Tune In Tomorrow, by Randee Dawn
18 Dec 2024The Book
Synopsis:
A funny, thrilling and mysterious adventure into the world of alternate reality television... Perfect for fans of Jasper Fforde and Christopher Moore.
She’s just a small town girl, with mythic-sized dreams.
Starr Weatherby came to New York to become… well, a star. But after ten years and no luck, she’s offered a big role – on a show no one has ever heard of. And there’s a reason for that. It’s a "reality" show beyond the Veil, human drama, performed for the entertainment of the Fae.
But as Starr shifts from astounded newcomer to rising fan favorite, she learns about the show’s dark underbelly – and mysterious disappearance of her predecessor. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her dream job – though she might just bring down the show in the process.
My Review
Tune In Tomorrow is a humorous fantasy novel, written by Randee Dawn, and published by Solaris Books. A comedic proposal that plays to its strengths on using a fantasy soap opera setting to create a story about surviving the office politics and the mean girl worlds, giving us a heartwarming adventure.
Starr Weatherby, a waitress that aspires to become a star, is having trouble landing a role; that's until she has the weirdest encounter on her job, which ends with her being cast for the longest-running reality show Tune In Tomorrow. Even if she hasn't heard about it, an opportunity is an opportunity; and this one takes her through the Veil, joining a world of mythical creatures and a cast of humans that perform a "reality drama" to keep the ratings high. And attached to this world, it comes satisfying executives, fighting with other actors for better roles and getting along with the fans; an aspect that Starr will need to smoothly surf if she wants to continue living her dream.
Drawing a parallel to what we can see in reality shows, Dawn paints a Starr that needs to be the best of herself to continue in the show; there's space for the naivety of a new girl, but with the experience, she will learn how to deal with the rest of the cast. We have a delicious character, full of nuances, a lead for whose success we can cheer.
The rest of the character cast is, let's say, eclectic. From the star actress to the executives, including the great (this might be a pun) security ward, all have something to be remembered, while they don't eclipse the light that comes from Starr.
Randee Dawn manages to weave an excellent story using fantasy elements to depict a competitive world as it is television; there is space for funny and heartwarming moments, but never losing the focus on Starr. While I personally I felt the pace to be rather slow for my taste, I firmly think this is a "me" problem.
Tune In Tomorrow is a great novel woven around fantasy and soap opera, a funny and cozy proposal that it's perfect if you are looking to pass a great time while having some laughs. I kinda want to see if Starr's story continues, and to see if our "reality" show has more storylines for us!
The Author/s
Randee Dawn
I’m a Brooklyn-based author and journalist focusing on speculative fiction across the categories (science-fiction, fantasy and horror) at night, while writing entertainment and lifestyle stories during the day for publications including Today.com, NBCNews.com, Variety, The Los Angeles Times and Emmy Magazine.
You may have seen my name in other publications over the years, including Soap Opera Digest and The Boston Phoenix, E! Online, New Musical Express and Mojo. I contributed to a French book about American television, Les Series Tele and co-authored (with Susan Green) The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion.
I’ve got a fair amount of short fiction in anthologies, and authored the short story/poetry compilation Home for the Holidays. I’m currently represented by Bridget Smith at JABberwocky Literary Agency, and I frequently appear at conventions and workshops on panels and to give readings.