Sara and Melissa Talk About...Our Favorite Songs

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

Since we've shared about our favorite movies, TV shows, and books, we thought it was only fair to talk about our favorite songs today! Maybe you'll want to add some of these to your playlist?

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 can't imagine life without music in it and love so many songs. It was hard to narrow it down, since I'm just sharing ten of them today and also split them between rock/pop music and show tunes. This is just a sampling of songs I love, but they definitely rank high on my favorites list!

Rock/pop:

"If You Leave" by O.M.D.: I don't like Pretty in Pink, but I've always loved this song. It's just so melodic and has a great tune and lyrics. It totally brings back the eighties for me.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen: Ever since I heard this song in Wayne's World, I had to go out and get the soundtrack right away to hear it again and also had to memorize it, of course. I still love it 34 years later and will turn up the volume and sing along whenever I hear it.

Courtesy of YouTube

"My Favorite Mistake" by Sheryl Crow: I love the guitar riff and tune, and Sheryl's singing is so good in this one. 

"Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightingale: It was my theme song a while back. I love the instrumentals, which makes it sound fun and carefree. Like with "Bohemian Rhapsody," this song is also from the year I was born. 

"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia: No matter how often I hear this one, I never get sick of it. It's just so nineties for me. I know it's a one hit wonder for Natalie, but I love the album this came from too.

Back in 2012, I was challenged to come up with a playlist at my personal blog. Three of the above songs were on it at the time.

Show tunes:

"What Baking Can Do" from Waitress: I can't get enough of this song. It's so enjoyable to listen to and sing along with. Of course, I love baking, so there's that!

"Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors: My favorite song from this musical. It's so sweet and genuine. Especially because Audrey's not feeling like she deserves Seymour and he's totally crushing on her and now is his chance to make a move. It was especially fun hearing my son sing it when he played Seymour this past summer. (I'm sharing the movie version in the link because Ellen Greene is the ultimate Audrey.)

Courtesy of SoundCloud

"It Takes Two" from Into the Woods: Even though I'm burnt out on Into the Woods for the time being, I still love this song. It just speaks so well to marriage and partnership.

"Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent: What, you think I wouldn't include a song from my all-time favorite musical? It's the best song to sing along with. I even used it for my answering machine in college. ("Take me baby, or leave me...a message, thanks.")

"If I Were a Bell" from Guys and Dolls: Such a fun and melodic number about realizing you like someone. I love the rhyme scheme from it too. The lyrics just work together so nicely. 

Sara Steven:

Trying to determine my favorite songs of all time has been an extremely difficult task. I love and appreciate so many songs, so trying to narrow it down was tough. I decided to make a list of twenty songs that have gotten me through the years; the ones that even now when I listen to them, it takes me right back to the place and time when the lyrics resonated with me the most. In no particular order: 

Sia: "Breathe Me" (This one still brings me to tears whenever I hear it. Anyone who is familiar with HBO’s Six Feet Under and saw the series finale will understand.) The link is to the closing of the finale.

Eddie Money: "Take Me Home Tonight" (The first song I ever loved when I was six years old. I’m not sure why.)

Note from Melissa: I used to always think he said "I don't want to let you go till you're civilized." 

Crosby Stills & Nash: "Southern Cross"

Fiona Apple: "Sleep to Dream"

Courtesy of IMDb

Radiohead: "Karma Police"

Yelle: "Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)" (My kids used to dance to this song a lot when they were little.)

Massive Attack: "Teardrop"

Duran Duran: "The Chauffeur"

Garbage: "Supervixen"

Fleetwood Mac: "The Chain" (Anything by Fleetwood Mac is usually a go.)

Prince: "Erotic City"

Alanis Morissette: "Perfect"

Billy Joel: "She’s Always a Woman" (My first boyfriend had said that this song reminded him of me when we were teenagers. It’s beautiful.)

Courtesy of Medium

Metric: "Gold Guns Girls"

Mazzy Star: "Fade Into You"

Nirvana: "About A Girl"

Van Morrison: "Into the Mystic"

Pearl Jam: "Black"

Taylor Swift: "The Fate of Ophelia" (I only like a few songs by Taylor, but this one really sticks with me after I hear it.)

Phil Collins: "We Said Hello, Goodbye" (Another song that makes me feel emotional when I hear it. It hits home even more the older I get.) 

What are your favorite songs?

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Susan Dormady Eisenberg is center stage...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I recently experienced book besherte. I connected with a woman in a Broadway group after posting about Kimberly Akimbo when I saw it this past summer. I looked her up and noticed she lives somewhat near me and that she has written a book that focuses on a Broadway musical! (And it turns out our kids know each other too.) We have since met up in person twice and she is absolutely lovely. She's so kind and has so many interesting stories about her musical theater experiences. I'm really excited for you to meet her today. Her novel, One More Seat at the Round Table, is the perfect holiday gift for historical fiction and/or musical theater fans. Susan has FIVE copies for some lucky readers (either print or digital)!

Susan Dormady Eisenberg is also the author of The Voice I Just Heard. She has published arts profiles in newspapers, Classical Singer, Opera News, and Huffington Post. She’s drafting her third novel about American icon Annie Oakley, and has also written for companies and organizations throughout Greater Washington, D.C. In her first career, Ms. Eisenberg was director of marketing for The Joffrey Ballet/NYC and publicist for Syracuse Stage and Goodspeed Opera House. She makes her home in Maryland with her husband, a senior care executive, and is a proud member of the Authors Guild. (Bio adapted from Amazon.)

