Book Review: Finding Dorothy

By Melissa Amster

Hollywood, 1938: As soon as she learns that M-G-M is adapting her late husband’s masterpiece for the screen, seventy-seven-year-old Maud Gage Baum sets about trying to finagle her way onto the set. Nineteen years after Frank’s passing, Maud is the only person who can help the producers stay true to the spirit of the book—because she’s the only one left who knows its secrets.

But the moment she hears Judy Garland rehearsing the first notes of “Over the Rainbow,” Maud recognizes the yearning that defined her own life story, from her youth as a suffragette’s daughter to her coming of age as one of the first women in the Ivy League, from her blossoming romance with Frank to the hardscrabble prairie years that inspired The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Judy reminds Maud of a young girl she cared for and tried to help in South Dakota, a dreamer who never got her happy ending. Now, with the young actress under pressure from the studio as well as her ambitious stage mother, Maud resolves to protect her—the way she tried so hard to protect the real Dorothy.

The author of two New York Times bestselling nonfiction books, The Eighty-Dollar Champion and The Perfect Horse, Elizabeth Letts is a master at discovering and researching a rich historical story and transforming it into a page-turner. Finding Dorothy is the result of Letts’s journey into the amazing lives of Frank and Maud Baum. Written as fiction but based closely on the truth, Elizabeth Letts’s new book tells a story of love, loss, inspiration, and perseverance, set in America’s heartland. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I had been wanting to read Finding Dorothy for quite some time and never got a chance to until now. I am so glad I read it as it was really interesting and well-told. I enjoyed learning about Maud Baum's life and her connection with The Wizard of Oz. There is even some relevance to present-day issues.

My exposure to The Wizard of Oz was through the movie and I will admit I never read the books. I didn't know anything about L. Frank Baum's life, so I was fascinated to learn more about him through this story, even though the main focus was on Maud. She was a captivating woman and I appreciated getting the chance to know more about her. I didn't even know that her mother was a famous suffragette in the late 1800s: Matilda Gage. 

Maud went through a lot in her life and we only really learn about everything up until Frank becomes a famous author for his Wizard of Oz book series. After that, we don't see Maud again until she visits the set of the movie in 1939 and befriends Judy Garland. Throughout the novel, we learn all about Maud's background from when she was a kid to when she goes to college and meets Frank soon after, to her life as a mother and moving to the Dakota Territory with her family. She and Frank endure some hardships and heartbreaks in their lives but they find a way to get through them in order for Frank to become successful. (These hardships are included in the trigger warnings below.) I loved how Maud really put herself out there to make sure the movie was done the right way and also how she tries to stand up for Judy, especially after some concerning situations. 

Overall, this was a really engaging story and I enjoyed discussing it with my book club recently. I didn't really have any casting ideas, but I'd love to see Kathy Bates as Maud in the 1939 scenes.

More by Elizabeth Letts:
The Eighty-Dollar Champion 
Fallen for France

The Ride of Her Life

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TW: Childbirth complications, miscarriage, death of infant, abortion, death of parents, inappropriate behavior of an adult towards a minor, an animal gets killed early in the story, poverty

Sara and Melissa...Recommend Life-Changing Movies

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now starting our seventh year!

This month, we are sharing our recommendations for life-changing movies that younger generations should watch. We were inspired by this post from last fall. Even though we're closer to 50, we still have seen a lot of movies that are worth recommending. We'd love to hear your recommendations too!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. 😊 We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

I love recommending movies to my kids. It’s part nostalgia and shared experience for me. It’s hit or miss if they end up liking my suggestions or not, and there have been times it’s backfired too; like the time I wanted my oldest to watch Sixteen Candles when they were a preteen, completely forgetting that there is nudity the first fifteen minutes in. Lesson learned! 

Note from Melissa: When I first showed that movie to my kids, I forgot there was nudity and they called me out on it. 😅

The article we’re basing this post on cites movies that are “life-changing,” and while I’m not sure my list fulfills that requirement, I think the movies were life-changing for me when I first watched them. I stand by my 27 choices and my kids have seen a lot of what’s on my list already. 

27. The Exorcist

I first saw this movie when I was about 10 years old–I couldn’t sleep in my bed for a whole week afterwards because I was too afraid to.

