Author Guest Post: Lauren Clark, Author of Stay Tuned

In association with Chick Lit Plus, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Lauren Clark, author of Stay Tuned!

Stay Tuned's Supporting Cast: The Diva, The Angel, and the BFF

Lauren Clark

If you need an escape from the long, cold winter days, Stay Tuned will bring some warmth and cheer. Stay Tuned is a fun, fast-paced, behind the scenes look at the television industry. The story centers on Melissa Moore, producer for the six and ten o'clock news. Unlike many female heroines of today, Melissa's life is not perfect - far from it. 

While I loved writing Melissa's character, and watching her grow and develop, the real fun was creating the supporting cast: over the top, high-maintenance news anchor Alyssa Andrews, Ruth's nurse Sharice, and best friend - extraordinaire Candace Daughtry.

Alyssa is gorgeous and deliciously evil - think reality TV diva - blithely oblivious to the fact she's completely self-absorbed. She's a stereotypical news anchor, perfect on camera, mean as a snake as soon as she's off the set. In real life, the anchors I worked with are down-to-earth, real people who care about their jobs and viewers. Still, it was great fun to make Alyssa a Paris Hilton look-alike with a serious jealous streak and a mean right hook!

Sharice was a blast to write. She's a no-nonsense, give it you straight, single mom working in the nursing home where Melissa's mother lives. Sharice sees all and knows all, despite being in her early twenties. She's had a hard life, cares deeply for her son, Darius, and looks after Melissa's mother (Ruth Bailey) with the faith of an angel. Sharice's humor and sharp wit became the perfect balance for the serious complexities of Melissa's mother. Sharice, like Melissa's BFF Candace, can always be counted on to give Melissa her honest opinion every time, no matter what!

Candace Daughtry is based on my best friend, Lisa. I took all of her wonderful qualities, turned her into a hair stylist, and made her (a little bit) obsessed with Dr. Phil! Like Lisa, Candace is the best friend a girl could ever have - someone you can call at midnight, the person you laugh the hardest with, the person who knows your worst faults and loves you anyway. My friend Lisa had beaten some of the toughest obstacles in life a person can face, and I wanted to draw on that same tenacity and inner fire in Candace. She's a true friend - I hope everyone is blessed to have a Candace (or Lisa) in her life!

I hope you enjoy Stay Tuned as much as I loved writing it! I'd love to hear what you think about the story and characters. Feel free to drop me a line at laurenclarkbooks@gmail.com.

AUTHOR WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

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BUY THE BOOK: Stay Tuned

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STAY TUNED VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR CONTEST GIVEAWAY: WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

Click on the above link to enter the contest giveaway! Everyone who leaves a comment below and also on the contest link page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! 

If you purchase your copy of Stay Tuned before January 20 and send your receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com , you will get five bonus entries! Two lucky winners will be chosen! 

Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark

Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark
Published & Sold By: Monterey Press
Release Date: November 11, 2011
Format: Paperback - 274 pages / Kindle 424KB
ISBN: 0984725008
ASIN: B0062AHODI
Genre: Women's Fiction / Chick Lit / Contemporary Fiction


About The Author:

Lauren Clark has been a voracious reader since the age of four and would rather be stranded at the library than on a desert island. In her former life, she worked as an anchor and producer for CBS affiliates in Upstate New York and Alabama. Lauren adores her family, yoga, her new Electra bike, and flavored coffee. She lives near the Florida Gulf Coast.


AUTHOR WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS


BUY THE BOOK: Stay Tuned
AMAZON


Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.


Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, January 16, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Lauren Clark participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-guest-post-lauren-clark-author.html


STAY TUNED VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR CONTEST GIVEAWAY: WIN A $10 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

Click on the above link to enter the contest giveaway! Everyone who leaves a comment below and also on the contest link page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

If you purchased your copy of Stay Tuned before January 20 and send your receipt to Samantha@ChickLitPlus.com , you will get five bonus entries! Two lucky winners will be chosen!


Amazon.com Book Description:


Deadlines, Divas & Danger: Behind the Scenes in the TV news Biz ...


For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there's not much she hasn't seen or can't handle.

But no one - including Melissa - expects a fistfight during the ten o'clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor's face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She's determined that WSGA's reputation won't be destroyed on her watch.

Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in - but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa's husband is away more than he's home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother's antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target.

What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out ...


My Book Review:


Mix together a Macon, Georgia TV news station, 2 crazy news co-anchors, a Post-it note using husband, a Dr. Phil quoting best friend, a mother with Dementia, and a stalker ... what do you have ... TV producer Melissa Moore's crazy-busy life! With so much going on in her life, only a super woman can handle it all ... if you only BELIEVE in yourself! Pull up a comfy chair and come visit Melissa in Stay Tuned!

Melissa Moore is a TV producer for the 6pm and 10pm evening newscast at WSGA-TV in Macon, Georgia. This busy woman is the glue that keeps the station together, that is until two crazy co-anchors, who just happen to also be in a volatile relationship, get in an on-air fight, and all hell breaks loose! With the co-anchors fired, Melissa is thrust into the spotlight, and fills in temporarily as the evening news anchor. She decides that she needs a transformation and complete makeover, and who better to help her achieve that transformation than Melissa's secret weapon, her fashionista, Dr. Phil quoting, best friend Candace! With Candace's guidance and encouragement to just believe in herself, Melissa starts to think that maybe this temporary position could become a permanent one. Now if only her relationships with her husband and mother could improve, maybe she'd be happy and content with her life. Lack of communication somewhere along the way has strained their marriage, they've become two ships that pass in the night, only to communicate through Post-it notes left on the kitchen counter. Melissa starts to question if maybe there is something else going on in her husband's life, perhaps an affair? hmmm .... As for the relationship with her mother, it has never been a warm and fuzzy one, Miss Ruth Anne was always too busy with her career as an author to the stars, leaving Melissa yearning for her attention, love and approval. Now living in a nursing home with a diagnosis of Dementia, her memory is slowly leaving her, and Melissa is desperately trying to reach out to her mother one last time, before Dementia robs her of any further chances to finally have that bond that she has yearned for so long. Can Melissa and her mother reach out to each other before it's too late? Finally, to add to the craziness, there is a stalker that targets Melissa, and there is no stopping the person from getting to her! All this and so much more awaits you in Stay Tuned!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stay Tuned! I found it to be a fast-paced, intriguing, suspenseful, humorous and heartwarming story. The storyline was well written, and Ms. Clark's prior experience as a TV producer lent a realistic behind-the-scenes glimpse into the broadcasting world, it sucked me in from the beginning. I loved all of the characters in the story, but I found myself gravitating towards Melissa's best friend Candace, and her mother's nurse Sharice. I think it was a combination of their strength, compassion and straight-forwardness towards their friendship with Melissa that made me just love them to pieces. All of the supporting characters were intriguing, I loved how they all added an integral part to the storyline. I would have loved to have met Melissa's college-aged daughter Kelly, I felt that just mentioning her sporadically throughout the story didn't give the reader a chance to really get to know her. I think what I loved most of all about Stay Tuned, was the message that different characters gave to Melissa, to just BELIEVE in herself ... this is a powerful message that every reader can relate to in their life. If you are looking for a down-to-earth, heartwarming, feel good story, than this is the book for you! Kudos to Ms. Clark on a wonderful debut novel, I look forward to reading more of her books.


RATING: 4 STARS ****

Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 1/15-21/12 ~ Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark ~ Shades of Gray by Andy Holloman

~ Virtual Book Tour Events for the Week of 1/15-21/12 ~

In association with Chick Lit Plus, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased the host the following Virtual Book Tour Event:

Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark

Monday, January 16, 2012 ~ Author Guest Post and Book Review

Book Description: Stay Tuned

Deadlines, Divas & Danger: Behind the Scenes in the TV News Biz ...

For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there's not much she hasn't seen or can't handle.

But no one - including Melissa - expects a fistfight during the ten o'clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor's face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She's determined that WSGA's reputation won't be destroyed on her watch. 

Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in - but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa's husband is away more than he's home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother's antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. 

What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out ...

Stay Tuned ~ Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway! ~ Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card

In association with Virtual Book Tour Cafe, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the following Virtual Book Tour Event:

Shades of Gray by Andy Holloman

Friday, January 20, 2012 ~ Author Guest Post and Book Review

Book Description: Shades of Gray

In the Fall of 2001, John Manning's life is in turmoil. His six-year-old daughter Lucy needs a kidney transplant, and his travel agency is in financial distress because of the 9/11 tragedy. A lapse in his health insurance means he also has to quickly secure funds for his daughter's operation.

