Tune in Tomorrow: The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story Of Starr Weatherby And The Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever

by Randee Dawn

She’s just a small town girl, with big mythic dreams.

Starr Weatherby came to New York to become… well, a star. But after ten years and no luck, she’s offered a big role – on a show no one has ever heard of. And there’s a reason for that. It’s a ‘reality’ show beyond the Veil, human drama, performed for the entertainment of the Fae.



But as Starr shifts from astounded newcomer to rising fan favorite, she learns about the show’s dark underbelly – and mysterious disappearance of her predecessor. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her dream job – though she might just bring down the show in the process.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Humor, Science Fiction, Adult, Adult Fiction

423 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2022

About the author

Follow me on Bookbub!

First of all, I'm the proud owner of a first novel, the humorous pop-culture fantasy Tune in Tomorrow (Solaris)!

I'm an entertainment journalist by day and an author at all other times. My tales have been published in a bunch of anthologies, and I'm the co-editor of Across the Universe: Tales of Alternate Beatles as well as the co-author of The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion.

In my day job, I write for outlets including Today.com, Variety, The Los Angeles Times, and Emmy Magazine.

I live with the love of my life and an adorable West Highland Terrier (who is also quite lovable), in Brooklyn. Be sure to visit me at my web page, and sign up for the newsletter!

Reviews

[MagretFume · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a light and entertaining read. Despise the fantasy soap opera setting and the elements of romance, to me this book is mostly about office politics and how to survive mean girls environment, and I'm here for that!
The writing style and pacing are good, the characters are not very developed but still interesting.
I had a nice time.

[Bookworm Express Kwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! Where do I start?
Tune in Tomorrow is a highly entertaining and excellent read. The world building was genius level fun, the magical system inventive, and the twists and turns were soap opera worthy.
But what I enjoyed the most was the fantastic play on words. The author mastered the art of pun, knows how and when to deliver them, and uses them in the best way.

For anyone who loves a fun and smart modern fantasy novel, and for anyone who has ever enjoyed a TV-show.

Starr Weatherby, a waitress who aspires to become a star, finally lands herself a role after ten years of no luck. She is cast for the longest-running ‘reality’ show Tune in Tomorrow. A show no one ever heard of, but Starr jumps at the opportunity and ends up at the other side of the Veil, joining a cast of humans performing human drama for the mythical world. And like the mortal entertainment industry there are rising stars, demanding executives, fan favorites, and divas who go to any length for fame and fortune.

Overall, a thrilling, funny as hell concept with a lot of un-reality-turns-into-reality. With amazing word play, lovely characters and striking creatures. The Award for Best Supporting Role definitely goes to all the mythical creatures of Tune in Tomorrow.


Thank you NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewers copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

At a time when my life has gotten a bit extra complicated, I needed to read a book that could make me smile, laugh, and transport me out of the difficult reality we all live in. Tune in Tomorrow did the trick, and I read it quickly and with gusto. Randee Dawn has a wonderful way with words, characters and the creation of a world that is inhabited by some humans and by a lot of "Mythics" (mythical creatures that are not just myth but are a reality in the world that is on the other side of the "veil" which separates the Mythical world from our own... just a quick gate ride away, if you know where the gates are and the times when they are open!) The story takes us into a TV show unlike those on earth. For someone who loves theater and acting, I was 100% in to witness this world of reality TV production, in an alternate world. I loved the characters I was supposed to love and hated the evil ones. I rooted for the underdog and enjoyed immensely every minute I spent with this book. Perhaps Dawn has a sequel up her sleeve? I would be quick to read it, if given the chance. If you are a fan of Douglas Adams and Neil Gaiman, you will love Tune it Tomorrow. But don't wait till Tomorrow... grab it today!

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read via netgallery
Randee Dawn is a new author for me and after reading tune in tomorrow I'll definitely be picking up her books again.

Tune in tomorrow follows a women called Starr Wetherby while she tries to follow her passion and become a successful actor, while she tries to accomplish this she becomes part of a magical yet dangerous world.

Randee Dawn has created a very unique idea and story plot which although for me took a while at the start to find its legs once I got used to the concept and became in sync with Starr I couldn't put the book down. An element I did enjoy that you don't see often anymore is that the layout of this story had chapter title, which just helped with the whimsical theme of this book.

The characters Randee created were fun yet still realistic in personality and responses, I enjoyed reading about thier adventures and how friendships were formed, although I did enjoy reading about the characters and following the MC acceptance into this new, weird world, I would have like just a little more information on this new world along with a little more information about certain characters as certain players didn't feel as fully fleshed out as other characters even though they still played an important role in the story.

