No Kidding [Paperback]

Wendy Tokunaga (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

What happens when everyone around you is blissfully popping babies like so many rabbits, your mother wants a grandchild more than anything else in the world, but you're just not interested? Meet Audrey Mills, a 35-year-old Silicon Valley techie who has a loving live-in boyfriend, a decent job, and a passion for old movies, but who suffers from a sort of divine discontent. Something's missing in Audrey's life-one she has spent trying to please her former Hollywood actress mother, her competitive sister and everyone else but herself-and she's determined to find out what it is now. Enter Tyrone Power look-alike, Aldo. He's not only handsome, he's smart, fun, and most of all, devastatingly sexy. Should Audrey risk giving up the security and love she already has for this charmer who seems too good to be true? Audrey starts to realize that life isn't a dress rehearsal and you sure can't call "cut" the way you do in the movies. Will she be able to write her own happy ending?"A great read!"-Krista Appel, Sidekick"A superbly written novel that many women, men, and families can relate to."-Jennifer L. B. Leese, It's Only Ink "The conversational tone imparts to readers the sense of listening while a troubled friend unfolds layers of a story composed of decades of interwoven influences."-Seattle Press

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An entertaining book [that] kept my interest and imagination working throughout the entire book." -- Dovie Jacoby - Romance Central -

"Smart, witty and thoroughly modern...[with] an interesting plot and wonderful character development." -- Astrid Kinn - Romance

About the Author

Wendy Tokunaga?s short stories have appeared in Yomimono, Abiko Literary Quarterly Review, and The Plaza, among others. She is also the author of two children?s books. She lives with her husband in the San Francisco Bay Area.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595130356
• ISBN-13: 978-0595130351
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,166,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is the author of the novels, MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT (St. Martin's, Available Now) and the forthcoming LOVE IN TRANSLATION (St. Martin's, November 2009). Japan and Japanese culture have been major influences on her life and this is reflected in much of her writing. Her novel, NO KIDDING, won the Literary/Mainstream Fiction category in Writer's Digest's Best Self-Published Book Awards in 2002. She is also the author of two children's non-fiction books, and has had short stories published in various literary journals. Wendy signed her two-book deal with St. Martin's just as she was beginning the MFA in Writing program at the University of San Francisco in 2006. Along with her MFA, she also holds a BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid debut -- needed an editor's touch...., December 17, 2000

By 

Terry Mathews (a small town in east Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Kidding (Paperback)

As an entertainment writer, I appreciate a good story, well told. I usually shy away from 'vanity' books - the kind that iUniverse puts out - because they lack the discipline a good editor brings to the table, but the premise of this story intrigued me. Wendy Tokunaga has told a relevant story about people I liked who must deal with problems and complications that challenge their reserves and their resourcefulness.

Audrey Mills, a Silicon Valley hi-tech employee with the soul of a film maker is living comfortably with her boyfriend of 5 years, himself a solid citizen who obviously adores Audrey. There's trouble in paradise, however, because everywhere she turns, Audrey is faced with people who want her married or pregnant, or BOTH. Her co-workers, cousins and even her best friend have babies...she feels incredible pressure to join her fellow Madonnas and produce an heir. As if she doesn't have enough to deal with, she is very attracted to a cute co-worker.

How Audrey copes with her all relationships and her future make for good storytelling and this debut is head and shoulders above what normally comes from iUniverse...I just wish these vanity publishers would invest more time in their writers and provide them with keen editors.

Maybe Tokunaga will be fortunate enough to find a committed publisher and editor for her next work...she's got a good voice and has talent to let!

Enjoy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NEWS FLASH: Main character grows spine! [grin], November 11, 2000

By 

Kate "book collector, teacher, skeptic" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Kidding (Paperback)

Although the first chapter is saccharine and fairly sickening -- the main character is beset on all sides by baybees and women with baby rabies, this book becomes very good when she grows a spine, takes charge of her own life, quits living to please everyone else, and decides what she wants out of life. This is the first novel I've ever read where there is a childfree heroine, and I for one want to see more books like this. I cheered for the woman when she dumped her emotionally shut down boyfriend; I cheered when the author had the main character and her friends talking straight about what pregnancy and childcare was really like (hard, unremitting and not always rewarding). As a childfree woman myself, this novel is priceless. I intend to pass it around to my niece, my students and anyone else I know. Although I've always been an early articulator, I was keenly interested to read about a woman who was a fence-sitter. Way to go Wendy Tokunaga! Please write more! ;)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for all, January 8, 2001

By 

Cara Swann (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Kidding (Paperback)

One of the first rules in fiction writing is to create a sympathetic character, one with whom readers can identify. It may be for this reason that so few novelists have tried to create interesting, empathetic childfree women characters, thinking that the majority of readers cannot relate to such a character. However, in the novel, No Kidding by Wendy Tokunaga, not only do we have a sympathetic childfree character with whom it is easy to relate, but an interesting, intelligent, thoughtful, compassionate, caring female protagonist.

In the tradition of the best fiction, there are several crises, and each one creates more pressure and problems for Audrey until she has resolved them all in due course of the novel. Using emails, old postal letters, shower invitations and the like are a unique way of moving the story along too. And yes, the story has a happy ending . . . just not an expected one, or a traditional one.

All in all, one of the best novels I've read in some time. I don't know why there aren't more such positive, empathetic childfree characters in fiction. . . but I do think there will be in the future as authors begin to show others that the childfree are not stereotypical shrews or selfish, self-centered, uncaring people. No Kidding is a good example in that direction, and I highly recommend it, whether you are childfree or not.