Not so long ago, in a galaxy not too far away, author Byron Lane worked as Carrie Fisher's assistant, and some of that experience inspired his sparkling first novel, A Star Is Bored.
The story opens with Charlie, an insecure young man desperate to escape a career rut, arriving at movie star Kathi Kannon's mansion to interview for a job as her personal assistant. She opens her own door and asks if he's there for a colonic. Seeing his horrified expression, she says she's acting and "just f*cking with you." So begins their capricious relationship as employer-employee and, eventually, friends and confidants.
Charlie navigates the ups and downs of bipolar disorder with Kathi, travels with her, shares stories about his abusive dad--establishing a bond with the actress he's idolized since childhood (he had her Priestess Talara action figure from the epic film Nova Quest). The two laugh and cry together, fight and make up, in brutally candid ways only people who deeply care for each other can do.
Though Kathi is fictional, Lane gives her witticisms one can easily hear Fisher say, and Kathi is so vibrant she'll make fans miss the late Star Wars actress even more. Lane also captures the absurdities of being a celebrity assistant and the interactions within the network of PAs. Charlie's attitude about another assistant is: "I resent him, I abhor him, I friended him on Facebook."
Life with Kathi is unpredictable and at times demanding, but in her light Charlie blooms. Likewise, by the time the story reaches its lovely, bittersweet ending, it's clear Lane's star is on the rise. --Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, blogger at Pop Culture Nerd