Review from JeanzBookReadNReview!

Jeanz Book Review

This was a totally different take on paranormal that I hadn't read before. Abby can literally look people in the eye and jump into their body! So when she is in hospital and her so called best friend Jenny visits her though it turns out that she just wants Abby's car keys so she doesn't have to pay for the gas it will take to get to the school reunion.So of course Abby is out for payback lol and bot does she get it. Abby jumps into Jenny's body and lets say has some serious fun, she goes to the reunion party and totally embarrasses Jenny by being what Abby now knows is the "real Jenny's attitude" to everything, and everyone. Its quite difficult to say a lot without giving away spoilers but just think for a moment.......if you could jump into anyone's body what would you do? I mean your at the school reunion with the very people that bullied you as a teenager.....who would you jump into and what would you do as payback when you did? The even funnier bit is that when Abby has had enough in one body she can simply jump into another, the previous "body" just kind of "wakes up" and can't remember a thing!! Abby can have her hearts desire, but will she choose to take someone life over permanently or return to her rapidly failing body in the hospital bed her mum sits beside sobbing?

Review from Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears!

Abigail Watson was nobody’s idea of beautiful or even cute. She didn’t have a sparkling personality and she had absolutely horrible taste in friends. The best thing in her life were the memories of a 14 year old Jake Carradoc coming to her 8th birthday party. She fell in love with the boy, the world fell in love with the man. Jake is now an A-list mega movie star worth millions and a new gorgeous babe on his arm every other week. So far out of Abby’s scientific and dreary world, but she can dream. Or maybe take a chance at making it a reality, when bitten by an infected monkey in the lab where she works, Abby winds up with the ability to jump bodies. She can literally inhabit the body of anyone she makes eye contact with. Unfortunately the side effects can be deadly, but a chance at Jake Carradoc might be worth the risk.

Abby gets to live what I'm sure millions of people dream about. She gets the ability to inhabit another persons body. All those nasty, mean people who make your life miserable just for kicks and giggles. Well Abby can turn them into binge eating nymphomaniacs, or Mother Theresa-like philanthropists. Think of the possibilities....... Oh, the fun you could have. And Abby does get to have her fun. Artemis Hunt delved into the psyche of every insecure teenage girl and extracted their fantasies. Not only does she wind up living with her celeb crush, but he LIKES her. At least he likes the her he gets to see. He doesn't really know Abby does he? And Abby begins to turn into one of those nasty people she railed against. Oh, not with the snotty attitude but in her willingness to disregard other's feelings and needs to achieve what she wants. For all it's hilarity, the book touches on some deep moral issues. There is a romance of sorts woven throughout the story, but it's more a story of growth and discovering a sense of self and worth. This is more than just a light funny read (although it has more than it's share of LOL moments) it is a look at an insecure, doormat of a woman who discovers what she can and can not live with. Kudos on a job well done.  


A warm holiday welcome to Artemis Hunt and many thanks for sharing her time and very humorous book with us.

Can you tell us three things we should know about Artemis Hunt?

1. I’m definitely female, last time I checked!
2. I love funny stories.
3. I want to be a full time writer.

Did you resemble any part of Abigail while you were in high school?No, ha ha! I was fairly popular. I was the outstanding student in my school, and also tops in extra-curricular activities. I was Editor of the school mag, and Vice-president of the swimming team. I was extremely popular.

Body snatching is a great premise. How did this idea germinate?It’s something I always wished I had! The ability to be anyone I choose!

Who was your high school celeb crush?Gosh, that was a long time ago. Hmmm, Keanu Reeves. (jeez, no wonder Jake kept ringing my bells

What is a typical writing day for you?I have a full time job, so I have to squeeze in writing during my lunch break, down time, and at home. But I write very fast.
Have you run across a character that refused to do as you envisioned?All the time! Ha ha. They have their own minds. And if I wanted them to do as I wish, my beta reader will head me off! (“That’s not how Abby would behave!”) 

Whose body would you REALLY like to inhabit?
I’m quite comfortable in my own, but I wouldn’t mind being Angelina Jolie for awhile!

What’s next on your writing horizon?As Artemis Hunt, I’m writing The Seven Keys, a YA psychological mystery that is meant for agent query. I have two other pen names, one of them is a bestselling erotica author on Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, Bookstrand and 1 Place for Romance! So I will have to constantly churn out erotica shorts and novellas.
1. Favorite movie that you would die if someone knew you liked?Oooooo, … Showgirls.

