David Van Etten

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

The Emmy nominations are here! And it looks as if Likely Story may get its share of nominations.

Mallory would just like to see the whole thing over and done with already. Her mother has never gotten an Emmy, let alone a nomination for one in her extensive career. Mallory can't go through another season of waiting and wondering, because her mother turns into an absolute mess.

But shockingly, her mother gets a nomination for her portrayal as Vienna. Not surprisingly, Dallas gets nominated in the Best Younger Actor category. After all, the competition is pretty sparse in his age group. But what Mallory really can't get her mind around is the knowledge that the writing team, as well as the show, each got nominated in their categories, too!

RED CARPET RIOT is one of those stories where the reader can't decide if they feel bad for Mallory or can totally understand what she is going through. It seems like throughout the entire story, Mallory is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Innocent situations get thrown out of proportion. Mallory's mother believes any press is good press, but all the paparazzi seems to be doing is distancing Mallory's friends and coming between her and her boyfriend, Keith.

Mallory can't find enough time to get to gym class, spend time with Keith, or get her mother to actually notice her. To top it off, she can definitely tell there's something developing between her and Dallas, but she knows she can't let it happen because she cares for Keith and he's put up with so much since Likely Story took on a life of its own.

By the time Emmy night finally rolls around, Mallory has had enough and something has got to give. Will her mother finally win an Emmy? Will Mallory stay with Keith or wind up with Dallas?

Pick up RED CARPET RIOT to find out how everything resolves itself for Mallory and the cast of Likely Story.… (altro)

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Mallory's life is like a soap opera. She literally knows the set of Good as Gold better than her own home. Her mom has been the reigning queen of soaps for as long as Mallory can remember. Her mom has been married numerous times, engaged just as many, and they've lived in over ten different places in Mallory's sixteen years.

However, Mallory and her mother have a hard time relating. They barely talk in passing. Mallory has more of a relationship with her mom's make-up person, Gina. Mallory has always thought that the script for Good as Gold was a joke. The characters keep going through the same situations: being abducted, being killed off, falling in love with long-lost relatives, being locked in trunks, and other ridiculous themes. So one night, on her blog, she brashly notes that she could create a better soap opera.

Little does she realize that even though only a handful of people read the blog, the right person does. The next morning, she receives a call from Donald, her mother's agent. He asks her the routine Hollywood questions, and Mallory lies, saying she's got everything written out. Of course she can send it over. She spends that night in a writing frenzy, creating a synopsis or "Bible" of her proposed idea. The hardest concept was coming up with a name for the show. After many ideas, Likely Story is what she comes up with. Her rationale is that the story would be about normal people and all the messes they get into. Not the far-fetched stuff that is on TV currently.

Everything moves quickly after she hands over the bible she's written for Donald. Executives are calling her, meetings are arranged, and casting is in full swing. She wrote the part of Sarah with her best friend, Amelia, in mind. The casting people may want to go in a different direction, but they keep Amelia in the running through the different audition rounds. An unknown from Julliard, Dallas Grant, is the exact image of Ryan and is easily agreed upon by all.

LIKELY STORY is the first novel in a new series by a trio of male authors making up the pen name David Van Etten. The three authors write a fun quirky novel of how one girl's big talk turns into a real TV show. This novel gives the background of the show's inception and brings everyone into play. Book two, ALL THAT GLITTERS, is due out in October 2008. I am already eager to see what will happen when the production gears up for the pilot episode.… (altro)

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Ever since the network decided to go forward with her soap opera idea, LIKELY STORY, Mallory's life has been far from normal.

Meetings with the cast, the writers, the production staff, and photo shoots take up a large chunk of her time. Not to mention that, since she's still underage, she has to keep up with her school work, too. And somehow in all that frenzy and lack of sleep, she needs to find time to spend with her generous boyfriend, Keith. Keith has stayed by her side through all of the craziness, even after Mallory's best friend, Amelia, turned into her worst enemy.

The cast and crew are working long hours trying to get the first week's worth of episodes wrapped up. The show is scheduled to air the following week. The network has brought in consultants, the worst being Frieda Weiner (appropriately enough pronounced `whiner'). Frieda is trying to change everything about LIKELY STORY that makes it unique. Suggesting the kids in the show have sex puts Mallory over the top.

The cast is unhappy with the script changes. They're grumbling that the show isn't turning into the project that they had signed on for. To make matters worse, Dallas, the star, is terribly unhappy. Not long after signing his contract with the network, he was offered a chance to do Shakespeare in the Park back in New York City. Dallas is homesick, and missing his friends from Julliard.

Mallory is stuck in the middle. Her boyfriend is missing her. Her mother is driving her nuts with her requests for script changes. The cast is expecting her to defend the storyline that brought them on board.

When Dallas goes too far, Mallory finally takes matters into her own hands to get the show back to the vision she first started with.

ALL THAT GLITTERS is a fine continuation of the LIKELY STORY series. The authors are able to share the chaos that surrounds the production of a new show. Since the main character is trying to be a normal teen in an exceptional situation, the appeal of the story will reach everyone. Mallory has grown up in the soap opera world and does all she can to avoid the normal pitfalls that exist in the industry.

With the completion of the first episodes, Mallory and LIKELY STORY are gearing up for a final adventure in RED CARPET RIOT, due out in June 2009.… (altro)