Despite this very small personal issue I had, I still found this a fun read with twists I definitely didn't see coming and a villain you'll be betting against, all mixed in with a romance featuring several teams, although personal I wanted Starr to end up with a different partner lol

I really hope Randee Dawn re-vists Starr and the other characters, I'd especially love to hear more about a certain fawn you meet at the start of the book.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot is a little confusing when you try to picture how it will all turn out. The main character Starr has moved to New York to guess what, yep you guessed it to make it big. But as usual she is still a waitress waiting for her big break years later.

This novel should have been more interesting for me as an actor but it really wasn’t sadly. The ‘reality tv’ element was very annoying as I felt it was just lifted from tv and pasted into the novel itself.

Another TV show based on bitches and drama really. However there is supposed to be a ‘mystic’ element however the characters didn’t really stand out they were just human.

Overall, I felt this could have been written better as it seemed as if it’s written for no-one over the age of 12-13 as these days there are sex elements in things but the writing was just so not there for above that age range despite the sexual elements.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty entertaining book; just slightly longer than it needed to be... hmm. Wow, I have like five reviews to catch up on (at least I've already written one, just need to fine-tune it a bit in Word before posting on here). Will try to post a review of this soon (I never know what order I'm going to go in, lol) but I'll post a rating much sooner.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starr Weatherby's dream is to be an actress. Instead, she is waitressing while waiting for her big break. Unbeknownst to her, Starr is being watched from beyond the Veil to star in a series especially for mythic beings. Jason, the director for a mythic show, Tune in Tomorrow finally approaches Starr to offer her a gig. However, Starr must be brought through the Veil and accepted by the show's star and resident diva, Fiona. Starr is amazed by everything on the other side of the Veil and after the shock passes, the hard part begins. Fiona is not open to another female star on the show. Fiona accepts Starr only to scheme to have her quit or get thrown out of the show. Starr wizens up to Fiona's antics, but has made an enemy out of the diva. Other than Fiona's stunts, Starr quickly falls in love with magic and beings on the other side. Starr needs to figure out how to work with Fiona and the mystery of her predecessor, Amelia, before its too late.

Tune in Tomorrow is a zany, entertaining mythical soap opera. Starr's passion and drive for performing is evident from the beginning, I was taken in by her willingness to sacrifice for her dream. A television show about humans in another realm was definitely an interesting twist and I was as amazed as Starr when she went beyond the Veil for the first time to witness a dragon security guard, camera dryads, brownie personal assistants and werepanter writers. As Starr enters the mythical world beyond the Veil for the first time, there is a lot of information to be processed and the pacing slows a bit as Starr gets to know everyone and begin filming the show. Suspense builds as Fiona attempts to boot Starr from the show intensify and Starr continues to play into her strategies. I did love exploring some of the mythical areas beyond the Tune In Tomorrow set including the alternate Central Park, the Brownie doors and their strike and the Mythic award show.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Kori May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for this ARC

This was a delightful and fun romp into a world of 'reality' 'TV' (as noted several times by the MC, it's actually a soap opera). I loved the tenacity and never give up attitude of Starr and loved getting to know all the other characters. This was very well written and I would definitely check out more from Randee Dawn

Also, I totally need a brownie, lol

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tune in Tomorrow: The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story Of Starr Weatherby And The Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever
by Randee Dawn
Fantasy Urban Myth
NetGalley ARC

Starr moved to New York to become a star, but ten years later she's a waitress still waiting for her big break.

Then her break walks into the restaurant and she's offered to audition to be in a reality show, but not one she had ever heard of, or anyone in the human realm.

This book had a really good start, making fun of the falseness of 'Reality TV', a genre I dislike with a passion. I can go to a bar and see people being idiots, watch the news, or scroll social media pages.

There was drama, backstabbing, and a mystery, but for the 'mystic' part, a lot of those characters didn't stand out that much, and that's what I thought when I requested this book from NetGalley. And while some of the mystics were main characters, they weren't brought completely to life, but the human characters, which whom the story/reality show was about, were human.

Sadly though, for me, the writing was a little flat, as if written for kids instead of adults. There is some adult content, not graphic, so this book is not suitable for readers under 14.

But if you're looking for a medium to slow-paced read, with some laughs and the such, it's a decent enough of a story.

2 Stars

[CallahansBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starr Weatherby is living a sad, typical life. Each cup of coffee served at her diner job takes her a little further away from her silver screen dreams. Hers is the life of a dead-ended creative who gave everything, and in return got absolutely nothing.

Enduring that type of desperation and its attendant self-loathing, it’s no wonder Starr jumped at the peculiar offer to appear on a reality show nobody’s ever heard of.

Mixing elements of sci-fi, fantasy and cultural satire, TUNE IN TOMORROW is a memorable romp born from that jinx of a question: “what’s the worst that can happen?” Starr Weatherby finds out.

She finds herself on air behind the ‘Veil,’ quickly becoming the star among a cast of humans whose TV hijinks entertain a rabid audience of magical creatures.

Newly exposed to this world of outrageous mythical creation, the biggest threat to Starr may be her fellow humans.

