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Giveaway Interview IN THE SHADOWS OF GLORY…MY NBA LIFE by M.S. LILY STARGAZER @MsLilyStargazer

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Book Description

If you watch certain reality shows or pay attention to the media, you might think you know all about the private lives of professional athletes and the women with whom these celebrities are involved. The women often are portrayed as shallow gold diggers, as “groupies” without morals or values, or as petty schemers who cause drama. Now, author M. S. Lily Stargazer is here to tell you that those depictions are not 100 percent genuine. Not every wife or girlfriend of a pro athlete is superficial, lewd or an opportunist. Lily Stargazer knows this and can speak from a position of authority, because for over a decade, she was one of those women, in a relationship with a professional basketball player.

Lily felt compelled to write a memoir about part of her time she spent living her life as the fiancé to an elite professional athlete. Not only to give audiences an inside look at that life, but more to motivate and inspire those women who seek to live a celebrity life, to do otherwise. Lily recognizes that there is a fascination with celebrity status and lives and that there are many young women idolizing celebrities for all of the wrong reasons. Women in the media are being idolized at times for their beauty, wealth and immoral behaviors. Lily would not like anything more than to clear the air and help some star struck young women to realize that it is not all what it seems.

Lily met Clay in college and went on to travel the world with him as he excelled in his sport. She experienced it all—the fast life, the fame, and the money—but unlike so many others who were dazzled by the glittering world of professional sports, she managed to stay grounded. She tried to help Clay keep his feet firmly planted on the ground as well—not an easy task, given the accolades and adoration that sent him soaring higher than a jump shot.

If you’re hoping for an acrimonious retelling of Lily’s time with her NBA star, or if you want a tell-all book that names names, you won’t find that here. In the Shadows of Glory … My NBA Life is more than that. It offers an in-depth, poignant account of living day to day with an NBA player—in fact, living with the NBA itself—from the perspective of “a girl who enjoyed life and fell in love with an athlete, a basketball player.”

About the Author
Lily Stargazer was born in the Dominican Republic. She spent the first 12 years of her life living with both parents in NY. They divorced and she remained living with her mother and 2 younger siblings. Her father soon remarried and moved back to the Dominican Republic. 

Lily grew up middle class, attending private catholic schools 1st through 12th grades. Growing up, Lily earned good grades, was involved in many activities, including music, dance, swimming and twirling and had many friends.

After graduating from high school, Lily attended a State University in NY where she studied economics. While a freshman, Lily found herself working as a teacher’s aide at a home for troubled girls. She found this work personally satisfying and would be the 1st of many times throughout her life that she worked with young girls in a mentoring setting.

After two years of college, she transferred to a college out of state where she met Clay, who would become her long-term boyfriend/fiancé and a top pick NBA player. Lily went on to travel the world and experience the NBA life with Clay. They were involved for thirteen plus years.

Lily later went on to attend and complete graduate school, earning an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Lily later worked as a business consultant and in the Financial Industry.

For various reasons, Lily felt motivated to write a memoir about parts of her life as the fiancé of a professional basketball player. She has developed a new passion for writing, and looks forward to writing more memoirs and non-fiction novels about her life experiences as well as the life experiences of many of the other interesting lives that she has crossed paths with over the years.

Her greatest passion however is to be a motivator and to inspire women to pursue and find happiness and success in their own lives.

Lily is now married with one small child living in the Southwest.

