Trashionista

Book covers: are eggs the new butterflies (which are the new feet)?

Phew, are you still with me?!

Author Justine Larbalestier was interested in our feature on Butterflies being the new book cover trend for women's fiction (taking over from feet, of course). Her new book, Magic's Child also has a butterfly-themed cover. She says that she'd rather see butterflies than dismembered women with heads or feet 'chopped off' but scroll down and she reveals...

That the next book cover trend seems to be: eggs!

A reference to ovaries, or just a nice symmetrical image - who knows?!

What do you think to these cover trends - and what would you like to see next? (Or do you *cough* not really care?)

The 10 greatest children's novels?

The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to the writer of an outstanding book for children and, to celebrate its 70th anniversary, the judges have nominated ten previous winners from which they will choose the "Carnegie of Carnegies". [via The Independent]

Carry on over the cut to see if you agree that these are the most important children's novels of the past 70 years.

Skellig by David Almond (won in 1998)
Junk by Melvin Burgess (1996)
Storm by Kevin Crossley-Holland (1985)
A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (2003)
The Owl Service by Alan Garner (1967)
The Family From One End Street by Eve Garnett (1937)
The Borrowers by Mary Norton (1952)
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce (1958)
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman (1995)
The Machine-Gunners Robert Westall (1981)

So what do you think? I haven't read them all, but they seem to lean towards what could arguably be called boys' books to me...

Related posts: One in 10 kids goes without a bedtime story | Five books (that encouraged you as a reader)

MORE ON MONDAY: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

Marina Lewycka’s debut novel, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2005 and has been critically acclaimed all over the world. Just the type of book I expected to either dislike or at least think was overrated ... but it absolutely wasn’t. In fact, it’s as readable and entertaining as it is moving.

Nadia and Vera’s father, Nikolai, has always been eccentric, but when he announces, two years after their mother’s death, his plans to marry a young Ukranian woman neither of them has met, the sisters are concerned. Their concern increases when they finally do meet Valentina - a brash, big-bosomed woman, who is clearly only interested in their father for his money and British citizenship. Their father though, is smitten.

Valentina and her son Stanislav move in and Valentina’s treatment of Nikolai soon changes. He is no longer her “holubchik” (little pigeon) he is “no-good-bad-stink-corpse”. The sisters realise they have to get Valentina and Stanislav out of their father’s life, but how?

And if all that's not enough for Nadia and Vera to deal with, there’s also their own antagonistic relationship, their mother’s memory (and their unequally-split inheritance), plus the terrible details of the family’s history that Nadia has never known, but Vera remembers all too well.

I was blown away by A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian. It managed to balance humour with terrible tragedy, while being eminently readable and though-provoking. Don’t be put off by the title, the cover, or the Orange Prize, just read it.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Like this? Try The Girls by Lori Lansens

Rosie Thomas wins Romantic Novel of the Year 2007

Bestselling author Rosie Thomas has won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year award for 2007 with Iris & Ruby.

Iris & Ruby tells the story of a passionate love affair in World War II Cairo and the growing bond between 82-year old Iris and her granddaughter Ruby.

Related posts: Review of Rosie Thomas's Sun at Midnight | RNA Romantic Novel of the Year longlist | Orange Prize shortlist announced

MOVIE NEWS: The Jane Austen Book Club

I seem to be the only Trashionista writer who loved The Jane Austen Book Club , but obviously people somewhere agree with me, as Hollywood quickly snapped up the rights for a big screen version of the novel.

Emily Blunt, who played the English first assistant (based on Plum Sykes?) in The Devil Wears Prada, stars, along with Amy Brenneman from (one of my faves) Judging Amy. Hugh Dancy, who will also star in Bronte (it's in 'pre-production' now) is in it too - but there's no news on a release date yet.

We'll keep you posted.

[Via Imdb.com]

Create your virtual bookshelf with Shelfari

This new site caught my eye: at Shelfari, you list the books you own in a similar way to LibraryThing and Reader 2, only instead of a list of books with pictures, you end up with a 3D picture of all the books on your shelves... and you can discuss them with your online friends via the site.

Looks like fun! Has anyone tried it?