In classic Real Housewives fashion, Starr is targeted by a poisonous diva and the fate of her predecessor quickly becomes both a powerful plot point and source of concern.

She was ready to pay any price for fame: but in this raucously formidable urban fantasy, the dangerous underside of entertainment may demand more from Starr than she bargained for.

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

Tune In Tomorrow is a humorous fantasy novel, written by Randee Dawn, and published by Solaris Books. A comedic proposal that plays to its strengths on using a fantasy soap opera setting to create a story about surviving the office politics and the mean girl worlds, giving us a heartwarming adventure.

Starr Weatherby, a waitress that aspires to become a star, is having trouble landing a role; that's until she has the weirdest encounter on her job, which ends with her being cast for the longest-running reality show Tune In Tomorrow. Even if she hasn't heard about it, an opportunity is an opportunity; and this one takes her through the Veil, joining a world of mythical creatures and a cast of humans that perform a "reality drama" to keep the ratings high. And attached to this world, it comes satisfying executives, fighting with other actors for better roles and getting along with the fans; an aspect that Starr will need to smoothly surf if she wants to continue living her dream.

Drawing a parallel to what we can see in reality shows, Dawn paints a Starr that needs to be the best of herself to continue in the show; there's space for the naivety of a new girl, but with the experience, she will learn how to deal with the rest of the cast. We have a delicious character, full of nuances, a lead for whose success we can cheer.
The rest of the character cast is, let's say, eclectic. From the star actress to the executives, including the great (this might be a pun) security ward, all have something to be remembered, while they don't eclipse the light that comes from Starr.

Randee Dawn manages to weave an excellent story using fantasy elements to depict a competitive world as it is television; there is space for funny and heartwarming moments, but never losing the focus on Starr. While I personally I felt the pace to be rather slow for my taste, I firmly think this is a "me" problem.

Tune In Tomorrow is a great novel woven around fantasy and soap opera, a funny and cozy proposal that it's perfect if you are looking to pass a great time while having some laughs. I kinda want to see if Starr's story continues, and to see if our "reality" show has more storylines for us!

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starr Weatherby dreams of being an actor. She hails from a small town and grew up with her unhappy, hoarder mother before escaping to Los Angeles to become a star.

Working primarily as a waiter and getting the very occasional, tiny gig (the mango!) Starr gets her big break when an unusual set of people have lunch at the diner she works at. One of these people, a producer, gives her an opportunity to star in a show called “Tune in Tomorrow”, and very particular instructions for how to get to the set.

Before Starr knows it, she’s introduced to a whole new world, well, a parallel one, where human actors star in the extremely long-running show that’s watched avidly by a mythic audience (centaurs, dryads, etc.) Starr ends up getting a part, and must contend with jealous costars, particularly one named Fiona, the star of the show. Fiona feels deeply threatened by Starr’s addition, and tries to get Starr to quit or get her fired.

Starr, on the other hand, is captivated by the mythic world, and, quickly wise to Fiona’s efforts, is very determined to stay on “Tune in Tomorrow”. She also soon learns that one previous actor on the show disappeared mysteriously, and begins digging, determined not to end up like that other woman.

This book was such a hoot! Randee Dawn pulled me into this story immediately and kept me hooked right to its satisfying end. I loved how passionate Starr was to be an actor and how amazing (and silly) the mythic world was.

At first, I thought this was going to be an “All About Eve” story with Starr being Eve, but it was so much funnier and zanier. I enjoyed the on set and behind the scenes hijinks, and Fiona’s increasingly desperate plots to oust Starr from the show where Starr felt she really came alive.

The parallels to real-world reality shows and their melodrama were nicely drawn, as well as the repercussions if Starr were kicked off the production.

I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing, plot, characters and humour, and love to spend more time beyond the Veil with Starr and her costars, and watch Starr “be the mango”.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Rebellion for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novel-length sly dig at show biz, this book follows aspiring actress Starr Weatherby as she's dropped into a 'reality tv' show for fae, filmed and broadcast on their side of the veil. It was a lot of fun, both snide and silly - did however remind me that I'm not a big fan of satire. It was worth the read, and I was entertained, buuut I find some aspects of this writing style really jarring and I can't get over it. I like to get into the flow of the narrative, I suppose, and stopping to think "Heh. Clever!" plucks me out of it. Somehow, Pratchett did it exceptionally well, but I've yet to find anyone else who does (in the genres I read, anyway). I wanted it to dig a little deeper, maybe; show a little more of the fae society, take itself a little more seriously.

Lots of cute ideas about mythical creatures in a modern age, witty writing, and a ton of rep of most kinds in this one though, so if you're after something light and breezy, I'd still say go for it.

[Gordon Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

Struggling wannabe actress gets her big break on a television show with a human cast performing for a supernatural audience. Unfortunately, for the reader if not the characters, the show turns out to be a soap opera masquerading as a reality show.

