Friday's Film Adaption: The Bishop's Wife by Robert Nathan

Summary:
Bishop Henry Brougham desperately wants to build a great cathedral for his overcrowded parish. The problem is he doesn't know how he will find a capable archdeacon to help fund the project. But that's not his only problem. Though his beautiful wife Julia fulfills her marital duties, there is no passion between them. When the bishop prays for help, it comes in the form of Michael, a handsome, golden-haired angel who takes the position of archdeacon. Michael exudes love, which draws new and unexpected emotions from Julia. With the holidays approaching, the bishop senses the mutual attraction between Julia and Michaelbut can he stop it?

Film
The Bishop's Wife
An angel helps set an ambitious bishop on the right track.
Release Date: December 9, 1947 (Premiere-New York City)
February 16, 1948 (U.S.)
Release Time: 109 minutes

Cast:
Cary Grant as Dudley
Loretta Young as Julia Brougham
David Niven as Bishop Henry Brougham
Monty Woolley as Professor Wutheridge
James Gleason as Sylvester, a sympathetic taxi driver
Gladys Cooper as Mrs. Hamilton
Elsa Lanchester as Matilda, the Brougham's housekeeper
Sara Haden as Mildred Cassaway, the Bishop's secretary
Karolyn Grimes as Debby Brougham, a young daughter
Tito Vuolo as Maggenti
Regis Toomey as Mr. Miller
Sarah Edwards as Mrs. Duffy
Margaret McWade as Miss Trumbull
Anne O'Neal as Mrs. Ward
Ben Erway as Mr. Perry
Eugene Borden as Michel
Eugene Turner, ice skating double for Cary Grant

Awards:
1947 Academy Awards
Best Director - Henry Koster (nominated)
Best Editing - Monica Collingwood (nominated)
Best Picture (nominated)
Best Score (nominated)
Best Sound (won)

The Preacher's Wife
The Reverend Henry Biggs is a good man who''s doubtful about his ability to make a difference in his troubled community and home. Help is on the way in the form of an angel named Dudley who soon becomes the source of and solution to their problems.
Release Date: December 13, 1996
Release Time: 124 minutes

Cast:
Denzel Washington as Dudley
Whitney Houston as Julia Biggs
Courtney B. Vance as Reverend Henry Biggs
Gregory Hines as Joe Hamilton
Jenifer Lewis as Margueritte Coleman
Loretta Devine as Beverly
Justin Pierre Edmund as Jeremiah Biggs
Lionel Richie as Britsloe
Paul Bates as Saul Jefferys
Lex Monson as Osbert
Darvel Davis, Jr. as Hakim
William James Stiggers, Jr. as Billy Eldridge
Marcella Lowery as Anna Eldridge
Cissy Houston as Mrs. Havergal
Aaron A. McConnaughey as Teen

The Bishop's Wife

The Preacher's Wife

Author Bio:
Author of such revered books as PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, THE BISHOP'S WIFE, MR. WHITTLE AND THE MORNING STAR, and STONECLIFF, Robert Nathan was born in New York City in 1894 and was educated at private schools in the United States and Switzerland. While attending Harvard University where he was a classmate with E.E. Cummings, Nathan was an editor of the Harvard Monthly, in which his first stories and poems appeared.

While at Cambridge, Nathan also found the time to become an accomplished cellist, a lightweight boxer, and Captain of the fencing team. After leaving college, Mr. Nathan devoted his time exclusively to writing until his passing in 1985. Early on, Nathan's work strengthened his reputation with both the public and peers. F. Scott Fitzgerald once referred to Robert Nathan as his favorite writer. During this period, the legendary Louis B. Mayer contracted him to Hollywood to become a screenwriter. Nathan ultimately didn't enjoy the experience, though the movie industry continually craved his work. Five of his novels have been made into films.

The aforementioned "Portrait of Jennie" and "The Bishop's Wife," as well as "One More Spring," "Wake Up and Dream" (from the novel "The Enchanted Voyage") and "Color of Evening." Robert Nathan was the author of over fifty volumes of novels, poetry, and plays, and from this body of distinguished work he acquired a reputation as a master of satiric fantasy unique in American Letters. In the twilight of his career he was known as "The Dean of Author's," since many prominent writers including Irving Stone and Irving Wallace sought out Nathan's guidance. A member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters for fifty years, Mr. Nathan called both Cape Cod and California home. Happily, his last fifteen years were spent in the companionship of his wife, English born actress, Anna Lee.

