United States - October 10, 2026 - Independent author Catherine Bator announces the release of her debut historical thriller, A Good, Hard Slap: A Novel of Early Hollywood.

Set in January 1930, the novel follows seven women connected to a movie studio's stenography pool whose effort to protect one of their own draws them into a dangerous struggle over secrets, loyalty, and power.

At the fictional Kaplan Talking Pictures, the transition from silent films to talkies is transforming the business.