Alas after a strong start where our Starr is born and the premise introduced it all goes wrong as soon as we hit the television studio. Everyone gets very into the production to the extent that thespian rivalries become as important as life and death, but the show itself seems to be being presented as tacky and mediocre. I'm not sure if that's part of the joke or not. The characters are one dimensional, the plot should be easier to follow and the jokes mostly fall flat. Some good ideas, but either they're lacking in execution or this just isn't meant for me.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Tune in tomorrow.
Author: Randee Dawn
Pages: 464
Rating: 5/5

Publish date - 12th November 2024

As someone who loves trashy TV and the movie stay tuned, when I saw the blurb for this, I had to read this! Also, the cover is just down right adorable.

This had me chuckling and eye rolling with fun stereotypical characters and it was an absolute delight to read.

It wasn't heavy. It was just a fun book that had me smiling all the way through.

I enjoyed reading about the different mythics and how can you not love a dragon called Phil!

It was entertaining, with great world building. (I wished I was in there too) And soap opera drama to boot. Fantastic!

You'll love this book if you like
- comedy fantasy
- low stakes fantasy
- why choose
- no spice
- gossip
- reality tv/soap opera

[Ergative Absolutive · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining romp about a struggling young actress (Starr Weatherby) who lands a role on a long-running soap opera for mythic creatures (fawns, centaurs, brownies, etc.). These 'mythics' love the show, because they find the petty mundanities of human existence utterly engrossing. As a conceit, it reminds me a bit of Diana Wynne Jones's Lives of Christopher Chant, in which the Living Asheth, a figurehead ruler of a magical ancient-Egypt flavoured kingdom, was utterly engrossed by the wild exoticism of the stories in in a series about a boarding school for girls that Christopher brings her. The Living Asheth is a girl, Christopher reasons, like his sister, and girls like this sort of schlock. And indeed the Living Asheth does, but for very different reasons from his sister. Humans are as exotic to mythics as werewolf vampire lover rivalries are to humans.

So, like the Living Asheth, the fawns and centaurs of this world can't get enough human schlock, and so this show has been fascinating them for literally centuries. And because the mythics grant conditional immortality to the humans who play the roles, the actors on the show have been doing their jobs for literally centuries. But all the sorts of workplace politics that come into play when a newcomer enters an established team are magnified dramatically if the established team has been in place for a hundred years, not merely a decade, so things get messy. One of the actors doesn't want Starr to join the cast; other actors have developed alliances with the grande dame of the series based on decades old exchanges of favours, and the melodramas of life imitate the melodramas of art for a while before things work themselves out in the end.

This book is an undemanding bit of fluff. There are some cute puns about television lingo, which is interpreted differently in the fairy world, and there are some lovely images of mythic locations, but the book doesn't really go very deep in anything it aims to do. In particular, there is a kind of grim, arid claustrophobia to the whole conceit that I think was not intended, but which was really hard to ignore. See, there's only a small core set of actors on this show, and a small set of crew members (who are mythics), who work with each other and see each other every day. Any human extras who are brought in for a day of shooting have their memories wiped before they return to the human world, and any of the permanent cast find themselves unable to talk about the show to anyone in the human world even if they try. And, don't forget, they are functionally immortal, so after a decade or so they have to start cutting ties with their friends and families or else their lack of aging becomes quite awkward to explain. The show makes it impossible to maintain normal human relations.

Yet, because the show likes to maintain the illusion that these are normal humans doing normal human stuff, who don't know anything about mythics, there is also strict division between the human cast and the rest of the mythic world. So people can't simply develop new connections and relations with the mythics in this new world either. They are stuck: the only people they can fully engage with are the actors and crew on the single set of this single show.

How awful. What a dreadful existence. It's presented as a lifeline for Starr, the opportunity for her to reach her fullest acting potential a world that doesn't have much use for what she has to offer (which, as far as I can tell, is mostly that she's a bit of a ham and enjoys overacting). But even though there are a few conversations about the trade-offs that actors make when they become part of this show, I think the true horror of this dull, empty life is not fully appreciated or acknowledged. To be sure, the primary villain is someone who has entirely given herself over to the show, withdrawing from the human world entirely; but then so are the primary love interest(s). (Oh, yes--there's a love triangle. Yawn.) And the only person who has managed to maintain a separate life in the human world has been able to do it for reasons that are not generally replicable.

I think this book could have been very interesting if it had leaned into the darker tradeoffs that go along with the seeming glory of a sparkling magical escape from mundane drudgery. But because it didn't, it was a bit like a soap opera itself: Fluffy, fun, but ultimately unconvincing. And that's fine. I finished it on a train. The world needs books that can be finished on trains.

