Josie Brown

ABOUT JOSIE'S BOOKS

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED (HarperCollins/Avon, ISBN 0060815884)

Order it here from BARNES & NOBLE or AMAZON or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS

What's it about?

Sex. Celebrity. Scandal. Just another fun day in Hollywood...

All over Hollywood, men are dialing O. Her steamy naughty talk fills them with lust and longing, and helps them perform like the studs they claim to be.

In truth, the industry’s favorite phone sex operator is Nina Harte, a struggling actress who has put her career on hold so that her husband, Nathan, can pursue his own dreams of stardom. When Nathan's career takes off, so does he, leaving Nina and their four-year-old son, Jake, for his diva costar, Katerina McPherson. Then "Kat 'n' Nat" are crowned the media's newest celebrity sweethearts, and Kat labels Nina an unfit mother in order to win custody of Jake, just so that she can have that highly-coveted celebrity accessory—an adorable child—sans any unsightly stretch marks.The one person who does care about Nina is Nathan’s agent, Sam Godwin. In fact, he’s in love with her. And because he has both a heart and a conscience, Sam feels guilty for having put Nat in Kat's path in the first place....

So how will he feel when he finds out that Nina and O are one and the same?

Read an Excerpt of IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED here!

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Yep, this is a TOTAL tease....

I'm a Single Minded Woman...

I'm now writing about tips and trends dealing with relationships at a fabulous new website for women, SingleMindedWomen.com.

Each week I tackle a different topic that is sure to hit close to home. This week's topic:

SPANK, ME, MAKE ME WRITE BAD CHECKS...

And of course, I look forward to your comments on SingleMindedWomen.com!
Lots of fun,

Josie

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Fri, 10/26/07: Hear snippets of Rita Abrams' fabulous songs from one of my labors of love, a musical version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Tues, 6/19/07: Jazz singer Andree Belle's "Variety Pack." Take your pick . . .

Mon, 6/11/07: Joyce Carol Oates inspires me. She'll turn you on, too...AND...

Enjoy! And please comment on what I write!

Hittin' the red carpet,

Josie

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MY NEXT BOOK SIGNINGS...

You can catch me on Sat 10/06/07, at 1pm, at the Borders/Stonestown Galleria, in San Francisco, CA, where I'll be signing my book IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED.

Joining me in this hot,haute take on take on love over easy are:

Gemma Halliday (UNDERCOVER IN HIGH HEELS)
Eileen Rendahl (UNVEILED)
Margo Candela (LIFE OVER EASY), and
Kate Perry (PROJECT DATE)

I look forward to seeing you there!

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PRE-MOTHER'S DAY
AUTHOR HIGH TEA!

Saturday, May 12, 2007, 2-4pm
Barnes & Noble / Antioch, CA
5709 Lone Tree Way, Antioch,CA 94531. 925-978-1031

One lump, or two? If you're looking for a real treat to enjoy with your mom, join me and some of my closest author chums for tea and a tête-à-tête:

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED by Josie Brown
SKIN by Karin Tabke
FEAR NO EVIL by Allison Brennan
DEAD GIVEAWAY by Brenda Novak
DOUBLE DARE by Tawny Weber

Naughty cops. Sizzling sex. Celebrity scandal. Scares and dares. These books make ideal Mother's Day gifts for any woman who appreciates a hot haute read for the summer. Enjoy!

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WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT
IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED...

"IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED is a great read that deals with the Hollywood life style, betrayal, and forgiveness. There are so many very interesting characters in the book, each one brought something to the story. Josie Brown created a strong character in Nina and I couldn't help but cheer her on." -- Gloria Gehres, THE ROMANCE READERS CONNECTION
(Rating: 4 1/2 plugs! )

"Once again Ms. Brown has written a true Hollywood tale, with gritty candor and about the ugly truths of Tinseltown. The book begins in narrative point-of-view, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters until the author shifts back into the characters' heads, but once I was in, I was totally caught up in the story.

Ms. Brown's talent lies in her true-to-life-characters, making them people you feel you know, and want to know. A funny, heartbreaking and engrossing read, Impossibly Tongue-Tied made me laugh, and often made me want to cry. Now that's entertainment!" -- Lisa Bradley, RomanceDivas.com (4 out of 5 Kisses)

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Hey! Read What the New York Post's Page Six Has to Say about IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED:

November 25, 2006 -- BRAD, Angelina, Britney and Kevin may want to check out Josie Brown's new novel, "Impossibly Tongue-Tied," for its ripped-from-the-headlines plot that mixes their scandals together. In the book, a stardom-seeking pretty boy named Nathan Harte, "pegged by the tabloids as 'the next Brad Pitt,' falls for his own hype and winds up in the arms of his co-star," according to Brown's publicist. "[He leaves] behind [his wife] Nina and child, a la Kevin Federline." But Brown says her story isn't a downer, insisting, "At least in fiction, you can count on a happy ending." -- New York Post's PAGE SIX

And Lynda Johnson, of Phoenix's National Ledger, expands on the story here...

LUV it!

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Check out the IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED Excerpt in COMPLETE WOMAN MAGAZINE....

Look for THE O.C.'s adorable Rachel Bilson on the cover of the Dec/Jan 07 issue. The illustrations of my heroine, Nina and her men, Nathan and Sam, are spot on. What do YOU think?

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AND DON'T FORGET:
I'VE SIGNED AT THESE STORES, SO CHECK HERE FOR AUTOGRAPHED COPIES OF MY BOOKS!

Barnes & Noble, Dublin, CA
Hacienda Crossings
4972 Dublin Boulevard
Dublin, CA 94568
925-560-1495
Open 9-11 Every Day

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Saturday, November 18, 2006, 1pm
BARNES & NOBLE / Burbank, CA
731 North San Fernando Blvd (Media Mall), Burbank 91502
This is a free event!

Naughty cops. Sizzling sex. Celebrity scandal. These two books make ideal stocking stuffers for the reader who appreciates a hot read during the holidays. Hear authors Josie Brown (IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED) and Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD) read from their books. For more information, call 818-558-1383.

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Thursday, November 30, 2006, 6:30pm
BORDERS EXPRESS/ Santa Clara, CA
731 Valley Fair Mall,2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050
This is a free event!

Naughty cops. Sizzling sex. Celebrity scandal. All great hot haute holiday topics. Authors reading from their naughty and nice books include Josie Brown (IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED), Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD), Jennifer Skully (OPEN INVITATION) and Jami Alden (DELICIOUS). For more information, call 408-249-1728.

