Book Talk: There's Only One Sin in Hollywood by Rasheed Newson

Join us as we welcome TV writer, producer, and novelist Rasheed Newson in celebration of his newest novel There's Only One Sin in Hollywood!

On Thursday, June 11, we'll be welcoming Rasheed Newson for a discussion of his newest novel, There's Only One Sin in Hollywood, a sharp-witted and cinematic novel following a backlot fixer's investigation into the suspicious death of a closeted Black actor, set against the backdrop of glamorous Hollywood. Rasheed will be joined in conversation with Michael LaBorn, founder of Left Unread Books. Q&A and book signing will follow discussion.

About the Book

“Deliciously witty… There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a quintessential Hollywood novel and an LA classic for our times." —Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty, Rhythm

Xavier C. Barlow, one of Hollywood’s young Black stars taking the industry by storm in the late 1950s, is Skyline Studios’s ambitious attempt to rival Sidney Poitier. His arrival into the industry is calculated, his charm is magnetic, and his seductive screen presence appeals to both audiences and celebrities across generations.

But years later, after Xavier dies at the height of his fame, Aaron Touissant—Skyline’s designated backlot fixer who helps the studio’s stars stay as deep in the closet as humanly possible—is finally ready to expose the powerful culprits responsible for his untimely death.

Written from Aaron's panoramic lens, There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood is a searing portrait of the movie industry as a manicured minefield and a compelling journey into the queer history of Los Angeles.

Rasheed Newson is the author of the national bestseller My Government Means to Kill Me, which was selected as a Lambda Literary finalist for Gay Fiction and was named one of the “100 Notable Books of 2022” by The New York Times. He is also a television drama writer, producer, and showrunner. He codeveloped Bel-Air and worked on The Chi, Animal Kingdom, and Narcos, among other drama series. Newson is a 2025–26 American Library in Paris Visiting Fellow. He currently lives with his husband and their two children in Pasadena.

Michael LaBorn is the founder of Left Unread Books, an imprint under Bindery Books, where he advocates to disrupt the publishing industry on behalf of authors of color in search of somewhere for their voices to be heard. Additionally, he is a bookish influencer who uses his platform to advocate for authors in the margins and to challenge systemic barriers in the industry.