"Between You and Me" by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus NEW RELEASE TODAY! June 12th, 2012 with an Author Interview! You've GOT to read this!

*NEW*
From the Publisher, I received the following information I am copying and pasting for YOU! Quite amazing! Enjoy!

--On OpenSky.com, starting June 12 for just two weeks (until June 26th!) -- there is a special collection of celebrity curated fashion and accessories inspired by Between You and Me's main character Kelsey Wade. 

--From red carpet ready accessories to the perfect sunglasses for hiding from the paparazzi, it features pieces chosen by Ali Fedotowsky, Monet Mazur, Kelly Bensimon, Molly Sims, Nancy O’Dell and others. 

Direct link: https://opensky.com/betweenyouandme

About OpenSky: OpenSky, https://opensky.com, is a social network for shopping that empowers users to connect with the best people in food, style, health and design for exclusive information, advice and insider product recommendations. It’s boutique-like shopping in a Facebook-like environment. Since it launched on April 5, 2011, OpenSky has attracted more than 1.5 million members who are making more than 10 million connections to the site’s experts including: Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, Cynthia Rowley, Liz Lange, Tom Colicchio, Molly Sims, Kelly Rutherford, Mariel Hemingway, Tony Horton, Padma Lakshmi, Michael Ruhlman and Holly Robinson Peete.

Here, the Authors tell you what YOU GET when you SHOP AT OPENSKY.COM and buy related book items!



The Authors READ from the book!

The Authors answer the Fans!

AND, THE BOOK TRAILER!





Goodreads Synopsis:


From the authors of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Nanny Diaries comes a new novel that takes readers behind the scenes of stratospheric celebrity—what it means to be worshipped by millions and still feel loved by none.

Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have proven again and again that they are masters at exploring the nuances of family relationships—as they intersect with the current trends in the culture at large.

In Between You and Me, twenty-seven-year-old Logan Wade has built a life for herself in New York City, far from her unhappy childhood in Oklahoma. But when she gets the call that her famous cousin needs a new assistant, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Logan hasn’t seen Kelsey since they were separated as kids; in the meantime, Kelsey Wade has become one ofFortune Magazine’s most powerful celebrities and carrion for the paparazzi. But the joy at their reunion is overshadowed by the toxic dynamic between Kelsey and her controlling parents. As Kelsey grasps desperately at a “real” life, Logan risks everything to try and give her cousin the one thing she has never known—happiness. As Kelsey unravels in the most horribly public way Logan finds that she will ultimately have to choose between saving her cousin and saving herself.

My Take:

5 Starz!

An amazing, fun, and sometimes stressful journey into the world of Hollywood STARdom, glitz and glamour, celebrities, concerts, tours, top-notch living, the paparazzi, and all the trials and tribulations of being a young and famous child superstar, quickly becoming a young adult singing superstar. Meet Kelsey Wade! The young and famous singing superstar who everyone knows! Kelsey Wade is a household name!
Kelsey's parents, Andy and Michelle Wade, (Mom and Dad) are the 'managers' of her career, who make all the final decisions for Kelsey, from her professional career down to her own personal life. Every little part of it all. May we say they are somewhat controlling? So much so, Kelsey acts out at times, and not necessarily in a good way. Wouldn't anyone? It's only natural. 
Meet Logan Wade, Kelsey's cousin, who is happy and content living in New York city, starting out to live her life, her new career and working at the job she loves when she receives a phone call to come visit 'that side of the family'. When Logan's mother finds out about this, she is completely against Logan going. Logan's mother and Andy and Michelle have not spoken in well over a decade. Just what is the story behind this? Both Logan and Kelsey have no clue as to what happened so long ago. All they know is it interfered with their friendship. They were so close and had so much fun together as young kids. When Logan does go to visit, Andy and Michelle act as if nothing has ever happened in the past. You can't help, though, but to feel hurt feelings hanging heavy in the air between the two families. These two cousins had a relationship that survived through all of this, and now Kelsey wants to hire Logan to be her Assistant Manager. Whatever it was that happened in the family so long ago, Kelsey is not allowing it to interfere with her and Logan's relationship any longer. The only problem with this is this it is never addressed between the two families, and has now been swept under the rug. Hmmm? We all know what happens when things like this are left to slow-burn. Eventually the dust works it's way back out from under that rug and the mess is still there to clean up, but messier and worse than what it was to begin with, and maybe more people have knowledge and understanding of it now than what it was back then. Now it is staring at you right in the face.
These two cousins, who even though separated by what seemed an eternity to these young girls back in the day, pick right back up where they left off having so much fun together.
When Kelsey asks Logan to become her Assistant Business Manager, in my opinion, 'Assistant'  isn't quite the right definition of her position as would 'complete' be a much more fitting term with ALL of the work Logan ends up having to do. Logan does everything, right down to picking up Kelsey's clothing off the floor and also avoiding flying objects from Kelsey's temper tantrums. Yes, Kelsey is accustomed to getting what she wants when she wants it. The work Logan does blows your mind. It's in all the little things, the details, right down to knowing when to have a tissue ready for Kelsey at the right time. Knowing when Kelsey shouldn't keep practicing or performing any longer due to fatigue, to knowing when she should eat, to arguing with Andy and Michelle that Kelsey needs a break and trying to explain to them that Kelsey needs to just be herself and not a celebrity at times. Logan knows her cousin better than Kelsey's own parents seem to know her, yet Andy and Michelle ignore Logan most of the time. They want what they want, and no one will stop them from getting it. 
As we know Kelsey's parents have reserved the position of 'Full Manager' of Kelsey's career  for themselves, yet they don't quite pick up a finger (unless it's something to do with being underhanded and against Kelsey, so it seems, as this happens, too.) While managing  Kelsey's personal life, they try to control her every move. They are smothering, not loving.
I fell in love with these two girls, Kelsey and Logan, yet I didn't realize how much until the end of the book because Mommy and Daddy got in the way so much so at times they were completely controlling of Kelsey beyond what you might even begin to think. 
I also have to admit I was quite mesmerized by the life a young celebrity leads both at home and out on the road and all the hundreds of fans and people who involved to pull off 'one' single show/concert at a time. The Paparazzi, the glitz and the glam! Oh! Kelsey LOVES this and so did I! Kelsey struts her stuff on stage, delivering to her audience exactly what they want of her. She succeeds as she learns the art of pleasing people and giving them what they want. Kelsey's fans love this! She is so successful. 
This story is so exciting and intriguing and you shake your head at times when you think about what it takes for Logan to pull all of this together. Again, the hundreds of people it takes to perform one show. Kelsey Wade is performing, Logan is acting as Asst. Manager, Kelsey's parents are there, (irritating me!). All these people! Dancers, music controllers, lighting people, and more all on one tour, and yet it is tour after tour, night after night, city to city, the show goes on! Cameras flashing! Kelsey is in the spotlight! She is famous! Everyone knows who she is! Clothing and jewelry lines come out in her name. Kelsey Wade is a household name.
It is at this time the story starts to become a little monotonous. These authors are brilliant! This is intentional! The authors are showing 'us', the Reader, that this tour schedule does get monotonous, boring, and cumbersome night after night, city after city. Just think what it is like for the 'child superstar'! Is it any wonder they end up crashing and burning at times?
Kelsey even has it down pat as to how to switch from being herself (if she evens knows who she is when she is alone anymore) to being 'in the spotlight' and performing. It's like a light switch being flipped on and off. Perform! Stop! Perform! Stop!
Although, in the next heartbeat she is hiding! Okay. Kelsey starts acting out, and doing this in the public eye. Not so good for her career, but great for the paparazzi! Can you blame her, though? With having such controlling parents, the demands of her to perform night after night after night, and a stolen childhood she never gets to experience. Now all she knows is fame! And rightfully so! 
The story slowly picks back up again as life picks up for Kelsey as she gets older, now with so many more opportunities available to her as a young adult. Her 'stardom' goes to her head. Yes, she starts to act out. What person whose childhood and sense of any normalcy (does she even know what normal is?) that was stolen from them would not act out? What normal person is out there for her to model her life after when all she has ever known is stardom? Kelsey starts to crave normalcy and love. She tries to reach for it, yet she does not know what 'normal' is. There is no one there to give her love, yet is she even open to love because of what her parents have done all that they have to her? Is she capable of receiving the love she craves so much? Can she give love?
She meets and now has a boyfriend who she claims she loves. She thinks she's in love. She decides she wants to settle down with her boyfriend, maybe even get married and start a family. Whoa! Her parents are flipping out! All of a sudden the control they once had over her is beginning to slip through their fingers as Kelsey starts to think and act for herself. Kelsey is starting to control her own life. These parents don't like this and are willing to do anything to stop Kelsey from obtaining the very real things she wants. They want their FULL control back now! Everything starts to go crazy for everyone involved now.
What about Logan though? What does Logan do being stuck in the middle of all of this, trying to protect Kelsey and pave the way for her to have what she wants and craves so badly. Kelsey just wants love, the love her parents never really gave to her unconditionally. Unconditional love is what she wants so badly, but stardom has gone to everyone's heads. Is anyone in this family capable of love anymore, and do they know what the definition of it is?
Kelsey and her boyfriend do start to live their own life, but with that she exchanges it for a lot more trouble than she ever could possibly imagine. The paparazzi are loving Kelsey Wade! Now the story gets really exciting and then starts to get crazy for everyone involved, especially the parents. Her parents are acting out in ways you would never even begin to guess or suspect. 
I don't want to get to detailed here. Now it's time for you to read this book and enjoy this story that only these two authors could create! These author's have mastered the art of writing about intricate family relationships like no one else. Yes, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have done it again! Told another wonderful story you don't want to stop reading, which you miss after it is done. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did! Enjoy the Tour! I did! Thanks for reading my review of "Between You and Me".
I received this book for FREE from Atria Books, a Division of Simon and Schuster, through their Book Reviewers Program in exchange to read this book and write a review about it.  It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but, of my own honest opinion. “Free” means I was NOT provided with ANY MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading the book. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html
Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Author Interview with Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus - authors of "The Nanny Diaries", and other Best Selling books, and this NEW RELEASE, "Between You and Me".

