FROM BUDAPEST TO HOLLYWOOD
​Searching for the Promised Land
By Katherine (MK) Mitchell


An indelible story of resilience, hope, and the endless pursuit of a better life.
 
From the first heart thumping chapter of Katherine MK Mitchell’s memoir, detailing the longest day of her life— a covert journey by truck, buggy, and on foot while escaping communist Hungary with her mother— readers will be enthralled with this rollercoaster ride that takes her from Budapest to New York, and Hollywood.

Born in Nazi occupied Hungary during WWII, she survives the horror of being a war baby to becoming a promising ballerina, and then a nationally ranked gymnast, whose dreams are dashed in communist Hungary.  Her mother’s attempts to get them to the promised land of Israel fails.  They ultimately make it to the Midwest where she went from being a star gymnast to refugee dishwasher. Eventually finding their way to New York City, she became a model, before marrying an aspiring actor and heading to the promised land of Hollywood. 

Naïvely unaware of being the “dumb, abusable foreigner,” she pursues and fulfills several careers—talent agent, screenwriter, and a trial paralegal in Beverly Hills, while supporting her husband (who eventually became her ex) and their child. She is always on the threshold of a lucky break that never comes. The #MeToo syndrome of life in and out of Hollywood gradually taught her self-protection. Her Hollywood days are filled with well-known producers, actors, screen writers, and Hollywood elites. She has changed the names in most instances, but it is still a fun game of “Can you guess who that is?”

This heart-wrenching to hilarious story emotionally moves the reader on unexpected levels and celebrates its hell-and-back qualities. Through the good and the bad, and the many disappointments along the way, she remained grounded and hopeful, and never gave up on following her dream to being accepted as a writer. A remarkable story of courage, resilience and finally becoming who she wanted to be.    
ISBN: 979-8-9884613-6-4
Publisher: The Three Tomatoes Book Publishing
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Publication Date: October 2023
Genre: Memoir

ISBN: 979-8988461371
Publisher: The Three Tomatoes Book Publishing
Pages: 330
Format: Hardcover
Publication Date: November 2023
Genre: Memoir

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What Readers are saying...

“Katherine MK Mitchell's memoir is an emotional roller-coaster that spans continents and time periods. I hope young readers will learn what Socialism/Communism really delivers. From the very first chapter, where she recounts a daring escape from Communist Hungary to her remarkable path winding through Budapest, New York, and Hollywood, I was involved in her incredible journey. Her optimism, unwavering pursuit of a brighter future and self- deprecating humor serve as powerful reminders that even in life's harshest disappointments, one can rise above and become who they were meant to be." 
 ~ Ruta Lee, Actor, Author, Philanthropist
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“Reading Katherine MK Mitchell’s book From Budapest to Hollywood, I was amazed at her remarkable spirit. She recounts her ups and downs coming from a foreign land and seeking a new life.  Due to my own experience as a Hungarian immigrant, I was able to relate to her journey from Hungary as a foreigner and trying to make it in a new land.  Her ability to make inroads in Hollywood is a testament to her determination to succeed.  Making your way in Hollywood is hard for a native and for Katherine even harder. I enjoyed reading all the twists and turns of a well lived life.  The celebrities’ names have been changed but it was fun trying to guess the real identities.” 
~ Magda Katz, Entertainment Correspondent, Entertainment Event Producer
 “Katherine MK Mitchell, a self-described ‘professional refugee,’ vividly recounts her harrowing tale of fleeing the chaos of post-WW II Hungary and eventually landing in Tinseltown. There, she struggles to gain a foothold in the cutthroat entertainment industry while simultaneously juggling the demands of single motherhood and finding romance. These events do not always unfold in chronological order but it’s worth going back a few pages and refresh one’s memory to fully appreciate the author’s journey. I was disappointed when I got to the last page.  There were intimations of more interesting adventures yet to be revealed and I was eager to read them. I’ll look forward to the sequel.”
~ Joan Liman, MD, Actor, Writer, Director 
“I found Katherine MK Mitchell’s memoir, sometimes disturbing and other times endearingly humorous. She fought her way through obstacles unaware of the courage she possessed. Going from being a dishwasher in the mid-west to becoming an American writer, she is inspirational and enlightening as to the determination of what a young immigrant could accomplish. A story like this not only needs to be shared but is unique in many ways, surprising in the levels of emotion I, as a reader, experienced.  It was fun to look for incidents and people in her life to see if I could find connections with her fictional works— other books that I also highly recommend.”
~ J.J. Dahl, Esquire, Board Certified in Marital and Family Law
 "From Budapest to Hollywood, Katherine MK Mitchell's memoir captured me from the beginning where she talks about her and her mother's dangerous escape from Communist Hungary.  I was involved in her incredible journey, her joys, her fears, pitfalls, and recoveries. Going from refugee to American writer! Her positive attitude was inspirational to me and I am sure it will be to every reader.  Even when we think life has beaten us, we must believe in ourselves, do the work, go forward, and be the best that we can be."
  ~ Deborah LeBlanc, MMS PA-C, Dermatology Physician Assistant