Visit Susan online:

Website * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
What if the most conflicted lovers in Broadway’s Camelot aren’t Lancelot and Guenevere?

Set backstage during the out-of-town chaos of Lerner and Loewe’s now-classic 1960 musical, One More Seat at the Round Table portrays the struggles of feisty drama school grad Jane Conroy, who lands a plum Gal Friday job, and Bryce Christmas, a gifted, if insecure, actor on the verge of his big break. When Jane and Bryce fall helplessly in love during Toronto tryouts, their relationship is tested by mistakes they make and endless work woes: Camelot’s four-hour length, poor reviews, the illness of librettist Alan Jay Lerner, and the near-fatal coronary of director Moss Hart who quits.

As Lerner, composer Loewe, and their stars, Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, trudge on to Boston, doubts besiege Jane who hopes to buck convention and skip marriage and Bryce who wants a wife. They also discover hidden strengths as Jane gains agency backstage and Bryce takes charge of his talent. But will Jane’s commitment phobia derail their future? Will Camelot become a glittering hit? These questions create a tense roller-coaster ride to the end of Susan Dormady Eisenberg's wise and witty novel, a story about the transformative power of love and the luminous pull of Broadway as it casts its spell on performers and fans alike. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"In One More Seat at the Round Table, Eisenberg spins a delicious, surprising concoction of a story, gving a true insider glimpse of one of the most iconic Broadway musicals. Replete with dramatic ups and downs, off-stage romances and rivalries, and sparkling with wit, this book should be required reading for every theater geek or lover of musicals."
 -- Susanne Dunlap, award-winning author of The Portraitist and The Courtesan's Daughter

"An utterly engrossing, hilarious, and often tender novel of how one hundred-plus creative people made Broadway's Camelot from scraps and sheer determination. Told from the points of view of a clever Gal Friday savoring her first job and a rising baritone hoping for his big break, the plot depicts the 1960 out-of-town tryouts when the show's in trouble. One More Seat at the Round Table is an original, charming book. I loved it and was sorry when it ended. All I wanted was to be in the author's chaotic, marvelous world of musical theater."
 -- Stephanie Cowell, award-winning author of Claude & Camille and The Boy in the Rain

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
The road to publishing was always challenging and sometimes discouraging, but ultimately fulfilling when I realized I could stop pitching traditional houses (to no avail) and send my book into the world via Atmosphere, a respected hybrid press.

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing One More Seat at the Round Table?
The biggest challenges of writing ONE MORE SEAT AT THE ROUND TABLE was giving readers a birds-eye glimpse into the creation of Broadway’s Camelot without using excerpts from the book or lyrics. The reason for the latter is that I assumed it would take months to get permissions.

Another challenge was doing enough research so that I could present the stars of Camelot—Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet—as flesh-and-blood people who interacted realistically with my fictional characters. 

The biggest reward was visiting the historical theaters where Camelot performed and imagining how the show looked on those stages. Another reward was receiving a Kirkus Review praising my research and saying the book was “engaging and entertaining.” I was thrilled!

If One More Seat were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
Casting for a possible movie of ONE MORE SEAT AT THE ROUND TABLE:
Jane Conroy: Lily Collins
Bryce Christmas: Chris Evans
Brock Remsen: Paul Giamatti

Alan Lerner: Julian Ovenden
Fritz Loewe: Christoph Waltz
Moss Hart: Dominic West    
Richard Burton: Max Irons
Julie Andrews: Brie Larson
Robert Goulet: Zac Efron

What is the last musical you saw that you would recommend?
The last musical I saw on Broadway was Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. I would highly recommend it, along with Kimberly Akimbo which I saw this past summer.

What is a favorite holiday tradition of yours?
As for holiday traditions, our family celebrates both Hannukah and Christmas, and my favorite years are when these holidays overlap and we serve latkes with Christmas dinner.

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
If you visited me in Baltimore, I would take you on a literary tour of sites related to Edgar Allen Poe, including his former Baltimore rowhouse, his grave, and the saloon in Fells Point—The Horse You Came In On—where Poe allegedly took his last drink. I would also show you a townhouse at 1307 Park Avenue where F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife Zelda, and their daughter Scottie lived for two years while Zelda was receiving treatment at Sheppard Pratt in Towson. Finally, we’d have lunch at the Owl Bar in The Belvedere, once a hotel, now a condo building, where Fitzgerald often drank with renowned Baltimore journalist H.L. Mencken.  

Thanks to Susan for visiting 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 December 5th at midnight EST.

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Listen to this book on Speechify!

Sara and Melissa Talk About...Riverdale

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about Riverdale. Remember our New Years Resolutions post? Melissa made it a goal to watch Riverdale this year and Sara decided to watch it too. Now that we've finished all six seasons (and are eagerly anticipating the seventh), we have a lot to say about this wild twist on the Archie comics of our youth. It's so fitting with Halloween, as there is a horror element, and some witchcraft 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.

