Is it weird to blog about an article you wrote for another blog?

Probably, but I'm going to anyway.

Here is a brief article I wrote for The Readers Advisor, on the appeal of books to female vs male readers.

"So, if women will read just about anything, what's the special appeal of Women's Fiction?"

http://lu.com/ranews/sep2009/vnuk.cfm

Really, I would love to know what you think. Do women read anything? What (if anything) makes something "men's" fiction??

Interesting...

So this journalist is going to do an experiment, where she writes an entire chick lit novel in "real time". Having read some chick lit that sure felt like it was written in a month, I'm pretty sure it can be done, if not very well. : )

Saving Face? Or Losing My Mind by Dahlia Lithwick
http://www.slate.com/id/2227430/pagenum/all/#p2

What I really liked about her explanation article is this paragraph:
"One of the things I want to probe in this month of writing is the question of why we see chick lit as an escape. What is it about women who are overscheduled, underappreciated, and who at some point become invariably compromised by an undergarment, that appeals to us?"

In the introductory material to my 2 books, I explain the appeal factors of Women's Fiction. In a nutshell, it's that women like to read these novels because we love that aha! moment - where you say, "I know that girl!", "I AM that woman", "That just happened to me", or, "Dang, I'm glad that DIDN'T happen to me!". We love to recognize friends on the page.

NYT Talks Chick Lit

More Gumption, Less Gucci
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/fashion/13CHICK.html?pagewanted=1&ref=books

"And yet, even the most lurid accounts of conspicuous consumption have never been entirely escapist, said Mallory Young, the editor, with Suzanne Ferriss, of “Chick Lit: The New Woman’s Fiction” (Routledge, 2005). “Chick lit usually responds through comedy to real situations confronting real women,”Ms. Young maintains. Unlike romance novels, chick lit “recognizes and responds to the world outside,” she said. "

NPR talks Chick Lit

Interesting piece on NPR about how the recession is affecting Chick Lit... or is it?

Is the Recession Hurting Women's Fiction? Or Just Hurting Shoe Fiction?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/08/is_the_recession_hurting_women.html

"Because shoe fiction was never a reality-based genre, ever. EVER. If you were ever inclined to sit down and read Confessions Of A Shopaholic in the first place, you're not going to turn it down and choose Confessions Of A Costco Bulk Purchaser Of Cheerios instead."

I'm blushing!!! My 2nd review

Full Disclosure: this WAS written by a libraryland friend of mine, but I think it counts as unsolicited...

Booklist: A New Reader's Resource: http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/2009/08/01/a-new-readers-resource/

Readers' Advisory Goddess Kaite Mediatore Stover says:
"I’ve found a new tool to help me select books for my book groups and prepare in advance for the meetings....this book is a great help for book group facilitators. Rebecca’s book does what I want other books to do. Gathers popular authors who are current favorites with book club members, provides lists of works, some readalikes, and resources to hel0p boost the discussion."

Thanks Kaite!!