Quentin Tarantino''s long-awaited first work of fiction - at once hilarious, delicious, and brutal - is the always surprising, sometimes shocking new novel based on his Academy Award-winning film.

RICK DALTON - Once he had his own TV series, but now Rick''s a washed-up villain-of-the week drowning his sorrows in whiskey sours. Will a phone call from Rome save his fate or seal it?

CLIFF BOOTH - Rick''s stunt double, and the most infamous man on any movie set because he''s the only one there who might have gotten away with murder . . .

SHARON TATE - She left Texas to chase a movie-star dream, and found it. Sharon''s salad days are now spent on Cielo Drive, high in the Hollywood Hills.

CHARLES MANSON - The ex-con''s got a bunch of zonked-out hippies thinking he''s their spiritual leader, but he''d trade it all to be a rock ''n'' roll star.

HOLLYWOOD 1969 - YOU SHOULDA BEEN THERE