Archive for the ‘Women's Fiction’ category

« Older Entries

Pieces of Happily Ever After

March 5th, 2010

Our Book in Bloom feature a spunky little girl, her broken-hearted mama and a husband-stealing starlet. (So *that’s* why her husband turned in his six-pack for six-pack abs!)

The funny, well-written Hollywood tale is a great one for anyone who enjoys Jennifer Weiner and Beth Harbison.

40047184.JPGPIECES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Irene Zutell

From the publisher:
What happens after “happily ever after”? Alice Hirsh is about to find out…

Alice, a former New Yorker who thought she’d never feel at home in the bizarre world of the San Fernando Valley, was adapting, raising her 5-year-old daughter while trying to keep her job and make her new house a home. When her attorney husband lands a trophy client – box-office queen Rose Maris – things begin to look up. Then Alex starts working late – a lot. He crunches his paunch into a six-pack and trades his Gap ensembles for Armani everything.

Soon, Rose and Alex’s affair blazes in the tabloids and Alice is plunged into trash-gossip hell. Her life crumbles around her as she navigates her newly single self through suburban LA –a place rife with porn stars, psycho soccer moms and nutty neighbors.

Is there a chance to wrest Alex from the Sexiest Woman Alive? And if so… would Alice want him back? And what about George–her college sweatheart? Or Johnny, a walking charm-bomb paparazzo? As Alice inventories the rubble of her life, she desperately searches for her bearings and is forced to ask herself what she really wants from life, love and herself.

About the Author
Irene Zutell began her career as a journalist. She has written for People, Us Weekly, The New York Times, the NY Daily News, Newsday, USA Today and others. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. You can visit her at www.irenezutell.com.

3 comments »

Posted in Books in Bloom, Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags:

The Murderer’s Daughter Release Day

January 19th, 2010

This week’s Book in Bloom features a novel compared to the likes of White Oleander and The Deep End of the Ocean. If you’re looking for am emotionally gripping tale, consider THE MURDERER’S DAUGHTERS by Randy Susan Meyer.

41gjyBJkUdL._SL500_AA240_ From the publisher:
A beautifully written, compulsively readable debut that deals with the aftermath of a shocking act of violence that leaves two young sisters with nothing but each other—in the tradition of White Oleander, this haunting novel is a testament to the power of family and the ties that bind us together, even as they threaten to tear us apart.

Mama was “no macaroni-necklace-wearing kind of mother.” She was a lipstick and perfume-wearing mother, a flirt whose estranged husband still hungered for her. After Mama threw him out, she warned the girls to never let Daddy in the house, an admonition that tears at ten-year-old Lulu whenever she thinks about the day she opened the door for her drunken father, and watched as he killed her mother, stabbed her five-year-old sister Merry and tried to take his own life.

Effectively orphaned by their mother’s death and father’s imprisonment, Lulu and Merry, unwanted by family members and abandoned to a terrifying group home, spend their young lives carrying more than just the visible scars from the tragedy. Even as their plan to be taken in by a well-to-do foster family succeeds, they come to learn they’ll never really belong anywhere or to anyone—that all they have to hold onto is each other.

As they grow into women, Lulu holds fast to her anger, denies her father’s existence and forces Merry into a web of lies about his death that eventually ensnares her own husband and daughters. Merry, certain their safety rests on placating her needy father, dutifully visits him, seeking his approval and love at the expense of her own relationships. As they strive to carve lives of their own, the specter of their father, unrepentant and manipulative even from behind bars, haunts them. And when they learn he’s about to be paroled, the house of cards they’ve built their lives on teeters on the brink of collapse.

Buy the book here.

No comments »

Posted in Books in Bloom, Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags:

Girlfriend (and Debut author) Marilyn Brant

October 5th, 2009

MarilynBrant[1]Marilyn Brant is in the reading lounge with me today, and we’re wearing our bunny slippers and drinking hot tea. (Don’t you think Jane Austen would approve?) See, in Marilyn’s creative debut, her protagonist hears the voice of Jane Austen, guiding her every move in her love life. Marilyn, thanks for coming by, especially on your debut week! So girlfriends, leave a comment on the best love advice you’ve ever been given and one lucky commenter will win an advanced reading copy of ACCORDING TO JANE signed and mailed by Marilyn herself. (randomly drawn at 9 p.m. CST and announced in the comments. Per usual, all BEbabes chapter members get one extra vote.)

If Oprah invited you on her show to talk about your book, what would the theme of that show be?
How becoming your “Best Self” can require many long years of soul searching and endless hours of listening to sappily sentimental ‘80s tunes.

What was the most fun scene in your book to write?
One scene I had a lot of fun with was the bar scene in the first chapter where my main character runs into her ex-high-school boyfriend for the first time in four years. It was a situation I had never experienced personally, but I could imagine the comical possibilities so clearly and feel and the frustration of my heroine as if I’d been the one standing there, facing the jerk and his latest girlfriend, while Jane Austen ranted about how “insufferable” he was.

Do you have a muse, good luck charm, writing vice?
Before I sold According to Jane, the manuscript was a Golden Heart finalist and my son, an avid coin collector who was 8 at the time, gave me one of his “special quarters” for good luck. I won the award and now keep his quarter on my desk for good luck and inspiration. As for writing vices–I have a terrible tendency to “quote” things (not just in dialogue, but in narrative). Oh, and I also use too many ellipses…

What do you write on (type of computer, or notebook, etc.) and where do you write?
I use every possible type of writing tool, and I use them everywhere. I have a desktop HP for my home office (I’m there most of the time), a Compaq laptop for coffee shop visits and I actually still draft a lot of scenes by hand on notebook paper. I’ve been known to use the occasional carryout menu or paper towel when necessary, too.

Have you had a “rock star” moment regarding your writing career? If so, what was it?
I’m a debut author, so I don’t expect name or sight recognition yet (and I happen to love anonymity, so I’m not rushing it!). But, right after my photo and book cover were printed in the library newsletter, I did get a flurry of phone calls and people stopping me at the local Piggly Wiggly to tell me they’d seen it… That I was famous (!!) and that everyone was going to be coming to my Author Talk. While I’m fairly certain not “everyone” will actually be at that talk, I look forward to assuring those who are that I’m really, seriously NOT famous.

What do you do to celebrate your writing successes?
I’m a huge fan of Thai spring rolls and English chocolate bars.

Describe your personality with five adjectives that would make your 5th grade English teacher proud.
Curious. Persistent. Observant. Analytical. Creative.

accordingtojane[1]According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

In Marilyn Brant’s smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart. . .
It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett’s teacher is assigning Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet “tsk” of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who’s teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author’s ghost has taken up residence in Ellie’s mind, and seems determined to stay there.
Jane’s wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go–sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane’s counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham.
Still, everyone has something to learn about love–perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie’s head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending. . .

Praise for ACCORDING TO JANE:
“A warm, witty and charmingly original story.” –Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Tell us, dear readers, what’s the BEST ADVICE you’ve ever been given regarding love?

7 comments »

Posted in Atta-babe, Romance, Women's Fiction, girlfriends cyber circuit

Tags:

AFTER YOU

September 10th, 2009

34957625After You by Julie Buxbaum

First line: Let’s pretend that things are different.

What would you do if your best friend was killed in a mugging and your friend’s child witnessed the gruesome death?

Would you move across the ocean to help care for her, leaving your own life behind? This is just what Ellie Lerner does, taking over as the caretaker for young Sophie, who hasn’t spoken since the murder. Sophie’s father is distant and can barely look at her, which makes Ellie’s presence all the more important for the collective grieving within the household. AFTER YOU is Buxbaum’s second novel, a highly-anticipated read on my part after her stellar debut with THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE last year. Buxbaum’s writing is quite hypnotic and hits straight to the heart – especially since Buxbaum’s two novels have both dealt with loss. In each, the protagonist’s loss is at least in part her own doing. In AFTER YOU, Ellie doesn’t seem to grasp – or initially care – that her decision to stay and care for Sophie means leaving her marriage. As the story moves along we see why Ellie grapples with motherhood and marriage – her friend Lucy’s death was simply the final pin that burst the balloon. A revelation on Lucy’s past gives the book a surprising twist that made me examine why women do the things we do – for our children, and ultimately, for love. The book rarely lifts its tone above somber, though readers should be more than satisfied with the conclusion. Enjoyable, well-crafted and wholeheartedly recommended.

Learn more & order now.

No comments »

Posted in Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags:

Bird in Hand

August 11th, 2009

41K37Iz0chL._SL500_AA240_Bird in Hand by Christina Baker Kline

First line: For Alison, these things will always be connected: the moment that cleaved her life into two sections and the dawning realization that even before the accident her life was not what it seemed.

