Author: Mickey Housley
Publisher: Chasing Kites Publishing
ISBN: 9780999735633
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 174
Book Description
For every comedian you enjoy watching on HBO and Netflix, there's a thousand more hilarious individuals clawing and scratching for a chance to flash across your television screen. It doesn't matter if it's on Comedy Central or The Discovery Channel. Pulling from his personal "man diary" Mickey Housley shares anectdotes from his journey as a stand-up comedian. From proud moments like winning contests to embarassing moments like getting punched in the chest after a show. Mickey details his growing pains in compelling, insightful fashion, making him a guy you can both easily learn from and cheerfully root for. If you ever wondered what it takes for a comedian to establish a sustainable career in comedy, Chronicles of a Stand-up Guy delivers the goods and then some.
Born Standing Up
Author: Steve Martin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1847395848
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Steve Martin has been an international star for over thirty years. Here, for the first time, he looks back to the beginning of his career and charmingly evokes the young man he once was. Born in Texas but raised in California, Steve was seduced early by the comedy shows that played on the radio when the family travelled back and forth to visit relatives. When Disneyland opened just a couple of miles away from home, an enchanted Steve was given his first chance to learn magic and entertain an audience. He describes how he noted the reaction to each joke in a ledger - 'big laugh' or 'quiet' - and assiduously studied the acts of colleagues, stealing jokes when needed. With superb detail, Steve recreates the world of small, dark clubs and the fear and exhilaration of standing in the spotlight. While a philosophy student at UCLA, he worked hard at local clubs honing his comedy and slowly attracting a following until he was picked up to write for TV. From here on, Steve Martin became an acclaimed comedian, packing out venues nationwide. One night, however, he noticed empty seats and realised he had 'reached the top of the rollercoaster'. BORN STANDING UP is a funny and riveting chronicle of how Steve Martin became the comedy genius we now know and is also a fascinating portrait of an era.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1847395848
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Steve Martin has been an international star for over thirty years. Here, for the first time, he looks back to the beginning of his career and charmingly evokes the young man he once was. Born in Texas but raised in California, Steve was seduced early by the comedy shows that played on the radio when the family travelled back and forth to visit relatives. When Disneyland opened just a couple of miles away from home, an enchanted Steve was given his first chance to learn magic and entertain an audience. He describes how he noted the reaction to each joke in a ledger - 'big laugh' or 'quiet' - and assiduously studied the acts of colleagues, stealing jokes when needed. With superb detail, Steve recreates the world of small, dark clubs and the fear and exhilaration of standing in the spotlight. While a philosophy student at UCLA, he worked hard at local clubs honing his comedy and slowly attracting a following until he was picked up to write for TV. From here on, Steve Martin became an acclaimed comedian, packing out venues nationwide. One night, however, he noticed empty seats and realised he had 'reached the top of the rollercoaster'. BORN STANDING UP is a funny and riveting chronicle of how Steve Martin became the comedy genius we now know and is also a fascinating portrait of an era.