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Tuesday, December 6, 2006, 6-10pm
CRAVE PARTY SAN DIEGO!
Stingaree, 464 6th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

Ticket PRICE: $15 (in Advance); $25 (At the Door)

The ultimate pre-holiday shopping party, all in one night, all in one place ! Crave Party San Diego brings together the city's's trendiest boutiques. You'll find all the latest fashions, fab accessories, trinkets and potions--all in one location! Have a make-over while you sip a sweet pink Crave-tini and chow down on Bliss@6 happy hour hors d'ouvres, rifle through our exclusive Crave Goodie Bag, and give a donation for a drawing that benefits the Children's Heart Institute Fund,. There will also be loads of entertainment. And best yet, you'll be able to pick up your stocking stuffers -- including extra copies of Josie Brown's IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED.

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Tuesday, December 12, 2006, 5-9pm
CRAVE PARTY SAN FRANCISCO!
War Memorial Opera House, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

TICKET PRICE: $15 (In Advance), $25 (At the Door)

The ultimate pre-holiday shopping party! Crave Party San Francisco brings together San Francisco's trendiest boutiques. You'll find all the latest fashions, fab accessories, trinkets and potions--all in one location! Have a make-over, a chichi cocktail, and a relaxing massage, while you pick up your stocking stuffers (including extra copies of Josie Brown's IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED) at this exclusive glam-gal gathering. Other authors attending are Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD) and Jasmine Haynes (OPEN INVITATION), so join us, and get a jump on Santa, with your shopping!

Friday, December 15, 2006, 6pm
Barnes & Noble / Antioch, CA
5709 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94531. 925-978-1031

This is a free event!

Naughty cops. Sizzling sex. Celebrity scandal. These two books make ideal stocking stuffers for the reader who appreciates a hot haute read during the holidays. Hear authors Josie Brown (IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED) and Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD) read from their books.

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Glamourgirl_2

Saturday, February 24, 2007, 11am
Waldenbooks
255 West Portal Ave, San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 664-7596

Just in time for the Oscars are these novels by authors who know something about sex, Tinseltown scandal, and romantic role-playing -- both in and out of Hollywood.

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED by Josie Brown
Hollywood truly is Six Degrees of Separation when a hot young actor, a celebrated director and a talent agent lock wits, lips, and hearts with "O," the sex phone operator on every Tinseltown power ranger's speed dial.

OPEN INVITATION by Jasmine Haynes
Three best friends take a trip to The Sex Club, where role-playing leads to romance . . .

SHEER DYNAMITE by Jennifer Skully
For Opal, a psychic, the vision of a man toppling over a highway overpass is scarier than any Hollywood movie. Her goal: to stop the leaper. But finding the love of her life was something she could have never predicted . . .

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TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES
ISBN 0060815876, HarperCollins/Avon 2006

Buy it here from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE or YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS!

"... Brown's debut novel confirms just what you suspect about celebrity and unfolds with all the inevitability of a romantic comedy..."
--Publishers Weekly

"...The tone is confessional, the writing laced with venomous humor..." -
-Wall Street Journal

"Josie Brown does an outstanding job capturing the glitz and glamour of Hollywood living yet illuminating the stark loneliness present beneath the façade. Filled with good natured humor and witty repartee...An indulgent, fantasy-filled romp with Hollywood's most elite, TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES is a delightful, entertaining read, sure to leave you wanting more." -- Romance Reader's Connection
Rating: 4 plugs

"Filled with backstabbing fun...Hannah was a great main character- down to earth, strong and intelligent....Josie Brown keeps the romantic side plots both sizzling and uncertain- one really never knows who will end up with whom until it happens." --Rian Montgomery, ChickLitBooks.com

"...Charming, funny, emotional, with true-to-Hollywood-life characters, this is a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining read...The characters' flaws only serve to make them more human...Ms. Brown writes with a fresh, unique voice....
--RomanceDivas.com (5 out of 5 kisses)

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TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES in The New York Post's PAGE SIX

HOMAGE TO US...
ONCE again, PAGE SIX has been featured in a fine piece of literary work. In "True Hollywood Lies" by relationship expert Josie Brown, the main character, second-generation Hollywood royalty "Hannah," rehashes all the press she receives when her relationship with Hugh Grant-like "Louis Trollope" becomes public. Of all the publications the character lists, only this esteemed column got it right - and first, of course... (November 23, 2005 Wednesday, Pg. 14)

And Lynda Johnson, in Phoenix's National Ledger, expands on the story here....

LUV it!

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ABOUT TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES:

For Hannah Fairchild, jaded Hollywood trust fund baby and aspiring astronomer, life as she knows it (financially secure, albeit emotionally frail) goes out of orbit when her father -- the larger-than-life legendary actor and playboy, Leo Fairchild -- drops dead while making love to a nineteen year-old C-list television starlet. Not only has Leo's conniving fourth wife frozen Hannah's trust fund -- putting a pinch on her ability to gaze at the only stars she feels are worth watching -- but the grieving widow has also been having an affair with Hannah's indie producer boyfriend.

Faced with a Fred Segal's credit card bill that rivals the national debt, Hannah is forced to put her planet search project on hold while she takes the job of personal assistant to British actor and People's "Sexiest Man Alive," Louis Trollope. Because Louis is just as egotistical, self-centered, insecure, demanding, flirtatious -- and yes, irresistible -- as her father had been, Hannah is determined to keep him and his super-model girlfriend, bad boy entourage, and over-sexed agent at arm's length. Besides, she's falling in love with his best friend, the screenwriter Mick Bradshaw.

READ AN EXCERPT OF TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES HERE...

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LAST NIGHT I DREAMT OF COSMOPOLITANS
Buy it here from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE!

or "First-time author Brown dishes about dreams in a volume that aims to be both witty and enlightening. From what it means to dream about Abercrombie & Fitch (Brown says it indicates an inner struggle between nostalgia for the old and appetite for the new) to what it means to dream about a zoo (the lesson here, Brown says, is that Your love for him should be a feast of the senses, so dig in ), this alphabetically organized little volume serves up plenty of spirited, fluffy inanities...." --Publisher's Weekly

"A fashionista's surrreal fantasy--and loads of fun!" --COMPLETE WOMAN Magazine

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MARRIAGE CONFIDENTIAL
Buy it here from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS or YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE!

