A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin; 360 Guy Books

Within a year after Johnny's move to Los Angeles, he implored Henry Bushkin to join him in Hollywood. Together they carved out Henry's job description: lawyer, agent, manager, and tennis partner. For Johnny, it was more important that Bushkin be there rather than have any job or set of issues to deal with. Other than being Johnny's lawyer, of course. His job was to protect him. There was no definition other than that.

Some friends have said that the introverted Carson simply found someone who understands better than most what made him tick. Bushkin was part of a Hollywood tradition- lawyer-confidant. Bushkin and Carson then became partners, and it enabled the lawyer to gain great stature and the ability to step beyond the normal protocols of entertainment lawyers.

But after almost two decades of great success the relationship ended. It had run its course. And A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW shares with its readers the rollicking years when Carson and Bushkin shared great times together.

MY REVIEW

Every since I was in high school I have been fascinated with the psychology of Human behavior. WHY people do and say the things they do. What makes them tick. What could make them better? I definitely wanted to pursue the career, although it never happened.

More than just learning the psychology of behavior and the mind of normal people, I have always been intrigued with the rich and famous. They can't be classified with normal people because they don't have the limits that we do whether it be money, vacations, or expansive houses.

Normal people become depressed because they don't have enough money to buy the house they want, pay their car payment, or be able to stand financially on their own two feet after a lay-off.

Most of the problems that the rich have, have absolutely NOTHING to do with money. In this book we see both the bad and good sides of Johnny Carson. We see that he could be absolutely fine one moment, and then explode the next.

He drank a LOT, womanized all the time, and turned down 2 million dollars each year for only 2 days of modeling suits.. How crazy is that? Most people would jump at the chance to model for 2 days for $2 million dollars. That would be a dream come true.

Also most normal people would love to own their own movie producing studio, but Johnny didn't really need the money and didn't want to make the effort on his part. Sure- he gave money to those who needed it around him, but why turn down a chance to own something so significant?

I really liked this book. Because the author was Johnny Carson's right hand man we get to see a side of him that nobody else could have written. Henry Bushkin ended up being much MUCH more than just a lawyer to Johnny. He was basically his companion, his mess cleaner-upper, and his friend.

Henry never seen himself as Johnny's friend until Johnny himself said it, but that's exactly what it was. He tells some very interesting stories about their friendship, their vacations, and just normal days in the life of Johnny Carson.

We see him go through 4 wives and have 2 sons, all of which he could never outright give affection to. We see him love his father, and until the day she died- try and impress his mother. He was and still is the most successful Tonight Show host and she still never paid him a compliment to tell him how proud she was of him.

This is the "barrier" behind Johnny Carson's "ticks", He could never truly accept compliments from anyone because the compliment he wanted most- he never received. His problems stemmed from his cold-hearted mother.

I love looking in the past- always have. Although Johnny was hosting the Tonight show before my mom was even born (almost) I still knew who he was (who doesn't?). This book doesn't only contain insights about the famous Mr. Carson, but it also has some on some of the most famous people during the era's of 60's-80's.

My favorite movie when I was little was "The Wizard of Oz" and I loved that Henry mentioned that Judy Garland always had to be hypnotized before she went on stage.. I never knew that. He also mentions plenty of other celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and others.

This isn't just some other tell all book. It actually took me back to the places and the times that he describes and made me feel like I was sitting in the room with them. Watching them drink expensive alcohol and carry on while Johnny Carson told jokes at their table.

I could actually see Johnny pitching a fit when he had to wait 10-15 minutes on their boat.. I could SEE all of this because of the way the writer describes everything. I would have loved to been a fly on the wall.

This book isn't a biography per se but it shows most things that biographies don't. This is like reading someone's journal from back then..

I really liked it..!!

If you would like to read it (WHICH you should) It's a very interesting book.. You can preorder the book A Hard Act to Follow.

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: The Hungry Freelancer- How to Break into the World of Freelancing

If you've ever dreamed of being a writer but don't know how to get started, this book is for you.

The Hungry Freelancer: How to Break Into (and Succeed In) the World of Freelance Writing walks you through, step-by-step, the process of becoming a freelance writer. You don't need a college degree or years of experience to succeed as a writer, and this book shows you how.
This book is amazing. It isn’t some long dialogued book that gives you a million examples of what to do. No matter what path you have taken with your writing. WHERE you want to be is something else all together. If you want to make money doing what you love (writing)—then I suggest you buy this book.
There are mistakes we all make as writers. The best thing to do is learn from these mistakes and try to avoid them. If we sit and ponder for days on what could have been better about that assignment we turned in- we would never actually get any other work done.
The best way to become a better writer is by reading and practicing your writing. If you can read a poem, a novel, a non-fiction and go through and choose what worked with these books and what could have made them better- when YOU start writing, you’ll already have some answers for yourself.
The author has been a freelancer for 7 years, so she knows what paths are best taken, and which should be avoided completely. I LOVE writing. It has been my passion since I was a very young child. When I started reading, I was always seen with a book.
When I got older and realized that making money from writing shouldn’t be TOO difficult, I started looking into different ways. If you start out completely blind- of course, you will run into dead ends. The best way to take this path is in someone else’s footsteps. NO I’m not saying follow her exact footsteps- of course you can switch it up and do it as you wish- but having a guideline and outline for beginning is always helpful.
The author gives great information on areas such as:
*Your necessary skills as a story teller.

