Review: How I Became A Famous Novelist by Steve Hely
by Jenners • 03/08/2010 • 4 Stars, Fiction, H Authors, H Titles, Humor • 27 Comments
How I Became A Famous NovelistSteve Hely
Grove Press, Black Cat, 2009
ISBN: 978-0802170606
224 Pages
Genre: Fiction, Humor
My Rating: 4 stars
The Set-Up
To impress his former girlfriend at her upcoming wedding, Pete Tarslaw decides to become a famous novelist. Figuring it couldn’t be all that hard, he spends an afternoon at a bookstore studying bestselling books. His studies reveal the keys to a successful book:
Rule 1: Abandon truth.
Rule 2: Write a popular book. Do not waste energy making it a good book.
Rule 3: Include nothing from my own life.
Rule 4: Must include a murder.
Rule 5: Must include a club, secrets/mysterious missions, shy characters, characters whose lives are changed suddenly, surprising love affairs, women who’ve given up on love but turn out to be beautiful.
Rule 6: Evoke confusing sadness at the end.
Rule 7: Prose should be lyrical. (Definition of lyrical: “resembling bad poetry.”)
Rule 8: Novel must have scenes on highways, making driving seem poetic and magical.
Rule 9: At dull points, include descriptions of delicious meals.
Rule 10: Main character is miraculously liberated from a lousy job.
Rule 11: Include scenes in as many reader-filled towns as possible.
Rule 12: Give readers versions of themselves, infused with extra awesomeness.
Rule 13: Target key demographics.
Rule 14: Involve music.
Rule 15: Must have obscure exotic locations.
Rule 16: Include plant names.
He then churns out The Tornado Ashes Club (click on link for an entire fake website set up to promote this entirely fake book), which eventually becomes a bestseller, leading to Pete’s subsequent rise to fame and an eventual showdown with his nemesis, Preston Brooks (another fake author), at a book conference. In the end, Pete realizes the truth about good writing (it can’t be manufactured) and the book publishing industry.
My Thoughts
I can’t see why anyone who likes to read wouldn’t want to check out this hilariously funny, spot-on satire of popular fiction. I was cracking up throughout the book. Mr. Hely’s jokes and parodies are spot-on—from the fictional Entertainment Weekly review to excerpts from his “novel” to his skewering of pop author stereotypes. (If Pamela McLaughlin isn’t based on Patrica Cornwell, I’ll eat an entire pack of Thin Mints by myself.) There are so many good parts that I could do an entire review with just excerpts. But that would probably be illegal in some way so I’ll settle with just a few.
Being lazy about research: I had no intention of spending my nights on ride-alongs with homicide cops, or mapping magical empires and populating them with orcs.
On literary fiction: But becoming a professor called for a particular kind of book, a “literary” book. These books can be identified in two ways. One: at the end of a work of literary fiction, you’re supposed to feel weirdly sad, and perhaps cry, but not for any clear reason. Two: The word “lyrical” appears on the back cover of literary fiction.
On reviewing his work: That night, after a dinner of leftover salmon, I reviewed the work I’d done. A lot was garbage. There were strange repetitions. The word taciturn was used four times in one sentence. Genevieve was thrice described as robin-throated. The Black Hills were said to “rise from the land like the calluses and corns and warts from God’s own foot.”
On guessing the plot of Preston Brook’s new novel: I played a game of trying to imagine what new heights of sentimentality and emotional prostitution he’d reached: little children going to look for long-lost brothers with hobo satchels over their shoulders. Two orphans falling in love and trying to raise a child the way they’d wished they’d been raised. A veterinarian who travels the country healing the hearts of old worn-out dogs. But my wildest flights of shamelessness could not outdo the Master. Preston Brooks’s new book was called The Widows’ Breakfast. Amazing, right there. He’d beaten me with the title alone. But the subject was five widows-yes, one of them was black. They meet in 1942, when their husbands are all training to be pilots in World War II. And starting in that year, they have a tradition of getting together for breakfast on the morning after the funeral, anytime one of their husbands dies.
If any of these excerpts or the rules of a successful book excerpt made you smile, I’m here to tell you that there is TONS MORE of this in the book. This is a comedy goldmine (as it should be as Hely is ones of the writers for the very funny sitcom 30 Rock). If you don’t read it, you’re just missing out on the best satire I’ve read in ages. Seriously, you need to read this book.
