for Tale of a Job Interview at OhlalaLand

Testimonials in the US:

(for a French translation of these testimonials, click here)

RON JUDKINS is a Production sound mixer and writer-director. Ron has won two Academy Awards® for Best Sound for Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and has been nominated for another three for Schindler’s List, War of the Worlds, Lincoln.

“In my years in the “industry” I am often asked for advice from people on how to get started—how to land that first job.  But I’ve never come across such a creative approach as this!  Ms Batailler has crafted an unexpected and wildly imaginative narrative in her quest to scale those studio walls.  She deserves a good long interview—at the very least!! The story reminded me of how I felt about the studios when I first came to Los Angeles. The studios felt like huge monolithic and impersonal fortresses. They had guard gates and walls, and seemed a lot like prisons or military installations. I didn’t think that they would ever want or welcome me inside those walls.  The walls were there to keep me OUT!  But as time went by I realized that the studios are populated actually with… people… and my feelings about the whole thing have changed somewhat.”  −RON JUDKINS

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HERB DEAN is an international MMA referee, the favorite referee of the UFC and former fighter. Four-time consecutive recipient of the World MMA Awards for Referee of the Year, 2010-2013.

“A fun and witty satire about an aspiring filmmaker.  Same thing as when I step into the fighter’s cage: I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds.”−HERB DEAN.

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H. DANIEL GROSS is is a prolific film and television producer. He is a former production & development executive at Miramax/Dimension Films. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Programming & Production at The Basketball Channel in Los Angeles, CA­.

“The first rule of storytelling whether it’s a movie, a television show, or a book, is to create characters the audience likes and can relate to. Tale of a Job Interview does just that. Having worked at a film studio, as an independent producer and as a television executive, I’ve observed the trials and tribulations of breaking into the industry first-hand. This fairytale tackles the inherent frustrations and pitfalls in a unique and inspirational way. ” H. DANIEL GROSS

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FRANK HAZARD is the author of Escape From Phalaris, the Sow Belly stories, and The Fatal Heist.

Stephanie Batailler has made an exotic adventure out of a desultory job interview, a dream out of a dilemma. In her new book, Tale Of A Job Interview At OhlalaLand, Ms. Batailler elaborates (much like Scheherazade) luminous and whimsical stories that magically coalesce above the flat pedestrian plain of a job interviewer’s drab desk. Many years ago, Helen Gurley Brown produced Sex And The Single Girl, and presently—perhaps even better—Stephanie Batailler has produced “vex” and the single girl, as her character coincidentally named Stephanie vies to convince a recalcitrant interviewer that she is talented enough and imaginative enough to be hired as a writer at OhlalaLand movie studios in California. OhlalaLand Studios resemble Disney Studios. Years ago, Ms. Batailler emigrated from France to the United States with hardly any knowledge of the English language—and now her command of English is better than that of most Americans—and she writes English with a precision, vigor and skill that is superior to most native-born American writers and (I dare say) luminously exceeds the maladroit semi-literacy of the vast majority of students enrolled in so-called “creative writing” programs at American colleges. Humorously, deftly and poignantly Ms. Batailler tells the story of her character Stephanie from Stephanie’s birth in France and her joyous association with Ulysses, a telepathic cocker spaniel, to her emigration to America and her desperate attempt to join the Creative Department at OhlalaLand Studios. Stephanie is interviewed by an enigmatic horned creature silhouetted behind a screen, to whom she tells impromptu stories that demonstrate her imaginative creativity—stories that feature the wry, spry Jimmy Button and the King, Queen and Prince of Penlandia, among others—nimble stories that are adroitly told and deftly illustrated. Stephanie comes across many secrets and mysteries at OhlalaLand, which most likely shall provide future adventures—but presently Ms. Batailler bestows on her readers for their immediate delectation a realm of charm, fantasy and wit that is as palpable as it is ebullient. Ms. Batailler takes the won out of “wonderful” and turns it into winsome.− FRANK HAZARD

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Testimonials in FRANCE:

(for an English translation of these testimonials, click here)

ANNE-MARIE MORETTI, sophrologue, coach, formatrice, et auteure, Pour en savoir plus sur…la sophrologie.

“Fantasque. C’est le premier mot qui me vient à l’esprit… Mais ne vous méprenez pas ! Fantasque, au sens le plus positif et le plus joyeux de ce terme, au sens premier qui rassemble en lui la fantaisie et le fantastique – Stéphanie et ses histoires, dont l’audace est très certainement le fil conducteur. … voilà quelque chose d’à la fois « culotté », intrépide et original, mais aussi plein de promesses…” −ANNE-MARIE MORETTI

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ISABELLE BOUVIER-CHAPPAZ dirige à Paris, Les Ateliers du Devenir, une société de conseil, formation et coaching en ressources humaines.

“En tant qu’ex DRH (Directrice des Ressources Humaines), je me suis régalée à lire ce conte pour adulte. Ce livre révèle une créativité et une imagination débordante mises au service d’un sujet si angoissant pour beaucoup de personnes ! Un entretien de recrutement c’est souvent deux angoisses qui se rencontrent. Peur de se tromper de candidat d’un côté pour le recruteur, peur de ne pas réussir à décrocher un emploi de l’autre…Ce livre si drôle et amusant, permet de dédramatiser un exercice tant redouté ! J’attends la suite avec impatience.” −Isabelle Bouvier-Chappaz.

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Testimonials from Readers & Job Seekers from all around the world:

(do not hesitate to contact me and send me your testimonials so I can post it here)

“I have to say: I adored it! As a job seeker in Vancouver I totally recognize myself in Stephanie’s story because nowadays finding a job is not a big problem because THE BIG PROBLEM is simply to get to the first step A JOB INTERWIEW?! For some reason, it’s looks like it is something impossible to achieve. I also really like Stephanie’s character and I find that it is very easy to connect with her throughout the pages. I had lots of fun and I can’t wait to read how she gets her job interview. I am waiting for you Stéphanie!!!”  −Linda Tomaszewski, Vancouver (Canada)

“Have you ever felt the frustrations of a job interview? Yes, me too! Stephanie, our hero, takes us to an imaginary world with shadowy gatekeepers… Fast pace reading and a story rich in layers and perfect reading while you wait for the gatekeepers to grant you your dream.” −Damien Black, Shanghai (China)

For Readers reviews on retailers:

Go to Readers reviews.