FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Shameless Guilty Pleasure Best Describes This Over-the-top Drama – But With No Regretful Morning After Feeling

New York, NY, March 19, 2011 - Pretty People Are Highly Flammable (SFE Publishing) by Gerry Walker is a character-driven, scandalous, dark comedy-drama that follows the lives of five childhood friends, groomed to become high-powered, successful professionals. But somewhere on the road to the lush life, their secret addictions, backdoor trysts, unscrupulous decisions, and unhealed wounds catch up with them and threaten to destroy the loving, trusting bond they once built as kids. When a reunion thrusts their innermost demons to the surface, a devastating avalanche of events is unleashed, leaving one of them dead!

In the first of three books, Walker introduces the characters; unveiling their quirks, strengths, weaknesses and hopes. In Pretty People Are Highly Flammable readers share how the five met and what forces have begun to tear them apart. As the rug gets pulled out from beneath them one by one and they are forced to face the aftermath of their behaviors and choices, we start to see who might survive and who will not!

Andy, Charmaine, Emil, Karianna and Xavier make up the team of childhood friends. Andy, hopelessly in love with Emil, is the youngest in the group - a successful stand-up comedian and actor. Brash, bold, and rude describes his personality – qualities that also helped transform him into an international star.

Everything about Charmaine, drop-dead gorgeous and well educated, is HOT! Vivacious and outgoing, she wants everyone to be happy – herself first, of course, and her cherished dream is to find true love, get married and live happily ever after.

At thirty-six, Emil is a university professor and assistant pastor at a large Baptist church, as well as a recovering addict who is openly bisexual. Emil tends to find himself the object of the often strange and dangerous affection of others.

Karianna, on the other hand, is a former beauty queen with serious man issues. A heavy-hitting clinical social worker and born-again Christian, with a track record of helping recovering addicts, Karianna tells it like it is.

Then there’s Xavier: tall, dark and handsome – a master attorney who rarely loses a case. While a whiz in the courtroom he is sadly lacking when it comes to relationships; due in part to childhood insecurities that inhibit his ability to communicate with anyone.

Walker’s characters are exciting, well-developed and real, and his unique writing style makes readers feel they know them all intimately and are along for the exciting journey. A page-turner that moves forward at lightning speed, his story is a rollercoaster ride of thrilling twists and turns, steaming with scandal, that takes readers to the very edge in its finale - leaving them anxiously awaiting the sequel, Pretty People Make Great Projectiles.

Gerry Walker is an arts consultant and founding director of the art EMBRACE community arts program headquartered in Nashville, TN. Originally from Ohio, he is also a songwriter who has appeared onstage with Amy Grant and Jordin Sparks, and Onscreen in Margaret Cho's, "I'm The One That I Want." He currently lives in New York City.

For more information on the man behind Dirt Opera, visit www.dirtopera.com .

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TIP SHEET:

Delilah Marvelle, HQN author of Prelude To A Scandal: "Fantastically twisted, deliciously get down dirty, gritty and real, Pretty People Are Highly Flammable is seductively addictive and simply amazing. I loved every breathing moment of it and am officially a Gerry Walker fan for life!"

C. Morgan Kennedy: “You'll have trouble putting it down. “Mr. Walker has broken all the rules and created a true "dirt opera" that merits a strong following. The core story takes place over just under three days of time (yes, I flipped back to the front of the book to double check AND yes, it is really that great of a story - I've started my second read already). Back story is provided to help paint the rich details of the connections between the cast of characters. There are more than a few draw dropping twists and turns in this story. Mr. Walker's work is urban, contemporary and hip. The story moves at a fast clip and will definitely leave you wanting more!”

Amazon Reader: “Explosive drama that made me want more. This intriguing novel is a mental paradise. I was deeply immersed in each word. I fell in love w/each character!!! They were so compelling that even though they all had some WILD GREED about them, I just anticipated their greed to be fulfilled...I’ve actually missed my train stop a few times because this novel definitely kissed my mind and gratified my smile! All the characters are very well spoken and articulate which enhanced the suspense of the novel… a MUST READ!!!!”