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DIANA ALTMAN

Diana Altman is the author of three books, several short stories, and many newspaper and magazine articles. She’d love to hear from you at DianaAltmanWriter@gmail.com

 

 

WE NEVER TOLD

Set in an era when unwed mothers were shamed and pressured into giving their newborns away, We Never Told is a slice of America when the Hollywood lifestyle was at its height. That era still haunts us today, because those babies did not disappear; they grew up and went searching. Sonya is determined to unearth her glamorous mother’s secret, but when she finally does, she discovers something much worse than those around her ever could have imagined. 

WE NEVER TOLD won Gold/1st Place in 2020 Feathered Quill Book Award Contest.

 

 

 

available at:

In Theda Bara's Tent at Amazon  

 

20 end-of-summer beach reads for 2019
Looking for the perfect book for Labor Day weekend? Read on.

 

“Altman’s writing is thoughtful and articulate...The author speaks with sophistication and style about the experiences of American women in the recent past.”

- Kirkus Reviews

In its finely observed depiction of family dynamics, We Never Told reminds me of Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping or Richard Ford’s Canada. This is a compelling novel that deserves to be widely read.

- Graham Hillard, editor of the Cumberland River Review

Altman's uncanny ability to yoke the everyday drama out of life and imbue her characters with an emotional complexity makes We Never Told a novel that gets to the essence of what family is. A tale that unfolds with nuance and an endearing sense of humor, this is the kind of writing that is impossible to shake as it bravely mirrors our collective experience of learning to love what feels at times impossible to embrace.

- Liam Everett, award-winning artist

Diana Altman’s We Never Told is a witty, insightful, compelling novel about a woman’s journey to unlock a family secret that is burning a hole in her life. The deftly told story offers a fresh look at the way childhood myths cast shadows on adult life. This book grabbed me from the first page and never disappointed.

- Nancy Newman, author, Disturbing The Peace

Diana Altman is a brilliantly clever novelist.

- Scott Neuffer, Editor, Trampset.

There are stories relating to women that are as timeless as time itself. As advanced as society may become, there are issues that women and their children deal with that seem never to change. We Never Told is one such tale…Families are a sum total of all of their parts, no child is raised in a vacuum…That is the beautiful lesson of We Never Told. Altman weaves together an incredible story of women, children, families, care-takers…a timely read for today’s generation.

-Macsbooks - book review

We Never Told by Diana Altman

In Theda Bara's Tent by Diana Altman

IN THEDA BARA'S TENT

When Harry Sirkus loses his parents in a factory fire, he is taken from the Lower East Side to New England and abandoned at the Elizabeth Home for Destitute Children.

In Theda Bara’s Tent follows the spirited boy’s quest for love and prosperity. He finds comfort at the movies and is befriended by the young theater owner, Louie, who will one day become a Hollywood legend.

The orphanage closing is the beginning of Harry’s adventures in a wider world. He encounters screen stars, Tin Pan Alley song pluggers, bootleggers, dare-devil cameramen, movie moguls, and a young gossip columnist who steals his heart.

Rich in historical context, with a cast of characters real and imagined from the movies’ early days, this page-turner follows Harry Sirkus as he makes a mark in the flourishing film industry and goes on to become a famous news broadcaster. Harry’s personality is so captivating and vivid readers will be hard-pressed to remember that the author made him up.

Award-Winning Finalist in the Historical Fiction category of the 2011 International Book Awards.

Hollywood East by Diana Altman

HOLLYWOOD EAST
Louis B. Mayer and the origins of the studio system

Hollywood East tells the story of how the movies evolved as a business—a business controlled from the Eastern seaboard. As Diana Altman notes, “Hollywood was a pretty face but New York was the heart and lungs.”

Franchot Tone screen test

MOVIE STILLS

A gallery of photos from the early days of the movie business and the stars who made it great.

Franchot Tone's screen test directed in 1932 by Al Altman
at the Fox Studio on 10th Avenue & 54th Street.

 

 

Diana Altman

DianaAltmanWriter@gmail.com

© 2010 Diana Altman. All rights reserved.

designed by Doug Barron