by Molly Gloss
First published 2014
Bud Frazer can no longer stand living at Echol Creek. His little sister died two years ago, and the nineteen-year-old ranch hand finds no comfort where his parents do. He boards a bus bound for Hollywood with plans to work as a stunt rider in the movies. During the journey south, he meets Lily Shaw, a small woman with big ambitions who wants to write for the film industry rather than act in it. Despite their different backgrounds, Bud and Lily form a bond that sustains them through the challenges of breaking into Hollywood. The story follows their experiences during what proves to be a significant year in the movie business, as two young people pursue their dreams while navigating heartbreak and hope in equal measure.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, adventure, coming-of-age, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, pursuit-of-dreams
Setting: Echol Creek, Hollywood
Period: 1920s
ebook · Houghton Mifflin