Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure [Paperback]

Steven Paul Leiva (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2003

Meet the fixxer in his first exxciting adventure in perfect Hollywoodese it’s The Player meets the Saint as introduced by James Bond.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Fixxer has the mystery of the Shadow, the sophistication of James Bond and the street smarts of Sam Spade." -- Stuart Nulman on Book Banter/CJAD, Montreal May 19, 2003

Fixxer is a fascinating character. Intrugue; murder; mayhem in a fast paced action filled adventure. A truly great first novel. -- E. V. Le Roux Silver Moon Magazine

From the Inside Flap

BLOOD IS PRETTY, a novel that may take place in Hollywood, but wherein: New York University Professor of Neuroscience Dr. Rudolfo Llinás1 theory of consciousness is put into the practice of dreams.
A secret government formula is used.
A homing devise in the form of an intimate part of the male anatomy irritates.
A murderous, dog-loving, ex-Communist Bulgarian cowboy blows up Caltech. Not CalArts, Caltech.
Dismemberment -- not of egos, but of body parts -- happens.
Silly putty lips flap.
Shit is kicked in the dungeon of a 14th Century French castle -- in 14th Century France.
5th Century BC Athens is visited. The Goddess is angered.
The Bear Rug Computer Program gets high ratings -- but it might mean sex with an egg. AND Our heroes -- the Fixxer, a man whose real name you will never know, and who once met Samuel Beckett in a bar and has the autographed book to prove it, and Roee, a failed Jewish homosexual playwright who can kill quickly and silently in several different ways, and who makes an excellent Penne with Moroccan Lamb and Mint -- want no recognition and no fame.

But they do take the fortune.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica (February 24, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592863418
• ISBN-13: 978-1592863419
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,964,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

STEVEN PAUL LEIVA has toiled for many years in the hills and valleys of Hollywood as a producer and writer, working with the great and the not-so-great, who were often, oddly, one and the same. He produced the animation for "Space Jam," pairing the witty Bugs Bunny with the sweaty Michael Jordan. His play, "Made on the Moon," had its world premiere at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has been performed in America by such actors as Paul Provenza, Robert Picardo and John Billingsley. His novelization, "The 12 Dogs of Christmas," based on his own film adaptation of the best-selling picture book of the same name, won the Scribe Award for the Best Young Adult Adapted Novel from the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. "Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure," which introduced his mysterious, Hollywood-based hero, has been followed up with the second Fixxer adventure, "Hollywood is an All-Volunteer Army." Steven also instigated and organized RAY BRADBURY WEEK IN LOS ANGELES in 2010 in celebration of the literary master's 90th birthday, and directed Bradbury's one-act play, "The Better Part of Wisdom," starring James Cromwell, as part of the celebrations. His first science fiction novel, "Traveling in Space" was published in October of 2011 by Blüroof Press. Leiva has written the occasional essay for the Los Angeles Times and is a contributing writer to Neworld Review. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Amanda, and his daughter, Miranda, who are known collectively as the Andas. You can contact the author at [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stylish noir thriller - great hero - 4-1/2 stars, October 23, 2010

By 

Scamp - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blood is Pretty (A Fixxer Adventure) (Kindle Edition)

I was enchanted with this book. The Fixxer is a witty, sharp, and dangerously competent go-to guy for Hollywood's elite. He's the quintessential man of mystery, reminiscent of famous literary and film heroes, as mentioned by others.

I think what I liked best is Leiva's ability to balance witty banter and spot-on observations of Hollywood's banality with plot twists and turns and plenty of thrills and chills. Despite the obvious perfection of the hero Fixxer, there is enough Bertie Wooster in him to ground him. He is completely likeable. The writing is clever. The dialogue sings. The plot moves.

There were a few issues with grammar (typos perhaps?) in several places and wondered about the thoroughness of the editing, but there were not enough errors to disturb my enjoyment of the book. One error that was repeated a few times was "use to" instead of "used to." (Things like that do get under my skin a bit.)

Also of concern is the lack of a promised sequel. Since this was originally written in paperback in 2003, it seems that it is way past time for a followup. Granted, Blood is Pretty is very good as a stand-alone book and does not leave the reader hanging in the end. The plot resolves satisfactorily. Yet there are many unanswered questions about the exciting history and adventures of the protagonist and his sidekick that leave me wanting more. I suspect book sales would improve if the series remained active.

I hope Mr. Leiva continues this series. I anxiously await more adventures of the Fixxer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Cheerful Mashup, September 9, 2010

By 

MC ([e-mail]) (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood is Pretty (A Fixxer Adventure) (Kindle Edition)

A fun, imaginative read. A fast-moving ride through a cheerful mashup of a bunch of pulp genres.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and sharp - brilliant!, December 20, 2011

By 

DJP - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure (Paperback)

In Hollywood, if you need something sorting, if you have a problem, if nobody else can help - you call Fixxer (not the A-Team), Marital problems, career slip-ups, personal situations - Fixxer solves all for a fee. Cool, intelligent, suave and most of all determined - with a network of contacts and friends who can supply whatever he needs, Fixxer and his sidekick Rooee make sure it all goes right.

So, when called upon to sort two little jobs: pay off some two-bit movie critic over a treatment he wrote, and help out a rising Actress with a seedy pursuer in the industry - it all sounds too easy.
Sure enough - enter a megalomaniacal Film Executive, a Reality Dream program that is too real to be safe, and a bunch of European guns for hire and Fixxer finds himself trying to unravel a kidnap plot, several murders, terrorism, blackmail and arrange a budding romance for himself.

With dark humour that takes a scalpel to the glitzy façade of Hollywood pretension, a Bond-like collection of plots, gadgets and villains, crackling wit and focused morals from Fixxer, and righted by the practical help and concern of his friends; Blood Is Pretty is a thrill a minute look at the crazy goings on in Tinseltown.