A Good Family - Promo & Giveaway

Summary:

Meet the Brunsons of Downers Grove, Illinois. Henry is the once-magical father, whose fear of aging and endangered career lead him to the nightclubs of Chicago's Viagra Triangle. His wife Julie struggles to reclaim her life with a bottle of Zoloft and dreams of her youthful independence. Charlie, the golden-boy son, leaves the lucrative job his father arranged to serve in Afghanistan--and returns angry, damaged and uncertain of his place in the world. And Barkley, the bumbling youngest, is an aspiring writer of geeky science fiction stories now interviewing for his first job at a forbidding Catholic high school. 

When Henry's health abruptly declines, he tries to return to the home and the life he had dominated. But his family, once totally dependent on his love, physical strength, and income, no longer needs him. As Julie, Charlie, and Barkley begin to find their ways forward, Henry tries desperately to bring them back together. In the end, each one will arrive at a new understanding of what family can--and cannot--be. Unusually assured and perceptive, combining narrative drive with humor, insight, and powerful family dynamics, A Good Family is a memorable debut by former high school teacher Erik Fassnacht.

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About the Author:

Erik Fassnacht was born and raised in Chicago. Spurred by a lifelong desire to write, he left his job as a high school English instructor to get his MFA at Columbia College, where he wrote his debut novel, A Good Family.

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A Good Family by Erik Fassnacht

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A Window Opens - Promo & Giveaway

Summary:

In A Window Opens, beloved books editor at Glamour magazine Elisabeth Egan brings us Alice Pearse, a compulsively honest, longing-to-have-it-all, sandwich generation heroine for our social-media-obsessed, lean in (or opt out) age. Like her fictional forebears Kate Reddy and Bridget Jones, Alice plays many roles (which she never refers to as “wearing many hats” and wishes you wouldn’t, either). She is a mostly-happily married mother of three, an attentive daughter, an ambivalent dog-owner, a part-time editor, a loyal neighbor and a Zen commuter. She is not: a cook, a craftswoman, a decorator, an active PTA member, a natural caretaker or the breadwinner. But when her husband makes a radical career change, Alice is ready to lean in—and she knows exactly how lucky she is to land a job at Scroll, a hip young start-up which promises to be the future of reading, with its chain of chic literary lounges and dedication to beloved classics. The Holy Grail of working mothers―an intellectually satisfying job and a happy personal life―seems suddenly within reach.

Despite the disapproval of her best friend, who owns the local bookstore, Alice is proud of her new “balancing act” (which is more like a three-ring circus) until her dad gets sick, her marriage flounders, her babysitter gets fed up, her kids start to grow up and her work takes an unexpected turn. Readers will cheer as Alice realizes the question is not whether it’s possible to have it all, but what does she―Alice Pearse―really want?

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About the Author:

Elisabeth Egan is the books editor at Glamour.  Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Self, Glamour, O, People, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Huffington Post, The New York Times Book Review, LA Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, and the Newark Star-Ledger.  She lives in New Jersey with her family.

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A Measure of Happiness - Review & Giveaway

Review by Marlene Engel

Since Celeste’s parents left Hidden Harbor, Katherine has been like a mother to her.  The owner of Lamontagne’s Bakery, Katherine thought she might take an early retirement and sell the bakery to Celeste.  But when she has a change of heart, Celeste takes off to New York to start a new chapter in her life.  When that doesn’t work out for her, she makes her way back to Hidden Harbor, tail between her legs, and back at the bakery again. 

When Zach walks through the bakery doors, Katherine looks like she’s seen a ghost.  She can’t believe that the baby she gave up so many years ago is in her store.  However, neither of them let on that they know who the other is.  Instead Zach acts as if he’s there to apply for a job.  And, to the surprise of Celeste, Katherine actually hires him.  It’s when she looks at the birthdate he puts on the job application that it confirms that he indeed is her son. 

Both Katherine and Celeste have endured heartache in the past.  But it’s not until Zach comes into their lives that he helps them to heal and laugh again.  A story equally heartwarming and emotional, A Measure of Happiness is what amazing stories are made of.  It’s a story about life choices, family, facing your fears and searching for things missing in one’s life. 

Lorrie Thomson does an amazing job taking serious subject such as abandonment, adoption and date rape and turning them into a story you won’t soon forget.  Full of relatable characters, a storyline so powerful that it will grab hold of you from the first page, and so much emotion that it oozes off the pages, A Measure of Happiness is a must read for all.

