The My Hollywood System
Chapter 108

That Sunday morning, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had just appeared on shelves in bookstores around the world and had been chosen by readers both Old and Young. But at his Beverly Hills home, Will Evans, the author of the book, is unaware of the events in the world beyond his four walls, as he types the initial sequence of the script for the film. He had just finished brainstorming the ideas needed for the original film [Liberty City], taking inspiration from the GTA video game franchise from his previous life. He has taken a heavy literary freedom in capturing the essence of GTA in film platforms, even going so far as to include elements from other famous Gangster movies and shows like [The Godfather] and [Peaky Blinders].

Will has decided to make a film that will be based in Liberty City, which will be modeled after New York City, as it was in the eighties.

In the 1980s, NYC was a completely different city from the safe, clean (for Most) Cosmopolitan Urban Playground, as it is today. Murder is near record highs, drug and drug outbreaks are raging, and NYC has yet to experience the wave of gentrification that marks it in modern times. Drugs, prostitution, gambling, you name it, NYC has it.

It was a major breeding ground for the Gang and Mafia to thrive. It was this period of time, from modern American history, that Will wanted to capture in his new film, and re-imagine and be set as the main stage for [Liberty City]. He has already decided on the main character, Mario Di Mauro, a gangster of Italian descent. He based it on Michael De Santa, and Don Corleone of [The Godfather].

Mario is portrayed as an opportunist, with an exaggerated personality, who comes to [Liberty City] in hopes of becoming big, among the family and Mafia businesses in the city. He will take a job as a waitress at a small restaurant, which unbeknownst to him is nothing more than a cover for a money laundering business run by one of the city's biggest crime syndicates, Vercetti's.

The story goes on and shows how Michael used the information he had gathered from the Restaurant and sold it to Vercetti's direct competitor, The Vulpe's, as well as the police, while simultaneously using the money to set up his own illegal business in drugs and liquor.

As Will sips his morning coffee and puts it on the table, he doesn't realize his bedroom door is open and June steps in, holding the package closed.

"Will, you've got a package here, he said from Terry of Warden Books" he tried to get his attention.

When Will does not react to her, he shakes his head and smiles fondly at her, feeling affectionate towards her passion and involvement in her latest project. June stepped behind the desk she was working on and placed a gentle kiss on the side of her neck, successfully bringing out a small smile from her, and then she put a kiss on it, and made her twist her chair and pull it into a deeper, more passionate kiss, which lasted a few moments.

Separating from each other, June glanced at her laptop screen, as well as feeling comfortable in her lap. The screen displays the document with a half-written dialog "Someone messed with me, I'll m-"

"What are you doing Will?" He asked her, becoming curious about the incomplete dialogue she had just read, she said,

“Oh, I'm writing the beginning of my next film Script, [Liberty City]. What are you holding?” he asked, focusing on the package he still held in his hand.

"Oh, this just came from Warden Books, it's labeled for you." He said, handing him the rectangular package.

Taking the package out of his hand, Will unseals it in the carton and cuts the package. Looking inside, he discovered that it was one of the first editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone. This is a paperback edition. They had hired an artist to design the cover for the first edition of the book, and he had done an incredible job.

Even June, who was sitting comfortably on her lap, could not take her eyes off the cover of the book.

“Is that the book you wrote? The cover is beautiful, will attract many eyes, just by sitting on the display.” He commented.

And he's right. The covers are specially designed with the intention of attracting the attention of children. It was colored with a bright contrasting color, which stood out when viewed from afar. There was a Giant Red Steam Train, with the inscription 'Hogwart's Express' plastered in front of it. Steam is seen billowing from its exhaust, and Kings Cross Station is marked with Platform 9, right next to it.

The platform shows the red-haired family, which Will knows as the Weasley family and there is a dark-haired, emerald-eyed book protagonist, with his famous lightning scars, admiring the carriage standing beside the Weasley family, hold on to snowy owls and small gold-colored emblem-adorned suitcases.

While flipping the book, there was a depiction of an Old Man, wearing half-moon glasses, wearing a flamboyant robe filled with Stars, moons, and even a small bird, he said, which seems to give prospective readers a synopsis of the story in it. .

Will is overjoyed, once again holding a copy of a book describing the childhood of so many children, as well as adults, from his previous life. He was convinced, that it would do the same now that after being introduced to a new world, he found himself entering.

Looking at June, she took the opportunity from her open computer to browse the online News about the book and from her smiling face, Will can already see that the book is making waves in literary communities around the world.

“This is already a trend in Sparrow. It's fifth on the trend list! Congratulations Will, I'm proud of you, your book has been nominated for Best Seller among Children's books, for this month!” june exclaimed, twisting on her lap and pulling Will into a holy kiss again.

***

It was a Sunday afternoon, and Linda McArthur didn't quite understand why there was such a huge crowd at the Border bookstore, in Pasadena, California. He had just finished working on a project he had been working on for a month and he was looking forward to indulging himself with a new book, from the bookstore. She has always been a fan of mystery novels, ever since she was a child. To be fair, Border's bookstore is almost like his home away from home, with how much time he spends here reading new books released every day.

Step into the well-furnished Library-Esque bookstore, and quickly greet May, who is working at the weekend counter, as well, he noticed that the bookstore was dominated by children and teenagers today. While children and teenagers being in the store is nothing new, the number of children present today is not what you see in bookstores these days.

Eliminating that thought from her mind, Linda walked towards the bookstore's mysterious passageway. He loved to read mystery novels, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sherlock Holmes book series, which he read as a child, has established him as a fan of mystery novels. He was very happy when he went to the cinema to watch [Sherlock Holmes] in the cinema. It was a fantastic film and according to Linda, it easily captures the essence of Sherlock Holmes and portrays it on the big screen.

“-Stone Potter and the Sorcerer. Yes, Jerry was very fond of the book” a low voice sounded in his ear.

“Yes, I've heard of it, my friend bought it to class. Did you know that Will Evans wrote the book?” the other replied, gossiping with his friends in the children's hallway.

"Yes, I really want to read a book, it's about magic, and the magic school, which is in the castle, and you go there by train and it's all very beautiful" the third voice chimed.

"Yes! I know, Harry and his friends go on this incredible adventure solving mysteries involving rocks that make you truly rich and immortal!” the first voice is elaborated.

And that was enough to keep Linda's interest piqued. Will Evans has shown himself to be a talented mystery film director, and if he can write a children's book like the one he heard about Linda, he should be the first to get the book.

While walking past a group of children clustered around a shelf devoted to Children's books, Linda looked through the book on display with Sunny labeled "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone".

Based on the cover, depicting a bespectacled boy, admiring a red steam train, labeled the Hogwarts Express, he becomes fascinated by the premise of the story.

Reading the synopsis given by the funky old man with a long white beard, Linda could not help but smile on her face. It seemed like he was diving into the mysteries of magic, monsters, and castles for the near future.