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Film

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An Impossible Rescue by Annamaria Bazzi

Title: An Impossible Rescue

Author: Annamarie Bazzi

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 16, 2015

Cover Design: Ada Frost

Editor: Laura Garland and Kate Richards

Summary:
Christmas is no joy for Julia whose husband, a high-risk investor, comes around only to ask for money. When a handsome stranger and his cute Pomeranian puppy move in next-door, Julia feels guilty for their mutual attraction.

Michael's not the rescuing type, but when he spies Julia's husband haranguing her for holiday cash, anger flares and he is determined to rescue Julia from another miserable Christmas.

Why hasn’t he signed the divorce papers? Money, that’s why. The no good lowlife always wants money from me.

Just three months after the wedding, she’d realized he’d married her for her wealth. Thank God her father was still alive and owned the business her mother had created and turned into a multimillion-dollar company. Dad had supported Mother and had taken care of all the accounting for the business.

Rising, Julia sauntered to the kitchen. She glanced around the open architecture, which had made her fall in love with the house to begin with. Dad always wanted to see her happy, so he’d bought her the five thousand square foot home as a wedding present, with just one catch—the house would remain in his name.

“Why would you do such a thing?” Her voice rose.

“Calm down. You’re a woman in love and don’t see what I see. One day, you’ll thank me.”

Those words kept coming back, and she praised God for her father’s wisdom. Every time Damien ran dry, he came back and asked her for money then disappeared for weeks at a time, sometimes months. Another conversation came to the forefront, and she leaned on the island, playing it through her mind.

“Why are you doing this? We love each other.”

“Your business is not profitable yet, but one day it will be,” her dad said. “You’re too much like your mother, God rest her soul, and your business will bring in millions. I don’t want him to walk away with the sweat of your brow.”

She waved the papers she held at him. “This is a prenuptial agreement, are you serious?”

“I’m dead serious. Mark my words, the day will come when you’ll thank me.”

Julia sighed. “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered. “Mom, you married a wise man. Not like me, who married a complete jerk.”

She opened the refrigerator and took out the bottle of white wine she’d opened a few nights ago, pouring some in a Waterford wineglass. After corking the bottle and placing it back in the fridge, she curled up on the sofa. Staring into the shadows of evening, she beat herself for having been so blind with respect to Damien. “Love is blind” turned out to be so true. Damn! Could I have been more stupid?

Disgusted with herself to the point she couldn’t enjoy the book, she placed the paperback back on the bookshelf and went up to the master suite to enjoy a hot bath. Julia lit all the aromatic candles and filled the tub. While the water poured into it, she ran downstairs to pick up the wineglass she’d forgotten in the gathering room.

Almost asleep in the jetted tub and with steam filling the large room, it took a while before she heard her cell buzzing. Who could possibly be calling at this hour? She tightened her lips,and scrunched her brow. She stood and wrapped her body in a plush white towel. This was supposed to be her time to relax. Anger and anxiety rushed through her.

“Hello?” she said with a bit more force than she wanted.

“Hey, babe, I’ll be home for Christmas.”

“Damien, where are you?”

“I’m in the middle of an investment deal in Qatar.”

Had she heard right? “Where?”

“Qatar, baby. You know, the Middle East.”

Not in the mood to hear about his new gamble in whatever kind of  business venture he’d embroiled himself in, she hung up and shut off her iPhone, returning to the tub of lukewarm water. Letting some of it out, she refilled the tub with steaming water then sank down to her chin and closed her eyes. If anyone needed her, they could just show up at the house.

When her bath cooled again, she slipped into her robe, tied it at her waist, and stretched out on the bed.

Cold crept into her bones, and she shivered. Darkness surrounded her. How long had she slept? Sitting up, she grabbed her cell phone and turned it back on. Goodness, it was 8:15 p.m.Pangs of hunger burned her stomach, but she didn’t feel like cooking at such a late hour. She dialed for delivery.

