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Hayley and the Hot Flashes
by Jayne Jaudon Ferrer
Novel ~ 294 pages
Price: $17.99
Publisher: Small Town Girl Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-7378411-5-9
To Order: https://bookshop.org/
& Amazon
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Once upon a time, Hayley Swift was the queen of country music. But now, at 53, with no hit songs in a long time, she’s desperate enough to sign on as the opening act for Cal Taylor’s “Retro Rodeo” tour of the South. When a car accident puts her back-up singers out of commission, the four friends she sang with in high school come to Hayley's rescue. They’re such a hit that she invites the women to fill in on a low-budget tour for a couple of weeks while her singers recover. As “The Girls Next Door” become “Hayley and the Hot Flashes” and hit the road, awkward flirtations, equipment malfunctions, and a few nasty cat-fights combine to wreak havoc, but it’s a crazed stalker, an overzealous fan, and unexpected health issues that ultimately derail the tour. In the midst of the mayhem, the women come together to discover new strengths and aspirations, and true love. While there's a lot of laughter and fun involved, the story also touches on some serious subjects: menopausal issues and treatments, work/life balance, and the importance of attitude versus age.
ADVANCE PRAISE:
When my wife finished reading Jayne Jaudon Ferrer’s, Hayley and the Hot Flashes, she brought it to me with excitement in her voice. Thrusting the book into my hands she said, “This sounds so much like me and so many other women who want to accomplish something in the later years of life. Nothing is worse than feeling that your best years are in the distant past … that it is time to roll up the carpet as they say. This book made me feel good. Every woman, and not a few men, should read it.”
–Michael Escoubas, author of Ripples Into the Light a collection of photopoetry with Van-dana Bajikar.
“… a charming and heartwarming book about music, love, and friendships. I especially loved the southern access and expressions …
The women in this book will show you that age is just a number, and it’s never too late to go after what you want.”
–OnlineBookClub.org
Notes from enthusiastic readers:
“… the kind of fiction that movies are made of–the kind starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey.”
“… fast-paced, funny, light-hearted, even has a rotten apple, all the while dealing with some serious subjects by an author that knows how to write.”
“… Funny, poignant and delightfully written–perfect escapism for a weekend getaway!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jayne Jaudon Ferrer wrote her first story at age six and never looked back. The author of seven books, her work has appeared in publications ranging from Boca Raton Magazine to Christian Parenting Today, and she is the founder and host of YourDailyPoem.com, a website designed to share the pleasure and diversity of poetry with those who are skeptical. A cousin of Mel and Pam Tillis, Jayne worked as a stringer for The Tampa Tribune while she was still in high school, interviewing such luminaries as Kenny Rogers, Jerry Reed, Ray Stevens and, of course, Mel. As a freelancer, she has scripted everything from nuclear power plant videos to beauty pageants and, career wise, has worked as a magazine editor, creative director, newspaper columnist, and copywriter. Jayne lives in Greenville, South Carolina and, when she’s not writing, enjoys gardening, hiking, and watching old movies.
FROM THE BOOK:
The day after Labor Day, The Girls Next Door–now officially billed as Hayley and the Hot Flashes—crowded into a faded red leatherette booth at the Dairy Dip. Hunkered down over Gene’s legendary banana splits, they traded tales of the frantic two days past and assessed their first “professional” gig at the Basket-Flower Festival the night before.
“Who knew Backup Singer 101 would be so grueling?” Amanda groaned. “My feet still hurt from all those encores last night.”
C.J. rolled her eyes. “You know you’d have stayed on that stage all night, as long as the crowd kept cheering. Could you believe it was standing room only?”
“I still can’t believe your manager wants us to fill in for the entire tour,” said Sue. “What did he say when he called you last night?”
“He said the doctor said there’s no way the girls could be in shape for a road trip in two weeks, and a 2-month tour was totally out of the question so, based on what Jack told him about how things went Friday night at the reunion and last night at the festival, he’s going to send y’all a contract. But he said to be sure and tell you you don’t know what you’re getting into!” She looked each of her friends in the eye, one by one. “He’s right; I’ve been doing this so long I forget how hard life is on a tour bus—being in a different town every night, washing your hair in a shower the size of a phone booth …”
“Not turning on a stove or a dishwasher for two months … or hearing the word ‘MOM!’ two hundred times a day … oh, the horror!” vamped Amanda, flinging her hand against her forehead in a melodramatic pose. “I don’t know if we can stand it!”
Hayley chuckled. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. And if you have any doubts about this, tell me now. Y’all are saving my neck here–Tipsy’s, too …”
“Parker, how do you keep that boyish figure?” Amanda challenged as Keith Parker rounded the corner beside the cash register, a towering container of chili cheese fries in his hands. “That’s the third batch of those artery cloggers I’ve seen you eat in the last hundred hours!”
“Fourth, but who’s counting? What are you girls up to?”
“Planning our new career as harmony divas!” said Amanda. “The doctor for Hayley’s backup singers said no way can they do her tour, so, look out, world, here we come!”
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