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Reality Boulevard
When Oscar-winning producer Marty Maltzman’s award-winning non-fiction series Lights and Sirens is suddenly cancelled after 16 seasons, the quirky documentary film-maker and his colorful staff find themselves unemployed and out on the streets in an artificial new Hollywood filled with Kardashians, Survivors and Real Housewives. As the collection of oddball characters adapt to a surreal world where the lines between truth and lies are blurred – both on and off the screen – this darkly funny novel reveals an insider’s view of Hollywood and Reality TV.
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Find out more: http://apostrophebooks.com/realitybou...
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2013
22 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Jo Peltier
25 books32 followersPeltier is a New Yorker these days, born a New Englander who made a 20-year detour through Hollywood after graduating Phi Beta Kappa and cum laude from Pomona College in Claremont, CA. Most recently, she is the author of the darkly comic Hollywood novel, "Reality Boulevard". She is also the co-author of six non-fiction works: "The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"; plus five books with 'Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan, all of which were New York Times Best Sellers.
A two-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, Ms. Peltier won her first Emmy for educational programming at the age of 23. Since then, she has accumulated over 50 national and international awards and accolades for her work as a producer, writer and editor of both documentary and dramatic television and film productions. Ms. Peltier is best known for her work as director and co-writer of the primetime documentary special, "Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse", hosted by Oprah Winfrey. This multi-network simulcast was hailed as television’s most watched documentary ever, and earned Ms. Peltier the coveted Humanitas Prize. Following closely on its heels was the Peabody Award-winning "Break the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse", which Ms. Peltier also wrote and directed. In 1994, she was producer-director-writer of A&E’s four-hour special, "Titanic: Death of a Dream" and "Titanic: The Legend Lives On", then the highest-rated program ever aired on A&E, which won two Emmy Awards, including an award to Ms. Peltier for outstanding documentary writing. Three more Writer’s Guild of America nominations for documentary feature writing followed in subsequent year, as well as three primetime Emmy Nominations for Best Reality Show as an Executive Producer of National Geographic Channel’s "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan". "Dog Whisperer" also won the People's Choice Award in 2010. Peltier is a co-founder, partner and executive producer at the Burbank-based production company MPH Entertainment, which has created over 350 hours of orginal documentary and reality television programming, dozens of which she produced, wrote or directed.
Peltier’s dramatic TV and feature credits include writing the Lifetime movie "Nightwaves" starring Sherilyn Fenn, and the story, "The Collector", for the hit CBS series, "Ghost Whisperer". With her MPH partners, she served as producer of the film "Men Seeking Women" (starring Will Farrell) and co-executive producer of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," one of the most popular and profitable indie films of all time. Most recently, she produced the multi-festival-winning indie feature, "White Irish Drinkers", for Ovington Avenue Productions, of which she is also a principal with her husband, film/TV writer/director John Gray.
She is represented by Scott Miller at the Trident Media Group.
A two-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, Ms. Peltier won her first Emmy for educational programming at the age of 23. Since then, she has accumulated over 50 national and international awards and accolades for her work as a producer, writer and editor of both documentary and dramatic television and film productions. Ms. Peltier is best known for her work as director and co-writer of the primetime documentary special, "Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse", hosted by Oprah Winfrey. This multi-network simulcast was hailed as television’s most watched documentary ever, and earned Ms. Peltier the coveted Humanitas Prize. Following closely on its heels was the Peabody Award-winning "Break the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse", which Ms. Peltier also wrote and directed. In 1994, she was producer-director-writer of A&E’s four-hour special, "Titanic: Death of a Dream" and "Titanic: The Legend Lives On", then the highest-rated program ever aired on A&E, which won two Emmy Awards, including an award to Ms. Peltier for outstanding documentary writing. Three more Writer’s Guild of America nominations for documentary feature writing followed in subsequent year, as well as three primetime Emmy Nominations for Best Reality Show as an Executive Producer of National Geographic Channel’s "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan". "Dog Whisperer" also won the People's Choice Award in 2010. Peltier is a co-founder, partner and executive producer at the Burbank-based production company MPH Entertainment, which has created over 350 hours of orginal documentary and reality television programming, dozens of which she produced, wrote or directed.
Peltier’s dramatic TV and feature credits include writing the Lifetime movie "Nightwaves" starring Sherilyn Fenn, and the story, "The Collector", for the hit CBS series, "Ghost Whisperer". With her MPH partners, she served as producer of the film "Men Seeking Women" (starring Will Farrell) and co-executive producer of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," one of the most popular and profitable indie films of all time. Most recently, she produced the multi-festival-winning indie feature, "White Irish Drinkers", for Ovington Avenue Productions, of which she is also a principal with her husband, film/TV writer/director John Gray.
She is represented by Scott Miller at the Trident Media Group.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 13, 2013
ALL this book gives you is:
- Brilliantly constructed characters.
- A highly engaging, skillfully written plot.
- A page-turning experience written from an inside-view perspective.
- An unforgettable read.
