The Silver Dragon of Tinseltown

The Silver Dragon of Tinseltown

Author: Jordan Riley Swan

Publisher: Jordan Riley Swan LLC

Published: 2023-06-30

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 1957627190

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

What better place for a silver dragon than the silver screen? Being a dragon rider has a lot of privileges, but longevity isn’t one of them. If the jocust beetles or the whiptail wyverns or a long fall from a great height didn't get them, the clock always would. The last thing Oscar Merrick wants is to delay his government-mandated retirement, but when his friend Jimmy comes to him with an outrageous idea to make the first talkie with an actual dragon in it, Oscar can’t resist his friend’s starry-eyed pleading or his dragoncoat’s bubbling excitement. After all, a few weeks’ delay in Baltimore before heading to the mines of West Virginia won’t be the end of the world, right? With the entertainment industry shifting from movies to talkies, silver screen star Scarlett Owens can no longer hide her deep voice or her Appalachian accent. Dropped by her agent and faced with retirement, Scarlett jumps at the chance to act in a new talkie—even if the crazy director wants her to star alongside a frightfully scary metal dragon. Once on set, Oscar and Scarlett find themselves pushed together in ways they never expected—and not minding it nearly as much as each would have thought. Can the duo produce a successful talkie, and also use it to keep them both from their all-too-early retirements? Or will industry jealousies and salacious secrets from their pasts force them apart forever?


The Wrong Dragon for the Wright Brother

The Wrong Dragon for the Wright Brother

Author: Jordan Riley Swan

Publisher: Jordan Riley Swan LLC

Published: 2023-03-16

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 1957627204

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Why fly a machine when you could ride a dragon? The government told them that mechanical fixed wing flight was impossible. Not for lack of technology or ingenuity, but because anything that gets into the skies better be faster or tougher than the monsters that rule the air. The Wright brothers ignored those warnings and got the first airplane off the ground for seven seconds. But as one of the terrible creatures tore it from the sky, they found they should have listened. Decades later, Wilbur Wright’s son Raymond is going to pick up where his father left off. He’s going to get the machine flying again—even if it kills him. Cici’s only dream was to be a dragon rider. She worked harder than any other cadet to get there, and now, having finally graduated from the academy, she wants nothing more than to patrol the skies and protect the people as a member of the airborne elite. But when the government assigns her to babysit the crackpot who thinks he can replace the powerful dragons with man-made machines, Cici finds she might be out of a job before she even gets started. And when they discover an insidious threat even greater than man-eating monsters, Raymond and Cici will find that far more than their dreams of flight, fledgling careers, and budding romance are at stake. *** It's the Roaring Twenties—speakeasies are around every corner, jazz is burning up Harlem, and the dragon population is booming. But it's a lonely job for the brave Coat Wardens who patrol the skies of the Eastern Americas, as love is even harder to hold on to than the dragons they fly...


The Devil in Midwinter

The Devil in Midwinter

Author: Elise Forier Edie

Publisher:

Published: 2014-04

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 9780615990002

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A handsome stranger, a terrifying monster, a boy who burns and burns... Mattawa, Washington, is usually a sleepy orchard town come December, until a murder, sightings of a fantastic beast, and the arrival of a handsome new vintner in town kindle twenty-year-old reporter Esme Ulloa's curiosity-and maybe her passion as well. But the more she untangles the mystery, the more the world Esme knows unspools, until she finds herself navigating a place she thought existed only in storybooks, where dreams come alive, monsters walk the earth and magic is real. When tragedy strikes close to home, Esme finds she must strike back, matching wits with an ancient demon in a deadly game, where everything she values stands to be lost, including the love of her life. This edition contains a Reading Group (Book Club) Supplement with questions for discussion.


Wish Hunter

Wish Hunter

Author: Jordan Riley Swan

Publisher: Jordan Riley Swan LLC

Published: 2023-02-20

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1735587524

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Explore the dark underworld of wish hunting in the compelling first installment of this urban fantasy trilogy set in Savannah, Georgia—perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and V. E. Schwab. Nadia Kaminski’s family has stolen wishes for generations, auctioning them off to skeevy business tycoons and politicians in back-alley deals. Their operation is simple enough. Find someone who gained a wish after saving a life. Trick the wisher into sharing a deep secret. Steal the wish. And as a marriage counselor, Nadia has more access to people’s secrets than most.But when Nadia comes across the perfect opportunity to steal a wish for herself, she takes it—and the rock star she’s stolen it from desperately wants his wish back.As Nadia tries to figure out how to get rid of the cocky thorn in her side, she must face off against vengeful wish hunters, her all-too-powerful family, and the consequences of her own desires—because stealing wishes can be a deadly affair. Content note: spousal death, gun violence, miscarriage.


They Came to Nashville

They Came to Nashville

Author: Marshall Chapman

Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 0826517358

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Marshall Chapman knows Nashville. A musician, songwriter, and author with nearly a dozen albums and a bestselling memoir under her belt, Chapman has lived and breathed Music City for over forty years. Her friendships with those who helped make Nashville one of the major forces in American music culture is unsurpassed. And in her new book, They Came to Nashville, the reader is invited to see Marshall Chapman as never before--as music journalist extraordinaire. In They Came to Nashville, Chapman records the personal stories of musicians shaping the modern history of music in Nashville, from the mouths of the musicians themselves. The trials, tribulations, and evolution of Music City are on display, as she sits down with influential figures like Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, and Miranda Lambert, and a dozen other top names, to record what brought each of them to Nashville and what inspired them to persevere. The book culminates in a hilarious and heroic attempt to find enough free time with Willie Nelson to get a proper interview. Instead, she's brought along on his raucous 2008 tour and winds up onstage in Beaumont, Texas singing "Good-Hearted Woman" with Willie. They Came to Nashville reveals the daily struggle facing newcomers to the music business, and the promise awaiting those willing to fight for the dream. Co-published with the Country Music Foundation Press


