SECRETS OF THE HOLLYWOOD GIRLS CLUB by Maggie Marr

I’m a sucker for books and movies about Hollywood. In fact, I just watched Robert Altman’s “The Player” over the weekend for the third time, one of the best Hollywood satires ever made. So it’s great to have Maggie Marr as my guest today as part of the Girlfriend’s Cyber Circuit blog lit tour. She is the author of the new novel, SECRETS OF THE HOLLYWOOD GIRLS CLUB, the sequel to her successful HOLLYWOOD GIRLS CLUB.

Maggie is well qualified to write about the world of entertainment. She is a writer and producer for Six Mile Ridge Productions and Dahooma Productions. She began her Hollywood career as a motion picture literary agent at ICM Talent Agency in Los Angeles, where she represented writers, directors, and actors. Maggie worked with Owen Wilson, Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, and Reese Witherspoon, and was involved in big-name projects including The Rule of Four, He's Just Not That Into You, Charlie's Angels, Austin Powers, Meet The Parents, Wedding Crashers, and Something's Gotta Give. Prior to becoming an agent, Maggie was an attorney, having received her JD from Loyola University in Chicago. She recently completed the television pilot Daughters, and is currently developing a pilot with Mandeville Productions as well as producing two films for Dahooma that begin lensing this year.

LIFE IS GOOD AT THE TOP OF THE A-LIST—
BUT IT’S A LONG WAY DOWN IF YOU FALL

Advance Praise for SECRETS OF THE HOLLYWOOD GIRLS CLUB:

“Marr’s prose is fast and sharp and she keeps the plots flying”—Publishers Weekly

“Frothy, gossipy fun”—Booklist

Here is an interview with Maggie. I have to say I agree with her wise advice for those who are are trying to get their novel published. She’s also got a great “elevator pitch” for SECRETS OF THE HOLLYWOOD GIRLS CLUB.

What was the inspiration behind the writing of Secrets of The Hollywood Girls Club?

Probably my life. I was a literary agent for ICM before writing full time. And I am still a film producer and screenplay writer. So I’ve gotten to witness so many fun and …uhm…interesting things in Entertainment.

What is one thing you’ve learned about the publishing industry since getting your first book deal?

How much work an author had to do to get the word out about their books! Wow, I love what I write and I want everyone to read the books, but it’s a ton of work to tell people about the books…

What is the elevator pitch for Secrets of The Hollywood Girls Club?

Entourage meets Sex And The City.

What is your writing schedule like?

The ideal day is this; get up at 6 am eat breakfast with the family and be in the den at my computer by 7:30 am. I write until noonish. The girls come home and we eat lunch together. Then I put them down for nap and write again from 2 to 4. I might read in the evening, or work on a screenplay, but manuscript writing, pretty much never happens for me after 4 pm.

What is your advice for those who looking to get their novel published?

I blogged about this recently and I have a really Zen approach to getting your first book published. I truly believe that when the manuscript is ready, the agent and publisher will appear. Not that they’ll hop out of your Diet Coke can and offer to represent or publish your novel. Buuuut…if you work and work and write and rewrite and really make the prose shine, then you will find an agent and a publisher. So read a ton, write a ton and persevere. Don’t ever give up.

Good luck with the book, Maggie, and thanks for stopping by.