This is the kind of book that just rides around in your head even after you have finished it. The characters are SO real - and I love how Ms. Peltier skillfully weaves this story, taking us through the development, discoveries, and adventures of the protagonist. ANYONE can relate to this book. Brilliant!
If any of this appeals to you, read this book. If it doesn't, forget it. I suggest finding a stereo instructions booklet from the '70s. EBay must have some.
Great book. Can't wait to see what this author will do next!
- Brilliantly constructed characters.
- A highly engaging, skillfully written plot.
- A page-turning experience written from an inside-view perspective.
- An unforgettable read.
This is the kind of book that just rides around in your head even after you have finished it. The characters are SO real - and I love how Ms. Peltier skillfully weaves this story, taking us through the development, discoveries, and adventures of the protagonist. ANYONE can relate to this book. Brilliant!
If any of this appeals to you, read this book. If it doesn't, forget it. I suggest finding a stereo instructions booklet from the '70s. EBay must have some.
Great book. Can't wait to see what this author will do next!
March 15, 2013
I'm starting to download more and more ebooks that aren't in hard copy yet and I've really found some gems. This is one of them. This is what I would consider a great beach-read (what's the equivalent in winter...A good "snuggler"?), because its fast-paced and has a compelling cast of characters. But is also well -written which matters to me most of all. Also I love a book that makes me laugh-- and this one made me laugh out loud, and often. Lots of the observations are clearly based on the author's experience--she has a background in reality TV--and prove brilliantly the adage "It's funny because it's true". I am just waiting for a sequel! Great characters, fast paced plot with humor and poignancy...really, truly I could not put it down.
March 30, 2013
Fun and yet horrifying take on world of reality show productions. Melissa clearly knows her subject and did a great job of threading the plots, which made it difficult to put the book down. She brought the characters to life with compelling ethical dilemmas.
On a completely separate note, this was my first iBook and I learned a few things - don't lose the charger and don't let husband use it for streaming TV shows. The fact these hurdles frustrated me is just another indicator that this is a great read.
Pomona College alumni will appreciate the reference to table 47. Ironically, the day after I finished the book I was seated at table 47 for an awards luncheon. Cue the creepy music!
On a completely separate note, this was my first iBook and I learned a few things - don't lose the charger and don't let husband use it for streaming TV shows. The fact these hurdles frustrated me is just another indicator that this is a great read.
Pomona College alumni will appreciate the reference to table 47. Ironically, the day after I finished the book I was seated at table 47 for an awards luncheon. Cue the creepy music!
May 3, 2013
Reality Boulevard was a fun and insightful read. No one can ever accuse this writer of underdeveloped characters! One of the best treatments of characters I've ever read. You feel like you get to know each character personally. The satire of the reality television industry is done in a tasteful and fun way. She isn't cruel to her characters like a lot of satirists. As you read you're both empathetic to the characters and also laughing your head off at them, too. I really like how she portrays the serious yet naive film school grad type in the main character (Hunter) at the beginning of the novel. I know people like that! The story and characters pull you in and is entertaining from page one to the end.
February 19, 2013
Harder to look away from than a bad car wreck on the freeway. This wickedly funny book confirms any and all suspicions about the nature of the machine that churns out the endless sausage known as reality TV programming. The characters are too spot on for them not to be, well, um, from reality! For anyone who has ever felt their IQ plunge as they cursor their remote through the ever- diminishing menu of worthwhile television programming, this book administers an antidote for the disgust and ennui. It is beautifully crafted and mercilessly funny. The "Network" of reality TV, this one needs to be turned I onto a major motion picture and soon!
April 14, 2013
Tongue planted firmly and deceptively in cheek, Melissa delivers to the reader a Hollywood that only a Hollywood insider - one who survived to escape and tell about it - could deliver. Forget reality TV. What goes on behind the scenes is faster, flightier, fancier, funnier and more frivolous than anything you can imagine. Although tagged 'fiction', I have two strong feelings about Reality Boulevard: 1) the goings on revealed in the pages of Reality Boulevard are the realities of Hollywood Boulevard; 2) at least parts of this smart work are thinly veiled memoirs from Ms. Peltier's successful years as an award winning Hollywood writer, producer and director. A very enjoyable read.
April 10, 2013
Melissa Jo Peltier's time in the reality TV trenches, as well as her writing talent, are on full display in this page-turning novel. Reading it reminded me of that "watching a traffic accident" feel I used to get from the brilliant/scary HBO series "Entourage." The worst of Hollywood reality concentrated into a thrilling, horrifying ride. Peltier's protagonists are so well crafted, we empathize as they struggle to pursue their dreams and ambitions in a dream factory that too often feels more like a house of horrors. The villains are equally well devised - beautiful, smart and soulless. I stayed up way too late reading this book because I just couldn't put it down!
February 13, 2013
You will not be able to put this book down. Melissa Peltier, professional author and producer, has the personal experience to tell her tale of what it's really like in the "reality television world." She pulls together all her creative talent in this entertaining novel. You will fall in love with the characters. You will laugh and cry and agonize with them in this unique plot centered around the reality television industry. Wild and crazy and fun!
