Coming soon! Janeane speaks with bestselling author Brad Meltzer about his new book, I am Frida Kahlo

ABOUT I AM FRIDA KAHLO


The famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is the 23rd hero in the New York Times bestselling picture book biography series from Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos

This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great–the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of an icon in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero’s childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This book features Frida Kahlo, the renowned Mexican painter and activist. After surviving a bus crash, she made her mark in art history for her unique way of looking at the world and integrating her own image and life into her paintings.

By BRAD MELTZER
Illustrated by CHRISTOPHER ELIOPOULOS

Part of 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Meltzer is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ordinary People Change the World series for children, as well as six New York Times bestselling thrillers for adults: The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, and The Book of Fate. He is also the #1 bestselling author of the critically acclaimed comic books Identity Crisis and Justice League of America, and is the cocreator of the TV series Jack & Bobby. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, he lives in Florida. To learn more, visit bradmeltzer.com.

Coming up on KUCI! Bestselling author Brad Meltzer talks about his latest book, A NEW DAY!

            photo Credit- Michelle Watson, Catchlight Group

A rambunctious and big-hearted story about the power of gratitude and kindness from bestselling author Brad Meltzer and award-winning illustrator Dan Santat 

A NEW DAY by Brad Meltzer
and illustrated by Dan Santat

Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of Ordinary People Change the World, and Dan Santat, Caldecott Medal-winning creator of Beekle, have teamed together to present A NEW DAY (Dial Books for Young Readers; on sale 3/2/2021). This funny, big-hearted story, which marks a storybook debut for Brad Meltzer, is the perfect tool for teaching kids about the value of kindness. 

Sunday quit, just like that. She said she was tired of being a day. And so the other days of the week had no choice but to advertise: "WANTED: A NEW DAY. Must be relaxing, tranquil, and replenishing. Serious inquires only." Soon lots of hopefuls arrived with their suggestions, such as Funday, Bunday, Acrobaturday, SuperheroDay, and even MonstersWhoResembleJellyfishDay! 

Things quickly got out of hand, until one more candidate showed up: a little girl with a thank-you gift for Sunday. The girl suggested simply a nice day--a day to be kind. And her gratitude made a calendar's worth of difference to Sunday, who decided she didn't need to quit after all. 

"This is the only book I ever dreamed. I literally woke up, the idea fully formed. I know that sounds nuts. But it's true. And I think it came from a need –a need the entire country is seeing right now. With all the chaos in the world, we all can use...A New Day. Plus, we got the master, Dan Santat, to bring it to life." 

Filled with colorful, busy scenes with eye-catching details, the moral of A NEW DAY is easily relatable: when we appreciate each other a little bit more, all the days of the week can be brand-new days where everything is possible. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Heroes for My Son, Heroes for My Daughter, a dozen suspense novels like The Escape Artist, and nonfiction books like The Lincoln Conspiracy. He is also the host of the History Channel television shows Brad Meltzer's Decoded and Brad Meltzer's Lost History (which he used to help find the missing 9/11 flag). 

He is the co-creator of the PBS Kids show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum –and of course, the inspiration for Brad. He lives in Florida with his wife and their three children. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR 

Dan Santat is the author/illustrator of more than one hundred titles, including the Caldecott Medal winner The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend. He graduated with honors from the Art Center College of Design and is the creator of the Disney animated hit The Replacements. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets.

A NEW DAY by Brad Melzer and illustrated by Dan SantatDial Books for Young Readers ▪ March 2, 2021 ▪ 9780525554240 ▪ Hardcover ▪ $17.99▪Ages 3-5

Coming soon! Filmmakers, Arlet Guallpa and Marcial Pilataxi, talk about HBO’S COVID DIARIES NYC (DEBUTS MARCH 9). The Short Documentary Follows Five Young Filmmakers As They Navigate The Early Days Of The Pandemic. They are joined by DCTV's Johnny Ramos | Director of Youth Programs and Jesse Perez Antigua | Director of Community Youth Programs

COVID DIARIES NYC, debuting TUESDAY, MARCH 9 (9:00-9:40 ET/PT),chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval.

The film will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max. The trailer is available now on YouTube.

