Cheap Cabernet: A Friendship

Clever writing, but not so clever formatting. I find the changes in print distracting to read- and I'm not sure if it is intentional or not. Your dialogue is sharp and probably one of my favourite things about this piece. There is an honest kind of brash humour in this... not my usual sort of read, and a little colloquial for my tastes, but still enjoyed nonetheless. Is this chick lit though? I'm not too sure. I'm not really sure what area of the market you should be aiming for. In all honesty, it feels a little like travel writing in the beginning, only really progressing into a story from there. But I like the humour and I like the dialogue, and I backed it on this basis. All the best. L.x

Chit lit is just not my bag, baby.
But heh, whatever gets your mojo rising.

Me, i just read and say... yeah baby.... you interlace description effortlessly into the fast moving idea machine ... everything is smooth and i get action while simultaneously getting background.... something i aspire to do.

Yeah baby, yeah.... totally BACKED.

I love this. Us girls here in Texas love our friends and have some crazy times with them. I love to get them all around and just read this story together. You have something good here. The best of luck to you. I'm putting it on the list to shelf.

Hi Cathie, one of the kinds of true life stories I like best. It's fun, lively, got some deeper message too, but full of great journey and adventure. Pitch-wise, think you could calm down the sales side of the pitch (leave that for the marketing boys) and pitch moreof the story - what goes on, where it's all leading to, but otherwise pacey and entertaining - you must enter this for HC True Life category too. Shelved.

highly entertaining!
J
Children of Paradise
PS something funny with your fonts- they get bigger and smaller.

Hi Cathie!

This is utterly delicious, and the fact that this is a true story makes it that much more compelling and intriguing. I could curl up with this and read the whole thing on a lazy, rainy day... Wonderful, enjoyable characters and your pitch and plotline are spot on for the chick-lit audience. The gals will love this one! I'm happy to back this.

Kim
Invisible Justice

Cathy,

It won't be long before Cheap Cabernet flies up the ranks. All your reviews are, justifiably, accurate!!!

I love a good nonfiction, but I noticed you don't have this listed under another category--Harper True Life Stories. At the risk of your book surpassing my nonfiction book, I must insist you list this wonderful piece under Harper True genre. Each month HC reviews the top ten in this new category.

Backed,
Janine
MY KIND OF CRAZY

Cheap Cabaret: A Friendship

Hi Cathie,

This is great, the critics are absolutely right, sassy, different, alternative and full of rich and exciting characters. I love the title of the first section. Short sentences, special and quick, delivering much more in their echo as in their words, rapid-fire intelligence behind every word. Gorgeous writing, real-time and realistic. You have a real talent here that speeds along as fast and seemingly as out of control as the car in the first section, but no, you are completely in charge. We feel more alive to be in their company, the world is our oyster, it is exciting, engaging, interesting to see it through their eyes. You have some beautiful phrasing here, individual, specific to your setting and character, real people walking off the page. My only but is, change the pitch, it is valedictory and showy, you don't need to boast, you have great writing here, use the pitch to tell us more about them, what happens and where this wonderful journey will lead us. Best wishes, backing shortly. If you have time to peak at my book you have no idea how helpful that will be.

Best wishes and good luck
Andrew W.
(Sanctuary's Loss)

Great tale Cathie! Happy to shelve!

THIS BOOK HAS ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED !

Cheap Cabernet: A Friendship...

Hilarious from the get-go. I can see why this is getting good reviews...and you wouldn't be the first self-published author to get picked up by a mainstream publisher on this site.

Go get 'em, girl.

Shelved, of course.
Sheryl
P.S. Don't read mine--read Tnuth with an 'n' by C.P. Hoff for its rich characterizations and dialogue that shines on the page.

Self-published, though, I see from her website.

I think she said that's why, when she got a lot of attention with her
book, she was advised to post on here - I guess to give her a chance for
agents and commercial publishers to see her work.

Terrific cover, and great reviews! Looks like a very exceptional
self-published book.

THIS BOOK IS ALREADY PUBLISHED ! ! !

Cathie,

I really like your title, cover, and tags. Instead of telling us what the book is about, your short pitch needs to have a hook and summarize your story in 25 words or less.

Since this a memoir or narrative non-fiction your full pitch should clearly express what makes your story about friendship different from the thousands of books that have been written on the subject. Give us a reason to care about you, your friendships, fun times, troubling times, etc.

The pitches are a key selling tool and often are more difficult to write than the book, but your chapters are so entertaining, I'd hate for you to cut yourself short.

You hooked me with the title of the prologue. Your sharp wit and hilarious descriptions and delightful voice are great. This is a well-written memoir in which you demonstrate a skilled and effective writing style and an equally effective style for dialogue.

There a few problems with the fonts in your chapters, but these can be fixed easily.

You're on my shelf.
Rodney