26. The Sound of Music

25. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Courtesy of YouTube

Note from Melissa: I got you an "I love lamp" shirt because of that movie. 😂

24. Juno

There is a lot of depth and humanity within this movie; the ending felt like everything was just as it was meant to be.

23. Little Miss Sunshine

22. National Lampoon’s Animal House

I used to have a dating rule when I was a teen: if the person I was interested in didn’t know who Jon Belushi was, it was a hard pass. 

Courtesy of  The Many Rantings of John

21. The Shining

20. Save the Last Dance

19. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

My dad “made” me watch this when I was a kid, so I bestowed this on my own children.

18. Forrest Gump

Courtesy of IndieWire

17. Ikiru

I saw this movie as a required viewing for college just a few years ago. I recommend seeing at least one Kurosawa film in life.

16. The Sixth Sense

15. How The West Was Won

14. Enter the Dragon

13. Stand By Me

12. Labyrinth

When my children were small, I would sing “Magic Dance” to them–”You remind me of the babe/What babe/Babe with the power…”

11. Legally Blonde

10. Gigi

I loved the costumes! One of my biggest wishes in life is to own a dress like the one Gigi wears.

Courtesy of Pinterest

9. Heathers

8. Blazing Saddles

7. The Breakfast Club

6. Clueless

5. Mean Girls

4. The Devil Wears Prada

I don’t often re-watch movies, but this one I can watch multiple times. 

3. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion

2. The Princess Bride

1. The Neverending Story

Melissa Amster:

I'm always trying to get my kids to see the movies I grew up with, but there are definitely some that they haven't seen yet and I've been wanting them to see these movies at some point. Others were moral imperatives and they have seen them already (or at least some of my kids have). To keep this list from going on forever, I'll narrow it down to ten. A couple were in the post linked above.

1. The Shawshank Redemption. Such a powerful and moving film. I'm always shocked when someone says they haven't seen it. 

2. Mr. Holland's Opus. The arts are so important and this movie is a testimony to that. I also appreciate that they explore hearing loss in relation to music.

3. Forrest Gump. Such a legendary film. A nice history lesson too! 

4. The Princess Bride. One of the best movies ever. Romantic, funny, adventurous, with villains we love to hate and so many quotable lines. 

Courtesy of Den of Geek

5. Back to the Future. This movie was my childhood. I was obsessed and even made coloring books about it and had my Barbies act it out. Such an epic time travel movie that everyone should see at least once!

6. The Karate Kid. So completely well done and it ages nicely too. I also love how Cobra Kai ties into the series, but the first one will always be my favorite. When I was a kid, I loved it so much that I had to see it a second time in the theater!

Courtesy of LIFE

7. Beauty and the Beast. A few years ago, my in-laws told me they never saw this movie. I know this is a reverse generational thing, but I made sure they watched it the next time they visited. And they loved it! Anyway, there's a reason it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar (instead of Best Animated Film). It was originally marketed as "the most beautiful love story ever told." I still love it and cry every time I watch. I also relate so much to Belle, and not just because I love to read. I just think it's something everyone should see as it reminds people that beauty is found within.

8. Life is Beautiful. Of all the Holocaust movies out there, this is the one I'm attached to the most. It's told in such a unique way, but it has such a huge impact at the same time. I found it to be way more powerful and emotional than Schindler's List. 

9. Waiting for Guffman. If you're looking for a good laugh, look no further. Being a theater person, I love this movie even more. I'm always recommending it to people. And now that Catherine O'Hara has passed away, it's one of those movies that pays homage to her comedic talent and somehow slipped under the radar vs. Home Alone or Beetlejuice.

Courtesy of IMDb

10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but more for the experience as you need to see it in a theater with everyone yelling lines and throwing things. Also, Tim Curry is fantastic. I'd also make them wait until they are 17 or 18 before seeing it. (I did that with my oldest and he's gone to see it with me thrice.)

Which life-changing movies would you recommend to younger generations?

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Favorite Movies from the 21st Century

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now into our sixth year!