Melissa Amster:                                                                                                                          I may have just become slightly obsessed with Riverdale this past year. I even wrote two blog posts at my personal blog about it:                                                              Seasons one - three                                            Seasons four - six                                                                                                                      One of my favorite elements of Riverdale is their nod to musical theater. I originally got hooked into watching because of the Heathers episode (I still can't get enough of their rendition of "Seventeen"), but then saw there was so much more to this series when it comes to musicals. I was so excited when they sang "Out Tonight" from Rent in one of the earlier episodes. I also got really into listening to the original cast recording of Carrie because of this show. In later seasons, they have done episodes featuring songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Next to Normal. In the latest season, they did songs from American Psycho, which I didn't even know was turned into a musical. With one more season to go, I'm hoping they will do another musical episode, but it will be interesting to see which one, given where things left off in season six... 

I had high hopes that they would do certain musicals, but aside from a single song from one of them, that has not yet come to pass. They could do a lot more with the music from Rent, especially with the many, many songs they have to work with. I was even casting who the characters would be if they were in Rent.

Mark: Jughead

Mimi: Veronica

Roger: Archie

Maureen: Cheryl 

Joanne: Toni

Angel: Kevin

Collins: Moose or Fangs

Benny: Reggie

I didn't see a main role for Betty in this one, but perhaps she could be some of the supporting parts, like Alexi Darling or the person leading the group meetings? (They had a woman do that in Rent Live a few years ago.)

I also thought Spring Awakening would be such a great musical for this show. It's so dark and intense and the songs fit the vibe of Riverdale really well. The closest they got to it was featuring American Psycho, since Duncan Sheik also wrote the music for that one. However, the music from American Psycho hasn't grabbed me enough to listen frequently. However, the person who created this musical also works on Riverdale, so I can see why they chose it. 

Just for fun, I wouldn't mind seeing them do songs from Rocky Horror, even though Glee did that at one point... If they want to be even more obscure, they could do songs from Shock Treatment too. 

Anyway, as bizarre as Riverdale can get sometimes (especially in season six), I totally love it and am going through withdrawal while waiting for the next season. I don't know what I'll do when it's completely done though. 

Sara Steven:                                                                                                                              When I was a kid, there was a brief period of time when I delved into the Archie comics. I’m not sure if my obsession with Mad Magazine had been the catalyst for that, or maybe I’d been influenced by my older relatives who’d grown up with Archie and Jughead themselves. I think at the time, a lot of the funny went over my head, which is probably why I stopped reading them. But I could still recall a lot of the various characters I’d grown up with, which is why Riverdale initially caught my eye. 

I mean, how clever would it be to base a somewhat dark, somewhat supernatural drama on a beloved comic book series?  

I can’t remember who made the initial suggestion to watch the show. Was it me, or was it Melissa? We often share one another’s watch list, so it could go either way. What I can remember is how I’d instantly become hooked from the very first viewing.

A potentially dead teenager. A young woman dealing with a father recently arrested for embezzlement. Bullying. An illegal affair. Estranged friendships. And that’s just in the first episode! While the backdrop centers around high schoolers, the theme is anything but sophomoric, and it’s that juxtaposition that really creates an enticing, engrossing experience.   

It’s hard not to feel like I’m in the thick of the episode I’m watching. Especially when there are so many beautifully flawed characters. Some of my favorites are Cheryl Blossom, Toni Topaz, Hermione Lodge, Nana Rose Blossom, and F.P. Jones. (But that might be due to the tiny little crush I used to have on Skeet Ulrich back in the 90s.) And even though I often despise the bad guys, I can’t help but to appreciate them, too, like Hiram Lodge–who is portrayed by Mark Consuelos. The messed up father/daughter dynamics between Hiram and Veronica, not to mention the pretty terrible things that he chooses to do to his family and to the town, continually play at the forefront of the show. Although, I’m not sure if Hiram can hold a candle to the latest addition to the bad guy roster, Percival Pickens. He really is the absolute worst. 

It looks like there will be one more season of Riverdale before the curtains fall on one of the most unique shows I’ve ever seen. It will be really interesting to see where it goes and how it will end, considering how much of the Archie comics has been incorporated within the show, and how it appears there are no limits as to where the episodes will take its viewers. Will we go back to Rivervale? Will the Trash Bag Killer return? Or maybe Percival? How about Hiram? You never really know with this show. And that’s why it’s so good, and why I’ll keep watching.   

Do you watch Riverdale? If so, what do you love about it? If not, does this post make you want to check it out?

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Sara and Melissa talk about...Movies

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. This month we're talking about movies.

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:

My first day of Spring semester at Arizona State University starts today, and one of the “fun” courses I decided to enroll in had been an American Film Musicals class. Given the heavy workload of the other three classes I’m enrolled in, I figured watching musicals wouldn’t be too difficult. I enjoy them immensely, so it wouldn’t be torture, and summarizing or giving my opinion on the dance moves of Fred Astaire or trying to decipher Audrey Hepburn’s quirkiness in My Fair Lady would be a pretty easy task. 

Well, lesson learned: a three credit college course is still a three credit college course. There will be two MLA-formatted papers in my future, as well as a research paper and summaries/reviews of every movie we see this semester--eighteen in total! But, if I had to do it for any genre, I can’t think of a more fun genre. 

The first musical ever for me had been Gigi. It’s still a favorite of mine. My grandmother introduced me to it when I was in elementary school, and to this day, if I ever encounter a dress like the one Leslie Caron wore as Gigi to Maxim’s, it will be mine! 

