Editorial Review: Tomato Girl

Review of Tomato Girl, a novel by Jayne Pupek (Algonquin Press, August, 2008)

Poet/first-time-author Jayne Pupek's Tomato Girl, released by Algonquin Press, August 2008, a haunting "Southern gothic" novel launched to rave reviews, tells the dark memories of Ellie, child of a small-town father who, in despair over his wife's (Ellie's mother's) madness, takes in Tess, a teenage girl to "help out the family," with horrific consequences.

From Tomato Girl's opening paragraphs – a reminiscence that begins in a cellar, where Ellie's mother keeps things –– including the fetus of Ellie's miscarried brother – Pupek seizes the imagination with searing imagery and emotion seen through Ellie's 12-year-old eyes and never lets go. From brilliant, wounded Ellie herself, to her dangerously unbalanced yet still endearing mother, to Ellie's murderously ravaged father, the prematurely seductive Tess and the molesting parent who made her what she is, Pupek's characters make you want to turn away, yet compel you to look full into their faces and souls.

Through a tortuous alchemy of uniquely inventive yet on reflection inevitable plot-character-turns, Ellie survives, endures, then prevails through an explosive, heart-wracking denouement into a first budding of adolescence.

Google Tomato Girl, and you'll read a host of reviewers call it their favorite page-turner of the year. It certainly was one of mine, start to finish, as I evaluated it for Ms. Pupek in early draft. I went on to advise her about submission-proposal strategy and write a detailed chapter-by-chapter synopsis of this startling and disturbing book. Within a month after completing her submission package, Ms. Pupek secured enthusiastic agency representation. Two weeks later her agent landed a fine contract for Ms. Pupek with Algonquin Press.

Read Tomato Girl for yourself and find out why I'm so delighted to have played a part in its creation and successful marketing – and don't hesitate to commend it to your most aching readerly hunger.

Mark Orrin, EditingNetwork Mentor-Editor

MARK ORRIN, M.A., Johns Hopkins (Teaching Fellow, 1971), has authored ten published books, scores of articles and poems, and taught writing on college and university levels. A seasoned publications editor, he has also mentored numerous successful American and international authors and poets. During a career in fund raising, Mark was considered one of America's leading copywriters, copy chiefs and creative/strategic consultants. He has been listed in Who's Who In the West, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In Entertainment and The Dictionary of International Biography.

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