That prom moment - Crashing Prom by Milda Harris

Published: November 7th, 2014

Description:

Avery Rylee never went to her high school prom. It is one of her biggest life regrets. Now, at the age of twenty-four, Avery has many more regrets. She is stuck in a rut with her career and she has just been dumped by her fiance.

After a night of cheap wine and hitting rock bottom, all Avery wants to do is lie in bed at home with a gallon of ice cream, but her three best friends have other ideas. They have planned a cross country road trip to a prom to help Avery start over. 

Step one is an Ex-Bachelorette Party in Vegas to help Avery try and forget her ex-fiance. Instead of forgetting him, though Avery finds herself the star of her own web series. As a result, she goes on a filmed hunt across America to find a prom dress, a hot date, and a pair of amazing shoes. 

Will Avery be able to heal her heartbreak, survive internet reality show fame, and have the perfect prom?

GUEST POST

Prom Stories and the Idea Behind Crashing Prom 

I know I’m not the only girl who loves prom stories. That’s obvious by the fact that prom stories show up all over the place in TV, movies, and books. There’s just something magical about that high school dance. Even the guys I’ve talked to about prom have a story about it. I find that interesting. Most guys I know now could care less about things like dances. Still, if you ask them about their prom some of them have really strong thoughts about it, especially if their date hooked up with another guy. Eek! Drama! 

Prom is usually one of the go to places for things to happen in YA books. That is why I wanted to write a NA book with prom at its center. It’s a little different and to me that sounded interesting. 

So, I started to think about my own experiences and my prom story. I went to my prom with a friend. It was just okay. I actually remember talking to my friend in the bathroom about it and how prom had been overhyped. She agreed with me, which surprised me. She was there with her ex-boyfriend, who she totally kept making out with, so in some ways her night was actually going way better than mine even though she didn’t think it was the perfect magical night either. In the end my date and I did have fun, but it was just alright. I really wish I could have gone with a guy I was head over heels for. Then it would have been amazing. I wanted that prom moment. Heck, I’d still like it. I think everyone planning for their prom wants that outcome. 

So, to me, it seems like you’d want the same things from your prom, no matter what your age. You’d want the dress, the shoes, the limo, and the totally amazing hot date. I even googled more prom stories just to see other opinions and experiences. There’s fake proms for adults thrown in Los Angeles. You literally pretend you’re going to prom. I also found some news articles about a retirement home having a prom. See? You’re really never too old for prom! 

So, I decided. Crashing Prom was going to be about how my main character, Avery Rylee, got to her prom and all of the fun things that go with it, even though she was twenty-four and well past prom age. It’s a prom story, but it’s about the journey to the prom. Maybe that’s why prom is so huge in our minds. It is the last dance of high school. It’s the end of an era, a celebration of it really, since it’s usually just weeks before graduation. Our high school experience was the journey to it. It’s all about getting there and, of course, having the best night ever!

EXCERPT

"You and Uncle Flynn broke up?" Hannah's voice raised an octave in utter teenage shock. "Are you serious? But you were engaged."

Hannah was already calling him Uncle Flynn. My heart wanted to crack open and then burst into flames. I couldn't think about Flynn right now. Hannah had to go to the prom.

"Yes, I'm serious. And I'm serious about you going to prom," I said.

"But I can't. Nash said..." Hannah started.

"I don't care what Nash said. You have to go anyway. Seize the day. Carpe diem," I said feeling suddenly impassioned and inspired for Hannah.

Hannah had to go to the prom for me, for all girls who didn't have a date, for anyone that had been dumped, for anyone that was an ex-fiancée and also hadn't gone to her prom.

"I don't have anyone to go with, though, Aunt Avery," Hannah reminded me.

"I'll go with you," I heard myself say.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"Okay..." Hannah said. "But, seriously, what about a date? I mean I kind of dreamt I'd go to prom with a guy and..."

"I'll find us both dates!" I said.

Hannah was silent and then seemed to have a dawning realization, "Are you drunk?"

I ignored her, "So, when's your prom?"

"Saturday," Hannah said sounding dazed. "But Aunt Avery you can't..."

"This Saturday? As in six days from now?" I asked.

"Yeah," Hannah said. "Aunt Avery, I don't think...."

"Go buy a dress. I'll be there," I said and hung up the phone before Hannah could say anything else.

My mind was spinning. I might not have a fiancé, but I was about to go to the prom. I took another sip of wine. This was a great idea, a really amazing idea. I was going to start my new life with no regrets. It was perfect. I was excited. I had purpose. Now, I just needed a dress, a date, and a limo. Life was awesome.

*****

"Avery." I looked up to see Lucas whispering my name.

"What?" I asked feeling more than a little disconcerted that Lucas was trying to talk to me during my date.

"Excuse us for a second, Cameron," Lucas motioned me toward him.

I glanced at Cameron. He shrugged and pulled his phone out of his pocket. I walked a couple of steps over to where Lucas was sitting.

"What?" I asked again. I was really surprised that Lucas was interrupting our date. Wasn't that against the rules?

Lucas stood up. He was right next to me. He leaned toward me. I froze. What was going on? He put his lips close to my right ear.

I could feel his breath on my ear as he spoke. "Spice it up."

It took me a second to register his words. "What?"

Lucas breathed into my ear again. "Tess wants you to spice things up."

"Tess?" I felt confused.

Lucas shoved his cellphone screen at my face. It read: Sexy! Get Avery to come on to him! The alien talk is good for a laugh, but there's chemistry there!

I glanced at Tess. She smiled. Chemistry? What chemistry? I'd expect a text like that from Vivi, but from Tess it was a surprise. I glanced at Vivi. She gave me a thumbs up. I wouldn't be surprised if Vivi had talked Tess into texting that message to Lucas.

"Seriously?" I frowned and leaned in to whisper back into Lucas' ear. I could smell his aftershave. I glanced at the curve of his jaw and down to his neck. "No."

Lucas grinned, shrugged, and then typed something into his phone. I glanced at Tess. She consulted with Mia and Vivi. A moment later there was a response. Lucas showed me: We need something NOT boring to happen...and so do you.

"It's up to you," Lucas whispered into my ear as I was reading Tess' text.

Goosebumps ran up my arms. I whispered back. "He's dressed as an alien."

"Yes, he is," Lucas smiled.

"We just started talking," I said. "It would be ridiculous for me to..."

"Yeah," Lucas said.

"This is reality TV," I said. "Not fiction."

Lucas shrugged. "Reality is what you make it."

"I'm going to go talk to Tess," I said.

I turned to walk toward Tess. Lucas grabbed my arm. I turned to look back at him and noticed that Eli had stopped recording Cameron and was recording us.

"Eli," I frowned at him.

Eli ignored me. The camera was still pointed at Lucas and me. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Lucas.

"He's got to capture everything," Lucas said.

Goodreads ** Amazon ** Barnes&Noble

About the author:

MILDA HARRIS has a dog named after a piece of candy (Licorice), was once hit by a tree (seriously), and wears hot pink sunglasses (why not?). 

She is the young adult author of Doppelganger, Adventures in Funeral Crashing, Adventures of a Graveyard Girl, The New Girl Who Found A Dead Body, and Connected: A Paranormal Romance. 

She also works in production on television shows like Austin & Ally, Hannah Montana, and That's So Raven.

Website ** Goodreads ** Facebook ** Twitter

Author's Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway