Stay Tuned [Paperback]

Lauren Clark (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2011

Deadlines, Divas, & Danger:  Behind the Scenes in the TV News Biz

For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there's not much she hasn't seen or can't handle. But no one--including Melissa--expects a fistfight during the ten o'clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor's face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She's determined that WSGA's reputation won't be destroyed on her watch. Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in--but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa's husband is away more than he's home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother's antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Stay Tuned is as faced-paced as a real-life newsroom. The drama on the air and behind the scenes will keep you racing toward the last page! Devon Walsh WKRG-TV
 
"Loved it. Lauren accurately portrays life in a television newsroom...the personalities, the pressures, the pace. The book will leave you wanting more."
Anne Richter WWNY-TV
 

 

"Stay Tuned is a great read! The story of a career woman juggling life and love and finding herself along the way. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see if my suspicions were right about Chris. Author Lauren Clark writes so well you can feel what the characters feel."
-Lauren Davis
News Anchor, WVLT-TV 

"The characters in Stay Tuned grab hold and demand you live the story right along side them. I found myself wanting to steal Melissa's best friend Candace and make her my own--even if that means having to put up with an endless slew of quotes from Dr. Phil."
-Emlyn Chand
Author, Farsighted

From the Author

Novel Writing: Does Real-Life Experience as a Journalist Help or Hurt?

I was recently asked this by a blogger--and I'd have to say both! As a broadcast journalist, you quickly learn that everything is about deadlines. There's a deadline for the noon show, the 6 o'clock show, the ten o'clock, and so on. And not only do you have to complete your assignment, but the stories have to be accurate, compelling, and brief. Most of the time, my own stories were never longer than a minute and thirty seconds. That's not much time to get in the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How!

After working in the television biz for six years, I became quite adept at completing assignments, writing down my script in the news van (going over bumps in the road), and typing at (a little under) the speed of light. Unless I wanted to look for a new career, there was no missing any deadlines, so I learned to work fast and smart.

When I decided to retire from the news desk, stay home with my children, and dip my toe into the author world, my experience as a journalist certainly came in handy. I could come up with a zillion ideas, I was disciplined enough to crank out several pages of manuscript in a day, and I could create fun and interesting characters. On the flip side, I wasn't used to working on a single project for longer than a day or two, so sitting down at a computer keyboard and working on the same story day after day was a challenge. Also, instead of the fun, noise, and excitement of the newsroom, I had my laptop and a tiny, quiet corner in my house. 

I'll admit, my first attempts at novel writing were not pretty--meaning, I didn't take the time to plot, I just sat down and wrote. My stories meandered and went in a million different directions, and when I tried to rein everything back in, I might as well have been trying to catch raindrops in a sieve. After my first couple of tries, I had to completely re-think writing stories. I began to outline, I worked from note cards, and I had friends read what I'd written. (It still wasn't pretty, but it was better!) For me, planning, outlining, and getting to know my characters BEFORE I started writing was the key. I'd never had this luxury in the news business, but it was crucial to getting a good story together. 

 I did make myself finish each manuscript (approximately 80,000 words). I do think completion is important, even if your novel will never see the light of day. There's a huge sense of accomplishment when you can type 'The End.' It's not a waste of time, I promise. You have to work through the terrible, awful first drafts. Otherwise, it's too easy to give up. All that will get you is a bunch of ten thousand word drafts.

Of course, I still tend to be impatient and wish I could crank out three thousand words a day like Stephen King, but now that I am taking the time to plan, the actual writing part is much more fun. The added bonus is this: the revising is a lot less painful. Think sweeping off your front porch with a broom rather than trying to use a toothpick. So, did my experience as a journalist helped when it came to writing as an author? Again, the answer is yes, but it took being open to learning new methods and even greater discipline. 

The foundation is crucial--sentence structure, grammar, story structure--but the test is in your own tenacity. There's no trick or shortcut. It's about being in the chair, day after day, even when you don't want to sit at your desk or you feel less than motivated. There's no substitute for the hard work. 

 If you're a writer, make time for yourself, also. Celebrate when you reach that 20,000 or 40,000 word milestone. Kiss your children, hug your parents, and smile at a stranger. People watch--it's a great idea generator. Dream a little. Wonder 'what if.' Every day, I feel blessed and lucky to be an author. And I will keep doing the hard work, because I wouldn't trade the life of a writer for the world.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Monterey Press (November 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984725008
• ISBN-13: 978-0984725007
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,997,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Visit Lauren at her Website & Blog: www.laurenclarkbooks.com

AWARDS:

Dancing Naked in Dixie

2012 William Faulkner Novel Finalist, Short List
2012 RWA (Romance Writers of America) So. Louisiana Chapter, Silver, Single Contemp Title
2012 Beach Book Festival Award, Finalist
2012 Readers Favorite 5 Star Award
March 2012 Winner, Writers Type First Chapter Award
2011 Chick Lit Writers of the World, Get Your Stiletto In the Door Contest, Finalist