Wanda, a client of John's travel agency, is facing similar financial difficulties. Her livelihood as a drug dealer has also been hit hard by increased airport security. As a single parent, she wants to leave her dangerous profession and break fee from her drug-lord boss Jamel, but a lack of funds has curtailed attempts to start a new life with her daughter. 

Desperate times lead to desperate measures and John and Wanda form a partnership to smuggle cocaine via cruise ships. 

How far should a father go to save his child? Can a man and woman from completely different worlds help each other? Could they fall in love? And who will live to see the summer of 2002?

A Walk In The Snark by Rachel Thompson

A Walk In The Snark by Rachel Thompson
Published & Sold By: Amazon Digital Services
Release Date: January 23, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition / 441KB
ASIN: B004KKZ3GC
Genre: Nonfiction / Humor / Parenting & Relationships


About The Author:

You can find Rachel most days on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, giving daily tips on the IndieBookIBC Twitter stream, contributing posts to the IBC blog or her own popular blog, consulting with her social media clients, giving free social media workshops for writers, or promoting her books A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed, both Kindle bestsellers.

She cowrote Dollars & Sense: The Definitive Guide To Self-Publishing (with Carolyn McCray & Amber Scott) and contributed a story to The Evil Within horror anthology as well as Our Indie Experience. Check them out!

She lives in the OC, aka Orange County, CA (home of Disneyland). Somewhere in there, this redhead in a sea of blondes fits in being a full-time wife and mom to her two young children and just one husband. She loves coffee, dirty martinis, and sleep.

Rachel and the IBC were profiled (April 2011) in the Huffington Post Books section, regarding social media and ePublishing.


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BUY THE BOOK: A Walk In The Snark
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Amazon.com Book Description:


Rachel Thompson, author of A Walk In The Snark, writes non-fiction that makes you laugh and think. Stranded in Orange County, CA (the OC), she's a redhead in a sea of blondes, who decided to use her voice as a way to differentiate herself from the SUVs and fake boobs that surround her every day. This chick is all real and isn't afraid to say so.

Her Mancode and Chickspeak essays speak volumes about how men and women communicate (or fail to), while her more serious pieces about parenting, work, and lost love will tear at your heart.

With her trademark snarky humor and candor, Rachel whisks you into her caffeinated world where she deconstructs common phrases (I'm Fine) and makes up words (Refrigeratoritis) in order to help dudes understand chicks ... and vice versa.



My Book Review:


Are you ready to read a hilarious take on the age old battle of the sexes: men vs. women, and how they approach things differently? According to Rachel Thompson, the author of A Walk In The Snark, "Men are from Seinfeld, Women are from Friends." This book reads like a relationship guidebook for men and women: she discusses how men live by a set of "Mancode" rules that drives women crazy, while women utilize "Chickspeak," a language that women understand but men just don't get, and probably never will. In between the obvious snarky comedic look at how different men and women really are, the author also provides the readers with a poignant look into her life with her family, and talks about a past abusive relationship that much later turned into a sad story of lost love.

A Walk In The Snark, is a wickedly humorous book that centers around the relationship communication concept that "men speak directly in a point, while women speak in circles." Communication, communication, communication! There are so many funny parts in this book that both sexes can laugh about: "manesia," "chick lists," "shopping," "closet space," "paper towel wars," "remote control hoarder," "cold feet" ... and these are just some of the topics covered by The Queen of Snark ... have I whet your appetite enough to read the book? *snickers*

Just like in her second book, The Mancode: Exposed, Rachel's witty take on men, women, relationships and stereotypes will have you laughing from beginning to end, you'll be shaking your head in agreement, and it will leave you pondering about your own relationship. So step into Rachel's world, and let A Walk In The Snark be your entertainment for the night!


RATING: 5 STARS *****

Author Guest Post: Rachel Thompson, Author of The Mancode: Exposed

In association with Virtual Book Tour Cafe, Jersey Girl Book Reviews welcomes Rachel Thompson, author of The Mancode: Exposed!

My book, The Mancode: Exposed, now a Kindle Top 100 bestseller, is my second collection of humorous, non-fiction essays designed to give people a laugh over everyday interactions with their mates (the first, A Walk In The Snark came out in January, 2011 and reached #1 on the Kindle Motherhood list for the first time in September where it’s now a mainstay).

I am a chick. I write from a chick’s point of view—ergo the title.

I’ve been married for nineteen years, had several long-term relationships prior, and even worked with primarily men in a male-dominated industry for over fifteen years. This by no means makes me an dude expert, so let’s get that out of the way. I’m not an ologist and make no claims to be (well, except maybe a snarkologist – I may have to rethink that statement).

If you are or ever have been in a relationship, you might find what I write about funny: sex, love, chocolate, anatomy and physiology, and dealing with stereotypes head on. See, I don’t think we’re all that complicated. Call me crazy.

Again, not an expert here but I do have a degree in Communication Studies and I am a certified trainer in several Comm training programs (former life, ya know). What I write about is really behavior that, ya know, makes me laugh. Sometimes the two are difficult to distinguish between though.

And hey, sometimes it’s just physical, right?

For example, why do men fall asleep after sex? Is this a behavioral or communication? There are certainly serotonin, endorphin effects that occur…blah blah blah. Whatever.

Why does it happen? Women have been asking that question since the dawn of time.

Who cares?

Thank goodness for Kindles.

For men, women can be confusing creatures. We’re moody, prickly, and my best suggestion is that men, rather than try to understand us, learn to speak chocolate. For some reason (again with the endorphins), the gooey dark stuff seems to soothe the savage shemale.

Run, don’t walk to your local candy store, fellas. Keep a healthy supply on hand for that time of the month -- or Monday Night Football.

We love our guys. We appreciate how hard you work and everything you do. It’s just that sometimes, say, when we’re sick and maybe for instance you’re on deadline and the house is a disaster cause let’s face it – men are not fabulous multi-taskers; women have cornered the market on that hot mess – there is a need for a new and different solution: Rent-A-Husband!

Yea, see this could really fill a need. But let’s make a few things very clear up front:

·         I don’t want to sleep with Rental. I just want him to make my tea and toast.

·         He’ll have to do the grocery shopping with #deargod a minimum of phonecalls AND he’ll have to put it all away. A girl can dream.

·         Laundry would be the ultimate. Watching him fold it might cause too much excitement however, and I’d have to go lie down.

This whole Rental thing might work out. Of course, there’s always the Cabana Boy option, when washboard abs are required.

Ooh, must go pick out menu choices…

If you enjoyed this guest post, imagine what you’ll think of the book! You can find both of my eBooks exclusively on Amazon – remember, no Kindle required – simple download their free Kindle apps for your smartphone, computer, tablet, or cloud.

Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, my blog, or email – wherever snark is sold. And remember, all commenters are eligible to win a free Kindle anywhere along my tour! So, get busy people. 

AUTHOR BLOG

EMAIL

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

GOODREADS

BUY THE BOOK: The Mancode Exposed

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The Mancode: Exposed by Rachel Thompson

The Mancode: Exposed by Rachel Thompson
Published & Sold By: Amazon Digital Services
Release Date: November 29, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition / 208KB
ASIN: B006G5EMCK
Genre: Nonfiction / Humor / Relationships / Marriage


About The Author:

You can find Rachel most days on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, giving daily tips on the IndieBookIBC Twitter stream, contributing posts to the IBC blog or her own popular blog, consulting with her own social media clients, giving free social media workshops for writers, or promoting her books A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed, both Kindle bestsellers!

She cowrote Dollars & Sense: The Definitive Guide To Self-Publishing (with Carolyn McCray & Amber Scott) and contributed a story to The Evil Within horror anthology as well as Our Indie Experience. Check them out!

She lives in the OC, aka Orange County, CA (home of Disneyland). Somewhere in there, this redhead in a sea of blondes fits in being a full-time wife and mom to her two young children and just one husband. she loves coffee, dirty martinis, and sleep.

Rachel and the IBC were profiled (April, 2011) in the Huffington Post Books section, regarding social media and ePublishing.


AUTHOR BLOG
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
GOODREADS


BUY THE BOOK: The Mancode: Exposed
AMAZON


Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Virtual Book Tour Cafe, a Kindle edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.


Virtual Book Tour Event: On Tuesday, January 10, 2012, in association with Virtual Book Tour Cafe, Rachel Thompson participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-guest-post-rachel-thompson.html


Amazon.com Book Description:


Is it possible to truly expose men?

Rachel Thompson explores controversial questions like:

• Can we outrun our DNA?
• Will we women always be slaves to our talkative nature (apres sex)?
• Will men never be free of the chains of emotional withholding?
• Can we transfer man's paper towel changing abilities from garage to kitchen?

It's about all the levels in which we communicate ... viewed through Thompson's looking glass of humor and deconstructed with her special brand of snark.

Women see a man scratching his stuff and want to run away. Men see a woman rearranging her breasts, he's mesmerized. Imagine that!

I have this theory, based on too many martinis one night, that women speak in circles and men speak in points. Think about it!


My Book Review:


Do men and women ever really know and understand each other? Not according to the Queen of Snark, author Rachel Thompson! In her book, The Mancode: Exposed, Rachel aka "#badredhead," writes about how men (The Mancode) and women (Chickspeak) approach things differently. And you ask ... what is Mancode and Chickspeak? Well according to Ms. Snarkiness herself, Mancode is the crazy stuff men do that just drives us women crazy. And as for Chickspeak, well that is simple of course, it is the language that women use that other women understand, but of course men don't have a clue. Get it? *snickers*

The Mancode: Exposed is a wickedly humorous satirical look at how different men and women really are. Thompson takes on the old saying "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus," and gives it an updated snarky saying: "Men are from Seinfeld, Women are from Friends." It's all about the levels in which men and women communicate ... all viewed through her looking glass of humor, with a dash of snarkiness, chocolate and a dirty martini!

From the opening sentence of The Mancode: Exposed, I knew I had found my sister in the snark! It was like Rachel had stepped into my world and watched how my dear hubby and I do our marital dance of living together. In her witty, clever and no-holds barred straight up snarky way, Rachel deconstructs the issues surrounding men, women, sex, relationships and stereotypes, and provides her readers with a new perspective on how to relate to the opposite sex. As I read each chapter, I could relate to her many deconstructions: "mark on the world," "remote control hoarder," "Shrek," "manesia," "scratchy balls," and "refrigeratoritis." It had me thinking that she has a clone to my dear hubby, bless their hearts. *snickers* Now aren't you curious to read about these issues that Rachel deconstructs throughout the book? Just one more little tidbit to further whet your appetite, Rachel discusses the idea of having a Rent-A-Husband and a Cabana Boy ... an ideal situation, one that she calls her trifecta ... a menage a .... well you know .... Take it from me, get the book, it will have you laughing hysterically and shaking your head in total agreement, but one word to the wise, the man in your life may think that you have lost it, give you a dirty look, or *gasp* call you a man basher ... who me? *wink wink*

The Mancode: Exposed is a book written to bring humor to our lives, and Rachel did not leave me disappointed! She adds a new way to discuss the age old debate between men and women, so keep an open mind, lighten up and laugh at each other people! So if you are up for some snarky comedic relief, than this book is definitely for you!


RATING: 5 STARS *****

Virtual Book Tour Events: Week of 1/8-14/12 ~ The Mancode: Exposed by Rachel Thompson

~ Virtual Book Tour Events for the Week of 1/8-14/12 ~ 

In association with Virtual Book Tour Cafe, Jersey Girl Book Reviews is pleased to host the following Virtual Book Tour Event:

The Mancode: Exposed by Rachel Thompson

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 ~ Author Guest Post and Book Review

Book Description: The Mancode: Exposed

Is it possible to truly expose men?

Rachel Thompson explores controversial questions like:

• Can we outrun our DNA?
• Will we women always be slaves to our talkative nature (apres sex)?
• Will men never be free of the chains of emotional withholding?
• Can we transfer man's paper towel changing abilities from garage to kitchen?

It's about all the levels in which we communicate ... viewed through Thompson's looking glass of humor and deconstructed with her special brand of snark.

Women see a man scratching his stuff and want to run away. Men see a woman rearranging her breasts, he's mesmerized. Imagine that!

I have this theory, based on too many martinis one night, that women speak in circles and men speak in points. Think about it!