Hype Week: The Inspiration Behind The Gravity of Lies

Hello and good morning readers! We are here gearing up for another release as we kick off Hype Week for The Gravity of Lies, a YA Contemporary from author Dorothy Deene! We are so excited to see Skye's impactful journey come to life and launch into the world next Tuesday. Today we are handing over the reins to Dorothy to talk about her time in the entertainment industry and the inspiration behind her story.

Hype Week: The Inspiration Behind The Gravity of Lies

In my early twenties, I began spending time in the entertainment business. First, writing and directing plays for people with developmental challenges to afford them an opportunity to showcase their talent and act on stage. Shortly thereafter, I began working with Meridian Theatre in L.A. where I was asked to not only write a play for their next show, but assist in directing it.

Fast forward, my five year old daughter with a big personality and a head full of Shirley Temple curls was picked up by an agent. Her first booking was a commercial for a product in Italy. From there, it was like a roller coaster ride.

Fast forward again. After writing a teen sitcom, Not So Ordinary, my daughter and I were ecstatic to be invited to pitch it to Nickelodeon. Unfortunately, it was not picked up. While my daughter continued acting and singing, I wrote narrative stories for a weekly column for the paper, and dabbled in casting and voice over work until my daughter and I ended up on a reality show.

The reality show centered around a group of talented young actors competing in both acting and musical performance challenges during each episode. But the show took a surprising turn and became a group therapy session after each performance portion. During that time the kids were coaxed to talk about what was going on inside of them; which proved to be both startling and heart-wrenching. Many of the young people admitted that they were struggling to balance the expectations of their parents and the industry pressures while still trying to figure out who they were and what they wanted for themselves.

Through it all, I not only became privy to the inner workings of the industry, but to the very personal struggles of the kids who were in it.

Inspired by the eye-opening rawness of our experience, I began writing my debut novel, The Gravity of Lies.

~Dorothy Deene