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November 7th 6pm Meet author Derek Haas

What happens when an elite assassin becomes a father? Acclaimed author and screenwriter Derek Haas explores the answers in A Different Lie, a unique and thrilling twist on a family story.  Mr.  Haas will be celebrating his new novel with a reception and signing here with us from 6pm onward.

Now a new dad, Columbus, the infamous “Silver Bear,” finds himself staying up late for feedings and changing diapers—all while leading the double life of a contract killer.

The struggle is not with his conscience. He enjoys his gig. But a child forces him to weigh selfishness versus safety: continue his line of work, and he’ll always wonder if he’s putting his child’s life at risk. His wife, Risina, serves as his fence, and like Columbus, she’s good at her job and likes doing it—an unusual take on working motherhood.

When the next assignment comes in, both Columbus and Risina are surprised to find that the mark is another assassin: a brash, young killer named Castillo, an assassin on the rise. Even Columbus is impressed with Castillo’s tenacity and talent. And as he closes in on his target, Columbus realizes that Castillo is a younger version of himself. It’s almost like looking in a mirror. Castillo, for his part, has even studied Columbus’s work.

But Columbus’s assignment is clear and there is no turning back. Yet Castillo quickly learns that his hero and unwitting mentor has a family—a revelation with enormous ramifications.

Mr. Haas is currently the lead writer on “Chicago P.D.,” “Chicago Fire,” and the forthcoming “Chicago Med.” Additionally, he and his screenwriting partner Michael Brandt are the force behind such kinetic screenplays as the blockbuster hit Wanted, the critically acclaimed 3:10 to Yuma, and The Double. Haas and Brandt also created and executive produce the hit show Chicago Fire, currently airing on NBC.  He is also the author of The Assassin trilogy, the best-selling Silver Bear trilogy novels, Columbus, Dark Men, and The Right Hand, which was recently optioned by Universal Pictures. Derek currently lives in Los Angeles and is the editor of Popcornfiction.com, which promotes genre short fiction from top screenwriters and authors.

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Free Screening for Emma Donoghue's ROOM, Wednesday, October 21 7:00 PM Landmark Century Centre Cinema

ROOM
Wednesday, October 21
7:00 PM
Landmark Century Centre Cinema
2828 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60657


ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted Ma. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical - they are trapped - confined to a windowless, 10-by-10-foot space, which Ma has euphemistically named "Room." Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack's curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma's resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.
 
Website: www.roomthemovie.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/roomthemovie

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October 9th- Adriana Trigiani – Director Talk and Signing

October 9th –Adriana Trigiani will be at after-words to give a short talk about adapting and directing her best-selling novel, Big Stone Gap (Ballantine, $16), for the big screen.  She will also be available to sign copies of her newest book, All the Stars in the Heavens (Harper Collins $26.99).

Millions of readers around the world have fallen in love with the small town of Big Stone Gap, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and the story of its self-proclaimed spinster, Ave Maria Mulligan. In the series’ enchanting debut, Ave Maria reaches her thirty-fifth year and resigns herself to the single life, filling her days with hard work, fun friends, and good books. Then, one fateful day, Ave Maria’s past opens wide with the revelation of a long-buried secret that will alter the course of her life.

All the Stars in the Heavens is a spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself.  Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town's golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success.  Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema's greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making.

Adriana Trigiani is beloved by millions of readers around the world for her fifteen bestsellers, including the blockbuster epic The Shoemaker’s Wife, the Big Stone Gap series and Lucia, Lucia. Trigiani reaches new heights with All the Stars in the Heavens. She is the award-winning filmmaker of the documentary Queens of the Big Time. Trigiani wrote and directed the major motion picture Big Stone Gap, based on her debut novel and filmed entirely on location in her Virginia hometown. She lives in Greenwich Village with her family.