The Hollywood Fix <— UP FOR PREORDER!!! HE’S A HOLLYWOOD FIXER & I love books that feel like we’re getting a peek behind celebrity scenes (I love autobiographies of all sorts so I bet this one feels like that – even if it is fiction 😉 ). And to celebrate this upcoming release (it’s on preorder right now!!), Richard Kirshenbaum is today’s newsletter sponsor!
“Behind every Hollywood dream lies a fixer who knows the truth.”
Welcome to the Golden Age of Hollywood, where glamorous stars took over the spotlight while secrets were buried just beneath the red carpet. The Hollywood Fix by #1 bestselling author Richard Kirshenbaum is a dazzling, razor-sharp novel that pulls back the velvet curtain on Hollywood’s brightest stars and darkest shadows that have been covered up for decades.
From the famed Pantages Theatre on Oscar night to scandalous soirées in Bel-Air, The Hollywood Fix follows the life of Bartie Maddox, a legendary Hollywood “fixer” whose job was to make problems disappear and reputations sparkle. Told with cinematic wit and a keen insider’s eye, this novel evokes intrigue and sophistication of classics like What Makes Sammy Run and The Day of the Locust, all with a contemporary polish.
“Glamour. Deception. Desire. In 1950s Hollywood, reputation was everything — and one man controlled it all.”
Facts About the Book:
1. Richard brings the same precision he once used to shape global brands as a renowned ad man to the murky glamour of Old Hollywood. The Hollywood Fix feels like the work of someone who knows both the spotlight and the shadows below.
2. Bartie Maddox isn’t just a fixer but also the invisible hand behind all the glitter. Richard reimagines Hollywood’s golden mythology through the man who controlled it, revealing how image, illusion, and power collided long before Instagram made it obvious.
3. While this is a fiction novel, familiar names such as Bette Davis, Grace Kelly and Hedda Hopper appear in cameos that blur the line between gossip and utter confessions.
4. The novel doesn’t just revel in the Rolls-Royce’s and Oscars and such; it dissects the cost of perfection. Behind the glamorous facades, Richard shows readers there is always a story of secrecy, ambition, and reinvention.
5. Although the story is set in the 1930s through the 1950s, the book has a modern feel. It explores media manipulation, fame, and the cult of personality that could very easily still take place today. It’s merely the filters and lens that have changed.
“The Golden Age was never pure gold.”
Book Excerpt
“Lunch was sealed with chocolate cake and a kiss from the steely gossip queen. That was how Hollywood worked — deals were made over dessert, reputations over coffee. And Barston Maddox, the man behind the scenes, understood better than anyone that the truth didn’t matter half as much as the version people chose to believe.
Every image could be fixed. Every scandal had its spin. And if the story was good enough, everyone would buy it.”
Song List
1. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” – Fred Astaire
2. “Hooray for Hollywood” – Ella Fitzgerald
3. “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” – Marilyn Monroe
4. “As Time Goes By” – Dooley Wilson
5. “Fly Me to the Moon” – Frank Sinatra
HISTORICAL PR FIXER (author sponsored)
The Hollywood Fix
HISTORICAL PR FIXER!! The dirty business of keeping the stars shiny and clean.
“During Hollywood’s Golden Age, a destitute young man, Bartie Maddox, journeys to Los Angeles and, through his wits, hard work, and talent, becomes the PR fixer to the most important film studio and its studio chief, Solomon Myers…
…This masterful and sweeping novel is based on true stories from the studio system era and PR machines which have not only created legends but exposed the dirty business of keeping the stars shiny and clean. Bartie’s intricate fixes involve endless scandals of money, sex, captivating personas and even the cover-up of death. But in the end, Bartie’s own studio fix becomes the greatest fix of all.”
RELEASING DECEMBER 2nd 2025
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.