Stay Tuned

WINNER of the WritersType First Chapter Competition, October 2011
The MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW calls STAY TUNED "riveting and much recommended."
Top 5 finalist for the 2012 BookBundlz "The Book Pick" contest!
STAY TUNED awarded 2nd place in the 2012 ROYAL DRAGONFLY ebook Awards


PRAISE

"Stay Tuned is as faced-paced as a real-life newsroom. The drama on the air and behind the scenes will keep you racing toward the last page!" - Devon Walsh, News Anchor for WKRG-TV

"Loved it and you will too. Lauren accurately portrays life in a television newsroom...the personalities, the pressures, the pace. Stay Tuned captures the drama that TV viewers seldom see. The book will draw you in and leave you wanting more." - Anne Richter, News Anchor for WWNY-TV

"Stay Tuned is a great read! The story of a career woman juggling life and love and finding herself along the way. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see if my suspicions were right about Chris. Author Lauren Clark writes so well you can feel what the characters feel. And it's a very true representation of the TV news industry!" - Lauren Davis, News Anchor at WVLT-TV

"The characters in Stay Tuned grab hold and demand you live the story right along side them. I found myself wanting to steal Melissa's best friend Candace and make her my own-even if that means having to put up with an endless slew of quotes from Dr. Phil." - Emlyn Chand, Author of Farsighted

"Stay Tuned is fast-paced, fun, and a downright treat. Trust me, you'll love Melissa's hectic life and want her best friend (and Dr. Phil devotee), Candace, to give you all the right tips for staying on top." - E. McDannak, Author of The Inrugian Chronicles

"A wonderful read! I learned as much about relationships as I did anything else. However, I did laugh when Alyssa bopped Tim on the nose on air. Her interview with the doctor was hilarious, too. Let me know when you have another book out!"
-James Robertson
Mobile, Alabama

"If you like light-hearted stories about real life peppered with ominous Post-it notes, then you won't want to miss this fast and fun read!"
-Violet Davis

"Stay Tuned" is the story of Melissa Moore, a producer for the six and ten o'clock news, who has to step in and anchor the last few minutes of the news after the female anchor punches her co-anchor on the air. When Melissa's boss asks her to become the temporary anchor, she really has no choice, and the new responsibility has her examining not only her wardrobe but other aspects of her life. Melissa's husband Chris is rarely home, and they have been reduced to communicating via post it notes. Her mother, who lives in a nursing home, is also having issues. If that's not enough, the female anchor Melissa replaced is out to get her, and the new male co-anchor puts the moves on her. Even with all this chaos Melissa decides she wants to do the anchor job permanently. Will she get the job? Read "Stay Tuned" and find out!

This is a very fast paced story that is often laugh out loud funny, but it also has its somber moments. The author's storytelling ability allowed me to actually visualize the story as it unfolded. From the way she described the scenes on the set, to allow us to see the longing Melissa felt for being accepted by her mother, she easily had me laughing one minute but feeling empathy the next. I can easily say there was never a down time for me in this book; the fast pace of Melissa's life set the pace of the book. The author also managed to make me believe something one minute and then, she would have me rethinking what I thought I knew, allowing for more than a few twists in the story. Melissa also had a great best friend Candace, who kept her grounded Dr. Phil style. I also thought the story line that revolved around Darius was great! I also love the quirky characters from the newsroom, from Sunshine the Weather Cat to Judd, the sports anchor. For me an added bonus was the behind the scenes feel of seeing how an actual news broadcast goes together."
-Brenda C.
Readers Favorite


BIO
Lauren Clark has been a voracious reader since the age of four and would rather be stranded at the library than on a desert island. In her former life, she worked as an anchor and producer for CBS affiliates in Upstate New York and Alabama. Lauren adores her family, yoga, her new Electra bike, and flavored coffee. She lives near the Florida Gulf Coast. Visit her website at LaurenClarkBooks.org.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars realistic and refreshing December 10, 2011

By Michelle@Book Briefs

Format:Paperback

Stay Tuned is such a refreshing read. I don't read enough contemporary as it is, and when I do pick up contemporary it tends to be happy go lucky romantic comedies. I enjoy other sub-genres but they have to be done really well to hold my interest. Anything that deals with more serious issues and/or drama has to be well written and well thought out for me to enjoy it. Stayed Tuned is all of the above. It's well written, well thought out, beleiveable and best of all utterly relatable.

Melissa is such a great character. I instantly connected with her, all of her insecurities about not being good enough to be an anchor, all of her thoughts and annoyances. I thought she was really well fleshed out. She could really have been any woman dealing with juggling work, success (or the fear of not having it) friends, and problems at home. I think that anyone can relate to at least one of the struggles that Melissa goes through in Stay Tuned. I was rooting for her the whole time.

Surprisingly I also really liked Alyssa. I just found her funny! She was like the crazy comic relief. Except that she was really crazy. But in a strange way, she was amusing to me. Maybe I'm just weird? haha.

