To Catch a Burning Star!

released June 8, 2010

The Starlet

by Mary McNamara

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN-10: 1439149844
ISBN-13: 978-1439149843


Have you ever wondered what it would be like to cater to the stars? Or even what it would be like if you WERE the star? Well The Starlet gives you both accounts and even more! 


The Starlet begins with Mercy Talbot climbing a statue of King Triton situated in the middle of a fountain in an outdoor plaza in Italy. As the paparazzi and spectators are shouting for Mercy to "dive, dive!," Juliette Greyson, the head of public relations for an exclusive hotel in Los Angeles just happens to be sipping a cappuccino in a nearby café. She cannot simply leave Mercy at the "mercy" of the ghoulish crowd, so she steps in trying to capture the attention of the young starlet just as she dives. Once she comes up, safely, for air, Juliette is right there to help Mercy away from the gawking spectators.

Somehow in the process, Juliette discovers that Mercy has been on location filming with a young, up-and-coming male lead and he has been found dead of a supposed suicide/overdose/noose found around his neck and he was naked kind-of-thing…..but, shhh, it must be kept out of the tabloids! Since discovering the young star (Mercy made the discovery), she has been on the run from her mother/manager and everyone else looking for her. The latest hotel Mercy has been staying in has thrown her out. They want no more to do with a drunk, drugged-out star and they will leave her luggage out front to be picked up….No one will will help the Mercy who does not seem to want all of her in return, even her own mother. Her father has been out of the picture for years.

Juliette cannot find it within herself to just put the star out on the streets to face the pack of wolves that are after her so she takes her to the villa that her and her cousin, Gabe co-own as a bequest from their parents. They've been trying to maintain it but it has been a losing battle. Juliette has come back to Italy for a break from her job and after the murder of her ex-husband. Juliette and Gabe must decide how to keep the villa from going under or the stand the likely chance of losing it. Juliette offers to allow Mercy to stay there until she has to go back on location to continue filming her current film, but only if Mercy agrees to complete sobriety, no pills, no drugs, no alcohol.

After only a few days in which Mercy finally begins to become a real person and not just a starlet, Angie, the barracuda mother/manager, arrives. And in only three more short days, the filming resumes. But, there's problems….

I hope you'll give The Starlet a read while at the beach, the pool, the lake or even cooling yourself in the house by the air vent! For me, it was a 5 out of a 5!

Plot ~ 5

Characters ~ 5

Dialogue ~ 5

Writing ~ 5

5 Quills!

Now, for an amazingly incredible giveaway sponsored by Regal Literary please go to

http://www.marymcnamara.com/starletcontest.html

You will want to register for the 2, yes TWO, Starlet-themed vacations....the first, a free weekend getaway in Los Angeles and the second, a holiday in Spannocchia, Italy! 
YOU MUST REGISTER BY JULY 4TH! 

And for all of you secret writers out there definitely check out Mary McNamara's tips on being a good writer! Sound advice from a mom first, writer second.
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