Up & Out (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) [Paperback]

Ariella Papa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2003 | Series: Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)

How long does it take to go from It Girl to on the dole?

TV producer Rebecca Cole has seen better days. Like the day her cartoon creation, Esme, made her a hit and scored her a promotion. That was a good day. But now that her roommate has decided to heed her therapist and appreciate the simpler things in life -- outside of New York City -- and a corporate takeover at her network has left Rebecca jobless, this food snob has to find a way to afford her rent and her penchant for fine dining. Oh, and she really should start saying no to the break-up sex with her ex.

Surely Rebecca will be able to draw herself out of this mess, and maybe even find a way to eat well in the process?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Rebecca Cole thought she was on track. As the creator and producer of the children's television show Esme's Enlightenments, she was following her dream and plotting new adventures for her beloved character, a 12-year-old girl with spunk and sass. Enter Indiana Mutual, the bank that buys out the television company. Worse yet is Delores, a pint-size boss from hell who micromanages and wrests creative control over Esme from Rebecca, then fires her. Her roommate and best friend, Lauryn, has taken off for Martha's Vineyard, so Rebecca has no choice but to give up their expensive apartment and move back in with her ex-boyfriend, with whom she still occasionally sleeps. She tries to move on, but the most promising candidate turns out to be a cad. To make matters even worse, Rebecca and her three best friends are drifting apart. Papa's entertaining second novel is ideal reading for women in their twenties and thirties who are still struggling to find their niches in life. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Ariella Papa is 29 1/2 years old (for real). She finally found a pair of glasses that she likes. Her severance agreement prevents her from revealing the real reasons she no longer has a staff job. She currently lives, writes and eats in the city with the best restaurants -- New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink (December 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373250428
• ISBN-13: 978-0373250424
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,527,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ariella Papa writes realistic fiction about women for people of both genders. Her novels have been translated into fifteen languages most recently Malaysian. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Communications.
Ariella freelances as a television writer and producer. She lives in a full house in Brooklyn, NY and wishes she had more time to read.
You can visit her at ariellapapa.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Too Funny, February 25, 2004

By 

katie (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Up & Out (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

This book had me rolling. Rebecca had some lines that I wish I was witty enough to say myself. I have recommended this book to so many of my girlfriends. I really feel as though I connected with the Rebecca. A girl who is addicted to food and still so stylish- I love it! And now I have to try rock shrimp tempura. Enjoy this book. I wish I could read it again for the first time. If you know of any others like this please let me know.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great second effort from Ariella Papa!, December 28, 2003

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Up & Out (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

On the Verge was a fun read, and I'd looked forward to reading Ariella Papa's second effort. Up and Out made holiday travel less gruesome. I couldn't put this gem down.

Rebecca Cole's life isn't the same after she is fired from Explore! -- a television channel for kids. She also has to relinquish her cartoon creation called Esme. To make matters worse, she lives with her ex-boyfriend, is losing touch with her close friends, and her unemployment check isn't enough to cover her penchant for fancy and trendy restaurants.

As said earlier, this is one of the most entertaining novels I've read all year. This is chick-lit to the max. I love Papa's characters and situations. In her world, glasses are the ultimate chic accessory. And all those food references made my mouth water. Rebecca is quite the food buff. I'm surprised that the aforementioned heroine isn't morbidly obese! Up and Out is a great light read. Again, Red Dress Ink scores big with this gem. Highly recommended...

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun character driven look at the single life, November 26, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Up & Out (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

In New York City, "On the Verge" magazine names the cartoon Esme's Enlightenments a family icon. Not long afterward, the Family Channel orders cartoonist Rebecca Cole to develop a season's worth of Esme animation. Rebecca gives up much of her social life except her gourmand's delights to change from sixty second shorts to a feature length series for kids TV.

As her roommate leaves for Massachusetts, Indiana Mutual takes over the Family Channel. They decide to cut back on costs by letting excess folks go. Thus they fire Rebecca at the height of her success as they believe anyone can write and draw a child's cartoon. There also remains her ex boyfriend who serves an intermediate sexual purpose, but also that blocks her from seeking something more meaningful (then sex?).

UP & OUT is a fun character driven look at the single life of a yuppie artist as she struggles with the 4 Fs (female style) - fame, firing, food, and friends, not in any order. The story line is lighthearted yet insightful because Rebecca carries it off with wit and intelligence. The support cast enables the audience to understand what makes the heroine tick as Ariella Papa seems ON THE VERGE of stardom.

Harriet Klausner