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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
Hollywood Car Wash by Lori Culwell
The secret world of Hollywood is put under a microscope in this book about one woman’s rise to fame. Amy Spencer is a regular girl. She studies drama at a college in Michigan and leads an ordinary college life until the day her best friend and roommate signs her up for an audition for a television show. The producers of a new TV series are looking for a wholesome mid-western girl to play the teen star in the show. So they hold auditions at the college and just by luck Amy ends up being chosen for the part.
In no time she is on her way to Hollywood with wide eyes and excitement. How could this happen to a normal girl? Doesn’t it take years for someone to “make it” in the business? Amy really wants to do indy films and wonders how doing this show would effect her chosen path, however when she is offered the contract, she cannot say no. With what they are paying, she could help her mother pay off bills and the mortgage on the family house. Her father’s death left them with a pile of medical bills and Amy wants to help pay them off.
Little by little she discovers what Hollywood is all about – manufacturing people! They originally chose her because, yes, she is a good actress, and she fit the part of a wholesome girl. But they start chipping away at her wholesomeness. First they insist she lose weight, they change her name to Star, bleach her hair, add extensions, change her teeth, alter her fashion sense, and really change her entire appearance. But they cannot change who she is inside. She is determined not to become like her costar who is shallow, conceited, self-serving and not trustworthy. However when she signs a contract to be the “girlfriend” of a famous movie star, she realizes just how phony the industry really is.
Amy’s friend from college ends up moving to LA to become a fashion coordinator and she is happy to have someone around who can ground her, even though he is completely wrapped up in the Hollywood scene. But together they manage to rise to their prospective career highs, although not without sacrifices.
And, when she is the prime target of the paparazzi, things really hit a climax. Why do these people insist on following her every move? After all, she is just Amy Spencer, a girl from Michigan. However to the public she is “Star.”
Lori Culwell delves into the superficiality of the Hollywood scene and delightfully exposes the inside world of the image makers. Readers will no doubt see many similarities between some of the characters in the book and those in the real world. This is a fun book and once Amy gets into the rollercoaster ride of Hollywood, you won’t want to put it down. It’s a true page-turner. It is written from Amy’s perspective and takes readers deep into the backstage world of the entertainment industry.
Summer is coming. This is a wonderful book to take to the beach, on a plane, or anywhere. It’s a fast – and fun- read!
© 2007 Francine Brokaw
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