FRIDAY FLICK: Miss Potter

Released this week on DVD, Miss Potter (follow that link to see the trailer) is a biopic of Beatrix Potter: showing how she became one of the most successful children's authors of all time, despite the reluctance and disdain of her publishers.

Unconvinced by her rabbit illustrations and anthropomorphic stories, her publishers foisted her off on their young, naive brother, played by Ewan McGregor - who turns out not only to be a marketing maestro, but to be Miss Potter's first suitor...

This is a light period drama that was more involving than I expected: quite a girly film, but an interesting one, that made me want to know more about Beatrix Potter - a woman of hidden depths.

Renee Zellweger seems to have transported the spirit of Bridget Jones back almost a century; not for nothing did some reviewers call this film 'Bridget Potter'! But I enjoyed her interpretation (even if the drawings-occasionally-coming-to-life thing was a bit cheesy...) This would be the perfect  Sunday afternoon film.

Like this, only more modern: Bridget Jones's Diary.

Friday Flick archives.

MOVIE NEWS: Heart-Shaped Box

It might not surprise you to hear that Stephen King's son, Joe Hill, is apparently a super-talented thriller writer, just like daddy. And he's following in his dad's footsteps by having his first novel, Heart Shaped Box, turned into a film, reports Variety.

Veteran Irish filmmaker Neil 'The Crying Game' Jordan will direct.

Movie news archives | Friday Flick archives

BOOK REVIEW: Divas Don't Knit by Gil McNeil

We've already told you that 'knit lit' is hot news, and here's another example of the subgenre: Divas Don't Knit, by Gil McNeil. Jo Mackenzie is a widow with two young sons, and she's had enough of London.

Needing a change to get over the shock of losing her husband (even though he was about to leave her), she takes up her grandmother's invitation to move to the country and take over the running of the family's wool shop.

I'm a big fan of all Gil McNeil's novels: there's something so warm and comforting about them, and I was impressed with the way she made knitting - not really one of my personal passions - so interesting! Her characters were convincing and I enjoyed the storyline: not much seemed to happen, it was more about Jo moving forward over the course of about a year, but I was never bored.

However... McNeil's books could justifiably be accused of being a bit samey. This book is very like her first novel, The Only Boy For Me, which I loved. (Though the TV version I was less keen on, giving up halfway through). She then wrote a sequel to The Only Boy... and then another similar book, and now she's working on a sequel to Divas... There's always an eccentric family, a country setting, a single mother and a sophisticated potential love interest. There's definitely nothing new here, and it would be nice to see this writer step out of her comfort zone a little. But her characters are so likable and her plots so nicely (ha ha) woven, you couldn't hate this book if you tried.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.

Melanie Lynn Hauser free e-book

As Diane mentioned earlier this week, Melanie Lynn Hauser has made her novel, Jumble Pie, available for free on her website.

Melanie writes: "Jumble Pie is the story of the elusive nature of friendship, sometimes clinging, other times liberating; a story for any woman who has ever lied to her best friend just to make her feel better - and who has been brave enough to tell the truth, even when it hurts.  And of course, it's a story about the remarkable healing power of pie."

[via Karin Gillespie]

Related posts: Confessions of Supermom by Melanie Lynn Hauser | Melanie Lynn Hauser on YouTube | Holly's Inbox

Chicklish's Helen Salter giveaway

Fabulous young adult fiction blog, Chicklish (edited by friend-of-Trashionista, Luisa Plaja) currently has a competition to win a copy of Helen Salter's Does Glitter Count As Camouflage? along with a matching bookmark.

Details - as well as an interview with Helen Salter and a review of the book - here.

Related posts: Young Adult archives | Taming the Beast (reviewed by Luisa)

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Janet Evanovich

Yes, the great lady said it herself: she probably did, to a large extent, inspire the invention of chick lit: in the US, at least. So Janet Evanovich is the first living author to be featured in our Thursday Trailblazer series!

She started out writing romance novels, which  were moderately successful. But she really found her voice (and a million-selling career) when she invented Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire. Her first foray into smart, snarky, first-person narration, Stephanie is strong, kicks ass and is never afraid to speak her mind. She also looks fabulous (I'm sure). In short, she's an inspiration: and Janet is too, turning her career into a family business (her daughter, son and husband all work for/with her!) - although she has admitted she barely gets time to breathe...

