Leslie Halpern’s third nonfiction book, Passionate About Their Work: 151 Celebrities, Artists, and Experts on Creativity (BearManor Media, 2010) looks at the creative process from start to finish. The book explores creativity through quotes and anecdotes of filmmakers, actors, writers, artists, comedians, magicians, dancers, singers, and other creative types who succeeded in the arts and entertainment industries with little more than passion for their work.

Combining interview excerpts and photographs from 25 years of working as an entertainment writer, Leslie looks at how creative ideas are conceived, nurtured, developed, implemented, produced, and marketed through the eyes of international, national, and local professionals. Look for David Brenner, Phyllis Diller, Paul Reiser, Darrell Hammond, Kurt Vonnegut, and other artists, in addition to many familiar Central Florida celebrity names and faces appearing in the book.  

About the Author:

Leslie C. Halpern earned a Master of Liberal Studies degree from Rollins College and a B.A. in Journalism from University of Kentucky. She has written for The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Variety, Just For Laughs, Location Update, Bluegrass Unlimited, Orlando Sentinel, Salt Lake Tribune, and dozens of other print and online publications. Passionate About Their Work and her previous books Reel Romance: The Lover’s Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies and Dreams on Film are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Books-a-Million.com.   

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=leslie+halpern&x=9&y=14

Barnes and Noble

http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?WRD=leslie+halpern

Books-A-Million

http://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=4836176363533&query=leslie+halpern&where=All&search.x=49&search.y=16

Watch the beautiful and talented author Diana Raab’s 10-minute TV interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdQCvVZPjOk

Richard Goodman’s new book, A NEW YORK MEMOIR, is out.  It’s fourteen essays that cover the thirty-five years he’s lived in New York–basically, a love letter to New York City.   Here’s what Susan Vreeland had to say:

“So much more than an engaging memoir of New York, this is a heart laid bare. One can learn much from this man who feels tender toward cobblestones and old women, nostalgic about a daughter’s childhood, frightened at the prospect of dying alone–a rare individual who, with honesty, sensuousness, and keen observation, turns yearning and remembrance into art.” –Susan Vreeland, author of Luncheon at the Boating Party and Girl in Hyacinth Blue

On Tuesday evening, October 12th at 6pm, Richard Goodman will be reading from A New York Memoir, at the New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue (at 103rd St.), New York City.

Playwrights Round Table announces:

John Goring Memorial One-Act Festival and Fringe Selections

The plays selected for the John Goring Memorial One-Act Festival are “Booth in the Barn” by George Loukides, “Good Dog” by William Roeder, “Best Present Ever” by Molly Jessup, with an additional reprise of Stephen j. Miller’s “7 Translations.”

The winning selection for the Orlando Fringe Festival call is “The Purse Thief” by Don Gordon.

Kudos to all!

The John Goring Memorial One-Act Festival will be presented at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Studio B, November 4-7 and 10-14, 2010.

The 2011 Orlando Fringe Festival will take place May 19-30, 2011 at sites around Loch Haven Park in Orlando.