Guest Post by Marika Christian
Confessions of a Phone Kitten By Marika Christian Write what you know. That’s what everyone says, and I decided that’s exactly what I had…
Phone Kitten by Marika Christian
Marika Christian is on tour with her novel Phone Kitten through CLP Blog Tours. Christian hits it out of the ballpark with this hysterical, quirky, and endearing story, told through the eyes of Emily. When Emily, a slightly overweight and shy budding reporter gets fired from her job, she stumbles into the world of phone sex. With her soft, breathy voice, Emily can forget about her weight, forget about guys acting like she is invisible, and make some good money on top of it. But when Emily attracts the attention of a hottie in her history class, her two worlds begin to collide. Should Emily confess her profession, or would that have history hottie running for the hills? To make matters worse, one of Emily’s top phone clients is found murdered- right after he meets Emily and threatens her. Now, Emily could be considered a suspect in his death. To try to clear her name and to crack the case so she can be the reporter on the story, Emily begins to put the puzzle pieces together surrounding the mysterious murder- but is she only making more trouble for herself?
Like I said earlier, Phone Kitten is laugh out loud funny from page one. I was immediately captured by Emily and her innocence, and had to laugh at most of the phone sex scenes. From chatting with Christian in my interview with her, I knew that every call taken by Emily was something that really happened to the author when she was doing research for the book, which only made the situations even funnier to me. Emily made a great sleuth while working on the murder mystery case, and I had fun working along with her to catch the killer. The few problems I found with the book were with the editing. There were a lot of mistakes like missing commas or quotation marks, but I even found words that were missing letters, such as “bo” instead of “body.” And I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t as into Emily’s boyfriend as I think I should have been. Maybe because he was a little mysterious himself on his career? I really can’t pinpoint it, but I felt almost like he was a bad guy throughout the story, and I was just waiting for the real him to be discovered by Emily. Overall though, a very entertaining read, and one that will keep you laughing even after you’ve flipped the last page.
[Rating: 4]
Interview with Marika Christian
When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
When I was a little girl, I got a typewriter for my birthday, and I used to write stories about my dog, Trixie all the time. So the dream of being a writer was always there, but it wasn’t until I moved to New Orleans that got the courage and made the decision to do it.
What gave you the idea to write Phone Kitten?
I’ve always worked in the customer service field, and there are clients and customers you see regularly who become part of your life in a peripheral way, and sometimes for reasons you never know, they disappear. I’ve also always had one of those voices that prompts people to say “Have you ever considered working on a phone sex line?” Well, that seemed like the ultimate customer service job, and in it, you would see an intimate side of a person, yet you never really know them at all. Everything would be a fantasy. But what would happen if that person disappeared. That was a jumping off point for me.
How far did you go for your research for the book?
I decided to try working on a phone sex line. I worked for two different companies, both of which are very successful. One was a call center of sorts. At the other company the calls came straight to my home. All the calls that are in Phone Kitten are calls I actually took. Names were changed to protect the not-so-innocent, but the fantasies were real.
What was one of the most surprising finds when you were doing research?
There are men in this world who will pay you to sit on the phone, in another state and watch TV with them, and it’s usually a girly reality show, like Project Runway. It’s okay if you laugh. Thee caller knows the whole thing is ridiculous. There is always something out there that will surprise you.
Do you have a certain writing routine that you stick to?
I’m a night owl, so I don’t really get started writing till late, and I think I’m a little loosey goosey with writing. I don’t set a goal in regards to word or page counts;, I just want to write something. I listen to a play list that I made that reminds me of the story or characters to get me in the mood, I make a pitcher of iced tea, I reread the last thing I wrote, probably make a couple of changes, and then dive right in. Once I’m in, I’m set. I fall in love with the story all over again.
What is the hardest part about writing for you?
Starting. I can avoid writing like no other. There are so many interesting things on the Internet.
How do you spend your free time?
I always like taking my dog, Dash for a walk in French Quarter. He’s a happy dog, and we get stopped by tourists who want to take his picture, and he has a few friends at different places he likes to visit. I carry my camera too. I’m not a great photographer, but it’s hard to take a bad picture in New Orleans. I can never have too many snapshots of flowered balconies. I also cross stitch, right now I’m working on a zombie pillow.
Do you think social media and eBooks are a must for authors these days?
Absolutely, and I’m just beginning to navigate the social media thing. Till recently my FaceBook was exactly like everyone else’s, I used it to keep up with friends and high school buddies. Now I’m using it more to keep updated on what is going on in my old home St. Petersburg FL. I am trying to use FaceBook and Twitter more to promote Phone Kitten, I have a blog at www.missquoted.com, and there have been times when something embarrassing will happen to me, or I will see something odd and the first thing I think is “YES! Something to blog about!” I think eBooks are the future, so is social media, writers have to embrace it. I’m working on it.
Are you working on a new project?
I think my girl Emily has a few more stories in her, so right now I’m working on a “sequel” to Phone Kitten. Emily has a new job, new friends, neighbors, and a whole new crime to solve. I’m loving every minute of it.
What is your best advice for aspiring writers?
I think that the BEST advice I ever given to me was from an award- winning mystery writer. She told me that at some point, something in the story you are writing should make you cry. I’ve never forgotten that. It keeps your writing honest. Also invest in a comfortable chair, you’re going to be sitting for awhile.
Where would be your dream vacation?
I did a lot of dream vacationing when I was younger. I worked for an airline and the travel benefits were amazing. So I’ve had the opportunity to see lots of the things that people dream about already. Maybe I’d like to take another trip up the East coast, or go to Little Big Horn (Can you tell my Dad was a history buff?) But really, my favorite destination is my own city. In New Orleans, there’s always a festival or an adventure around the corner.
