Release Date: June 3, 2012
Pages: 292
Source: Author
Age Range: 11-13
Thirteen year old Brittany Rush is famous! Her face appears on many commercials in print and on TV. she can be seen just anywhere! When she goes to an audition, the other girls better leave immediately, because almost anytime Brittany gets the job as she is very popular in the commercial bizz. But then there comes a little change in her life: her mother has a new job..in Hong Kong! So she has to spend a year there, a year on hiatus from audtions, go –sees and callbacks. And without her best friend Phoebe who also is a model. But then her mom’s job in Hong Kong is over, and they move back to the US. So, now everything starts where it ended before the move? Not so much: suddenly the agents in NYC aren’t that enthusiastic anymore about her, has she grown older and taller maybe? And worse, has she just lost her title as the famous Brittany Rush? Brittany has to face that her face doesn’t appear on so many posters, products and in tv commercial breaks anymore, and even worse is that her best friend Phoebe is stealing her show now, as she gets the lead in everything these days. Brittany comes up with a plan: she wants to makes Phoebe jealous by starting to date her brother, who always accompanies Phoebe to every go-see. Without him, Phoebe is so nervous that she forgets her lines. But during this process, Brittany learns that there is a world beyond the whole commercials business, and maybe one that she likes even better…
Oh wow! This book was just fun from the start till the end!Brittany is such a fun main character: she is used to get everything ,which also makes her a teeny tiny bit arrogant at some points. So yes, she has to take a stand to get her rightfull place back when she gets back from Hong Kong. Phoebe was just an awesome friend, altough Brittany didn’t think so all the times. Liam was soo cute, it must be harsh for him somehow to be in between Brittany and Phoebe! The author did a tremendous job showing how the world of commercials works from the inside, he truly is an insider who knows that world, and captured perfectly the voice of a thirteen year old girl. This is the perfect book for every girl aged 11-13 who loves a laugh-out-loud hilarious story of glitz and glamour in the middle of New York City. But I am sure older readers will enjoy it too, I truly recommend it!
What inspired you to write Commercial Breaks; Famous for thirty seconds?
I've been on hundreds and hundreds of commercial auditions. I started when I was in graduate school at New York University. After even a few weeks of auditioning you begin to spot the trends and peculiarities of the business. At one point I knew every single guy who looked like me. There was the taller me, the shorter me, the chubbier me, the thinner me, the blonder me, etc. Eventually you all know each other and there is this strange mix of camaraderie and competition. I wanted to translate that experience for tweens because I think so much of what you learn about yourself growing up is figuring out where you fit in. This is the same at commercial castings, it's just much more apparent.
What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, and logistical) in bringing the book to life?
I think the biggest challenges are the ones I create for myself. I know I should just write for the sake of writing but I'm not that kind of writer or person. With every word I hope kids will like it and people will buy it. You don't hear many writer talk about this. I have a lot of writer friends on FB who are very literary and always talking about the muse of writing and the art of being an artists. I wish I had that in me but I just want to be liked.
What was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the significant highlights along the way?
About three years. Each time I finish a manuscript is a highlight.
What was the book you most loved as a child? And which are your favorite books and authors now?
I always answer this question differently. Today I am thinking of the book "Freckle Juice" that I read in 3rd grade and really loved. This week I'm reading Melissa Walker's "Unbreak My Heart" and I am in love with it.
What do you do beside writing?
I'm a professor at New York University.
Commercial Breaks is the first books in a series, can you tell a little about the next book that is coming up next?
The second book, "Picture Perfect" is about a girl who prefers the over-the-top perfection of her life on camera to the disaster of her real life. The third book, "Dramatic Pause" is about a girl who wants to be a serious actress but has to book a few commercials in order to pay for her acting classes.
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