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About the Author:

I grew up as an only child in the city of Boston and dreamed of living with a big family in an antique white New Englander, on a quiet street with neighbors who stopped for chats at the stonewall. I also dreamed of writing novels for a living. Let’s just say, if I’d known the power of visualization, I would’ve thrown in a mountain view. I’m working on it.

When my youngest child was three, I decided to pursue the writing dream for real, and got down to the hard work of putting words to paper. Three novels, and a mere ten years later, I got “the call” from my wonderful agent, telling me we had an offer for my debut novel and making my author dream come true.

I now live in New Hampshire with my husband and our three children. When I’m not reading, writing, or hunting for collectibles, they let me tag along for camping adventures, day-long paddles, and hikes up 4,000-footers, so I can get a taste of that coveted mountain-view.

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Thrill Me - 12 Things About Susan Mallery

“12 Things about Susan Mallery”

Author of Thrill Me

1.    Susan's first two books were published the same month—January 1992—when she was just out of college. One was a historical romance titled Frontier Flame, which she wrote under the name Susan Macias. The other was a Silhouette Special Edition titled Tender Loving Care.

2.    Susan was rejected so many times by Harlequin Presents that the editors asked her to stop submitting. They later took it back, but by then, she was happily writing for Silhouette.

3.    After majoring in Accounting, Susan is one of the few writers who can understand her royalty statements.

4.    Susan has three pets—a toy poodle and two ragdoll cats. The toy poodle, Nikki, is six pounds. Both cats already outweighed her when they came into the Mallery household as kittens. Alex and Lucy are siblings.

5.    A soft spot in her heart for animals led Susan to become active in the Seattle Humane Society. She has donated "Your Pet in a Novel" to their live auction a number of times, and has incorporated several winning owners' pets into her characters' lives.

6.    Susan has published more than 150 books and novellas. A Printable Backlist is available at www.SusanMallery.com under the Books tab. 122 of these are available in ebook format, including her latest book, Thrill Me, a Fool's Gold romance. At readers' request, a checkbox is provided next to each book so you can mark off the ones you've read.

7.    Susan loves wine. (Okay, maybe that one doesn't surprise you. Chocolate probably won't be a shocker, either.)

8.    She'll send a map of Fool's Gold to any reader who wants one. Or rather, her assistant will, but with Susan's full approval. Details are on the Freebies page at www.SusanMallery.com.

9.    Susan has a genuine Emmy. It was awarded to her father for technical achievement in lighting.

10.Susan believes that she can find inspiration for at least one book in every country song. Often, the inspiration doesn't come from the lyrics themselves, but rather from the emotions. This belief is one of the things that led her to write Hold Me, a Fool's Gold romance featuring Destiny Mills, who wrote songs in secret when the emotions became too strong to resist.

11.After one of her books has been out for about a year, Susan likes to listen to it on audio so she can learn from the experience. (She's always striving to make each book better than the last.) But she cannot stand to listen to her sex scenes. When they come on, she turns down the volume and hums to cover the sound.

12.Susan adores her readers. She has a group of 200 readers, the Review Crew, who get each of her books early and for free, as long as they agree to post two reviews online before a certain deadline. (That's not a typo… there are two hundred readers on the Susan Mallery Review Crew!) The only way to find out about the next Review Crew sign-up is to join the mailing list at www.SusanMallery.com.

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About the Author:

Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including the uber-popular Fool's Gold romances. Her latest book, Thrill Me, introduces the five fabulously sexy Mitchell brothers. Del Mitchell, the eldest, has just returned to his California hometown after making a fortune designing a sky surfboard that cemented his status as an extreme sports superstar. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

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The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach - Giveaway

Summary:

Young Adelia Monteforte begins the summer of 1941 aboard a crowded ship bound for America, utterly alone yet free of Fascist Italy. Whisked away to the seaside by her well-meaning aunt and uncle, she slowly begins to adapt to her new life. That summer, she basks in the noisy affection of the boisterous Irish-Catholic boys next door, and although she adores all four of the Connally brothers, it's the eldest, Charlie, she pines for. But all hopes for a future together are throttled by the creep of war and a tragedy that hits much closer to home.

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About the Author:

Pam Jenoff is the author of several novels, including The Kommandant's Girl, which received widespread acclaim, earned her a nomination for the Quill Awards and became an international bestseller. She previously served as a Foreign Service Officer for the U.S. State Department in Europe, as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon and as a practicing attorney at a large firm and in-house. She received her juris doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in history from Cambridge University and her bachelor’s degree in international affairs from The George Washington University. Pam Jenoff lives with her husband and three children near Philadelphia where, in addition to writing, she teaches law school. Pam would love to skype with your book club or library group!

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Lessons From Tara - Giveaway

Summary:

David Rosenfelt's loyal readers of the Andy Carpenter series are familiar with Tara, the golden retriever sidekick. Many also got to know Tara from Dogtripping, David's nonfiction book about becoming a slightly nutty dog rescuer and the dog that started it all. Here, finally, is a book all about the inspirational canine who taught David everything he knows. Well, he did know how to tie his shoes before he met and came to love Tara, but that's about it.

Through Tara, David learned about dating, about being able to share his emotions, and also about everyday stuff like who gets to use the pillow if several dogs are sleeping in your bed (clue: It's not the human) and why random barking will never be something that can be eliminated. Lessons From Tarais infused with David's trademark wry and self-deprecating sense of humor, and will move readers to tears and laughter.

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About the Author:

I am a novelist with 27 dogs.

I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.

My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically, laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, “Ozzie and Harriet’s” clan seemed bizarre.

I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every “Rambo”, “The Natural” and “Rocky”, there are countless disasters.

I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.

A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It’s safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.

About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It’s total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.

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Lessons From Tara by David Rosenfelt

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A Paris Affair - Review & Giveaway

Review by Darcie Czajkowski

To some it’s illicit, to others it’s expected.

Affair. Is it a dirty word?

In Paris, a man’s predilection for extramarital dalliances is well-established, notorious even. And the women who marry these men do not live in the dark. They are fully aware that they may be sharing their husband with another, or many other, women.

But when it ultimately happens and they learn the truth, do all women accept the act of disloyalty? Should they accept it as expected, inevitable even, and sweep it under the proverbial rug? Or are there other options, leaving? Revenge?

In A Paris Affair, de Rosnay explores the complex layers of infidelity within the confines of steamy, sultry Paris. Everyone handles unfaithfulness, whether expected or not, one time or perennial, in a different way. De Rosnay, through these short stories, illustrates this concept by drawing the reader into the lives of Paris’ elite. She packs raw emotion, sharp, sometimes sardonic, wit, and heart-wrenching tragedy into each tale and stitches them together to form this compulsively addictive book. It’s a quick read, one which will leave you yearning achingly for more.

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About the Author:

Tatiana de Rosnay was born on 28 September 1961 in Neuilly-sur-Seine. His father is French of Russian origin, his mother English. She describes herself as "Franglaise" and raised in Boston and Paris. After studying literature in England, at the University of East Anglia, Tatiana worked in Paris as a journalist for Vanity Fair, Psychologies, IT and the JDD.

Tatiana de Rosnay has published his first novel, The Show flat in 1992. Since then she has published a dozen books, including Sarah, sold nine million copies worldwide and brought to the screen by Gilles Paquet-Brenner in 2010. Four of his novels are being adapted Boomerang, Spirals, Moka and the Voisin. His favorite novelist Daphne du Maurier is, it published the biography in March 2015, Manderley For Ever, nominated for the 2015 Goncourt Prize winner and Biography of Hossegor Biography 2015. 

Bilingual, Tatiana de Rosnay wrote some of his novels in English and others in French. His books are translated in forty countries and is on the list of the most read French novelists abroad, including the Netherlands and the USA. Her favorite themes are family secrets and memory walls.
She lives in France with his family. 

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A Paris Affair by Tatiana De Rosnay

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Whisper Beach - Review & Giveaway

Review by Deb Czajkowski

Vanessa Moran’s life at age seventeen was difficult, one might even say it was a huge mess, so much so that she ran away.  Well, it was more complicated than that.   Her father was unkind and unloving on the good days; drunk senseless on the rest.  Given that her mother was dead, killed in an accident, Vanessa waitressed evenings and weekends to buy food for her and her father.  The one bright spot in her life was Joe, her best friend and long-time boyfriend ─ until the night they had a fight that began a domino effect of misunderstandings, ending with Vanessa’s father throwing her out of the house.  No, that wasn’t quite the end.  Vanessa was also pregnant and humiliated.  Feeling hopeless and helpless, one day she just disappeared, leaving the whole town of Whisper Beach whispering… Where did she go?  Is she dead or alive?

Dorie is the owner of the Blue Crab, the restaurant where Vanessa waitressed.  Dorie also runs a safe house of sorts for anyone who needs help, primarily teenagers.  It was to Dorie’s house ─ to Dorie ─ that Vanessa went whenever she was afraid of her father, afraid to go home.  But as much as Vanessa cared about Dorie, not even Dorie knew why Vanessa disappeared that day or where she went.

