Pretty is as Pretty Does Blog Tour: guest post & review
Join Debby Mayne, author of the Christian fiction, Pretty is as Pretty Does, as she tours the blogosphere July 1 – 26 2013 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book! Find the complete tour listing here.
About Pretty Is As Pretty Does
Book One Class Reunion series by Debby Mayne
Christian women's fiction
Paperback/eBook, 304 pages
Published June 1st 2013 by Abingdon Press
Priscilla Slater goes to her 10-year high school reunion as a successful business woman. Even though she got rid of her mousy brown hair, swapped out her discount store wardrobe for designer clothes, and now has perfectly straight teeth, she can’t get past feeling like the ugly duckling. Her parents’ disapproval for her choice of careers—running a chain of hair salons—deepens her self-doubt. She experiences self-discovery and learns that things aren’t always as they seem.
During the reunion, one woman passes out after starving herself for the event. The class beauty queen appears to have more self-confidence than ever until her ex shows up with his new wife. The reunion organizer has taken her responsibilities to a whole new level that makes the Marines look like Boy Scouts, while her husband drinks too much and makes a fool of himself. The man she always dreamed about being with finally gives her some attention, but when she finds out more about him, she realizes he’s not worth her time. These realizations boost her self-confidence, but now she has to deal with her best friend Tim’s new feelings for her.
About Debby Mayne
Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars fromRomantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.
Her latest book is Pretty Is As Pretty Does.
You can visit Debby Mayne’s website at www.debbymayne.com.
Priscilla Slater Guest Blog
Class Reunion Series – Debby Mayne
Success is in the Eye of the Beholder
From Priscilla Slater, owner of Prissy'sCut 'n Curl in the Class Reunion series:
No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to please Mother. Sure, I understand her expectations of having me follow in her footsteps—going to college, pledging Chi Omega, and eventually teaching at Piney Point Community College. That has been her dream all my life, even though it never appealed to me. I saw myself pursuing a career in the fashion or beauty industry, something she used to call my "silly frilly dreams." She has always claimed that most women put too much energy into superficial exterior appearances and not enough on developing the mind. My thought is, why not do both?
What Mother didn't know was that each night after supper and homework, I used to lock myself in my bedroom with all the thrift and discount store clothes she bought me. With a few cheap accessories I managed to purchase with my own money from babysitting, I managed to put some pretty cool outfits together. Since she only allowed me to have cheap haircuts at those in-and-out, walk-ins-welcome places, I finished the job with some dull shears I'd picked up at the dollar store. It took me a while to get it right, but eventually I gained confidence in my hairstyle and overall look.
Mother and Dad thought I was well on my way to accomplishing their goals for me after I edged Didi Holcomb out of the Valedictorian spot by a tenth of a point. And when my class voted me "Most Likely to Succeed," Mother wagged her finger in front of my face (such an annoying thing she has only recently quit doing) and said my future was sealed. So being the good only child who dreaded disappointing my parents, I started college at Ole Miss…but I drew the line at pledging a sorority since I wasn't sure I would stay long enough to make the commitment worthwhile.
From the first day of college I imagined myself doing something I'd always wanted, and by midterm I knew I had to leave to pursue my dreams, knowing Mother would throw the biggest hissy fit ever. And she didn't disappoint. When I showed up on their doorstep and let them know I was about to start beauty school at the Pretty and Proud School of Cosmetology, you would have thought I'd told her I had a terminal disease. I suppose in her mind, I did, but for the first time in my life, I felt good about my future. After graduation, I went to work at Dolly's Cut 'n Curl. I hadn't been there long when Dolly decided to retire, so I jumped in with both feet and bought the place, renaming it Prissy's Cut 'n Curl. Mother had a conniption.
So now I have three extremely successful hair salons, and I'm getting ready to go to my high school reunion. Everyone from my graduating class knows what I do for a living, but this will be the first time I'll have to face them all at once. Will they regret giving me the "Most Likely to Succeed" honor? I sure wish I could do what I enjoy without living with the feeling that I'm disappointing everyone else.
One of the sweetest guys I've ever met, Tim Puckett, has offered to go to my reunion with me. I know he's been crushing on me for a while, but he has never been pushy, even though I've made it clear that I'm in a career-building mode and don't have time for a relationship. Since I'm not dating anyone, and he really wants to go, I'm taking him up on his offer. It'll be interesting watching him interact with the most put-upon girl in the class, Laura Moss, former beauty queen Trudy Baynard, and the class wallflower Celeste Boudreaux. No doubt he'll do fine, though. He seems to fit in wherever he goes.
Narrated by Priscilla, Tim, Laura, Trudy and Celeste, their perceptions help fill in the story as preparations begin for their reunion. We learn Tim has loved Priscilla since high school. Priscilla, voted by her classmates "Most Likely to Succeed" is successful as a salon owner (of three locations), yet she doesn't feel that way. Funny how we can grow up and grow away from those four years but be reduced back to our angst-filled selves so quickly. Laura has put together the reunion and preparty and Trudy is the girl so many others disliked. Trudy is Miss Popular or was, but can she face her classmates and live up to her reputation when her own version of living a fairy tale life has been dashed by divorce?
It took a while for me to get into the story with so many voices telling their tales, but once I did I settled back for a visit with a memorable group of characters, their individual insecurities and lives. Pretty Is As Pretty Does captures the essence of what so many go through when facing the first high school reunion. With humor and great one-liners, fully fleshed characters, a touch of Mississippi sass and heart, seeing the lengths of what some will do to project the perfect image for others will charm readers seeking an entertaining summer read.
Rating: 4
Cover comment:
I think this is a perfect cover which truly reflects the story.
Book source:
I received a paperback copy from the publisher in return for my honest review during a blog tour.
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