A new novel about a group of women in the desert Southwest ::The Rattlesnake Valley::
who gather monthly to play the popular dice game known as Bunko.
Vodka on the Rocks with a Twist of Bunco
By Robin Meloy Goldsby
Michele Cozzens rolls the dice, shuffles the cards, and stirs up a mixed bag of emotions with her clever plot twists and rich characters. Whether you play Bunco, Bridge, or Scrabble, you’ll relate to Cozzens’ warm-hearted, funny, and intimate portrayal of the women’s gaming clubs springing up around the world.
I had trouble putting this book down. By staying in the first person and constantly shifting the point of view among eight (!) women, Cozzens has set a difficult task for herself. But she pulls it off, the result being a tightly-woven character study that’s easy to read, fun, and well-crafted.
At their monthy Bunco parties, the gals in the Snake Eyes Dice Club smooth the rough edges of their lives with gossip, laughter, and a little too much wine. The retired actress in me screams to play Amanda, a prematurely worn-out and bitter chain-smoking woman who has lost a child. She’s sad, but she’s also funny, as is Tara, a life-of-the-party red-headed hubba-hubba babe who can’t put down her tumbler of kahlua-laced vodka long enough to realize her life (and her Mercedes) are careening out of control. The other six characters are equally lush with both comic and tragic details. Each of the women lives a unique life of quiet (or not so quiet) desperation.
What the Reviewers are saying about It’s Not Your Mother’s Bridge Club:
I think Cozzens has herself one heck of a screenplay here. She would have actresses lined up to play all of those wonderful roles. Think of it this way: THE WOMEN meets DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. But with a Rattlesnake Valley twist.
—Robin Meloy Goldsby, author of Piano Girl: A Memoir
“This is both a fun and funny read for women (even if you don’t play dice) and yet it tells a much deeper story about the complexities and disappointments in life that all women face. At the core of it all is friendship and understanding and what we all need- a girls night out!”
—Kathleen Reid, author of A Page Out of Life
“Cozzens has put together a fun novel. Yet it isn’t simply humor. There are real problems discussed and dealt with-particularly alcoholism, but also infertility, job loss and personal insecurity. She deals with the problems in a manner that feels quite realistic, like these women could be anyone’s neighbors.”
—Armchair Interviews
“Michele Cozzens has a winner on her hands, a novel that would make a movie on the order of “The First Wives Club.” I can see any number of lovely stars–who are now in their early forties–playing these roles: Julia Roberts would be magnificent in the role of Shonah Bartlett, a journalist soccer mom; Sandra Bullock, a gorgeous Tara Shephard, former Texas beauty queen; and Helen Hunt, the perfect Tootsie Fennimore, Alabama Belle and former touring golf pro, to name a few.”
—Betty Dravis, author of 1106 Grand Boulevard
Meet the Ladies of The Snake Eyes Dice Club
Sylvia Ostrander
Six word bio: So much money, so little time.
Tara Shephard
Six word bio: Big boobs. Big hair. Big goblets.
Shonah Bartlett
Six word bio: I just go with the flow.
Brandy Lynn
Six word bio: Fxxx off, who asked you anyway?
Tootsie Fennimore
Six word bio: Pro golfer trying to get pregnant.
Blanca Midnight Fernglen
Six word bio: The Rattlesnake Valley’s tallest, spiciest model.
Chlöe Forrest
Six word bio: My three children are extremely gifted.
Amanda Prince
Six word bio: I’d really rather be someone else.
