Laura Levine

Looking forward to a vacation, a new job, and a budding relationship with a potential beau, freelance writer Jaine Austen is surprised by her finicky cat's selection to appear in a commercial before the creator of the cat food being advertised dies on the set, placing Jaine under suspicion.

When Jaine lands a job writing web copy and brochures for matchmaker Joy Amoroso, shes excited for a chance to help the lovelorn just in time for Valentines Day until she realizes what Dates of Joy is really all about. Joy is a ruthless taskmaster who screams at her employees for the smallest infractions, pads her website with pictures of professional models posing as clients, and offers up convincing but empty promises of love in exchange for inordinate...

"Freelance writer Jaine Austen is feeling festive about spending Christmas house-sitting at a posh Bel Air mansion, accompanied by her friend Lance and her cat, Prozac. But when a grumpy neighbor gets himself iced, she'll have to find the culprit or she may spend the New Year in jail"-- Provided by publisher.

Jaine still hasn't found a good man - or a way to keep all those sugary snacks from going straight to her hips. But - with a little help from her best friend Kandi - she's finally landed a gig as a sitcom writer! True, Muffy 'n Me (aka "Bewitched with Tits") isn't going to win any Emmys. And her office at Miracle Studios needs a little sprucing up, and a few dozen rat traps. But it sure beats writing boring brochures and bad resumes, so Jaine's not...

If clothes make the man, then what do Jaine Austen's elastic-waist pants and T-shirts make her? A fashion nightmare, according to her neighbor, Lance. She doesn't expect Lance-who works in the designer shoe department at Nieman Marcus-to understand... which is how she ends up visiting his favorite boutique, Passions. While the couture is definitely not for Jaine, the staff's gossip is. Tiny orange-haired clerk Becky starts complaining about her coworker...

I Married a Zombie may have flopped in its day, but it's got a devoted cult following. Jaine is delighted when one of those rabid fans hires her as script doctor for his new play based on the show-- until she reads the awful script, and meets Misty, the actress who'll be playing Cryptessa's role. Misty doesn't display any talent, but can certainly act the diva, demanding a special smoothie every day at 3-pm. When someone spikes Misty's signature drink...

"Uber-stylist Bebe Braddock plans to juice up her Instagram feed, and thinks Jaine would make a perfect "Before & After" model. At Lance's insistence Jaine is ushered into Bebe's sprawling Brentwood spread to await her transformation. Yet, while the surroundings are glamorous, the atmosphere is toxic as Bebe bullies her team of assistants, and even her husband, into obeying her every whim. Having earned the wrath of everyone in her orbit, few are...

When freelance writer Jaine Austen is surprised with an über-luxe spa getaway, she and her feline pal Prozac are eager to hit the road and bask in a week of pampering and pedicures. But what she gets is a California fat farm in disguise, complete with celery-juice cocktails, humiliating weigh-ins, and a zero-tolerance position on carbs. Among her bulge-battling companions is Mallory Francis, a B-list movie star with a knack for making frenemies....

Smarmy personals ads. Daring declarations of love. Freelance writer Jaine Austen has penned them all. But no one needs her help more than geeky, gawky Howard Murdoch. His request is simple enough: a letter proclaiming his undying love for Stacy Lawrence, a gorgeous aerobics instructor. The fact that he's never actually met the woman gives Jaine pause-yet she soon overcomes her misgivings, and the unlikely Romeo lands a date! But his triumph is short-lived....

In this holiday-themed cozy mystery from the acclaimed TV comedy writer and novelist, freelance writer and long‑time Ben & Jerry's addict Jaine Austen discovers neighbors can be killer as she tracks down a murderer, with a little help from her snarky cat, Prozac, A treat for cat cozy fans and readers of Joanne Fluke, Miranda James, and Laura Childs. When a wealthy suburbanite takes a lethal tumble off his roof while installing a giant candy...