MAS BOOK CLUB: MoonPies and Moviestars by Amy Wallen
MAS BOOK CLUB: MoonPies and Moviestars by Amy Wallen
I first read MoonPies And Movie Stars a while back during the same time that I got my first taste of “erotica” by way of Robin Slick’s Three Days In New York City which I blogged about then Robin blogged about MY blog and the fact that her sales went up after I blogged about her.
*confused yet? No? Then let's go on, shall we?
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I lend out both copies and never got them back which is usually not a big deal except for that lately I’ve missed both books and wanted to re-read them. Yeah, I know! Lame right? I mean, who reads a book when they already know the ending?
But I did.
So I got online and bought my second copy of MoonPies by Amy Wallen. Well, actually, my third. I gave it as a gift sometime last year so this makes it my third copy purchased.
But enough about that.
Let’s get to the good part!
MoonPies and Movie stars is Amy’s first book published though you’d never know it. Of course it’s definitely not her first attempt at storytelling. In fact she’s hosted an open-mic event in San Diego called First Friday, where talented storytellers go with a short story to share as long as it’s no more than three minutes.
She’s also been blogging on her own website, www.amywallen.com and been featured in several newspapers. MoonPies and Moviestars made the Los Angeles times "top ten books", and has been featured by other popular writers in blogs such as such as Lit Park, Side Dish by Ellen Meister’s and Footnotes by Joanne Rendell.
MoonPies and Movie Stars is a story based out of Texas so from the get go you get a whopping dose of “Tex-isms.”
After about the first chapter you can’t help but read the entire book with a southern drawl even though you’re not southern. Or Texan.
Or is it Texanite?
Either way, it doesn’t matter.
Although it’s a hilarious and ridiculously laugh-out-loud funny book it’s also a very moving story about a girl named Violet who was abandoned by her parents as a child, found by a local woman named Ruby who has no children of her own and adopts her, who in turn grows up and returns the favor by abandoning her and her own children Bunny and Bubbie in search of Hollywood stardom.
This leaves the adorable but mother-less Bunny and Bubbie sad and confused. Ever since his mommy left him, Bubbie refuses to talk and so Bunny takes on the responsibility of talking for him.
They both miss their mother dearly but their love for her and for a deliciously popular junk food MooPies (which Ruby keeps in stock at all times for them) keeps their hope of seeing their mommy again alive.
One day during a “wedding party” Ruby and the ladies of Devine were throwing to celebrate the t.v. nuptials of Lina and Jason on the soap opera One Life to Live they witnessed the moment that sets this novel in motion.
*excerpt ahead
The Butter Maid commercial came on and everybody gasped and asked Ruby, “Ain’t that your Violet?”
Four years had gone by, but she still knew the small kink that that wrist made when she walked, the tilt of her head that stayed a little more to the left and the smile that only Ruby knew held something other than happiness in it. The part of her Violet Ruby didn’t recognize were the checkered minidress with the smocking, the two thick braids of hair, and the face all made up with big long eyelashes like Elsie the Cow.
While Ruby is glad to see that her daughter is alive and well, she’s also pissed as hell like no real lady should be (because a true lady holds it all in, right?) and has no qualms admitting it (to her dead husband) while cleaning up his grave.
“I’m happier than a pig in slop knowing she’s alive,” she said, and her voice trembled. “But I also want to…” She stabbed at the earth with pruners. “I want to shake her and ask her what the hell was she thinking leaving Bunny and Bubbie behind!”
She goes on to confess to him, “I know it’s not like me to get so upset, but I can’t help myself. I miss her like the dickens but don’t she miss Bunny and Bubbie the same?”
The novels follows Ruby’s travels from the little town of Devine, Texas to Hollywood in search of Violet to convince her to come back home to her children. Her sister Loralva and Bunny and Bubbie’s *other* gramma Imogene go with her for their own reasons and the story just gets from funny to funnier as they drive the Winnebago to California while getting on each other’s nerves.
Loralva is a no-holds barred witty, free spirited Southern woman who does not try to hide her love of men or her promiscuity. In fact, she flaunts it anytime she gets. She has always dreamed of being on the popular Hollywood game show The Price Is Right so when she finds out her sister Ruby is going to Hollywood she immediately invites herself and sets herself on a trek to get on the game show.
Imogene, delusionally convinced that Violet is her quickest way to fame and fortune decides she needs to go because her (ex) daughter in law NEEDS her to help manage her finances. Her lack of concern for her own son who has moved on and is in love with someone else, and her grandchildren whom she flat out tells Ruby she should stay behind and take care of while Violet and her live the life of luxury is enough to make Ruby want to set aside her ladylike instincts and punch her lights out.
Does Ruby get a chance to live out that dream?
Does Loralva make it onto The Price Is Right?
Do they find Violet and bring her back home?
Do the kids run out of MoonPies and mom’s love?
Read the book and find out, then discuss it with me here!
Click here to buy MoonPies and Moviestars
click here to read the article OVERBOOKED by Lauren Helper featuring me and my MAS BOOK CLUB
Comments
Great quote Net, I guess I should stop returning books :)