Hollywood Stardust's guest appearances

Hollywood Stardust

The Best in Mystery, Romance and Historicals

Craig Johnson

Mark Pryor

Hugo Marston

Joanna Shupe

Susan C.

Lee Goldberg

Anne Hillerman

Steve Hockensmith

John Bishop

Anna Lee

Lily Graham

Mark Ellis

Nadia Hashimi

Lindsey Kelk

Gay Hendricks

OwlTail

Kate Alcott

KateAlcott’s Hollywood novels take us inside the sparkle of the star system toreveal real people, from Clark Gable and Carole Lombard on the set of Gone WithThe Wind to purity icon Ingrid Bergman’s spectacular fall from grace as anAmerican darling.Hithere. I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and on the Joys of Binge Reading today Katetalks about growing up in Los Angeles and being a Hollywood insider, as well asassessing how women writers and actors fared in early Hollywood compared withtoday. Six things you’ll learn from thisJoys of Binge Reading episode:Her early inspiration from Louisa May AlcottLiving in LA where 'Hollywood ruled'Her favorite character in all her 12 booksWriting a best seller with best friend Ellen GoodmanThe secrets of the 'Swiss Cheese Book Club' Her mother's part in her best-selling Titanic storyWhere tofind Kate Alcott: Website:  http://www.katealcott.com/ Facebook: @KateAlcottGoodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5052587.Kate_Alcott Whatfollows is a "near as" transcript of our conversation, not word forword but pretty close to it, with links to important mentions.Jenny Wheeler: But now here's Kate. Hello Kate, and welcome to the show. It's greatto have you with us.  I was reallytouched when I discovered that you've just very recently married and you'regiving this time to do this interview when you've had a lot of greatexcitements in your personal life.  Solet me just first offer you our congratulations and thank you for giving us thetime. Kate Alcott: Well, thank you very much.Jenny Wheeler: Did it all go well? Kate Alcott: It did. It all went well. 400 family members on both sides. Kate Alcott novelist, who has also written historical fiction under the name Patricia Alcott.Jenny Wheeler: Oh my goodness.  That was apretty big party!  You're an experiencedjournalist who's obviously used to writing, but what made you decide to moveinto fiction and was there a Once Upon A Time moment when something grabbedyour insides and you said, "I've really got to write fiction."Kate Alcott: Well it was basically always a dream of mine from the time I was, I think about ten and I  - and other women have said this -  but it had a real influence.  I was quite taken with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, particularly the story of Jo March. I identified with her. She wanted to be a writer, and I loved this character that she had created.And I've always felt that that was thebeginning. I just knew almost automatically that what I wanted to do was towrite fiction. Of course that had to wait a number of years. But eventually Iwas able to do it. Growing up in LAJenny Wheeler: Yes, so I gather you grew up in LA, but possibly not in theHollywood part of LA, and you've now published four highly praised historicalnovels and several of them dip very heavily into the early years ofHollywood.  Could you talk a little bitabout your background in LA and possible insider connections that give youunusual insight into how things work there? Kate Alcott: Well, I think that growing up in Los Angeles was an experience allin of itself.  We really, in my lifetimeas a young teenager, you lived and breathed the Hollywood stuff.  I remember my father bringing home a copy ofevening newspaper, and even then it struck me, we were so focused on what washappening with Hollywood. And here it was - four inch headlines on the eveningnews saying "Liz has flu” – like it was the equivalent of World War III.That's Elizabeth Taylor.A Touch of StardustI had a glimmer at that time that we mighthave a somewhat skewed idea, but I grew up in that atmosphere, even though notin a Hollywood family. Now my husband, Frank Mankiewicz, my deceased husband,did, and his family was very much a Hollywood family. His father was the writerof Citizen Kane.His uncle did All About Eve and many, manymovies - that was Joe Mankiewicz.

Kate Alcott’s Hollywood novels take us inside the sparkle of the star system to reveal real people, from Clark Gable and Carole Lombard on the set of Gone With The Wind to purity icon Ingrid Bergman’s spectacular fall from grace as an American darling. Hi there. I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and on the Joys of Binge Reading today Kate talks about growing up in Los Angeles and being a Hollywood insider, as well as assessing how women writers and actors fared in early Hollywood compared with today. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: Her early inspiration from Louisa May AlcottLiving in LA where 'Hollywood ruled'Her favorite character in all her 12 booksWriting a best seller with best friend Ellen GoodmanThe secrets of the 'Swiss Cheese Book Club' Her mother's part in her best-selling Titanic story Where to find Kate Alcott:  Website:  <a href="http://www.katealcott.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.katealcott.com/</a> Facebook: @KateAlcott Goodreads: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5052587.Kate_Alcott" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5052587.Kate_Alcott</a> What follows is a "near as" transcript of our conversation, not word for word but pretty close to it, with links to important mentions. Jenny Wheeler: But now here's Kate. Hello Kate, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.  I was really touched when I discovered that you've just very recently married and you're giving this time to do this interview when you've had a lot of great excitements in your personal life.  So let me just first offer you our congratulations and thank you for giving us the time. Kate Alcott: Well, thank you very much. Jenny Wheeler: Did it all go well? Kate Alcott: It did. It all went well. 400 family members on both sides. Kate Alcott novelist, who has also written historical fiction under the name Patricia Alcott. Jenny Wheeler: Oh my goodness.  That was a pretty big party!  You're an experienced journalist who's obviously used to writing, but what made you decide to move into fiction and was there a Once Upon A Time moment when something grabbed your insides and you said, "I've really got to write fiction." Kate Alcott: Well it was basically always a dream of mine from the time I was, I think about ten and I  - and other women have said this -  but it had a real influence.  I was quite taken with Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, particularly the story of Jo March. I identified with her. She wanted to be a writer, and I loved this character that she had created. And I've always felt that that was the beginning. I just knew almost automatically that what I wanted to do was to write fiction. Of course that had to wait a number of years. But eventually I was able to do it. Growing up in LA Jenny Wheeler: Yes, so I gather you grew up in LA, but possibly not in the Hollywood part of LA, and you've now published four highly praised historical novels and several of them dip very heavily into the early years of Hollywood.  Could you talk a little bit about your background in LA and possible insider connections that give you unusual insight into how things work there? Kate Alcott: Well, I think that growing up in Los Angeles was an experience all in of itself.  We really, in my lifetime as a young teenager, you lived and breathed the Hollywood stuff.  I remember my father bringing home a copy of evening newspaper, and even then it struck me, we were so focused on what was happening with Hollywood. And here it was - four inch headlines on the evening news saying "Liz has flu” – like it was the equivalent of World War III. That's Elizabeth Taylor. A Touch of Stardust I had a glimmer at that time that we might have a somewhat skewed idea, but I grew up in that atmosphere, even though not in a Hollywood family. Now my husband, Frank Mankiewicz, my deceased husband, did, and his family was very much a Hollywood family. His father was the writer of Citizen Kane. His uncle did All About Eve and many, many movies - that was Joe Mankiewicz.

Kate Alcott – Hollywood Stardust