Typewriter Beach

Meg Waite Clayton is the author of the historical fiction novel called Typewriter Beach. The story is told from two timelines, the 1950's and the 2010's. The setting is Los Angeles and Carmel By The Sea. Leon Chazan was a successful screenwriter in Los Angeles until he was black listed for refusing to answer questions about Communism. Now he lives in Carmel By The Sea. He brings his chair and his typewriter out to the beach and times screen plays he knows he can't sell unless someone else takes credit for his work. Isabella Giori is an actress in Hollywood hoping for a part in Alfred Hitchcock's new play. She is 10 months into a standard seven year contract. A Hollywood "fixer" takes her to a small cottage at Carmel By The Sea and tells her to stay inside and not come out. People will bring her food and necessities. When she is awoken at 5 a.m. by the sound of Leon's typewriter she goes to his cottage to complain. Soon they take off together for car rides to Big Sur. Leon never gets off the black list. Isabella gets some big roles. After Leon dies his granddaughter, Gemma, comes out to his place to go through his things. Gemma is also a play writer. She learns much about Leon's work. In fact, other movies credited to other writers were big hits. This wonderful story is about the difficulties of being a woman, being a writer, and being famous.