My first book is about to be published!!

[WI_DEM]

I'm pretty excited about it. It is a biography of the actress Agnes Moorehead. I'm titling it, "I Love the Illusion!" here is a link to the publisher's site:
http://bearmanormedia.bizland.com/id74.html

I got started on this biography three years ago when I discovered that Miss Moorehead had left 159 boxes of papers, scrapbooks, scripts, and other memorabilia at the Wisconsin State Historical Society here in Madison.

I've supplemented the research at the Billy Rose library in NYC, The Lilly Library in Bloomington, Ind (which hold the Orson Welles papers), The University of Wyoming in Laramie which hold the papers of Paul Gregory who was a producer who worked frequently with Agnes, and finally the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) which Agnes attended from 1927-1929.

In addition to these sources I also interviewed more than 30 people including: Karl Malden, Jane Wyman, Rose Marie, Richard Anderson, William Asher, Paul Gregory, Jane Wyatt, Norman Corwin, Himan Brown, Elliott Reid, James MacArthur, Carol Lynley, Joan Fontaine, William Windom, Laraine Day, Bernard Fox among others.

Agnes Moorehead (1900-1974) is best known as "Endora" on "Bewitched" but also was a charter member of Orson Welles' Mercury Players. She also was known as "The First Lady of Suspense" due to her apperances on that classic radio program--especially performing "Sorry, Wrong Number." In addition she appeared in over 60 films including the classic Welles films "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons". She was nominated four times for an Academy Award, Won the New York Film Critics Award for "Ambersons" and won two Golden Globes.

Anyhow, I'm really excited!! Thanks to many of you for your past encouragement.

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. That is totally cool!!!!

I love Agnes Moorehead!!!!!!

Mucho congrats! :toast:

[ewagner]

2. Congratulations!!!!

I hope to see you on TV talk shows promoting your work....which, btw, sounds quite scholarly....

Congrats again...I hope fame and fortune follow!

:toast: :toast: :toast: :party: :party: :party:

[Ann Arbor Dem]

3. Congrats!!!

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Agnes Moorehead. I'm sure it was a blast researching her life and talking to those who knew her. You're an inspiration!!

[WI_DEM]

6. It was fun

Just to go thru her papers was a blast. Now I'm doing a book on Fred MacMurray and somehow I don't think it will be as fun. Hope I'm wrong.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

15. I hope you're wrong too...

The one thing I remember about Fred MacMurray is that he was a very savvy real estate investor in California.

Good luck on the research!

[yvr girl]

4. Way to go

That's wonderful

[smbolisnch]

5. Congrats!!

That's wonderful!! :toast:

[underpants]

7. Congratulations

YAAAY!

[RebelOne]

8. Wonderful. Hope to see it on the NYT non-fiction

best seller list soon.

[Vidar]

9. Congratulations. That's awesome.

[madrchsod]

10. she was a very interesting lady that is

for sure. glad to hear your work is going to be published and now if you can get on opra you`ll be swimming in money!!! your book should do well. oh yes.... i know someone who may just buy your book---isn`t there someone here who has her picture in his posts?

[WI_DEM]

11. maybe I can make her life into an oprea?

:)

Thanks for your kind words.

[arwalden]

12. This Is Splendid!!! Simply Marvelous!!!

Congrats!!! :hi:

[GOPBasher]

13. Congrats, WI DEM!!! nt

[BikeWriter]

14. Yeehaw! Here's wishing you a best seller!

:)

[madison2000]

16. Very cool

Now thats something I've always wanted to do!
Good for you!

[WI_DEM]

19. Believe me if I can do it, anybody can!!

I truly mean it.

[2008]

17. I can't imagine how exciting this must be

:toast:
Congratulations!

[Book Lover]

18. Great news!

Good for you! Tell me, how is the production process going for you? As a PE myself, I'd love to hear from an author who I'm not trying to extract copyedited manuscript from ;-)

edited for verb tense because I realized that if the book is pubbing in April, you're probably still in production!