My Recommendation
There is just no way to go wrong with this book! It is laugh-out-loud funny satire of popular fiction and publishing. C’mon, what more could you, as a lover of books, want? Unless you are so reverent about books that you cannot bear to have them made fun of, I think this book would make you laugh. I loved it and recommend it wholeheartedly. Just remember: Take nothing seriously. It is all fake, but there were times when I got totally sucked in because the parodies are just so spot-on. I’m giving it 4 stars. I guarantee you’ll never look at the best-seller list quite the same way again. And you have to love an author who goes to the trouble of creating a fake web site and fake blog for his fake author’s fake book.
The Whys and the Wheres: I bought this book for my Kindle because I loved Hely’s previous book (which he wrote with Vali Chandrasekaran), The Ridiculous Race. Since he is two for two, I’ll will continue to buy anything he chooses to put out … even if it is The Tornado Ashes Club.
To find out what other bloggers are saying about the book discussed in this post, visit the Book Blogs Search Engine.
I just literally laughed out loud to the excerpt where he is reviewing his work. Hilarious! I think I need to pick this one up. I know if you think it is funny, I will too.
"…you have to love an author who goes to the trouble of creating a fake web site and fake blog for his fake author's fake book."
I was convinced to read this early on in the review, but this was the icing on the persuasion cake!
Since the thin mints are down to about 12 cookies, ……why not go for 2 pkgs! I didn't think it was even possible to use the word taciturn 4 times in one sentence. This sounds like a real hoot. Thanks for the wonderful review.
That is the best title I've seen in a while, and it sounds like an absolutely great book!
I'm definitely going to keep that one in mind. It would be interesting to read the literary equivalent of a mirror held up to a mirror.
ha ha! sounds like some blogs
i have encountered.
even better sounds hilarious.
"lyrical: resembling bad poetry"
Jenners, I can tell that this book is really funny from your review. I'd probably be laughing out loud so much, that people around me would look at me and wonder about my sanity (you should hear me when I browse for greeting cards).
Thanks for a great review. I laughed a few times while reading it.
Thanks for the heads-up. I ordered this book for the library as soon as I read your review.
Awesome review! If he's a 30 Rock writer he wins points from me.
And go ahead. Eat the Thin Mints.
I was looking for something light that I could read along with Walden (which I plan to start next week during spring break).
I think I found the perfect book!
I sure hope my library has a copy because I am going to try to reserve it NOW.
this sounds TOO funny. Any book the mocks Ms. Cornwell must be great.
This is definitely going on my wish list. I laughed throughout your entire review. You know, I like literary fiction, but nothing makes me run away screaming like seeing a book described as "lyrical."
Oh, and when I read the description of Preston Brook's writing from the quote it made me think of Nicholas Sparks (you know, the sentimentality, etc.).
Requesting it from my library now! You write a mean review! How could I say no to this?
You had me at the title! I will add this to my list, for sure.
I love funny books, especially laugh-out-loud funny books. There just don't seem to be enough of those in the world. I guess everyone likes being depressed…
This sounds totally awesome!!!!
30 Rock is one of my fave shows (so was Arrested Development..boo to cancellations). I am so adding this to my TBR list. Thanks for the review!
This sounds great. I don't really need any more new books, but it sounds like a perfect one for me to take with me when we go on spring break in a couple weeks!
This sounds completely hilarious. I'll definitely be reading this!
This sounds hilarious!
Ok, I'll bite….I need a new book for my kindle so I have something to read while I'm waiting in the grocery store line! What do I say when someone asks me what I'm laughing about? Oh I'm a book blogger and I'm reading this fake book about a fake book, etc. etc…..I can't wait to get started!
My mom has recommend this book to me. Today I spied the yellow cover on the new release shelf and before I got to it the lady closer to the shelves grabbed it!
I love laugh-out-loud funny books and should check to see if our library has a copy of this.
This sounds hilarious! I'm with Jill on the Thin Mints!
This sounds like a really good book! I have heard a few people saying wonderful things about it. I'm going to keep an eye out for it now.
You'll eat an entire package of Thin Mints?…that doesn't sound like much of a hardship to me.
This book sounds great…I just spent too much time over at the fictional website laughing at the excerpt and the blurbs and the interview and all sorts of other things.
This sounds like a GREAT book. I'm going to put it on my list at the library to read. Can't wait to check it out. I've got a couple books on polygamy on my to-be-read pile right now, so I'm sure I'll be ready for something funny. Thanks for telling us about it!
I am definitely reading this one if it can pack so much humor in 224 pages
Loved your review .