Michael Thomas may not only have tapped into a goldmine but, also every woman’s fantasy with his new business Chip-N-Nails salon.
Genre: Urban Fiction
Available on: amazon.com|barnesandnoble.com
They say never judge a book by its cover but, one thing is for sure, I knew I wanted to read
‘Chip-N-Nails’ the minute I saw the cover and it more than satisfied.
Author E. J. Colwell is a talented writer who does a great job of connecting you to the characters of his new book ‘Chip-N-Nails’. I received a copy for review and was instantly drawn into the lives of the main character and the supporting cast.
This edition of our Author Spotlight Series is a double header because I will be sharing my review of ‘Chip-N-Nails’ followed by a ‘5 Quick Questions’ interview with E. J. Colwell.
Ever wake up feeling like you’re on top of the world and then one thing doesn’t go as expected which leads to an avalanche of things going wrong?
That’s pretty much how the day goes for Michael, the main character in E. J. Colwell’s new book ‘Chip-N-Nails’. He starts the day expecting a raise and ends it with no raise and worse, no job. By the end of the week he also loses his dream girl.
Michael’s perfect life (or what he feels is a perfect life) as he knew it is gone in a flash. What do you do in a situation like that? Sulk . And he does it well.
Michael is an incredibly likeable and relatable character. As he’s going through the motions it reminded me of my own very recent fall into that abyss of unemployment.
He’s left to pick up the pieces but, luckily he has a support system in his younger sister and his best friend since childhood,Tony .
We all have a Tony in our lives or know one. Tony is always there to hold you down no matter what with a pat on the back, some liquor and a good time to help you through the motions but, he’s a playboy who is dealing with his own twists and turns in life.
You can’t help but cheer for Michael as he works his way through the current hand he’s been dealt and eventually decides that a ‘Chip-N-Nails’salon is the next best step in his life plan.
I must admit, while reading Michael describe the salon as shirtless men giving women manicures and pedicures, I thought to myself, ‘This is either going to be really good or really bad.’ That should give you an indication of how deep you’ll find yourself engrossed in the story.
Michael receives a loan from his old boss to open the shop and from there the book takes off as he builds his business and starts to get his life back in order. As you can imagine, there is plenty going on behind and in front of the scenes of the salon with twists, turns and toe curls.
Chip-N-Nails is a fun, page turning read that manages to leave you satisfied yet wanting more with Michael confronting his past to move on towards the future and in turn his friend Tony being confronted with an unexpected future that may help him understand his past and everyone else in between joining in on this wild, fun shirtless and well-manicured ride. This is the first book in what hopefully becomes a series.
Pick up your copy of Chip-N-Nails at amazon.com and let me know what you think.
5 Quick Questions with Author E.J. Colwell
What inspired you to become a writer?
I have always wanted to write a book, I remember at the age of 10 sitting down with a pad and a pen attempting to write an autobiography…LOL! Needless to say I only got 3 pages out of that attempt. As I got older the Ideas started to flow and here I am.
Who is your favorite author?
My favorite author is Richard Wright. In my opinion he wrote about things people were scared to write about. He wrote back in the 1940’s about the interaction and differences between blacks and whites. Take “Native Son” (my favorite book) Here’s a poor young black guy(Bigger Thomas) that has never been out of his element but finds a job with a well off white family (The Daltons) Bigger not knowing how to act in that situation.
Bigger gets into trouble because he was not expose to any other aspects of life but what he knew growing up. Long story short get out and expose yourself to as much as you can. That’s the great thing about books, they can open your mind up to different things. I love how you almost always can identify a bit of yourself in everything you read. There’s a great big world to explore and that is just one of the many things I took from Native Son.
Describe your new book “Chip-N-Nails” in 30 words or less.
“Chip-N-Nails” is a story about overcoming obstacles. It has humor as well as heartfelt moments. It is a fun read…and this is only book one.
Why should we read it?
If you enjoy reading books where the characters can make you smile and laugh in one chapter then frustrates you because of decision in the next you will love this book. You grow to know and love some of the characters. They all become part of the story and you began to have a vested interest in what will happen next.
What books have influenced your life most?
I really can’t say that certain books influenced my life, everything that I have read has had some influence on me…it could be writing style, the plot, or even just how the character development in a story. I like to read and try to guess what the author was thinking when he/she started putting words to paper.