The Drug Chronicles
Author: Gary Phillips
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504054806
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 677
Book Description
A wide range of bestselling and acclaimed writers—from masters of noir to literary lights—explore the milieu of drug culture in this “eye-opening series” (New York Journal of Books). From Lee Child to William T. Vollmann, Joyce Carol Oates to Sherman Alexie, Eric Bogosian to actor James Franco, many of the finest contemporary writers of fiction weigh in on the lure and destruction of drug use, society’s ambiguous relationship to drug culture, and criminal behavior with short stories that are alternately harrowing, funny, sad, or scary—but always original and gripping. The Cocaine Chronicles edited by Gary Phillips and Jervey Tervalon Contributors include Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Ken Bruen, and Susan Straight “Urban, gritty, and raw noir.” —Harlan Coben The Speed Chronicles edited by Joseph Mattson Contributors include William T. Vollmann, Sherman Alexie, James Franco, and Megan Abbott “Deserves great praise for the audacity of the topic, the depth of the discussion, the diversity of voices, and plain, old, good storytelling.” —New York Journal of Books The Heroin Chronicles edited by Jerry Stahl Contributors include Eric Bogosian, Lydia Lunch, Ava Stander, and Gary Phillips “[An] impressive array of writers . . . these tales of chasing the dragon, with corollaries often violent and savage, will satisfy devotees of noir fiction and outsider are alike.” —Publishers Weekly The Marijuana Chronicles edited by Jonathan Santlofer Contributors include Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, Raymond Mungo, and Rachel Shteir “Joyce Carol Oates is in a rare class of her own . . . So, too, are other contributors to this collection, including Lee Child and the always enjoyable Raymond Mungo.” —Kirkus Reviews
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504054806
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 677
Book Description
A wide range of bestselling and acclaimed writers—from masters of noir to literary lights—explore the milieu of drug culture in this “eye-opening series” (New York Journal of Books). From Lee Child to William T. Vollmann, Joyce Carol Oates to Sherman Alexie, Eric Bogosian to actor James Franco, many of the finest contemporary writers of fiction weigh in on the lure and destruction of drug use, society’s ambiguous relationship to drug culture, and criminal behavior with short stories that are alternately harrowing, funny, sad, or scary—but always original and gripping. The Cocaine Chronicles edited by Gary Phillips and Jervey Tervalon Contributors include Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Ken Bruen, and Susan Straight “Urban, gritty, and raw noir.” —Harlan Coben The Speed Chronicles edited by Joseph Mattson Contributors include William T. Vollmann, Sherman Alexie, James Franco, and Megan Abbott “Deserves great praise for the audacity of the topic, the depth of the discussion, the diversity of voices, and plain, old, good storytelling.” —New York Journal of Books The Heroin Chronicles edited by Jerry Stahl Contributors include Eric Bogosian, Lydia Lunch, Ava Stander, and Gary Phillips “[An] impressive array of writers . . . these tales of chasing the dragon, with corollaries often violent and savage, will satisfy devotees of noir fiction and outsider are alike.” —Publishers Weekly The Marijuana Chronicles edited by Jonathan Santlofer Contributors include Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, Raymond Mungo, and Rachel Shteir “Joyce Carol Oates is in a rare class of her own . . . So, too, are other contributors to this collection, including Lee Child and the always enjoyable Raymond Mungo.” —Kirkus Reviews
The Mystery Chronicles
Author: Joe Nickell
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813126754
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 382
Book Description
With a foreword by James Randi Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell has spent more than thirty years solving the world's most perplexing mysteries. This new casebook reveals the secrets of the Winchester Mystery House, the giant Nazca drawings of Peru, the Shroud of Turin, the "Mothman" enigma, the Amityville Horror house, the vicious goatsucking El Chupacabras, and numerous other "unexplainable" paranormal phenomena. Nickell has traveled far and wide to solve cases, which include a weeping icon in Russia, the elusive Bigfoot-like "yowie" in Australia, the reputed power of a headless saint in Spain, and an "alien hybrid" in Germany. He has gone undercover—often in disguise—to reveal the tricks of those who pretend to talk to the dead, accompanied a Cajun guide into a Louisiana swamp in search of a fabled monster, and gained an audience with a voodoo queen. Superstar psychic medium John Edward, pet psychic Sonya Fitzpatrick, evangelist and healer Benny Hinn, and many other well-known figures have found themselves under Nickell's careful scrutiny. The Mystery Chronicles examines more than three dozen intriguing mysteries. Nickell uses a hands-on approach and the scientific method to steer between the extremes of mystery mongering and debunking. His investigative skills have won him both acclaim and controversy during his long career as one of the world's foremost paranormal investigators.