2. Favorite sappy love song?Celine Dion’s Because of You.
3. Perfect getaway?
A tropical spa!

4. Most pressing item on your bucket list?Be a successful writer in both platforms – traditional and indie.

5. Three things you would take to a desert island?My laptop, an internet connection, my Blackberry

6. Three people (alive or dead, real or fictional) that you would like to have over for dinner?


J K Rowling                 Stephen King                       Suzanne Collins


                       



And the MOST important question I ever ask anyone…..

DUKE or carolina?
Duke!

And the crowd goes wild!! YAY!

Kay Dee Royal Interview!

Kay Dee Royal Interview!

Welcome Artemis. I grabbed some info off your bio and would like to share…so everyone gets to know you a little better and because I love your bio (smile).

“Artemis Hunt has a husband who thinks all fiction is nonsense and all writers of fiction should get their heads checked for situational delusions. At any one time, they have 16 to 20 dogs, many of suspicious virtue.

Artemis frequently wishes she has telekinesis, so she doesn't have to lift a finger to change the room temperature. She's constantly glued to her computer, which serves as her gateway to her friends, books, movies, TV serials and sometimes husband, even though they're sitting on the same bed two feet apart.

Artemis writes under the name of A.R. Hunt for the adult thriller and suspense genre.”

Your bio makes me smile…especially the part about your husband…I have one of those kind too. (LOL)

Let’s get rolling on the interview – I have lots of questions…

KDR ~ Paranormal is my favorite genre, but mix it with humor and what a treasure! The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick has a twisty, unique concept/theme, leaping in and out of bodies (as per blurb). So, tell us how the idea for this little gem came to you, Artemis?

AH ~ It’s something I’ve always wanted to do myself, a superpower I think is completely cool! You know, like flying or shape-shifting. So I thought, why not write a book on someone who can?

KDR ~ Abby sounds like she had a lot of speed bumps in her life ~ tell us a bit about Abby. What drives her?

AH ~ I patterned her after a friend who hates her job and hates the way she looks. Abby is 6 feet tall, a total fashion disaster. In short, someone who would totally relish jumping into someone else’s beautiful body and know what it’s like to be gorgeous for once.

KDR ~ I absolutely love the concept of jumping from body to body…like trying them on for size, so to speak. LOL. Can you give us a reason for her frenemy? Who and why?

AH ~ You know some of the friends we make in life who are always putting us down and being with us just because they need someone to boast to? That’s Jenny, Abby’s best friend. Abby wants friends so badly that she knows that Jenny does this, and yet, she sticks with Jenny.

KDR ~ Hope Jenny appreciates Abby…at least a little. So who is Jake Carradoc?

AH ~ He’s a guy Abby has been in love with like forever. He came to her 8^th birthday party and vanished. He grew up, got rich and famous, and Abby has always been pining for him ever since. But she knows he’s unattainable.

KDR ~ Tell us about Jake and Abby’s first meeting (if you can).

AH ~ Aside the 8^th birthday party, she’s wearing someone else’s beautiful body. She’s fleeing from a man who recognizes what she is – a body snatcher. She hurtles across the road and a car hits her. It’s Jake’s Ferrari J

KDR ~ It’s a small world, after all *grins*

Is this a series and/or can you tell us about the project/s you’re currently working on?

AH ~ This is a series. I’m currently writing a YA psychological thriller called THE SEVEN KEYS. In between, I write erotica short stories under another pen name. Those are my current bestsellers.

KDR ~ Yay! It’s a series…so, looking forward to reading more of this paranormal romance comedy.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick?

AH ~ It has been optioned to be made into a movie. But that hasn’t seen the light of day yet.

KDR ~ Artemis, that’s wonderful news. Congratulations!

What has been the happiest moment in your writing career so far?

AH ~ People leaving me a 5 star review J Having bestsellers in Amazon’s category Top 100. Having bestsellers in All Romance Ebooks.

KDR ~ Another big CONGRATULATIONS!

What tip or bit of advice would you share with a fledgling paranormal author?

AH ~ Keep on writing. Don’t ever stop writing. Write a sequel. Write a third book. Don’t worry about sales. They will come, or they won’t for one book, but they may for another book.

