Book Blurb:
A wife, mother, and frustrated writer faces an impossible deadline for turning her life around in a hilarious debut novel about family, friendship, success, and exhilarating self-(re)discovery. Pippa Jones is a fortyish former literary sensation who fears she will be a one-hit wonder. After the follow-up book she was almost done writing, Podlusters , had to be tossed (it ended up sharing a plot and title with superstar author Ella Rankin’s summer blockbuster!), she couldn’t write a thing. Months of staring at a blank page made her confidence vanish like a one-night stand. When she finds out that she has only five days left to finish (or rather, start) or repay an advance she’s already spent, Pippa has a brilliantly original idea. Okay, fine, her twelve-year-old son came up with it as a joke, but Pippa and her teenage daughter approved. Pippa’s not only going to make a bold statement, but she’ll change the book world while she’s at it! Can she pull it off? At this point, she doesn’t have a choice. When Pippa’s publisher gets intimately involved, it unlocks a series of plot twists she never saw coming.
My Review: 4 stars
Blank by Zibby Owens dug deep into the heartbeat of marriage, the grind of mothering and being completely caught in a brain fog of writer’s block.
This read in a harried state, one that many parents will find relatable. Those moments of intense drama over friends, the opposite sex, social media, I want a homemade breakfast and please no more takeout are served up often.
Pippa, the MC, can usually deal with the crazy just fine, but years go by, and she still cannot think of what her sophomore novel should be about. Pressure from her agent, her editor and lack of help from her artsy husband is not helping.
What ensues is a deep dive into publishing. Is it luck that gets you published or is it your skill? Are you writing for the market or for yourself? What if I put out a book with no words – what would happen? I think authors could chew on much of this publishing fodder as it calls out a lot of what’s right and what’s wrong with publishing these days.
Of course, there’s a betrayal, a new romance, and the support of her most loyal friends (minus one) that keeps the story balanced.
Quotes I liked:
Marriage is a mix. Some days are warm, easy, loving. Other days you want to strangle the person because they’ve taken five minutes too long in the shower. But at the base of it all is trust, respect, affection, kindness.”
“It wasn’t fair that talent didn’t equate success, that some wildly popular authors weren’t the best at their craft, whereas some gifted novelists sold, like, two copies of their book. To their parents.”
“Darling, it’s not a vacation with kids; it’s a trip.”
“It’s the other new authors, those without success, that I want to prop up. The ones who really need it.”
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