Her novels are obviously inspired by great authors like Elmore Leonard, but Evanovich's own influence is clear in writers like Jenny Crusie and Lani Diane Rich.

Read this: One For The Money.

What do you think?

And who's your favourite trailblazer? Let us know!

Thursday Trailblazer archives.

US date for The Starter Wife

We mentioned the TV version of Gigi Levangie's The Starter Wife (starring Will & Grace's Debra Messing) back in January and we've just learned it will begin airing on the USA Network on 31 May. More info here. [via Romantic Times]

Still no news on a UK screening, but we'll let you know as soon as we know and in the meantime, here's a special sneak peek:

Orange Broadband New Writers shortlist

Did you know that there's an Orange Broadband Award for New Writers, launched in 2005 as part of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction? Well there is. All first works of fiction written in English by a woman and published as a book in the UK are eligible.

The 2007 shortlist is:

Clare Allan - Poppy Shakespeare
Roopa Farooki - Bitter Sweets
Karen Connelly - The Lizard Cage

Wow. That really is a short list, isn't it? The winner will be announced at the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction award ceremony on 6 June 2006.

Carry on over the cut to find out how you can get two of the Orange nominated books (those above and those on the main prize list) for the price of one.

Orange has partnered with Waterstone's to offer a two for one promotion to Orange mobile and broadband customers on all shortlisted books for this year's Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction and Orange Broadband Award for New Writers.

Orange customers can visit www.orangeprize/241 or text 'Books' to '80241' and they will be sent a promotional code to use online at Waterstones.com/orange241 to claim the two books for one offer. The offer will be available until June 15 2007.

Related post: Marian Keyes on Orange Prize judging panel

BOOK REVIEW: A Nameless Witch by A Lee Martinez

A Nameless Witch isn't the kind of book I'd usually read. It's compared on the back cover to Terry Pratchett and (although Jenny Crusie raves about him) I've never read any of his books (I started one, but couldn't finish it). But something about A Nameless Witch appealed to me...

Cursed at birth, a girl is bought by a witch and raised as a witch herself. When her mentor is murdered she undertakes a quest to avenge her death. Assisted (mostly) by her familiar - a duck called Newt - a troll, a broom and, eventually, a fox and Wyst of the West, a White Night, she travels across lands to her destiny. (Part of the curse means she is ageless and also carnivorous. When she meets Wyst she doesn’t know whether she wants to sleep with him, eat him, or both. I hate it when that happens.)

This book started well, but then became so slow and saggy in the middle that I found myself scanning page after page (I think that's perhaps what happened with Pratchett too, but because I wasn't reviewing it I could just stop reading). Having said that the ending was completely brilliant - exciting and moving - and almost made up for the middle.

Plus the witch is certainly an interesting and original character and there are some fun touches and imaginative set pieces, but I found that the jokes just weren’t good enough and more suited to a children's book.

A Nameless Witch is, in parts, entertaining, original, interesting and amusing, but unfortunately it's too patchy to be really great.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Coven of One by Kate Bousfield

Another cover 'snap'!

Trashionista writer Danielle thoroughly enjoyed Sara Manning's Let's Get Lost, a book that's won almost as many plaudits for the coolness of the cover as the fabness of the story...

Here's the coolness in action:

Pretty, no? And unusual looking, too... So imagine my surprise when I found another young adult author has almost exactly the same cover:

Carry on over the cut to see...

...the cover of Sarah Dessen's new book Just Listen:

Don't even try to tell me that's not "inspired by"! I know it's the publishers fault, never the author's, and Sarah Dessen's book, a newcomer to my toppling review pile, looks very interesting. But really!

At least Puffin have time to pull their socks up and change the cover: it's not released until July...

Related: Are Butterflies the new feet? | Musical book covers | Judging books by their covers

It's coming...

Something big. And we mean BIG.

Next Wednesday on Trashionista.

Watch this space.

[DS].