It’s more than the dress, though. I love all the outfits. I love the Parisian backdrop. I know all of the songs by heart, even now, and just the other day I thought of the legendary Maurice Chevalier remarking on the fact that he’s “glad he’s not young anymore” when I heard my children fighting over something that consequently, didn’t matter too much and would quickly blow over if given another minute or two. 

Gigi opened the door to so many other musicals, and I’ve discovered that while I’ve seen quite a few that are required viewing for my class, there are still quite a few I haven’t seen! 

Some of my favorite film musicals:

Gypsy: Who wouldn’t love Natalie Wood, who goes from tomboy to sexpot while dealing with deep mommy issues with her momager mother?

Mary Poppins: This was a constant while growing up, and I’ve seen it recently after we acquired Disney + for our Roku. While I love Julie Andrews, my favorite character is Bert, played wonderfully by Dick Van Dyke.

The Sound of Music: Another Julie Andrews classic. My favorite song is “So Long, Farewell.”   

Xanadu: Admittedly, it has been nearly four decades since I’ve seen Olivia Newton-John in roller skates. My young parents brought me with them to the movie theater when I was only three, and I can barely remember much of it, other than vibrant colors and the music. I still remember “Magic,” and I get to reacquaint myself with it all this semester, since it’s one of the musicals we’ll be working with.

The Wizard of Oz: I made it a point to watch it every single holiday for several years, when it would air on television.

Grease: Another classic that I have seen several times over the course of my life. Friend and relatives at odd times over the years will break into famous lines and song and phrases, out of the blue. It wasn’t until later in life when I realized what Rizzo meant when she said, “I feel like a defective typewriter. I skipped a period.”    

(Links above are to trailers.)

What are some of your favorite film musicals?

Melissa Amster:

Today I am sharing ten of my favorite movies. Please note that these are just ten movies I love out of many, many more. It's hard to just pick only ten, which is why I don't want to say that these are my only favorites. (Links are to trailers.)

1. Where the Heart Is: I read the book (by Billie Letts) in 1999 and loved it. Then the movie came out in the spring of 2000 and I was excited to see it. The first time, I enjoyed it enough. Then I watched it again when it came out on video (yes, I said video) and fell in love with it. After that, I couldn't stop watching it and it became one of my all time favorite movies. I love James Frain as Forney, with all the curls. 

2. Sing!: I am talking about the film that came out in 1989 (not the animated animal movie). I had read a book called Sing in middle school about a musical competition and someone told me it was a movie, so I knew I just had to watch it. The first time I saw it, I started in the middle where this girl was auditioning for a show by singing "Like a Virgin" really bad. Then I kept watching and knew I had to see it again from the very beginning. After that, I saw it more times than I can even count. I still love it and it makes me smile (and cry) every time I see it. 

3. The Princess Bride: It is inconceivable to me that anyone has NOT seen this movie by now. It's such a classic! Oddly enough, I didn't like it the first time I saw it, when I was eleven years old. I thought some parts were scary. Then I saw it in college and fell in love with it. I watched it all the time and still quote from it a lot. I even have a Westley Funko pop and I read Cary Elwes' movie memoir As You Wish a while back and loved that too. 

4. Girls Just Want to Have Fun: I basically grew up on this movie. My sister and I watched it countless times. We always thought it was hilarious when they were giving everyone invitations to Natalie's party and then all these random people showed up and ruined everything for her. (Natalie was mean to them, so I don't feel guilty about that.) I also thought Jeff was so cute and I was sad that he wasn't in anything else. I will still watch this movie as an adult and I listen to the soundtrack in my car.

5. Dirty Dancing: I fell in love with Dirty Dancing when I first saw it during the summer I turned eleven. I was obsessed after that and watched it all the time. I got the soundtracks, posters, etc. I had such a crush on Patrick Swayze at the time. I still think I look like Jennifer Grey did in that movie. 

6. Wreck-It Ralph: You may be wondering why this is the Disney movie that made it to my list. It's just so funny and clever, with great characters and an interesting plot. I love it every time I see it and I always get teary-eyed at the end. My daughter dressed as Vanellope for Purim one year and I had fun putting together her costume.

7. Ten Things I Hate About You: One of the best teen movies from the nineties. I didn't know what to expect with this one and ended up adoring it the whole way through. I cry every time Kat reads her poem. This was also an introduction to Heath Ledger, who was fabulous as Patrick, not to mention hot! I also enjoyed Bianca's part of the story. 

8. Legally Blonde: Elle Woods was so inspiring to me in this movie and I am not ashamed to admit how much I cried at the end. I also love the Broadway musical version of this movie. Great lines too!

9. 50 First Dates: Find someone who will treat you the way Adam Sandler treats Drew Barrymore in this movie. While it's goofy at times, it's so completely romantic that it's impossible to have dry eyes by the end. 

(Yes, I like movies that make me cry when I least expect them to...)

10. The Shawshank Redemption: Another movie where I'm shocked if someone tells me they haven't seen it yet. I saw it freshman year of college and was so moved by Andy's resolve to escape prison and the lives he impacts while he is there. It's just so well told and the casting is fantastic. I never read the book, but I don't really need to after seeing the movie so many times. 

