Books with title Raw Talent

Fourteen-year-old Paisley loves to sing. She dreams of being a pop star just like her idol, Denzi, who also grew up in the small town of Stonehill. The problem is, Paisley suffers from severe stage fright. She can only sing in private. When word gets out that a famous Stratford actor who has worked with Denzi is staying at a local B&B, Paisley decides it's time to face her fears. She convinces the actor to tutor her and signs up to sing in a high-profile fundraiser.

Fourteen-year-old Paisley loves to sing. She dreams of being a pop star just like her idol, Denzi, who also grew up in the small town of Stonehill. The problem is, Paisley suffers from severe stage fright. She can only sing in private. When word gets out that a famous Stratford actor who has worked with Denzi is staying at a local B&B, Paisley decides it's time to face her fears. She convinces the actor to tutor her and signs up to sing in a high-profile fundraiser.

It's all about talent in LA: who has it, who doesn't, who wants it, and who can find it first! When 13-year-old Mac Armstrong witnesses newcomer Emily Mungler's stellar lying-to-gain-entry performance during a movie premiere party at the Roosevelt in Hollywood, it dawns on her that her own talent is to discover it in others! So Mac and her BFFs set out to prove it by turning fresh-from- Cedartown-Iowa Emily into a box-office bombshell. They'll make deals, throw parties, crush on boys, all on the way to discovering that no matter how famous or important you are, friendship always comes first. Well, almost always.

"Sandee Mason will win your heart from the very first chapter of Talent. Goodwin has created a character facing obstacles both far-reaching-her brother is Mia in Afghanistan-and close to home. Her struggles with finding her own identity and her own strength kept me riveted, and the novel never shies away from the complicated issues of our time. Talent is a formidable debut novel that lingers long after the last page." ~~Stacey Swann, Stegner Fellow at Stanford University +++ B. Lynn Goodwin knows the worlds of this novel--the world of high schools, the world of theater, the world of teenage struggle and she blends them into a novel that draws you in and keeps you there. Every reader will love Sandee and identify with her journey of personal discovery and growth. ~~Aline Soules, Librarian and Author of Evening Sun and Meditation on Woman +++ See more inside. . .

Sandee Mason is convinced her life will change if she can just win applause for her talents-whatever they may be. She can't wait to accomplish something after living in the shadow of her big brother, Bri, who disappeared in Afghanistan months earlier, leaving Sandee craving the same attention the whole town is giving him even as she wrestles with feelings of loss. When her high school drama department puts on the play Oklahoma!, she knows that now is her chance to step out and be noticed. What will she learn about herself as she reaches out to the world?

Sandee Mason is convinced her life will change if she can just win applause for her talents-whatever they may be. She can't wait to accomplish something after living in the shadow of her big brother, Bri, who disappeared in Afghanistan months earlier, leaving Sandee craving the same attention the whole town is giving him even as she wrestles with feelings of loss. When her high school drama department puts on the play Oklahoma!, she knows that now is her chance to step out and be noticed. What will she learn about herself as she reaches out to the world?

Sandee Mason is convinced her life will change if she can just win applause for her talents-whatever they may be. She can't wait to accomplish something after living in the shadow of her big brother, Bri, who disappeared in Afghanistan months earlier, leaving Sandee craving the same attention the whole town is giving him even as she wrestles with feelings of loss. When her high school drama department puts on the play Oklahoma!, she knows that now is her chance to step out and be noticed. What will she learn about herself as she reaches out to the world?