PRE-PUB PARTY: Beautiful Mess by John Herrick

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're throwing a PRE-PUB PARTY for the latest forthcoming novel from author John Herrick.  You may remember his name from your own personal reading, or one of several reviews here on my site (love his work!), and I was nothing but pleased when the opportunity came around to explore between the pages of this work.  It takes us to Hollywood, both old and new, with all the glamour and glitz, all the heartaches and hardships, all the fights to the top and scary long falls to the bottom, as well as those tentative reaches made to rectify a life gone astray, or perhaps even come to the aid of another that missed the warning signs.  Yes, my friends, you're in for a silver screen story right in the palm of your hand, so grab your most fabulous finery (or not, I'm not judging!), and prepare for today's book of choice...

Beautiful Mess

by

John Herrick

Segue Blue

9780991530960

About the book...

A fallen star. A former hippie. And the Marilyn Monroe you only thought you knew.

Del Corwin is an aging Hollywood relic, destined to fade into a history of forgotten legends—unless he can revive his career. All he needs is one last chance.

When Del uncovers an original screenplay by Marilyn Monroe—and proof that she named him its legal guardian—he surges to the top of Hollywood’s A-list. But the opportunity to reclaim his fame and fortune brings a choice: Is Del willing to sacrifice newfound love, self-respect and his most cherished friendship to achieve his greatest dream?

A story of warmth, humor and honesty, BEAUTIFUL MESS follows one man’s journey toward love and relevance where he least expects it—and proves coming-of-age isn’t just for the young.

AMAZON  |  B&N

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A bit of a departure from the author's usual fair, which actually had me worried initially with some of the language and content, but by book's end, it was a Hollywood affair of the heart to remember. We've the aging leading man seeking to make it one last time, delivered that chance by the long gone hands of someone very close to his heart. It seems a perfect match...but sometimes what seems perfect at the start is anything but when the final curtain is called. There's a choice to be made with r A bit of a departure from the author's usual fair, which actually had me worried initially with some of the language and content, but by book's end, it was a Hollywood affair of the heart to remember. We've the aging leading man seeking to make it one last time, delivered that chance by the long gone hands of someone very close to his heart. It seems a perfect match, everyone gets what they want with no strings attached...but sometimes what seems perfect at the start is anything but when the final curtain is called. There's a choice to be made with repercussions both unforeseen and much further reaching than his party of one...and some of those efforts could be lethal. What would you do if fame and fortune were at your door if it meant forsaking the life (gone or not) of another? What indeed... Author John Herrick brings us the glitz and glamour of Hollywood while beseeching us to look beneath the veneer and discover the truth at heart.  We get up close and seemingly personal with some of the big names...only to discover that what we see as Johnny Q. Public isn't always what we get.  It doesn't matter how big a marquee our name is displayed upon...if at the end of the day (or our days, for that matter), we can't honestly say we did all we could to leave a positive mark on the world around us, reached out to those seeking a open ear or kindred heart, or spent our time with a heart full of love versus envy and greed.  If we only lived for ourselves, than what was it all for? Recommended for the author's current fan base as well as those seeking a new "voice" to add to their reading repertoire.  This is one of my "go to " authors and I'll bet my Hollywood star (that I theoretically have) that he'll be one of yours too.  ^-^

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About the author...

A self-described "broken Christian," John Herrick battled depression since childhood. In that context, however, he developed intuition for themes of spiritual journey and the human heart.

Herrick graduated from the University of Missouri—Columbia. Rejected for every writing position he sought, he turned to information technology and fund development, where he cultivated analytical and project management skills that helped shape his novel-writing process. He seized unpaid opportunities writing radio commercial copy and ghostwriting for two nationally syndicated radio preachers.

The Akron Beacon Journal hailed Herrick's From the Dead as "a solid debut novel." Published in 2010, it became an Amazon bestseller. The Landing, a semifinalist in the inaugural Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, followed.

Herrick's nonfiction book 8 Reasons Your Life Matters introduced him to new readers worldwide. The free e-book surpassed 100,000 downloads and hit #1 on Amazon's Motivational Self-Help and Christian Inspiration bestseller lists. Reader response prompted a trade paperback.

His latest novel, Between These Walls, returns readers to Hudson, Ohio, to which he introduced them in From the Dead. Herrick admits his journey felt disconnected. "It was a challenge but also a growth process," he acknowledges. "But in retrospect, I can see God's fingerprints all over it."

      

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to author John Herrick for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or his full body of works, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY August 1, 2017 via Segue Blue, so mark your calendar or preorder your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Lights, Camera, ACTION!: The Woman in the Movie Star Dress by Praveen Asthana

Why hello stranger.