Tell us about your favorite movies!

Rachel Bloom is the coolest girl in the world...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Robyn Von Swank

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I am beyond excited to share my interview with Rachel Bloom today! Ever since I first fell in love with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (read my posts from the bottom up), I have admired Rachel's creative talent. Her love for Broadway also resonates with me. Last year, my husband and I got to see her perform live and she was absolutely hilarious! 

Rachel's memoir, I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, published today. To celebrate, Grand Central Publishing (who also helped arrange this interview) has FIVE copies for some lucky readers! The title makes me think of a line from "Part of Your World" (The Little Mermaid). However, I'm sure there's more to it than that, and I can't wait to dive into this book and find out!

Rachel Bloom is a comedian, actress, writer, and singer born and raised in Los Angeles. Rachel co-created and starred in the TV series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on The CW Network and earned a Golden Globe and Critics Choice award for her performance, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award for the songwriting. In 2019, she toured her Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Live show across the US and Europe, selling out at iconic venues such as Radio City Music Hall and the London Palladium. Rachel is currently executive producing a new romantic mystery comedy drama television series for The CW Network titled I’m In Love With The Dancer from My Bat Mitzvah, and she is set to write the Untitled *NSYNC Comedy for TriStar pictures. She is also penning the lyrics for an upcoming Broadway musical of The Nanny. Rachel’s first book, I Want To Be Where The Normal People Are, was published by Grand Central Publishing on November 17, 2020. 

Visit Rachel online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Rachel Bloom has felt abnormal and out of place her whole life. In this exploration of what she thinks makes her "different," she's come to realize that a lot of people also feel this way; even people who she otherwise thought were "normal."

In a collection of laugh-out-loud funny essays, all told in the unique voice (sometimes singing voice) that made her a star; Rachel writes about everything from her love of Disney, OCD and depression, weirdness, and Spanx to the story of how she didn't poop in the toilet until she was four years old; Rachel's pieces are hilarious, smart, and infinitely relatable (except for the pooping thing). (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is one thing you hope people who read your book will learn about you?
That I have a debilitating series of checks and balances in my brain.

What were the easiest and most challenging parts of writing I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are?
The easiest part was the interview with my dog because obviously I just had to interview my dog. The most challenging part was finding a structure for my essay about my mental health in my twenties.

What is your writing environment like? 

My writing varies between my bathtub, a table on my patio that overlooks the street, and my tiny desk in my chaotic office made chaotic because half of my house is unusable due to construction.

What are some of your favorite books of all time?
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, The Giver by Lois Lowry

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you as a new mother?
Just today, I was putting on my own makeup for a news piece, because the makeup artist I had hired couldn’t get a Covid test in time, while I was pumping with a bra that makes the breast pump stick to your nipples. So I was putting on eyeliner as these pumps were sticking out of my tits and it was just very on the nose.

What was your favorite song to perform on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend?
"Heavy Boobs." A couple years ago there was a performance in Austin and it happened to fall on National Women’s Day so I invited all of the women with heavy boobs in the audience to come up on stage with me and do the song. 

Thanks to Rachel for visiting with us and to Grand Central Publishing for facilitating the interview and 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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends November 22nd at midnight EST.

Book Review: A Little Bit Wicked

By Melissa Amster

I was recently looking for an interesting audio book, so I went back to searching for celebrity memoirs. Then I came upon Kristin Chenoweth's book, A Little Bit Wicked, and decided to give it a whirl. I'm SO glad I did!

There's something extra special about listening to a celebrity read their memoir. Since Kristin is so much fun to listen to, this definitely enhanced my enjoyment. She talks about everything she can fit into her 40 years of a life well-lived. (This book came out in 2009, so she was about the same age as I am now at that point in time. Her birthday is even close to mine!) Her stories go from growing up in Oklahoma as the adopted child of two loving parents to performing in beauty pageants to her first Broadway audition to on-and-off dating Aaron Sorkin (writer of The West Wing) and all things in-between. Of course, she talks about playing Galinda in Wicked from the days of workshops through the musical's Tony nomination. And she shares bits and pieces of her experiences on TV shows, such as The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, and the huge (HUGE!) hit sitcom, Kristin. She shares about her faith and how it has helped her overcome obstacles and triumph. She talks about her awkward and embarrassing moments and even points out that she doesn't get special treatment just because she's famous. She's just so kind and gracious about everything, even when she shouldn't have to be! And if you're hungry, she has recipes for "Hum Dum Diddy" and her "cursed" cookies. (You'll see....or hear!)

I really loved everything about this memoir and now I want to see all the shows Kristin has been in, even if I wasn't interested before. Like The Music Man. I am not a fan of that musical, but I'd be interested to see the TV movie starring Kristin and Matthew Broderick. And I really want to watch Pushing Daisies now. (She sings with Ellen "Audrey" Greene!) I may also consider binge-watching The West Wing, but maybe in a few years.

Kristin is truly a delight to listen to. The audio book is short and the print version is 256 pages. Easy read that you're guaranteed to breeze through because you also won't be able to get enough of her! I felt a real connection to her throughout and hope she will write another memoir detailing what she's been up to since she finished this one! I felt like I was sitting across from her at lunch listening to her share all her stories. The only thing I should "warn" readers about in advance is that there is not a linear or chronological progression. Kristin jumps back and forth in time throughout, which may feel a bit confusing. She also goes off on tangents a lot. Another "warning" is that Kristin will have you laughing throughout her book, so don't drink anything you're not prepared to choke on when she throws out one of her zingers.