Wow! What a SPECIAL TREAT! We have an Author Interview with Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus! This is so interesting, grab your cup of java, relax, and read for a while! Enjoy getting to know these Authors even better! Here we go!


1. Emma and Nicola, I have just finished reading your new book, "Between You and Me", and I feel it will surely become another Best Seller for you two! It was incredible! Congratulations on the accomplishment of publishing yet another wonderfully captivating new book inside the life of a young celebrity! This book is honestly 'out of this world amazing'! Wow! Your style of writing made me feel as if I, the Reader, was right there, alongside all of the characters as Kelsey, the new 'Child-Superstar Singing Sensation's' career starts and as her life goes along into young adulthood. It hits all the ups and downs that many celebrities face as they grow up in the spotlight. What made you decide to write a book on this particular subject?  
(OMG, did our moms pay you?!  (No! I SWEAR they did NOT! I don't even know them NOR where they live!) You are so sweet!  (Thank You!) We cannot tell you what that means to us—if this book was a baby it weighed 11 lbs and we didn’t have an epidural, so thank you!)  Honestly it started with a shared childhood fascination with Marilyn Monroe’s old press conference footage.  She was trying so hard to please, to be what her audience demanded, and yet visibly coming apart at the same time.  We’ve both struggled at times with anxiety and know what it’s like when you’re in a social situation, but on the inside you want to run for the nearest closet.  What if it wasn’t just an uncomfortable party but an international stage?  What if you were publically held accountable for the mistakes we all make as teenagers?  We love taking relatable premises (bad job, bad ex, bad judgment) and blowing them out to the most extreme scenario. 

2. This book involves a fictitious Child/Young Adult Superstar Singing Sensation which could fit into any one and many of the young celebrities that are out there today, some them have come and gone, and some who still remain. In your book, "Between You and Me", we even visit this particular characters end of childhood and enter her growth into young adulthood, along with her Assistant and all the other people involved with her, such as her parents, stage hands, dancers and so many more. How did you learn all of 'the ropes' so to speak, with your research? 

In our early 20s, while we were nannies, some of our friends from NYU landed jobs as personal assistants to celebrities, much like Finn in the novel.  We were so jealous—at first.  Until they were picking up dirty underwear and having shoes thrown at them—true story.  For instance, have you gone on tour with anyone to experience what happens and what people are responsible for, while a singer is on a tour? Or was it through interviews with other people who have worked in this area? Or, if through many different avenues, what were they?  We watched a ton of backstage concert documentaries, read Rolling Stone and also called upon our own book touring experience.  Another city, another show…

3. We have ALL read the tabloids, and it's impossible not to see the headlines in the grocery stores while standing in line. We have seen these young celebrities on television interview shows and on Celebrity TV programs and more. You have written this book so thoroughly with the minute details, it must have taken an extraordinary amount of time to research all of this in order to have written this book with the precision you two have done. What was/were the experiences of the researching this material for a celebrity like?  

The biggest challenge was finding reliable material.  We excluded the tabloids, because the sources aren’t credited.  We dug deep into LexisNexis to find journalists who had interviewed people on the record.  And we found some good biographies published abroad.  It was the heart of darkness—

it seems families don’t wake up one day and decide their economic ticket is a five year-old if things are healthy. 

4. How did the two of you meet and decide to write books together?  

We met at NYU and discovered that were both Park Avenue nannies to extremely dysfunctional families.  Five years later the economy was at peak bubble, prompting endless articles about how hard it was for the newly rich to find good help.  Finally we couldn’t take it anymore.  We basically just wanted to say, “You know what?  You weren’t a picnic to work for.”  We turned that into three hundred pages. 

