Insider Showbiz Novel Wins Romantic Comedy Gold

LaPuerta Books and Media announces that Mick & Moira & Brad, the lucky thirteenth novel by Gerald Everett Jones, has won the top prize in the Romantic Comedy category of the 2023 New York City Big Book Awards. Winning gold in this competition is particularly prestigious because it accepts submissions from the entire book publishing industry, including the Big Five houses.

Although set in the present, Mick & Moira & Brad is a behind-the-scenes showbiz story reminiscent of Hollywood insider comedies of the prewar studio era. Jones explains, "I wanted to do a post-MeToo relationship story - yes, a love triangle that won't roll - with the comedy generated by misunderstandings among friends rather than bickering between enemies. Think Tracy and Hepburn. Their arguments were amusing and heated - but never vicious."

In the book, Mick McGraw is an aggressive Hollywood agent who reps famous singers. Moira Halimi-Joubert is a headstrong criminal defense attorney who studied opera. Brad Davenport is an arrogant billionaire hedge-fund manager who has a soft spot for dogs. Mick wants to make Moira a superstar, but she may have to dump Brad. What does the battle of the sexes look like when the combatants are equally matched-and might actually like each other?

#MeThree?

The twisty plot takes readers inside a big-time movieland packaging agency as Mick's team scrambles to put together a stadium concert patterned on Cher's "Farewell Tour." The superstar they've scheduled has canceled just nine weeks before opening night. They need a totally new show theme - and a new star. With Moira in the role, her "Follow This!" show brings back famous names and songs from pop culture - and surprises everyone, including Moira, who must decide whether to pay the high price of fame.

This is the second time Jones has won Gold in the NYC Big Book. His mystery novel Preacher Finds a Corpse won in 2020. Also in that competition, he's won Distinguished Favorite (Silver) three times - for Harry Harambee's Kenyan Sundowner in 2020, Preacher Fakes a Miracle in 2020, and Preacher Raises the Dead in 2022.

NYC Big Book Awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak said, "Our team is honored to highlight the excellence and achievements of a diverse array of authors and publishers. Their work represents a commitment to excellence. It is our mission and privilege to continue to showcase their work in an international forum." The annual competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, book cover designers, and professional copywriters. Selected award winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

Gerald Everett Jones serves on the board of the Independent Writers of Southern California (IWOSC), hosts the GetPublished! Radio podcast, and publishes his "Thinking About Thinking" blog on Substack.

[Photo credits: The Everett Collection - Canva, Runkee Productions, LaPuerta Books and Media, Gabby Book awards]

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