Changes to Envy by Sandra Brown

Sandra B edited the summary of Envy Tuesday, October 6 2009.

Maris Matherly-Reed, senior fiction editor of her family’s publishing house, receives a captivating prologue from an individual who identifies himself only as P. M. E. Intrigued by the writing style and the promise of a good story, Maris traces the pseudonymous writer to a remote sea island off the coast of Georgia where he lives in semi-seclusion . . . for reasons which become obvious to her.
Indisputably talented, Parker Evans is also the most complex and contrary individual Maris has ever dealt with. He is mysteriously reluctant to continue writing his book despite Maris’s virtual promise of a contract upon its completion.
This presents Maris with a challenging opportunity she can’t resist: working hands-on with an incredibly talented author during the crafting of his novel. Parker requires constant prodding, yet he’s driven by demons that Maris can’t identify.
Parker’s writing entrances her. His island home beguiles her. Parker himself is terribly seductive.
Of course, not all is as it seems.
Parker hadn’t sent his partial manuscript to Maris Matherly-Reed by random selection. As the plot of Parker’s novel unfolds — which, coincidentally, is also entitled ENVY – so does his plot for revenge against Maris’s husband, the suave, debonair, and duplicitous Noah Reed.
Inevitably these two storylines are destined to intersect.
BEHIND THE BOOK WITH SANDRA BROWN: Frequently I’m asked where I get the ideas for my books. Whether referring to a specific story, or my body of work, readers want to know what sparks the ideas. I’ve sometimes answered that if I knew the source of the ideas, that’s what I’d sell.
That’s an obnoxiously coy reply, but I say it with absolutely no smugness. Truthfully, I rarely know where the idea for a story comes from. Ordinarily it just emerges from somewhere deep within my subconscious.
With ENVY, however, I can honestly say that I know who inspired the story. You did.
Readers, including myself, especially myself, are curious about the authors who write the books they read and enjoy. So I decided to write a book about writers. It’s fiction. Nevertheless, as I worked on the manuscript, it was amazing to me how much I revealed about the psyche of a writer, particularly a novelist. One character in the book describes us as “a gloomy bunch, for the most part.” He’s probably right. But there are moments of transient joy, which make the terminal torment worthwhile.

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Alina B edited the books like this book of Envy Sunday, September 27 2009.

Added The Crush
Added Smash cut

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Alina B edited the characters of Envy Sunday, September 27 2009.

Changed the section title: Cast of Characters/Important People
Added the description of Maris Matherly-Reed: book editor
marked the description of Maris Matherly-Reed as not a spoiler
Added the description of P.M.E./Parker Evans: author
marked the description of P.M.E./Parker Evans as not a spoiler
Added the description of Noah Reed: Maris's husband
marked the description of Noah Reed as not a spoiler

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Shelfari edited the contributors of Envy Tuesday, September 15 2009.

Added a contributor: Sandra Brown: (Primary Author)

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Timothy Gray approved Kelly M’s request to combine 8 books, including Envy, Tuesday, September 8 2009.

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Kelly M submitted a request to combine 8 books, including Envy, Tuesday, September 8 2009.

Timothy Gray approved this request. ( see all changes to this book | see Kelly M’s edits | report abuse )

Shelfari edited the description of Envy Saturday, August 1 2009.

The prologue of a novel arrives in the Manhattan offices of a bookeditor, who's intrigued enough to chase its mysterious author, identified onlyby his initials, to his decrepit plantation on an island off the Georgia Coast.That's the first clue that fiction is stranger than fact; few publishers (ifany) would go to that sort of trouble for anything less than a new J.D. Salingernovel. But bestselling author Sandra Brown makes the most of her far-fetchedpremise, setting up a convoluted plot that keeps the reader engrossed despiteits flaws and foibles.Maris Matherly-Reed is more than an editor. She's also the beloved daughter ofthe publishing house's highly respected and successful leader, and the wife ofMatherly Press's second-in-command, the smooth, suave, double-dealing Noah Reed.Reed, it develops, is the real target of the literary scam set up by thereclusive writer of the novel whose opening pages so captivate Reed's spouse.P.M.E., the writer, has a score to settle with Maris's husband, and he doesn'tcare whom he hurts as long as he brings Noah down. At least, not until he meetsMaris, who has an unfortunate habit of falling in love with her authors (seeabove; that's the second clue). Brown is a master at romantic suspense, andEnvy displays the talents that have won her a devoted following: a defthand at evoking the vulnerability and humanity of her protagonists, a surecommand of narrative tension, and a nice sense of place. This is a terrifichammock read, just right for a summer day as sultry and humid as Envy'sLow Country setting. --Jane Adams

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Shelfari edited the first sentence of Envy Thursday, July 16 2009.

Saltines and sardines.

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Envy (edit title)

Sandra Brown (Author) (edit contributors)