NB: I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. Inasmuch as I can be sure of such things, I believe that this has not affected the content of my review.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another entertainment journalist whose first novel was also a humorous adventure set in show business, I should be insanely jealous of Randee Dawn's "Tune in Tomorrow." Instead I found it utterly delightful, full of puns and pop culture references, along with full-bodied characters set loose in a world that showcases both her creativity and seriously giddy imagination. If you read only one book this year about an actress cast in a mythological soap opera, make it this one.

[Casper · Rating 5 out of 5]

this actually might be the best book i've ever read. i'm not sure why i decided to give this a shot - i'm not one for fantasy and mythical creatures and the like - but i am so, so glad i did. it was funny and gripping and i could hardly put it down. i highly recommend this book to anyone who sees this because honestly i think this was so incredibly written and it's a story worth reading.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up at ReaderCon last month because the premise just sounded so delightful. Basically, a struggling actress gets cast on a Fae “reality” show. (“Reality” is in quotes because it’s actually scripted and more like a soap opera, but the Fae viewers think it’s real.) It was just as delightfully fun and whimsy as you’d think with that premise! I love anything about fairies, and this was unique in that I’ve never read or seen anything with that premise before. Definitely worth a read!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun - absolutely loved it! Imaginative, wonderful characters, and so funny throughout. Randee's writing evokes the senses, vividly drawing you into the world. Highly recommend this for anyone looking for something fun, expertly written, and with heart & depth!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I hated having to live/work/eat instead of just sitting and reading it because I loved it so much. It was a fantastic read - I loved all the characters, even the ones I hated. Such a great concept, and I was riveted. I can't wait for the next one - hopefully with more unicorns!!

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheesh, didn’t realize how long this book was. I dislike overlong books almost as much as fantasy, so the main appeal here had to have been…comedy?
But there just isn’t enough comedy here for over 400 pages. And it’s just so long. Just look at that title. Even the freaking title is overlong.
Anyway, the concept here is objectively funny: an interdimensional soap opera without end and the wacky characters who created it. Cute, very cute, but again, not enough of it to stretch for over 400 pages. It sort of ends up exhausting itself relying on the same puns over and over.
There’s a spunky plucky protagonist who dreams of fame so much she renamed herself Starr. And there are chapter all exhaustively punning on the word Starr.
It’s that kind of cute where it veers right into cutesy. And it never knows when it’s overdoing it.
Functional, sure, very readable, some decent (occasionally clever) worldbuilding, mildly amusing, yes to all of that, but overall, some of this novel’s charms fall flat. No matter how fast it’s spewing out snappy dialogue and no matter how much glitter it throws your way. User mileage may vary. Thanks Netgalley.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Rebellion Publishing, Solaris for an advanced copy of this fantasy take on the world of reality television.

Hollywood has always been considered "out there" in its thinking, ways morals and new age thoughts and ideas. They all got their heads in the cloud, sniffing up all that pixie dust, with their crazy ideas, and odd thoughts on old religions. But all good stories about people finding fame start with people from small towns, with big dreams who love the applause and live to hear more, and will do anything to make that fame happen. Even star in a reality show. That's not that popular and actually pretty unknown, to humans that is. Randee Dawn in her novel Tune in Tomorrow: The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story Of Starr Weatherby And The Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever tells the story of a young girl plucked from obscurity to be the biggest idol, on the most popular show in all the realities, but our own.

Our hero's story starts in a diner, which provides money for young Starr to go to the many, many, many, auditions that being a struggling actress goes to offer ten years of trying. Fresh from losing one job, to her boyfriend at the time, and losing another to a change in direction for advertising deodorant Starr is drawn to a table of diners who even for her diner seem odd. However their discussion seems filled with entertainment jargon, and she risks her boss's anger, and her job getting their attention, which she does spectacularly, ie not well. Fear of failure allows her to save the situation and she is given a business card for the diners, one who she thinks might have horns, and her life is changed. Soon she finds herself on the biggest reality show in all of the realities, a show behind the Veil as they say, run and for Fae. And things start to get interesting. And dangerous.

A curious and fun book that mixes the mess that is reality television, with the messy lives of actors and fame, with a lot of fantasy tossed in. The book is funny with lots of in- jokes and puns about pop culture, both good and bad. Starr is well developed and the reader roots for her, even when things get odd and weird, which happens a few time. The plotting is good and the story moves well not bogging down and has a nice narrative flow that keeps the pages flipping.

I've seen this book compared to the Jaspar Fforde Tuesday Next stories and that is a good comparison, a lot of differernt worlds, funny jokes and characters and a nice easy story to follow that is enjoyable. A book for fans of the Bravo channel, and for Neil Gaiman fans who miss his stories of the Fae, and what they might be up to today.

[CynnieRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit added: The audiobook performed by Rebecca LaChance is a true delight. Valencia and the bros are a particular highlight. Loved hearing this wonderful story after reading it twice.
April 2025

I picture my young mom as Starr and couldn't stop thinking of her through the whole book. My mom acted in college and later melodramas. She taught my dad how to direct and block plays. She hated bullies and very smoothly made sure they got their comeuppance. Often she wore the most innocent face while pursuing justice. She and Starr had moxie. It makes me happy imagining Mom living in this world.

I get that this is a weird review but I loved this story and the arc. I'll be looking for a signed first edition of this to treasure. Many thanks to Randee Dawn for writing the book I didn't know I needed.

[Lanie Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starr Weatherby is looking for her big break in NYC and when a group of oddly dressed people come into her diner she is one hundred percent certain that if she can just get their attention they'd hire her for whatever show it is they were discussing. She saunters and gives the best performance a waitress has ever given and then promptly spills coffee all over her one shot. Surprisingly enough one of the men, one that appears to have horns gives her a card and tells her to be at a certain place at exactly 5:03 am and to look for a gate. With nothing to lose Starr heads for this mysterious gate and finds herself literally airlifted to a TV set like none she has ever seen. For starters, the security guard is a dragon, and Jason, the "man" who gave her the business card is a Faun who is the producer of Tune in Tomorrow, the longest-running reality show in the Fae World, and he's got an offer for Starr that she can't refuse. Become the newest addition to the show and live out her dreams on a TV show that she can never tell anyone about in a world she didn't even know existed. The offer is far too good to be true and she knows there's a hitch and her name is Fiona and she will stop at nothing to ensure no one takes the spotlight from her.

Tune in Tomorrow is one of the most imaginative, unique, and hilarious books I have ever read. Honestly, I can't even imagine how Dawn even came up with this idea but I am eternally grateful they did! Tune in Tomorrow is a soap opera marketed as a reality show to mythical creatures, I mean c'mon show me a more off-the-wall concept.

Characters, but especially Starr and Fiona were amazing. Starr just screams Main Character Energy from the first page. Her mantra throughout the book is "Go Big or Go Home" and I think that describes her personality well. She comes across as this extremely confident individual, and she is, but it's confidence that comes from knowing that you'll get absolutely nowhere if you don't try and you don't put in 100% effort. She's also just one of those incredibly clever characters, her mind works a million miles a minute and while she may not stay a step ahead of Fiona that's simply because Fiona's cheating.

Fiona on the other hand is a perfect rival for Starr to face off with. She is just as quick-witted as Starr but she has almost a century of experience and as they say with age comes wisdom. Or in Fiona's case a virtual army of spies and a bunch of sycophants. And I'm just going to mention this because I am sure someone is going to gripe about it: I do not know many women who have *not* worked with an older woman who is just as bad as Fiona is, the only reason I don't say or worse than Fiona is because Fiona's kinda lost her mind by the time Starr meets her.

The world-building was pretty excellent as well. The whole book takes place in basically one very enclosed set and even as the reader it began to feel a bit claustrophobic. There's one scene in particular where Starr leaves the set to head to some other region of the Fae World and it was even a relief for me to get off that set, pretty much once Starr takes the job we *never* leave. This helps firmly establish that all of these mortals who had been working on this show for decades probably won't playing with a full deck and had not been for a while. The whole thing very much reminded me of The Real World, which for those of you don't know what that was, it was one of the first (if not the first) reality shows, that placed a bunch of strangers in an apartment (I think an RV even) where throughout the show they devolved into the worst possible versions of themselves.

I do have one complaint here though, the biggest is that literally *no one* gets in actual trouble for anything they did and some of it is pretty awful. Fiona, especially, should have been locked up I don't care if Unseelie/Seelie courts have different ways of dealing with things. She basically enslaves an entire race, she believes she *murdered* someone, she attempts to kill someone else multiple times, she blackmails pretty much everyone, she has the equivalent of recording devices positioned pretty much everywhere on set including in the bathrooms, I could probably go on I don't think I covered everything. Like its actually really weird that it ended the way that it did and all of the characters are totally okay with it. Living a miserable existence after multiple attempted murders is not a satisfactory punishment and that's how this is written. Fiona lost all of her fame and fortune that'll teach her!

In the end, though just how much fun this was overrode even that complaint and it is a pretty large one, it's the only thing keeping it from five stars, but up until the end and even after we discover that Fiona will not be punished for crimes other than some sort of shaming exercise, it was definitely worth the read. It was a wild ride from beginning to end and I highly recommend!


As always thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion for the eArc!

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rec. by: Scalzi; MCL
Rec. for: True troupers

If you are a devout believer in nominative determinism (which, for the record, I am not—despite or perhaps because I share a name with an old-school comic-book hero), then you might wonder why someone named "Randee" (those two "e"s!) "Dawn" would become a writer of speculative fiction... but do not make the mistake of underestimating Dawn's work. Tune In Tomorrow (subtitled: "The Curious, Calamitous, Cockamamie Story of Starr Weatherby and the Greatest Mythic Reality Show Ever") turns out to be a delightful, sprightly (or should I say "spritely"?) romp, upending fantasy tropes left and right in a way that reminded me of, say, the lighthearted fantasies of Thorne Smith.