"Marriage Confidential" shares its insights with heart and humor. Here you'll find perfect bedtime stories that every loving couplecan read aloud to each other."
-- John Gray, author, "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus"

"Marriage Confidential" isn't so much self-help as it is self-revealing. It is also candid, insightful, provocative--and always surprising. A must read!
-- Bonnie L. Krueger, Editor, COMPLETE WOMAN Magazine

Guest Author Showcase: Kit Frazier's

About Kit Frazier's SCOOP

As the managing editor of a regional magazine, who also just so happens to participate in search-and-rescue missions with the FBI and local police, Austin, Texas-based Kit Frazier was primed to write about the sassy, savvy heroine, Cauley Mackinnon, in her new comic suspense series. Kit is a two-time first place winner in the Writers' League of Texas and San Antonio Romance Authors Emma Merritt awards. Here's my interview with her...

So what’s the scoop on SCOOP?

Starting over after a truly bad marriage and armed with a freshly minted journalism degree, Cauley MacKinnon is disappointed to find that the only job she can get in her hometown of Austin is as an obituary writer—something that only happens to interns who’ve been very good, or reporters who’ve been very bad. Somehow, Cauley’s managed to do both. And of course, being the Obituary Babe wreaks havoc on her already disastrous social life.

While on the hunt for a story that will get her off the Death Page, Cauley’s life takes a turn for the worse when hapless childhood friend, Scott Barnes, threatens suicide and barricades himself in a dilapidated old shed where he phones Cauley for help. Cauley manages to talk her friend out of the shotgun and the shed. But Cauley is soon devastated when she discovers Barnes dead at his computer with an empty bottle of bourbon and a computer-generated suicide note. Soon, Cauley is up to her eyelashes in dead bodies and everyone wants to know what Barnes said in the shed—the last time anyone saw him alive.

What did you learn from writing this novel? 

Oh boy. I learned so much while writing this novel. SCOOP is actually my second novel. The first novel taught me POV, story structure and how to get to “The End.” I think the biggest thing I learned from SCOOP was the importance of friends, especially friends who write. Writing is hard—if it was easy, everyone would do it, and on those nights when you’ve had too much bourbon and Diet Coke and you’re convinced the novel is crap, friends will convince you that you say this in the middle of every novel, award-winning and otherwise, and will stop you from stripping naked, dousing the damn thing with lighter fluid and dancing around the resulting bonfire in your backyard—the sad, unfortunate end for my first novel…   

Tell us about your journey to publication.  

Ah, The Liar’s Club. My family is a big bunch of storytellers, so I began reading, writing and telling stories at an early age. I was a reporter, and Julie Ortolon, our graphic artist, was writing a romance novel (she’s now a bestselling romance author—check her out at www.Ortolon.com). We became friends, and she suggested I go with her to her romance writer meetings. I did, and I wrote a romance (the aforementioned First Novel)—it won every contest in which it was entered and got me a meeting with a couple of agents, including one at William Morris.

The agent told me she loved my voice, my sense of humor and loved my characters, but could I get rid of the baby and the man?   I said, “Well, no, but I could write you a new novel.”

On the way home from that meeting, Cauley MacKinnon came to me whole and fully formed, ready to tell me her story. I pulled in the driveway, ran into the house and wrote the first 60 pages that night, and I knew…I just knew Cauley was my girl.

  SCOOP won a litany of contests, including the Writers’ League of Texas and the Merritt. I got several agent interviews but chose Andrea Somberg. It was funny, though, because I was SO nervous when I met her because I’d heard so many wonderful things about her and I knew she was the agent for me, so I memorized my one sentence pitch, my short bio, my career goals and her client list. But Andrea had actually judged the contest, so she’d read the first 20 pages, and when I went in for my meeting, she started the conversation by saying she loved the book, said she read it to her boyfriend, and actually quoted parts of it back to me. I was floored.

So, I signed with her and a great friendship and agent/writer relationship was born.  Cauley made the rounds at publishing houses, and three editors fought hard for it, but they didn’t know where to put—is it a mystery? Is it a romance? Poor Cauley got smacked down in marketing every time. Two of those editors said that if I would change this one thing (Cauley sleeps with a charming, sweet-talking bad guy who is not the hero), I’d get the green light.

But that relationship is important to Cauley’s character arc, and it’s important to the series. And then came Barbara Moore at Midnight Ink, who loved the book and believed in the series and in me so much Midnight Ink sent me to Book Expo this year! Talk about feeling like Princess of Pulp. My books were all gone before the Expo was over, and I’m still getting e-mails, invitations and even phone calls from people who got the book there and read it. It’s been a fantastic experience, and Midnight Ink has been very good to me.  

As a published author, what kind of PR do you do for your books?

I’m very proactive with my career, but I made a pact with myself to not spend more than 10% of my advance on promotion. I just had my website redone by a professional, which I think was a huge plus. But here’s the thing. A lot of promotion is free or cheap and can be incredibly inspiring. When I speak at writing groups and conferences, I come away with a lot more than book sales—I’m motivated to write and keep writing.

I also write press releases, visit booksellers, and I’m making a super cute YouTube thing that will get edited on my new Mac as soon as I figure out how to do it. As far as cheap stuff, I made cool handcuff key chains and tee shirts to give to booksellers. I also write writing-related articles, because most writers are readers. Midnight Ink took out a couple of ads, and I’ve taken out a couple, but I also go to non-writing related functions, such as women’s conferences, chamber of commerce meetings, Search and Rescue conferences and anything that has to do with the book’s subject matter. Networking and word of mouth is super important. I love to teach writing courses, because I truly believe we are all natural storytellers, and there’s nothing better than seeing a fresh, new, excited writer breathe life onto a plain, white page.

 I am also doing a free 30 minute teleconference with reading groups who chose SCOOP as their book choice. That’s been a fun experience, and I had my sister “sit in” on one of the conferences, since I read her the entire book while I was writing it J  What advice would you offer to aspiring authors? I know you’ve heard it before, but write, write, write. It’s also important to learn the basics of writing and publishing, read a lot, and hang out with other writers, even if it’s online. But most important is to apply butt to seat, fingers to keyboard, even when there’s nothing but crap coming out. The muse has to know where to find you, and if you’re at the keyboard, she’ll show up. That said, also hang out with people who are smarter and funnier than you who are not writers, and borrow their stuff…of course, you have to tell them that whatever they say or do may wind up in your next novel.

 What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantster?

Oh, I’m sorry, I just heard hysterical laughing in my head. Yes, I plot. Big, elaborate plots. But it never goes the way I think it’s going to go. All of my friends have these fantastic outlines, and they know just what’s going to happen next, which makes me insanely jealous. Of course, they’ve also got their spices arranged in alphabetical order and shop with grocery lists. For the most part, I see the book in my head like it’s a movie and I’m just sitting there, eating popcorn and shouting at the screen.

Talk to me about your writing routine.

I think if you are a professional writer, you are always writing in some form or fashion. Every situation is a story, every overheard conversation is a glimpse into character. I carry a little notebook with me to jot down ideas, snippets of conversation, characters, etc. A couple of months ago, I was wandering around in the yard, staring at the sky, and I must have had a strange expression on my face because a new neighbor said, “Is she okay?” My Significant Other said, “She’s fine. She’s just plotting.”

I prefer to write in the middle of the night, but circumstances make it happier for everyone if I write in the morning. I write in big bursts at the beginning of every day so that my first, best energy goes into the book. But, in deference to the Muse, I also keep a little light pen and a notebook by my bedside, because he (my Muse looks and sounds like Cary Grant) won’t leave me alone at night and whispers the best ideas while I’m trying to go to sleep. The light pen and notebook save me from scrounging around, tripping over the dog to scribble illegible notes with lipstick on a cocktail napkin…

What do you do when you're not writing?

I spend time at the lake with my dog, spending time (also with the dog) at the family ranch with the cows, goats and barn cats, and I spent a disproportionate amount of time and income going to lunch with my friends so we can all complain about writing. We really are a bunch of whiners…

What is your current Work In Progress, and when can we expect to see it on the shelf?

I just finished DEAD COPY, on the shelves this May *Yikes!* the second in the Cauley series, and I hate to jinx it, but I’m loving it. I’m also working on a short story and outlining *snort* the storyline for MORGUE FILE, the third in the series, where Cauley’s horrible ex husband comes back and tries to ruin things for her and Logan, and I’m loving the book already. Check my web at www.kitfrazier.com for a sneak peek at the first chapter!

Thanks for the interview op, Josie! I’m reading Impossibly Tongue-tied and totally loving it! I used it as my treat for finishing the galleys on DEAD COPY …

Check out Kit Frazier's SCOOP here....

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

CHECK OUT PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY'S REVIEW OF "TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES"

"... Brown's debut novel confirms just what you suspect about celebrity and unfolds with all the inevitability of a romantic comedy. Hannah Fairchild is the levelheaded daughter of Hollywood glitterati, more interested, we're told, in astronomy than any other kind of stargazing. But her hobby mostly serves as an abundant source of puns, as she's reduced to working as a personal assistant to British heartthrob Louis Trollope when her famous father dies and her stepmother freezes her trust fund. The wildly egotistical star keeps Hannah on her toes ordering Zone-kosher foods and arranging his trysts. Brown captures the humor of working for a megalomaniac: an offhand remark from Hannah, "Don't go believing your own press clippings," sends her boss into a panic. "Why? What have you read? What have you heard?" A love triangle between Hannah, her boss and his best friend Mick Bradshaw gives the book the tension that drives this well-paced, entertaining story forward..." --Publishers Weekly

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES in the WALL STREET JOURNAL

Chick Lit Goes 'Glam'
Why novelists are pushing stylish, powerful women

By JEFFREY TRACHTENBERG
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
October 15, 2005; Page P4

A disillusioned investment banker, a hair stylist to the stars and the daughter of a Hollywood celebrity: These are part of the publishing industry's latest push to capture the female reader.

This is "glam lit" -- the latest subgenre in the book world's booming "chick lit" business, which is showing strong sales growth in an otherwise flat industry. Populated with women holding glamorous jobs in Hollywood, publishing and fashion, the tone is confessional, the writing laced with venomous humor. In one of several releases this season, a Jack Nicholson-type movie actor dies making love to a starlet, leaving his daughter on her own to find a job in the cutthroat film industry.

Glam lit is an outgrowth of some previous chick-lit best sellers, featuring women in high-drama fields like magazines. Most notable was Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel "The Devil Wears Prada," in which a character at a fashion publication similar to Vogue gave readers a fictional glimpse into the fashion world.

With chick lit going strong, one hot title can be enough to spur a subgenre, the way Jennifer Weiner's "Good in Bed" in 2001 helped create "bigger-girl lit," about larger-than-average women taking charge of their lives, says Rian Montgomery, who runs the fan site ChickLitBooks.com. Other subgenres include "mom lit" (women dealing with raising children) and "hen lit" (with older-than-average chick-lit heroines).

Simba Information Inc., a market-research firm, forecasts readers will spend $137 million on chick lit this year. That's a small fraction of the $1.6 billion projected for romance novels, to be sure. But chick lit is showing strong growth. Simba forecasts chick-lit sales will climb 7% this year from last, but that romance sales will decline 6%. U.S. consumer-book sales generally are projected to increase less than 1% this year to $6.46 billion, Simba says.

Iryce Baron, an instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who teaches a chick-lit course, describes the category as "a significant feminist genre" with roots stretching back to the 18th century. "Women today do want to get married. They do shop, they do talk about guys, and they do want to have kids," she says. "Chick lit captures all that."

The bevy of glam-lit titles hitting the shelves these days makes it hard to choose which one to grab next. Below, a look at five notable entries in the category.

* * *

THE BOOK: Ms. Weisberger's "Everyone Worth Knowing," published this month by Simon & Schuster.

THE AUTHOR: Her roman à clef "The Devil Wears Prada" mirrored the 11 months she spent working at Vogue magazine in a low-level job. The book, her debut, was a national best seller.

THE PLOT: A disillusioned young investment banker joins a premier party-and-events planning firm.

MOST GLAMOROUS MOMENT: "The night where the main character thinks she's going out with her colleagues for an ordinary work dinner and it turns into a fabulous dinner that has nothing to do with work," Ms. Weisberger says. "There is a moment where she says, 'Do I want to be a part of this?' Then somebody pours her a glass of champagne."

BOTTOM LINE: New York's invitation-only, late-night scene as told by a woman in her 20s with a front-row seat.

* * *

THE BOOK: Candace Bushnell's "Lipstick Jungle," published last month by Hyperion.

THE AUTHOR: Ms. Bushnell's collection of "Sex and the City" columns led to the HBO series synonymous with sophisticated New York women. "There's always a moment when you are going from the old-fashioned ideas, where we think Mr. Big is the ideal, to the reality of he's not the best choice," she says.

THE PLOT: Three successful women -- a magazine editor, a movie mogul and a fashion designer -- navigate their way to the top. Think CEOs who lunch, not ladies who lunch.

MOST GLAMOROUS MOMENT: "After the women have had their triumphs, they meet in a corner office overlooking Central Park," Ms. Bushnell says.

BOTTOM LINE: Aimed at professional women with kids and interested in female empowerment.

* * *

THE BOOK: Lolita Files's "Sex.Lies.Murder.Fame.," to be published in January by Amistad.