On Tour: Phone Kitten by Marika Christian
Marika is on tour June 27- July 10 with her novel Phone Kitten Marika Christian’s PHONE KITTEN introduces an absolutely unique, first-time-ever kind of female…
Future Tour: Phone Kitten by Marika Christian
Shy, slightly overweight Emily would die if she had to talk dirty face-to-face—especially to her hot cop boy friend. She sure didn’t set out to do phone sex—she wanted to be a writer. But when her BFF framed her for plagiarism, she got in a tiny financial hole and saw this ad for “phone actresses”… Hey, it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. No pantyhose or pantsuits, no regular hours, you’re your own boss, and lots of people to talk to. Guys, that is. But here’s the odd thing—lots of them want to talk about more than Emily’s imagined attributes; they start to think of her as the best friend they’ll never have to meet. Next thing you know, one of her customers gets killed and Emily knows a lot more about it than she should. But she can’t tell the nearest cop, who’s also her own true love, because then he’ll find out about her secret life. What’s a phone kitten to do? Solve the murder herself, of course—because wouldn’t it be a great story for the newspaper that wrongly fired her? It’s her ticket back to her real life—if it doesn’t get her killed.
PHONE KITTEN is your ticket to hours of giggles—so long as you’re not looking for raunch. Because this is so not it. Somehow, first-time author Christian manages to handle a potentially smokin’ subject with such sly wit, authentic detail, and clever writing that you’ll wonder why this subject was ever considered taboo.
In My Mailbox: Week of May 15
In My Mailbox: Week of May 15
Title: Priceless
Author: Nicole Richie
Received: From Cristina @ Simon and Shuster
Synopsis: Tall, blond, and willowy, this twenty-two-year-old seems to have everything going for her—she’s rich and gorgeous, a talented singer, and has just returned to her Park Avenue penthouse after a year studying in Paris. But since her mother’s tragic death years ago, her father, an extremely successful financier, has been her only family—and if she’s being honest, her only true friend.
All that changes when Jacob Williams is arrested on charges of fraud, and the SEC freezes the family’s bank accounts. With her father in jail and her partying pals suddenly scarce, Charlotte escapes Manhattan and heads to the one place she doesn’t think anyone will come looking: New Orleans.
Determined to rebuild her life, Charlotte moves in with her beloved former nanny and finds a job in a local restaurant. Between trying to make ends meet and hiding from her past, she meets Kat, a fellow fashionista who introduces her to the best of the Big Easy’s bohemian style. With Kat by her side, Charlotte begins to haunt nightclubs, securing singing gigs that soon begin to heat up—as does her friendship with a local boy, Jackson.
But Charlotte’s being followed by an angry stalker who wants nothing more than to destroy her for her father’s crimes. And with Mardi Gras just around the corner, the masquerade has only just begun . . .
From the stylish avenues of Manhattan and dark clubs of the French Quarter to the bright lights of Los Angeles, the multitalented Nicole Richie’s scintillating tale shows that the very life you run from is the one that won’t let you hide.
Title: Phone Kitten
Author: Marika Christian
Received: From Julie Smith @ BookBnimble/CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Marika Christian’s PHONE KITTEN introduces an absolutely unique, first-time-ever kind of female sleuth—a totally lovable, intelligent, downright hilarious down-home girl who happens to earn her living as a phone sex worker.
Shy, slightly overweight Emily would die if she had to talk dirty face-to-face—especially to her hot cop boy friend. She sure didn’t set out to do phone sex—she wanted to be a writer. But when her BFF framed her for plagiarism, she got in a tiny financial hole and saw this ad for “phone actresses”… Hey, it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. No pantyhose or pantsuits, no regular hours, you’re your own boss, and lots of people to talk to. Guys, that is. But here’s the odd thing—lots of them want to talk about more than Emily’s imagined attributes; they start to think of her as the best friend they’ll never have to meet. Next thing you know, one of her customers gets killed and Emily knows a lot more about it than she should. But she can’t tell the nearest cop, who’s also her own true love, because then he’ll find out about her secret life. What’s a phone kitten to do? Solve the murder herself, of course—because wouldn’t it be a great story for the newspaper that wrongly fired her? It’s her ticket back to her real life—if it doesn’t get her killed.
PHONE KITTEN is your ticket to hours of giggles—so long as you’re not looking for raunch. Because this is so not it. Somehow, first-time author Christian manages to handle a potentially smokin’ subject with such sly wit, authentic detail, and clever writing that you’ll wonder why this subject was ever considered taboo.
Title: A Pug’s Tale
Author: Alison Pace
Received: From Erin @ The Penguin Group
Synopsis: Hope McNeill is a New York City gal who finally has it all—an amazing boyfriend, an adorable pug named Max, and a great job in the restorations department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In fact, when a wealthy society woman and a major benefactor of the museum takes an interest in her and Max, Hope is thrilled and flattered.
Unfortunately, things take a wrong turn at work—a painting has disappeared from the museum and Hope’s boss is desperate to keep it quiet. Since the painting was in Hope’s department when last seen, she feels it’s up to her to get it back. Along the way she receives some surprising help from an enigmatic detective and her own intuitive pug.
Title: Night Road
Author: Kristin Hannah
Received: Unknown/Unsolicited
Synopsis: For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children’s needs above her own, and it shows—her twins, Mia and Zach—are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small, close knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.
Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm’s way. It has always been easy– until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.
On a hot summer’s night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget…or the courage to forgive.