KDR ~ Where can people find you? Website, blog, FB, Twitter, author page, buy page, etc.

I have a website at www.artemishunt.org , though I rely on my husband to update it and he doesn’t!

I have a blog which I update regularly. http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/

My Facebook page is Artemis Hunt.

My Twitter handle is ArtemisHunt1.

I don’t dare tell people my erotica pen name, though it’s a twist on Artemis Hunt.

What’s Your Favorite/Preference Quickie Quiz ~ Getting to know Artemis Hunt…

Beverage?

Ice cold Chocolate!

Writing Tool?

HP Elitebook.

Pet?

My Pomeranian.

Season?

Fall.

Time of Day/Night?

Night.

Fantasy/Paranormal Character? (ghost, witch, mermaid, shifter, vampire, etc.)

Witch.

Past time/Hobbie?

Writing!!!!

What place have you never been and always wanted to go? 

Machu Picchu, Peru.

Great review from I Wanna Sit Here and Read!

I Wanna Sit Here and Read

Today I have Artemis Hunt, author of The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, on the blog for a guest post. Also, my review of this hilarious book is below. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I want to talk about my journey as a romance writer.

I started writing at age 2. OK, I scribbled more than I actually wrote -- on those large pieces of white paper. I drew pictures, some naked. (OK, I was a mature 2-year-old). I wrote little stories on notebooks which I would leave around the house. I remember when I was 5 years old - I wrote this story called 'Nika and Carculli'. It was a romance. My father picked it up and started reading it aloud to my mother. I was mortified, because I was dealing with themes that were far more adult that my parents could stomach!

I screamed bloody murder and tore the story away from their prying eyes. Hee hee.

After years of writing freelance for newspapers and magazines, while holding down a full time job and taking several exams, I started writing fiction again in my 30s. I went the traditionally published way. The first stories I wrote were horror. (I know, very far from romance.) It was only around the time I wrote THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK that I started to dabble in the romance genre again. So there you have it - I must be scarred emotionally by my parents' discovery of my early maturity!

It was so easy to write BODY SNATCHER that I wrote it within a month. I revised it twice, and sent it off to agents. I remember a very huge agent asking for the manuscript only 15 minutes after I wrote the query! And I was so excited, because he said it was a great idea.

But BODY SNATCHER is chick lit, and ultimately, all my agent hopes fell through because they said "chick lit is the kiss of death" in the traditional world.

So I decided to pull the manuscript from the agents, and publish it independently. Here it is! I'm very grateful to have gotten stellar reviews for the book, and I'm so glad it made so many people laugh and cry.

That's what we all hope to do as a writer!

~Artemis Hunt

Review by Kate
THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK, by Artemis Hunt, is an amazingly fun and hilarious story about a woman who develops the ability to body jump. Abby hijacks other people's bodies having a great time until she realizes that her fun comes at a price for her old body. After meeting her dream man and celebrity crush, her choice to return to her hum-drum life becomes nearly impossible.

This book was a fabulous read. I loved Abby to death. She was never the 'pretty girl' and her life was nothing to write home about. But when given the chance, after a painful monkey bite, to live anyone's life Abby took her new gift to the next level. I loved reading Abby's thinking process. She is snarky and sarcastic which had me cracking up on every single page.

Hunt truly has a talent for understanding the human mind and creating anticipation for the reader. Abby knew she wasn't doing the right thing but she kept on going and going. I loved the scenes with her and Jake, but I always wondered what he was thinking. He and Abby both underwent huge character development in their short time together and Hunt wrapped up the book quite nicely. Definitely a must-read!!

Grave Tells interviews my character! FUN!

Grave Tells interview!