THE AUTHOR: Ms. Files has written five other novels. Eventually, she says, every guy she dates reveals he's really a writer. "I could be dating the butcher and the next thing you know, he'll say, 'I've been thinking about doing a coffee-table book on meat.' "

THE PLOT: This book has as its catalyst a beautiful man so hungry for a book deal that he seduces a top editor. After she decides to turn him into a star, he begins an affair with one of her most successful authors.

MOST GLAMOROUS MOMENT: "A party scene at Bungalow 8, a club in New York," she says.

BOTTOM LINE: Written for women between 25 and 54 who enjoy celebrity-driven magazines like People, In Touch and Life & Style.

* * *

THE BOOK: "Beyond the Blonde" by Kathleen Flynn-Hui, published last month by Warner Books.

THE AUTHOR: This is the debut novel by Ms. Flynn-Hui, a New York hair colorist. Her mother wanted Ms. Flynn-Hui to go to college, but she wanted to be in the hair business.

THE PLOT: A girl comes from a small town in New Hampshire and succeeds in a New York hair salon.

MOST GLAMOROUS MOMENT: "When they open their own salon. It's the American dream," Ms. Flynn-Hui says.

BOTTOM LINE: Meant for the reader who believes women can make their dreams come true if they work hard enough and don't lose focus.

* * *

THE BOOK: Josie Brown's "True Hollywood Lies," published this month by Avon Trade Paperbacks.

THE AUTHOR: This is Ms. Brown's debut novel after two books of nonfiction. While interviewing a star for a magazine, she saw his young children coming and going, and it made her think how difficult such a life could be for the kids.

THE PLOT: The daughter of a Hollywood star lands a job as a personal assistant to a man who behaves much like her late womanizing father. Her boss tries to seduce her, and she has to decide whether to succumb.

MOST GLAMOROUS MOMENT: "She has her own brush with fame and the tabloids go after her," says Ms. Brown.

BOTTOM LINE: The book's target reader is an urban professional woman, aged 20 through 40, intrigued by celebrities and romance.

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED in The New York Post's PAGE SIX

Read What the New York Post's Page Six Has to Say about IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED:

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Now Read What the New York Post's Page Six Has to Say about TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES:

HOMAGE TO US...
ONCE again, PAGE SIX has been featured in a fine piece of literary work. In "True Hollywood Lies" by relationship expert Josie Brown, the main character, second-generation Hollywood royalty "Hannah," rehashes all the press she receives when her relationship with Hugh Grant-like "Louis Trollope" becomes public. Of all the publications the character lists, only this esteemed column got it right - and first, of course...

(November 23, 2005 Wednesday, Pg. 14)

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED Book Club Questions, and Author Interview

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED
(HarperCollins/Avon, ISBN 0060815884)

Order it here from BARNES & NOBLE or AMAZON or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS

All over Hollywood, men are dialing O—for orgasms. Her steamy naughty talk fills them with lust and longing, and helps them perform like the studs they claim to be.

In truth, the industry’s favorite phone sex operator is Nina Harte, a struggling actress who has put her career on hold so that her husband, Nathan, can pursue his own dreams of stardom. When Nathan's career takes off, so does he, leaving Nina and their four-year-old son, Jake, for his diva costar, Katerina McPherson. Then "Kat 'n' Nat" are crowned the media's newest celebrity sweethearts, and Kat labels Nina an unfit mother in order to win custody of Jake, just so that she can have that highly-coveted celebrity accessory—an adorable child—sans any unsightly stretch marks.

The one person who does care about Nina is Nathan’s agent, Sam Godwin. In fact, he’s in love with her. And because he has both a heart and a conscience, Sam feels guilty for having put Nat in Kat's path in the first place…

So how will he feel when he finds out that Nina and O are one and the same?

BOOK CLUB/READING GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. Nina and Nathan are two very young, beautiful and talented people in a town that worships—and capriciously discards—the young, beautiful and talented. Is it truly harder to maintain a marriage in Hollywood than Anywhere, USA?

2. Nina shelves her own career as an actress in order to help her Nathan achieve his goal for movie stardom. In this case, why is it possible that such a sacrifice have driven them apart, instead of keeping them together?

3. Nina takes on a second job as a phone sex operator, because it’s one of the few lucrative night jobs that will allow her to stay home with their son Jake. Is the sacrifice worth it?

4. In the book “O” is Nina’s name for her phone sex alter ego. What are the personality differences between the two? Why do these traits emerge when O is on the phone?

5. Sure, O’s clients love to hear her talk dirty. But their biggest attraction to her seems to be the emotional intimacy she is able to establish with them . Why would this be the case?

6. Two syndicated gossip columnists play big roles in the break-up of Nina and Nathan’s marriage. Discuss the dynamic that gossip and the media can have on a very public marriage.

7. Despite being the homewrecker in this case, how was Katerina, the actress who is Nathan’s lover, able to gain the public’s sympathy?

8. Sam, Nathan’s agent, is a Hollywood player who can have any woman he wants. So, what makes Nina more appealing that the other women in his life?

9. Agents play intricate—and intimate—roles in their clients’ lives: they are deal brokers, friends, and father figures. However, his role as agent dictates that does what he can to secure the best roles possible for his clients, in projects that have already attracted other celebrated actors and directors. However, Sam feels guilty for putting Nathan in the predatory Katerina’s path. Discuss the stereotype of the Hollywood agent as shark might differ from the more realistic role that agents play as powerbrokers and client advocates.

10. Nina takes a second stab of making her marriage work. However, certain issues still have not been resolved. Discuss what they are, and why they might make-or break—any marriage.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
JOSIE BROWN TALKS ABOUT "IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED

How did you come up with the premise for this book?

I love writing “glam lit,” a tongue-in-cheek look at glamorous lives. As a journalist who has done celebrity interviews, it comes naturally to me. At the same time, I wanted this Hollywood satire to be written from the point-of-view of a very young up-and-coming actress who is willing to do anything to keep her husband, and eventually herself, in the game. I also wanted her to have an opportunity to turn the tables on those in Hollywood’s power positions. I truly believe that sex is one area in which women can control men—if they choose to do so. And phone sex allows any women—particularly one who has a sultry voice and a way with words—to have men, even powerful ones, eating out of the palm of her hands, figuratively if not literally.

At the same time, your heroine, Nina Harte, is a small town girl who dives into Hollywood’s shark-infested waters and survives the ordeal. Is that plausible?

