I love the movies from the “Golden Age” of Hollywood. LBB author Gabriel Valjan had a recent post over at the Criminal Minds blog that talked about what writers do in the “in between” times with writing.  He said:
 
Sure, I read — but I also watch movies like a writer on a secret mission. My favorite? Films from the Thirties. Why? Because back then, writers had to get clever with dialogue, dodging censors left and right. That sharp economy of words is a masterclass in storytelling. Plus, watching how the camera narrates helps me rethink scene construction and pacing in fresh ways.

I think many of us who grew up with the influence of these movies, usually seen on TV, in afternoons and weekends, have a soft spot for these films.  And I certainly think the authors in the recent anthology I edited were inspired by the mood of these classics. 
 
Celluloid Crimes is a collection of stories that have what I would call a “Hollywood Noir” vibe.  I dedicated the book to Myrna Loy, William Powell, Asta, and Dashiell Hammett because The Thin Man to me typifies this.  What is great about the stories is the places the writers take us – yes, some stories are Hollywood and Movies adjacent.  Others are amazing Private Eye tales – with male and female gumshoes.  There are Fixers, Cops, Insurance Investigators, Reporters, Actors, and more.  The time periods range from the 30s and 40s to the present day. One thing you can count on – they each have a strong, distinct voice. 

The storytellers of these works are Colin Campbell, Matt Cost, P.A. DeVoe, Devon Ellington, CC Guthrie, Kerry Hammond, Wendy Harrison, Peter W. J. Hayes, Greg Herren, Deborah Lacy, Robert Lopresti, Nicky Nielsen, M.E. Proctor, Jeff Tanner, Gabriel Valjan, Nina Wachsman, and J. J. White.

If you are a fan of “Hollywood Noir” or just like great stories with a great voice, I know you will love this anthology.  It’s available now in all the usual places: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, and you can ask your local bookstore to order you a copy from Ingram.

​Deborah Well is an editor, marketing consultant, and digital strategist. After working for several decades in the finance realm, she has been happy to see her English degree get put to good use in her “retirement career” in the publishing world.  Deb lives in Boston’s South End with her partner, author Gabriel Valjan, and their much-memed tuxedo cat, Munchkin.

​When I wrote “Nick Of Time,” a Nick Donahue Adventure, I created my character as an intelligent, suave, and good-looking guy who works as an International Blackjack player. If it sounds sexy and a little bit risky, it is. Nick, a good guy, often finds himself caught up in circumstances that have more to do with danger than with Blackjack—like coming to the aid of a beautiful woman in distress, Marina DiPietro, and getting kidnapped for his trouble, or helping his brother, Alex, a banker at Suissebank, avenge the death of a co-worker, or taking on the New York mob, and it’s capo, Tommy B Bonnanniao. As I said, professional gambler, not an action hero. And the settings, Venice, Zurich, and Monte Carlo, make things more exotic and intriguing.
 
Hmmm, I thought like so many authors before me, with all this swirling around Nick, this story would make a great movie. I believed these characters could jump right off the page and onto big screens, and small ones, everywhere. What director or producer would want to pass up such an opportunity?
 
With that in mind, I decided to make it effortless for any one of them to just pick up “Nick Of Time,” and go with it. And, to make it even easier, I did my own pre-casting for the main characters.
 
--Tom Hiddleston as Nick Donahue, a professional Blackjack player who travels the world playing the game. Nick is tall, dark, and handsome, as well as a little bit quirky, which is part of his charm. Impeccably dressed in a black tuxedo and bowtie, Nick brings a sense of humor to the table, until that is, he has to go all in in a high-stakes game to save Marina’s life.
If Tom isn’t available, although I can’t imagine he’d turn down the role, there’s always Luke Evans who could fill in nicely.
 
--Gal Gadot as Marina DiPietro, a tall, willowy knockout, and an insurance recovery agent, Marina entices Nick to help her to retrieve a package of gems stolen by an infamous gang of jewel thieves. As you might imagine, things don’t go as planned, and after a worldwind of missteps,  Nick winds up having to rescue Marina. If Gal is otherwise engaged, Elizabeth Debicki could step in. And, she has a history working with Tom Hiddleston.
 
--Chris Pratt as Alex Donahue, Nick’s younger, handsome brother. Alex, a banker working for Suissebank in Zurich is at a loss as to what has happened to his former boss and colleague who has disappeared. He believes the bank has had him killed and not transferred as they claim. When Alex asks Nick for help, things spiral out of control as Nick blows the whistle on the bank and its money-laundering scheme for its biggest client, the New York mob. Chris Pine would do nicely in this role, as well.
 
--Kevin Costner as Tommy “B” Bonnanniao, Capo of the New York mob, Tommy B expects Nick to win at a high-stakes Baccarat game in Monte Carlo and make good on the money he lost in a money-laundering scheme because of Suissbank’s downfall. If Nick doesn’t come through, Marina could lose her life. Rough around the edges and used to getting his way, this character could also be played by Stephen Baldwin or Arian Moayed.
 
The option is open, so if you’re interested in a high-octane project, let me know.