*Where to begin if you're not sure.

*Making a living as a writer.
*What websites are best to start picking up work.

This isn’t a book with “fluffNstff” which is what I call a book that has an author who sugarcoats everything. She tells and explains that there isn’t a way that you are going to be making the big bucks at first.
You have to start out slowly and make your way forward. Which is with all careers. You aren’t going to go to Hollywood and become an actor or actress overnight- the same said with writing. You aren’t going to write an article and get paid thousands for it. BUT if you LOVE writing and can endure writing daily for 7-8 hours a day you could possibly make it.

Writing isn’t an escape to do whatever you want everyday. If you want to be a writer YOU HAVE to write. You can’t babysit during the day or go to the park with your dog. You have to fulfill the commitment of writing if you want to actually make money.

I am definitely going to use this book to my advantage, there are some amazing tips that only a freelance writer knows. I am going to break into the freelance writing world YOU WILL SEE!
You can buy this on amazon (for your kindle OR Kindle Cloud) for only $4.99

Check out her BLOG, it also has some amazing tips! Don't forget to follow!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Fit Moms for Life Book Review & Giveaway

Although I was fortunate enough to not gain any baby weight with my kids, I do find myself deprived of energy most of the time. Being fit doesn’t just mean losing weight. If you are underweight, not eating right, or don’t exercise well.. this book could very well be for you also. It’s all about being a more healthy mom for YOURSELF as well as your KIDS. They deserve to have a mom who is interactive and the best you can be.

I have always been thin. I know that most people think I am ridiculous for wanting to gain weight, but I’ve felt self-esteem issues just like someone who want’s to lose it. I’m not anorexic or anything, just wanted to feel HEALTHY. Eating right and exercising daily has a lot to do with this.

This book is authored specifically for mothers. Those who put their needs on the back burner while taking care of their family. Being in a peaceful and determined mindset is what it is all about, and that’s what Dustin Gives you.

SMART goals, which stands for “Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timed. Having goals that are realistic and times are better for your health, mind, and actually reaching those goals. The book even has space for you to write the goals that you hope to reach so you can look back and say WOW.

Eating right is fully covered in this book with added healthy recipes that I intend to make. There are also a set of rules that every mom should abide by if they wish to see results. (NO cheating =P )

This book isn’t about magic tricks or quick fixes to burn off pounds. You aren’t taking some enhanced energy medicine that will leave you crazy and light headed within the first hour. This isn’t some trick just to get you to buy the book. There are stories from women from all walks of life who have already been through this, and have some amazing stories to tell.

I love it, and will be referring this to my mom and a few others in my life who I have seen struggle with their weight and exercising daily. When you have a plan with reachable goals, there isn’t failure.

 

**BUY IT**

You can purchase Fit Moms for Life on the book’s website.

 

About:

Fit Moms for Life: How to Have Endless Energy to Outplay your Kids ~

Fit Moms for Life is perfect for Mothers (and women in general) who want a fitness program that works. Dustin Maher says:

• Traditional Cardio Doesn’t Lose Fat
• You Can’t Work Out to Compensate for Poor Eating
• See Results 9 Times Faster With Burst Training
• Learn ONE Exercise That Shrinks a Waistline WITHOUT diet changes
• Burn Fat While You Sleep
• A Healthy Environment Equals A More Fit Family

Dustin’s inspiration to help moms comes from his nurturing upbringing and continued close relationship with his own mom. Dustin has helped thousands of women get in amazing shape all over the US and the world. He has been on TV close to 100 times and has been in many magazines, newspapers, radio shows, has over 250 YouTube videos, and over 450 articles and videos on his website. His website Alexa ranking around 300K and he has an email list of 7000K. Dustin is also hosting his own Fit Moms for Life talk radio show at http://webtalkradio.net/shows/fit-moms-for-life.

To learn more, please checkout Dustin’s website at www.DustinMaherFitness.com.

 

WIN IT:  One lucky US winner will win their own copy of Fit Moms for Life!

This will be part of my Bday Bash that will go live on the 13th.

So look for it. =)

Disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% mine. I did receive products in exchange for an honest review.

 

Jessica

 

She’s Gone Country {Book Review}

No one ever said going home would be easy...

A former model leading a charmed life in New York City, Shey Darcy was shocked when her handsome photographer husband announced he’d fallen in love with someone else. Left to pick up the pieces of her once happy world, Shey decides to move back to Texas with her three teenage sons. But life on the family ranch brings a new host of dramas, starting with differences of opinion with her staunch Southern Baptist mother and rugged but overprotective brothers, and ending with daily battles with her three sons, who are also struggling to find themselves. Add to the mix Shey’s ex-crush, Dane Kelly, a national bull-riding champ, and she’s got her hands full. It’s not long before Shey realizes that to reinvent herself she must let go of a broken past and an uncertain future, if she is to find happiness- and maybe love- in the present.

