"All the dough in the world isn't worth one or two good connections."
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Undercurrents by Chris O'Grady Pen Press
book review by C.D.
From the opening cacophony at the new book release cocktail bash, to book signing photo-ops with an author likened to a "matinee idol," through liquid lunches with Hollywood moguls, to casual affairs between newbie writers and seasoned pros who are pounding out the next pages of a block-buster film treatment, Chris O'Grady draws readers into a provocative fictional saga that intertwines the publishing and motion picture fields. While Undercurrents is merely one book in a four part series that focuses on turning a manufactured novel into a best-seller, then transferring it from the page to the big screen, the title seems particularly suited to the storyline.
O'Grady's work is clearly character driven, as around every corner we are introduced to a new player. Mike Hayes, a writer, has ventured from short stories to screenplays. Director Phil Dixon searching for a project, attempts to stay afloat with a photo lab business on the side. Jack Banner is the renowned West Coast agent. The landscape here is comprised of actors, producers, directors, literary agents, backers, and critics. They are the movers, shakers and wannabes in the game. In this not so glamorous world, O'Grady shows us that things are not always as they appear. Actors are being hired to play the part of authors, scripts exchange hands at poker tables, and one time magicians become producers. O'Grady seems quite familiar with his subject matter, i.e. both the publishing and film industries. He offers a significant amount of detail to highlight several minor characters that prove purposeful in keeping the wheels of creative industry turning. There are bodyguards, messengers, and even a stylist hoping for a break at the next audition.
While O'Grady sets the "Sundown Beach" manuscript revealed at the center of this novel on the sunny, California coast, it is in sharp contrast to the New York City backdrop he displays at the core of his work. It's a tough town filled with money, opportunity, wheeling, and dealing. And with its fluctuating weather patterns, the author's choice seems reflective of the constant drive of characters looking for the next big break, or that all important deal.