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813126754
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 382
Book Description
With a foreword by James Randi Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell has spent more than thirty years solving the world's most perplexing mysteries. This new casebook reveals the secrets of the Winchester Mystery House, the giant Nazca drawings of Peru, the Shroud of Turin, the "Mothman" enigma, the Amityville Horror house, the vicious goatsucking El Chupacabras, and numerous other "unexplainable" paranormal phenomena. Nickell has traveled far and wide to solve cases, which include a weeping icon in Russia, the elusive Bigfoot-like "yowie" in Australia, the reputed power of a headless saint in Spain, and an "alien hybrid" in Germany. He has gone undercover—often in disguise—to reveal the tricks of those who pretend to talk to the dead, accompanied a Cajun guide into a Louisiana swamp in search of a fabled monster, and gained an audience with a voodoo queen. Superstar psychic medium John Edward, pet psychic Sonya Fitzpatrick, evangelist and healer Benny Hinn, and many other well-known figures have found themselves under Nickell's careful scrutiny. The Mystery Chronicles examines more than three dozen intriguing mysteries. Nickell uses a hands-on approach and the scientific method to steer between the extremes of mystery mongering and debunking. His investigative skills have won him both acclaim and controversy during his long career as one of the world's foremost paranormal investigators.
The Mafia Chronicles
Author: Joey the Hit Man
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504054784
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 382
Book Description
A New York Times bestseller, the “chilling and compelling . . . must-read” confessions of a mob hit man—and the riveting sequel of his most harrowing contract (former FBI agent Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco). Killer: The Bronx-born son of a Jewish bootlegger, “Joey the Hit Man” was introduced to crime when he was just eleven years old. For the next thirty years he was a numbers king, scalper, loan shark, enforcer, and drug smuggler. He hijacked trucks, fenced stolen goods, and trafficked in pornography. But Joey really made his name as a Mafia assassin, racking up thirty-eight cold-blooded hits—thirty-five for cash, three for revenge. In this no-holds-barred account, he reveals the brutal truth of a life in organized crime. Hit #29: In the fall of 1969, a public execution in a Brooklyn Italian restaurant earned Joey a mention in the New York Daily News and a twenty-grand payout from the mob. Next up: The bosses suspected their trusted numbers controller, Joe Squillante, was skimming the nightly bets to settle personal debts. But Squillante, aka Hit #29, was no clueless patsy and an unpredictable bull’s-eye. Taking the job meant entering into a game of predator and prey as nerve-racking as the cock of a .38 hammer.
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1504054784
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 382
Book Description
A New York Times bestseller, the “chilling and compelling . . . must-read” confessions of a mob hit man—and the riveting sequel of his most harrowing contract (former FBI agent Joe Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco). Killer: The Bronx-born son of a Jewish bootlegger, “Joey the Hit Man” was introduced to crime when he was just eleven years old. For the next thirty years he was a numbers king, scalper, loan shark, enforcer, and drug smuggler. He hijacked trucks, fenced stolen goods, and trafficked in pornography. But Joey really made his name as a Mafia assassin, racking up thirty-eight cold-blooded hits—thirty-five for cash, three for revenge. In this no-holds-barred account, he reveals the brutal truth of a life in organized crime. Hit #29: In the fall of 1969, a public execution in a Brooklyn Italian restaurant earned Joey a mention in the New York Daily News and a twenty-grand payout from the mob. Next up: The bosses suspected their trusted numbers controller, Joe Squillante, was skimming the nightly bets to settle personal debts. But Squillante, aka Hit #29, was no clueless patsy and an unpredictable bull’s-eye. Taking the job meant entering into a game of predator and prey as nerve-racking as the cock of a .38 hammer.
The Cocaine Chronicles
Author: Gary Phillips
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1453259392
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Book Description
A new anthology of cocaine stories from the creators of The Speed Chronicles—“Caution: these stories are addicting” (Harlan Coben). This ambitious anthology of jaw-grinding criminal behavior is masterfully curated by acclaimed authors Gary Phillips and Jervey Tervalon. Cocaine is the subject, the whys and whereofs in The Cocaine Chronicles, a collection of original short stories that are funny and harrowing, sad and scary, but at all times riveting. The Cocaine Chronicles contains tough tales by a cross-section of today’s most thought-provoking writers. Featuring brand-new stories by: Susan Straight, Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Ken Bruen, Jerry Stahl, Nina Revoyr, Bill Moody, Emory Holmes II, James Brown, Gary Phillips, Jervey Tervalon, Kerry E. West, Donnell Alexander, Deborah Vankin, Robert Ward, Manuel Ramos, and Detrice Jones.
