My Hollywood System

Chapter 108:

It was a Sunday morning, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone had just recently hit the shelves in Book stores around the world and was already being picked by readers Young and old alike. But in his Beverly Hills mansion, Will Evans the author of said book was oblivious to the happenings of the world outside of his four walls, as he typed the beginning sequences of the script for the movie. He had just finished brainstorming the idea needed for his original movie [Liberty City], taking inspiration from the GTA video game franchise from his previous life. He had taken heavy literary liberties in capturing the essence of GTA in a movie platform, even going so far as including elements from other famous Gangster films and shows like [The Godfather] and [Peaky Blinders].

Will had decided to establish the movie to be based in Liberty City, which was going to be modeled after New York City, as it had been in the eighties.

In The 1980sn NYC was an altogether different city from the safe, clean (for The Most Part), Cosmopolitan Urban Playground, it is today. Homicides were at near-record highs, the crack and drugs epidemic was raging, and NYC had not yet experienced the wave of gentrification that has marked it in modern times. Drugs, prostitution, gambling, you name it, NYC had it.

It was the ultimate breeding ground for Gangs and the Mafia to flourish. It was this time period, of modern American history, that Will wanted to capture in his new movie, and reimagine and set as the center stage for [Liberty City]. He had already decided on the lead character, Mario Di Mauro, a Gangster of Italian descent. He had based him on Michael De Santa, and Don Corleone from [The Godfather].

Mario was portrayed as an opportunist, with an over aggrandizing personality, who had come to [Liberty City] in hopes of making it big, among the Mafia families and businesses in the city. He would take a job as a waiter at a small restaurant, which unbeknownst to him is nothing more than a front for the money laundering business run by one of the largest crime syndicates in the city, the Vercetti’s.

The story goes on and shows how Michael uses the information he collects from the Restaurant and sells it to the Vercetti’s direct competitor, The Vulpe’s, as well as the police, while simultaneously using the money to set up his own illegal business in drugs and liquor, on the other part of the city under the radar of the cops.

As Will took a sip from his morning coffee and set it down on the table he failed to notice the door to his bedroom opening and June stepping inside, holding a covered package.

“Will, you’ve got a package here, it says it’s from Terry from Warden Books” she tried to gain his attention.

When Will did not react to her, she shook her head and smiled fondly at him, feeling endearment towards his passion and involvement in his latest project. June stepped behind the desk he was working on and place a soft kiss on the side of his neck, successfully eliciting a small smile from him, and getting him to turn his chair around and pull her into a deeper more passionate kiss, which lasted a few seconds.

Separating from each other, June took a glance at his laptop screen, while simultaneously getting comfortable on his lap. The screen was displaying document with a half-written dialogue “Somebody messes with me, I’m gonna me-”

“What are you working on Will?” She asked him, becoming curious over the incomplete dialogue that she’d just read,

“Oh, I am writing the beginnings of the Script of my next movie, [Liberty City]. What is it that you’re holding?” he asked, focusing on the package she was still holding in her hands.

“Oh, this just came in from Warden Books, it was labeled to you.” She said, handing him the rectangular package.

Taking the package from her hands, Will unsealed the stamp on the cardboard and cut open the package. Looking inside, he found that it was one of the first editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone. This was the paperback edition. They had hired an artist to design the cover for the first edition of the book, and he’d done the work magnificently.

Even June, who was sitting comfortably on his lap, couldn’t take her eyes off the cover of the book.

“Is that the book you’ve written? The cover is beautiful, it’s going to attract a lot of eyes, just by sitting on the displays.” She remarked.

And she was right. The cover was designed especially with the intent to attract children’s attention. It was colored with bright contrasting colors, that stand out when seen from far. There was the Giant Red Steam Train, with the letters ‘Hogwart’s Express’ emblazoned on the front. Steam was shown billowing from its exhaust, and Kings Cross Station was marked with Platform 9 ¾, right beside it.

The platform showed a family of redheads, which Will knew to be the Weasley’s and there was the dark-haired, emerald-eyed protagonist of the book, with his famous lightning bolt scar, admiring the train standing beside the Weasley family, holding on to a snowy owl and suitcases emblazoned with a small crest In gold.

At the top of the Cover, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone” was Written in jagged lines, that depicted the lightning bolt, and right below it, was the Author’s name “Evans. W”.

On turning the book around, there was a depiction of an Old Man, wearing half-moon spectacles, dressed in flamboyant robes littered with Stars, moons, and even a tiny bird, who seemed to be giving prospective readers the synopsis of the Story inside.

Will felt elated, at once again holding a copy of the book that defined the childhood of so many children, and adults alike, from his previous life. He was sure, that it would do similar now that it’d been introduced to the new world, he’d found himself in.

Looking at June, she’d taken the opportunity of his open computer to browse through the online News about the book and from her smiling face, Will could already see that the book was making waves in the literary community around the world.

“It’s trending on Sparrow already. It’s fifth on the trending list! Congratulations Will, I am proud of you, your book is already being nominated for the Best Seller among the Children’s books, for this month!” June exclaimed, twisting on his lap and pulling Will into another chaste kiss.

***

It was Sunday afternoon, and Linda McArthur couldn’t quite understand why there was such a huge rush at the Border’s bookstore, in Pasadena, California. She had just finished working on the project she’d been working on for the month and she was looking forward to treating herself to a new book, from the bookstore. She’s always been a fan of mystery novels, ever since she had been a child. To be fair, the Border’s bookstore is almost like her home away from home, with how much time she spends here perusing the new books that are released daily.

Stepping into the well air-conditioned, Library-Esque book store, and quickly greeting May, who works the weekends at the counter, she noticed that the bookstore is predominantly filled with children and teens today. While young children and teenagers being at the store is nothing new, the number of children present today is not what you’d notice in bookstores these days.

Putting the thought out of her mind, Linda made her way toward the mystery aisle of the book store. She loved reading mystery novels, The Sherlock Holmes book series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which she’d read as a child, had cemented her as a mystery novel enthusiast. She’d been very thrilled when she’d gone to the cinema to watch [Sherlock Holmes] at the cinema. It was a fantastic film and in Linda’s opinion, it easily captured the essence of Sherlock Holmes and portrayed it on the big screen.

“- Potter and the Philosopher’s stone. Yeah, Jerry really liked the book” a low voice reached her ears.

“Yeah, I’ve heard about it, my friend bought a copy to class. Did you know Will Evans wrote that book?” another answered, gossiping with her friends by the children’s aisle.

“Yeah, I really want to read the book, it’s about magic, and magic school, which is in a castle, and you go there by train and it’s all so wonderful” a third voice chimed in.

“Yeah! I know, Harry and his friends go on this wonderful adventure solving this mystery involving a stone that make you really rich and immortal!” the first voice elaborated.

And that was enough for Linda’s interest to be piqued. Will Evans had already shown himself to be a talented mystery movie director, and if he can write a children’s book like the one she’s hearing about Linda has to be one of the first to get her hands on the book.

Making her way through the group of children that are crowding around the shelf designated for Children’s books, Linda goes through the Brightly displayed book labeled “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone”.

Based on the cover art, depicting a bespectacled young boy, admiring a red steam train, labeled Hogwarts Express, she’s become fascinated by the premise of the story.

Reading the synopsis given the funkily dressed old man with the long white beard, Linda couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her face. Looks like she’s diving into the mysteries of magic, monsters and castles for the nearby future.

…

//DreamNote//

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