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're doing it up old Hollywood style as we adopt a persona or two to suite our own purposes.  How so?  Ah, wouldn't you like to know...and know you shall thanks to the book at the center of our spotlight today.  The bookish star of the day is a Fiction read filled with mystery, suspense, dodgey behaviour, femme fatales, and crimes most heinous.  In other words, it'll keep you turning pages for many a reason; some of which I'm about to illuminate.  So, grab your red carpet ready look and practice your most sultry stare.  Today's book of choice is....

The Woman in the Movie Star Dress

by

Praveen Asthana

9780692367445

Doublewood Press

About the book...

A young woman comes to Hollywood to escape her past. She finds work in a vintage clothing store that sells clothes used in the movies. One day she discovers a way to transfer human character through these vintage clothes, and she uses this ability to transform from a lonely, insecure young woman to a glamorous heartbreaker. But she also discovers that with the good comes the bad as character flaws are transferred too. She begins to worry: what if one of the vintage clothes she has sold to some unsuspecting customer had been previously worn by a deeply troubled soul? One day her fears become crystallized—intrigued by a man who comes asking about a beautiful scarlet dress she has recently sold, she looks into its history and discovers a secret that terrifies her. So begins a quest to find the scarlet dress complicated by a budding romance and the threads of her past, which intervene like trip wires. Emotions run high, and in the background the quickening drumbeat of the race to find the scarlet dress, potent as a loose, loaded weapon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The idea that we can share another's chi or essence through the imprint left on the clothes they wore is not exactly new, but to the degree that it is carried out here, it's a first read for me.  Do I believe it can happen?  That one can simply put on the clothes of another worn during a highly emotional time and POOF, you are "them" to some degree?  Hmm...can't say I see it happening in real life, but it works for the novel.  (Before you go stoning me, I do believe it to the extent of how wearing a certain outfit can make you more confident, feel more delicate, have you prepared to kick butt, or any other myriad of feelings, but a lot of that has to due with how you feel in the clothes AND the power of suggestion.)

Genevieve was such a great leading lady, whether she knew it or not.  She had looks that weren't overtly distracting, a pleasant demeanor, brains to go with the package, and a smile that would light up a room.  Only problem?  A lack of confidence.  Easily fixed, right?  More so than you ever imagined.  A kind word here, a compliment there, and a borrowed dress or two from some of Hollywood's biggest femme fatales sure take this girl a LONG way.  We're talking girl-next-door to watch-out-world-here-I-come!  They bring her out of her shell and allow her to do things she'd never have considered before but that's what playing a role does.  It takes you out of the every day and places you in the spotlight.  Problem is not everyone was meant for that particular role and when push comes to shove, Ms. Genevieve is walking a dangerous tight rope with the chance to loose everyone and everything dear to her in an instant.  Will she man up, owning her wants and desires while letting go of the past for better or worse?  Or will she cave and continue to hide behind the mask of those powerhouses that came before her?  Only one way to find out....

The story is filled with a few threads to follow and while they may cross, they don't become a tangled web of disaster.  The strongest undercurrent though is LOVE.  Whether for family, friends, lovers, or soul mates, love is what leads them astray as well as to their happy endings.  Genevieve explores its darkness as well as its light, discovering sides to herself and others she holds dear, that she never imagined.  It's really eye opening.  In fact, I was completely blindsided as a particular revelation made itself known once and for all.  I had been right there with our lead, ready to fight, then defend, then fight once again.  The final scenes though?  They really take the cake!  A true accomplishment that were the tale true, would certainly haunt a particular someone for the rest of his days.  

Now, as is the case with any movie, the characters are what make this truly memorable.  Everyone from our leading lady to her office mate and emerging friend Gretchen, Renzo the mysterious person stalking the red dress in question to Cameron an ex-con that has a bigger role to play than you might think, they all help the book cast its spell over you as you try to figure out all the connections before they fall neatly in place.  

The only drawback I can even mention would be in relation to the cover.  Now don't get me wrong, it is effectively striking and certainly beautiful to behold, but what's with the hidden hat?  It's actually an accessory our leading lady favors for a good portion of the book and truth be told, I didn't even notice it gracing the head of the cover model until I was posting the pic for this post.  I suppose since it plays a lesser role, it doesn't need to be front and center but then again, if it's going to be THAT out of sight, why include it in the image at all?  Just a thought; no more, no less.  

All in all, a great read that will keep you turning pages well into the night.  You'll come for the story but stay for the vivaciousness of it all.  From the murder mystery to the romantic entanglements, twisted truths to secrets best left undisturbed, the parade of Mr. Right-Now's versus Mr. Happily-Ever-After, and of course the glitz and glamour of the city itself!  The shiny lights of Hollywood cast their spell over it all and leave you breathless with all the revelations.  Recommended read for Fiction and Noir fans for the overall story as well as the mysteries stirring within.  The only caution I would give is that it be older teens through adults for the target age range, due to somewhat gratuitous drug usage, drinking, and a promiscuous nature on display thanks to a few choice moments of spiritual transference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special thanks to author Praveen Asthana for the review copy.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their future works, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title reached publication February 2015, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!