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 1453259392
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Book Description
A new anthology of cocaine stories from the creators of The Speed Chronicles—“Caution: these stories are addicting” (Harlan Coben). This ambitious anthology of jaw-grinding criminal behavior is masterfully curated by acclaimed authors Gary Phillips and Jervey Tervalon. Cocaine is the subject, the whys and whereofs in The Cocaine Chronicles, a collection of original short stories that are funny and harrowing, sad and scary, but at all times riveting. The Cocaine Chronicles contains tough tales by a cross-section of today’s most thought-provoking writers. Featuring brand-new stories by: Susan Straight, Lee Child, Laura Lippman, Ken Bruen, Jerry Stahl, Nina Revoyr, Bill Moody, Emory Holmes II, James Brown, Gary Phillips, Jervey Tervalon, Kerry E. West, Donnell Alexander, Deborah Vankin, Robert Ward, Manuel Ramos, and Detrice Jones.
The Fate's Chronicles Boxset
Author: Rhiannon Futch
Publisher: Rhiannon Futch
ISBN: 1955749108
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 774
Book Description
Life seemed over when her husband died, but it was only just beginning. Get the completed series all in one book! Join Fate in A Vampire’s Fate and journey with her through the four other books that complete the series! A Vampire’s Fate My name is Fate. I thought my life was over when my husband died. But it was just beginning. When Devon walked into the library, I thought he was trouble wrapped in a tall, dark and handsome package. He might be the one thing saving me from the trouble left behind by my husband and his girlfriend, as the killer they hired still plans to earn her pay. A Vampire’s Treasure Who would have thought convincing your vampire lover to turn you would be so difficult? Devon was supposed to make me a vampire a century ago but I was murdered before he got the chance. Now he has all this opportunity and he keeps putting it off, I just need to figure out why. Devon is the love of my life so why do I feel pulled to Charles who just won't leave me alone? Charles comes to the library every night determined I will fall into his arms and his bed from the power of his dashing good looks alone. I want to say not a chance in hell but somehow, I find myself strangely drawn to him. I know where my heart lies, but can I follow my heart knowing that it could cost the lives of everyone around me? A Vampire’s Dream Hostage. This fool may hold Fate hostage, but that doesn’t mean she will suddenly fall at his feet. No matter how handsome he is. All she wants is to figure out how to go home without Charles killing her friends. What happened to his quiet life? Fate is hostage in Charles’s manor, and he is certain that everything will be perfect now. He’ll just hold on to Fate until she falls in love with him and forgets all about Devon. Being a vampire means that he has all the time in the world. Then Fate’s sister turns up at his door, claiming she is his reincarnated mother. Most of his accounts disappear, and Fate’s sister won’t stop trying to kill her. A Vampire’s Chase Fate is back home where she belongs but danger lurks around every corner. New abilities and a new soul bond with her former kidnapper complicate things plenty. But things really heat up when her sister escapes and vows to put an end to Fate for her mysterious benefactor. Just how much can one girl take? A Vampire’s Fight The forces working in the shadows have grown impatient and the danger surrounding Fate grows with every second that passes. Knowing that Demeter is desperate to grab her before she is fully a goddess, Fate is sticking close to home. She has plenty to occupy her there with her two mates, a foundation to get off the ground, and powers she has barely began to explore. Add an intense training schedule and trying to get to know her parents, finding things to do is the only thing she is not concerned with. With all her distractions will she find a way to stop Demeter and the Beast? Keywords: completed series, series, series starter start a new series, serial, paranormal romance series, serial romance, romance, new adult romance, romance ebook top romance reads romance fiction, top ebooks in romance, romance, steamy romance, contemporary romance, steamy romance novels, vampire romance, vampire, vampire love story, vampires, adult vampire romance series, paranormal romance witch, paranormal womens fiction, romance paranormal steamy, paranormal romance, paranormal elements, top ebooks in paranormal, paranormal, supernatural paranormal romance, paranormal romance goddess, paranormal witch romance, boxset, box set
Publisher: Rhiannon Futch
ISBN: 1955749108
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 774
Book Description
