A Great Story In Need Of Editing...

My second book review in as many days brings me a little closer to home. Last night, I finished reading what my sister had given me for Christmas - the first 41 chapters of her first novel (they're short chapters and the book is near the end). I have to admit that I hated where she left the book because it was right after the most emotional part of the story, but given that bias, I'm still going to tell you what a wonderful book it is.

The book is titled, "The Exhausted Women's Club," and its about four women from different places in life coming together to find friendship in the midst of their exhausting lives. Because this book is not yet finished and not yet published, I'm going to leave the synopsis vague. We need to preserve its money making potential, after all.

I've been writing since Halloween of my Second Grade year - which is a really long time. Almost since the moment I first fell into writing, I've known that it was what I was meant to do. But that doesn't mean it comes easy or that I'm particularly good at it. When I read my sister's writing, it is a constant reminder that I'm really not that good. She, on the other hand, is phenomenal. She's wasted in lawyering. She needs to be published.

She's made some rookie mistakes so far - but nothing that can't be fixed with rigorous editing. After muddling through some of the main story elements, she has moments of pure genius. Just as I was starting to fear that her story was going down the road of mediocrity, for instance, her last three chapters whopped an incredible true life emotional punch that had me in tears. It made me very confident that the rest of the story could be saved and that it would be quite the number one best seller.

It's not every day I get to review a book that isn't even finished yet - especially one that I haven't written. So its quite a treat for me to not only review this book, but to recommend it to all. My sister's book will be one that you hear about for years to come and one hell of a great movie as well.

Now if she'd only hurry and send me more of the book. I need to find out how this whole thing ends!

(P.S. I'd like to recommend Meryl Streep as Amber's mother - I know its a small part, but it needs someone of her gravitas, and besides, Meryl Streep sells movies!)