Story Hooks and Talking Points



Mom’s Perfect Boyfriend by Crystal HemmingwayMedia KitStory Hooks and Talking PointsHooksRobot Romance is Trending – Arriving shortly after Ian McEwan’s Machines Like Me and Jess Rothenberg’s The Kingdom, contemporary romance novels like Mom’s Perfect Boyfriend and Sarah Archer’s The Plus One offer a more optimistic exploration of the “perfect man” p title to Where’d You Go, Bernadette – Releases just a few weeks before the upcoming film adaptation (opening August 16, 2019) and is perfect for “Books like Bernadette” or “Upcoming Romance” articles.Ideal Summer Beach Read – A fresh and funny summer read with a happily ever after. Add it to your summer reading and summer romance lists.Romance for a tech-savvy generation – A slice-of-life comedy about a single mother, her millennial daughter, and an android create the perfect modern romance. Told through texts, emails, and journal entries, with a thought-provoking sci-fi element.Unique, fast-paced epistolary style – Feels like reading juicy gossip. Readers can’t put it down. Great for fans of books like Crazy Rich Asians.Heartfelt mother/daughter story – Told from both perspectives, giving it cross-generational appeal.Talking Points“I couldn’t find the millennial version of chick lit, so I wrote my own.” – The author grew up reading Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot, and Jill Mansell, but found that it was harder to find stories written by women her own age. She set out to write a novel in the spirit of those writers, but for women who grew up with the internet. “I wanted to write a book entirely in text messages, emails, and chats, because I’ve always wondered what it would be like to dig through our digital records years in the future. How much of our lives will be preserved online? Would it be a flattering depiction of us, or reveal truths we’d rather not see?”“I received 100 rejections, but agents said they couldn’t put it down.” – Author Crystal Hemmingway applied to over 100 agents, and about 10% of them requested a full or partial manuscript. “I had a few agents saying, ‘I love this, but I don’t think I can sell it,’ so I knew it was time to look at other options.” She partnered with Galbadia Press, a boutique independent publisher. “I’d still consider traditional publishing someday,” says Hemmingway, “But for Mom’s Perfect Boyfriend, Galbadia really understood our vision and embraced our unconventional premise.”Book InfoHookIs it wrong to trick your mom into dating a robot?PremiseDesperate to get some space from her lonely, overbearing mother, Crystal commissions a robotic “smart companion” to serve as her mom’s ideal boyfriend. A romantic comedy told through texts, emails, and journal entries. Perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Maria Semple.BlurbPerfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Maria Semple, a smart romantic comedy about mothers and daughters, told in an addicting, fast-paced style.Crystal has trouble saying no to her lonely, single mother. For 25 years, it wasn't a problem. But when one small mistake leaves Crystal jilted, homeless, and unemployed, she has to move back in with the person who caused it all: her mother.Soon Crystal is sucked into her mother's vortex, partying with boomers and hawking homemade marshmallows. Desperate for some independence, she hatches a foolproof plan: get an experimental android to play her mom's "perfect" boyfriend. It's only a matter of time before her mom finds out, and Crystal will never live down the hilarious and disastrous consequences.A story told through emails, texts, and journal entries, Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is a humorous yet deeply honest portrayal of the complicated friendship between mothers and daughters. Sometimes the people we want to rely upon the least are those who can help us the most.About the AuthorCrystal Hemmingway is a former video game developer turned novelist. She lives in Los Angeles with her favorite person and two cats. In her spare time, Crystal enjoys binge-watching TV shows, eating sugary cereals, and pretending to write at coffee shops.About the PublisherGalbadia Press is an independent publisher of printed books and eBooks. Our titles represent a range of genres, including romance, women’s fiction, science fiction, and fantasy, as well as speculative fiction for young adults. We also offer select non-fiction titles.Basic InformationAuthor: Crystal HemmingwayTitle: Mom’s Perfect BoyfriendDate of publication: July 16, 2019Publisher name: Galbadia PressPrice: $27.99 US/$37.99 CAN/?21.99 UK (hardcover), $13.99 US/$18.99 CAN/?10.99 UK (paperback), $4.99 (eBook)ISBNs: 9781950458004 (hardcover), 9781950458011 (paperback), 9781950458028 (eBook)Number of pages: 297 pages (both hardcover and paperback)Word Count: About 63,000 wordsIntended