GraveTells (Ash): First of all, I have to say, I definitely enjoyed reading The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. It was surprisingly hilarious! Do you have a background in improv or comedy, by any chance? Or do you just tend to be the funniest person your circle of friends knows? Artemis Hunt: Thank you! I have been writing humorous articles for newspapers and magazines for 20 years. I can’t do improv comedy to save my life! GT: Abby gets her body snatching ability because she is descended from a mythological group of body snatchers, who have been around in secret for centuries. Do you have any plans to write another book featuring someone else who shares Abby’s ancestral heritage? AH: I have an entire book mapped out already It’s called THE SIX PEOPLE WHO WISHED ME DEAD. It’s about a murdered girl who hops into the bodies of people who have hated her when she was alive, and tries to solve which of them killed her. Yes, it’s a mystery GT: Of all the characters in The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, which one would you say you are the most like? AH: I don’t think I’m like any of them! I’m not Abby, because I would never allow myself to have no confidence and be in a rut in the first place. I’m not selfish like Jenny, or a Queen Bee like Julie. But I know people like that! GT: Can you remember when you were first inspired to write The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick? Was there a specific moment or incident which acted as the catalyst behind your decision to create this story? AH: It was a superpower I always longed to have. Since I was a kid. GT: If you were able to suddenly have Abby’s body snatching ability, would you want it, despite the potential chaos that might ensue? AH:Yes, I do! I’m going to fix world hunger! GT: Annie Watson, Abby’s mother, is probably my favorite character in this story. Did you base her on anyone in particular? AH: Yes I have a friend, a mother, who’s very fuddy duddy GT: Now Abby, let’s turn to you…obviously, becoming a body snatcher, realizing you even had the ability, was pretty shocking, initially. If you could do it all over again, would you still choose to remain in your coworker, Frank Patel’s body? Or do you think if you had a second chance, you’d stay in your own body this time around? Abby: If I had to do it all over again, I would stay in Frank’s body a little longer, go home and fix his domineering mother for him! And yes, meet his arranged marriage fiancee. GT: I know you, at one point, snatched the President’s body, right during one of his televised announcements (good job reading the teleprompter, by the way). Is there anyone else whose body you snatched, another famous person, perhaps, that you never told us about? Abby: I hinted at Paris Hilton, ha ha. But no, I’m saving the famous ones for another book GT: Which is more fun, snatching the body of a man or woman? What about young versus old? Abby: I think it’s more fun snatching someone completely opposite to what you are in real life. So yes, I would like trying to be an older man…..like the President, for example GT: How were you even able to snatch the body of that kitten anyway? Are you able to eat tuna these days without cringing? I know you didn’t enjoy being a cat, at all, but would you ever be tempted to snatch the body of a larger animal, such as a dog, or maybe an elephant? Abby: No, no, I hated it! But it was an experience. At least it wasn’t the body of a chicken GT: Did Jenny ever figure out the truth of what happened at her high school reunion? Do the two of you talk anymore these days? Abby: No, she doesn’t know! And she never talked to me again. It’s bittersweet, sniff. GT: Since becoming a body snatcher and realizing you had that ability, have you done any research to see if any other family members might also have that ability? Do you think your future children, should you have any, will be able to body snatch like you? Abby: Gosh, it never occurred to me to do that because I thought it was all due to that infected monkey. But yeah….I really should do some research! GT: Thank you both so very much for your time today, ladies!

Great review from Grave Tells!

Grave Tells review!

