Debut Novel out NOW
Mario moreno’s
killa
a mixtape novella
An aspiring emcee faces death in a contest for a record deal.
In a hip-hop reimagining of Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera.
Told in the style of an epic rap.
"…features gory murders, a kidnapping, and a truly shocking plot twist. …will likely have readers nodding their heads as they read.”
—Kirkus Reviews (featured review)
"It’s as if John Carpenter wrote The Odyssey while blasting hip-hop. A genre-bending descent into fear and flow."
—Anthony Grieco, Academy Nicholl Fellowship Award-winning writer of Best Sellers
"Destined to be a future classic. Thrilling, poignant, and a word-lover's dream, Moreno's lyrical mastery casts a wicked spell."
—Lily Dahl, writer Chicago Med
“Mario possesses that invaluable quality that cannot be taught: a brilliant antenna for story.”
—Henry Dunham, Screenwriter/Director (The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, The Awareness)
“No one knows story like Mario. He is a king of character, a prince of plot lines and a master of dialogue. Most of all, he is a lover of the craft.”
—Katiedid Langrock, Writer, Story Editor (Emmy-nominated Mc2, Sesame Street, Berry Bees, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures, Hello Kitty)
mario Moreno
Mario is a Cuban-Colombian-American author, screenwriter, and former graffiti artist, Bronx-born, Miami-raised. He’s written stories for Columbia Pictures, Rabbit Bandini, and the National Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts (INCAA). The grandson of bandleader Belisario López, Mario dreamt of playing the bass. But his father went to prison for crimes involving the White House and the mob, and Mario ended up writing noirs about the American Dream. He’s also the Product Manager for Final Draft, driving the development of the industry-standard screenwriting software while advocating for storytellers. "KILLA," adapted from his Austin Film Festival-finalist script, is his dark love letter to hip-hop and gothic horror. He lives in Los Angeles.
