Amy Rivers measures her life in love...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Amy Rivers is a woman after my own heart. When you see the number one spot on her top five favorite musicals list, you'll know why! (And yes, it's what I was listening to in my car this week. I do "take a break" from Hamilton sometimes!)

Today, Amy is here to talk about musicals and celebrate the recent publication of her latest novel, Best Laid Plans & Other Disasters. Thanks to TLC Book Tours, we have one copy to give away! Visit all the stops on Amy's tour.

Amy Rivers was born and raised in southern New Mexico and currently resides in Colorado with her husband, kids and cat. She has a Master’s degree with concentrations in Psychology and Politics, two topics she loves to incorporate into her personal essays and novels. Amy has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses, Novelty Bride Magazine, ESME.com and Splice Today. Her first novel, Wallflower Blooming, was published in August 2016. Best Laid Plans is the second book in the Cambria Trilogy, but can be read as a stand-alone. Visit Amy at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Synopsis:

A year after she is elected mayor of a prosperous Colorado city, Gwen’s career and life are fully on track, all according to plan. So why is she in such a slump emotionally and physically? New conflicts keep boiling over in city government, and her earlier allies no longer support her. She and her boyfriend have an ideal relationship, which she finds inexplicably dissatisfying. Without telling her, he decides to take a new job that has him traveling out of state every week. Suddenly unexpected developments turn everything topsy-turvy, and Gwen is forced to re-examine her carefully-planned life.

“Witty, warm, and compulsively readable. Rivers has deftly created lovably flawed and relatable characters you don’t want to miss.”
 –Amy Avanzino, author of Wake-Up Call and From the Sidelines

The Magic of Musicals

If I could get away with bursting out in song throughout the day without being arrested or committed, I would. Since I was a child, musicals have always resonated with me. Growing up in a musical family, it just made sense that we express our emotions and tell stories through song. I grew up on The Sound of Music and Annie, but also on Labyrinth and Hair. If there was singing, I was nearby singing along.

Some musicals are just good clean fun, but others address important historical, cultural and social issues. When watching (or listening to) Rent, I never ever fail to sob uncontrollably when Collins sings I'll Cover You (reprise) at Angel’s funeral. I always think, “that’s what love sounds like.” Imagine, tackling homelessness, homosexuality, and AIDS in song? The creators of Rent are revolutionaries, bringing topics that are often taboo to a broader audience.

I have a copy of the 25^th Anniversary celebration of Les Miserables on my phone. I listen to it when I need to hear raw emotion. My favorite line is where Fantine (played by Lea Salonga) sings, “You let your foreman send me away,” to a mortified Jean Valjean. Her voice cracks, the look on her face is pure agony, and I think to myself, “if I can convey that kind of emotion in my writing, I will have achieved my dreams.”

OK, so I’m going to attempt to give you my top five favorite musicals (with the caveat that this is my list as of 12:33 MST, Monday, March 6, 2017 and is subject to change at the slightest whim). Here goes:

1.      Rent. That’s right. Despite being absolutely in love with Les Mis, I’m putting Rent at the top spot because it’s hard to imagine a more perfect combination of music and storytelling. The story of these people, brought together one night under a common cause, and of course, friendship. They love. They hate. They struggle. The story examines the brutal realities of homelessness and AIDS. And yet, there are tender moments of true friendship and love that move me each and every time I watch this musical.

2.      Les Miserables. I’ve seen this musical twice on stage. The first time was in high school. I saw it at the Abraham Chavez theater in El Paso, Texas. The stage revolved, and from our balcony seats, we watched as the scenery and cast floated around below us, the barricade being erected in a whirl. That image has stayed with me, and every time I see a musical performed live on stage, I can’t help but compare it to the magic of that first night. Les Miserables is a tale of redemption and the endurance of the human soul despite the foulest of circumstances. Love, love, love.

3.      Meet Me in St. Louis. Because, Judy Garland. I grew up watching every Judy Garland movie I could get my hands on, from her Andy Hardy days on up. But Meet Me in St. Louis is one of my favorite movies of all time, musical or no. I own it. I watch it more than once a year, singing along the whole time. And the red dress at the end of Wallflower Blooming was inspired by Judy’s ball gown at the Christmas dance. It’s a great story about a family at the turn of the century and the things that are important to them. It’s got one of the funnest and funniest Halloween scenes of all time AND one of the greatest Christmas carol performances ever: Judy singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

4.      Mary Poppins. What can I say? You’ve got Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. There’s woman’s suffrage, the importance of charity AND personal responsibility (a clean room! – kids, take note).  There’s magical tea parties, penguins and siedwalk art. There’s chimney sweeps dancing on the rooftops for heaven’s sake! I love a good musical that both children and adults can enjoy together. Stage productions that I’ve seen of this musical are equally good, but I’m going to stick with the Disney film for the purposes of this list.