WATCH | LISTEN

With original animation by Rosemary Colón-Martinez, COVID DIARIES NYC is comprised of five brave and at times heart wrenching first-person profiles that provide profound insight into these young people’s experiences as they process the impacts and meaning of the COVID-19 pandemic:

“The Only Way to Live in Manhattan” follows Marcial Pilataxi, who lives with and helps his grandmother at a building where she works as the superintendent. They wrestle with the increasing amounts of tenants’ garbage because of those sheltering at home. Marcial makes food deliveries and tries to maintain normalcy with his friends as the city he knows changes against the backdrop of the pandemic and a city torn apart by unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

“My COVID Breakdown” follows Aracelie Colón, who struggles with her mental health as her father continues to go to work at the post office every day while the threat of the virus looms.

“When My Dad Got COVID” follows Camille Dianand, who is concerned about her father, a subway mechanic for the MTA. After a coworker dies from the virus, her father contracts COVID-19 and the family faces life and death terror.

“No Escape From New York” follows Shane Fleming, whose parents lose their jobs, leaving the family worrying about mounting bills, growing debt and their need to move out of New York City. They decide to go on a road trip to escape their problems, but the issues his mother and father face follow them wherever they go.

“Frontline Family” follows Arlet Guallpa, who watches with her family as ambulance after ambulance arrives at their apartment building in Washington Heights to take away residents who die from the virus. Despite their fears, her parents, a bus driver and home care attendant, carry on with work and try to overcome their anxieties about their family’s exposure.

HBO Documentary Films’ COVID DIARIES NYC is a DCTV production, directed by Marcial Pilataxi, Aracelie Colón, Camille Dianand, Shane Fleming, Arlet Guallpa, and Rosemary Colón-Martinez; produced by Jon Alpert, Jesse Perez Antigua, Sade Falebita, Naomi Mizoguchi, and Johnny Ramos; executive produced by Carrie Penner, Perri Peltz, and Matthew O’Neill.

ABOUT DCTV

Founded in 1972, DCTV is the most honored independent nonprofit media center in the nation. DCTV Youth Media provides free filmmaking training, mentorship and professional development for NYC teens and young adults.

MARCH 8 - Acclaimed TIFF Documentary ‘UNDERPLAYED’ debuts on the AMAZON MUSIC MOBILE APP and AMAZON PRIME VIDEO - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. Janeane speaks with Director Stacey Lee about this powerful film!

ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY ‘UNDERPLAYED’ TO BECOME AVAILABLE ON THE AMAZON MUSIC MOBILE APP AND AMAZON PRIME VIDEO ON MONDAY, MARCH 8 - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

The Amazon Music Twitch Channel to Host Live Release-Day Roundtable at 6 pm PST / 9 pm EST on Women in Electronic Music; Featuring Some of the Biggest Names in EDM and Underplayed Director Stacey Lee

Underplayed is a rousing film that focuses on the gender, ethnic, and sexual inequality issues within the electronic music industry and the female DJ’s who have risen to the top in spite of it all

WATCH THE TRAILER NOW

100% FRESH ON ROTTEN TOMATOES

World Premiere – 2020 Toronto International Film Festival

Official Selection – 2020 Tribeca Film Festival



Electronic music was born from the ideals of diversity, community, and inclusivity; yet in 2019 only 7% of Billboard’s Top 100 DJs were women. They make up less than 3% of production and technical roles in the music industry. For women of color, it's less than 0.3%. Filmed over the summer festival season, Underplayed (underplayedthefilm.com ) presents a portrait of the current status of the gender, ethnic, and sexual equality issues through the lens of the female pioneers, next-generation artists, and industry leaders who are championing the change, and inspiring a more diverse pool of role models for future generations.

An official selection of both the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, Underplayed features NERVO, Rezz, Alison Wonderland, Tygapaw, TOKiMONSTA with an original score composed by Kate Simko.

Underplayed will have its global on demand release on Monday, March 8. In the U.S. and abroad, the film will be become available in the Amazon Music mobile app for Amazon Music Unlimited and Amazon Music HD subscribers, as well as on Amazon Prime Video at no additional cost to Prime members. The film will also be released in Canada on the same day via Crave. The Amazon Music Twitch Channel will host a live release-day roundtable at 6 pm PST / 9 pm EST on women in electronic music featuring Underplayed director Stacey Lee, some of the biggest DJs in electronic music, all moderated by Twitch’s premium content manager Valerie Lee.

