Rare Bird invites you to two unforgettable events next week celebrating a series of new releases—stories that span the chaos of a 1970s mental care home, the dark underworld of Los Angeles crime, and the deadly secrets behind Beverly Hills’ polished facade.

Join voice acting legend Candi Milo for the launch of her wildly original and emotionally resonant memoir, Surviving the Odd—a coming-of-age story set inside one of California’s first homes for the mentally ill, where her father ran the show and her childhood teetered between comedy, chaos, and compassion.

In conversation with Emmy-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, Candi will read from her book (on bookshelves Tuesday, July 15th) and discuss growing up surrounded by psychiatric patients, societal stigma, and the saving grace of humor.

Join us for an unforgettable night of crime, cinema, and candid conversation as two industry titans take the stage at Book Soup.

Gerald Petievich is the real deal: a former Army counterspy and U.S. Secret Service agent turned bestselling crime novelist. His insider knowledge gave rise to some of the genre’s most gritty and realistic thrillers—including To Live and Die in L.A., Money Men, and The Sentinel, all adapted into major motion pictures. No one writes cops and criminals quite like Petievich, because he’s been in both rooms.

Thom Mount helped shape the modern American movie canon. As president of Universal Pictures at just 26, he oversaw the production of Scarface, E.T., The Deer Hunter, and The Breakfast Club—before founding The Mount Company, delivering hits like Bull Durham, Natural Born Killers, and Frantic. With one foot in journalism and the other on the gas pedal of Hollywood history, Mount brings a producer’s wit and a provocateur’s insight to every conversation.

Together, these two giants will talk noir, narrative, adaptation, and what really happens when books hit the big screen.

Crime meets cinema. Page meets power. And nothing’s off the table.