Heck yeah, It happens every day! Reese Witherspoon, from Nashville, TN, is a perfect example. Like Reese, Nina is a straight-A student with drive and ambition. Also like Reese, she married young, to a guy in the same field whose talent she also believed in, and immediately had a child.

But Reese never had to take up phone sex in order to survive.

Ha ha! The good news for Reese is that she is one of the lucky few who, very quickly, got on the path to success. But the truth of the matter is that, in that field, the Reese Witherspoons are few and far between. I know actresses who have been waitresses, nannies, pole dancers—and yes, even phone sex operators—while waiting for their big break.

In IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED, the phone sex isn’t so much lascivious or blatant as it is titillating and down right funny. Is that the way it is in the real world?

Many phone sex operators will tell you that the callers they get are just lonely guys looking for a woman to pay attention to them. Sure, many of their clients want them to talk dirty, and of course they know the phrases and words that do the trick. In fact, many men will tell them exactly what they want to hear—with some improvisation, of course. Is that a turn-on for the women who do it? Let me put it this way: a lot of them claim to do their household chores at the same time, because there is no feeling behind these dirty words. Or, as Shakespeare once said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…”

A good phone sex operator knows the right phrase to get a caller hot and bothered. A great phone sex operator will keep the caller emotionally titillated as well, which will lead to longer calls, and for that matter, more money in their pockets. And that’s the bottom line.

What is truly frustrating for Nina is that this is only one of two jobs she juggles in order to support her family—her husband, Nathan, and her four-year-old son, Jake. Isn’t that a bit unfair?

In most marriages both partners may work, but one may take on the role as primary breadwinner so that the other can focus on a personal goal. Hollywood marriages are no exception to this: a female realtor may be married to an actor, or visa-versa; a successful actress may be married to a struggling screenwriter; a male producer may be married to a struggling actress. Considering the vagaries of Hollywood, the role of the breadwinner can flip on a dime. In a happy marriage, we appreciate our partners’ support when they offer it, and applaud their successes as if they were our own.

In addition, in IMPOSSIBY TONGUE-TIED, Nina makes the choice to put her own dream of stardom on hold in order to make ends meet. When Nathan finally makes it, he dumps her for his diva co-star. That seems like a typical Hollywood ending.

Sad but true. Many stars have left their spouses once they’ve made it, or perhaps the couple has grown apart because they can no longer relate to each other. The ones we hear about the most, though, are the couples in which both are high profile: like Brad and Jennifer, or Nick and Jessica.

However, this story has a Cinderella twist: Nina is trying so hard to save the guy she thinks is her Prince Charming—her bad boy husband—when in reality Sam Godwin, the agent Nina finds for Nathan, comes to both their rescue: he facilitates the career trajectory that unfortunately ends the Hartes’s marriage, but is also there to support Nina emotionally, when she need it most.

Just like in the real Hollywood, the gossip columns play an integral role the dissolution of the Nina’s marriage.

Yes, and I have to say I had a heck of a lot of fun imagining the machinations of the competing columnists digging for scoops, and the manipulation of the press by Katerina’s handlers. In fact, some of the first pieces I wrote were the gossip items that are sprinkled throughout the story. Developing Baxter and Serenity’s media voices was a blast.

Nina’s other job is that of cashier—or “concierge”—at an upscale Beverly Hills grocery store. Your description is truly over the top, what with the way in which she babies the clientele there. Does such a place exist?

[Laughing] If it doesn’t, it should! No, in fact, it is a conglomeration of several upscale stores—and, I’ll admit it—my ideal of the ultimate grocery experience. Hey, if grocery stores don’t have concierges to do our bidding, maybe they should consider it, right?

Would a guy like Sam—a powerbroker, a Hollywood player who could score any honey he wants—really fall head over heels in love with a normal, sweet girl like Nina?

When we quit believing that love at first sight is possible—sans collagen, Botox, and plastic surgery—then we may as well quit writing romantic comedies—which means Reese Witherspoon will have to do phone sex to make ends meet…Nah, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, do you?

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ABOUT JOSIE BROWN

Josie is also the author of the novel TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES, as well as LAST NIGHT I DREAMT OF COSMOPOLITANS, the fashionista's ultimate humor dream dictionary; and co-author, along with her husband, Martin, of MARRIAGE CONFIDENTIAL: 102 HONEST ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS EVERY HUSBAND WANTS TO ASK, AND EVERY WIFE NEEDS TO KNOW.

She is a feature writer whose relationship articles and celebrity interviews have appeared in national magazines. She is also the editor of the internationally syndicated John Gray's Mars Venus Advice column, and the co-editor of the Relationship NewsWire. Josie lives in Marin County, California with her husband and her two children.

Email Josie with other questions about her books, or arrange a phone conference for your book club! Go to her site online, at www.josiebrown.com, or email her at JosieBrownAuthor@yahoo.com

WANT TO INCLUDE JOSIE IN YOUR NEXT BOOK CLUB GATHERING?

If you'd like me to join your book club's conversation on TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES or IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED, or to learn the inspiration for some of my scenes, then have me attend your book group via teleconference! To arrange the time and date, email me josiebrownauthor@yahoo.com

If you're looking for other great book guides or book clubs, or looking for new members to join your club, then consider joining the Reader's Circle Book Club and Directory. This organization lists over 600 book clubs, and also has some great suggestions on book selections

Order Your Copies Today!

IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED (ISBN: 0060815884 Avon Trade)
ON SALE 11/21/06
Or order it from BARNES & NOBLE or AMAZON or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS or Your Local Independent Bookstore!

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES (ISBN: 0060815876 Avon Trade)
IN BOOKSTORES NOW! Or order it from AMAZON or BARNES & NOBLE or YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE or BORDERS or WALDENBOOKS!

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR JOSIE BROWN'S IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED:

Saturday, November 18, 2006, 1pm
BARNES & NOBLE / Burbank, CA
731 North San Fernando Blvd (Media Mall), Burbank 91502
This is a free event!

Thursday, November 30, 2006, 6:30pm
BORDERS EXPRESS/ Santa Clara, CA
731 Valley Fair Mall,2855 Stevens Creek Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95050
This is a free event!

Tuesday, December 6, 2006, 6-10pm
CRAVE PARTY SAN DIEGO!
Stingaree, 464 6th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

Ticket PRICE: $15 (in Advance); $25 (At the Door)

Tuesday, December 12, 2006, 5-9pm
CRAVE PARTY SAN FRANCISCO!
War Memorial Opera House, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA

Ticket PRICE: $15 (In Advance), $25 (At the Door)

The ultimate pre-holiday shopping party! Crave Party San Francisco brings together San Francisco's trendiest boutiques. You'll find all the latest fashions, fab accessories, trinkets and potions--all in one location! Have a make-over, a chichi cocktail, and a relaxing massage, while you pick up your stocking stuffers (including extra copies of Josie Brown's IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED) at this exclusive glam-gal gathering. Other authors attending are Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD) and Jennifer Skully (OPEN INVITATION), so join us, and get a jump on Santa, with your shopping!

