Ormond author in 6th place for international manuscript competition

Though he's written screenplays, this is David Byrne's first ever novel.

By Emily Blackwood
| 2:00 p.m. November 2, 2016

David Byrne (Courtesy photos)

"Shady Place" is currently in sixth place in the 2016 Launch Pad Manuscript Competition.

Ormond Beach Observer
Neighbors

Ormond Beach author David Byrne is currently in sixth place in the 2016 Launch Pad Manuscript Competition, a program dedicated to discovering new authors and working with them to introduce their work to the entertainment and publishing industry. The winner gets signed by an agency, and three winners will have their works published.

Byrne's book, "Shady Place," is about a retired Philly detective who moves to a 55 and up community only to he find out that his new neighbor is the former mob boss he spent his career trying to put away. The unlikely duo team up to solve a string of murders only they believe exist.

"I actually had the idea for more than a decade," the real estate agent and screenwriter said. "I wrote it as a screenplay first, and then decided to do it as a novel so it was easier to get out into the world."

Byrne made the cut from the original 75 finalists, down to the top 50. He's only 16 pre-sales away from making third-place and getting the book published. That part of the competition ends Nov. 8.

To pre-sale Byrne's book and help him win the competition, visit shadyplacenovel.com.