5. How do the two of you decide on a subject to write about? Do you take turns writing about different subjects? Do you throw a story line up in the air and talk it out? Do you use current events? What is it that special spark that gets the two of you writing a story you both agree on?  

We begin every day catching each other up on what we read, watched, and listened to the night before.  We talk about what’s capturing the Zeitgeist and are particularly interested in those aspects people aren’t talking about.  The themes of our books are born in the conversations we find ourselves having repetively.  Like, why is Britney Spears still being legally controlled by her father?  And: why is no one upset by this?  Once we have the seed of an idea, we spend several weeks outlining the core elements of the story—primary and periphery characters, each of their arcs, A and B plots, and timeframe.  We then break this outline into chapters, go off and generate them, edit them for each other and then string them into one document.  Once we have this first draft we sit together and go over it line by line on the computer, on paper, and frequently out loud, until it is ready to go to print.  And of course, our editor gets to weigh in at multiple junctures along the way.

6. Do you two ever start to work on a story and end up tossing it out because you are not getting anywhere with it?  

All the time.  That’s the advantage of a partnership.  Because we have to outline the story first, we quickly see if there is a three-act structure, if it has ‘legs.’  There are some ideas that are just that—you talk it through for more than a day and it becomes clear there is just no ‘there’ there. 

7. Writing can be a lonely process. I'll bet it is a LOT more fun to work together as a team? Or is it more difficult to write when two people are writing as a team?  

We have had to write separately twice—on our respective maternity leaves—and we HATED it.  We honestly share a brain.  When we do it together the work is just better for it. 

8. Do you two hang out together when not writing? If so, what do you do? 

We used to go to the theatre together—we’re HUGE musical fans.  Then we had kids.  Now we talk on the phone ten times a day.  Go shopping, out to lunch?  Emma was on vacation last week and I said that my life is pretty monastic, but when , everyoeshe’s away it becomes a silent retreat. 

 9. Do you ever get together to write, and just feel like playing hookey? If so, what do you do?  

When we were working on Nanny we used to take naps and watch Eddie Izzard VHS tapes.  Now we are in such a constant breathless panic to get our work done and make it to daycare pickup by 5:30 every day that a ‘break’ is five minutes on YouTube. 

10. Are you working on ideas for another book, or have another book in the works? I have to ask because your writing is so substantial and authentic, I feel like I am right there, in the middle of the story! I like that! I'm interested to know if we can expect MORE from you two?  

We’re a little in love with you right now.  Yes, look for Over You out August 21^st from HarperTeen about a breakup coach, who can get any girl over any guy in four weeks.  And our 8^th(!) book is almost done!  It will be out from Atria next June about another woman famously and shamefully wronged by the public.  Stay tuned…

Wow! What answers to my questions! What an Interview! Thank you, Emma and Nicola! I LOVED what you had to say! Your answers were so interesting AND entertaining in places! I SWEAR I was NOT paid by your mother! LOL! Thank you, I really learned a LOT about the two of you. Thanks SO much for sharing so much information about the two of you with my Readers and myself! It's always SO neat to learn personal things about the authors behind the book! It makes you real, and not 'just' a 'name' as the authors of the book. I know the Reader's are going to have loved reading what you had to say, at least I was glued to the screen! I LOVED IT! I really appreciate your taking the time to answer and tell us a lot about the two of you! Thank you, again!

To my Reader's, what an interview, huh?! The Interview TOPPED THE CAKE! Wow! I learned a LOT about the two of these Authors!  Everything about the Interview was really so neat to learn about them! Even the playing hookey question! Who would have thought they love musicals? Plus how neat that would be to live and work in New York to be able to do that! I'm just in awe of these two authors! What about all of you reading this? "COMMENTS, PLEASE!!!" Let them know! It's that WORD AT THE END OF THIS POST! Show your LOVE!

Now, WHO WOULD LIKE TO WIN 'MY' Advanced Reader's Copy? I tried SUPER hard to keep it in 'pristine condition'! It IS up for GRABS so I can share this story with you! Just fill out this form, and random.org will pick the winner! The book will be YOURS if YOU are chosen! Good luck, and MOST of all, take your time reading this book! There is a LOT to enjoy, learn and absorb in this one! You're gonna LOVE it! I sure did! Most of all, THANK YOU for coming by my Blog to read the Review about this book and the BONUS of the Author Interview! I felt VERY honored to get to interview these authors, and I thank YOU for coming by to read it!

Here's the form!

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