BOOK NEWS: The Next Thing On My List

Jill Smolinksi's new novel The Next Thing on My List sounds like a great concept: June Parker's life is plodding along nicely when she has a car accident. Her passenger, Marissa, who she barely knows, tragically dies, and June finds in her possessions a list, entitled “20 Things to Do By My 25th Birthday.” June decides to take on the challenge of completing Marissa's list in her memory...

According to Random House's website:

"Funny, engaging, and heartwarming, The Next Thing on My List features a lovable, relatable heroine and a story with plenty of humor and heart." Of course, they would say that, but I must admit, I'd love to read it. Personal quests like that always inspire me! (Plus reading about someone else's means I don't have to start my own...)

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

Last week, we talked about whether a new Sense and Sensibility was a good thing and scored a big fat yay from my co-ed Keris and a slightly more reluctant yay from our editor-in-chief Gemma.

This week, I'm getting controversial. Waterstones recently published its top 100 books of the last twenty-five years as decided by 5000 of the book chain's staff ... and only TWENTY-SEVEN of them are by women! Whaaa...?

Is it possible that they're right: do men write better books than women?

Tell us what you think: is it a Yay or a Nay - and WHY?

Yay or Nay archives.

[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]

[Picture courtesy of Getty Images].

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Caroline Smailes

Caroline Smailes' debut novel, In Search of Adam will be released on 15 June 2007. Caroline's road to publication was an exciting one. After finishing In Search of Adam in August 2006, she launched a website and blog.

Three weeks later Clare Christian from The Friday Project stumbled onto it, requested the manuscript and offered Caroline a publishing contract (In Search of Adam will be the first novel published by The Friday Project, which is the only publishing company that specialises in sourcing the brightest talent from the web).

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Disturbing, controversial, 1980s, hammer, abuse, Eddie, suicide, neglect, cave, Jude, exhibits, typography, food, stairs, pea-green-boat.

Or

Trapped within a family secret, Jude Williams becomes the consequence of her mother’s tragedy.

I have difficulty summarising.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

I have an office in my house and a lovely desk that is often messy. I 'have to be' at my desk to write my current novel. This is a new writing experience, as I wrote In Search of Adam on several scraps of paper and typed them up in chunks.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

I have to say Lucy Diamond's Any Way You Want Me. I finished it last week and now it has shot to the top of my favourites. It was an 'in one sitting' read, that had me feeling a range of emotions and hoping/praying for a happy ever after.

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

Matilda from Roald Dahl's classic. She has depth, determination, magic and a love of books.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

For me, I became a writer when I enrolled on a writing course. It legitimised (in my mind) what I had been doing for 'fun.' The course gave me the confidence to write and prepare the manuscript to a suitable standard, but it also allowed me to focus and prioritise my writing. I had to write 5,000 words every three weeks and I work well to deadlines. The key is to find whatever it is that legitimises your writing, focus
and write.

What are you reading at the moment?

Marian Keyes - Anybody Out There. It's been edged down my 'to read' pile for too long.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

It's called Black Boxes and is a story in two parts - box one and box two. It's loosely based on the idea of the black boxes that are extracted from a plane wreck. The reader is to unravel the story to find the cause of the 'crash.' The voices are of a mother and a daughter, focusing on sounds and lost words. It's another dark novel.

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!

I've never been asked what I want to be when I grow up.
My answer is either a penguin or an Ice Princess.

Thanks, Caroline!

Will Write For Shoes writing course

Diane loved Cathy Yardley's Will Write For Shoes, a guide to writing a chick lit novel and now Cathy is leading an online course of the same title.

If you take the course, be sure to let us know what you think.

BOOK REVIEW: Women Who Think Too Much by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema

A while ago I asked my husband how he copes with the constant chatter in his head. He looked at me blankly. I gave him some examples of the arguing I do with myself, going round and round on the same topic and ended saying, “You know?” He didn’t know. He had no idea what I was talking about. It was only then that I realised it might not be normal, that perhaps it wasn’t something everyone does. And that’s when I discovered Dr Susan Nolen-Hoeksema’s Women Who Think Too Much.

Subtitled, "How to break free of over-thinking and reclaim your life", Women Who Think Too Much explains, with examples, exactly what overthinking is, why we do it (and it’s much more likely to be women than men who do) and how we can stop it. Chapters then focus on some specific circumstances that are likely to cause us to overthink - marriage, parenting, work, family, weight - using real life case studies.