I hope I can one day meet Kristin in person so I can tell her how much I enjoyed her book and how great I think she is (if I don't get tongue-tied).

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Other La Bohème

Opera is another form of musical theater, and La Bohème is especially well known because it is the inspiration for RENT. (There's even a song, "La Vie Bohème.") So we figured The Other La Bohème by Yorker Keith would be a perfect way to end our musical theme month! He even has FIVE copies to share with some lucky readers!

The Other La Bohème is literary fiction that depicts the lives and loves of four friends who pursue opera singers' careers in present-day New York City. Jennifer (soprano), Stephanie (mezzo-soprano), Henry (tenor), and John (baritone) met in music school in Manhattan, where they performed Puccini's famous opera La Bohème at their graduation concert. After graduation they banded together as a group called the Dolci Quattro, pledging to support one another in their professional pursuits. Several years later, they have landed the roles of Mimi, Musette, Marcello, and Rodolfo in the nearly forgotten opera La Bohème by Leoncavallo--known as "the other La Bohème"--which is to be produced by the New York Bel Canto Opera.

The novel begins with arias and a duet sung by Henry and Stephanie in the Café Momus. Jennifer and John come in, and they congratulate each other on their new roles. Immediately, though, the thoughts of the current state of their personal lives cool their enthusiasm.

As the story unfolds, Jennifer discovers that her fiancé, Richard, an investment banker and a fiction writer, is having an affair with another woman. Stephanie struggles to find a steady love, while perturbed by a strained relationship with her father, a billionaire hedge fund manager, who abandoned her late mother. Henry faces a pressure from his family to renounce his bohemian life for a more respectful career as he meets his new love, Christine, a poet. John receives a summons for divorce from the lawyer of his wife Michelle, a painter.

Set in the rich artistic backdrop of New York City, the Dolci Quattro's lives and loves go through ups and downs in joy and despair, while true to their pledge they give one another much-needed moral support. As the opening night nears, the Dolci Quattro make their utmost efforts to perfect their singing for the opera that will determine their future.


Yorker Keith lives in Manhattan, New York City. He loves literature, theatre, classical music, opera, and art. He holds an MFA in creative writing from The New School. His literary works have been recognized four times in the William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition as a finalist or a semifinalist.

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 April 4th at midnight EST.

Melissa Baldwin is dancing through life...plus a special giveaway

Melissa Baldwin is no stranger to talking about musical theater with us. She was here in 2015 to feature See You Soon Broadway (currently 99 cents for Kindle) and share her top five favorite musicals. Now she's sharing her top five favorite show tunes in honor of the sequel, See You Later Broadway (available next week). She has a $10 Amazon gift card for one lucky reader (so you can treat yourself to both books)!

We also want to point you in the direction of Melissa's "Seasons of Summer" novella series:
Fall Into Magic (free)
Winter Can Wait (99 cents)
To Spring With Love (coming soon)

To learn more about Melissa, visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Top Five Songs from Broadway Musicals

In honor of my upcoming release, See You Later Broadway (sequel to See You Soon Broadway), I would like to share my top five favorite songs from Broadway musicals. There are so many fantastic songs, so I had to give this quite a bit of thought…

"For Good" from Wicked- Who doesn’t love the music from this amazing show? (Spoiler alert… There is a mention of this song in See You Later Broadway)

"Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You" from Jersey Boys- Ahhh…this song makes me smile☺ Jersey Boys reminds me of my dad.

"Defying Gravity" from Wicked- I think we can all agree on this one!

"Seasons of Love" from Rent- Oh how I adore this song. Just listen to the lyrics; the message of love says it all.

"All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera- This song gives me chills, as does every song from this brilliant show!

Honorable Mentions: There are so many songs that I love so I had to include a few honorable mentions. "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables, "As Long As You’re Mine" from Wicked, and every song from Mamma Mia. ☺

Thanks to Melissa for visiting with us and sharing an Amazon gift card 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 April 3rd at midnight EST.

Nicole Waggoner is not throwing away her shot...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

We're so glad to have Nicole Waggoner back at CLC today. She was here last year to talk about her debut novel from her Circus of Women trilogy, Center Ring (reviewed here). The second book in the trilogy, The Act, will be available sometime soon. (We just have to wait for it....we had to for almost a year anyway!) Nicole has one set of both books for a lucky reader! (How lucky you are to be alive right now!)

In the year between Nicole's publication dates, she and I have bonded over lots of common interests. Something we both love right now is Hamilton! When I invited her back to CLC, we decided to do a Hamilton-themed interview.  It was a lot of fun, as you'll see below. She really is a mind at work!

To learn more about Nicole, visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Your top three favorite songs from Hamilton:
That’s akin to picking a favorite child, but my absolute favorites are “Helpless”, “The Schuyler Sisters”, and “Satisfied”. I am fascinated by structure and multiple perspectives, as evidenced in my work, and adore the point of view shifts and mesh of musical techniques.

