Susanna Hits Hollywood

SUSANNA HITS HOLLYWOOD picks up approximately six months after SUSANNA SEES STARS ends. It's now February, and Susanna Barringer is headed to California to assist Scene magazine cover the Academy Awards. At the end of Susanna Sees Stars, Keith Franklin, the main photographer for Scene, asked Susanna if she'd like to be his assistant at the Awards. Keith felt that after everything Nell, the editor and chief of the magazine, put Susanna (not Sue, Susan, or Suzanne as Nell wants to call her) through, Susanna deserved something good from her summer internship. So now, stepping from the limo on the day before the Academy Awards, press pass in hand (Keith's admonishment "You lose it, you might as well go home" solidly in her head), Susanna is racking her brain on how to get the scoop of the event. The Scene staff enters the Kodak Theater and heads to the Press Room to set up equipment for after the winners receive their awards and arrive from the Winner's Walk. Keith lets Susanna off to explore Hollywood for twenty-four hours prior to the start of activities the following afternoon. Less than an hour after given her freedom, Susanna loses her press pass. What follows is Susanna's crazy attempts to get back in (as in "not out") the barricades. Without the press pass, security will not let her cross the velvet ropes. Taking advantage of an unsuspecting Tom, their on-call limo driver, Susanna hatches a plot so off the wall, it just may work. Without giving away her hilarious misadventures, know that the story unfolds quickly and with lots of laughs. Only Susanna could find herself in such a mess, when really she had the best intentions the whole time. The story is light, quick, and relevant to current times, with mention of "Charlie Wilson's War" and current popular stars such as Keira and Johnny. For anyone obsessed with the stars, or interested in the behind-the-scenes workings of the Academy Awards, this is definitely the book to grab. Ms. Hogan describes the scenery of the Kodak Theater vividly and puts the reader in the frantic backstage goings-on. Reading Susanna Sees Stars is not necessary to enjoy this book, but simply provides background information. And for more Susanna adventures, stay tuned for Susanna Covers the Catwalk... Reviewed by: Jaglvr