Chapter 1
"Mail call...!"
Peter Laval was glad to receive actual, tangible correspondence. As much as he liked his computer's ability to organize his science research files, he still liked to have something solid in his hands, and reading material that couldn't be hacked.
Of course, that didn't guarantee all of the mail would be enjoyable. "Hmmm...electric bill, gas bill, tax bill, supplemental tax bill...and a letter for Zoe and Rhoda from..."'Ann O' Nymis.'"
"Oh, I know who that is!" Zoe said excitedly. "Stella Nova! I haven't heard from her in months!"
"Stella Nova?" Peter asked. "You mean that friend of yours in fourth grade who made it big in Hollywood?"
"Well, Dad, starring in some dopey comedy series is hardly what I would call 'big.' But a job's a job, I suppose. She's been even more busy since 'Teen Utopia' wrapped up."
"Why would she be contacting you by snail-mail? Wouldn't an e-mail or a text be better?"
Zoe dismissed the idea, shaking her head. "No, not really. With paparazzi constantly hounding her, she's had her server hacked by those vultures a few times, and she didn't want to take chances." Zoe carefully sliced the envelope with a letter-opener, and began reading. Stella's penmanship was flawlessly legible, as always.
"Rhoda!" she yelled. "Where's Rhoda?"
"Try the intercom, Zoe," her Dad suggested. "Please don't raise your voice in the house."
"Sorry, Dad, but I couldn't help it! This is awesome news!" Zoe rushed to the intercom. "Rhoda, are you in the house?"
"I'm in my room, sis!" Rhoda answered. "And you're not going to believe this news I'm hearing!"
"I take it from your tone that it's good news? Well, nothing is better news than this!"
"I wouldn't bet on it, Zoe. Get up here! You've got to hear this report!"
Zoe ran upstairs to Rhoda's room. She was sitting at her desk, listening to a news video. "I just got texts from about a hundred people from school! Listen to this!"
"And in entertainment news...Kiloword Pictures has just signed an agreement with the city of Thundermist, to begin filming a major motion picture right here in town! Although details are sketchy at this point, it has been confirmed that teen heartthrob Buster Jeebers will be in it. Best of all, former Thundermist resident and current Hollywood teen-actress Stella Nova has been signed to play a role in the movie, titled, 'A Panic in '93.'
"The popular African-American superstar has won awards for her role in the hit TV comedy series 'Teen Utopia,' as well as for the title-song, 'Don't Ask Questions, Just Have Fun.'
"The popular show had ultimately been done in by the multibillion-dollar merger that created the NIckyMickyToonworks Channel, and subsequent executive shake-up.
"On that note, the merger of the three cable networks was a stunner that rocked the entertainment industry and Wall Street, so what exactly led to this monumental decision?"
"Well, we had been ripping off each other's programming ideas for a long time," the CEO explained. "So we figured...what the heck, let's merge."
"There you have it! As for the movie, its release is due to coincide with the release of the 'Teen Utopia' DVD collection, and KIloword Pictures has high expectations. No doubt Stella Nova's fans will be eager to line up for both of them."
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Catch a Falling Star
Teen FictionAfrican-American teen actress Stella Nova is the hottest young commodity in Hollywood. Having recently finished a hit TV comedy series, Stella has returned to her hometown of Thundermist, Rhode Island, to film her first major motion-picture. Boys...