"Chasing Starlight"

Teri Bailey Black grew up near the beach in Southern California in a large, quirky family with no television or junk food, but an abundance of books and art supplies. She’s happiest when she’s creating things, whether it’s with words, fabric, or digging in the garden. She makes an amazing chocolate cherry cake—frequently. She and her husband have four children and live in Orange County, California.

Black applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, Chasing Starlight, and reported the following:

Wow, this is uncanny. I opened to page 69, not expecting much, and found a pivotal point in my character’s story, when she decides to stay in Hollywood.

Kate wondered if she’d been too hasty, turning down the opportunity. Most people would give anything to be in a Hollywood movie.

This page also shows her make-it-happen Nancy Drew personality, as she figures out a way to get movie roles for the aspiring actors boarding in her grandfather’s old mansion.

And suddenly, Kate’s three years of debate team training kicked into gear, and she saw her leverage. “Mrs. Fairchild, you want me to do this movie so I’ll watch over Bonnie, and Clive Falcon wants me because my name will sell tickets. Well, what I want is for Ollie’s boarders to get roles, so I don’t have to go home to their envy every night, knowing they deserve it more than I do. That’s my condition.”

Mrs. Fairchild gave a startled laugh. “I don’t have that sort of power.”

“Then I won’t do it.” But as soon as Kate said the words, she knew they were an empty threat, because all at once she wanted to be in a Hollywood movie more than anything.

This test was a lot of fun. Next time I’m in a bookstore, I’ll be opening to a lot of page 69s.

Visit Teri Bailey Black's website.

--Marshal Zeringue