Annie was born in Hollywood, raised in the valley. She avoided the valley girl accent by speaking backwards for the first 15 years of her life. As an actress you may remember her in her recurring role on BECKER with Ted Danson, Lara in GOOD LUCK CHUCK and as the host of her own national dating show, BZZZ! which she also co-produced. As a new WGA writer, she recently had a comedic scene in the NBC/UNIVERSAL showcase and her web-series, Karma’s a B*tch http://www.youtube.com/user/karmathes... was chosen by Virgin America as BEST OF THE WEB. Her book of comedic scenes, Snapshots! has been performed Hollywood stages and is available on amazon. Currently writing a YA novel. She lives in Los Angeles with her charming, Italian husband and her equally charming, Jewish/Buddhist/Italian dog, Shanti. & she tweets! twitter.com/anniewood
Thank goodness this was a short story, just over 100 pages. I would never have finished it otherwise. Dandy drove me crazy, as did Simon, as did Debbie. The only perspective I was okay with was 95 year old Gramps.
I'm going to give it to you in Dandy's own words. "Sometimes, I feel that my mind may implode from all the bouncing around that goes on in my mind." Yes. That's the gist of this book, reading her incredibly insecure, circuitous thoughts.
Dandy is also a ditz. According to Simon, she trips over the same curb everyday and says the same thing everytime, "Where did that come from?
Simon is just as bad, in fact, if you removed the names, he would be indistinguishable from Dandy. As his 10 year old niece says (who happens to be his go-to advisor for relationships) "How did you get to be such a big wimp, anyway."
And Debbie, the best friend? She decides to sleep with Simon, knowing that Dandy is really in love with him, all the while telling Simon "It's okay, you can pretend I'm someone else."
When Simon and Dandy eventually wind up in the same bed, it's about the most awkward, unromantic encounter imaginable. (I'm talking about the lead-up, fortunately the intimate scene is not detailed.)
So. Bottom line. I would recommend this book to those with a great deal of mercy towards weak, emotionally immature characters incapable of making a decision.
The book has a handful of bad words. The intimate scene is behind closed doors.
Dandy Day by Annie Wood is a 2013 publication. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Dandy is contemplating the reason why her relationships in the past have failed. In order to make a go at a long lasting relationship some day, Dandy makes a list of all her prior relationships and looks up her old boyfriends. Meanwhile, Dandy's best friend in the world, Simon, is also going through some soul searching. Dandy takes time out to help her friend overcome his funk. There is an array of lively secondary and quirky characters that show up at odd moments and add a touch of whimsy or come to the front of the story and throw a wrench into things. This is a really fun short story/novella. The story is very light hearted, but does touch of some real issues in Dandy's past that obviously has had an impact on the person she became. There were some laugh out loud funny moments, California style romance, lots of references to TV and movies that we all know and love, and a spectacularly funny, touching and AWWWW ending. I'm on a roll this week! Another 5 star rating- two in one week! This one gets an A+!
If you are looking for a quick afternoon read, then Dandy Day is the book for you! Author Annie Wood weaves a humorous tale set in Venice Beach, California, that follows neurotic thirty-five year old Dandy Day's hilarious trials and tribulations in her pursuit of finding love.
Dandy is a hot mess! As a roller skating waitress on the Venice Beach Boardwalk, this free-spirited woman obsesses over why she can't make her relationships last. All of her relationships have a three month life span, and while she admits to having intimacy fears and abandonment issues, Dandy wants to have one long relationship that will work. When the therapist she was seeing suddenly dumps her, Dandy decides to heal herself by interviewing all her exes to find out what she did wrong to make the relationships end. Will Dandy find the answer to why she's so unlucky in love?
Dandy Day is a thoroughly entertaining novella that will keep the reader in stitches. This fun comedic drama has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that easily draws the reader into Dandy's story as she neurotically obsesses over her relationship issues and ponders exactly what it means to be a grown-up. You can't help but like Dandy and relate to her over questioning and analyzing everything in her life. Come on admit it ... sometime in your life you've done the same thing ... well maybe not as much as our girl Dandy does, but you know you've had your own insecurities too! lol
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I loved the author's rich description of Venice Beach and the sights and sounds of it's boardwalk attractions.
Dandy Day is a lighthearted and enjoyable romantic comedy about friendships, love, and growing up that will leave a smile on your face.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
I...don't think I've ever described a book as "adorable" before, but there's no other word for it.
