Once Upon a Time in Hollywood*-Best Short Story Collection

Everyone Has A Story To Write

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD*

When I heard Quentin Tarantino was filming a story about Hollywood in the 60’s/70’s I was extremely intrigued. Not only because I love Hollywood as the world does, but also because the Boulevard was my backyard growing up. A couple of months later, a friend posted a picture of the Pussycat Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, and it brought back so many childhood memories. These events prompted me to begin my forthcoming short story collection, Growing Up Hollywood, with a story titled, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” The story introduces my character Mia, who is creating a perfect world in her head after being traumatized by a significant event. We all have a story to tell, and this is the way Mia begins her story.

Once upon a time in Hollywood, I’m going to have a husband who loves me more than anything and a bunch of children who will be as graceful and beautiful as I am. We will live so high up in the Hollywood Hills that the palm trees will look like dandelions from our Olympus. My Prince will work in the studios and I will bring his cocktail out to the kidney shaped pool in our sprawling 50’s rancher where the young Los Angeles skyline will appear to be just beyond our backyard. It will be that rare day when the smog has not attached itself to the civic center and the offshore winds were blowing. The perfect picture. We will be the white bordered frame of perfection in our 1960’s snapshot. Post war. Post troubles. Post post.

*This entry was originally posted in April 2019. In October 2019, Growing Up Hollywood had the honor of being named Best Short Story Collection from the Book Publicists of Southern California.