Some titles suck you in. Some covers reach out from their place on the shelf and scream for you to rip open that cover to start gobbling up the story. Neither happened for me with this one, perhaps because it reminded me I need to make my bed and I couldn’t for the life of me remember the saying about a bird in hand until I asked my husband later: a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Despite a less-than-stellar blink reaction to the book, judging by its cover, I was so surprised, nay, delighted, when I began reading and loved the book. The third hook, the FIRST PAGE, has to seal the deal on whether or not the book and I are going to be friends for the duration of the read. 

Kline’s novel and I were immediately joined at the eyeballs for a whole day. That’s right. I was the girl on the diet who saw a bowl of M&Ms and scarfed down every last one and then skipped around the room on a sugar high. I know BIRD IN HAND doesn’t look like an M&M book, but it is. You’ll devour it and not hate yourself in the morning. 

The novel begins with an incredible hook: Alison, the stay-at-home mom protagonist and sometimes freelancer, has been in a car accident and a passenger in the other car, a three-year-old boy, has died as a result. The accident becomes the catalyst for the deeper examination of what is happening in Alison’s life – her stale marriage, her estrangement from her best friend from her hometown, and her loss of identity. If it weren’t for the accident portion of the plot, you may THINK you’ve read a story similar. After all, infidelity and identity are two biggies in women’s fiction. However, you would be wrong. Kline’s writing is such a joy that you’ll relish every word. If you love the written word, truly beautiful language, then Kline is your gal.

She writes not from on high, as some literary writers do, writing “down” to you, but with a strong sense of relevancy and spark. Moms will be able to relate to Alison and we can only imagine the pain of being a part of someone’s death, especially a child’s, when your own children are safe at home. Her friendship with Claire, a long-time best friend since childhood, is complicated because Claire is also a writer and has just published her first novel, a thinly veiled memoir which Alison has yet to read even though she is sure she is a character in the book. What Claire does to Alison is unspeakable and because Kline gives us the story in alternating points-of-view between the two couples as well as flashback scenes from college to present-day, we see the red carpet of infidelity rolled out before our eyes. We see where it came from, and strangely, how it all makes sense, even if we don’t approve of it.

BIRD goes one step further, digging deep into our psyches, where the dreams and mis-steps of our own lives come clearly into view. How we’ve ended where we are now may be a mystery to us, but thanks to Kline’s brilliantly assertive novel, we may actually be able to solve it. 

For: A fast-paced literary read about friendship and marriage. – Malena Lott

Get it now. 

No comments »

Posted in Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags:

GCC Tour: Sheila Curran

June 28th, 2009

38001363.JPG.jpg

 

Author Sheila Curran, of the cool Girlfriends Cyber Circuit, is swinging by A/B, where the temp is always a perfect 72 degrees with no humidity! Join me in welcoming Sheila and congratulating her on her new novel EVERYONE SHE LOVED, which is in stores now! Find out more about Sheila and her novel at www.sheilacurran.com.

1. If Oprah invited you on her show to talk about your book, what would the theme of that show be?   Who would you pick to take care of your children if you were to die, and what sort of issues might you fear most about another mother raising your kids.

2. Perfect women’s topic for O’s audience! What was the most fun scene in your book to write? A really good sex scene. The most difficult?  Whenever the characters I love are in danger of being hurt, even just emotionally.

3. Do you have a muse, good luck charm, writing vice?  Does coffee count?  Also, I sit in a nice comfy armchair and put my feet on an ottoman, computer on my lap, and repeat to myself “seat of the pants to seat of the chair.” 

4. I say nothing like “kicking back” while writing. I’m sure more blood flows to the brain that way. What do you write on (type of computer, or notebook, etc.) and where do you write?  I write on my laptop and I have a bedroom set aside as my study, where I inhabit the aforesaid armchair.

5. Have you had a “rock star” moment regarding your writing career?  Alas!  The closest I came was walking on the beach and seeing someone reading my book.  And she looked pretty involved in the story.

6. Lordie, I would’ve snapped a picture. Very cool stumbling upon a scene like that. What do you do to celebrate your writing successes? Champagne with my husband and any friend I can get to come over and bask with me.

7. Bubbly is always good. And I’m all for basking!!! Describe your personality with five adjectives that would make your 5th grade English teacher proud.  Imaginative, shy, persistent, intuitive, histrionic.

Then here’s to “histrionic” success to you Ms. Curran. We’re cyber-toasting your launch and best of luck with EVERYONE SHE LOVED.

No comments »

Posted in Books in Bloom, Women's Fiction, girlfriends cyber circuit

Tags:

Real Life & Liars

June 10th, 2009

Real Life & Liars by Kristina Riggle

Mira is a pot-smoking grandma with perspective. She’s going out her way, and she’s not relinquishing control of her body to the doctors just because she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer or because her family might try to talk her out of her decision. 