The idea of suddenly being thrown out of your body and into another person’s would seem an entirely terrifying prospect to most people, but to Abby Watson, she sees it as the chance of a lifetime. Once she recovers from her initial shock and fear about the whole thing, of course. After all, her own body is less than desirable, or even comfortable to reside in, and in her opinion, any other body is preferable. Besides, she’s kind of in a coma, and possibly infected with H6N12, so when she finds herself inside Frank Patel’s body, her geeky coworker at the lab, Abby sees the entire situation as a way to escape her frumpy and mundane life. It’s not like her physical body is going anywhere while it’s in a coma in the hospital, and Frank’s body has, well, different and novel appendages to explore.
While adjusting to the weirdness of being in a man’s body, Abby/Frank bumps into her best friend, Jenny, at the hospital. It is then and only then that Abby realizes how horrifically selfish Jenny has always been and how uninterested she has always been in any of Abby’s problems. It’s not hard for her to decide to snatch Jenny’s body, take it to their high school reunion, and ruin Jenny’s reputation amongst their former classmates forever. And when she’s at the reunion as Jenny, Abby bumps into the fabulously rich and snotty Julie Garwood, and, naturally, decides to snatch her body next.
Abby hops from body to body until she finally is able to meet Jake Carradoc, this time in the body of a foreign backpacker that she doesn’t even know the name of. All she knows is that her current borrowed body is gorgeous, athletic, and has been hit by Jake’s car. Jake, feeling extremely guilty, as you would expect, offers to let Abby stay in his fancy Hollywood bachelor pad, especially since she apparently has a horrible case of amnesia. I won’t tell you what happens next, but it’s basically pretty sexy. And complicated. But really sexy. Eventually, Abby has to decide what to do with her body snatching ability, whether it’s right to kidnap these other bodies. What happens to their soul? What happens to her own body while she’s away from it for so long? Is there a way to snatch someone else’s body forever? And if she does return to her own body, what will happen between her and Jake?
I enjoyed reading The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. It was fast, it was funny, and it was deliciously sexy. Abby is very, very funny; her inner thoughts and even her dialogue with the other characters remains consistently hilarious, which helps you stay connected with her throughout each body snatch. Her mother, Annie Watson, is also totally ridiculous, and, therefore, fun to read about. She’s addicted to twitter and tells embarrassing and extremely personal stories about Abby to everyone and anyone. Generally, she’s just a mess. There are so many hilarious moments in The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, that it’s hard to pick only one. I think that overall, the best scene was when Abby is in Jenny’s body at their high school reunion. I won’t tell you all that happens, but I will say that it involves a gigolo and a badly torn dress.
The biggest problem I had with the story is the waffling Abby does about keeping her borrowed body or not. On one hand, it seems like she’s going to make the right choice and return to her own body; this is what you want her to do, as it’s the morally correct choice. Not only is it wrong to steal another person’s body indefinitely, but there are other factors she has to consider, like her mother’s worry, the fact that she’s living a lie, and the emotions of Helen, Jake’s oldest friend, and Davina, her daughter. But then, after you’ve accepted the fact that Abby is going to return, she actually doesn’t. She remains in her borrowed body and it isn’t until she’s left with almost no other options does she decide what she wants to do with her body snatching ability. It’s not that her decision is a bad one (because either choice is fun and exciting), but by waffling for so very long, Abby comes off as a little uncaring. I would have preferred to see Abby being more decisive toward the end of the book because I think this would have helped mark her transition from a totally selfless doormat to an empowered and adventurous woman. Again, it’s not that the resolution, or the period leading up to the resolution is bad, but it could have been a bit better, a bit more defining for Abby.
Memorable quotes:
Jake Carradoc has the absolute worst taste in picking film roles…

“He’s now starring in that new police musical show on TV, the one in which the policemen are members of a glee club and burst into song every time they catch a criminal. OK, I don’t think it will last past a couple of episodes either, but he plays the very troubled teen son of a policewoman who actually was a man but has since undergone sex change surgery in Singapore. I know. If I had a Mom like that, I’d be traumatized too.”

Abby definitely lacks courage…

Yeah, yeah, I know I’m a coward of the “Let’s surrender Sparta to the Persians because we don’t want to die at Thermopylae” magnitude, but I need to pay my rent.

Don’t fall in love with Jake. He’s not like Twilight…

“So my advice to you is – never fall in love with him. Even if you feel yourself falling, you’ve got to drag yourself out of it. Nothing good will come out of it, he’s bad news. He’d only hurt you. Plenty of people have fallen in love with him, you know, women and men alike – and look at them, they’re miserable. He never reciprocates. He’s the total opposite of Twilight.”
“I won’t fall in love with him,” I promise.
Lust maybe. Lust is good.
“Good.” Davina seems satisfied. “He’s great dad material, but nobody should have him for a boyfriend even if he were the last person on a dystopian Earth left without camels or little green aliens.”

Body snatching = Order of the British Empire?

“I’m in one of those OBEs I’ve seen on the Discovery Channel. OBE = Out of Body Experience. (Then again, it can mean Order of the British Empire.) I’m floating around in my own death experience like Patrick Swayze in Ghost, doomed to wander around eternally until I find my axe murderer, or Demi Moore.”

 If you liked The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick, you might also enjoy Touch the Dark by Karen Chance (book #1 in the Cassandra Palmer series). Like Abby, Cassandra has the ability to possess other people’s bodies and leave her own behind. Cassie is more of a badass chicka compared to Abby, and she also needs to deal with ghosts, vampires, and the fact that her body can die if there isn’t some sort of spirit possessing it. Whereas Abby’s body, when she’s out snatching other people’s, doesn’t automatically die because it’s an empty vessel. Both books, however, feature absolutely gorgeous men for the heroines to seduce/fall in love with, and the sex scenes aren’t bad either…wink wink!

