After falling into the orbit of an accomplished young actor -- as handsome and reserved as he is startlingly cold-hearted, and intense -- an eccentric couple find themselves mingling with predatory Hollywood elite, drawn deeper and deeper into a secret that changes the trajectory of their lives forever.
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Neither Adrian nor Val know exactly what they're doing in Los Angeles, as two freelance writers who spend more time looking for odd jobs, public places to have sex, and other outlets for their respective frustrations than actually writing. But both are determined to survive on their own terms, even if it means inflicting loneliness upon both each other and themselves.
Enter Bee Jonsson, former child actor and the son of recently deceased indie darling Emma Jonsson, each known for their work with prolific writer-director Stevie Foster. When Bee, now twenty-four and new to LA, makes a habit out of visiting Adrian's part-time barista gig, the two fall into a routine of gamely sarcasm and offhand cruelty. When Bee kisses Val, Adrian is there to watch, and the couple initiates a feverish affair with their new friend.
In exchange for tolerating Bee's strange and volatile moods, Adrian and Val are gifted with tickets to film festivals, payments to fill the gaps in their rent, and opportunities to score interviews with Hollywood's up-and-coming. For a while, it seems as if success must be within their reach, at least until the two begin to stumble upon answers to unasked questions -- questions that lead to the reasons behind Bee's hurtful games, Stevie Foster's violent art, and the abrupt death of the woman who brought them together.
[Think THE SECRET HISTORY meets EVELYN HUGO with a dash of A LITTLE LIFE. Some spice, too, if you're interested in that.]
When Jane Madarang's neighbor Natalie kills herself and leaves behind cryptic instructions, it's up to Jane and her classmates to unearth deadly secrets.
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Natalie Driscoll is dead.
She threw herself out a window and left her neighbor Jane to unravel their town's darkest secrets. Following Natalie's instructions leads Jane to three other high school students who all have something to hide. The four of them must carry out Natalie's final errand while solving the mysteries written in her diary. But the secrets they unearth may be far more dangerous than what they ever imagined.
Content and/or trigger warning: This story contains scenes of suicide, violence and murder that may be triggering for some readers.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]