Starr Weatherby (those two "R"s!)—a name she chose herself, by the way—is an aspiring actress in New York City, which means of course that she's currently working as a waitress while stressing her way through audition after demeaning audition. As so many do. But then Starr gets a casting call like no other—invited by a curly-haired gent named Jason Valentine (and are those... horns he's sporting?) to join a series being produced on the other side of the Veil: the long-running (as in, centuries long) "reality" show named "Tune In Tomorrow."

"Last I checked, TV didn't even exist before the twentieth century."
"Human TV didn't. We have many ways to tell story on this side of the Veil. You've heard of Philo Farnsworth, yes? The so-called television inventor? Well, you don't imagine that's a mortal name, do you?"
—p.51

Heh...

And, despite running into red flag after red flag—this is a show that's in trouble, after all, a production that desperately needs new blood—Starr finds herself ready to take a chance on a rather more literal immortality than even Netflix can offer (snrk). If only Starr can win over the star of "Tune In Tomorrow," an imperious diva named Fiona Ballantine whose iron whims are mostly why "Tune In Tomorrow" can't keep newcomers.

"You're going to save this show," he whispered.
"No pressure," Starr whispered back.
—p.89

Starr's heart is in the right place, and the rest of her parts are not badly distributed either. She's a good egg, in other words, and you just know that if she ever does get to be on an awards show—on either side of the Veil—that she would never forget the little people (brownies, that is) who helped her get there.

Another thing I liked? The puns. And yeah, I know, I'm not supposed to admit liking that kind of wordplay, but I do. Finding out how the Fae actually tune into "Tune In Tomorrow" was fun. And the chapter titles all involve puns on "Starr" vs. "star," too, some of them magnificently awful.

The Acknowledgements also deserve a mention—Dawn starts by saying "I always read acknowledgements." I do, too.

I dunno, maybe I was just in the mood for something light, but Tune In Tomorrow hit me just right. I was rooting for Starr to succeed pretty much from the first page. And I wouldn't even have picked it up, I suspect, despite its eye-catching neon cover, had it not been for the convergence of two influences—Randee Dawn's articulate appearance in a recent "Big Idea" post on John Scalzi's long-running (24 years old and counting) blog "Whatever," and then seeing it on my local library's New Books shelf at just about eye level.

Maybe a little fairy luck was at play, that day...

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start with this review. This was by far the most bonkers book I have ever read. To give it the justice it deserves and explain its premise would require the writing of another book. But I’ll try and keep it short and sweet...

We all enjoy the odd binge of reality TV right? But what if, the reality TV shows we could watch were the lives and drama of another unknown mythical world?

Behind the Veil, mythics of all walks of life share a love of their favourite reality TV show, Tune in Tomorrow. Except, the reality is that of which of humans who are gathered from the mortal realm to act out, not quite real, reality television for the entertainment of mythical creatures.

Starr Weatherby is an aspiring actress, meeting rejection after rejection whilst working in a dead-end job in New York City. That is, until a couple of unusual characters enter her diner and pique her interest.

Starr quickly comes to realise that the big, bustling city that she resides in, is not all there is of the world as she takes on a new acting role on the other side of the Veil. Her main purpose? To use her mundane mortality to entertain creatures she had only ever seen in movies and read in books.

The complexity of this story is done so in a way that keeps you interested without entirely losing you. There are so many characters, creatures, plots and adventures to keep up with, but not in the usual ‘I have no idea what’s going on’ way.

“Humans are not spells. They do not ‘fix’ things in an instant. They come with pointy bits and curved surfaces and squishy, delicious hearts. Human creativity keeps immortality interesting. But that creativity can lead to unexpected consequences.”

Starr must compete for the limelight against Fiona, the show's main star. But turns out, the beloved actress isn’t as innocent as she seems and as Starr gets more invested in her role, the long-kept secrets of the Grand Damn unravels.

Missing mortals, a security-guard dragon and tiny, adorable creatures called Brownies who are assigned to be at the actor's beck and call in exchange for glitter, are only a drop in the water to the absolute masterpiece that is Tune in Tomorrow.

“A person with all the time in the world doesn’t have to restrict herself at life’s banquet.”

Dawn has simultaneously blown my mind and made me question every aspect of reality.

Fantasy at its finest. Be the mango.

Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great at several distinct and distinctive ways.

First, there's its Through-the-Looking-Glass quality: our heroine is a typical struggling actor who ends up getting a big break--in a different world. The director, the producer, and her fellow actors have all the problems and dramas (pun intended) that they would in the real world, except that the viewers and makers of the show are 'mythics' (essentially magical and immortal, although we can recognize many of them from human myths.) The human actors, in a soap opera pretending to be reality TV, are emphatically not running the show. This setup all by itself is novel (another pun! the book had an effect on me) enough to keep a reader intrigued.