5.      …and, finally,  Purple Rain. Yes, siree. I saw this movie when I was probably WAY too young to see it and thus began a lifelong love affair with Prince. Musical in the tradition sense? Maybe not. But luckily this is my list and I can do what I want!

I was going to make an honorable mentions list, but it got out of control and, quite frankly, included every musical known to man because, as I’ve stated before, I LOVE MUSICALS! Also, you’ll probably have noted that all the musicals above are movies. Because those are the musicals that I (and all of you) have most ready access to, they’re the ones that come to mind first. That being said, I implore you, NEVER pass up a chance to see a musical performed live. Sweeny Todd is just so much more amazing on stage (sorry Johnny and Helena). Elton John’s musical Aida took my breath away and I still go on binges listening to the soundtrack. And an amateur production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring a high school classmate (way back in the day) was maybe one of the best productions I have ever seen on stage. They did such an amazing job!

In closing….a few guilty (sorta) confessions: I will watch High School Musical (the first one) about a million times in a row. And the Frankie and Annette beach movies are also on my list of musical fav’s. AND my husband will probably snort when he sees that I haven’t included a single Gilbert and Sullivan. Sorry honey, I’m out of space.

Thanks to Amy for visiting with us and to TLC Book Tours 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 21st at midnight EST.

Go-to-Gay: All the World's a Stage!

This month's Go-To-Gay post really needs no introduction. Keith just took our musicals theme and rolled with it!

Rosie Red

Broadway prima donnas and their show tunes have always been two of my great loves. As early as age five, I created my own diva persona, Rosie Red. I transformed into Rosie when the urge to perform on the stage overwhelmed my normal needs of playing kickball with my sister or building yet another cabin with my set of Lincoln Logs. All I had to do in order to call Rosie Red to me was wrap a bath towel around my head to imitate hair.

The wrapping of the towel around my head was also crucial to Rosie Red’s identity. It was not wrapped into a cone-shaped pile like my mother and older sister fixed after they washed their hair. I draped the towel over my head, much like a boy performing the role of Shepherd Number One in his church’s Christmas nativity play. I would then crease a small fold above my eyebrows that would help frame my face and give an appearance of bangs and texture. The cascade of the towel would create enough length and body to allow me to perform both a patented Cher head and neck flip, and to tuck my terrycloth hair behind my ear with my hand, when either move was needed for emphasis in a song performance.

With dance moves I had memorized by studying the television program Zoom, I executed riveting concerts for my horrified parents and enthusiastic sister. My performances were always a surprise. To begin, I would stick one leg into the doorway of the living room where my unsuspecting family was sitting. I shook the exposed leg until someone noticed, then in my best emcee voice, I announced Rosie Red was back in town for one last performance, and high kicked my way into the room. Using my mother’s pink Avon hairbrush as a microphone, I sang songs from 42nd Street, The Wiz, and West Side Story, as well as whatever songs were requested from my audience, which usually included something by Cher, Dolly Parton, and Dad's favorite, Charlie Pride.


Sadly, for whatever reasons, Rosie Red slowly faded over the years until she no longer performed in the Stewart home. She drifted to that place where other childhood activities retire, along with my bicycle, Star Wars action figures, countless colorful plastic pegs from a Lite-Brite, and a few stray Legos.

When I began thinking about what I wanted to write this month, I thought of Rosie, and how much I miss her. She would be so happy see the success of the La La Land movie. She would love all the Broadway musicals she has missed since she faded away. She would be particularly fond of Mamma Mia and Wicked.

I then began thinking of how great it would be if Rosie could just exist in my current day-to-day life. Life would be so much more bearable if you could break out into song whenever you wanted or needed. Imagine how less mundane a trip to the grocery store would be if you could blurt out in the produce isle (to the tune of Memory from Cats):

Lettuce!
All that leafy green goodness!
Will I pay for the spring mix
or just stick with romaine?

Say you are in a rush to get somewhere and traffic is terrible and you hit every red light along the way. Every. Single. One. Wouldn’t it be great to belt out (to the tune of "Tomorrow" from Annie):

The red light!
The red light!
I always
find red lights!
I never
drive up on green!