This month, we are sharing our favorite movies from the 21st century (at least the first quarter of it). We were inspired by this article from The New York Times that was posted earlier this year. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Melissa Amster:

I read through the NYT article hoping they would feature some of my favorite movies from this century, but I was sadly mistaken. They have an interesting list of movies, but none that are on my favorites list. Even the Pixar movies they included. I enjoy Ratatouille, but not enough to put it on my personal list. Monsters, Inc. is my all-time favorite Pixar film, in case anyone is wondering.

A while back, I had shared a list of favorite movies. Some of them are from this century and I will be including them once again. I don't think they need an explanation this time since I already said why before.

Without further ado, and in no particular order:

1. Where the Heart Is (2000)

2. Legally Blonde (2001)

3. 50 First Dates (2004)

4. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

5. A Man Called Otto (2022): Another incredible book adaptation, to the point where I didn't care that they changed the name from Ove to Otto. Definitely have a box of tissues handy for this one!

6. The Greatest Showman (2017): I know the story is problematic, but I couldn't get enough of it and loved the music. I would listen to it obsessively after seeing the movie. I also cried a few times.

7.  Freaky Friday (2003): There's just something I love about this modernized adaptation of the Mary Rodgers novel. It aged well and I still adore it every time I see it. I cry every time I see it. I saw the sequel this past summer and that was cute too, but still not as fabulous as the first one. 

8. Wicked (2024): The film adaptation of this beloved musical went above and beyond, spoiling me from ever seeing it on stage again. And this was just the first act! I can't wait to see part two soon.

9. Free Guy (2021): Given that I love Wreck-It Ralph, you know I'm going to love what feels like the live action version of that movie. It was creative, funny, adventurous, romantic, and highly entertaining. 

10. Theater Camp (2023): This was a fun movie done in mockumentary style and totally catered to musical theater fans like myself. My son and I still quote it all the time. While it has silly moments, it also has a lot of heart and some great surprises.

I have a lot more picks and it was hard to narrow it down to ten, that's for sure! If I could choose a runner up, it would be Chicago (2002), which was also an incredible adaptation of a musical and much deserving of its best picture Oscar.

I also agree with some of Sara's picks below.

Sara Steven:

Coming up with a top ten list of films from the last twenty-five years was a difficult task! I started out with 20, narrowing it down with the help of my oldest child and my husband, and I’m still not sure if I agree with my final choices. What influenced me the most was the watchability factor. I’m not one to re-watch much of anything, yet all of the movies on my list are ones I’ve happily seen over and over again. In no particular order:

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

“Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.” That’s a quote that is frequently said around my house. I own an “I love lamp” t-shirt, and who hasn’t heard of, “Stay classy”? The epic news team showdown is so amazing and hilarious! 

Kill Bill: Vol I

The siren music that plays leading up to a fight for The Bride is unforgettable. The movie combines impressive fight scenes and a deep need to see The Bride get redemption for everything she’s gone through, even though we know just how flawed she is. 

Sinners

Tragically beautiful. The images. The scenery. The emotions. A deeply beautiful experience.

Bring It On

“You better bring it.” Such a fun film!

Melissa: "Brr! It's cold in here..."

Center Stage

I am obsessed with this movie. I own it, which means I’ve seen it plenty of times. I’m not a dancer, yet I fall in love with the ballet, the contemporary dancing, all leading to that final dance scene that is so memorable; I can still see Jody as she spins into her soul-revealing red getup, letting the world know that she will choose herself, every time. 

The Devil Wears Prada

This is another movie that I have seen several times, and it never gets old. Considering that I feel like I’m currently working with someone who can only wish to be more like Miranda Priestly, the message behind the “mean boss” mentality rings even truer now than it ever has for me.

Mean Girls

There are so many catchphrases and quotes from this film; the one my husband and I will say from time to time is, “Quit trying to make fetch happen,” but instead of using the word “fetch,” it might be an activity or choices made that we both feel like we try to make work but it just won’t work. The movie is fun and relevant, even over two decades later.

Love, Actually

Who knew that this movie would become another holiday-themed film to add to the must-watch holiday list? It’s clever, touching, and proves just how powerful love can be.

Catch Me If You Can

I can appreciate the love/hate relationship that forms between Frank Abagnale Jr., and Carl Hanratty. They are bitter adversaries but in the end, they feel like no one understands as well as they understand each other. 