Messy

Messy

Author: Heather Cocks

Publisher: Poppy

Published: 2012-06-05

Total Pages: 199

ISBN-13: 0316201812

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Sometimes life gets Messy. When sixteen-year-old Brooke Berlin catches a taste of fame and her movie-star father's attention, she decides it's time to take her career to the next level--by launching a blog that will position her as a Hollywood "It Girl" who tells it like it is. But between schoolwork, shopping, and spray-tan appointments, she hardly has the time to write it herself... Enter green-haired outsider Max McCormack, an aspiring author with a terrible after-school job pushing faux meat on the macrobiotic masses. Max loathes the celebrity scene almost as much as she dislikes Brooke, but wooed by an impressive salary, Max reluctantly agrees to play Brooke's ghost-blogger -- and the site takes off. How long will their lie last? Can the girls work together to stay on top, or will the truth come out and ruin everything they've built? Along with an entourage of fame-hungry starlets, scruffy rocker wannabes, and sushi-scarfing socialites, the case of Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan's dazzling debut, Spoiled, are back for another adventure in Tinseltown.


Superman Vs. Hollywood

Superman Vs. Hollywood

Author: Jake Rossen

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 1556527314

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Superman has fought for nearly seven decades to conquer radio, television, and film--but his battles behind the scenes have proved a far greater threat than any fictional foe. For the first time, one book unearths all the details of his turbulent adventures in Tinseltown. Based on extensive interviews with producers, screenwriters, cast members, and crew, Superman vs. Hollywood spills the beans on Marlon Brando's eccentricities; the challenges of making Superman appear to fly; the casting process that at various points had Superman being played by Sylvester Stallone, Neil Diamond, Nicolas Cage, Ashton Kutcher, and even Muhammad Ali; and the Superman movies, fashioned by such maverick filmmakers as Kevin Smith and Tim Burton, that never made it to the screen.


Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Author: Ian Anderson

Publisher: Moon Travel

Published: 2018-04-17

Total Pages: 574

ISBN-13: 163121893X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Hit the Road with Moon Travel Guides! 1,700 miles of vibrant cities, coastal towns, and glittering ocean views: Embark on your epic PCH journey with Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Inside you'll find: Maps and Driving Tools: 48 easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, detailed directions for the entire route, and full-color photos throughout Eat, Sleep, Stop and Explore: Coast by fields of golden California poppies or stop at a seaside grill in Santa Barbara for the best chicharrón and fish tacos you've ever tasted. Marvel at the mystical evergreen giants of the Pacific Northwest, or dance down rainbow-colored streets in San Francisco's Castro district. You'll know exactly what you'll want to do at each stop with lists of the best hikes, views, restaurants, and more Itineraries for Every Traveler: Drive the entire two-week route or follow suggestions for spending time in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego Local Expertise: Born-and-bred Californian Ian Anderson shares his love of the open road with you Planning Your Trip: Know when and where to get gas, how to avoid traffic, tips for driving in different road and weather conditions, and suggestions for LGBTQ travelers, seniors, and road trippers with kids With Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip's practical tips, detailed itineraries, and insider's view, you're ready to fill up the tank and hit the road. Looking to explore more of America on wheels? Try Moon California Road Trip or Moon Pacific Northwest Road Trip! Doing more than driving through? Check out Moon California, Moon Oregon, or Moon Washington.


From Hollywood to Disneyland

From Hollywood to Disneyland

Author: Robert Neuman

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2022-10-28

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 1476686254

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

From its beginnings, Disneyland was destined to be something entirely different from the standard mid-century amusement park. To sell his dream park to investors and the public, Walt Disney recruited Hollywood art directors and sketch artists to design the grounds around the mythic settings and high-minded ideals commonly expressed on the silver screen. This book focuses on the initial planning of Disneyland and its first year of operation, a time when Walt personally oversaw every detail of the park's development. Divided into chapters by park zone, it reveals how the five sectors were constructed using illusionistic tricks of stage design. Reaching beyond structure and design, chapters also explore how the sectors--Main Street, U.S.A., Frontierland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland and Fantasyland--represented themes found in Disney stories, familiar movie genres and American culture at large.


Olive & Thyme

Olive & Thyme

Author: Melina Davies

Publisher: Prospect Park Books

Published: 2020-09-08

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 1945551720

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Melina Davies treats everyone like family. Stop by her house and she'll whip you up a fluffy, buttery vegetable quiche with fresh greens in a homemade dressing. Visit her wildly popular L.A. restaurant and marketplace, Olive & Thyme, and she'll come by your table to see how you're enjoying your avocado and burrata toast. Ask her for tips on hosting the in-laws for dinner, and she'll walk you through her juicy roast chicken with thyme and which wine to serve and music to play. A consummate host and lauded chef, Davies brings her love of togetherness to Olive & Thyme, where the vibe is relaxed and warm and the food is fresh and delicious. Davies brings that same passion to her book, Olive & Thyme, which shares her most popular recipes (drawn from French, Californian, Italian, and Middle Eastern influences), along with her breezy, practical entertaining advice. With stunning photos by Ann Elliott Cutting and a foreword by chef Jet Tila (Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen), Olive & Thyme is the ingredient every kitchen needs: a fun, inspirational guide to enjoying what matters most in life—family, friends, good food, and music.