I mean, I knew right at the start how it was likely to end. Normally that would bore me, I'm the person who groans in boredom at those long, drawn-out "will they/won't they" storylines - in any format.
But, firstly, Wood hasn't plugged away for hundreds of pages just to draw it out. She's just told the story.
Secondly, it's undeniably cute. Dandy, Simon even the random bit characters (the ride-by-psychic was a partiular favourite) are simply and artfully drawn.
Thirdly, despite being fairly surehow it was going to turn out, I still wanted to see it happen! Why? Because I wanted to see them happy.
Lastly, it's funny. Wood is great at these little moments or comments (if you catch any of her other work, that's something which always stands out - go find her webseries Karma's a B*tch, you'll see what I mean)
So there we are. It's cute, it's funny, it's short enough to read in an hour, it makes me want to go visit Venice Beach, and I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Now it's your turn - enjoy!
Annie Wood is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Dandy Day What a fun book! This novel is short and to the point, filled with laughs and relatable characters. From reading the synopsis I thought this would be a book for me, and I was right! I read it on my recent plane rides and I hoped I didn’t disturb my neighbors too much with my snorts of laughter from certain scenes of the “relationship autopsies.” If you’re looking for a quick romantic comedy, check out Dandy Day. 4.5 stars
We've all played that slide show in our heads...you know, the one about prior failed romantic relationships? Why didn't it work out?
Annie Wood's voice as a writer is so unique, quirky in a great way...FUN! I loved the balance with different character perspectives. The story had a nice flow and a contemporary feel, while maintaining good old-fashioned story telling. HILARIOUS! I highly recommend this book!
Dandy Day is smart, witty and laugh out loud hilarious! You take a character who has a bit of dysfunction as she tries to sort out what's wrong with her relationships, and well...the end result had me laughing, smiling and rooting for the heroine. This is a fun, somewhat short book that delves into the world of Dandy...be ready, this is a character that you don't want to miss!
A fun ride worth taking! Adorable charmingly flawed characters that find their unlikely way to love. I was hooked from the get-go, cheering for them all. A story full of heart. I felt like I was watching a movie and loved it.
In Dandy Day by Annie Wood, Dandy is a 35-year-old waitress who, in her grandpa’s words, “thinks too much, talks too much, [and] wonders too much.” Even with all that over-thinking, she can’t seem to figure out why none of her past relationships have worked out. After her therapist bails on her, she chooses to take a different approach. She decides that she is going to seek out all of her ex-boyfriends and ask each of them why they broke up, in hopes of finding out what is wrong with her. In the process, with the help of her best friend, Simon, she soon discovers just what her problem is in this story about life, love, and friendship.
Annie Wood’s Dandy Day was extraordinarily laugh-out-loud funny. I was practically rolling on the floor uncontrollably. There were even parts where I said to myself, as I was laughing hysterically, “This is the best paragraph I have ever read.” Dandy’s thoughts tend to get a little sidetracked, which ends up being hilarious. I also absolutely love her friendship with Simon. They complement each other well with each of their unique characteristics and quirks. My only issue with this book was the pace; it seemed rushed. Too much happened in a short amount of time. If the plot was stretched out in a longer book, it would have been perfect. But, overall, I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t laughed that hard while reading in a long time. If you are looking for a humorous story that includes a little romance and heart, this is definitely the book for you. I hope to see more from this talented author.
I received a copy of Dandy Day by Annie Wood in exchange for an honest review.
Dandy Day – yes that is her real name – is 35 years old and as neurotic as anyone could ever be. She decides to find out what it is about her that makes none of her relationship work out for longer than three months and goes about interviewing her exes to find out where she went wrong.
This was a very funny, short story, I could not help but like Dandy, even when she did not exactly have a “Dandy Day”… Her obsession with analyzing her emotions were a hoot, and even though she was overly analytical, it make the story very funny.
Annie Wood is such an awesome person, I love her wonderful thoughts and her writing style is superb. You can tell by the reviews on Amazon.com how well her book is received. Her book is funny and witty which keeps you hooked! As a fellow author, I know how tricky it can be to write with such creativity and she does it in a effortlessly. I am so happy to have her book on my kindle.
Good, light, and comical. Enjoyed this book so much after reading other more serious and complex novels. A breath of fresh air from life's many stresses.