Who hasn’t had to sit through endless, mind-numbing meetings at work or on committees? How I wish I could just stand up in the middle of one and sing (to the tune of "Seasons of Love"from Rent):

522 bazillion 400 minutes,
522 bazillion minutes in meetings.
522 bazillion 400 minutes,
how many ways do we have to say the same thing?

Who knows, maybe I will find myself a new towel and see if I still have the same hair wrapping skills as my childhood self. I am planning on finally seeing Hamilton this summer, maybe Rosie Red will make a guest appearance.

Until then, I will be at some coffee shop furiously typing on my laptop while singing (to the tune of "Tonight"from West Side Story):

Dead-line
Dead-line
My piece is due tonight
I wish I had done some prep before.

Keith Stewart is the author of Bernadette Peters Hates Me – True Tales of a Delusional Man. A native of Appalachia, he splits his time between his hometown of Hyden and nearby Lexington, Kentucky. His blog is www.astrongmanscupoftea.com. You can find him on Twitter at @Shiglyogly and Facebook at @AMSCOT (A Strong Man’s Cup of Tea). He is a regular contributor to HumorOutcasts.com and the GoodMenProject.com. He lives with his husband, Andy, and their two dogs, Duke and Dudley.

Book Review and Giveaway: Eggshells

By Melissa Amster

Vivian doesn’t feel like she fits in — and never has. As a child, she was so whimsical that her parents told her she was “left by fairies.” Now, living alone in Dublin, the neighbors treat her like she’s crazy, her older sister condescends to her, social workers seem to have registered her as troubled, and she hasn’t a friend in the world.

So, she decides it’s time to change her life: She begins by advertising for a friend. Not just any friend. She wants one named Penelope.

Meanwhile, she roams the city, mapping out a new neighborhood every day, seeking her escape route to a better world, the other world her parents told her she came from.

And then one day someone named Penelope answers her ad for a friend. And from that moment on, Vivian’s life begins to change. (Synopsis courtesy of TLC Book Tours.)

Some things I really liked about Eggshells:
1. Caitriona Lally writes Vivian as a protagonist, yet most of her supporting characters are bothered or annoyed by her. This felt like an interesting way to tell a story.
2. There's an idyllic feel to the story. Vivian can come and go as she pleases and spend her days doing whatever she wants. She has a childlike sense of wonder.
3. It was funny. Vivian reminds me of Amelia Bedelia, who always makes me laugh (even as an adult). She takes so much of what is said to her at face value and it leads to some fantastic misunderstandings.
4. Vivian's fascination with words enhanced the story. I loved reading what she thought a word meant or how it should look, sound, etc.
5. It was an escape from the stress of what is going on in real life. I rarely thought about current events while reading this novel.
6. It took me on an armchair adventure to Ireland.

Some things I would have liked to know more about:
1. Vivian's age. All I know is that she is an adult, but that she's younger than Penelope.
2. Why Vivian won't look in a mirror.
3. Why her family has such a problem with her. We only see this through her sister, but there are some points where she refers to how her parents treated her.
4. Vivian's backstory. We only really know about her present comings and goings. I wanted to know more about her past.
5. What Vivian looks like. We don't get much of a description.

Overall, it was a quirky story that will delight fans of A Man Called Ove, Invisible Ellen, and/or Be Frank With Me.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy to give away! Visit all the stops on Caitriona's tour. (We're pleased to be kicking it off!)

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 19th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Who We Were

By Sara Steven

In the ten years since high school graduation, Maylee’s career, living arrangements, family, and especially her love life are at a standstill. When her twin brother, Mitch, falls for her high school enemy at their ten-year reunion, Maylee’s life is catapulted into chaos.

Maylee’s hatred for the blonde-haired Josephine isn’t the only thing she discovers at her reunion. Benson Drake, the introvert from high school, has matured into a sexy intellect. Now a writer and bartender, Benson’s grown into a man with a perfect balance of quirky wit and sex appeal. After a wardrobe malfunction, a spy mission gone wrong, and a dangerous cup of coffee, Maylee and Benson explore something they never even thought about during senior year. Along the way, they find out that reconnecting with the past can change you… or maybe just help you find your true self. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I’ve had the good fortune, or in some ways the misfortune, of attending two of my own high school reunions. There are definite highs and lows that can come from getting in touch with that teenage part of your psyche, the part you swore you’d never visit again because it’s the past. Yet, being there again, among old friends and potential foes, can make you feel as though you’re right there, that no time has passed from high school vs. now.