Then, the book is laugh-out-loud funny, full of little details that make it come to life. The leaves of a nearby plant shrivel at a mythic character's tone of voice--a clue that the character is not human, and a powerful evocation of what that tone of voice must have been. Then there's a scene in which our demoralized heroine, drowning her sorrow in a glass of wine, spills it on herself as she jumps for the phone call she's been waiting for, tries to wriggle out of the soaking blouse while keeping the phone to her ear, pops a button...I don't even want to write what happens next because I don't want to spoil it.

Another standout feature of Tune in Tomorrow, as suggested by the scenes described above, is that it seems written for the screen. If you take the time to read carefully, you can picture the action: characters skidding, tripping, cringing, colliding with objects and each other. The action moves fast, the slapstick and out-of-the-blue magic happenings perfectly integrated with smart, snappy dialogue. Don't read too fast just to find out what happens next or you might miss hilarious and telling gems of 'staging' and repartee.

Yet another (what number are we on now?) hugely entertaining and super-smart aspect of this book is, as other reviewers have noted, that the language pops and fizzes along with the action. The book is brimming with word plays and puns. The title of every chapter is a pun, and double entendres pop up on almost every page. To those of us whose brains simply don't work that way, this is an astonishing feat, a garnish of wit on all the other great features.

This book kept me reading, greedily, and happily chortling. I'd love to read more like this, but since this is so far Randee Dawn's first book, I'll have to content myself with Neil Gaiman.

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The TV show “Real World” had the tagline “find out when people stop being polite…and start getting real.” Well, that could not be truer also for the book Tune in Tomorrow. Apparently, mythical creatures (known as “mythics”) enjoy watching humans and their shenanigans. Thus, they created the show “Tune in Tomorrow” to bring “reality” behind the Veil. That’s where things get a bit confusing… Human aspiring actress Star Weatherby finds herself immersed in this new world excited for the opportunity to entertain only to find out the road to success has its pitfalls, even when it comes to entertaining the Fae.

Starr Weatherby (a/k/a Samantha Wornicker) is a struggling actress in New York when one day several mythical creatures find their way into her the diner where she works. Unaware of their true identifies but intrigued by their appearance, she finds her way into their conversation and thrust into a surprising new world that humans only read about where there are brownies, dragons, centaurs and the like. At first Starr is excited about the opportunity and the new faces she finds, but the prestige player and Grand Dame of the series, Fiona, isn’t as thrilled to have a new competitor for fan attention.

Author Randee Dawn creates a fascinating tale of humanity, Fae, romance and drama that leaves readers turning pages fast and furious. However, it takes quite a bit of time and page turning to truly piece together who is what kind of creature and how everyone fits into the “reality” that is “Tune in Tomorrow.” What you immediately discover is Fiona (and her alter ego Valencia) will do whatever it takes to remove Starr from the picture.

Drama abounds in Tune in Tomorrow and readers will find themselves immersed in a fascinating and fantastical world that they won’t want to leave. Just be patient as it will require some page turning to truly find yourself fully a fan of the show and read.

[Rose Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be the Mango

I can’t recommend Tune in Tomorrow highly enough. First, a confession. I am a small press publisher and we read a LOT of manuscripts. I’m also a book lover, and I read A LOT of books. In fact I’m forbidden by my partner (and myself, tbh) to wander the book tables at events, especially the enticing tables at British Sci-fi Fantasy events such as Fantasycon, because I haul home books, when we’re there to sell them and promote our authors. I heard Randee Dawn speak a year or so ago, and then this recent FC, I was on a panel (or two?) with her. And I finally bought Tune in Tomorrow. Wow!

It’s the kind of book I alternatively tear through, can’t put down; and then set aside for a day or so, or reread pages to “catch up”, in order to drag out the story. Tune in Tomorrow is SO good: filled with compelling characters, believable dialogue and a story that has stuck in my mind. Struggling actor Starr Weatherby limps from small gig to small gig, working dire jobs to afford astronomical rent (sound familiar?). But one day, an odd group take up a table at her diner, and next thing, Starr is invited to audition for a show on the “other side of the veil”: where fairies, unicorns, fauns, dragons and brownies are real, and the human actors don’t age. This show, called Tune in Tomorrow, is stacked with rivalries, nefarious back-stabbing, unfolding friendships and bizarre “reality TV” plotlines – and this book a charming examination of bad parenting, bigotry, and the ways that misogyny and poverty can leave one stuck on the sidelines of success. Oh, do get this. I'll re-read this in a year or so, and I’m about to buy a bunch of copies for pals for upcoming holidays. And when life throws a curve and you’re not sure what to do, just take a deep breath, go with the flow and repeat this mantra: And, yes.