KooKooLand (53 page)
Authors: Gloria Norris
Lucinda Jenney, for always being in my corner and for giving me my wonderful goddaughter, Marion.
Janet Jones, for her love and kindness and for many delicious meals along the way.
Ellen Sherman, for showing me the way out of the projects.
Anne Spielberg, for our long friendship, our shared journey as writers, and our much-needed respites at the Milky Way with Leah.
My endless gratitude goes out to:
My film agent, Steve Fisher, who has been an ardent supporter of the bookâand a dear friendâthrough all the years it took to write it.
My literary agent, Carol Mann, who also hung in there, and then made sure the book found the right home.
My publisher, Judith Regan, whose enthusiasm has been a writer's dream come true.
My editor, Alexis Gargagliano, who found just the right balance of encouragement and criticism to help make the book infinitely better.
I would also like to thank:
Jeffrey Ressner, for our way-too-brief friendship and for the role he played in helping the book find its perfect home.
Rina Echavez, for being a model of sweetness and strength and for facilitating Jeffrey's prediction.
Pablo Fenjves, for generously putting in a good word.
Johnny Rothman and Suzie Bolotin, for their longtime friendship and for convincing me to finally send the darn thing out.
Gary Emery, for his insights about life and writing and for helping me to leave the old KooKooLand behind.
The GreenbergsâJennifer, Barry, Lauren, and Mirandaâfor being my incredible family-by-marriage.
Suzanne Joffe, Carol Joffe, and Nicole Holofcener, for being my incredible surrogate family.
Dan Opatoshu, Atma Wiseman, Amy Ness, Bonnie Palef, Henry Schipper, and Mitra Manesh, for their early reads of the manuscript and their unwavering support.
Cleo Damanis, for giving me a cushion to be creative.
Gordon Wood, for sharing the Wood family history and photos.
Peter Ansin, for being my early champion.
The GordonsâKeith, Barbara, and Markâfor loving me when I needed it most.
Jeffrey Townsend, for his love and generosity.
Michael Shedler, for always being a mensch.
Eight special friends, for injecting levity into my life.
Brian De Palma, for his tough-love lessons in writing and filmmaking.
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, for giving me the opportunity to observe two great artists at work.
Woody Allen, for encouraging me as a writer and a filmmaker through the years.
Steve Friedman, for giving me my first writing job in KooKooLand.
And last, but most definitely not least, I am indebted to:
Susan Piasecny Hughes Adair, who inspired me.
My sister, Virginia, who bravely let me film and interview her, and who always wanted our story to be told.
My father, Jimmy, who taught me to appreciate books and movies, who sat for hours of interviews and who said, “Crucify me if you have to, to get the goddamn story right.”
My mother, Shirley, who loved me unconditionally and gave me her blessing to jump off that stone wall.
My husband, James, who showed me just how wonderful a man can be.
PHOTO: © S. BETH ATKIN
GLORIA NORRIS
was raised in a tight-knit Greek family. She attended Bennington College and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College. She began her career in New York as an assistant to film directors Brian De Palma, Martin Scorsese, and Woody Allen. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has worked as a screenwriter, with assignments that have taken her from Paris to the Amazon. As an independent producer, her films have premiered at the Sundance, Toronto, and Tribeca Film festivals.
65 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Copyright © 2016 by Gloria Norris
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Regan Arts Subsidiary Rights Department, 65 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012.
First Regan Arts hardcover edition, January 2016.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015930624
ISBN 978-1-941393-60-4
eISBN 978-1-941393-88-8
Names and identifying details of some of the people portrayed in this book have been changed.
Interior design by Nancy Singer
Jacket design by Catherine Casalino
Jacket photos courtesy of the author