Novelist and Author Provocateur
Novelist, journalist, and playwright Josie Brown is the author of:
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Housewife Assassin’s Handbook series (21 novels)
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Totlandia series (8 episodic novels)
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Extracurricular series (3 episodic novels)
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True Hollywood Lies series (Hollywood Hunk and Hollywood Whore)
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as well as the novels The Candidate and The Baby Planner (Simon & Schuster).
She has been published by Simon & Schuster,
St. Martin's, HarperCollins, and Penguin.
She has also independently published books. She’s appeared at #1 on Amazon and iBooks on numerous occasions.
Josie's novel, Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives (Simon & Schuster), was optioned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer for television.
Stand-Alone Novels
Twenty Novels
Every desperate housewife would love an alias. Donna Stone has one, and it's government-sanctioned.
But terrorism makes strange bedfellows. Jack Craig, the wild card Acme operative paired with Donna brings, new meaning to that old adage “Honey, I'm home…”
"Brown's unorthodox surprises did make me laugh. I taught it in a class about comic novels." —Jane Smiley
3 Episodic Novels
A dark family secret leads to a
college admissions cheating scandal at
a private school, setting off a crisis of conscience
for the parents, teachers, administrator
and the students involved—and a catharsis
for one couple about their marriage.
"Delicious, hilarious, and addictive."
—Samantha M. Bailey, Woman on the Edge
"Sharp, smart, and sexy, Brown's timely
new series about the cut-throat world
of college admissions is a must-read."
—Meredith Schorr, The Boyfriend Swap
"A++ for Extracurricular!”
—Julie Valerie, author of Holly Banks Full of Angst
"Josie Brown brings it."
—Eileen Goudge, author, The Diary
“Josie Brown has a new trail of secrets, lies, and
parents behaving badly—and you’re gonna love it."
—Jen Tucker, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out
8 Episodic Novels
Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal.
Welcome to Totlandia.
For San Francisco's ultra-competitive elite, ten open spots in its most exclusive children's playgroup is the ultimate parenting prize.
But not everyone is PHM&TC material.
The club's founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules.
But four candidates have a secret that
would knock them out of the running.
Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition?
Or will their chances–and their private lives–
go up in flames?
Totlandia” novellas serve as the perfect
quick read for busy moms or anyone looking
to escape with some gossipy fun.”
—Examiner
Novel Series
THE CANDIDATE
Seduction and intrigue are rampant on
the campaign trail when a political campaign adviser discovers that Washington's power broker elite have embroiled his presidential candidate in
a plot involving an act of terrorism on US soil.
SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES
A divorce that rocks a planned community
reveals secrets and lies in other marriages as well.
THE BABY PLANNER
While secretly longing for a child of her own,
San Francisco's most prestigious baby planner
throws herself into helping her clueless clients
on how to prepare for their pregnancies.
HOLLYWOOD HUNK
There's only one thing worse
than playing personal assistant to a handsome, egotistical, oversexed actor:
falling in love with him.
Stand-Alone Novels
Fun Stuff
By doing so, you'll get my book,
Hollywood Whore.
“When a film director's obsession with
a phone sex operator threatens
his latest production—
not to mention his marriage—
His talent agent thinks he knows
how to handle the situation:
buy off "the voice that launches
a thousand erections."
Instead, he falls in love with her.
But how will he feels when he discovers
that she's the wife of
his new hot actor client?
"Josie Brown does an outstanding job capturing the glitz and glamour
of Hollywood while illuminating
the stark loneliness present
beneath the façade.Filled with
good-natured humor and witty repartée.”
—Romance Reader's Connection
BOOK 1 - THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK
DIGITAL: 9780974021409
Amazon - Apple Books - BN - Kobo
Every desperate housewife would love an alias. Donna Stone has one, and it's government-sanctioned. But terrorism makes strange bedfellows. Jack Craig, the wild card Acme operative paired with Donna brings, new meaning to that old adage “Honey, I'm home…”
PRAISE
"Brown's unorthodox surprises did make me laugh. I taught it in a class about comic novels."
—Jane Smiley
TOTLANDIA: BOOK 1 - FALL - THE ONESIES
DIGITAL: 9780989558884
Amazon - Apple Books - BN - Kobo
The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children's playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city's ultra-competitive elite, the club's ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize. But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances–and their private lives–go up in flames?
EXTRACURRICULAR - BOOK 1
DIGITAL: 9781970093063
Amazon - Apple Books - BN - Kobo
It's your child's senior year. A private prep school's reputation is at stake. A math teacher refuses to grade his final exams on a curve. Students have only one more shot at the SAT before college applications are due. And a few desperate parents have much more money than brains.
Twenty-two years ago, Audrey Thorpe made a mistake that has haunted her for the rest of her life. And now her dirty little secret will soon be the downfall of everyone and everything she holds dear: love, family, friends, and her private high school alma mater.
BUY AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS
You can order personally
autographed print books.
Besides being autographed,
the store's pricing is discounted
from where you'd find them elsewhere.
In my podcast, I interview other authors
on their process. The most recent include:
Lisa Barr - WOMAN ON FIRE
Rea Frey - SECRETS OF OUR HOUSE
Kaira Rouda - SOMEBODY'S HOME
Yasmin Angoe - HER NAME IS KNIGHT
Lee Goldberg - GATED PREY
Hank Phillipp Ryan - HER PERFECT LIFE
Liza Taylor Nash - IN ALL GOOD FAITH
Kristin Contino - A FULL HOUSE OF WINDSOR
Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver - CHOOSE ME
Daniel Pyne - WATER MEMORY
Jason Pinter - A STRANGER AT THE DOOR
Lee Goldberg - BONE CANYON
Jule Valerie - THE PECULIAR FATE OF HOLLY BANKS
A great place to find out what I'm thinking
on any given day.
It may be about a current event, a new contest,
a new recipe, a great new experience,
or a wonderful locale I've run across
and want to share with you.
If you love my books, you'll certainly appreciate
my sense of humor here too.
FINALLY!
I got to spin the wheel that chose the two winners in the Housewife Assassin's Antisocial Media Tips Launch Contest. They are:
WENDY R / KAREN M
Over 250 contestants participated.
(But of course, they would, since the question was about PIE. (YUM!)
So, yes, it is ALWAYS a smart thing to enter, because you never know when the winner may be YOU.
AUTHOR PROVOCATEUR
CONTEST WINNERS:
2022
Mary C - Secrets of Our House
Amy H - Somebody's Home
2021
Katherine H - Her Name is Knight
Al H - Gated Prey
Anne S - Her Perfect Life
Angela T -All In Good Faith
Catherine O - A Full House of Windsor
Phyllis RBC - Choose Me
Ann S - Black Coral
Kristin B - Water Memory
LL - Stranger at the Door
Suzy D - Bone Canyon
ARTICLES BY ME
I've had the pleasure of interviewing
a few actors and directors.
I've also had the joy of discussing novels
with the authors that wrote them.
You'll find all of these profiles here.
ARTICLES ABOUT ME
I'm always grateful when other journalists
want to ask me questions about my work.
You'll find out what I think
about my stories and characters here.
OUT NOW:
THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN SERIES
Book 1: Handbook
Coming 2022:
Book 2: Guide to Gracious Killing
AND
THE TOTLANDIA SERIES
Book 1: Fall, the Onesies
Book 2: Winter, the Onesies
Book 3: Spring, the Onesies
Book 4: Summer, the Onesie