The Substance

A good friend recommended this movie; we had a mini watch party at home and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the tv screen. It goes beyond addressing unrealistic beauty standards. It digs deeper into just how ugly societal pressures can be, that drives someone to make some pretty horrible decisions in an effort to stay relevant. 

My list should end at 10, but I have to add a runner up–Drop Dead Gorgeous! The movie came out in 1999, so I know it’s not within the 25-year time range for the post, but it is worth mentioning. One of Kirstie Alley’s best performances is in this movie, and it’s so hilariously witty and darkly funny. A must watch!  

What are YOUR favorite movies from the 21st century?

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Spotlight: Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Today we are celebrating the publication of Matthew Norman's latest rom-com, Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon! This sounds like a great story and I look forward to adding it to my queue soon. I enjoy holiday movies and am pleased to share my marathon list with you. I'd love to see yours, so please share it in the comments.

1. While You Were Sleeping

2. Home Alone

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

4. Love, Actually

5. The Holiday

6. Any good sounding movies that are new to Hallmark channel or Netflix, especially if they are about Hanukkah.

Be sure to add this novel to your winter holiday reading TBR!

The new year has barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lose their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their book-club mothers scheme to matchmake the two, it’s clear neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what the two surviving spouses are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.

When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films together, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.

With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief begins to ease as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them both uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something more long-lasting that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?

“Hands down, one of the best rom-coms I’ve ever read. No one can make me laugh (and cry) quite like Matthew Norman, and I know I'll be re-reading this warm hug of a book every holiday season for years to come.”

—Colleen Oakley, author of Jane and Dan at the End of the World

“Between the snappy dialogue, lovable characters, and pitch-perfect emotion, Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon is a delightful gem of absolute perfection. Literally only Scrooge couldn’t fall in love with this book.”

—Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind

“There’s an intimacy of thought in Matthew Norman’s books that creates the sense of feeling, as the reader, that you are understood and welcome, that you would also be cared for in the world of his characters. I didn’t just love Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. I lived in it, and actively missed it as soon as I turned the last page.”

—Allison Larkin, author of The People We Keep

Courtesy of Matthew's website

Matthew Norman lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and two children and holds an MFA from George Mason University. His previous novels include Charm City Rocks, All Together Now, Last Couple Standing, We're All Damaged, and Domestic Violets.

Visit Matthew online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram * BlueSky

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Sariah Wilson walks the red carpet...plus a book giveaway

With Oscars night right around the corner (March 10th, for anyone who doesn't have it on their calendar yet), Sariah Wilson is here to share her thoughts on this topic. She's a pop culture queen (which is why Melissa adores her) and we really enjoyed reading her answers to our most pressing, Oscars-related questions. Her latest rom-com, Hypnotized by Love, releases tomorrow and she has one copy to share with a lucky reader!

A passionate believer in happily-ever-afters, Sariah Wilson and her own soulmate live in Utah with their four children and the two family cats. Her belief in true love has inspired several bestselling rom-coms including CINDER-NANNY, THE PAID BRIDESMAID, ROOMAID and THE SEAT FILLER, as well as such bestselling romance series as End of the Line (THE FRIEND ZONE, JUST A BOYFRIEND); Lovestruck (#STARSTRUCK, #MOONSTRUCK, #AWESTRUCK); Ugly Stepsisters (THE UGLY STEPSISTER STRIKES BACK; PROMPOSAL), Royals of Monterra (ROYAL DATE, ROYAL CHASE, ROYAL GAMES, ROYAL DESIGN).

Visit Sariah online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Mason’s life hasn’t gone according to plan. His latest novel was a flop, and the only gig he can land is writing a scathing exposé of his hometown hypnotist, Savannah. But in order to write an authentic article, he has to be a willing participant. Hypnosis is the last thing he expected: he’s shedding his negative nature and opening himself up to new experiences…and when a fire alarm interrupts their session, Mason walks out into the real world entranced and sporting a sunny disposition and a tendency to say yes.

Hypnotized Mason is fearless, revealing things he’s never told a soul, acting completely out of character, and leading Savannah on a frantic chase to keep him safe. He likes his new self. The problem is, so does Savannah. She can’t fall in love with a man who’s in a trance, but can she keep him still long enough to get him to snap out of it?

Hypnotist Savannah Sinclair is known for helping clients overcome their deep-rooted issues, from anxiety to addiction. But her nontraditional approach also attracts plenty of skeptics—including her high school nemesis and rival, Mason Beckett, who just so happens to be the boy who broke her heart. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

Early five-star reviews on Amazon:

"I absolutely loved this book. It was easy to connect with the characters. It will have you frustrated, excited, rooting for love and feeling the love. I had to restrain myself from reading it in one sitting and skipping work. A good, clean romance. I just say I was waiting for a good love scene but was not disappointed that there were no steamy scenes."

--Makenna

"What can I say.... I laughed, I cried, and I felt hard. I actually enjoyed it all from the lead characters perspective. A lot of books nowadays go back and forth between characters but I forgot how much I missed a singular point of view. She is most women's brain, the ones that are super emotional anyway like me. It was so good!! I highly suggest giving it a go." 

--Robin B

"I've read a lot by Sariah, and this is probably in my top 5 favorites from her. She does a wonderful job of fleshing out her characters. I also appreciate that she doesn't need vulgar language or too much spice to further her stories. I look forward to all her future releases!"

--A Reads A Lot

"This was a story I was happy to keep coming back to. You know the author did well when you find ways to sneak and read. I enjoyed the character and the flirty banter. I hope there will be a book for Sierra. First time reading this author and I’ll definitely look for more by her."

--Matt

Which movie are you rooting for to win Best Picture this year?

I am rooting so, so hard for Barbie to win Best Picture. I’m sure it won’t because the things I love never usually win at the Oscars, but Barbie should take every category. It was an amazing movie.

Which Best Picture win, from any year, were you most excited about?

It was 1996. I was in my senior year of college and I had gotten a wee bit obsessed with Scottish history (and I only recently discovered last year that I’m a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce, one of my all-time favorite historical figures). Anyway, I had done a paper on William Wallace, comparing the 1995 movie about him to a poem written by Blind Harry in the fifteenth century and a fictional rendering of the story from the nineteenth century. I was very, very into the movie Braveheart when it came out (we didn’t know about Mel Gibson back then). I watched the ceremony live, completely caught up and eagerly awaiting the announcement of the winner. I stood up and started cheering when the movie won, and a friend who lived in the apartment across the hall came running into my apartment and screamed with me (everyone knew how much I was rooting for that movie). I’ll never forget my door flying open and Tina standing there with her arms in the air, whooping and hollering. LOL

If you were to wear an outfit to walk on the red carpet, what would it look like?
I am not a fashion girl, and I might actually have a red carpet in my future this year (I had a director friend invite me to the premiere of his movie, but no idea when that will be yet as there isn’t an official date). And I am spending an inordinate amount of time trying to find something to wear. I don’t know what the season will be and obviously you’d wear different dresses for different times of the year, or whether it’ll be a daytime premiere or evening premiere and whether or not there will be a dress code. I have specific styles that look better on me than others, and certain colors. So currently I have like a hundred tabs open on my phone as I try to find a dress that might work. Which means I can’t tell you yet what I would wear until I can start narrowing stuff down.

Who is your favorite Oscars host?
I can tell you who should be the Oscars host, as many of them have been truly terrible (looking at you, James Franco) and so I don’t have a favorite host from years past, but let’s give Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph any salary they want to do it. No one hosts as well as those ladies and I’m not sure why they don’t host every award ceremony in existence.

Do you have any Oscars night traditions?
I do not have any traditions. I used to watch it more than I do now, and I used to watch it live. Now I just record it and skip through the stuff I’m not interested in to see the things that I am (like how wonderful was Ke Huy Quan winning last year? I teared up! And Olivia Colman. I don’t care what Olivia Colman has won she will be the most entertaining thing you’ll see the entire night).

If you could come up with a fun new Oscars category, what would it be? 
If I could come up with a fun new category, it would be “Best Picture of Movies You Actually Watched Last Year.” I’m much more of a commercial/genre movie fan than I am of artistic/Oscar-bait stuff, so most years I haven’t even heard of most of the movies nominated for Best Picture. Let’s give the fans the stuff they really care about!