Life seemed over when her husband died, but it was only just beginning. Get the completed series all in one book! Join Fate in A Vampire’s Fate and journey with her through the four other books that complete the series! A Vampire’s Fate My name is Fate. I thought my life was over when my husband died. But it was just beginning. When Devon walked into the library, I thought he was trouble wrapped in a tall, dark and handsome package. He might be the one thing saving me from the trouble left behind by my husband and his girlfriend, as the killer they hired still plans to earn her pay. A Vampire’s Treasure Who would have thought convincing your vampire lover to turn you would be so difficult? Devon was supposed to make me a vampire a century ago but I was murdered before he got the chance. Now he has all this opportunity and he keeps putting it off, I just need to figure out why. Devon is the love of my life so why do I feel pulled to Charles who just won't leave me alone? Charles comes to the library every night determined I will fall into his arms and his bed from the power of his dashing good looks alone. I want to say not a chance in hell but somehow, I find myself strangely drawn to him. I know where my heart lies, but can I follow my heart knowing that it could cost the lives of everyone around me? A Vampire’s Dream Hostage. This fool may hold Fate hostage, but that doesn’t mean she will suddenly fall at his feet. No matter how handsome he is. All she wants is to figure out how to go home without Charles killing her friends. What happened to his quiet life? Fate is hostage in Charles’s manor, and he is certain that everything will be perfect now. He’ll just hold on to Fate until she falls in love with him and forgets all about Devon. Being a vampire means that he has all the time in the world. Then Fate’s sister turns up at his door, claiming she is his reincarnated mother. Most of his accounts disappear, and Fate’s sister won’t stop trying to kill her. A Vampire’s Chase Fate is back home where she belongs but danger lurks around every corner. New abilities and a new soul bond with her former kidnapper complicate things plenty. But things really heat up when her sister escapes and vows to put an end to Fate for her mysterious benefactor. Just how much can one girl take? A Vampire’s Fight The forces working in the shadows have grown impatient and the danger surrounding Fate grows with every second that passes. Knowing that Demeter is desperate to grab her before she is fully a goddess, Fate is sticking close to home. She has plenty to occupy her there with her two mates, a foundation to get off the ground, and powers she has barely began to explore. Add an intense training schedule and trying to get to know her parents, finding things to do is the only thing she is not concerned with. With all her distractions will she find a way to stop Demeter and the Beast? Keywords: completed series, series, series starter start a new series, serial, paranormal romance series, serial romance, romance, new adult romance, romance ebook top romance reads romance fiction, top ebooks in romance, romance, steamy romance, contemporary romance, steamy romance novels, vampire romance, vampire, vampire love story, vampires, adult vampire romance series, paranormal romance witch, paranormal womens fiction, romance paranormal steamy, paranormal romance, paranormal elements, top ebooks in paranormal, paranormal, supernatural paranormal romance, paranormal romance goddess, paranormal witch romance, boxset, box set
Guaymas Chronicles
Author: David E. Stuart
Publisher: UNM Press
ISBN: 9780826331892
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 412
Book Description
This memoir of a young gringo anthropologist's assimilation into the exotic street life of a bustling port on Mexico's Sea of Cortez is also an account of the area's working-class life in the late 1960s.
Publisher: UNM Press
ISBN: 9780826331892
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 412
Book Description
This memoir of a young gringo anthropologist's assimilation into the exotic street life of a bustling port on Mexico's Sea of Cortez is also an account of the area's working-class life in the late 1960s.
The Clarence Chronicles
Author: G. Ross Purcell
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595202349
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 182
Book Description
The Clarence Chronicles explores an episodic saga of a young boy’s journey into manhood against the backdrop and home front intrigues of the Korean war. How beauty and hormones teach black and white high school buddies some tough lessons growing up. Their poignant and bitter friendship develops during the late ‘40s. From those beginnings, his journey takes him on a college sojourn as the fading big-band era swings into cool jazz and bee-bop weaving a complex web of personal relationships. Forced military service leads him to the West Coast as he watches musical genius traverse from poverty to fame and become a magnet for the things that destroy.