Friday, December 15, 2006, 6pm
Barnes & Noble / Antioch, CA
5709 Lone Tree Way, Antioch,CA 94531. 925-978-1031

Naughty cops. Sizzling sex. Celebrity scandal. These two books make ideal stocking stuffers for the reader who appreciates a hot haute read during the holidays. Hear authors Josie Brown (IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED) and Karin Tabke (GOOD GIRL GONE BAD) read from their books.

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES IS GETTING RAVE REVIEWS!

Romance Reviews Today
by Patti Fischer

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES – Josie Brown
Avon Trade
ISBN: 978-0-06-081587-5
October 2005
Chick Lit

Hollywood, California – Present Day

Hannah Fairchild isn't an ordinary woman. Born the love child of a famous movie star and a hippie, Hannah's had an unorthodox life. Now living with her father in Hollywood, she is more content looking at the stars through her beloved telescope than watching the stars parade through her father's house. Her happy life is ripped apart, however, when her father suddenly dies of a heart attack and the shenanigans of her latest stepmother force the estate to freeze Hannah's trust fund. Now Hannah has to do something she's never had to do . . . get a paying job.

Her father's attorney suggests Hannah take a job as a personal assistant to a drop-dead gorgeous actor, Louis Trollope. Louis is the hottest hunk since, well . . .Brad, Tom, Jude, and a whole slew of hunky actors before him. Hannah is not thrilled with the prospect of taking the position, but with a credit card debt the size of Mount Shasta, she figures she'll bit the bullet, knowing that her blase attitude toward Hollywood stars should help her. But Louis proves to be more demanding and charismatic than she thought. Of course, his best friend, Mick Bradshaw, is not bad eye candy, either...

Hannah has led a charmed life despite her unusal upbringing. She has always been the one to sit back and watch others around her. She likes her extravagant lifestyle, but her real true love is looking up at the stars in the sky. Her life is shattered, and altered, when her father dies. She is suddenly thrown to the wolves, not knowing how to survive, but she proves she is resourceful. now she's forced to "take care" of one of Hollywood's golden boys, and it's all she can do to keep her mouth shut around Louis and his entourage. But then she can't keep her mouth shut, and this provides for some hilarious confrontations. Hannah is sharp and resilient, but will she be able to survive the charms of Louis? And there is Mick in the background. It's soon apparent there are sparks between them, but is it enough to sustain a romance?

With tongue-in-cheek dialogue, TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES provides a fascinating look at the jet set lifestyle of the rich and for-the-moment famous. Louis reminds me of Colin Farrell--sexy, brash, and maybe a flash in the pan. Louis wants it all...now, and it's up to Hannah to make sure his life goes smoothly. Hannah and Louis immediately lock horns, but instead of walking out, she digs in her heels to prove she can do it. Well, the credit card debt the size of California's budget helps her stick it out, too.

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES is Josie Brown's fiction debut, and she provides amusing insight into the celebrity lifestyle that few get a glimpse of outside publicity setups. You will laugh, cry, and wonder if it's worth it to be rich and famous. Kick off your high heels, sit back and enjoy a pleasant, but wacky, look at the celebrity lifestyle.

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Rachael Mason, GWINNETT (GA) DAILY POST:

"Though the main characters in "True Hollywood Lies" are fictional, the book is packed with plenty of real-life celebrity references. I felt like I needed to grab a copy of People or Star to keep up with all of them. But it's the story, not the stars, that kept me reading. Hannah can see herself falling for Louis, but she also likes Mick, who is friends with Louis. A good love triangle always makes for interesting reading."

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ROMANCE READER'S CONNECTION
Review by Elissa Kyle

Rating: 4 plugs

Everyone lies in Hollywood. Hannah Fairchild, daughter of renowned actor Leo Fairchild, has heard the cream of the crop- especially from her ex-boyfriend and her former stepmother, who have been indulging in a red-hot affair. When her father dies of a heart attack, Hannah is devastated to learn the woman who stabbed her in the back, Leo’s fourth wife, has frozen all his assets, including Hannah’s sizable trust fund. Accepting that she’ll actually need a job to stay afloat, she takes on the position of personal assistant to Louis Trollope, British heartthrob and international playboy. Known for his spoiled, demanding ways, Hannah is sure he can’t be as bad as his reputation. He proves differently within her first 24 hours on the job.

Not only is he impossibly full of himself, he’s positively tempting- but Hannah is determined to resist. She will not let her heart be played with anymore, especially by someone like her dear old dad. That means organizing but staying out of the craziness he calls his life, although he expects her to be at his beck and call. Hannah feels like she’s losing her mind, in between Louis’ temper tantrums, his irrational, snooty girlfriend, his not so subtle advances, and his band of bad boys, including Mick Bradshaw, best friend, screenwriter and star of Hannah’s fantasies. However, Louis has decided he wants Hannah for himself and what Louis wants, Louis gets. Now it’s up to Hannah to decide if his love for her is true, or really just a true Hollywood lie.

An indulgent, fantasy-filled romp with Hollywood’s most elite, TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES is a delightful, entertaining read, sure to leave you wanting more. In her debut fiction novel, author Josie Brown does an outstanding job capturing the glitz and glamour of Hollywood living yet illuminating the stark loneliness present beneath the façade. Filled with good natured humor and witty repartee, Ms. Brown brings the multi dimensional characters to life within the pages. You find yourself rooting for Hannah, although you’re not sure who will end up with whom (as unsure as Hannah herself!) which is all part of the fun. While she travels the distance between confidence and savviness to complacency and naiveté, and back again, you understand the internal struggle she faces while looking for love, a love that she can count on. I enjoyed this spirit filled novel and look forward to Ms. Brown’s next release!

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Read What Rian Montgomery of CHICKLITBOOKS.COM:

"Filled with backstabbing fun, True Hollywood Lies is quite the glamorous chick lit read. I enjoyed it until the end. Hannah was a great main character- down to earth, strong and intelligent. Author Josie Brown keeps the romantic side plots both sizzling and uncertain- one really never knows who will end up with whom until it happens. The actual story line is also filled with twists and turns...."
--Rian Montgomery, ChickLitBooks.com

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Harriet Klausner of TheBestReviews.com:

"Amusing chick lit tale"

In Hollywood, Hannah Fairchild was born with a golden spoon as the daughter of a famous and wealthy actor. Her passion is the alignment of the stars as she follows astrology while ignoring the Hollywood stars. When her dad suddenly dies in the bed of his teenage mistress, his fourth wife freezes Hannah's trust fund by gaining control of his entire estate through chicanery. Hannah is left with nothing.

