“O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful wonderful! And yet again wonderful” . . .

Shakespeare wrote that—not about Dark Lady of Hollywood. But the tale of a dying TV comedy executive’s desperate (and murderous) search for a soul mate akin to Shakespeare’s mysterious Dark Lady of the Sonnets was a Finalist in the prestigious William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition. Here’s the buzz on the final cut:

Booklist praised Dark Lady’s humor: “A finalist in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition, Haithman’s hilariously funny novel gives readers a bird’s–eye view of the Hollywood machine and its players. With witty, fast-paced dialogue and characters readers will cheer for, this debut is a deeply satisfying story of love, loss, and acceptance.”

“It takes a special kind of talent to simultaneously skewer Hollywood and Shakespeare while writing a thought-provoking novel, and Dark Lady of Hollywood proves Diane Haithman has this genius.”

—Foreword Reviews

Diane signed copies of her new novel in her hometown and read selections from the book based on her experiences as an arts and entertainment writer. The event, which took place from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, at the West Bloomfield Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 6800 Orchard Lake Road, was part of the book store’s Roeper School Book Fair, which supports a scholarship fund for the private day school.
B&N WB2Diane at B&N

“It’s a wildly witty and intensely readable tale, told from the perspectives of two different characters — a male, 36-year-old TV comedy exec who has been diagnosed with cancer, and a younger, biracial woman who works for the preening diva who hosts ‘America’s most popular daytime talk show’ ”

—LA Observed

Ray Richmond says of Diane, “. . . her book is at once hilarious, sly, cynical, sublimely entertaining and spectacular, crafted with an irreverent flair and an insider’s self-assurance. You absolutely need to purchase a copy — or, as Haithman says, ‘If you buy two copies, it’s twice as funny.’ ”

—Burbank Leader

“Deadly guilty pleasure”

—Broadway World Los Angeles

“…a satire of a place the author knows very well. As an arts and entertainment journalist, LA Times staffer and Southern California journalism professor, Haithman shows her love and hate of the town which now has an unknowing international film loving community….plenty of silicone jokes and funny comments about the town…”

—San Francisco Book Review