Now, twelve years later, it’s Dorie who calls Vanessa home, ostensibly for the funeral of (Vanessa’s cousin and childhood best friend) Gigi’s husband.  And it’s Dorie that gives her reasons to stay ─ at least long enough to explore the secrets that still hold her silently but strongly captive.

Is Dorie the only person who is happy to see Vanessa return home?  It seems so.  Gigi is consistently conflicted, one moment almost clingy and the next, distant.  Joe hasn’t married, but he’s also not convinced that Vanessa is his answer for love.  Friends and family alike can’t seem to decide how to feel about Vanessa’s return ─ or Vanessa herself!  It’s (almost) enough to make a person turn around and walk away, again.

Author Shelley Noble sets the beginning scene of Whisper Beach at the funeral, present day.  Vanessa is back home, confronted by family and friends while she confronts her past.  But that’s the story here, the present, Vanessa’s life today ─ and maybe her tomorrow.  Of course we need to know how Vanessa became the person she is today, and why she chose to go left at the proverbial fork instead of right.  The author artfully reveals relevant information throughout the book, gradually filling in the blanks from the past while opening doors that leave us with hope for the future.

I could leave this review at that, but I’m choosing to add an addendum. It’s purely a personal partiality but also a bit of a spoiler alert, so don’t read this paragraph if you don’t want to know more than is given above.  I confess that I love books with happy endings, with at least the primary one or two loose ends tied up neatly at the end of the book.  And I especially love epilogues.  I love books that end with a heartfelt promise and then, with the epilogue, jut you into the future of the blissful people, allowing you, the reader, to share in their future joy.  Sigh.  Whisper Beach has a realistic ending that really is quite satisfying.  I very much liked Shelley Noble’s novel and I love her characters.  So I’m not complaining.  I’m just saying, given that Whisper Beach is the realistic version instead of the happy endings version and given there’s also no epilogue, could we please have a sequel?  I want to know more about the characters’ futures and, yes, to tie up those ends.  Shelley Noble, if you’re reading this… Think about it, okay? And then put me on your reader list, please!  J

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About the Author:

SHELLEY NOBLE is the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling Author of the women's fiction novel BEACH COLORS, a #1 Nook bestseller, STARGAZEY POINT three novellas, Holidays at Crescent Cove, Stargazey Nights, BREAKWATER BAY and WHISPER BEACH.

As SHELLEY FREYDONT she is the author of the CELEBRATION BAY FESTIVAL MYSTERIES (Berkley Prime Crime) as well and two other mystery series, and the upcoming Gilded Age Newport Mystery series. Her mysteries have been translated into ten languages.

A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. Shelley lives near the New Jersey shore where she loves to discover new beaches and indulge her passion for lighthouses and vintage carousels.

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Just the Facts - Promo

When English major Nora Plowright finds herself staring at college graduation as if at the edge of a cliff, she decides to become a newspaper reporter--and right away, she manages to get a job at a local paper (which you could still do in 1978). Although fearful by nature, Nora pursues a tip from a stranger and soon is investigating corruption at the Maryland State Highway Authority regarding the controversial placement of a new freeway. The developing scandal, with its shady "players," tests both her budding reportorial skills and her appetite for danger. Also, her passion for storytelling makes it increasingly difficult for her to stick to the facts.

Humorous and poignant, Just the Facts is a coming-of-age novel about finding one's way in the real world that will resonate with anyone who has struggled with figuring out what to do when she or he grows up.

Here’s what readers are saying:

“From the beginning of her first job after college—as a staff reporter for a small Maryland newspaper—Nora Plowright pretty much knows she's happier writing about well-trained cockatiels and a school ban on potato chips than she is dealing with plane crashes, violent crime, and corruption. But nothing is as appealing to her as the variations on reality she rehearses in her mind as she drives from one assignment to the next. This is a touchingly honest and very funny twist on the cub-reporter-earns-her-stripes theme, and Nora is great company as she faces her (mostly) irrational fears, unexpected suitors, unsavory politicians . . . and a very dangerous bag of peppermint puffs.”—Jane Schwartz, author of Caught and Ruffian: Burning from the Start

“Ellen Sherman has written a smart, funny, and accomplished novel. Just the Facts provides both an inside view of the world of a small-town newspaper and an engaging portrait of a young woman at a pivotal point in her life.”—Kitty Burns Florey, author of The Writing Master

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About the Author:

Ellen Sherman received her MFA from the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, and has worked as a journalist, editor, and teacher. She also has worked as a proofreader, tutor, Girl Scout cookie counter, and training coordinator for literacy volunteers – all afternoon positions so that she could write in the mornings. Her first published novel is Monkeys on the Bed. Besides writing, her passions are choral singing, playing tennis, traveling, sampling new candy, and most of all, hanging out with family and friends.

