Some things happen for a reason...
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| CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2016 |
A bit of book blurb..
Forty-year-old air stewardess Emily Forsyth has everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot of a husband-in-waiting to match. But when he leaves her to ‘find himself’ (forgetting to mention the bit about ‘…a younger girlfriend’), Emily’s perfect world comes crashing down. Catapulted into a mid-life crisis, she is forced to take stock and make some major changes. She ditches her job and enrols on a drama course in pursuit of her childhood dream, positive that, in no time at all, she’ll be sexily sporting a stethoscope on 'Holby City', and her ex will rue the day he dumped her. Wrong! Her chosen path proves to be an obstacle course littered with rejection and financial insecurity. If she is to survive, she must learn to be happy with less, and develop a selective memory to cope with more than her fair share of humiliating auditions. She tells herself her big break is just around the corner. But is it too late to be chasing dreams?
My thoughts..
Some things happen for a reason
and that's the theme which runs through this delightful story of one woman's
survival against all the odds. Emily Forsyth gives up her successful career and
a philandering husband-to-be in what must be one of the bravest moves ever. Now
in her early forties Emily knows that if she wants to make it as an actress
it's literally got to be now, or never.
What then follows is the
charming, and, it must be said, often angst ridden, story of how Emily tries
her darnedest to get her acting career to take off but along the way she
encounters rejection, insecurity and constant self-doubt. It's all very well
thinking that success is just a stage role away, but for Emily, the reality is
far more complicated.
What I enjoyed about this story
was the way the author obviously shared her own experiences of the acting world
and speaks with authority on what it's like to be up against another actor for
an acting job which may or may not hurtle you into the big time. The fickleness
of the acting world is brought to life in a way that only someone who has
experienced it can relate with any degree of authenticity. I found myself
laughing out loud in places, especially the Pattie Pineapple debacle, which
stretches even Emily's enthusiasm to its limit.
Overall, Learning to Fly kept my
attention from beginning to end. It's the story of ambition, and determination,
of good times and bad, of learning to take chances when the odds are stacked against
you, and most importantly, it’s the story of good friendship and having people
around you who will always stand your corner.
Written with gentle humour and great insight
into the acting world, the author brings the story alive with great story
telling technique. I felt like I connected with Emily and wanted everything to
work out for her, whether it does, or not, is for you to find out for
yourselves.
This is one debut novel which will,
definitely, sit on my bookshelves just waiting for the sequel to arrive,
hopefully sooner rather than later.
Best read with …A large caramel cream Frappuccino and a generous
portion of Nonna Maria’s Arancini di Riso..
About the Author
Jane taught English in Vienna then travelled the world as cabin crew, before making the life-changing decision to become an actor in her mid-thirties. She has appeared in "Calendar Girls", "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" and "Deathtrap" in London's West End. "Learning to Fly" is her debut novel.
Huge thanks to Jane for sharing her novel with us. Jaffa and I wish you continued success with both your writing ...and acting career.
Come back and see us again soon.
Come back and see us again soon.
~***~
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