ACCORDING TO A SOURCE

An undercover celebrity reporter discovers there are things more important than the latest exclusive.

Ella Warren’s life is a whirlwind. As a freelance reporter for the Life, a leading celebrity gossip magazine and website, she has become the secret queen of Hollywood nightlife. By day, she's dependable Ella, but by night she transforms into her alter ego, Bella, a regular at all the celebrity hot spots and the glamorous and outrageous after-parties where the press isn't allowed. Despite her dedication to her job, she does have a set of rules for herself so she doesn’t cross the line and damage the confidence of her best friend, rising star and British heiress Holiday Hall. For one, Ella swears that she will report only on celebrity scandals that occur in public places and never divulge the sordid details she observes at Holiday’s friends’ homes. She also will never report on anything that would hurt Holiday or her closest friends. But after her long-term relationship with boyfriend and aspiring screenwriter Ethan crumbles and a demanding new editor-in-chief takes over at the magazine, Ella’s promises, both personal and professional, become harder to keep. Cutthroat editor Victoria Davis makes her freelance staff crazy when she institutes a points policy to determine who will stay on and who will be fired. While Ella tries to rise to the top, she also must stop and question who she is along the way. Ella’s friends and family are vivid and memorable, and the blind-item celebrity nomenclature, including “Rugged Award-Nominated Method Actor” and “Southern Girl-Next-Door Movie Star,” remains fresh and witty. Fast-paced and charming, the novel gives a glimpse into the secret world of celebrity—and celebrity reporting—that many readers will eat up like the latest tabloid or reality television show.

The human side of Hollywood is revealed in Stern’s strong debut.