Author Producer Lynn Isenberg Launches the Funeral Planner Trilogy of Novels to Kick off the 1St Annual Tribute Video Festival

Funeral Industry News September 28, 2011
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Author Producer Lynn Isenberg Launches the Funeral Planner Trilogy of Novels to Kick off the 1St Annual Tribute Video Festival

Marina Del Rey, CA – “The Funeral Planner” Trilogy Comedy Novels inspire laughter, tears, and a re-think of how to celebrate a life. Protagonist, Maddy Banks, is a serial entrepreneur and when both saddened and frustrated by a canned eulogy at her best friend’s funeral, launches Lights Out EnterprisesTM (http://LightsOutEnterprises.com), creating meaningful experiences to remember and The Tribute Network (http://TheTributeNetwork.com). The Trilogy’s titles are “The Funeral Planner,” “The Funeral Planner Goes to Washington” and the new release “The Funeral Planner Goes Global.” The novels have inspired the 1st annual Tribute Video Festival, online at http://TheTributeNetwork.com; with ceremonies to follow and an impressive Hollywood Jury with awards and recognition to filmmakers, families, and funeral directors alike.

The 1st Annual Tribute Video Festival begins in October with a soft launch and promotion on Fox Network affiliates and an official start in January at www.TheTributeNetwork.com (check site for details). Everyone, including funeral directors, is invited to submit life inspiring tribute videos which honor or memorialize a person or a pet that has had a significant positive impact on a life’s journey. Academy and Emmy award winning Hollywood writers and producers in film, TV, and advertising have joined the PSA/Tribute Video Festival Jury and include notable talent such as Emmy award winner David Shore, the creator of “House;” Adam Belanoff, writer-co-executive producer of “The Closer;” actress Roma Downey from “Touched by Angel;” Academy Award winner Sue Marx for “Young at Heart;” Fame’s Cynthia Gibb; Kevin Foxe, producer of “Jackson Horn,” “The Blair Witch Project;” Director Donald Petrie “Miss Congeniality,” “Mystic Pizza,” “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days;” Producer John Woldenberg “Exporting Raymond,” “The Visitor,”; Writer-Producer Jeff Sherman (“The Boys”); Producer-activist Stephen Nemeth of Rhino Films, (“Flow,” “Dogtown & Z Boys,”Ö), etc. Royalty-free music for tribute videos submitted to The Tribute Video Festival is provided by Musikkliptz, and by APM Music (wwwapmmusic.com), the world’s largest production music library with over 400,000 tracks.

The scripted television series, based on THE FUNERAL PLANNER trilogy novels, offers a refreshing take on love, loss, and life’s purpose as the unlikely ensemble become event planners in dark clothes creating Life Celebrations boomer style. Award winning Director Donald Petrie is on board (Miss Congeniality, How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days, Mystic Pizza, Grumpy Old Men) with the show set up at Fox TV Studios. Stay tuned for more. To see previous webisodic incarnations, visit The Funeral Planner Digital Web Series on Amazon, with Grammy award winner Joss Stone, Lifetime’s Marissa Ramirez, Fame’s Cynthia Gibb, and other notable talent.

Isenberg provides innovative ideas for Life Celebrations through the entrepreneurial eyes of Maddy Banks as well as her non-fiction books “Grief Tributes,” and “Grief Wellness.” In “The Funeral Planner,” Maddy forms Lights Out EnterprisesTM creating meaningful experiences to remember; followed by “The Funeral Planner Goes to Washington,” where she’s appointed Grief Czar by the President of the United States to solve a nationwide grief crisis induced by economic tsunamis and financial scandals. In “The Funeral Planner Goes Global,” Maddy is again called on by the President to help with US-China relations by solving China’s 5,000 year burial traditions affecting the need for arable lands in a mystery adventure. Cadillac Travel Agency now offers a trip through China following Maddy Banks’ adventures in “The Funeral Planner Goes Global.” Isenberg is also a spokesperson for THE LEGACY PIN, a symbol to honor those in mourning. “We are honored to have Lynn endorse the Legacy Pin which identifies a person experiencing loss and invites community support by acknowledging their process,” says Legacy Pin’s SVP Melissa Syme. Isenberg adds, “The Legacy Pin personifies My Grief Day from The Funeral Planner novels and gives birth to a new tradition that honors this process without shame or isolation. The Funeral Planner novels and non-fiction guidebooks (Grief Tributes, Grief Wellness) were inspired by own personal losses and I wish I’d had a Legacy Pin to wear at that time, to inspire the sharing of memories, which in and of itself is healing.”

The Funeral Planner and Tribute Video Festival are featured in the two hour reunion show of “Jackson Horn,” where a funeral brings the characters back together to face their past, present, and futures. As part of the show, characters create tribute videos. Jackson Horn airs October through March on Fox Network affiliates and a few CBS, NBC and CW networks. Jackson Horn includes branded integration of The Funeral Planner, LifeGem.com, 1800Flowers.com; and brings attention to the Wilbert Foundation and National Hospice Foundation.

ABOUT LYNN ISENBERG / THE FUNERAL PLANNER TRILOGY:

Lynn Isenberg is an Author and Producer in entertainment media (film, TV, digital, publishing, live events). She is a Life Celebration expert and Speaker. She is also Tribute Author for Shutterfly.com. She has been featured on The Today Show, Fox News, The New York Times, Business Week, MSN.com, NPR, and international media. She holds a BA in Literature and Film with an MBA Audit from the University of Michigan and Masters in Spiritual Psychology. Isenberg is the author of six books (My Life Uncovered, The Funeral Planner Trilogy, Grief Wellness and “Grief Tributes), and creator of The Funeral Planner Digital Series and now TV series. Her writing/producing credits include MGM/UA’s “Youngblood,” Tri-Star/Columbia Pictures’ “I Love you to Death”, “True Vinyl”, and the Fine Living Network’s popular series “i: Design.” The Funeral Planner Trilogy Novels and Digital Series are at Barnes & Noble, Nook, Amazon, Kindle, Sony eReader, Adobe eReader, Scribd.com, Amazon VOD.

ABOUT THE TRIBUTE NETWORK: The Tribute Network, founded in 2007, is a social media and video file sharing site for all things tribute related to inform, honor, entertain, and educate. TTN is the host of the Tribute Video Festival and endorsed by members of the entertainment industry to honor the people and pets who contribute in positive ways to a life’s journey. http://thetributenetwork.com