The impetus for the documentary came to light during the 2018 Bud Light House Party Tour, when Bud Light Canada sat down with artists from diverse backgrounds and genres to learn about the evolution of their careers, and their unique experiences in recording, touring, and performing. Key conversations with female DJs exposed a striking gender inequality in the space, and further research substantiated their experiences.

Hammer to Nail film critic Christopher Reed called the film " a welcome wake-up call for better inclusion and diversity."

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

"When the pioneering godmothers of electronic music first began tinkering away in their scientific labs back in the 50s and 60s, they could never have imagined their little back room experiments would make way for a blossoming 8 billion dollar global industry today. Nor could they have foreseen how drastically its very creative, egalitarian roots would transmute from an open experimental playing field, to an industry dominated by a one-dimensional male point of view. This is a universal theme, and sadly one that I can personally relate to as a “female” filmmaker in a heavily male field. I empathize and understand the frustration of having to fight harder to be considered for jobs “because there aren’t as many good female directors,” to turn a deaf ear to the belief that women “can’t be technical”, that we don’t deserve equal pay, or in my instance, hiding my pregnancy beneath an oversized blazer so I wouldn’t jeopardize my chances of securing jobs."

"When I learned about the shared plight of the women in electronic music, I saw a necessity to tell a story that speaks to the deeply personal and very human impact of this global issue. That transcends the music space, and speaks to the collective experience of so many working women today from film to politics and beyond."

"Ultimately Underplayed raises the question; do we want our ears to be controlled by logarithms, safe bets and preconceived formulas...or become a space that is radically free to sound as rich, diverse and ever- changing as the world around us? The hope is for Underplayed to stimulate the conversation needed to break down the systematic bias’ and bring electronic music back to its open, diverse and fiercely experimental roots. To remind us that equality isn’t about one side defeating the other, but by all sides coming together for the greater good. Because the more we can lift each other up, the more we all have to gain."

– Stacey Lee, Director

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Stacey Lee, Director
Born in New Zealand, Stacey Lee’s work focuses on humanity, music, and movement. Her documentary short Live Fast Draw Yung premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2015, winning awards in Atlanta and Tacoma. She was recently shortlisted for the Cannes Young Directors Award and selected as part of the DGA/AICP Diversity Showcase. Underplayed is her feature debut.

ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Bud Light, Executive Producer
As a sponsor of music events and parties across the globe, Bud Light Canada recognized a problem in the music space: a major lack of diversity and inclusion. Underplayed was born through a vision to bring more awareness to the many and complicated issues that have led to the current state, and help drive change within the industry.

Director X, Executive Producer
Director X is the protégé of pioneering hip hop director Hype Williams, and has been noted for directing high-budget, visually distinctive videos for popular artists, including Drake, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, Usher, John Mayer, Korn, Iggy Azalea and many more.

Taj Critchlow - Executive Producer
Born in Toronto, Taj Critchlow is a multifaceted entrepreneur: a talent manager, film and television producer, and creative consultant. His company, Karoshi Management, represents some of today's most culturally relevant filmmakers such as Director X, Karena Evans and RT! Taj is also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Fela - a new age production company specializing in authentic cultural storytelling. In 2018, Taj began the next phase in his career, working as an Executive Producer on Director X's Joel Silver-produced feature film, Superfly.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

William Crouse, Producer
A Brooklyn-based producer, Crouse's documentary films have played at SXSW, DOC NYC, Hamptons International Film Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival. HIs 2019 film Lowland Kids won Audience Award for Best Documentary at Palm Springs ShortFest and was nominated for the Cinema Eye Honors for Outstanding Achievement in a Nonfiction Short.

ABOUT LEVELFILM

Based in Toronto, Canada, levelFILM is the entertainment distribution company behind feature films such as Les Misérables, The Peanut Butter Falcon, The Assistant, Military Wives, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Firecrackers, and The Dissident. Founded in 2013, levelFILM is a full service distributor who specializes in acquiring, developing, marketing and selling quality independent films. Between a growing catalogue of high-quality films and a number of projects in various stages of development, levelFILM’s goal is to create balance both on-screen and off.

