This comedic tale follows our leading lady, Christina “Tina” Acqualina Bontempi, who is living the ordinary life in the suburbs - Hoboken, New Jersey to be specific - when she discovers a mysterious book. Like a modern Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” (minus the ruby slippers), she is swept off to a wild journey of self-discovery and friendship far from home. As Tina navigates the twists and turns of her quest to find her real parents, she engages in a final contest that’s as unique as it is entertaining – a combination of a body-builder pose-off and a poetry slam. The author drew inspiration for the novel - which combines elements of self-help fads with humor and fantasy - from a weightlifting manual a friend gave her at the gym. Ruth based a short story for her MFA program around the concept and later turned it into what would become this book: The Bulgarian Training Manual.

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