Lindy Sternberger Hudis is an award-winning filmmaker, author and actress. Lindy is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She also performed in a number of Off-Off Broadway theater productions while living in New York City.
She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her “Hollywood” story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. Her latest release, “Hollywood Underworld – A Hollywood Series” is the first installment of a crime mystery series.
She is also the author of several erotic short stories, including “The S&M Club”, “The Backstage Pass”, “Guitar God”, “The Guitarist”, and “The Mile High Club”.
Her short film “The Lesson”, which she wrote, produced and directed, has won numerous awards, including ‘Best Short Film’ at the Paris International Film Festival, The Beverly Hills Arthouse Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
She is also a former actress, having appeared in the television daytime drama “Sunset Beach”, also “Married with Children”, “Beverly Hills 90210” and the feature film, “Indecent Proposal”. She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
Visit her website at https://lindyinparadise.wordpress.com.
Connect with her on social media at:
⤷ X: https://x.com/Lindyscribe
⤷ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindyScribe/
⤷ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindys.hudis/
⤷ BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lindy-s-hudis
⤷ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6470478.Lindy_S_Hudis
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m a writer, mom and Southern California girl, by way of NYC. I started out as an actress; I attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts and studied Drama. I thought of the Method acting approach, and that is how I write. I know it sounds funny, but I let the characters tell me the story. I am “acting” when I bring my characters to life. They tell me what to do. As far as the subject matter goes, Hollywood is a very dramatic town. I moved to Los Angeles in the Spring of 1992 to pursue film and television work. Back in the 90’s there was no social media or internet, so plenty of bizarre things would happen behind the scenes. I took inspiration from real life to create my story. My stories are very character driven, coming from an acting background helps me develop my characters, so I bond with my characters. I let them tell me what they want to do. They tell me the story.
Can you tell us about your book, City of Toys?
City of Toys is set in Hollywood and tells the story of four young women as they try to make it as actresses. It’s about four young women living in a less than desirable apartment complex in Los Angeles, the four soon become friends and support each other through many lows with few highs. It was inspired by my actual life as an actress and my experience in the industry I feel really gives readers a deep insight into its darker side, something which is often sugar-coated in other books. Each of the four girls, Rhonda, Marlo, Kim and Guyla, are completely different and each brings examples of the many different paths an aspiring Hollywood actress can take. Their current story is intertwined with flashbacks of their past. I hope that this information really helps the reader to understand why each of the girls is as they are today. However dark each of the four stories may be, there is a brighter, underlying theme which comes to the surface and is what ultimately sticks at the end: stay true to yourself. know that not everything in City of Toys is doom and gloom.
Where is this book set and why did you choose that location?
My story is about Hollywood! There is no place on earth so full of drama, passion, hopes and dreams. The whole town lends itself to stories. It’s almost like another lead character in my book. My story is inspired by my life as an actress in Hollywood so it’s raw and gritty. When people think of Hollywood, they think of glamour, beautiful movie stars and that kind of thing. My story takes the reader on a journey to that dark underbelly of that glittering world. It’s not for faint of heart, but none of my stories are. If it were a film, it would be considered Film Noir. Although it’s a work of fiction, it’s my story inspired by actual people and events and I wanted to share it. The book is set in Los Angeles in the 90’s because, despite everything, the 90’s was a fun time to be in Hollywood. So many groundbreaking films were released that year. The artistic community of Los Angeles is a huge one, with many diverse backgrounds and people. I was inspired to write because of the many interesting artists I met along the way. There is absolutely no other city in the world like it. It is a fascinating combination of intimidating, creative, fun, and simply an amazing place to call home.
Can you tell us about the colorful characters inside?
Each of the four girls, Rhonda, Marlo, Kim and Guyla, are completely different and each brings examples of the many different paths an aspiring Hollywood actress can take. Their current story is intertwined with flashbacks of their past. I would like to think that this information really helps the reader to understand why each of the girls is as they are today. Each of the girls has their own demons and desires. Rhonda is the small town beauty queen, Marlo is the former child actress from New York, Guyla is the Yale School of Drama graduate who has to work as a stropper to pay the bills and Kim is the sweet, girl-next-door type who falls in with the wrong crowd. They are all in Hollywood for the same reason, and that is what bonds them together.
Do you see yourself a little bit in your main character?
Absolutely I took a little piece of myself to develop each character. Coming from an acting background, I learned all about character development and that is very helpful when writing my characters and their individual character arc.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
The publishing business is similar to the films business: lots of ugly ‘gatekeepers. Artists need to work together to make those damn things obsolete. I’m grateful for the Internet and for writers and authors to have opportunities to get their stories out there. There is SO much rich talent out there. Never give up, if you have a story, get it out there! Don’t let some negative nelly get you down, and DO NOT listen to those jerks out there.
Thank you so much for this interview, Lindy. What’s next for you?
I’m writing the sequel to my other ‘Hollywood novel’, Hollywood Boulevard. I’m working on that right now. Also, my husband and I have several screenplays that we have written. We have several different genres such as action, thriller, horror, drama, and even comedy. We were very lucky as we entered our screenplay, Crashers (also my book) into the Sherman Oaks Screenplay Competition. The screenplay was an official selection, and, although it didn’t win, we got great literary representation out of the contacts we made. Crashers is currently in development with Face 2 Face Productions, as our manager is also a producer. I am still very ambitious and have never given up on my Hollywood Dream.
City of Toys is available at Amazon.
Inside the Book
Four beautiful women seek fame and fortune in Hollywood, the City of Toys, where actresses are like dolls, playing pretend on the big screen.
Marlo: a former child actress from New York City.
Rhonda: a small-town beauty queen.
Kim: a “nice Jewish girl” with a painful childhood.
Guyla: a “serious actress” with a debilitating, stress-induced illness.
Marlo, Rhonda, Kim, and Guyla, become friends living in the same apartment complex, in the city where dreams and disasters go together. They come to rely on each other as they deal with sexual come-ons, crazed stalkers, jealous starlets and the constant pressure of trying to make it in showbiz. But when the pressure gets too much, will their friendship save them, or will the City of Toys break them?
City of Toys is available at Amazon.
╰┈➤Book Details
● Genre: Thriller
● Sub-genre: Suspense
● Language:English
● Pages: 333
● Paperback ISBN: 978-1897562703
╰┈➤Here’s What Readers Have To Say!
“Through the magic of fiction, this novel gives a well written, in-depth look at what Hollywood can really be like for the unsuspecting would be actor or actress shooting for stardom. In fact, I think this book would be a REALLY great warning (and required reading) for ANYONE who thinks that making it in Hollywood is easy-which City of Toys shows is most certainly NOT. Not looking to be the next big star? Read it anyway for a MOST entertaining, page-turner of a story! City of Toys is a great read with a gripping storyline and realistic characters, that doesn’t gloss over the often unseen gritty underside of the Hollywood ShowBiz Machine. I enjoyed this book!” – Meredith, Amazon
“This book was graphic and, in many ways, disturbing – yet beautifully written. The raw honesty of the situations the characters found themselves in painted an ugly picture but one that is all too real for many who go out to Hollywood with big dreams only to find themselves sucked into its seedy underbelly. I do highly recommend this as a warning to any who think that big dreams won’t come with big prices to pay at the end. And it comes from someone who has the scars and the lived experiences to back it up.” – Brandy M. Miller, Amazon
