to truly love Jackie and it shows on almost every page. (Except in the historical
beginning where Hill feels he is being punished by the Secret Service for an unpalatable appointment.)
Kennedy watchers, Kennedy lovers, Kennedy haters are being presented here with an unvarnished but idealistic-at-heart version of Jack, Jackie and the family.
This presents the sly, freedom-loving, paparazzi-hating first lady who seems to have had no idea of what she was in for when she married John Fitzgerald Kennedy. But Mr. Hill thinks she surmounted everything -- gossip, whispers, back-biting, in-laws, tragedies and triumphs with a rare sophisticated good humor.
THERE IS no hint of the onslaught to come of the mythic - true or false - versions of their lives and times with which we would eventually be deluged. Mr. Hill's take is his very own. Clint Hill thinks Jackie overlooked the president's shortcomings, that they were happy together in the White House, that Jackie truly was devoted to her crafty father-in-law and more than did her part as the most fascinating first lady ever to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. His job was to protect her and protect her children and protect them, he did. Or tried to.
It was a difficult, demanding, unrewarding job but he came to love it and her. And the only hint of the negative is toward the end when President Kennedy warns Clint Hill to keep Jackie away from a man named Aristotle Onassis. At the time, Hill couldn't figure out why. And even as Jackie lay dying in New York, Clint Hill writes: "...Mrs. Onassis...I still can't bear to call her that -- to me she will forever be Mrs. Kennedy."
As I said above, this is a love story by someone who notes rightly that "Mrs. Kennedy and I had been through hell together." He felt he couldn't/shouldn't even call or see her again without bringing to mind that day in Dallas.
This is a grand, protective and unabashedly idealistic view of Jacqueline by someone who loved and served. On every page, I waited to see what Clint wrote next, what negatives he observed but hid, but -- in the end--he reveals next to nothing except about her cleverness, her hidden worldliness, how hard she worked to do the right thing, and protect her children and her husband's legacy.
And you know what? You read right up to the trip to Dallas, hoping the ending will be different. Clint Hill has added immeasurably to the history of the 1,000 days, plus many more when he went on serving. He is a great American hero. And his heroine is enhanced by how he remembers her!
Jackie would have loved this book. It is a real, revealing portrait and is simply fascinating.
Clint Hill is in his 80s and I would like to give him a big hug.
"TRUE LOVE is like a ghost: everyone talks of it, but few have met it face to face."
--La Rochefoucauld
I HAVE delayed writing much about a new book titled "Mrs. Kennedy and Me" because, frankly,
every time I look at it, I choke up. This is the story that Clint Hill, the special agent of the Secret Service to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, thought he would never write.But, finally, with the help of Lisa McCubbin, he has done so for Gallery Books of Simon & Schuster. Talk about being unable to put a book down; I was enthralled with this memoir from start to finish, tears streaming down my cheeks at the end when President Clinton summoned Mr. Hill to the White House in 1994 to tell him that Mrs. Onassis was dying, and to thank him for service to his country during JFK's administration. And after.
This, simply, is a love story -- and a great one, in that the adored First Lady formed a real bond with her protector, Clint Hill. A friendly respectable bond. And after all the scandal-ridden, tell-all, tell-what-they-imagined, and really tragic books about the Kennedys - this one is a readable relief.
Clint Hill came to truly love Jackie and it shows on almost every page. (Except in the historical
beginning where Hill feels he is being punished by the Secret Service for an unpalatable appointment.)
Kennedy watchers, Kennedy lovers, Kennedy haters are being presented here with an unvarnished but idealistic-at-heart version of Jack, Jackie and the family.
This presents the sly, freedom-loving, paparazzi-hating first lady who seems to have had no idea of what she was in for when she married John Fitzgerald Kennedy. But Mr. Hill thinks she surmounted everything -- gossip, whispers, back-biting, in-laws, tragedies and triumphs with a rare sophisticated good humor.
THERE IS no hint of the onslaught to come of the mythic - true or false - versions of their lives and times with which we would eventually be deluged. Mr. Hill's take is his very own. Clint Hill thinks Jackie overlooked the president's shortcomings, that they were happy together in the White House, that Jackie truly was devoted to her crafty father-in-law and more than did her part as the most fascinating first lady ever to live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. His job was to protect her and protect her children and protect them, he did. Or tried to.
It was a difficult, demanding, unrewarding job but he came to love it and her. And the only hint of the negative is toward the end when President Kennedy warns Clint Hill to keep Jackie away from a man named Aristotle Onassis. At the time, Hill couldn't figure out why. And even as Jackie lay dying in New York, Clint Hill writes: "...Mrs. Onassis...I still can't bear to call her that -- to me she will forever be Mrs. Kennedy."
As I said above, this is a love story by someone who notes rightly that "Mrs. Kennedy and I had been through hell together." He felt he couldn't/shouldn't even call or see her again without bringing to mind that day in Dallas.
This is a grand, protective and unabashedly idealistic view of Jacqueline by someone who loved and served. On every page, I waited to see what Clint wrote next, what negatives he observed but hid, but -- in the end--he reveals next to nothing except about her cleverness, her hidden worldliness, how hard she worked to do the right thing, and protect her children and her husband's legacy.
And you know what? You read right up to the trip to Dallas, hoping the ending will be different. Clint Hill has added immeasurably to the history of the 1,000 days, plus many more when he went on serving. He is a great American hero. And his heroine is enhanced by how he remembers her!
Jackie would have loved this book. It is a real, revealing portrait and is simply fascinating.
Clint Hill is in his 80s and I would like to give him a big hug.
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