Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Taking Time Out With Molly Hacker.

For the first time in a long time, I have been able to partake in the rare opportunity to sit down and read rather than write. I'd forgotten how joyous that actually is. And rather than delve into titles that I would normally lap up, I've taken a different route and have sat down with some really different, yet no less satisfying fare. This week, I am pleased to feature a plucky young woman who has leaped off the page and made an indelible impression on me.


At thirty-two, newspaper reporter Molly Hacker vows to never attend another wedding until she has had her own. And that’s a problem because Molly’s younger sister, Hannah, is going to be married in one year. Armed with snark, wit, and fabulous good looks, “Picky Molly” embarks on a quest to find Mr. Right in her hometown.

Things get complicated fast. In no time at all, Molly has four “men of interest” and the memories of a lost love to send her overanalytic, befuddled mind into serious overdrive. Determined not to let her “helpful” girlfriends help her right out of another relationship, Molly tries to keep mum on the state of her love life. Her BFF male coworker, Randy, becomes her closest confidant as he stumbles over romantic issues with his new Mr. Right, Kyle. Meanwhile, Molly’s BFF gal pals aren’t too happy about being left out of the loop. 



Tweaking Molly’s last nerve is the town’s most visible socialite, Naomi Hall-Benchley, who, for self-serving reasons, is hell-bent on setting up “Picky Molly Hacker” and she doesn’t care who she has to manipulate or hurt to do it. Just how far will she go?


“Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!” takes the reader on a yearlong romp through Molly’s mind and a joyride through her life. Her dating life, town secrets, a group of quirky, crazy characters, and Naomi’s machinations collide head-on at a holiday gala that will change the social landscape of Swansea forever. As the New Year rolls in, Molly gets earth-shattering news. Can she go on? Will life ever return to abnormal again?


I came to Lisette Brodey's "Molly Hacker Is Too Picky" as a sort of stranger in a strange land. After all, I am a man and I feared that the chick-lit-iness of the tome would be beyond me.

I need not have worried. Molly Hacker is an accessible heroine that speaks across genders, laying bare the foibles, the fancies and the philosophy of the human condition when it comes to love.

Molly is an endearing character, full of contradiction. She is smart, sassy and sexy but she's also vulnerable, self reflective, searching for love - even though she might deny it.

Lisette's writing style is immediately accessible. It is smart, cracking with comedy and irony and, through her pen, Lisette paints a vivid picture. Her characters are well drawn and appealing and none are wasted in a taut and attractive story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Molly's trials and tribulations and I have to admit, I'm now hooked on chick-lit just that little bit more (did I say that out loud???).



Molly Hacker Is Too Picky is a feel good must read.

Author Lisette Brodey has an enviable online presence that has been built around her talent as an author but also her nous in social networking. A ardent supporter of emerging talent both in the literary and musical spheres, Lisette - via her Molly Hacker persona - regularly features artists of both persuasions at her official site. Under the banner of the Swansea Herald, Lisette - or should I say - Molly, 'sits down' for one on one chats, showcasing talented individuals, as well as featuring individuals with unique and often, quite courageous stories.





From her bio we find that Lisette was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia. After high school, she moved to New York City where she attended Pace University and studied drama. After ten years in New York, several of them working in the radio industry, she moved to Los Angeles, where she held various positions at Paramount Studios in Hollywood and CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA.

Back in Philadelphia, she worked for many years as a freelance writer, specializing in PR and the entertainment industry. But her heart, it seems has been lost to the West Coast and happily for her, she has returned permanently to the Los Angeles area.



As an author, Lisette's talent and skill is undeniable and her growing list of published titles are as impressive and varied in their subject matter than most authors I have come across. Lisette is not afraid to tackle different genres, complex characters and rich plot lines that walk a different path. Squalor, New Mexico and Crooked Moon stand alongside Molly Hacker Is Too Picky as absorbing titles worthy of addition to your Kindle library.


As a supporter of emerging artists, writers and individuals - Lisette Brodey is a diamond. One of a kind and selfless in her pursuit of helping others gain an audience of their own.


Spend some time with Mo...I mean Lisette - and Molly Hacker. I think you'll agree - they are a pair.


DFA.

6 comments:

  1. Dean, I cannot thank you enough for this truly wonderful blog. It came as a complete surprise to me and I am, in a word, chuffed.

    For most of us, especially independent authors, getting the word out about our work is a uphill climb that we face every day. It is a great joy for me to help other deserving individuals and I am most grateful and humbled when a hand is extended to me. Thank you for that.

    Right now, I'm reading your amazing love story, The Hambledown Dream, and enjoying every word. You are an amazing person and one hell of a writer.

    Thank you for everything.

    Lisette

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  2. What a fabulous review. I have to agree with you 100% as well. I fell in love with Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! and had to read it twice.
    I've also read Crooked Moon and Squalor, New Mexico and all three sit proudly on my 'bests' shelf.

    An exceptionally talented writer and remarkable woman.

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  3. Hello Dean,

    Thank you for writing this wonderful piece highlighting one of today’s excellent storytellers.

    As the Internet has shrunk our world (as readers) our choice for great books has never been so good. Like you, I found, Lisette Brodey, to be one of the most genuine, selfless, and sincere writers you could ever meet. Always eager to assist fellow authors to become visible online, while writing novels that will stay with you long after you read the last page.

    Thanks again, Dean.

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  4. Thank you guys, for stopping by and taking the time to read my post. Yeah, it's wonderful when you discover people like Lisette. Though I didn't mention it in the post, I was given the opportunity to sit down with Molly Hacker and it was a lovely experience. I'm increasingly finding that the best communities for writers searching for a voice is here on the web. Though good people are hard to find, once you find them, it makes for a much nicer place.

    I've increasingly become drawn to women's fiction and quality women's fiction, like Lisette's, is hard to find. Molly Hacker hooked me and I think I can honestly say it's because she's so well drawn. I got a little smitten!

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  5. Hi Dean,
    I am new to you and your blog, but after reading your review of both, ‘Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!’ and Lisette Brodey I am hooked. What a lovely review and introduction to one of my personal favorite writers and women.

    I will definitely be coming back to your blog. Thank you for such a delightful read.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for stopping by. There is plenty her for you to take a look at. May I recommend the media section that has a number of downloadable interviews I myself have done as a writer. As I approach the release of my second novel I'll be posting a lot more content.

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