February 19, 2013
This book is wonderful - fast paced and packed with great characters and outrageous situations - all of which ring absolutely true if you know about or are a fan of reality TV. Lots of laugh out loud moments, a lot of heart, and a lot of smart, snarky insights into an insane world that most people never get a look inside of. Highly recommend.
March 22, 2013
I downloaded Reality Boulevard and gulped it right up. I was delighted by the rich characters, visceral descriptions of idiomatic places (for example, the reference to Samuel French bookstore), and the outrageous and hilarious plot twists. It is a highly entertaining book, and I recommend it to everyone!
October 24, 2013
I loved Reality Boulevard! Hollywood usually does Hollywood so badly, but Melissa NAILED IT! She boldly captures the fetid under-scent of the crazy business I've been a part of for 35 years and perfectly illustrates the dangers of putting that first foot on the golden treadmill. What a fun book to read.
March 12, 2013
Huge fan of this book and I'm only about half way through! A super easy read because the subject matter is so unbelievable and the writing is smooth and effortless. Definitely recommend to any and all of you!
March 16, 2013
A fun, snarky treatise on the state of reality TV from someone who knows what she's talking about. Greed has trumped quality, and faked reality is what sells on TV today.
September 22, 2013
Great fun....
January 23, 2018
Great book about reality-TV making, L.A. entertainment culture, and Hollywood in general. Well-paced novel that follows several engaging story arcs focused on the creative people and executives behind reality television shows. Only issue was with the distracting lack of proofreading, where I had to frequently reread sentences with extra pronouns or misspelled versions of words (i.e. two vs. too) to decode what was being said.
March 9, 2017
A fascinating look at the sleazy underbelly of the TV entertainment industry. There are numerous characters, each with interesting stories that weave the fabric of the whole. They are all either clawing their way to their minute of fame, clawing to prolong their minute of fame or clawing to get back their diminishing or lost moment of fame. The real main character of the book is the TV entertainment industry itself. The author weaves through the story the classic question of the chicken or the egg. Has the TV industry (producers, directors, writers, etc) insidiously gutted the social conscience and morality of the viewing audience, generating a demand for sleazier and sleazier, meaningless program content - or has the deterioration of the morality and conscience of the viewer created a demand which the TV entertainment industry simply supplies? Neither side comes out unscathed in Peltier's book. She obviously knows a lot about the subject. The book is well written and held my interest.
December 2, 2013
Five stars for "Reality Boulevard"! I loved it! This is a clever and deliciously revealing look at the world of reality T.V., penned by the witty Melissa Jo Peltier. Written as a satire, but based on the author's true experiences working in the reality television genre, you'll never look at reality T.V. shows the same way again and will find that despite the familiar term, most reality shows are far from being anything close to reality.
Ms. Peltier brings the secrets of show business out in the open - and does so brilliantly - she has the gifted ability to transport the reader into her world - and does so with an adept choreography of interesting characters, each struggling with moral dilemmas, and she arranges them all into a cohesive and engaging plot, culminating it all into a masterful dance which captures your heart.
Please, Hollywood - make "Reality Boulevard" a reality and turn this smart, compelling and fun satire into a T.V. series! Everybody needs more of Marty Maltzman in their life!
Ms. Peltier brings the secrets of show business out in the open - and does so brilliantly - she has the gifted ability to transport the reader into her world - and does so with an adept choreography of interesting characters, each struggling with moral dilemmas, and she arranges them all into a cohesive and engaging plot, culminating it all into a masterful dance which captures your heart.
Please, Hollywood - make "Reality Boulevard" a reality and turn this smart, compelling and fun satire into a T.V. series! Everybody needs more of Marty Maltzman in their life!
March 25, 2013
What I loved most about this novel was the author's authentically detailed, yet colorful and quirky cast of characters. They were all so real. While their outrageous actions and the fast-moving plot twists made me laugh out loud, somehow, I believed in all of them, and found myself thinking about them even when I wasn't actually reading, particularly Marty. You just can't help but love Marty! I'm not a fan of reality TV, but this 'behind the scenes' view of life among the people who create the shows was fascinating. The book touches on a lot of ethical issues about Hollywood and pop culture and how it influences us in ways we may not even be aware of, but that doesn't take away from the book's pure, raucous entertainment value. I truly didn't want it to end. I'm recommending Reality Boulevard to all my Kindle friends as a breezy summer beach read.
March 1, 2016
We have met the enemy and he is us. This is novel about the rise of terrible, soft scripted, reality television. About Hollywood backstabbing, and the frightening number of people whose only desire is to famous no matter how they get there.
April 16, 2013
To learn more about Reality Boulevard and the world of reality TV, go to www.melissajopeltier.com
March 4, 2016
well written/great story
An extremely enjoyable read. A fascinating look at reality TV. Confirms what I thought was going on out in Hollywood. Thanks for a very entertaining story.
An extremely enjoyable read. A fascinating look at reality TV. Confirms what I thought was going on out in Hollywood. Thanks for a very entertaining story.
March 23, 2014
Biting sarcasm, well done
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews