Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Happy reviews

In terms of book reviews, paperback reprints tend to be largely ignored by the media. So I'm thrilled that the paperback reprint of Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA got some very positive attention in the blogosphere.

Just yesterday I discovered two new reviews. One is a five star rave from Love Romances that says, among other things, "After reading SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA, one would think Ms. Meister had been writing forever, but that’s not so; this is her debut novel. And let me tell you it was incredible." (Full review is here.)

The other is from Romance Reader at Heart, and while it's not quite as effusive, it's also overwhelmingly positive, with lines like, "SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA is a warm, witty look at life, love and friendship in the suburbs of Long Island." (Full review is here.)

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Scene of the crime

My next appearance is in Jericho, the Long Island town many believe Applewood is based on. Is it true? Join me and find out ...

Book Discussion
Friday, October 5, 10:30 am
Jericho Public Library
Jericho, NY
516.935.6790

It should be a lot of fun, especially when we get to the Q&A, so I hope you can come.

Last weekend I signed books at the Syosset Street Fair with Carol Hoenig, author of the brilliant and beautiful Without Grace. Big shout out and thanks to the folks at Syosset Borders for inviting us ... and for snapping this shot. (That's me on your left, Carol hiding under the sunhat.) They were also kind enough to agree to send a representative to the forthcoming Jericho Library event so there could be copies of my book available for purchase.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Jodi Foster

Can someone please tell me how she manages to look 26, while other Hollywood women who try to turn back the clock wind up looking like Martians?


Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day

By Toni McGee Causey


Usually, when I do these Girlfriends Cyber Circuit posts, I start with the book's summary. But Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey got such outstanding reviews that I'm too excited to wait. I just have to share them with you. Check it out ...

“Causey doesn't miss a beat in this wonderful, wacky celebration of Southern eccentricity.”
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This hyperpaced, screwball action/adventure with one unforgettable heroine and two sexy heroes is side-splittingly hilarious. Causey, a Cajun and a Louisiana native, reveals a flair for comedy in this uproarious debut novel.”
--Library Journal (starred review)

“Move over Stephanie and Bubbles you've got major competition tracking north from the Deep South. Bobby Faye might have had a very bad day but Toni McGee Causey is going to have a very good year. With Causey's debut novel (A Griffin Trade Paperback Original), Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day, Bobbie Faye Sumrall is out to capture both the hearts of spunky women everywhere and the minds of men ready for a challenge.”
-- Deadly Pleasures

“It's about time women had an Amazon to look up to… Bobbie Faye is a hurricane-force heroine who makes this novel the perfect adventure yarn.”
-- The Tampa Tribune

“This is an action comedy novel that will delight fans of the Ya Ya/Sweet Potato Queens genre. The pacing of the book will take your breath away.”
-- The Advocate

“If you like Janet Evanovich, if you’re looking for a lot of unlikely action (when is the last time someone you know escaped a burning boat by lassoing an oil rig?), or if you’re simply having a bad day, go out and find Bobbie Faye. She’s an outrageous hoot.”
-- The Times Picayune

“There are many things to love about this book --- the plot, the pacing, the dialogue --- but my own favorite element is the characterization… But if you want a short description of this great novel, think Die Hard in the swamp. And Bobbie Faye? She's a titanium magnolia.”
-- Bookreporter.com

Did you notice that the book got starred reviewed from both Publishers Weekly and Library Journal? Let me tell you, that's not an easy thing to do. It's like a winning the Oscar for best screenplay and best direction for the same film.

So okay, if the reviews didn't convince you to pick up a copy of this book, I bet the summary will ...

Bobbie Faye Sumrall is a dead-broke Cajun living in a broken-down trailer in Lake Charles, Louisiana. When criminals demand Bobbie Faye's Contraband Queen tiara-- the only thing of her mama's she inherited-- in exchange for her good-for-nothing brother, Bobbie Faye has to outwit the police, organized crime, former boyfriends, and a hostage she never intended to take (but who turns out to be damn sexy), in order to rescue her brother, keep custody of her niece, and get back in time to take her place as Queen in the Lake Charles Contraband Festival (think Mardi Gras, with more drinking and pirates). Luckily, she knows how to handle guns, outwit angry mama bears, drive a speedboat, and get herself out of (and into) almost every kind of trouble. If only that pesky state police detective (who also happens to be a pissed off ex-boyfriend) would stay out of her way.

Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day is in bookstores now. To find it in an independent store near you, visit BookSense. To buy online, visit Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells or any cyber bookseller. For more information, visit Toni's website at tonimcgeecausey.com.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Target!


Since I'm a bona fide Target FREAK, I was thrilled to learn that they handpicked Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA as an Emerging Authors Breakout selection. It's in stores now, so if you visit your local Target, you should be able to find it in the Breakout display.