This book was an absolute revelation to me. I suspected I wasn’t alone in overthinking, but seeing people’s spiralling thought processes written down was so comforting - I’m not barmy after all! I realise now that, though common, overthinking is not normal, healthy or useful and I’m taking steps to stop it (and it hasn’t even been that hard).

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Behind on the Laundry and Living off Chocolate by Lynette Allen

Melanie Lynne Hauser news: Supermom sequel and new e-book

According to the ever-informing-me Galleycat, Melanie Lynne Hauser, author of Confessions of Supermom not only only has a sequel to that book out now: Supermom Saves the World...

But she is going to release an older novel, Jumble Pie, as an e-book.

Find out more here.

BOOK REVIEW: The Manny by Holly Peterson

It's apparently the latest, hottest trend in Manhattan: more popular than the Birkin bag, better than Jimmy Choos: it's The Manny, or male nanny...

Jamie Whitfield is at the end of her tether with her husband Philip, an overgrown spoiled rich kid who can never have enough money and who spends all his time at work, away from Jamie and their three children. Oldest son Dylan has begun to resent the lack of attention from his father, and has started to act strangely as a result - sitting down in the middle of a school basketball game and bursting into tears, for example...

His mother decides something must be done: so she hires Peter, a specialist in child' education, who'll hang out with Dylan and be something of a father figure for him. The only problem is, Jamie doesn't want Philip to know...

Actually that's not her only problem, just one of many : Jamie's trying to break a huge national story in her job as producer at a major news network and it's not going smoothly. More importantly, the problems in her marriage are brought into stark relief by her growing attraction to Peter...

I liked this book, although I think it would have benefited from one final round of edits: it was a bit too long. Also, although Peter started out quite charismatic, he became rather arrogant and the way he talked to Jamie often seemed rude although was supposed to be just cheeky. Jamie keeps telling us how charming Peter is, but this wasn't shown very often! Compared to Philip however, he's wonderful: The author doesn't seem to realise that having Jamie complain so much about her husband makes her look like a bit of a weak character. And having Jamie say she hates the upper-class snobbery of The Grid, the exclusive area of Manhattan she lives in seemed a bit hollow: she is also very taken in by it - and Peterson lives there herself so she can't hold it in that much contempt!

I also felt the story was needlessly slow at times - but as Jamie's work storyline hotted up, I was gripped (this was probably the most exciting part of the novel, and Holly Peterson's own experience as a producer was clear - although for her sake I hope she had a better time in that job than Jamie does in hers...) The book ended a little suddenly, but I was pleased with the denouement.

I think I would have just liked Peter to have been more Mary Poppins-ish...

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Nanny Diaries by The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin.

Touchstone's competing "Blonde Brit Bombshells" in Chicago

US Book publishers Touchstone are apparently touting Rachel Johnson (of Notting Hell and Boris Johnson's sister fame) and Santa Montefiore (of The Gypsy Madonna and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's sister fame) as their "Blonde Brit Bombshells" competing over book sales whilst on tour together in America.

They've been in Chicago recently, partaking in very stereotypical British customs like high tea (in the middle of a bookshop, natch).

[Via Galleycat]

Sophie Kinsella interview

No, not here, sadly. But it's funny: Sophie Kinsella is enormously popular and successful, but I've only ever read one interview with her ... until now.

This short Time magazine interview includes Kinsella's thoughts on the difference between chick lit and romance (it's the "heaving bosoms"), life as a financial journalist and, of course, Becky Brandon.

Related posts: The Undomestic Goddess review | Shopaholic & Baby review

TUESDAY THREE: Adultery

It’s not big or clever, but in fiction it’s always good fun. What am I talking about? Adultery. This week’s three books focus on cheaters and cheating, but possibly in ways you wouldn’t expect...

Emily Giffin’s Something Borrowed is the wonderful story of Rachel, who is about to turn thirty and having a bit of an early mid-life crisis. Her best friend since school Darcy seems to have everything: a wonderful man, a glamorous job in PR and a wedding to plan. Rachel on the other hand, feels lost and overlooked. Especially whenever she's with Darcy. Life perks up a little when she finally realises she has great chemistry with a man she's known for years ... shame he also happens to be Darcy's fiance, Dex...

