Brown, Amanda

PERSONAL:

Born in Paradise Valley, AZ; married; children: one daughter. Education: Attended Arizona State University; also attended Stanford Law School, 1993.

CAREER:

Novelist. Active in charities.

WRITINGS:

Legally Blonde, Plume (New York, NY), 2003.

Family Trust, Dutton (New York, NY), 2003.

(With Natalie Standiford) Elle Woods: Vote Blonde, Hyperion Paperbacks for Children (New York, NY), 2006.

Elle Woods: Beach Blonde, Hyperion Paperbacks for Children (New York, NY), 2006.

Elle Woods: Blonde at Heart (story by Natalie Standiford), Hyperion Paperbacks for Children (New York, NY), 2006.

(With Natalie Standiford) Elle Woods: Blonde Love, Hyperion Paperbacks for Children (New York, NY), 2006.

(With Janice Weber) School of Fortune, St. Martin's Griffin (New York, NY), 2007.

Legally Blonde has been translated into German.

ADAPTATIONS:

Legally Blonde was adapted as a film by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2001.

SIDELIGHTS:

Amanda Brown wrote the novel Legally Blonde, the prototype for the 2001 blockbuster movie of the same title, inspired by the law students she observed while studying at Stanford Law School. Her main character, the blonde Elle Woods, a California University senior and sorority president, expects to graduate with a major in sociopolitical jewelry design and marry Warner Huntington III. Warner breaks up with her in order to attend Stanford Law School and find a more studious girlfriend. Instead of wallowing in disappointment, Elle plans to win him back and applies to Stanford Law School. Due to a creative video and the need for all forms of diversity, Stanford accepts her. Her determination guarantees her success at Stanford, but not in the way she expected.

Brown's second novel, Family Trust, introduces Becca Reinhart, a Wall Street workaholic, and Edward Kirkland, a swinging bachelor who represents his wealthy family at social and charity events. They are brought together by the unfortunate deaths of their friends, an unmarried couple, who have a child, Emily. Each parent names their friend guardian, and Becca and Edward are given a three-month trial period to see who receives custody, with the understanding that if one marries, Emily goes to the married couple. Both Becca and Edward forgo their busy single lives to be parents. They begin to care for Emily and work through their own differences. Edward's unlikable socialite friend, Bunny, intends to marry Edward and tricks him into setting a wedding date. Becca wonders how this marriage will affect Emily.

Because of the success of the movie Legally Blonde, Family Trust received prepublication hype, and reviews were mixed. Missy Schwartz from Entertainment Weekly thought the story was cliché ("You see the cheesy finale coming by about page 15"), while a Publishers Weekly reviewer called it a "feather-light charmer" that makes "a perfect beach read." Carolyn Kubisz from Booklist felt Brown "spins a fun and charming tale of love and instant parenthood."

School of Fortune, which Brown wrote with Janice Weber, kicks off a brand-new series geared toward younger readers. Heroine Pippa Walker is a smart, sassy girl on the verge of marriage to a Dallas Cowboys quarterback. Pippa's society mother Thayne is even more excited about the wedding than she is, and has arranged every moment of the lavish and pricy ceremony and party to follow, a gala event that will put the most extravagant celebrity weddings to shame. This leaves Pippa with a problem when she learns something devastating about her husband-to-be—he is more interested in the groomsmen than in the bride—and is forced to call the wedding off at the last minute. Her announcement results in her being disowned. Pippa's only chance to start a new life is to go to college and get herself a degree, the contingency in her grandfather's will that will secure her inheritance and, with it, her independence. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly praised the characterizations but found the story itself to be hackneyed, calling Pippa "a smart, spirited heroine trapped in a plot that doesn't do her justice." However, a critic for Kirkus Reviews found the book to be an enjoyable, entertaining read, calling it "great, silly fun, guaranteed to be seen at a beach near you."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 2003, Carolyn Kubisz, review of Family Trust, p. 1950.

Entertainment Weekly, July 25, 2003, Missy Schwartz, review of Family Trust, p. 76.

Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2003, review of Family Trust, p. 696.

Library Journal, July, 2003, review of Family Trust, p. 119.

Publishers Weekly, May 19, 2003, review of Family Trust, p. 48; June 15, 2007, review of School of Fortune.

ONLINE

Amanda Brown Home Page,http://www.amanda-brown.com (October 24, 2003).

BookLoons,http://www.bookloons.com/ (October 24, 2003), Melissa Parcel, review of Family Trust.

Book Reporter,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (October 24, 2003), Melissa A. Martin, review of Family Trust.

Internet Movie Database,http://www.imdb.com/ (October 24, 2003), information on the movie Legally Blonde.

Publishers Weekly Online,http://www.publishersweekly.com/ (March 10, 2008), review of School of Fortune.

Romantic Times Online,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (October 24, 2003), Taylor Morris, review of Family Trust.