Which of the Schuyler sisters is your favorite?
Eliza! Am I the only one who sang that answer? The English teacher in me would argue that the show’s title is referring as much to Elizabeth Hamilton as to Alexander. LMM is telling her story as much as his. I admire her unconditional love and extraordinary ability to forgive, not only in word but in action.

Which quote from Hamilton resonates with you the most when it comes to writing?
“Why do you write like you’re running out of time?” When I am in the zone, I can write non-stop. I relish the time when my home is quiet and I can spend time crafting my imaginary friends’ (AKA the characters of the Circus of Women trilogy) lives. An incredibly generous reader recently sent me a shirt with this quote and a note that said ‘because the world is waiting for book two’. My husband always says he knows how their stories end and can be bought.

What was your last Hamilaria moment? (Like when you heard something that reminded you of a Hamilton song and you started singing.) 
I was waiting to meet a reporter in a little café when another patron asked me what time it was. I said "SHOWTIME!" complete with jazz hands. The explanation was more than awkward.

Note from Melissa: There is a cure for that! 

What is something you learned about history from Hamilton that you didn't know before?
I never knew how many ships were in New York Harbor, nor that Alexander Hamilton was the creator of the Coast Guard and founder of the New York Post. I also didn’t know that during our country’s early administrations the loser became Vice President.

Which character from your book series would enjoy Hamilton the most?
Definitely the “Leila” character. She is the most like me and would have been first to catch the Hamilaria. The “Ellie” character would have the connections to sit front row. The “Cami” character would see an interval soundtrack for her run. The “Norah” character would be oblivious until she delivered her nineteenth Eliza (and Peggy) of the week. “Kate” would be engrossed in the pageantry of the costumes and impact on pop culture.

Thank you for hosting me today! Chick Lit Central is definitely the site where it happens.

Thanks to Nicole (and Peggy) for visiting with us and 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 April 2nd at midnight EST.

Take a chance on Isabella Louise Anderson...plus a book giveaway

We're glad to have Isabella Louise Anderson back at CLC today. She was here three years ago when her debut, The Right Design (reviewed here), came out. We've been in touch with her throughout these past few years and are excited that her sophomore novel, Cards from Khloe's Flower Shop, is finally available, after hearing so much about it. Isabella has TWO copies to give away (one print and one e-book)!

Isabella grew up with a book in her hand, and to this day nothing has changed. She focuses her time on featuring other writers on her blog, Chick Lit Goddess, along with organizing Goddess Book Tours, and is a member of the Romance Writers of America.

She lives in Dallas with her husband, enjoys spicy Mexican food, margaritas, gin on the rocks (with a splash of lime). She loves spending time with family and friends and cheering on the Texas Rangers. Not only is Isabella an author, she’s also a Scentsy consultant and hoarder.

Aside from Isabella's aforementioned novels, she has a short story, “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe,” that was featured in Simon & Fig’s Christmas anthology, Merry & Bright. She’s currently working on another book. You can find Isabella at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Synopsis:
As the owner of a successful florist shop, Khloe Harper trusts her instincts. She has a strong bond with her family and friends, but after being betrayed by her last love, she's kept herself at arms’ length from romance. When dashing entertainment attorney Derek Thomas walks into her store, Khloe’s interest is piqued. What at first seems like a business relationship quickly turns into romance, and Derek slowly plucks away the petals she’s been hiding behind. Just as Khloe lets down her guard, she discovers that Derek may not be worthy of her love after all.

Frumpy Connie Albright has a faux fascination with an imaginary man named Walt, thinking that by sending herself flowers from him she’ll feel less out-of-place with the “mean girls” she works with. When she comes face to face with her possible prince charming and thinking she might have a happy ending, when a truth is revealed, she wonders if she’ll ever have a Cinderella story.

A recently widowed senior, Gabby Lewis, isn't ready to give up on love—which means releasing herself from survivor's guilt and taking a chance on finding happiness and companionship again. After signing up for an online dating site for senior citizens, much to her surprise, she’s matched with Harry, an energetic and loving man, who quickly eases himself into her heart. Will Gabby take the leap of falling in love again, knowing it’s possible to have two loves of her life?

As each woman’s story develops through flowers and cards sent from Khloe's shop during the Fall months, they begin to learn that love can only truly blossom when you trust your heart.

If Cards from Khloe's Flower Shop were to become a musical (stage or movie), what would the showstopping song be titled? Would it be a ballad or something upbeat?
It would definitely be a very moving ballad—something that would make the audience and people around the world “know” the song and resonate with the musical.

Who would star in the lead roles of the Cards... musical?
Khloe: Amy Adams
Derek: Josh Duhamel
Gabby: Blythe Danner
Harry: John Mahoney
Connie: Mayim Bialik
Walt: Adam Levine

Which musical do you fantasize about starring in and which role would you play?
I would love to be Sophie in Mamma Mia!

What is your favorite movie musical?
Mamma Mia! It’s my absolute favorite musical, (and, of course, Pierce Brosnan is pretty hot!).

What is the last musical you saw?
The Lion King! While I wasn’t a fan too much of the costumes, the music and acting was great!

Which chick lit novel (aside from your own) would you like to see as a musical?
This is such a hard question, mainly because there are so many great books, but I’d have to say Speak Now: or Forever Hold Your Peace by Becky Monson!

Thanks to Isabella for chatting with us and sharing her book with our readers. Thanks to Book Buddy Author Services for including us in Isabella's blog tour.