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595202349
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 182
Book Description
The Clarence Chronicles explores an episodic saga of a young boy’s journey into manhood against the backdrop and home front intrigues of the Korean war. How beauty and hormones teach black and white high school buddies some tough lessons growing up. Their poignant and bitter friendship develops during the late ‘40s. From those beginnings, his journey takes him on a college sojourn as the fading big-band era swings into cool jazz and bee-bop weaving a complex web of personal relationships. Forced military service leads him to the West Coast as he watches musical genius traverse from poverty to fame and become a magnet for the things that destroy.
The Sevarian Chronicles
Author: James Gurtner
Publisher: Dorrance Publishing
ISBN: 164702448X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 205
Book Description
The Sevarian Chronicles By: James Gurtner This is a tale about two alien families secretly living among us. Aliens only because they arrived here from different worlds. Both families are dedicated to helping their human brethren confront the threat of a third, non-human alien species intent on exploiting Earth. The complicated relationship among the three human species - Severian, Taritian, and Terrestrial - is the focus of this uplifting sci-fi story. A unique concept concerning the nature of time adds a new dimension to a story replete with action, humor, blindsides, and twists.
Publisher: Dorrance Publishing
ISBN: 164702448X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 205
Book Description
The Sevarian Chronicles By: James Gurtner This is a tale about two alien families secretly living among us. Aliens only because they arrived here from different worlds. Both families are dedicated to helping their human brethren confront the threat of a third, non-human alien species intent on exploiting Earth. The complicated relationship among the three human species - Severian, Taritian, and Terrestrial - is the focus of this uplifting sci-fi story. A unique concept concerning the nature of time adds a new dimension to a story replete with action, humor, blindsides, and twists.
The Gift Bag Chronicles
Author: Hilary De Vries
Publisher: Villard
ISBN: 1588364763
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
On generating the perfect party in Hollywood: If celebrities don’t walk your red carpet, you don’t exist. If you don’t make Page Six, you don’t exist. To get ten celebrities to show up, invite four hundred. And send a car. Publicity is the only job you can do perfectly and still fail. And the gift bag totally matters. As the newly promoted head of event planning for one of L.A.’s top publicity firms, Alex Davidson spends her days making decisions of utmost importance: Grey Goose or Belvedere? MAC or Stila? Queen Latifah or Chloë Sevigny? And though her boyfriend, agency president Charles Evers, lives on the other coast, she could be doing worse. But leave it to her mother to point out the obvious: After one failed, childless marriage, Alex is the “career divorcée” and the antithesis of her sister, the perfect stay-at-home mom. And there’s no spin in the world that can cover up the growing rift between Alex and Charles. From dealing with outrageously self-important clients and holier-than-thou C-listers to trying to make sense of her growing attraction to a man who is not her boyfriend but her best friend, Alex feels as if she’s about one Red Bull shy of a meltdown. With her professional future hanging in the balance, she has the biggest party of the season to pull off. And the real question is: Will the gift bags measure up?
Publisher: Villard
ISBN: 1588364763
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
On generating the perfect party in Hollywood: If celebrities don’t walk your red carpet, you don’t exist. If you don’t make Page Six, you don’t exist. To get ten celebrities to show up, invite four hundred. And send a car. Publicity is the only job you can do perfectly and still fail. And the gift bag totally matters. As the newly promoted head of event planning for one of L.A.’s top publicity firms, Alex Davidson spends her days making decisions of utmost importance: Grey Goose or Belvedere? MAC or Stila? Queen Latifah or Chloë Sevigny? And though her boyfriend, agency president Charles Evers, lives on the other coast, she could be doing worse. But leave it to her mother to point out the obvious: After one failed, childless marriage, Alex is the “career divorcée” and the antithesis of her sister, the perfect stay-at-home mom. And there’s no spin in the world that can cover up the growing rift between Alex and Charles. From dealing with outrageously self-important clients and holier-than-thou C-listers to trying to make sense of her growing attraction to a man who is not her boyfriend but her best friend, Alex feels as if she’s about one Red Bull shy of a meltdown. With her professional future hanging in the balance, she has the biggest party of the season to pull off. And the real question is: Will the gift bags measure up?