Melissa's husband on the other hand, bugged me. I think it was because I related so much to Melissa, and I was 100% on her side, but I just felt like she deserved more. He redeemed himself a little bit but I still think he needs to grow up a bit. I can also relate to his work problems though. I know how hard it is to try and prove yourself, and the competition can be really stressful.

Overall, I really really enjoyed Stay Tuned. I loved the news stories that wove themselves into the themes of Melissa's life. It was just so nicely done. The best part was that nothing felt forced. Everything fit so well and everything seemed so realistic and you can just picture it all happening. This is a great book if you are looking for an excellentlt executed contemporary/chick lit/women's literature book.

more at bookbriefs.blogspot.com

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Take a Chance December 6, 2011

By Marie Borthwick

Format:Paperback

When the book "Stay Tuned" (by Lauren Clark) came to me, (sorry Lauren) I groaned a little. I love to read and will read anything (nearly), but considering my personal animosity towards news (and its anchors) lately, this book was going to have an uphill battle to win me over. It had a few things in its favor though: it had come with a strong recommendation from a dear friend, the author looked very engaging in her picture and well - the blurb was something that I could relate to.

So with my interest at least tickled a little - I decided to feature a interview, excerpt, and review the book. While the book started out slower than I am use too - it was a pleasant change of pace. I easily forgot (at least momentarily) my misgivings about news anchors and found myself relating to Melissa.

I could identify readily with her confusion over what to do, her desire to carve out her own niche in a world she loved and the pain of realizing it all might fall apart. While I did wonder at times when the story would pick up - I admired the author's skill at making Melissa seem less like a fiction character and more like a real person. It was then that I considered the few lulls in the story mirrored real life, perhaps more than the author intended, the "feast or famine" mentality society has these days... the reality of life being that it all glitz and glamour and in order to understand the full picture we need to consider every piece of the puzzle.As I closed in on the juicy bits of the story, the author's deft skill at weaving fiction with bits of reality reminded me a lot of a cherished author of mine - Nora Roberts. Both have the ability to mix the right amount of reality and mystery, suspense and levity, all while keeping the reader engaged and relaxed.

Tapping through the last pages of the story I began to understand the choice of title, the composition of the cover and while I considered both simple initially - I now appreciate how clever they really are. After reading the final words, I sat for a little bit to think about what the title really meant. As I contemplated the author's true intention behind naming her novel "Stay Tuned" - the phrase "what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger" comes to mind; both speak of perseverance and survival - a strong will to weather storms and hold out for the end of the rainbow. Pick up "Stay Tuned" and I assure you, it will be the treasure I found it to be.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars You'll want to stay tuned for this one! November 27, 2011

By The Paperback Pursuer

Format:Kindle Edition

Description:

For Melissa Moore, TV producer, life and career have always stayed behind the camera; that is, until Alyssa Andrews, disgruntled WSGA news anchor, decides to knock-out her co-anchor during the live 10 o'clock newscast. With no replacements on set, Melissa has a choice: go to commercial indefinitely, or pick up a mic and start reading from the teleprompter herself? Little does she know that her split second decision will not only redeem the night's botched broadcast, but earn her a whole new job title: temporary News Anchor.

Unfortunately, Melissa isn't sure about her new-found success. Her husband Chris is never around, always "working" and only communicating through nonspecific post-it notes, and her mother, currently in a nursing home, continues to start trouble -- and fires. On top of that, her new co-anchor is putting on the moves, while a former co-worker becomes her stalker: one that wants her dead.

Can Melissa keep her new job, save her marriage, deal with her mother, keep her high ratings, and protect herself from becoming the 10 o'clock news? Stay tuned to find out...

Review:

When I first picked up this book, I couldn't help but love the cover: bright, cute, and simple, yet, (as I would later figure out), a pretty accurate representation of the text. The book was an attention grabber from start to finish. It was one of those books that made me laugh one minute and sprout nervous goosebumps the next. Melissa is a great character, complex, but written and described in a way that all women can relate to. She's a strong female lead, full of insecurities, but doesn't allow them to dictate her life, and when the pressure is on, she deals with it - not afraid to get help from her friends; Candace in-particular. I found that all the characters, even those second-rung, were well-developed and fun to meet. The dialogue was believable and enjoyable, often the reason for my head-shakes and stifled laughter; there were a couple rough spots, but nothing that impeded the book's steady flow and pace. Being a fan of the news, especially the more general news shows like The Today Show, I have always wondered what it must be like to work behind the scenes, as well as under the pressure and bright lights of the cameras. After reading Stay Tuned I realize that it is fun to think about, but show-biz is not for me; it's crazy, stressful, hectic, and hilarious, but overall, reporting the news is a serious business - one that Melissa Moore knows all to well. Lauren Clark did a wonderful job bringing her TV experience and her talent for writing together to make a book that will satisfy a reader's palette and leave them wanting more. A sequel perhaps?...

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from Novel Publicity as part of the Stay Tuned Holiday Blog Tour in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.