The company is maintaining a diversified slate of films across all genres that are both highly marketable and captivatingly original, while leveraging both traditional distribution tactics and digital strategies that are as innovative as effective as the films they support.

Author, screenwriter and feminist Jenny Lecoat shares her debut novel, THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, based on her family's experiences in German Occupation

 

LISTEN 

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

The Occupation of the Channel Islands has been a backdrop to my life ever since I can remember. Born only fifteen years after Jersey’s liberation to parents whose childhoods were spent under Nazi rule, I was always aware that two of my relatives had been sent to concentration camps for sheltering an escaped Russian slave worker. As a result, my great uncle became the only British survivor of Bergen-Belsen, and my great aunt died in the gas chambers of Ravensbrüch.


As the only part of the British Isles to fall to the Nazis in WWII, the island’s Occupation is a dark and complex period that even now divulges new secrets. When Hedy’s story finally came to public attention after seventy years, I knew that it encapsulated the oppression, terror, and defiance that characterized those years, and had the potential to highlight the little-known aspects of a frequently misunderstood history. I hope this fictionalized account of Hedy’s experiences provides some insight into a world that few are left to provide first-hand and brings understanding and inspiration to future generations.

Based on an incredible true story...

Debut author Jenny Lecoat’s family has been shadowed by the Nazi Occupation of the Channel Islands since the Germans landed in 1940. Born shortly after Jersey’s liberation, Lecoat’s parents grew up under Nazi rule in the only British Isle to fall in WWII and had two relatives who were sent to concentration camps for sheltering refugees and resisting German rule.


One survived. The other did not.

Now, the screenwriter, feminist, and daughter of the resistance, Jenny Lecoat, has penned a fictionalized story of her family’s experiences in the complex yet little know period of German Occupation of Jersey in THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS (Graydon House Books; February 2, 2021; Trade Paperback Original; $17.99). Capturing the oppression, terror, and defiance that characterized those years, Hedy Bercu is a Jewish refugee who fled to the Channel Islands to escape the Nazis, only to find herself cornered when the Axis powers invade Jersey.

Her only chance for survival is to make herself invaluable to the Germans by working as a translator, hiding in plain sight with the help of her friends and community – and a sympathetic German officer. But as the war intensifies, rations dwindle, neighbors turn on neighbors, and Hedy's life is in greater danger every day. It will take a definitive, daring act to save her from certain deportation to the concentration camps.


New York Times bestselling author Kelly Rimmer calls THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS “an unforgettable tale of friendship, love, courage and survival.” A unique, first-hand look at a little known part of WWII history, Jenny Lecoat’s historical fiction debut is a timely story of rebellion and valor that readers won’t want to miss.


Jenny Lecoat was born in Jersey, Channel Islands, where her parents were raised under German Occupation and were involved in resistance activity. Lecoat moved to England at 18, where, after earning a drama degree, she spent a decade on the alternative comedy circuit as a feminist stand-up. She also wrote for newspapers and women's magazines (Cosmopolitan, Observer), worked as a TV and radio presenter, before focusing on screenwriting from sitcom to sketch shows. A love of history and factual stories and a return to her island roots brought about her feature film Another Mother's Son (2017). She is married to television writer Gary Lawson and now lives in East Sussex. THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS is her first novel

.



Praise for THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS:

“THE GIRL FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS is an unforgettable tale of friendship, love, courage and survival. I loved every word of this fantastically engrossing novel. Jenny Lecoat is an author to watch!!”

– Kelly Rimmer, NYT bestselling author of The Things We Cannot Say


“A riveting story of survival against all odds, told by a masterful storyteller who also happens to be a fresh new voice in the genre. I absolutely loved The Girl From the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat and recommend it highly, not just to fans of historical fiction, but to lovers of good books everywhere.”

– Karen Robards, NYT bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris


“A captivating story of trust and betrayal, courage, survival and forbidden love.”

