Yerks yanks at readers' emotions with 'Dream Junkies'

Anne-Marie Yerks
(Photo from press materials
at dreamjunkies.nyc)

Networking is finally proving to be an interesting activity.
A woman named Anne-Marie Yerks approached me last week through Facebook. We are both a part of a freelancer's group and she was responding to one of my posts. She's a fellow journalist, fiction writer and essayist, but hails from the Detroit area.
She sent me a private message about a job opportunity and then she asked if I'd like to read her new book she just had published. I said sure. I'm always up for a fun new book.
Well, turns out Yerks won the 2016 New Rivers Press Electronic Book Series through Minnesota State University Moorhead -- my alma mater! How wonderful.
Of course, she called it Minnesota State University. But I knew the name of the publishing company, having walked by the office a thousand times while attending MSUM.
Anyway, Yerks wrote "Dream Junkies."

'Dream Junkies' cover.
(Photo from press materials at dreamjunkies.nyc)

I'm only about halfway through, but so far, it's a good read.
It follows three women, two of whom are aspiring actresses in New York City. The third woman is their agent.
Kristin and Daphne are the actresses who Pavia, their agent, discovered while watching the comedy sketch show in which they took part in Chicago.
Pavia takes the two girls to New York. Things don't quite go the way they want them to go, and Yerks' writing makes you feel like you're right there with the characters.
She writes Kristin in a way that makes you hate her, but also feel sorry for her and want her to make better decisions.
Daphne is more self confident, but struggles with making decisions and justifies a lot of her behavior in favor of her career.
Pavia wants Kristin to succeed because she feels Kristin is her ticket to success.
Each chapter is labeled with a character's name, which is something I've rarely seen, but enjoy.
I can imagine each person's life as if they were real.
I'm excited to see how these two girls arrange their lives and whether they'll let fame go to their heads, or ultimately find themselves and do the right thing.
Thanks to Anne-Marie Yerks for the book! It's getting a thumbs-up from me.

You can find 'Dream Junkies' on Amazon.com.