Not one to whine, Hannah obtains a job as personnel assistant to British hunk Louis Trollope, a throwback egomaniac from the glamour days of Hollywood. He demands anything and everything including her scheduling his rendezvous and informing him on media happenings that focus on him. At the same time as she works the lies of and to the press, Hannah, Louis and his best friend Mick Bradshaw forge an odd relational romantic triangle with someone bound to be hurt especially when the tabloids get wind of it.

TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES is an amusing chick lit tale starring a likable protagonist who seems confused by what she wants in life. At times Hannah seeks her fifteen minutes of fame and more while at other moments she shies away from the glare of Hollywood, preferring to work out of the media's view. The ease in which her latest "stepmom" gains control of the estate seems off kilter for an intelligent person like Hannah, but the audience will not care once she begins working for megalomaniac Louis in this fun tale. --Harriet Klausner

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GWINNETT (GA) DAILY POST

Starting yet another chick lit kick with 'True Hollywood Lies'
by Rachael Mason (11/06/2005)

Once you start reading chick lit, it's hard to stop. When you finish one book, you'll want to read another. It's impossible for me to say no to another light-hearted story, just like I can't refuse another piece of pizza or a little more Chex mix.

In the past few weeks, I have been on a real chick lit kick. It all started when I got an e-mail message from Josie Brown, author of "True Hollywood Lies" (Avon Trade, $12.95). She had read Shelf Life and thought I might like her book. She was right.

When I got a copy of "True Hollywood Lies," I started reading it immediately. At the beginning of the book, Hannah's famous father dies suddenly and leaves her without any money. She has to take a job as an assistant to a rising Hollywood star, the high-maintenance and irresistible Louis Trollope.

Though the main characters in "True Hollywood Lies" are fictional, the book is packed with plenty of real-life celebrity references. I felt like I needed to grab a copy of People or Star to keep up with all of them.

But it's the story, not the stars, that kept me reading. Hannah can see herself falling for Louis, but she also likes Mick, who is friends with Louis. A good love triangle always makes for interesting reading.

Brown, who lives in California, has created a great Hollywood story. The author, though, grew up Georgia. She attended Sprayberry High School in Marietta.

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"True Hollywood Lies is an honest look at the absurdities of life in the film industry. Charming, funny, emotional, with true-to-Hollywood-life characters, this is a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining read that I had a hard time putting down! The character’s flaws only serve to make them more human, drawing the reader into the story. Ms. Brown writes with a fresh, unique voice, and I look forward to reading her next book, Impossibly Tongue-Tied..."
--Lisa Bradley, RomanceDivas.com (5 kisses out of 5)

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ORDER TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES FROM:

Tattered Cover Book Store

JOSIE'S BOOKS ARE IN THE NEWS

Read What the New York Post's Page Six Has to Say about IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED:

November 25, 2006 -- BRAD, Angelina, Britney and Kevin may want to check out Josie Brown's new novel, "Impossibly Tongue-Tied," for its ripped-from-the-headlines plot that mixes their scandals together. In the book, a stardom-seeking pretty boy named Nathan Harte, "pegged by the tabloids as 'the next Brad Pitt,' falls for his own hype and winds up in the arms of his co-star," according to Brown's publicist. "[He leaves] behind [his wife] Nina and child, a la Kevin Federline." But Brown says her story isn't a downer, insisting, "At least in fiction, you can count on a happy ending." -- New York Post's PAGE SIX

And Lynda Johnson, of Phoenix's National Ledger, expands on the story here...

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Angelina Jolie, Brad & Jennifer Aniston: 'Impossibly Tongue-Tied'

by Lynda Johnson
Nov 25, 2006

NATIONAL LEDGER (Arizona) The rock-star Hollywood trio of Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt are constantly tied together in the entertainment media reports - so why not tie them together in fiction? The NY Post reports that is just what happened in a new book.

Calling it a 'tabloid tease' Page Six suggests that Brad and Angelina, Britney and Kevin may want to check out Josie Brown's new novel, "Impossibly Tongue-Tied," for its ripped-from-the-headlines plot that mixes their scandals together.

The Post reports that in the book, a stardom-seeking pretty boy named Nathan Harte, "pegged by the tabloids as 'the next Brad Pitt,' falls for his own hype and winds up in the arms of his co-star," according to Brown's publicist.

"[He leaves] behind [his wife] Nina and child, a la Kevin Federline." But Brown says her story isn't a downer, insisting, "At least in fiction, you can count on a happy ending."

***

A release promoting the book gives this tease:

Jennifer and Brad. Jessica and Nick. Reese and Ryan. And now Britney and Kevin can be added to the long list of Hollywood’s famous -- albeit failed -- marriages. Why are the odds for wedded bliss so dismal in Tinseltown?

"We look at these beautiful people, and we just assume that they were made for each other; that they’ll live happily ever after. But the burden of celebrity comes with an enormous amount of stress which can crack up even the strongest relationship. Add to that long stretches apart when one partner must be on location, and the romantic temptations that pop up while working with other beautiful people, well, you can just imagine how that kills the odds for a successful celebrity marriage.”

***

The publicist touts it by noting that as an entertainment feature writer, Brown has seen such dangerous celebrity liaisons first hand. Though she changes the names to protect the infamous, the plots of her books they will revolve around such naughty antics.

Sounds like the perfect Holiday stocking stuffer.

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07/10/06 Mediabisto.com's Galleycat:

Not So Many Happy Returns, But Could Prada Have Legs?

The big story at the multiplexes this weekend, of course, was Pirates of the Caribbean, but it might be worth noting that ticket sales for the runner-up, Superman Returns, fell by just over 58% in its second weekend. And here's another blow for the Man of Steel: While the long-awaited sequel/rebooting averaged a little under $13,000 per screen on its debut weekend, the limited release this Friday of A Scanner Darkly, the equally anticipated adapation of the Philip K. Dick novel, averaged about $23,900...on just 17 screens (or 4,048 fewer screens than Returns). Two things to consider, though: With so few showings, the per-screen average would naturally be boosted by audiences' limited options, and Warner Bros. wins no matter how you look at it that doesn't involve Disney

But let's not forget, too, that ticket sales for The Devil Wears Prada only went down 4