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The Secret Sister - Promo & Giveaway

Summary:

Did she once have a sister? Has her mother lied all these years? Why?

After a painful divorce, Maisey Lazarow returns to Fairham, the small island off the South Carolina coast where she grew up.  She goes there to heal—and to help her brother, Keith, a deeply troubled man who’s asked her to come home. But she refuses to stay in the family house because the last person she wants to see is the wealthy, controlling mother she escaped years ago.Instead, she finds herself living next door to someone else she’d prefer to avoid—Rafe Romero, the wild, reckless boy to whom she lost her virginity at sixteen. He’s back on the island, and to her surprise, he’s raising a young daughter alone. Maisey’s still attracted to him, but her heart’s too broken to risk…

Then something even more disturbing happens. She discovers a box of photographs that evoke distant memories of a little girl, a child Keith remembers, too. Maisey believes the girl must’ve been their sister, but their mother claims there was no sister.

She’s convinced that child existed. So where is she now?

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About the Author:

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Many of her novels have won or placed in contests such as the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Write Touch, the Award of Excellence and the Beacon Award for Published Authors.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. She juggles her writing career with her children’s softball and soccer games, field trips, carpool runs and homework sessions.

When she’s not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually working on her annual fundraiser for diabetes research—an on-line auction held at her website May 1st – May 31st. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking–she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!

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Star Craving Mad - Promo & Giveaway

      

Maddy Braverman, thirty and single, has taught first grade at an uber-elite private school in Greenwich Village for the past six years, a hip downtown school lauded as much for its progressive pedagogy as its priveleged progeny̵and its multitude of sex-crazed staff̵including the headmaster, AKA the Head Molester. Angry at herself for not moving on, Maddy gets distracted from her pity party with a new student̵Lola Magdalena, daughter of A-list celebrities Nic and Shelby Seabolt̵a last-minute addition to her class roster. 

When tragedy strikes Lola, Maddy has the chance to meet with Nic in his TriBeCa apartment. Maddy’s sexy celebrity fantasies turn to reality, leaving her breathless and spellbound. But from her front-row vantage point, Maddy learns the hard way that celebrity is not all it seems, and gets dealt a devastating blow that could leave her jobless, loveless and alone. If she could just see things clearly she could save herself from going Star Craving Mad.

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1.  What was your biggest inspiration while writing your book?

Working at an elite private school in NYC AND suffering a way-too-long celebrity obsession. You could say that writing this book was an exorcism of really masochistic tendencies.

2.  Which character in your book is most like yourself?

So far I am always my protagonist. In Star Craving Mad, it’s Maddy Braverman. (Narcissm. Check. Self-investigation. Check. Desire to be a superstar. Checkarooney).

3.  What do you think is your lead character’s best trait?

Maddy is full of wonder, always questioning everything around her but most of all herself. She’s what I like to call a cynical optimist. And she’s honest—not full of shit or pretentious like some other characters (Rachel Tepper).

4.  What is your favorite scene in your novel?

One of my favorite scenes was not in the first generation of this novel. It’s toward the end when Maddy has her final wake-up call regarding her chosen false idols. I don’t want to give too much away, but the new scene makes my skin crawl. In the best of ways.

5.  What is your writing process?

Agonize, write something shitty, come up with a great idea, write five pages of it, lose interest, binge-watch House of Cards, take a nap, repeat until two or three personally important issues resonate deeply enough within me that I can stand to be married to them for at least three years, countless rewrites and a personality change that only slightly annoys my family.

6.  Where is your favorite place to write?

I have no special place. I don’t like to make anything into a ritual that becomes so precious it strangles the creative and productive impulse right out of you. I guess where I am right now at the kitchen counter, with my son pestering me, the dog scratching at my ankles and my protein shake sweating on the laminate countertop. It’s as good a place as any.

About the Author:

Elise A. Miller discovered her talent and passion for writing by accident, during a short-lived but rigorous acting pursuit in the late 1990s. She immediately began studying writing in earnest at Gotham Writers’ Workshop in New York City, and hasn’t looked back since. Elise completed courses in advanced fiction, memoir, novel writing, stand-up comedy and screenwriting. In 2000, she published her first piece in The Sun Magazine, and in 2002 she was one of the founding members of Little Red Writing Group in Brooklyn.

Elise lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two teeny rescue dogs. She blogs about everything and anything here, about her personal fitness journey at bodyenta.com and about creative writing coaching at beechwoodwriters.com.

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Star Craving Mad by Elise A Miller

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