Outside In

From one of America's most beloved television actresses: A sharply observed, comedic novel about the flip side of fame — and a fresh take on Hollywood in all its outrageous, entertaining glory.

On the outside, Kate Keyes-Morgan seems to have it all: a starring role on the hit television series Generations, a handsome husband who is also her manager, a model-thin figure, and a career that, after an earlier slide, is finally back on track. At the age of thirty, Kate knows what it's like to have the tabloids turn on you, and she never wants it to happen again. Thank goodness her husband, Hamilton, is there to manage her every move — even if the strict dieting and morning weigh-ins are becoming more than she can manage.

But when Hamilton leaves her for another actress on Generations, the ruthless diva Sapphire Rose, Kate suddenly finds herself in charge of her own life. Now she must decide whether she's ready to stop playing by the Hollywood rulebook and discover who she really is. With the help of her wise-cracking friend and tough-love makeup artist, Paige, and Michael, a high-powered film agent who secretly dreams of becoming a novelist, Kate begins to question her role in an industry that venerates appearance, money, and fame above all else, and that applies ceaseless pressure on women to always be thinner, younger, and more beautiful, at any cost.

From high fashion to on-set antics to the real-life whispers about celebrities that even the tabloids never tell, Courtney Thorne-Smith depicts the entertainment world as only an insider can. Yet beneath the glamorous facade lies a natural-born writer with a gift for comic timing and shaping memorable characters. If you've ever wanted to experience life in the spotlight or wondered what goes on behind dressing room doors, Outside In is your invitation into the glittering world of Hollywood's biggest stars.

"'Television actress Thorne-Smith, who has had roles on (among other shows) Melrose Place and According to Jim, delivers a Hollywood novel about a failed movie actress who finds new life as the star of a nighttime soap called Generations. But Kate Keyes-Morgan's life, glamorous on the outside, is still less than perfect. This put-upon heroine has issues with weight and self-worth, and an overly controlling manager/husband to please. Her problems reach a head when she learns that her husband is having an affair with Sapphire Rose, Kate's diva-like co-star. How Kate deals with this dual betrayal forms the dramatic core of a thin story prone to the classically shallow emotional highs and lows associated with soap operas. Except for vibrant Kate, the characters — Kate's eccentric mother, her wisecracking best friend and her nominal love interest (an agent who improbably dreams of being a novelist) — seldom move beyond their stereotypical origins. A typical Hollywood ending caps the story, but getting there is not nearly as much fun as it should be. (Sept.)' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"A heavy-handed, intermittently diverting satire." Kirkus Reviews

From high fashion to on-set antics to the real-life whispers about Hollywood's biggest stars, Thorne-Smith depicts the entertainment world as only an insider can, in this sparkling debut novel.

Courtney Thorne-Smith is best known for her roles as Alison on the primetime soap opera Melrose Place, Georgia on the Emmy Award-winning series Ally McBeal, and currently as Cheryl opposite Jim Belushi in the hit situation comedy According to Jim. As a writer, she has contributed articles to Self, InStyle, and Allure. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.