Thanks to Sariah for chatting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends March 5th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Our Younger Years

We've been running a column series (for over three years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we are talking about what we were like when we were younger. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

Since my oldest child just turned eighteen recently, I decided to focus on who I was at that age. Unlike my son, I started college a little after I turned eighteen. (My son missed the cutoff so he will start when he's nineteen.) I was doing my best to break away from who I was in high school and start fresh in a new environment. I still wanted to fit in and sometimes didn't make the best choices in that regard (not about the friends themselves, but what their interests were), but I learned quickly and found ways to be who I was without having to like the same things they did. I also started dating for the first time when I was eighteen and I was so naive about all that dating involved. (If you read the linked post, you'll see the thing I did to try to fit in.) 

Me at 18

However, I'm going to take things in a different direction now. Since it's almost Halloween, this is fitting for the topic at hand (technically we're doing a "time warp" here). When I was eighteen, I first started going to midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That had a huge impact on my life! 

For a few weeks, I was going there just to watch and learn the callback lines. I gradually started meeting people who regularly attended. Then, one week at the end of my senior year of high school, they were having an audience night. It meant that audience members could play the characters in front of the screen, instead of the usual shadow cast. I just happened to be wearing a pink dress that night and they just happened to need someone to play Janet... It was an exhilarating night altogether (even after being called out as "the most innocent girl" by someone I knew from high school who was playing Rocky) and I went to a nearby diner afterward with the cast and ultimately made a new group of friends. However, that was my one and only time playing Janet because I was truly meant to play Magenta. I had the hair for it, after all! 

I loved wearing the makeup and putting together a costume for Magenta. It's such a fun role to play in a shadow cast too. Being Magenta allowed me to break away from who I was in high school and became part of my personality in college. My friends even called me Magenta and I used the name for my online handles. 

The hand belongs to a friend

In my adult years, I stopped going to Rocky Horror midnight showings after a while. First of all, the theater I went to regularly went under new management and stopped showing it. That was a devastating blow at the time. Then the cast kept migrating to different theaters and some were harder to access than others. I'm still friends with some people I knew from my Rocky Horror days and am thankful for that. 

Last year, I took my older son to see Rocky Horror a couple times. He had a blast and was laughing out loud from all the callback lines I still remembered (and there were a lot). We're hoping to go again closer to Halloween. I'm glad I can pass along my love to someone who used to call Frank N. Furter "Hot Dog the Frankenstein" when he was younger. 😅

Here's a little more about my experience with Rocky Horror, if you're interested.

And just for fun....

Sara Steven:

Last night, my eighteen year old drove us to the local supermarket in his 1992 yellow Mazda Miata, his very first car. I slid inside the tiny compact seating area, the faded hot leather seat barely cushioning me, feeling like I was practically on the ground with how low the car is. It smelled of exhaust and gas, immediately bringing me back to my teen years. When I told my son that it smelled like the nineties, he said, “It better. That was the best decade.” 

Can’t argue there. It really was the best decade. Despite all of the technological advancements and how I can’t seem to go anywhere anymore without my cell phone, I miss the days where I didn’t have to rely on that. When writing a letter and sending them out to my romantic crushes or my best friends meant something. When waiting for the mail and getting those types of letters in return felt meaningful and special. When using the computer meant writing papers or stories vs. sending emails or becoming engrossed in social media platforms. When life seemed a lot more simple.

My friends drove Honda Preludes and Ford Econoline vans, with the occasional VW slug bug thrown in for good measure. They smelled of gas and heat and lagging engines, much like my son’s car, but there was nothing better than getting the coveted passenger front seat after calling shotgun.

Riding along with my son made me think of myself at his age. I think I exuded a lot more confidence than I ever felt back in those days. 

Inside, I was very insecure and unsure of myself, not sure what I wanted out of life or what I wanted to be. For some reason, I thought I had to have it all figured out, but looking back as a parent of my own eighteen year old, I know at that age, we’re all still kids. Young adults, maybe, but still very much finding ourselves. 

I made myself appear to the outside world like I had my s--- together. There was obvious teen angst. But I wanted to grow up fast because that's what you do when you’re legally an adult. Or so I thought.