“Hello, I’d like to order veal Parmesan….”

With the order on the way, she slipped into silky pajamas, French braided  her milk-chocolate brown hair, and went downstairs to wait for the food to arrive.

The gourmet kitchen surrounding her had been a joy to create with the help of Marcello DiStoia, a wonderful designer of kitchens and baths. A place where she’d dreamed of cooking with her newlywed husband. He did help for the first few months of marriage, but then all his failed ventures took him to different corners of the earth as he looked to gamble in varied “business opportunities” as he called them. Apparently, now he was in Qatar, of all places. She rolled her eyes and closed her hands in tight fists. A few deep breaths and she let it all go, reminding herself Damien was not worth a single thought.

A sigh of relief escaped her when the doorbell rang announcing the arrival of the food.

“Thank you.” She took the package from the older man, giving him a twenty-dollar tip.

“Have a good evening.”

Before closing the door, she stuck her head out to admire a few flurries. Only the beginning of October, it seemed too early for snow. In Virginia, it almost never snowed until after Christmas. Back at the counter, she laid out one place setting and sat on one of the high chairs. As she shoved the first bite in her mouth, the cell rang. Huffing, she reached for it to see who called.

“Hello, Dad. What’s up?”

“You were supposed to call to let me know if you want to go out Saturday night to grab some dinner and a movie with your old dad.”

“Oh my God!” She raised her hand to her chest. “So sorry, I forgot all about calling. Yes, I want to go out with you on Saturday. What movie did you want to see?”

“I thought we could just see whatever is playing at the Bird Theater, since you enjoy eating at Can Can.”

“Sounds perfect! I love going to Can Can.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty.” The higher pitch in his voice let her know how happy and excited he felt about the date.

The phone disconnected.Ever since a little girl, she’d loved her special moments alone with her father. He’d involved himself raising his only child and sharing the duties of a soccer mom. Julia had loved that about her father, and she’d grown close to him, developing a unique and open relationship.

After clearing the counter and throwing the boxes away, Julia went back to her room to brush her teeth and slip between the covers. Exhaustion took over, and when she rested her head on the pillow she fell asleep.

***An Impossible Rescue can be found as part of the Christmas Pets & Kisses***

Author Bio:
Although born in the United States, Annamaria Bazzi spent a great deal of her childhood in Sicily, Italy, in a town called Sciacca. Italian was the language spoken at home. Therefore, she had no problems when she found herself growing up in a strange country. Upon returning to the States, she promised herself she would speak without an accent. She attended Wayne State University in Detroit Michigan, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Computers with a minor in Spanish. Annamaria spent twenty years programming systems for large corporations, creating innovative solution, and addressing customer problems. During those years, she raised four daughters and one husband. Annamaria lives in Richmond Virginia with her small family where she now dedicates a good part of her day writing.

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Christmas Pets & Kisses

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Cover Reveal: Incandescence by Xunaira J

Title: Incandescence

Author: Xunaira J

Genre: Chick Lit Romance

Expected Release Date: February 14, 2016

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Summary:
CAN LOVE REALLY HEAL ALL WOUNDS?

Alisha had everything she ever wished for: a loving family, a career and friends who doted on her. But a late night at work, a cup of coffee, and a burning candle changed her life forever. Then Anis--a tall, dark, and handsome engineer, heir to his father's vast empire--walks back into her life. After a brief meeting a few years ago, she isn't sure he'll remember her. When he does, he wants to help her overcome her life-changing injuries. Has her accident scarred not only her skin, but also her soul?

Incandescence is a story of love and friendship in the face of disaster, and one young woman's quest to make the most of her new life.

Author Bio:
As a thirteen year old teenager, Xunaira J. aspired to be an author someday. From short stories to novellas, she has written them all but as an adult now, she has published two short stories and is now aiming to publish her first Novel, Before Time, scheduled for November release. Xunaira resides in Islamabad, Pakistan and enjoys a hot cup of cappuccino, a good romance novel and her favorite music from the 80's. Apart from that, when she's not working on her current literary project, she loves developing mobile applications and studies as a software engineer.

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