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 28th at midnight EST.

Viola Shipman takes us over the rainbow...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to bring back our first Go-to-Gay, Wade Rouse, to celebrate the publication of his latest novel, The Hope Chest, written under the pen name Viola Shipman as a tribute to his grandmother, whose heirlooms inspired him to write it, along with his debut novel, The Charm Bracelet. Today, he's taking us back in time to the musicals his grandmothers loved. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have TWO copies of The Hope Chest to give away!


Visit Viola online:
Website
Facebook 
Twitter

Synopsis:
The discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again.

Ever since she was diagnosed with ALS, fiercely independent Mattie doesn’t feel like herself. She can’t navigate her beloved home, she can’t go for a boat ride, and she can barely even feed herself. Her devoted husband, Don, doesn’t want to imagine life without his wife of nearly fifty years, but Mattie isn’t likely to make it past their anniversary.

But when Rose, Mattie’s new caretaker, and her young daughter, Jeri, enter the couple’s life, happiness and the possibility for new memories return. Together they form a family, and Mattie is finally able to pass on her memories from the hope chest she received from her mother.

With each item―including a favorite doll, family dishes, an embroidered apron, and an antique Christmas ornament―the hope chest connects Mattie, Don and Rose to each other and helps them find hope again in the face of overwhelming life challenges.

A beautiful story about the unconditional love and support of family, The Hope Chest by Viola Shipman will remind you that hope can be found where and when you least expect it.


“Hope Sounds Like Judy Garland”

The first musical I remember watching as a child with my grandmothers was The Wizard of Oz. It didn’t turn out so well. The flying monkeys scared me so badly that I covered my eyes, screamed and finally went running out of the TV room to bury my head under the covers in my bedroom.
That didn’t deter my grandmothers from making me watch movies with music (Fantasia went much more smoothly) or further indoctrinating me to Judy Garland.

The next Judy musical I watched – snuggled between them, eating candy straight out of my basket – was Easter Parade.

This time, I didn’t cover my eyes, scream or run out of the room. I sat up a little straighter and smiled. When Judy and Fred Astaire sang “A Couple of Swells,” I remember getting up and taking a seat right in front of the TV, mesmerized, watching them dance in a fantasy world as make-believe characters.

Next came Meet Me in St. Louis, which, ironically, was the big city I dreamed of living in as an Ozarks child (my grandfathers and father LOVED the St. Louis Cardinals and listened to every game on the radio). This one hooked me even more with its songs and its beauty, and I eventually would live in St. Louis partially because of the spell this movie cast on me.

That started a tradition: Whenever a movie musical was on, my grandmothers would call me, and we’d plan a night together, just the three of us, and our imaginations.

We watched more than Judy, of course – Oklahoma, Auntie Mame, The Sound of Music – but Judy’s musicals remained our favorites. Whenever one of her movies was shown on TV, or featured at the local, old-time theatre, we would watch or go, the three of us.

I asked my grandmas once why they loved musicals so much. My Grandma Shipman took my hand in hers and said, “They’re like living a dream. The actors sing everything we think in our heads and feel in our hearts but that we are never able to demonstrate in real life.”

“And why do you love Judy Garland so much?”
“If hope had a voice, it would be Judy’s,” she said.

I use her quote in my new novel, The Hope Chest. In fact, one of the chapters in the book centers around an old Judy Garland ticket stub that is found in the long-forgotten hope chest of the main character, Mattie, a woman in the final stages of ALS. Mattie grew up loving Judy Garland (and living in St. Louis), and she passes along her love for the star and of movie musicals to her caregiver, Rose, and Rose’s young daughter, Jeri (who is named after my own mother).

Watching musicals with my grandmas still fills me with great warmth and memories, but, more importantly, that experience changed me greatly. It caused me not only to see the world differently but also challenged how I wanted to be a part of it. As a result, I took music lessons. I played trombone. I sang. I acted in plays and musicals. I read books. And, of course, I began to write.
Like my debut novel, The Charm Bracelet, The Hope Chest is inspired not only by my grandmas’ heirlooms but also by their lives, lessons and love. It was their belief in me and sacrifices for our family that changed the course of our lives and allowed me to be who I am today. Viola Shipman – the pen name I use for my fiction – is my maternal grandmother’s name, and I chose it to pay tribute to my grandmothers as well as all of our elders, whose voices, stories and sacrifices are too often overlooked today.

I still curl up on the couch and watch musicals, old and new, and I continue to feel the presence and impact of my grandmothers when I do. I recently saw a new movie musical, LaLa Land, and I thought of my grandmas much of the time, thinking of how much they’d love the movie. Near the end, when Emma Stone’s character – who is about to give up her dream of being an actress – sings a number entitled "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)," I began to weep openly. So loudly, in fact, that many turned around to see if I were OK.

I had been where Emma Stone’s character had been many times in my career, on the verge of quitting, of thinking that my dreams of being a writer were simply pipe dreams. But something deep inside me always urged me on, sang to me, like my grandmas did when we watched musicals together.

It was fierce determination and a bit of madness, of course, but most of all it was hope. Hope that I could make the world feel, think, see just a little bit differently from my words.

In the end, hope sang to me, so loudly it won out.

And it sounded just like Judy Garland’s voice.


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 26th at midnight EST.