“Ken Harrison is a burned-out Hollywood executive who has been demoted from his job as vice president of comedy. Ken is also a very sick man, and his recent treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has left his body wasted and his mind vulnerable. Ken’s saving grace is his love of Shakespeare, particularly the sonnets. So when he meets the beautiful Ophelia Lomond, a budding actress and personal assistant to the spoiled and demanding Jazzminn Jenks, host of a popular talk show, he just knows something Shakespearean has happened. Ophelia becomes his muse, his personal version of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady. Not only does Ken fall in love with Ophelia, he also agrees to her request that he murder Jazzminn. As the clock ticks toward the appointed day, the three find themselves trapped in their own modern-day Shakespearean drama. A finalist in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Competition, Haithman’s hilariously funny novel gives readers a bird’s-eye view of the Hollywood machine and its players. With witty, fast-paced dialogue and characters readers will cheer for, this debut is a deeply satisfying story of love, loss, and acceptance.”
–Carol Gladstein, Booklist
