BOOK SIGNING RIOT SWEEPS LOS ANGELES!

on Sunday, August 19, 2012 ·

What started as a laidback little book signing for my new book THE LAST WORD quickly turned ugly at Chevalier’s, our wonderful local independent bookstore in Larchmont, a semi-quaint enclave of expensive restaurants and upscale stores.,

Called for one o’clock, lines began to form early outside the store. When the doors didn’t open at one, the growing crowd began chanting: LAZARUS! LAZARUS! LAZARUS!

I was inside, game face on, flexing my wrist, loosening up my arm, ready to start signing, but Sue, the owner of Chevalier’s, said let the anticipation build. I figured she knew her business, but I was worried. If I only could have seen the future and avoided the nightmare to come.

The chanting became more fevered: SIGN THE BOOK! SIGN THE BOOK! SIGN THE BOOK! Which, as time progressed, evolved to SIGN THE FUCKIN’ BOOK! SIGN THE FUCKIN’ BOOK!

I implored Liz to open the doors, which she finally did, but that’s when the real trouble started.

I sat down and signed the first book for a disheveled former student who had fought through the crowd to the front. She broke into tears when I remembered her name and signed her book and became faint and weak in the knee She had to be helped to the First Aid station, which the bookstore had wisely set up in the back.

The crowds pushed through the bookstore, knocking over book displays, trampling Syd Field’s and Robert McKee’s books, as I signed book after book as quickly as I could.

I could see out the windows that the street was now clogged with book buyers blocking traffic and chanting: THE LAST WORD! THE LAST WORD! Fist fights were breaking out. A woman tore off her top trying to get to the front of the line. It was chaos.

I was signing books with both hands, but the hungry book buyers kept coming and coming and coming.

I could see out in the street that LAPD had brought in their mounted officers and the mighty horses were pushing through the crowd, trampling book lovers as if they were cock roaches, which I can assure you they were not.

In short time, the meager supply of books ran out and I was signing anything to satisfy the throng: other author’s books, brassieres and naked flesh (within the borders of good taste).

By the time three o’clock came, Chevalier’s was trashed; fourteen book buyers were Medi-Coptered to local hospitals and are in guarded condition.

When I finally returned home and turned on the television, the news helicopters were covering local rioting near half a dozen bookstores which hadn’t had the foresight to order enough copies of THE LAST WORD – Definitive Answers to All Your Screenwriting Questions.

Categories: Lazarus Rising · Tags: BOOK SIGNING, brassieres, chaos, Kim Kardashian / Tom Lazarus Sex Tape, naked flesh, RIOT, Robert McKee, SCRIPT CONSULTANT, sign the fuckin' book, Syd Field, THE LAST WORD, TOM LAZARUS

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“Some of Hollywood’s most successful writers whisper about learning it from Tom! His approach is unorthodox, but crystal clear and on the money. A master at teaching the elusive art of good screenwriting. The Last Word is his best book yet.”
Sid Ganis, producer and past president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences,

"If you’re sitting down to write your first screenplay, you need to read this book. If you’ve written a couple of screenplays and are still trying to break in, you need to read this book. Hell, if you’ve been earning your living writing screenplays for the past six years, you should read this book. Informative, provocative, illustrative — all the qualities of the great teacher Tom Lazarus are right here. Indispensable for anyone who writes or is thinking about writing movies."
Scott Frank, screenwriter: Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report,

“Smart, funny, and helpful to the max, this cleverly organized book of tips for the professional and would-be professional writer by veteran writer/producer Tom Lazarus demonstrates why his screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension fill with wait lists. A stellar read and recommended for every screenwriter's bookshelf.”
Bonnie MacBird, screenwriter: Tron, Emmy-winning producer, and former Universal Studios feature film story exec,

“A terrific guide for beginners.”
John Badham, Director,

“Serves up a delicious feast of what writers most need but seldom get – the truth. Want praise for every page you write? Ask Mom. Want to learn, grow, and become a top screenwriter? Take a deep breath and read “The Last Word.” It’s an enormously practical, lucid, spot-on book that will make you a stronger writer."
Eric Edson, screenwriter, professor, author of The Story Solution,

"Spells out the basics of screenwriting in a clear and concise way. Ignore the words of Mr. Lazarus at your peril. This book is simple, to the point, and invaluable.”
Matthew Terry, filmmaker/screenwriter/teacher – reviewer,

“Golden nuggets which every screenwriter needs to heed. I will recommend this book to every one of my clients.”
Stan Williams, Author of The Moral Premise,

“Really good advice delivered in a really practical way. Shows you bad writing and improved writing, and the light bulb goes on. Seeing the mistakes other writers make gives insights into the writing process that you don't often find. It promotes letting go of that critical voice that says ‘I’m no good at this’ or ‘who does he think he is?’ so you can take advantage of good feedback. This is a book I will keep on my bookshelf!
Kim Hudson, Speaker, Author, Script Consultant – Archetypal Structure,

“Provides a realistic, no-nonsense glimpse at what writers can expect when an agent, producer, or studio exec is considering your script for representation or purchase. Author, instructor, and screenwriter Tom Lazarus gives us a handy, but practical A to Z approach on some of the most common storytelling roadblocks that can spell the difference from a "pass" to a "sale" in a competitive marketplace!
Kathie Fong Yoneda, consultant, workshop leader, author of The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider's Look At Getting Your Script Sold and Produced,

"Tom Lazarus serves up non-nonsense story development notes in a clear, authoritative voice. He's the kind of ally smart writers want as they confront the bare page."?
David McKenna, Author of Memo from the Story Department,

"The Last Word takes screenwriting books to the next level. Think of this as going to grad school. Tom Lazarus has walked the halls of Hollywood in both film and television and knows how things work."
D.B. Gilles, author The Screenwriter Within, 2nd Edition,

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