audience: Women, age 20-40Categories: Women’s Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Epistolary FictionStory Locale: San DiegoDistribution: Ingram, Gardners (UK), Overdrive, and moreAuthor Q&AFor a full author Q&A, please see our Reading Group Guide.Praise“Fans of Bridget Jones and Sophie Kinsella will love this fresh, original story...I couldn’t put it down.” –Reader’s Favorite“Mom's Perfect Boyfriend is a modern must-read.” -San Francisco Book Review “Hilarious.” -Publishers Weekly“Sweet, funny, and totally original.” -Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks“Mom’s Perfect Boyfriend showcases author Crystal Hemmingway’s genuine flair for originality and complete mastery of the romantic comedy genre.” -Midwest Book Review“An incredibly fast and funny read.” -SheReadsComp Titles/AuthorsWhere’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria SempleAttachments by Rainbow RowellThe Boy is Back by Meg CabotBridget Jones’ Diary by Helen FieldingMy Not So Perfect Life by Sophie KinsellaMarketing PlanFeatured on the cover of Publisher’s WeeklyARC campaign to influencers, media, booksellers, and moreOnline promotions targeting fans of romantic comedies Early distribution on NetGalley and EdelweissLibrary outreachPrint and digital advertising campaignReading group guideIndependent bookstore placementReview campaign for Goodreads and AmazonLoveReading Debut of the MonthSocial Media & LINKSSocial MediaTwitter: @galbadiapress, @crystalhemming6Instagram: @galbadiapress, @crystalhemmingwayGoodreads: Bookbub: Publisher/Author LinksPublisher Website: Book Club Guide (includes discussion questions, author Q&A, and more): Author Website: Press Kit: Sell Sheet: Book Review and Store LinksGoodreads: Edelweiss: : Amazon: : : *NOTE: The links above are NOT referral links.*Spoiler Territory: Content Warnings and SummaryContent/Language InformationThe book is around a PG-13 rating.The language in the book is generally clean. There is one instance of “shit,” two instances of “crap,” and seven instances of “hell,” but otherwise no obscene or expletive language.The book talks about sex and the protagonist becomes an erotic fiction writer, but there are no actual sex scenes depicted in the book. However, there are some sexual jokes (mostly silly puns), an excerpt from an erotic dinosaur novel (played for humor, pg. 260-262; no actual sex), and descriptions of the erotic novel (such as pg. 264-265, where a character mentions “S&M foreplay”).Book SummaryCRYSTAL is a newly-engaged 25-year-old with a promising career and an overbearing mother named MARGOT. When Margot invites herself along on a romantic Hawaiian vacation that she had planned with her fiancée, DAVID, he breaks off the engagement. Crystal soon loses her job and apartment, and moves back in with Margot, hoping to pursue her dream of finishing a novel.That plan soon crumbles, as Crystal spends the next few weeks serving as Margot’s assistant, emotional support, and companion. Crystal is at her wits’ end, and there’s only one solution: Margot needs a boyfriend. Coincidentally, she receives an invitation to test an experimental android companion. Crystal secretly applies to the program under her mother’s name, requesting the exact type of man that her mother has always wanted.Margot soon meets the handsome and charming robot ADAM, who appears to be her dream man. At first, Crystal is thrilled at how quickly Margot falls for him. But as the two grow closer and begin to display real feelings for one another, Crystal realizes that she’s made a huge mistake. What possible future could they have, and what will happen when her mother learns the truth?Unbeknownst to Crystal, Margot has been having doubts about her compatibility with Adam, and after weeks of trying to make it work, she finally breaks up with him just before Christmas. Margot is reintroduced to an old boyfriend, ERIC, and they immediately hit it off.On Christmas Eve, Adam follows Margot to the Midwest, where he confesses his feelings for Margot. He doesn’t realize that he’s a robot, or that he’s been programmed to love her. Adam’s “father” arrives just in time to reveal the devastating truth to Adam. Adam is heartbroken. Margot comforts him and remains calm, despite the revelation that Crystal has been lying to her for months.Crystal moves out and rethinks her novel, which had demonized her mother. She enters an erotic writing contest instead. Margot grows closer to Eric, who helps her with her marshmallow business. The android companion program is shut down, and Adam is allowed to find his own way in the world. Crystal slowly gets back in contact with David, and they elope; Margot gets engaged to Eric. Crystal wins the erotic novel contest and decides to pursue erotic writing professionally. ................
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