– Glynis Peters, author of The Secret Orphan

Coming soon! From journalist Kayleen Schaefer, author of the highly acclaimed Text Me When You Get Home, comes a timely and essential book on thirtysomethings today, a generation redefining what it is to be an adult— and how the best for them is both yet to come and already here

VOGUE “Best of 2021” | BuzzFeed “Most Anticipated 2021” | The Week “23 Must Reads in 2021”


Sociologists have identified the five markers of adulthood as: finishing school, leaving home, marriage, gaining financial independence, and having kids. The reality is that today’s thirtysomethings are no longer adhering to these “rules”— and a global pandemic has only made this more so. Economic, societal, and scientific developments of the last few decades—repeated economic upheaval, rising debt, decreasing marriage rates, a more open-minded society, fertility treatments and declining birth rates—have forever changed the traditional order of being an adult in American society.


BUT YOU’RE STILL SO YOUNG: How Thirtysomethings Are Redefining Adulthood is cleverly structured around the five major life events: “Completing School,” “Leaving Home,” “Marrying,” “Becoming Financially Independent,” and “Having a Child.” Schaefer shares findings from data research and hundreds of interviews conducted nationwide. For more than a year (including during the COVID-19 pandemic), Schaefer closely followed eight subjects —gay, straight, white, POC, single, coupled, parents and childfree—whom readers will meet up close. The result is an intimate and fascinating glimpse of a generation.



Some of the findings in BUT YOU’RE STILL SO YOUNG:


● For this generation, living with one’s parents became the most common living arrangement for Americans ages eighteen to thirty-four, overtaking living with a romantic partner. The pandemic has exacerbated this: One survey estimated that 2.9 million adults moved in with a parent or grandparent in the spring of 2020

● A large body of research shows that young adults are most harmed by recessions, and for those in their thirties who started their careers during the aftermath of the 2008 recession, the economic destruction caused by the coronavirus pandemic is another blow in barely a decade. An analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute noted that this age group is “now going through its second ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ downturn”

● In 2018, the average age of first marriage in the U.S.—thirty for men, twenty-eight for women—is the highest it’s ever been. Only half of U.S. adults are married, compared to 72% in 1960. In a recent Census survey, more than half said that getting married wasn’t an important part of becoming an adult

● More than half of Americans 21-37 (mostly white and college educated) received some sort of financial assistance from a parent, guardian, or family member since turning twenty-one. This includes money for cell phone bills (41%), rent (40%), groceries and gas (32%), or health insurance (32%)

● In 2019, the birth rate in the United States fell for a fifth straight year and reached the lowest it’s been in thirty-five years. Demographers say that the quarantine orders during the coronavirus pandemic won’t cause the birth rate to jump either

● According to estimates, forty-five million people in the United States have school debt, and the total is about $1.5 trillion, which is more than Americans owe on their credit cards or car loans.

Schaefer uses her own story to show how the thirties have changed from the cultural stereotypes around them, and how they are a radically different experience for Americans now than it was for any other generation. For today’s Millennial thirtysomethings, Gen Z-ers curious about adult life ahead of them, and older cohorts seeking to understand why things are different for their children, BUT YOU’RE STILL SO YOUNG illuminates this life-defining, challenging and often rewarding period of life.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kayleen Schaefer is a journalist and author of Text Me When You Get Home, which was widely praised as “witty,” “timely, nimble, essential” and more, by outlets such as ELLE, The Washington Post, New York Times, Bustle, NPR, Buzzfeed and many others. She also wrote the bestselling Kindle Single memoir Fade Out. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Vogue, and many other publications. She lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @kayleener or Instagram @iknowkayleen.

Coming up! For the first time, Hollywood executive Samantha Hart is baring her soul in her memoir, “Blind Pony: As True A Story As I Can Tell” (Wild Bill Press)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hollywood Exec Samantha Hart’s
Coming-of-Age Memoir, “Blind Pony,”
is Coming March 15, 2021


— A heart-wrenching childhood of abuse leads to a harrowing journey of self-discovery, globe-trotting, and tales from the Hollywood trenches —


LOS ANGELES, CA (January 18, 2021) – For the first time, Hollywood executive Samantha Hart is baring her soul in her memoir, “Blind Pony: As True A Story As I Can Tell” (Wild Bill Press), to reveal to the world a heart-wrenching childhood of abuse that she endured by her own grandfather, which led to her life as a runaway teen, and landed her in 1970s Los Angeles. This coming-of-age story is a page-turner that chronicles the author’s journey into her 20s, as she navigates various abusive relationships, toxic Hollywood characters, her personal relationship to her “Marlboro Man''-idealized father, “Wild Bill,” and ultimately, how she finds her North Star. The book is coming out on March 15, 2021, and can be pre-ordered on Amazon or samanthahart.net.


Hart says, “Almost no one in my life, including long-time friends and colleagues, knew about any of the trauma that I experienced as a young girl. I always managed to overcome adversity throughout my life, have a positive outlook and do really well for myself, so telling my story now—it’s going to surprise a lot of people. I hope that if there is just one girl out there who feels alone and scared about her situation, when she hears my story, she’ll realize that there’s always hope.”


Early reviews and reactions are hailing the book and its author with accolades including: “Unforgettable and raw, Hart’s deeply honest musings will ring true to those who want to understand what it’s like to walk through fire.” (Book Life/Publisher’s Weekly); “…a memoir about overcoming—about facing up to and learning from one’s past without being imprisoned by it.” (David Herman, IndieReader); “An extraordinary new voice…takes you on a trip back in time to when LA was over-the-top cool.” (Barbara Gorder, executive); “A powerful coming of age story about finding strength through rebellion, recovery, and forgiveness.” (Jill Watts, bestselling author/Professor of Graduate Studies at CSU); “Hart is a gifted storyteller....she became a backgammon hustler in Los Angeles, something readers likely won’t find in many memoirs.” (Kirkus Reviews); “Excellent writing…I recommend this book to simply everyone.” (Dog-eared Publishing).


Comparisons of Hart’s story have been made to New York Times bestselling author Cheryl Strayed’s popular storytelling and books like “Wild,” which Oprah’s Book Club selected.


Samantha grew up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania that was no childhood ideal, but rather a surreal, twisted nightmare. After years of enduring a life of abuse, at the age of 14, she ran away searching for her father, a character she only knew as “Wild Bill”—only to discover he's not the hero she dreamt he'd be.
Her instinctual knack for surviving independently as a young runaway takes the reader on an unbelievable journey into the mind of a vulnerable, resilient, and quick-witted teen-who finds herself in situations that range from mordantly funny to sometimes perilous adventures.


Arriving in Los Angeles at the peak of LA’s decadence, where money, drugs, and good times flowed, she floats through a strange new world of champagne-soaked parties, high-stakes backgammon tournaments, and a whirlwind of international escapades as she travels across Europe.


“Blind Pony” is a raucous recounting—a coming-of-age narrative of healing and hope, intersecting themes of recovery, redemption, and forgiveness. Hart’s defiance to play the victim, but rather define life on her terms, will inspire anyone who reads her words.


“Blind Pony: As True A Story As I Can Tell” is available for pre-order at samanthahart.net.

WATCH the book trailer


About Samantha Hart
Samantha Hart's career has spanned music, film, and advertising, earning her a reputation as an award-winning Creative Director. Early in her career, Hart worked with top artists at Geffen, including: Cher, Aerosmith, Nirvana and Guns 'N Roses, to name just a few. Segueing to the role as Creative Director in the film industry, her creative marketing campaigns brought prominence and Academy Awards to films such as “Fargo,” “Dead Man Walking,” and “Boys Don't Cry,” while earning cult status for independent features, “Four Weddings and A Funeral,” “Priscilla Queen of the Desert," and “Dazed and Confused,” which is enjoying a resurgence in popularity from the new book Alright, Alright, Alright. 

The book details Hart's campaign for the Richard Linklater film that has become synonymous with the indie due to its iconic stoned happy face and irreverent copy. With her partner, Samantha built a multi-million dollar company in the advertising industry, Foundation, with over forty employees and offices in Chicago and Los Angeles. Under her leadership, Foundation earned distinction as an early disrupter of the traditional production and post-production models, combining the two under one roof. Samantha currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director James Lipetzky, and their teenage sons, Davis and Denham. Her daughter, Vignette, and her granddaughters, Andromeda and Ondine, reside in Massachusetts.



Website: https://www.samanthahart.net
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealsamhart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samanthahart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.hart.39