Deep down, I didn’t want to feel like I had to be responsible for everything, all the time, all at once. But being the firstborn in my family and handling a lot more than anyone should have ever had to deal with at that age, it was this sense of obligation. But it made me regress later on in my early twenties. It wasn’t until my own firstborn that I truly felt like I’d grown up. Having to take care of another human being can do that to a person.

In many ways, I’m still the same person I was back then. I still love fiercely and I am very protective of my family and my friendships. Many of my friends are my family. The picture seen here with the two young ladies in the photo–I’m still friends with both of them to this day. 

I’ve always had a great sense of humor–I know, I could be biased about that, but considering I’ve always been my own worst critic, I don’t think so. I enjoy comedy and anything remotely witty, and I still have one of the loudest laughs you’ll ever hear. The loud laugh runs in my family.

I’m still a sucker for nostalgia, which is why I covet opportunities to look back on my youth and reflect on those days, fleeting as they were. It went by fast but while living it, it felt like the years spanned decades, like I’d never get out of my grueling teens.

I wonder if my son feels that way. 

My boy's graduation day

My senior photo

What were you like when you were younger?

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Book Review: Nobody Puts Romcoms in the Corner

By Melissa Amster

Not an expert, not even close, not in any of this. But nobody will try harder than me to make you happy.

Sally is a classic romantic and Harry is a classic cynic, but when a drunken bet leads the new flatmates to (badly) recreate ‘the lift’ from Dirty Dancing, and the video goes viral (#EpicRomcomReenactmentFailure), they both realise there’s potential financial benefit in blundering their way through the romcom lexicon for their suddenly vast social media following.

Now, as Harry and Sally bring major romcom moments to new life – including recreating that classic diner scene – their faking it turns to making…out and suddenly they’re living a real life romcom of their own! But like all the greatest love stories, the road to happily ever after is paved with unexpected challenges for this hero and heroine… (Synopsis courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources.)

I have read a few books that are based off re-enacting romcom movies or involving them in some way. They've all been enjoyable, and Kathryn Freeman's latest novel is no exception. I wasn't actually sure what to expect going into this one, but I found it surprisingly delightful and entertaining. I laughed many times and felt sympathy toward Harry and Sally for different reasons. The steamy scenes were really hot too. (Although I would have preferred them from Sally's perspective as that would have taken the heat up even more.)

Carrie Fisher's character (Marie) said in When Harry Met Sally, "Tell me I'll never have to be out there again." I totally know how she feels. Dating in the era of social media seems so much harder and that definitely comes into play in this novel too. I've been with my husband for a total of 21 years (starting from when we first met in early February of 2002) and I can't say I have any personal experience navigating the 2020's dating scene. However, I've heard about it from my friends and it doesn't sound pretty. On the other hand, I do vicariously enjoy the early stages of dating through reading books like this. And Kathryn Freeman supplied that experience really well!

What didn't work so well for me was the idea that they could get so much interest in a TikTok about re-enacting a romcom scene. There are so many TikToks being posted all the time that I feel like this could just get lost in the shuffle. So that just seemed far-fetched. I get why it happened this way for the book and what its purpose was, but I wish they had a different way of going viral with these romcom scenes. Like the fails could have been even more embarrassing and attention grabbing. Maybe I'm just not as much of a TikTok person and just don't get the appeal. I also felt like Sally put so much pressure on having this ideal love story play out in her real life that she got too introspective about it after a while.

Overall, it was a charming story and I had a fun time reading it. This novel would definitely earn a "romcommunism" award from Ted Lasso!

Movie casting suggestions:

Sally: Imogen Poots
Harry: Tom Hopper 
Amy: Nell Tiger Free
Vince: Olly Alexander
Kitty: Jessica Henwick
Adam: Jack Lowden
Isabelle: Katy Louise Saunders

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK * Amazon US

About Kathryn Freeman (in her own words):

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book. It may have had something to do with my obsession with reading romance. Real life interfered and I headed off in a different direction – into the world of science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. I did end up writing, but it was about disease and medicines. Decades later, I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do. 