Jane Fallon’s first novel Getting Rid of Matthew has a great premise: Helen has been Matthew’s mistress for four years, but when he finally leaves his wife and two daughters and moves in with her, Helen finds it’s not what she wanted after all. But Matthew has given up a lot to be with Helen and he’s not about to give her up. Unless she gives him some very good reasons to, that is. So Helen sets about a campaign to drive Matthew away: amongst other things, she stops shaving her legs, slums about the house in her scruff, stops having sex with him and befriends his ex-wife (under a pseudonym).

In Husbands Adele Parks takes it to the next level with bigamist Bella. Bella’s friend Laura, still hurt from a nasty break up, falls head over heels with a busker she meets on the tube. Unfortunately he happens to be married to Bella who is also married to Philip... are you keeping up? The book charts some fairly major coincidences as the lives of Bella, her two husbands, and Laura become rather too entwined for comfort.

BOOK REVIEW: How To Sleep With a Movie Star by Kristin Harmel

I’ve had a bit of a bad run of books lately: boring characters, lifeless plots, unsatisfying endings, so I picked up How to Sleep With a Movie Star hoping it would be a nice chunk of escapism that would leave me with a smile on my face. I wasn't disappointed.

Claire Reilly, celebrity editor at Mod magazine (which is pretty similar to Ugly Betty’s Mode magazine), can’t understand why her layabout boyfriend Tom has lost interest in her. And writing an article singing the praises of one night stands doesn’t help her work it out. Sent to interview Hollywood megastar, Cole Brannon, Claire expects him to be a typical egomaniac, but he's not - he's down to earth, sweet and even more gorgeous in real life. And he seems interested in her, but he couldn’t be, could he?

When a backstabbing colleague finds out about Claire’s friendship with Cole, Claire's worried her boss will question her professionalism, despite the fact that she hasn’t actually done anything wrong. That doesn’t matter, of course, if someone’s got it in for you and soon - thanks to the evil colleague and not helped by Claire's own low self-esteem - Claire’s life is falling apart.

How to Sleep With a Movie is great fun. Cole Brannon is gorgeous (if a little too good to be true, but this is fantasy, so that’s okay). Claire is sweet (if a little wet, but that just makes the story even more Cinderella-ish) and the baddies are really, really bad (in a good way). I really enjoyed it - it would be perfect for the beach - and I’m looking forward to Kristin Harmel’s next book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try The Year of Living Famously by Laura Caldwell

Why so few novels make it to the big screen

We all love a good film adaptation, don't we? Some get it right, some get it horribly (or just boringly) wrong.

This month, in an article that appeared first in Mslexia and then The Independent, Danuta Kean discusses the complicated process of having a book adapted for the silver screen. It makes interesting reading...

[Via Book 2 Book].

BOOK NEWS: 21 Proms

With the popularity of anthologies like This Is Chick Lit (and er, that other one), a teen short story anthology was obviously well overdue. 21 Proms is a collection of stories about... prom nights. (Who'd have thought?!) It features  YA authors like John Green and E Lockhart, as well as chick lit crossovers like Sarah Mlynowski.

Being an anthology, of course it has to have several feet on the cover - but it sounds like a great read!

[Via Galleycat]

Interview with Aury Wellington...

No, not on here (unfortunately): editor of controversial anthology This Is Not Chick Lit, Elizabeth Merrick launched a new series of author interviews on Bookslut this week. Her inaugural interviewee is Aury Wellington, author of controversial YA book Pop!

Find out how she writes, what her big break was (clue here) and why her mum always wanted her to join the army... all by reading the interview.

Another Traveling Pants movie?

We really loved The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book and movie, so we're excited about rumours of another Traveling Pants film. 