That’s what Maylee experiences when she goes back to her own ten year high school reunion in Lindsay Detwiler's latest novel, Who We Were. While she’s not entirely where she wants to be career-wise or on a personal level, she still wants to confront the past, particularly the one girl who made her four years a living hell. Her whole focus is showcasing how even though she’d been bullied, that it didn’t define her. Only, in doing so, she discovers that maybe it has, more than she could ever know.

Only in my worst nightmares could I conceive of my childhood enemy forging a relationship with my brother. That’s exactly what happens, and it seems as though time hasn’t changed everyone, especially not Josephine, who is still up to her old tricks and manipulative behavior. Maylee can’t help but wonder if her primary objective in dating Maylee’s brother is merely one of torture. And, she can’t fathom what anyone would see in Josephine, obvious beauty aside. The only saving grace from the reunion comes in the form of Benson, the boy from high school who seemed to see her even when she thought no one else noticed. And, he definitely notices her now, and she’s very aware of it.

Lindsay Detwiler has created characters you fall in love with, even the ones you love to hate, like Josephine. Written to true life, they all have layers, so even when you feel as though you’re rooting for the underdog, ultimately you discover that even those that appear to be the worst offenders are often the ones who need the most encouragement. In some ways this story reminded me of some of my own drama that surrounded my reunions, and while the last one I attended made me question whether I’ll attend the 30 year (it hurts to even say that number), chances are I will, because it’s nice to still have some sort of connection to that girl who at times felt like no one had really noticed her or cared, but in the end, someone did.

Thanks to Lindsay Detwiler for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Lindsay Detwiler:

Steena Holmes' "Impossible Dream"...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

If Steena Holmes ever wants to do Broadway Carpool Karaoke, she knows where to find me. Especially since no one in her family wants to be a part of it. It makes me thankful for the Hamilton sing-alongs with my kids when we're all in the car together.

Steena is here today to talk about musicals and feature her latest novel, Abby's Journey. It is a follow-up to Saving Abby, so we will not share the synopsis as to avoid giving spoilers. We know you'll want to read both books though! Thanks to TLC Book Tours, there's a copy of Abby's Journey up for grabs right here! Visit all the stops on Steena's tour for more chances to win.

After writing her first novel while working as a receptionist, Steena Holmes made her dream of being a full-time writer a reality. She won the National Indie Excellence Book Award in 2012 for her bestselling novel Finding Emma. Now both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Steena continues to write stories that touch every parent’s heart in one way or another. To find out more about her books and her love for traveling, visit her on social media.

Find Steena online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

I DREAMED A DREAM…

Picture this with me: it’s a beautiful Saturday afternoon and we’re headed to an outdoor market an hour away. The windows are down, the radio on, we’ve got our frapps and we’re chatting away about all things life (for instance, the latest chocolate icing you made and loved or a trip we would love to take or figuring out what we should make our families for dinner tonight…you know…life stuff).

And then it happens.

"Into the Woods" comes on or "Satisfied" from Hamilton and instantly all conversation stops, the music is turned up and we’re belting out the words loud enough that our throats hurt afterwards. As soon as the song ends, our souls are full, our hearts happy and the twinkle in our eyes suggest a secret only the two of us understand.

Sounds perfect right? It is…if it’s you and I in the car together.

But when it’s me and my three beautiful teenage daughters…apparently it’s their worst nightmare. I can’t imagine how that is…who doesn’t love musicals?

My daughters, for one. They roll their eyes, shake their heads, stuff their ears with headphones and pretend I don’t exist. If there are other vehicles around us and I’m stopped, they beg me to roll up the windows or to turn the volume down.

I’m not sure if it’s my singing, my passion for the song (I use my hands to emphasis the words…as you do) or if it’s because I’m that uncool. I figure it’s all three…which means, I do it every chance I can get and will purposely select show tunes from my phone to listen to.

I grew up surrounded by musicals. My best friends shared my passion for them and going to a musical is one of my happy places. You know what I mean, right? I’m determined to ensure my daughters grow up loving them too…even if it means bribing them to sit and watch a musical with me or attend a live show.

It’s my dream that one day, while we’re driving down the highway with the windows down that they’ll be the ones to turn the radio up when "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Miserables comes on.

Thanks to Steena for her lovely guest post and to TLC Book Tours for sharing Abby's Journey 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 13th at midnight EST

Giveaway: March and April Books We are Looking Forward to Reading

Every two months, we're featuring EIGHT books we're interested in checking out. (We know there are many, many more, but we're just highlighting a few that haven't received their time in the spotlight yet.) Here are the books we've chosen for March and April. There is one copy of each book available to give away and we will choose FOUR winners to each receive TWO books at random.

See our previous bi-monthly posts for some other great reads you might have missed.


March:

Close Enough to Touch 
by Colleen Oakley (March 7th)

This sounds like a unique love story. Can you imagine being allergic to other people?!? Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Jodi Picoult.

*Thanks to Gallery Books for the giveaway copy.

A Bridge Across the Ocean 
by Susan Meissner (March 14th)

Her previous novel was a hit, so we're excited to see what is in store for us this year. Such a gorgeous cover too!

*Thanks to Berkley for the giveaway copy.

Every Wild Heart 
by Meg Donohue (March 14th)

Amy and some of our reviewers have enjoyed Meg's previous novels, and this one sounds intriguing. The teen character definitely appeals to Melissa A.

*Thanks to William Morrow for the giveaway copy.

Almost Missed You 
by Jessica Strawser (March 28th)

This sounds like an intense domestic drama and we can't wait to see what's between the covers.

*Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the giveaway copy.

April:

The Widow of Wall Street 
by Randy Susan Meyers (April 11th)

Randy has had us anticipating this novel since the end of last year. The story sounds intriguing and the cover stands out, even with only having two colors.

*Thanks to Atria for the giveaway copy.

White Sand, Blue Sea by Anita Hughes (April 11th)

Pack your swimsuits and sunscreen...Anita is about to take us on another exotic adventure!

*Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the giveaway copy.

One Good Thing by Wendy Wax 
(April 25th)

While it is part of the Ten Beach Road series, it could be read as a stand-alone. Great for a pre-summer escape read!

*Thanks to Berkley for the giveaway copy.

The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenner (April 25th)

Perfect for your beach bag this summer! Jamie's previous novel was a hit with readers last year, and we have a feeling this one will be too!

*Thanks to Little, Brown for the giveaway copy.


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 5th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Housekeeper

By Jami Deise

It’s common advice in today’s busy households: Pick up your stuff; the maids are coming. It’s a joke that reveals a universal truth: We don’t like other people to see our dirty laundry, even when we are paying them to handle it. But after a while, we let our guard down. Maybe we shouldn’t.

British sous chef Anne Morgan is a huge fan of lifestyle expert Emma Helmsley. When Anne quits her job after learning her boss and lover is cheating on her, she finagles a job running Emma’s household, which includes Emma’s high-profile academic husband Rob and their teenagers Jake and Lily. Anne becomes quickly attached to the family. But the family may not be everything they seem…

This is the perfect set-up for a psychological thriller, because anyone could turn out to be the bad guy. A huge fan who sets herself up in her idol’s home? A housekeeping star who needs someone else to actually run her household? Or what about the husband? Have we learned nothing from The Hand that Rocks the Cradle?

Unfortunately, I read too much into the marketing material, which gushes about The Housekeeper as a suspense thriller. While it’s engaging and extremely well-written—I stopped several times to marvel at phrases that had me finding meaning in a soggy bowl of cornflakes—the suspense in the book was mostly lacking.

My biggest issue is that the plot complications hinge upon a huge coincidence. It happens somewhere near the middle, so I won’t give it away. But the book is more concerned with Anne’s past – her mother died mysteriously when she was very young, and she was raised by a loving grandmother who told her little—and that past becomes crucial to the present. Anne thinks about her past, dreams about it, journals about it. That subplot was not what I expected when I picked up the book.

Anne is a protagonist to root for, even though she disregards her best friend’s advice and makes the Helmsleys’ problems her own. She becomes so deeply ensconced in this family that she ceases to have a life of her own. Most books enroll the reader in rooting for the protagonist to achieve her goals. In this case, I was rooting for Anne to grow a backbone and get a life.

The ending, however, works well. People are shown to be whom they first revealed themselves to be. The bad guy eventually gets theirs…. Although it’s unfortunate that the good guy doesn’t deliver that justice.

An unexpected bonus is that Anne gives readers cooking tips as she runs Emma’s household. If I knew how to do anything more than boil pasta, I would have written down those tips.

Thanks to BookSparks for the book in exchange for an honest review. This is part of their Wintervention.