With a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), all the romance in my life is in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Visit Kathryn online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Visit all the stops on Kathryn's blog tour:

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...New Year's Resolutions

We've been running a column series (for two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. Since we're at the start of a new year, we realized that we've never done a post about resolutions. We've decided to remedy that today!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:                                                                                                                                      I used to be a real stickler for resolutions. It was the highlight of the end of any particular year and the start of the following year. I’d put a lot of thought and effort into it, too. From fitness to parenting, to getting out more and socializing–I always had the biggest and best of intentions, working hard to stick with my resolutions as much as I could, at all cost. 

I don’t remember when I stopped participating in the resolutions game. It might have been after the move to Arizona, or when I’d enrolled in college. Suddenly, I didn’t feel as though I had enough time or effort to devote to resolutions. When I’d get an idea on how I could improve or do better in a certain area of my life, it was something I’d focus on in the here and now–not months later, to coincide with January 1st. I didn’t wait for a particular date. I just did it. 

A friend recently asked me what my resolutions for 2022 are, and I replied: “I want to take more time for myself, and I want to be better about keeping in touch with my friends. I feel like Covid has really turned me into more of an introvert.” 

Boy, that is so relevant to what’s going on in our world right now. It’s hard to crawl out from the hole I’ve placed myself in. Right now, we’re encouraged to steer clear of everyone else, at least a six foot distance, and for good reason. I don’t think anyone wants a case of Omicron on their hands. And with another five course semester–my final one with Arizona State University–I can already feel it slipping away. The time. The ability to reach out and stay connected with others. Already, I feel as though the supposed resolutions I’d mentioned to my friend might not happen. 

Resolutions can be hard to stick with. Life circumstances can often get in the way. That’s when the will to get things done kicks in, and I know that I need to put more effort towards sticking with the important goals I’ve set for myself this year. When I say I want to make more time for myself, it means allowing myself some “me” time without feeling guilty. Like, allowing myself the time to write, or to focus on my education, and knowing it’s okay. And when I talk about keeping in better touch with my friends, I can do that even with a text, or an email. Doing what I can, when I can. Even little gestures can go a long way. 

I think resolutions are intentions set by all of us; an intention to go into this year and every year with a better outlook, or maybe a better outcome. Whether you set that intention at the first of the year, or at varying times throughout the year, it’s all the same. We’re all trying to navigate this “new normal” as best we can, and do the best we’re able to, for right now. 

Melissa Amster:                                                                                                          I'm not much for making resolutions and have a hard time sticking to ones I've made in the past. However, for the sake of this post, I am going to talk about my book, TV, and movie resolutions because...why not?                                                                                      Books: 

There are two books I have every intention of reading at some point this year. They are 11/22/63 by Stephen King and House Rules by Jodi Picoult. Both Sara and my blogger friend Lloyd (The Booksage) have raved about 11/22/63 for a long time and I finally purchased a copy for myself. It is huge!!! I think the last book I read of this size was by Wally Lamb. As for House Rules, it's the only book of Jodi's that I haven't read yet (I don't count Plain Truth since I saw it as a movie on Lifetime). It's been sitting on my shelf and I want to finally get around to it!

TV Shows:

I made a promise to Sara last year that I would start watching Riverdale. That hasn't happened yet because other shows got in the way. This year, I want to at least start the first season. I only watched one episode out of context a few years ago because it was about Heathers, the musical, and had a bunch of the songs in it. It was enough to intrigue me to watch more, but I just never got around to it. I also need to catch up on The Goldbergs. I've fallen so behind this season!

Photo courtesy of Geek Girl Pen Pals

Movies:

I would like to go back to a movie theater as I miss that experience, but I am not ready to yet. Maybe later in the year I can make that happen. In the meantime, my other movie goal is to show My Big Fat Greek Wedding to my kids. I'm always telling them how they need to see it. Some other movies I want to share with my oldest are Empire Records and Grease 2. A while back, I told my youngest we'd watch It Takes Two and that still hasn't happened. I'd love to get my middle child to finally see The Princess Bride, but he's so resistant to it. (Perhaps he heard that there was kissing...)

So there you have it. I could promise myself that I will write stories again, but I don't want to disappoint myself if that doesn't happen, so it's just a very light idea in the works that may or may not happen in 2022, depending on my mood. 

What are your resolutions for 2022?

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