Alan Lazar

Alan Lazar

Alan lives with his family and three dogs in Los Angeles, California. ROAM is his first novel.

Alan has scored more than 30 films and TV shows, including Sex and the City and An American Crime, starring Ellen Page and James Franco, and for which Catherine Keener received an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination. Alan's score for Gangster's Paradise/Jerusalema was rated one of the best scores of 2010 in Film Music magazine. A wildlife documentary he scored for National Geographic, Swamp of the Baboons, was nominated for Best Nature Programming in the 2010 Emmys. Most recently he wrote the catchy theme for Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. He is CEO of Lalela Music, a production music library for film and TV.

He was born in South Africa, where he was keyboard player and producer in multi-platinum selling band Mango Groove. They performed at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela. He also wrote African Dream, a Song of the Decade nominee. He travelled to the US as a Fulbright Scholar, and completed his MFA at USC Film School.

About Roam:

They say you never forget your first love…

Born under a sparkling crescent moon, Nelson is a bright-eyed, inquisitive, half beagle, half poodle who likes nothing more than following his always-twitching nose.  He lives with Katey and Don, newlyweds whose marriage is straining under the pressures of domesticity, but Katey’s devotion to Nelson buoys the pup even as he worries his home may be falling apart.

But there are few things Nelson likes better than to follow a scent, and one day, he follows his nose and get lost…very lost.  Though he searches frantically for Katey—and she for him—Nelson can’t seem to find his way home, and he soon realizes that if he’s ever to find his Great Love again, he must make his way on his own and try to survive in the wild.

Over the course of eight years, ROAM follows Nelson as crosses the country searching for a way home.  For a time he rides shotgun with a truck driver named Thatcher; then he lives in the woods with a pack of wolves.   One day a terrible accident takes his hind leg, but Nelson’s ever-strong spirit and will to find Katey keep him alive.  Escaping death in a shelter, Nelson grows into an old dog with a cynical eye and a world-weary demeanor, but underneath it all, a fearless and courageous will.  After all, he believes that one day he’ll make it home…and maybe, just maybe, he will…

Much more than the story of one dog's incredible journey, this is a deeply moving story of survival and enduring love, which once again confirms the unbreakable bond between humans and their best friends.  In the tradition of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN and THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE, ROAM is an unforgettable tale of love lost and found, the trials that test families, and an affirmation that no matter how far or how long you may travel, there’s always a place you can call home.’

ROAM features a seven part soundtrack written by the author especially for this book!

Alan Lazar is a platinum-selling musician/composer whose career began in his native South Africa. He lives in Los Angeles, where he has composed music for more than 30 films and TV shows. This is his first novel. 

Advance Praise for ROAM

"I loved the curious, adventurous spirit of Nelson. ROAM shows some of the things I love most about dogs--their unconditional love, loyalty, instinct, connection to Mother Nature, and of course, their powerful noses! We can all learn and take something away from his journey." 
--Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer"

Alan Lazar knows dogs, and to know a dog is to love a dog.  ROAM compassionately explores and celebrates the heart and mind of man’s best friend and the special bond we share”
 –Patrick McDonnell, New York Times bestelling author of THE GIFT OF NOTHING

"With the mesmerizing simplicity of a classic silent film, ROAM tells the heart-breaking (and yes, heart-warming) story of Nelson, an adventurous and brave little dog as memorable as John Grogan's Marley, Kate deCamillo's Edward Tulane and even Chaplin's Little Tramp .  Without a word of dialogue, Lazar tells an epic tale almost entirely from Nelson's point of view, but his canine hero's stirring quest is no different than Quixote's--a death-defying, wonder-inducing search for love."
–David Frankel, director of “Marley and Me” and “The Devil Wears Prada.”

 

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Alan Lazar Official Website

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