The last time the Writer Profile Project talked to Ellen Meister, on March 21st of last year, the discussion revolved around her recently published novel SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA. Now, Ellen is getting ready to welcome a new novel into the world. THE SMART ONE is scheduled for release on August 5th. I checked in with Ellen, and she gave me this promo copy, and a few links where you can find more information.

Bev Bloomrosen thinks her sisters see her a loser. Not that she minds being the Smart One, but she can’t imagine she’ll ever live up to her family’s expectations … especially since she left behind her artistic ambitions—along with her humor-impaired ex-husband—to pursue a career as a “mere” schoolteacher.

But her sisters have their own image problems. Clare, the Pretty One, married well and seems to have the perfect suburban life, but worries that the paper thin fabric of her beautiful designer world is ripping apart. And Joey, the Wild One who had 15 minutes of fame as a one-hit-wonder rock star, struggles with sobriety and keeping the secret of her weirdest ambition yet.

They love each other, but can’t see where their differences begin their own destructive tendencies end. Then it happens: the sisters discover a decades-old body stuffed inside an industrial drum, and begin a bold, heartbreaking and sometimes hilarious journey that will either bring them together … or tear them apart for good.

For more information, people can go to Ellen’s website , her HarperCollins page or directly to Amazon.