Yesterday, June 3, was publication day for Summer Blowout, a novel about Bella Shaughnessy, a recently single woman whose family owns a chain of beauty salons.
And Bella's addiction is lipstick with names such as 'My Chihuahua Bites' and 'Kiss My Lips.' Bella's father is thrice-divorced Lucky Shaughnessy, an Irishman like none other who's still obsessed with his first wife. Sounds like the recipe for a terrific, wacky summer read.
Claire Cook and her newest novel, Summer Blowout
Just look at the first page of Summer Blowout:
"Lipstick is my drug of choice. I grabbed a tube of Nars Catfight, a rich, semi-matte mauve, on my way out of the salon. Easy access to beauty products is one of the perks of the business.
There were lots of cars in the parking lot, but I saw him almost as soon as I pushed the door open. He was sitting in the driver's seat, leaning back with his eyes closed. I was surprised I couldn't hear that big fat snore of his all the way from here."
Last night was the second of three media events that Borders is hosting for its featured writers published by Hyperion Books, in an imprint called Voice, and a group on Gather, Getting Better All the Time. (voice.gather.com)
Hyperion's Voice imprint is a new imprint for women in midlife who have truly discovered their voice, their passion in life.
Mel Robbins was the host of the kick-off event for Claire Cook's Borders tour. Borders filmed the event, which will be broadcast to 19 million people via Borders' Shortlist later this month. The event will also be shown via Borders' TV network in Borders' flagship stores.
You may remember Claire Cook's best-selling book, Must Love Dogs - which was also turned into a fabulous movie. Claire is a witty, comedic writer who has been destined for greatness ever since she won a writing award at the tender age of three.
Growing up as a middle child and the oldest girl in a South Shore family of eight children, each child had to find their unique niche. That's tough competition. So at three, tiny Claire found her niche. She was the writer in the family. She was all set. So it seemed.
But despite writing poetry in high school and majoring in creative writing and film in college, Claire says that she hid from her passion - from writing - for many years. She was blocked.
It was not until Claire was 44 and her daughter was at early morning swim meets that Clair realized she had to stop hiding, and so she just started writing, right there, in her minivan. And she's never looked back.
Now, five novels later, Claire is 53 and has truly re-discovered her passion in life: Writing.
Claire Cook at Borders in Boston, June 3, publication day for Summer Blowout.
But what about those years between college and now? asked host Mel Robbins. Claire says that during the years she hid from writing, she did many things - she wrote ads for shoes, worked as aerobics and a dance instructor, was a freelance writer and arranged choreography and taught in the Montessori schools for 16 years.
Creative people are "pretty good at lots of things", Claire said. "If you devote all your energy, and put it all together you can do amazing things," she adds. "You get really quiet and then you find out what really drives you, what your passion is."
Many people have emailed Claire or have said that they have a lot of projects going at once. "It is so much fun to start a book and it's exhilarating to finish one, but it is all those stupid middle pages", and that that is the where the challenge comes in writing a novel, she says.
Claire advises that writers must focus on finishing one manuscript. Claire writes a certain number of pages per day. Some days, she finishes early and can go out to lunch with a friend. Other days, it is late at night and she is still saying to herself, 'just one more paragraph.'
Claire Cook
Between setting up for the second part of the event in which More magazine editor Susan Swimmer and three readers from More magazine were discussing how they came to passion in midlife, Claire walked around the audience greeting people.
(Claire is so great to meet in person!)
One woman asked Claire how she found an agent for her books. Claire answered that the best way is to look in the back of books you like then contact those people. This certainly worked for Claire!
Summer Blowout by Claire Cook, Hyperion Books.
Claire is every bit as sweet, wonderful and delightful in person as she is on Gather. She not only reminds me of people I know but also a tiny little bit of myself when I was little.
Claire loves to write the novels she writes. It is like playing house, she says. "You get to make up the characters and dress them up and they can play all day."
***
Claire Cook's Tour Schedule
Thursday, June 5
7:00 PM
Writing Workshop/Q&A/Signing
Borders
430 Gorham Road
South Portland, ME 04106
207-775-6110
Tuesday, June 10
7:00 PM
Writing Workshop/Q&A/signing
BORDERS
Freehold Raceway Mall
3710 Route 9, Suite 2318
Freehold, NJ 07728
732-431-3688
Thursday, June 12
7:30 PM
Writing Workshop/Q&A/Signing
BORDERS
Buckhead Store
3637 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30319
404-237-0707
The next feature book of the Getting Better All the Time group, Summer Blowout, by Claire Cook, is a hilarious and rambunctious story about a recently single woman who finds herself on a new path and hits all of the bumps life throws her along the way.
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Comments: 41 ( 2 removed by Kathryn E. )
Thanks
Wonderfully inspirational, actually, as I (now) think middle-aged women are so wise (and often quite funny).
I hope you come to my Atlanta event! Public Broadcast Atlanta will be there, too, as well as someone from More Magazine. There will be a gift bag from More, as well as handouts for aspiring writers. I think it will be tons of fun. I always have a great time in Hotlanta!
What a great job you did on this article. Thanks so much. And it was truly a delight to meet you in person. I wish you every joy and success with your own writing!
Thank you!
I hope to make it to Portland, Oregon soon, too! Maybe with my next novel, which has scenes in the Pacific Northwest! Keep an eye out for it at www.clairecook.com!
I wish you'd been there, too!
Am half way through Summer Blowout! I love it!!!
I think we went to school together...Well. I was in Utah and Montreal but you know what I mean..
or voice.gather.com