My Review

This book has captivated me drawn me in and didn’t let go. It’s such a well written book that you can’t help but get lost in it.

It’s such an inspiring novel, Shey Darcy returning to her Texas lifestyle with three teenage sons after her 17 year marriage falls apart when her husband decides he is ready to come out of the closet.

It’s hard for her because she never knew or even had the slightest clue that he might be gay. She can’t hate him because they did have a good marriage and he was her best friend. She wishes that it HAD been another woman that he had chosen, so she could AT LEAST be mad at that. But she’s left to wonder how he could feel this way after being married to her and having 3 sons.

Throw in three teenage boys who are also fighting within themselves to discover who they are and where they belong in a little town in the boondocks after going to prestigious schools in New York. One son battling depression and being bullied at school. Another son wanting to become a bull rider, after knowing his father doesn’t approve. Shey is fighting to give her kids what is best for them and what makes them happy.

Shey’s Mother is overbearing and is always asking her if she is going to church. She is a busy-body and thinks that Shey desperately needs help raising her boys and if she doesn’t get a grip on things and makes her mom think she’s having a great time, her mom just might move in with her and cause more problems.

Shey’s older brothers Brick and Blue are overprotective and think they know what’s best for her, but it’s best for her if she breaks the spell and tells them that she doesn’t need to be treated like the little sister any longer.

And then also throw in Dane Kelley who is Sheys’ ex-flame. The ever so handsome bull riding ex best friend of her brother who she has adored since she could walk. The charisma and familiarity of his gaze gets her every time.

She is fighting all this and still remains humble to her past. She is battling this mixed up life and trying to stay strong and sane so that her mother doesn’t up and move in with her and so her brothers will stop thinking she needs to be bailed out everytime one of her sons has a problem or issue.

I love this book and will definitely read more of Jane Porter’s books. She is mystical, magical, and brilliant with her wording. She has created a page turner that keeps you interested and wanting to know more. I couldn’t put it down. I definitely think this is one of the best books I have read all year.

I would definitely recommend this book to you guys, it isn’t and won’t be a disappointment.

♥Jess 

She’s Gone Country was written by Jane Porter.

About Jane Porter:

“I’m a mom and a writer, in that order. I love being a mother, too, particularly a mother of sons, as it’s made me look at men differently. I’ve always been drawn to strong men-the classic alpha hero-but the process of turning little boys into men is bittersweet and sometimes downright painful.

Men enter this world as babies-helpless infants, gorgeous infants- and mothers dote on their babies, kissing and cuddling and cradling. Our beloved babies become toddlers and the toddlers become boys and with each new phase and stage, our boys learn new life lessons. Hard life lessons. Lessons about what being male means and how real boys don’t cry and aren’t sensitive and don’t go running to mommy for comfort.

I’ve watched the confusion in my boys’ faces as they’ve been told to 'suck it up" and “take it” and “deal with it.” I’ve seen their expressions as they glance at me and then turn away, having finally internalized that they cannot continue to come to me. To become a man they must break away. Must shoulder life and responsibility and pain on their own.

“And now I have a new baby, a third son, and we start the process all over again even as my oldest son enters his sophomore year of high school and my middle son begins middle school.”

“It’s a tricky thing being a mother, a series of balancing acts and risks and challenges, but it’s also the best and greatest thing I’ve ever done. Not every woman needs to be a mother. Not every woman should be a mother. But I wouldn’t be me without my boys.

My favorite author when I was growing up was Louisa May Alcott and my favorite Alcott novels were Little Men and Jo’s Boys-novels about raising boys. My mother said I was destined to be a mother of boys, and she was right. My boys are my heart. They own it completely even as they wrestle and tussle their way into adulthood.

I realize now it was inevitable that I’d write a novel about raising boys, and I loved Shey’s busy, complicated life made even more challenging due to her three sons, three brothers, and first love, Dane Kelly. But strong Texas men aren’t fictional. My grandfather was a Texan, a cattleman, and a very handsome man. He died the year I was born but his portrait dominated my grandmother’s family room as did the paintings of the ranches he once owned. After he died my grandmother sold off the cattle and two of the three ranches but kept his favorite, the one closest to where we all lived. Growing up, I spent every Easter on that ranch, and during Easter week we rode horses, played in the corral, picked wildflowers, and generally ran wild.

I love that my family raised me to love the land and fields and big sky. I love that they gave me confidence and taught me courage and pushed me to succeed. And maybe that’s what’s important. Not that we have boys or girls, but that we make sure we raise confident children who aren’t afraid to take risks and are encouraged to dream.”

♥Jane

D Jane on Twitter, myspace,

and her website...

Love Jess