OLIVIA GOLDSMITH
Vitals
Her start: Began her first novel, "The First Wives Club," in 1989; took her two years to get published
Work habits: Writes by longhand
A typical day: Writes every morning (weekends too), edits and answers mail in the afternoons
Favorite book she's written: "Flavor of the Month"
Favorite authors: Include Richard Russo, Kaye Gibbons, Lorrie Moore and Alice Thomas Ellis
Club selection
There's insider gossip, a talented heroine, a neglected manuscript, a scheming agent and an evil editor. In other words, it's a lot of fun.
Olivia Goldsmith takes on the publishing industry in "The Bestseller." The 700-page novel is a juicy look at the cut-throat world of the book business, the perfect end-of-summer read. That's why "The Bestseller" (Harper, $6.99) was the Bee Book Club's selection in August 1997.
"The Bestseller" revolves around Davis & Dash, a prestigious family publishing firm. Goldsmith follows the ups and downs of five authors: a romance novelist who needs a hit; a working-class girl who writes her first novel; a ruthless professor; a talented writer who can't get published; and the publisher who writes bad novels.
There's romance, good guys and bad editors and humor. It's all you expect from Goldsmith, who knows the struggles of publishing. Her first novel was rejected 26 times before it was published.
Published works
Noteworthy
Goldsmith's first novel, "The First Wives Club," sold more than a million copies. It was made into a movie, starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton, and earned more than $150 million.
When "The Bestseller" was released, Goldsmith and the publisher held a contest to publish a writer's first novel. It drew more than 7,000 entries. The winner was "Flora's Suitcase."
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