REAL LIFE is Riggles’ debut novel and it’s a doozy – a wonderfully-crafted family drama with all the trimmings– a rich cast of characters, all on the edge of their lives, culminating in Mira and her husband’s anniversary weekend. We get to know the family, told in alternating points of view. Mira, her social-climbing eldest daughter whose marriage and three children are not the picture-perfect family she’d like the world to believe, her son, a struggling songwriter who is unlucky at love, and the baby of the family, newlywed and newly (but not happily) pregnant. The story unfolds nearly in real-time, as each character learns more about him/herself and how to move forward. REAL LIFE is ultimately about the individual decisions we make for our lives and how they impact those who love us the most. Riggle will be on my must read list from now on.

For: A beautiful read about family dynamics and life’s greatest lessons. Highly recommended. -Malena Lott

Get it at Amazon.

No comments »

Posted in Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Glitter Baby

January 14th, 2009

Glitter Baby by Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips

 First line:  The Glitter Baby was back.

Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips is the modern day Jacqueline Suzanne without all the drugs and alcohol.  She creates realistic characters with tough struggles so dire you wonder how they could possibly survive to live to a happily ever after status.  These characters are messed up!  But – they work. 

Phillips is a master at characterization.  This two generation saga starts with Glitter Baby’s (Fleur) mother: the queen of manipulation with a child-like persona of her own whom you can’t help but like and feel sorry for, because her life was so sorry.  And you can feel the love for her daughter.  Who can dislike a mother when she loves her child?

Fleur was sent to school from the time she was two because her mother tried to pass her off as the husband’s child, but who actually turned out to be his arch rival’s.  She grows into an incredible beauty, so Mom gets her into modeling.  The child doesn’t know for years that her “father” is not really her father.  Needless to say, I could write a book on the book that is Glitter Baby, the plot is so complicated.

This book is Phillips first novel, revamped and reissued.  I will admit to not being able to put it down when I first picked it up.

For:  Readers who want a un-put-down-able book to dig their claws into.  -Kathy Wheeler

 

Buy it at Amazon.

 

No comments »

Posted in Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags:

Shelter Me

December 22nd, 2008

It’s the holiday week, and even hard-working bloggers need a few days off. No grinch here. But I will leave you with a great read to consider for the new year if you’re a fan of women’s fiction in the vein of Anne Tyler – character-driven stories full of emotion.

I recommend Shelter Me by Juliette Faye. While I was writing Dating da Vinci I steered clear of any widow-as-protagonist tales, but now that my book is out there, it’s fun to read another widow tale. I’m only fifty pages in, but I can’t wait to dig back in. Fay’s widow has two young children, a visiting priest and an unreliable contractor who is supposed to finish the front porch her husband contracted before his death. I’ll give you a full briefing when I’m finished. Read along with me, why don’t you? What are you reading this break? Do share. And happy holidays from Athena’s Bookshelf!

Order it here. 

1 comment »

Posted in Women's Fiction

Tags:

The Romantics

October 22nd, 2008

The Romantics by Galt Niederhoffer

First line: ”Laura sat in her car at the foot of a dirt road, clutching her cell phone and map.”

I’ll admit I’ve had The Romantics for a while. Every time I went through my TBR pile, I’d pick up the cover, ponder it, remember the good reviews it had received, and yet choose another book instead. I believe, as I’ve talked about numerously on this blog, that it was the cover that gave me pause. I have nothing against romantics, so it wasn’t the title. In fact, I’d venture to say I’m one myself.

On the one hand, the cover is artfully done. It looks like a ripped page, the rose split in two, and covered by three pieces of tape, which glisten in the light, like real tape would. However artfully done, it didn’t grab me and say, “read this now.” What were the publishers trying to say about the book? The art gave it an early 19th century feel, a classic, something that would require a bit of effort to delve in to, and effort is normally the last thing I have in spades at the end of the day.

For my trip to Colorado, I wanted to pick five books to accompany me on the long car ride, and there it was again, the rose beckoning me to pick it up. I did. And, because I partly felt guilty for making it wait so long to be read, I began reading on my sojourn to Kansas. I’m glad I did. The Romantics is nothing like the cover imagines it to be. This is not a slight to the wonderful illustrator or designer, but everything to do with marketing the book to the right audience. » Read more: The Romantics

No comments »

Posted in Mainstream, Women's Fiction

Tags: