By AFRO Staff
If you ask anyone over the age of 45 who are their top five singers, you can bet Luther Vandross is in the count!
This year is the 25th Anniversary of Luther Vandross’s Christmas album “This Is Christmas” and featured the popular song “Every Year, Every Christmas.”
Novelist, screenwriter, award-winning playwright, and author Anthony Lamarr has released his third book inspired by Vandross hit song just in time for the holidays.
“The lyrics told a story that was heartfelt and moving,” Lamarr says. “Then Luther’s masterful vocal delivery added genuine emotions and made the story real It instantly became one of my favorite holiday songs.”
During Christmas 2018, Lamarr decided to do something about the song and the story.
“Every Year, Every Christmas,” centers around Bryant Fuller, a newspaper reporter, who returns to a small café in Chicago in hopes of reuniting with Cassie, a beautiful woman he met and fell in love with at the café on an unforgettable Christmas Eve four years ago.
“I was in the car when “Every Year, Every Christmas” came on the radio,” Lamarr recalls. “It was my first time hearing the song since the previous Christmas. As soon as it came on, Bryant and Cassie’s story started to replay in my mind. Right then, I knew it was time to put their story on paper.”
The novel’s film rights were acquired by D’Angela Proctor’s Undaunted Co.. Proctor is a former director of development for Code Black Films / Lionsgate and the director of original programming for TV-One.
The novel, which went on sale in October, has received positive reviews thus far from critics and fans alike.
“Anthony Lamarr shows how love transcends the boundaries of time and stays aflame… Lamarr makes his characters so realistic that readers cannot help rooting for them, cheering them on, or secretly wishing for a happy ending. I would recommend this book not only to those who appreciate romance but also to anyone who needs a feel-good story right now,” wrote Readersfavorite.com’s Shrabastee Chakraborty.
One Amazon customer wrote,
“This book is so great and holds your attention with adding suspense. I didn’t want to put it down when reading. I enjoyed this book so much I ordered one for my cousin!”
“I wanted to capture the magic of a chance meeting and instant romance between two strangers on Christmas Eve, and I hope that’s what I’ve done,” Lamarr explains.
“I love writing and literature, but I’m also a lyricist and a shower singer,” Lamarr reveals. “So, music has a major impact on my writing.”
“Every Year, Every Christmas” is available for purchase on Amazon.com.