GAGA

Leslie Tall Manning

Book Cover

GENRE

COMEDY ROMANCE

    Core Theme

    ROCK AND ROLL, HIGH SCHOOL CRUSHES, AND STARTING OVER

    TIME PERIOD

    Contemporary

    COMPARABLE TITLES

    ENOUGH SAID, ALMOST FAMOUS, MUSIC & LYRICS

    CHARACTER LIST

    • MONICA REESE TAYLOR (AKA MONTY): 45. LEAD.
    FUNNY, SEXY, STRONG MORAL CODE, ENGAGING.

    • DONNY DIGITS: 50. ASPIRING, CHARMING, HEARTTHROB, ADVENTUROUS, COMPLEX.

    • RACHEL: 16. OUTSPOKEN, SARCASTIC

    • BRENT - 45. BLUNT, DECISIVE.

    Logline

    When her husband releases her from a stagnant marriage, forty-five-but-looks-thirty Monica Reese Taylor, freelance writer for Home & Goddess Magazine, gets a chance to score the biggest interview of the decade. All she has to do is leave her daughter behind, change her name, dress like a crazed groupie, and for one month follow a comeback rock band as they tour the eastern United States.

    Target Audiences

    Age: 35-54

    Target Gender: Female leaning,Female Leaning

    Setting

    North Carolina, Washington DC, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Baltimore

    Based on a True Story

    No

    Publishing Details

    Status: Yes: self-published

    Publisher: Self-published

    Year Published: 2015

    Starting Description

    On the same morning, Monty receives news that will change her life forever: Her husband wants out of their stagnant marriage, and her editor hands her a special assignment that involves following a rock band.

    Ending Description

    After leaving the tour on bad terms, Monty, with help from a roadie, drives to his home during a dangerous storm. When Donny sees her, he can't believe his eyes. He asks if they have more than thirty days this time, and as she pulls him into his bedroom, she tells him, "Yes."

    Group Specific

    Anyone who loves rock and roll or has had a crush on a musician.

    Hard Copy Available

    Yes

    ISBN

    0996130624

    Mature Audience Themes

    Language/Profanity, Nudity, Language/Profanity

    Plot - Other Elements

    Twist, Happy Ending,,Happy Ending

    Plot - Premise

    Internal Journey/Rebirth

    Main Character Details

    Name: Monica Reese Taylor (AKA Monty)

    Age: 45 but looks 30

    Gender: Female

    Role: Protagonist

    Key Traits: Funny, Sexy, Strong Moral Code, Engaging, Insecure, Aspiring, Secretive, Underdog, Beautiful,Secretive,Naive

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Donny Digits

    Age: 50

    Gender: Male

    Role: Antagonist

    Key Traits: Aspiring, Charming, Heartthrob, Adventurous, Complex, Sexy, Romantic, Engaging, Confident, Secretive,Complex,Confident,Charming,Heartthrob,Engaging,Skillful,Sexy,Secretive

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Rachel

    Age: 16

    Gender: Female

    Role: sidekick

    Key Traits: Aspiring, Empathetic, Outspoken, Sarcastic,Blunt,Confident,Sarcastic

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Brent

    Age: 45

    Gender: Male

    Role: logical

    Key Traits: Blunt, Decisive, Gracious,Decisive

    Brief

    When her husband releases her from a stagnant marriage, a freelance writer gets a chance to score the biggest interview of the decade. All she has to do is leave her daughter behind, change her name, dress like a crazed groupie, and for one month follow a comeback rock band as they tour the US.

    What We Liked

    - Funny, older, witty, and independent female lead;
    - This was a fun romance with a rock and roll edge to it.
    - This would be a great film to see on dates, with parts for “rockstar” actors.
    - Fun, romantic series with original music;
    - Unexpected plot twists.

    Synopsis

    Monty is a writer for a home and garden magazine who is shocked when her husband, Brent, asks her for a divorce. Monty is still processing this all when her editor, Carla, tells her that she has the opportunity of a lifetime. The famous band Grope is getting back together and going on their first tour in over a decade, and Carla wants her to go undercover as a groupie and document the band reunion . Monty is incredibly hesitant at first to leave behind her daughter, Rachel, but Grope is a band that she was obsessed with as a teenager--she even had a poster of the lead singer, Donny Digits, on her closet door that she used to make out with. Carla reassures Monty that someone with the group will be looking out for her, and threatens Monty that if she refuses to go on the tour, Monty will never be able to work in the magazine world again. Monty reluctantly joins the tour and dons her new disguise--Melody Richards.

    Monty is nervous but has fun the first few nights of the tour The first night that she gets backstage passes, she goes to a party with the band and a few groupies. She's starstruck when she sees Donny, still as beautiful as she could remember from her high school years, but is disappointed that he seems to be paying the most attention to CZ, a beautiful redhead in her early 20s. The drummer of the band, Tim, immediately takes a liking to Monty. One night, Donny pulls her up onstage. Monty passes out and wakes up to the band members surrounding her. That night, Tim makes more advances towards Monty, which she tries to kindly reject. Donny later talks to Monty and tells her that she needs to tell Tim that she's not interested in him. Monty is confused by this until she finds a note from Donny that he doesn't want to explore the city alone. Monty is confused about Donny's advances and wonders about his relationship with CZ, but he assures her that CZ is okay with Monty. At the next concert, Monty talks to CZ to try and get some information, and CZ reveals that she's actually Donny's daughter and freaks out at Monty. Monty, embarrassed, leaves the tour to go back to her daughter. Rachel reveals that her father has started seeing someone new, and Monty is dismayed that the new girl is showing up at the house. When Monty confronts Brent about it, Brent tells Monty that he can tell that she has someone new as well. Monty denies this, but goes back to the tour soon, in search of her article and Donny.

    Monty goes to a pub and sees Donny performing without his wig on. She tells him her real name and they sleep together. Tim barges in and reveals that the entire band knew the whole time that Monty was a reporter--they were actually the ones who set up the behind-the-scenes look as a PR stunt. Monty is furious that everyone lied to her and made her look like a fool, so she leaves and goes back home. She ignores letters and calls from Donny, until one day, her daughter tells her that she deserves to be happy. She goes to Donny's house, reunites with Donny and the two get together.

    About The Author

    Leslie Tall Manning taught high school English for several years and is currently married to an artist. She writes YA fiction as well as fiction centered on adult women facing changes in their lives.