PLEASE WELCOME M.S. LILY STARGAZER TO BOOKHOUNDS!
Please tell us about your current release.
In The Shadows of Glory…My NBA Life is a true story about a memorable and big part of my life.  It is filled with stories, events and feelings that I experienced while I was in a relationship with an NBA athlete.  It is not a tell-all book, but more an honest account of what my life was like at that time and what living life in the professional sports world was about for me.  This book is relatable and has depth.  It looks further than the fame and superficial, and focuses more on reality and emotion. 
Can you tell us about the journey that led you to write your book?
I actually started writing this book years ago.  I began writing it for myself.  I had so much that I wanted to say and used writing as a tool to reflect and to release what I held inside.  After a few months, I wrote less and less, thinking, “What was I going to do with this?” and spent my time doing other things that I thought were more productive. 
                However, over the past few years there have been dozens of reality shows created about women who have or had relationships with either rich, powerful or men of celebrity status.  At first, I ignored the fact that these shows existed.  But when they started to receive loads of attention and media coverage, I decided to tune in to see what all of the fuss was about.  I was amazed at how these women flaunted themselves so easily in front of the cameras.  Most of the dialogue and plots seemed shallow and trivial to me, yet these shows kept growing more and more attention from fans and the media.  I felt that these women were being exploited, but for the most part they were tainting their own images.  After watching a show specifically dedicated to women that had relationships with NBA players, I couldn’t bite my tongue anymore.  I feel that this show not only continuously exploits these women and their lives but the women that are highlighted are not an accurate representation of ALL of the women involved with athletes.  I felt it was imperative to get my point of view out there for anyone that wanted to listen.  I couldn’t go another minute; I feel like the depiction is a negative representation of what “I” was for many years. 
Can you tell us about the story behind your book cover?
I wanted my book cover to stand out and get attention.  I didn’t want the book to fall into any categories.  I think that the cover pictures stand out.  Having a basketball with a flower along side it will get attention.  The two obviously don’t go together, however they are a representation of my NBA life.  I wanted to invoke curiosity and cause someone to pick up the book and find out what it was about.
What approaches have you taken to marketing your book?
I have done a lot of research for the marketing of this book.  I wanted to know what would make someone interested and want to read my book.  Since it is a memoir, I thought, why do people care so much about OTHER people’s lives?  Is it just a natural thing to do to inquire about other’s lives?  Is it an instinct?  Or, are people just so bored with their own lives that they need to be entertained by others happenings and drama?  Or, are they just plain nosy and collecting information to be able to go back and gossip and entertain folks?  The many answers to this question I believe will help market my book.
I plan to use social media as a huge resource for marketing In the Shadows of Glory…My NBA Life.  The Internet will be where I work.  I am also utilizing many of my publisher’s marketing suggestions and expertise.
What book on the market does yours compare to? How is your book different?
I actually have not found any books out right now to compare it to.  It would compare more with the reality show that motivated me to write the book.  There is one book, The Inner Circle by Evelyn Lozada, which has plans to be a series of books, which is about women that are involved with professional athletes and their lives.  However, the stories are fictitious.  Also, the writer is not the most liked person out there and controversy and drama follow her.  She has been portrayed on reality television as being a bully and very superficial.
People find the lives of others intriguing.  This preoccupation is big business.  Magazines, celebrity news shows, social media and reality shows have hit an all time high.  I believe that people would respect and be interested in hearing a totally different perspective from a reliable and grounded source.
What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
Before I started writing this book, I would have NEVER thought that I would become a writer…and enjoy it!  I have always been a “numbers” and facts type of gal, making writing a memoir and nonfiction a fitting style.  So, I have not had much experience or a passion for writing previous to writing this book.  I have however, noticed that I do enjoy telling stories, within my story.  So, I would have to say that my most interesting writing quirk would be adding a twist or surprise to my storytelling as I recall various events from my life.
Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.
In this part of my book, I am describing a beautiful and wonderful place that I was fortunate to have lived in, a far different place than I had ever known.  It was a place where I felt most at peace and where I experienced one of the best times of my life.
Do you plan any subsequent books?
DEFINITELY!  I am currently writing another book now.  I am not sure if it will be the next book that I publish.  (Even though I’m sure people would love it)  I want to wait to see how In the Shadows of Glory…My NBA Life is received.  I want to find out what people like about my current book and what my readers would like to read more of.  
Tell us what you’re reading at the moment and what you think of it.
FREAKONOMICS by Steven d. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner is a bestseller co written by an author and economist.  Having studied economics, respecting facts and being curious about why things are the way they are; the 3 main reasons why I find this book so fascinating.  I can appreciate the topics, which are relatable to “things that make you go hmmm”.  The read is interesting and suggests conceivable theories, as I am a believer in the validity of statistics but with a twist.

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