Final thoughts:

I would definitely recommend The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick if you’re interested in a glamorous, ridiculous, hilarious, and sexy paranormal book to read. Abby snatches bodies all over Los Angeles, usually rich ones, and wreaks havoc upon the lives of each borrowed person. This story is about finding true love and stopping at nothing to get it. It’s about being with the man of your dreams and using subterfuge to get there. Oh, and a pretty freaky body snatching ability. Because if you could hop into another person’s body, anyone in the world, would you say no? I know I wouldn’t.
The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick is a GraveTells recommended read!

Rating:

Great review from The Ramblings of Amy!

Amy's review!

My Take:

Abby is a wonderful character whose bodysnatching experiences will make you wish you could do the same (hey, who wouldn't want to step into your nemesis' Size 6 body and eat her way to obesity! HA!) The book, however, goes beyond surface fun. Ultimately, Abby must make a decision between desire and righteousness. It's not an easy one and Ms. Hunt plays it out beautifully with plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Like her previous book, this one, too, explores the theme of accepting ones self and finding beauty inside. 

Jake is to die for and Helen, the book's love-to-hate character turns out to be surprisingly three dimensional. I loved Abby and rooted for her to get Jake. I also really liked the way Ms. Hunt made Abby examine her moral compass. There's a lot of emotional tension in this story along with the humor. This is a fast and fun read, and all in all, I definitely recommend this one for a read or two!

Snow White and The Huntsman trailer is gorgeous!

...but why is almost all Charlize Theron?

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN TRAILER

I mean.....whatever happened to Kristen Stewart? She only appears, like, for two seconds. What gives?

Mama Knows Books guest blog!

http://mamaknowsbooks.blogspot.com/2011/11/body-snatcher-wears-lipstick-book-tour.html

The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick Book Tour

"Wow, your sex scene is hot, hot, hot!" my friend emailed me when she read Chapter Too-Hot-For-The-Page of my book, THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK.

I was really pleased.

"Nah, you don't say," I attempted a bashful grin. I was always concerned about my sex scenes, you see. Real sex is always kind of messy, and not as bodice-ripping as the books we read and write would have you believe.

"But no," my friend emailed back, "I was really squirming when I read it. Especially the part in which she catches Jake with the handcuffs...."

Oh, I shouldn't give it away.

When I was writing that sex scene, I was envisioning it step by step . . . or maybe I should say, caress by caress. Writing sex scenes is difficult, because you so have to be absolutely embroiled in them. I have another pen name under which I write erotica, and I have to tell you . . . I'm sometimes up at nights envisioning those scenes, getting all hot under my pajama collar.

THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK is not erotica, so no worries for those who are not ready for that! But it does contain plenty of scenes that would hopefully get you hot under the collar...and sheets.

Enjoy!
ARTEMIS HUNT

The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick

By Artemis Hunt

Genre: Romantic Comedy with Paranormal Elements

Word Count: Approximately 83,000

My guest blog at Living Life Thru Books!

http://dream-wish-live.blogspot.com/2011/11/guest-author-artemis-hunt.html

Hey fellow readers, today I have the pleasure to have guest author, Artemis Hunt to talk about her latest novel, The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick. Here's more with Artemis and her views on the novel...

I wrote THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK in a month. It just flowed out of me - the story, the words, the downtrodden office beaver Abby Watson is. PLUS a major wish fulfilment and a superpower I've always wanted: the ability to jump into other people's bodies.

The novel is about someone who wishes she were someone else, because it's a wish many of us can sometimes identify with. I certainly have wished I was prettier, and stronger, and smarter. And at many times, I wished I could have been my friend who just landed a $100,000 book deal, or my friend who started his own hospital group and is now going for ski holidays in Aspen, or my classmate who started a chain of pharmacies and is now rolling all the way to the bank.

I've even wished that I was that so-and-so female celeb, so that I can be with the so-and-so male celeb!

This is exactly what THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK is all about. But what causes us to want to be someone else? Insecurity? Being uncomfortable in one's one skin? I suspect the psychoanalysis would make a whole book by itself!

But meanwhile, I wrote my own wish fulfilment out in story form as my personal escapism.

What's your form of escapism?

My guest blog at For the Love of Reading

http://niinas-reading-and-reviewing.blogspot.com/2011/11/whats-appeal-of-being-someone-else-in.html

WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF BEING SOMEONE ELSE IN A STORY?

I don't know about most authors and readers, but when I write and read, I transform. I shapeshift. That's right, I really do . . . in my mind!

When I'm immersed in a book, I'm the main character. I'm the lovelorn vampire torn by his desire for a mortal woman. I'm the sleuth tasked with solving the mystery of the gruesome murders at Rue Morgue. This happens especially when I write . . . I become my main character.

And this is exactly what happened when I wrote 'The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick'. I became my main character - a six foot tall biochemist with a dead-end job, a boss from Dante's Ninth Hell and no boyfriend in sight of her -10 Diopter glasses (because contact lenses give her Pseudomonas.) Like my main character, I yearned to break free of my mould, so to speak.

When Abby Watson, my main character, acquires strange new powers that allow her to hop into other bodies, she does so. And heck, what would YOU do? Hop into that 36DD bod you've been eyeing at the beach and wishing you had that tan? What about hopping into the body of the cheerleader who made your life hell in high school?

Or what about hopping into the body of your male colleague....who happens to be gay? And why not go for the ultimate . . . that handsome movie star you've always had a crush on? With your newfound powers, can you do it? And is there a penalty for snatching someone else's life?

Wish fulfilment aside, this is a story about being not comfortable in your own skin, and therefore wishing you were prettier, stronger, thinner, smarter, luckier . . . anyone but yourself. If you've ever been in that situation, then you might understand. But that's exactly why we read stories and go to the movies. We want escapism from our daily lives. And if we can be someone else for a few hours, or however long it takes you to read a book, then we can ourselves transformed just like those main characters whose lives we want to emulate. The ones who can be better, more confident, more goal-orientated, more courageous, and who can actually reach for the stars in addition to that handsome bodice-ripping hunk with a six-pack to die for.

Yes, there's plenty of appeal in being someone else in a story indeed!

Got a great review from Lisa's World of Books!

Lisa's World of Books

THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK

My Thoughts:
This book was so funny and at the same time it could make me cry in places too.  I love this in a book!   Abby is a great character that has these amazing body snatching experiences, really it makes you wish that you could jump into the body of those people you always wish you could be either to just experience life in their shoes or well make their life really difficult for them.  I was expecting the book to just be fun and games but it really was much more than that.   A really a decision that is not an easy on to make and so many people have to make in life, either go with your desires or do what is really and truly right.  And the great character continue past Abby into great dimension from both Jake and Helen.  Ms. Hunt does a great job with the balance in this book and provides an outstanding chick lit story that makes you want more. Not only do you want more story but the adult scenes will bring you back for more just on their own.

My guest blog at COCKTAILS AND BOOKS!

Cocktails and Books

WANTING TO BE BEAUTIFULHave you ever been in a position to desperately want this? I have. In my senior year, I was crazy about this gorgeous guy in my school and I wanted him to ask me to a tea dance. He was dishy in every way - I mean, the guy can be an actor, easy. But me? I wasn't so crazy about my own looks. Why would a guy that hunky want to go to a dance with little ole me, right?

(In the end, he did! But that's because I asked him! Bravo for me!)

That's the theme of my book, THE BODY SNATCHER WEARS LIPSTICK. It's about a dumpy Everygirl who wants everything she never had - a hot, thin body, a spectacular job, a handsome guy to have and to hold. The only thing she has holding her back (she believes) is the way she looks . . . which leads to confidence issues . . . and the fact she has never taken hold of her own life.

But when something paranormal happens to her, she develops the ability to jump into other people's bodies. So if you have been below average-looking all your life, what do you immediately crave? Everything you've never had, right?

This is the story of Abby Watson, who transformed from Zero to Gorgeous 36DD push-ups overnight, and her mission to get the one man she has been seeking all her life (but never dared because he was seemingly unattainable) . . . the ultra-handsome and extremely famous half-billionaire, Jake Carradoc. It's a very sexy romp about life, love, sex and a theme that has plagued almost every woman now and then - AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

Do find out if Abby Watson is good enough!