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C. Elizabeth Lalla is the author of Who's Who of Stage and Screen
a non-fiction book about famous, not so famous and unknown actors.
She is currently working on the second book in the anthology series.
Can you tell me about your background?
I was born in Salisbury North Carolina. My family and I
moved to California when I was 5 years old. My family settled in Exeter,
California where I am now living. I was very much interested in Hollywood
and the stars. When I was a teenager, I collected movie magazines full of
pictures and stories of the stars. I was a big fan! I loved reading about them,
but there was something missing -- what about the other 99 percent of the names
in the credits? I wanted to know about everyone, not just the stars. I looked
in bookstores for books that could tell me about everyone, but I couldn’t
really find any. I got the idea that I would just have to do it myself. I took
classes in journalism. I had a strong desire to write. In my early 20s I moved
to Hollywood, where I was offered a modeling and acting career. I turned
it down because I wanted to write about the people on stage not be on the stage
myself. Over the years I worked at various jobs including being a PBX
operator and working in a bakery. These jobs were sustaining, but not
fulfilling. Eventually I moved back to Exeter where I worked in the
family Furniture and Antique business. After retiring from the Furniture
and Antique business I decided to take up writing again. With more time
to write I began seriously considering my idea of putting together a series of
books that would include the stars, the established and the aspiring actors and
actresses. And that is how I came to be the author of the Who's Who of
Stage and Screen
anthology series.
Can you tell me a little bit about Who's Who of
Stage and Screen?
Volume I includes 162 actresses and actors and is about
540 pages. Each person's section starts with a full-page photograph
followed by his or her biography and resume. Fans will learn things they
didn't know about their favorites. The resume is an exhaustive list of
the entire body of work the person has done. This is very helpful to fans
that want to find all of the movies, commercials, plays, etc. a certain actor
has been in. The book also includes information on how to make contact
for autographs, photos, etc. Some of them have included a favorite quote
and I have included candid photos in the back of the volume that the fans will
enjoy seeing.
How did you come up with the material for the book?
I can’t put anyone in the book without his or her
permission. I went through their managers, agents, publicists, or
contacted them directly. When I first started it was really hard, but as
I progressed my name became recognized and I found myself in many rolodexes in
Los Angeles and New York.
Is this your first book?
This is my first in an anthology series. I am enjoying
this work so much I hope to be doing this the rest of my life. The second book
is ready to go to the publisher. I also have enough people to start my third
book. Putting 162 people in each book, it doesn’t take long to fill them. Now I
have representatives coming to me and asking me to put their clients in my
books. I have a saying, “If you are an admirer of actors and actresses, you
will want this book. If you are an actor or actress with performing
credits, you will want to be in this book. If you are an agent, manager
or casting director looking for new talent, your search could end with this
book..." My books have a lot of
aspiring actors, but I also have the established. I have everyone. That’s my
main reason for doing the books – so I can put aspiring actors in the limelight
in these books. I can include their picture and resume and the books go to
casting agencies. They are always looking for new faces and my books have that.
My goal is to help actresses and actors. And with the stars, I reveal fun and
interesting tidbits a lot of people don’t know. For instance did you know that
James Garner modeled bathing suits at the beginning of his career?
Did you look for an agent?
No. I started out with a publishing company. It wasn’t
hard to find a publishing company. Just with the idea of the book (I hadn’t
even started it) the first publisher I went to wanted to do it. I had an idea
that the publishers would want this book. It was true. But I was very unhappy
with the first publishing company I signed with. I was with them for two years
and they couldn’t send me a Galley that was accurate enough to print.
How did you find your current publisher?
I had sent her (the owner of the publishing house) a
request for information about Erin Gray, the actress. She was representing her.
When Judith wrote me an email back, she said some people had come to her to do
their books because they weren’t happy with their publisher. And it was the
same publisher that I was with! She asked if I was unhappy. I immediately
picked up the phone and called her. In short, Judith said she would love to do
my books. I terminated my contract with the first publisher and signed with
Judith's publishing company, "Signing Stars." Judith is a genius -
she is wonderful to work with! I started with her 4 months ago and my book is
done, the other publisher had it for 2 years. What I like about Judith is I can
work with her one on one. With a large publishing company it can take weeks to
get a response. She is a wonderful person and I am so glad she asked to publish
my book.
How involved have you been in the marketing?
Very involved. I want to market the book. I want to get it
out to everyone. Judith and I have both contacted major bookstores and I am
involved in emailing the press releases. I want this book out there for
the fans to enjoy. I want the aspiring actors to get in the limelight. I love
the stars, as well as the aspiring and I want their work to be recognized.
What kind of marketing has the publisher done for your
book?
We’ve just gotten started with all of this. We are out
there. It’s going to be in all the bookstores - B. Dalton, Barnes and
Noble, Borders, all the major bookstores. My book is being sold all over the
world - France, Italy, Japan. It’s so strange to see it in other languages!
Do you have any publishing advice for other writers?
Yes. Be very, very careful with whom you choose to publish
your book. Check into them thoroughly before you let them publish. I was so
excited about people wanting to do my book, I thought, well great, let's do it!
I will not name the publishing company, but they were completely unable to
deliver on their promises. My book could have been out a long time ago. We are
working with timed material, such as resumes, and I had to update resumes
several times. So just be sure to thoroughly investigate the company before you
sign.
To learn more about the
author and her book visit: www.celizabethlalla.com .
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