India's Summer Blog Tour: guest post and spotlight
The calendar may say September but summer is not officially over yet. Here is one more summer title worth reading all year round.
INDIA'S SUMMER by Thérèse
women's fiction*ebook, 258 pages*Published January 18th 2012 by The Fiction Studio
Jane Green calls it, "A furious, fast-paced, fun romp." Orlando Bloom praises, "India'sSummer avoids the familiar cliches of LA and yet captures the characters of the city so well." Goldie Hawn marvels, "India's fascinating character is what makes India's Summera compelling read." New York Times bestselling author and spiritual leader, Eckhart Tolle and model and author, Miranda Kerr are also raving about INDIA'S SUMMER.
India's Summer by Thérèse is the story of India Butler, single and about to turn forty, who travels from London to LA to reinvent herself. In a world illuminated by the flashbulbs of the paparazzi, she discovers the true meaning of “having it all’ while spending the summer with her sister Annabelle, a famous Hollywood actress, and her brother -in -law, a legendary rock musician.
They welcome India into their opulent, fast-paced lifestyle, whisking her from fabulous fundraisers to parties each more opulent than the last. This does nothing for India’s confidence and she maintains a wry detachment until she begins dating Adam, a gorgeous A- list actor. In an attempt to appear more successful she lies to him about her career.
Disaster strikes and India is drawn behind the veneer of Hollywood glitz and glamor and into Hollywood’s private lives. As her illusions about the perfection of their LA lifestyle fade away, India has an epiphany about her own real talents.
India is in her element until her new life in LA unravels.
Guest Post by Thérèse
Ten years ago, on the last day of our family summer vacation, I walked alone along the ocean’s edge in Malibu. I waded ankle deep into the water and began to cry my heart out. I knew I didn’t want to go back to England. California was where I belonged. We flew back to London the next day, and within six months we had emigrated. It happened that fast.
Although I didn’t know it at the time, I realize I came to California to be a writer. I began sending long e-mails to my friends back in England, and soon I had a wealth of true stories larger than life. Living life in the fast lane in Los Angeles, I learned quickly that nobody “has it all.” Behind the veneer of opulence and privilege is a world much like anywhere else. Many of our friends live their lives in the glare of the media. The reality is very different from how it is portrayed in the press. I wanted to write about my town in a way that shone a light on some of the universal issues that affect us all. I wanted to debunk the myth that this is simply Tinsel Town.
I’ve always been intrigued by social mobility; how we dress to impress or to look “casual.” As I travel the world, my favorite pastime is people-watching; observing dress codes and guessing the hidden social signals. The story is peppered with all the brand names I discovered along the way. I make no apologies for my passion for social anthropology. India’s internal dialogue probably betrays more about me than I would wish to share.
When I am at my most insecure, I can become critical and resentful of other people. Maybe it’s because they appear to have something I want. At these times, it takes me a while to work out why I am feeling so intense or angry. This is how India feels after a week surrounded by Hollywood’s A-list over achievers. Why is she never “enough?” Why was it so easy for her sister? How come she is still single? Why is everyone else so ‘ certain’ about so much? Don’t we all feel vulnerable and a little envious at times?
Many of the women in India’s Summer are struggling parents trying to do the best they can for their kids. One of my favorite characters is Lizzy, struggling to juggle her blended family and keep her sanity while dealing with little ones and teens simultaneously. I hope I have captured something of the power of women’s friendship.
Ultimately the story is about finding our passions and listening to that inner voice telling us when to make a change, take a leap of faith or reinvent ourselves. Thank you so much for inviting me to share some of the background to India’s Summer.
About the author:
Thérèse
My mother was Irish but for reasons best known to herself, gave me a French name; Marie-Thérèse, note the grave, acute and hyphen. Very posh. I’ve tried to be French all my life but it was hard in Liverpool, where I grew up and difficult in California where I now live. I have a son as well as a daughter and a lovely husband, who for future blogging purposes will be known as ‘husband.’
What else? Let me think…Ah yes. I’ve written a novel - “India’s Summer” published by ‘The Fiction Studio’
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