Book Feature - Reality Boulevard - Melissa Jo Peltier

REALITY BOULEVARD BY MELISSA JO PELTIER

New York Times bestseller Melissa Jo Peltier turns her attention to the brilliant, back-stabbing world of prime-time television in this wickedly funny new novel.

• Get your copy of this brilliant satirical novel here: http://apostrophebooks.com/books/realityboulevard/
• Find Reality Boulevard on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17364636-reality-boulevard
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Peltier has worked in entertainment for more than 20 years, making the darkly funny Reality Boulevard a true insider’s view of Hollywood and some of America’s biggest shows.

In it, we see Oscar-winning producer Marty Maltzman and his staff out of a job – and out on the streets – when long-running docu-series Lights and Sirens is unexpectedly axed. But the Hollywood the team now faces is full of Kardashiansand Real Housewives, and they need to survive in a world where it’s very hard to tell what’s true and what isn’t – both on and off screen.

Oscar and Emmy winning documentarian and veteran reality producer (Big Brother, Rescue 911) Arnold Shapiro called the novel “the best satirical look behind the scenes of reality television ever written”, adding: “It contains more truth than you would believe.”

Todd Milliner, producer of Grimm and Hot in Cleveland, said: “During her 20-plus years in the business, Melissa Jo Peltier had a front-row seat, watching it all unfold. In this novel, she puts her dry wit and storytelling ability to good use, pulling back the curtain to reveal what really goes on.”

REVIEWS FROM TV INDUSTRY INSIDERS:

• “Once I started reading Reality Boulevard, I could not stop. It is that compelling, that entertaining, and that amazing and amusing — filled with unexpected plot twists and characters more colorful than the clearest rainbow. This is the best satirical look behind-the-scenes of “reality television” ever written. Despite being satiric fiction, it contains more truth than you would believe. You will forever watch your favorite reality shows with new “insider” knowledge and awareness.” - Arnold Shapiro: Academy Award & 16-time Emmy Award-winner / Producer of film, TV documentaries and reality series (Big Brother, Rescue 911, Scared Straight and more)
• “Melissa Jo Peltier has spent over 20 years in the trenches of documentary, non-fiction and reality TV and there’s practically nothing she hasn’t seen or done. She lived it so you can laugh about it in this novel.” - Sean Hayes: Actor/ Producer
• “Reality TV has cannibalized the airwaves, and during her 20 plus years in the business, Melissa Jo Peltier had a front row seat, watching it all unfold. In this novel, she puts her dry wit and storytelling ability to good use, pulling back the curtain to reveal what really goes on.” - Todd Milliner: Executive Producer, Grimm, Hot in Cleveland
• “I’ve worked with Melissa for almost 20 years on many programs on several networks. She’s the real deal. As a network executive, I can safely say that Melissa knows the territory, and most important of all, has captivating insights that are worth sharing with a wide audience.” – Michael Cascio: SVP, National Geographic Channel (Formerly SVP A&E, Animal Planet)
• “Emmy award winner, New York Times bestselling author, and executive producer of the long-running phenomenon Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Melissa Jo Peltier started out in television at the tender age of 20 and has had an unprecedented insider’s view of reality TV’s strange evolution. If there’s anyone out there qualified to fictionalize what really goes on behind the scenes, it’s Melissa.” – Cori Wellins: Partner, William Morris Endeavor

Latest reviews:

·         “When I began reading the novel, I knew it would be good. After all, Melissa is the co-author of seven non-fiction books, five of which made the New York Times Bestseller list … Her characterizations and descriptions, in particular, are original and visceral, and the book is simply a fun and engaging read.”  Reel Life with Jane

·         “a very funny and intriguing book ... It’ll make you think, it’ll make you laugh.” The Jordan Rich Show on WBZ / CBS Boston

·         “Notable neighbor: Reality is Nyack author’s expertise … a satire that’s packed with unbelievable, behind-the-scenes industry information” Lower Hudson Journal

·         “Your body of work is so amazing … Let’s talk about this exciting new novel!” Celebrity blogger Clara 54

·          “There are so many truths in this fictional story that make it extremely powerful … Melissa is brutally honest here, and this is not so far from fiction” The Best People We Know Show

 Peltier is a New Yorker these days, born a New Englander who made a 20-year detour through Hollywood after graduating Phi Beta Kappa and cum laude from Pomona College in Claremont, CA. Most recently, she is the author of the darkly comic Hollywood novel, "Reality Boulevard". She is also the co-author of six non-fiction works: "The Mommy Docs Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth"; plus five books with 'Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan, all of which were New York Times Best Sellers.

A two-time Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, Ms. Peltier won her first Emmy for educational programming at the age of 23. Since then, she has accumulated over 50 national and international awards and accolades for her work as a producer, writer and editor of both documentary and dramatic television and film productions. Ms. Peltier is best known for her work as director and co-writer of the primetime documentary special, "Scared Silent: Exposing and Ending Child Abuse", hosted by Oprah Winfrey. This multi-network simulcast was hailed as television’s most watched documentary ever, and earned Ms. Peltier the coveted Humanitas Prize. Following closely on its heels was the Peabody Award-winning "Break the Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse", which Ms. Peltier also wrote and directed. In 1994, she was producer-director-writer of A&E’s four-hour special, "Titanic: Death of a Dream" and "Titanic: The Legend Lives On", then the highest-rated program ever aired on A&E, which won two Emmy Awards, including an award to Ms. Peltier for outstanding documentary writing. Three more Writer’s Guild of America nominations for documentary feature writing followed in subsequent year, as well as three primetime Emmy Nominations for Best Reality Show as an Executive Producer of National Geographic Channel’s "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan". "Dog Whisperer" also won the People's Choice Award in 2010. Peltier is a co-founder, partner and executive producer at the Burbank-based production company MPH Entertainment, which has created over 350 hours of orginal documentary and reality television programming, dozens of which she produced, wrote or directed.

Peltier’s dramatic TV and feature credits include writing the Lifetime movie "Nightwaves" starring Sherilyn Fenn, and the story, "The Collector", for the hit CBS series, "Ghost Whisperer". With her MPH partners, she served as producer of the film "Men Seeking Women" (starring Will Farrell) and co-executive producer of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," one of the most popular and profitable indie films of all time. Most recently, she produced the multi-festival-winning indie feature, "White Irish Drinkers", for Ovington Avenue Productions, of which she is also a principal with her husband, film/TV writer/director John Gray. 

She is represented by Scott Miller at the Trident Media Group.