{"name": "Serita Stevens", "bio": {"type": "/type/text", "value": "Serita Deborah Stevens\r\nBorn in Chicago, Serita (a registered nurse) came out to Los Angles when offered a teaching job at USC.  With her master\u2019s in writing (with honors) from Antioch University in London, England, she went on to become well known in the romance and mystery field. \r\n\r\nWorking as an investigative reporter for CBS (Chicago), she helped discover a hospital in the northern suburb who pretended to heal cancer patients with falsified alternative methods.\r\n\r\nHer first published book This Bitter Ecstasy, a historical romance from Pocket Books was her introduction to the film industry when she was asked  if she could write a treatment of the book for possible adaptation.  She continued writing historical romances including Tame the Wild Heart \u2013 a story of James II\u2019s foray into Ireland; Daughters of Desire \u2013 French Canada , Lightning and Fire \u2013 a dramatized story of Deborah, the prophet (Judges 4/5-The script was finalist in several contests including Karios.) \r\n\r\nTurning her attention to mystery and suspense she wrote historical suspense as  The Bloodstone Inheritance, (young adult mysteries )  Unholy Alliance (nominated for Best Book for the Reluctant Reader from the American Library Association,) Deceptive Desire (a western female driven suspense now in script form as Logan\u2019s Land optioned several times) Red Sea, Dead Sea and Bagels For Tea (the Fanny Zindel novels \u2013 a Jewish Murder She Wrote) and many more, including ghosting and adaptations.  She was hired by the studio to write the prequel of the TV series Cagney and Lacey.  Her award winning short story, The Unborn, about an unborn child who vows revenge on her mother\u2019s killer is a short and will soon be out as a feature and a book. \r\n\r\nAs an RN trained in forensics she assists writers with their medical, investigative and forensic questions for their stories.  Her two non-fiction books are\u2013 The Book of Poisons \u2013 written in plain English helps writers to correctly murder their victims.  On October 22, 2016, she appears as the poison expert on True Nightmares \u2013Investigation Discovery.  Her book, The Forensic Nurse \u2013shows how nurses help police solve crimes.   Serita was awarded from University of Illinois College of Nursing for contributions to nursing with her forensic nurse book. A pilot and scripted TV series package for this character driven procedural, Nursing The Evidence is now in consideration.\r\n\r\nWriting for professional \u2013 law and nursing magazines, as well as lifestyle, travel, and general publications, she has had nearly 40 books published by Pocket Books, Fawcett, Zebra, Leisure, St Martin\u2019s Press, Writer\u2019s Digest, Oak Tree Press, Hard Shell, Motivational Press, True North Press, Intrigue Press and others.\r\n\r\nHer first script was Murder Me Twice (a sci-fi thriller won several awards and was recently optioned again for a TV movie.) Other awarded scripts include Mother In Law (a female driven buddy dramady with a supernatural twist based on the Fanny Zindel character,)  A Match Made in Heaven (a supernatural romantic comedy inspired by true events,) Simon Sez, (aka Angel Wings)  a kids adventure with a Chinese twist,  Against Her Will (a teen drama book and script based on true events,) and The Master\u2019s Will \u2013 A PAGE AWARDS SEMI-FINALIST (book and script based on true events.  She currently is working book and script for The Mark of the Dragon \u2013 a sci-fi romantic suspense with director Sean McNamara and Lynda Ryan.\r\n\r\nOther TV pilots include Golden Murders (The Nanny meets Murder She Wrote -based on her Fanny Zindel mystery series,)  her spec pilot Gangsta \u2013 winner of Writer\u2019s Boot Camp and Talentville contests that deals with South Central gangs and the police that work with them, Yo Nun \u2013 an urban sitcom,  and Alex With A Z\u2013 a teen sitcom.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nHer recent book, The Ultimate Writers Workbook for Books and Scripts (Motivational Press) is based on her teaching at various universities and conferences.  She is a frequent speaker at conferences on the craft of writing and adaptations and continues to mentor writers and teach on various subjects like mystery writing and script vs book writing and lectures with Changing Images in America \u2013 Women Helping Women. \r\n\r\nSerita is a past board member for Film Industry Network (FIN), the Caucus, and often helped writers at now defunct Alameda Writers Group (AWG.)  An active member of Women In Film (WIF) she participated in their  PSA team where she wrote the Emmy nominated public service announcement for St. Joseph\u2019s Care Center, Santa Monica, California.  Networking where she can she attends and helps out at Breaking Into Hollywood, Hollywood Breakfasts and other groups as Stage32 and Roadmap Writers. \r\n\r\nAfter adopting her Romanian daughter, she helped found the non-profit \u201cHearts for Romania,\u201d supporting the Romanian orphans left behind.   She has judged for the SET awards \u2013 honoring films and shows with scientific correctness and numerous other contests.\r\n\r\nHer international fans urged her to join the Hollywood International Film Festival as a board member and she assists with that now.  Recently, she joined the team of Vesuvian Media Group as VP of Special Projects \u2013 assisting with acquisitions and the foundation.   Recently she was given an award from the group Millionaires for a Cause in honor of her humanitarian work with her mentoring young writers and using her talents to bring important issues to light.\r\n\r\nIn addition, she is a regular freelance journalist for LA Splash Magazine covering film, theatre, entertainment industry events, health topics, and travel."}, "birth_date": "1949", "alternate_names": ["Megan MacDonnell;", "Serita Deborah Stevens", "Serita Mendelson Stevens", "Serita, Mendelson Stevens"], "photos": [14560282], "personal_name": "Serita Stevens", "links": [{"title": "Author website", "url": "https://seritastevens.org/biography/", "type": {"key": "/type/link"}}], "type": {"key": "/type/author"}, "remote_ids": {"isni": "000000008458631X", "viaf": "101912819", "wikidata": "Q124030290", "imdb": "nm1070366", "lc_naf": "n90615867"}, "key": "/authors/OL715660A", "latest_revision": 10, "revision": 10, "created": {"type": "/type/datetime", "value": "2008-04-01T03:28:50.625462"}, "last_modified": {"type": "/type/datetime", "value": "2025-08-01T04:33:57.077137"}}