It's been suggested that the scriptwriters will use the final book in Ann Brashares' series, Forever in Blue, as the main plot with bits of the second and third books featured too. The original core ensemble - America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel and Blake Lively - are all in talks to reprise their roles. [via Ferrerafans]

Related posts: Top 10 Chick Lit film adaptations | Gawker on Ann Brashares | Movie News archives

MORE ON MONDAY: Television Without Pity by Tara Ariano and Sarah D Bunting

Anyone who reads (and like me, LOVES) the website Television Without Pity will understand what to expect from this book: the same snarky, madly observant tone of that brilliant site, delivered in encyclopaedia format. Subtitled ‘752 things we love to hate (and hate to love) about TV’,  Television Without Pity is an A-Z about everything televisual: from Acting, Wooden to Zeiring, Iain... (I swear that juxtaposition was unintentional!)

I got this for my birthday (thanks, Mum!) and spent a whole weekend totally absorbed, often screeching with laughter and recognition at Ariano and Bunting’s brilliant insights.

Often the section headers were enough to set me off: Weakest Link, British-Lady Edition or Fashion, Hilarious Attempts of TV Guys in the 90s at. Their take on watching a whole show on DVD over a weekend is exaggerated, yet familiar: "We try to ration the 24 episodes, one at a time, but we can't... the next thing we know it's Sunday night and we're sitting in adult diapers on the couch, surrounded by forty-eight hours' worth of snack bags and Diet Coke cans, heads pounding, cracked out on Keifer..." Fellow TV addicts will relate. Except maybe about the 'diapers'...

As you might have guessed, this book is American, and the one drawback for UK readers is that a lot of the cultural references will be unfamiliar (I’m an American-TV junkie from way back and there was a lot I didn’t understand). But that didn’t stop me laughing at and loving this book. It’s not all fun and games though: there’s also a lot of intelligent, thought-provoking analysis about the way pop culture functions.

In fact, it’s pretty much the perfect book.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Like this? Try Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.

Television archives | TV Scoop: Blogging the Gogglebox

Did Janet Evanovich invent chick lit?

As usual, I'm months behind on my magazine reading, so I've just come across an interview with author Janet Evanovich in February's Writer's Digest. Asked if other authors were writing crossover romance/mysteries when she began the Stephanie Plum series, Janet answers:

No. There were people writing with humor but [it wasn't a] broad humor. My humor is like "I Love Lucy." So I think I brought more humor in and created the romance hybrid. I hate to take credit for chick lit - and I don't think I can - but I contributed to it. And I don't think what I write is chick lit, but I think that the people who came after me and created chick lit were looking at Stephanie Plum.

We didn't include Evanovich in our Top 10 Chick Lit Precursors list, but should we have done? One For the Money was published in 1994, which puts her ahead of both Helen Fielding and Marian Keyes (who are usually in contention for the crown), but that would depend on whether the Stephanie Plum series is chick lit or not. What do you think?

Related posts: Janet Evanovich interview | Nosing at authors' finances | Another Janet Evanovich collaboration

Independent bookstore saved by MySpace

We've written before about booksellers on MySpace and the plight of independents and now we hear of a store potentially saved from closure by MySpace.

When the owners of Chicago store Women & Children First posted a series of articles on their MySpace page explaining "why feminist bookstores are culturally essential" and "how you can help insure the future of feminist bookselling in Chicago" it led to the store's best weekend since Christmas. The resulting "saved by MySpace" publicity can't hurt either. What a brilliant idea. [via Publishers Weekly]

Related posts: What's your favourite bookshop? | Why MySpace? | Trashionista's MySpace page

That was the Austen Week that was!

Thanks for joining us for a great week of Austen-themed fun! Good wasn't it? I am undone!

If you haven't heard about our fabulous huge Jane-themed competition (HOW?!) you've got until midnight to enter - good luck!

I'm off to practice my swooning... [DS]

BOOK REVIEW: Persuasion by Jane Austen

When I studied Austen at university, we read everything but Emma and Persuasion and yet everyone always tells me Persuasion is their favourite and I felt like I'd missed out. Finally, six years after graduating, I've read it and ... I was a little bit disappointed.

Eight years before the book begins, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth fell in love. But Anne's family put a stop to their engagement, believing he wasn't good enough for her. At 27, Anne is still unattached when Captain Wentworth comes back into her life.

Of course, it's not hard to predict just what's going to happen, you know full well who will turn out to be a villain, which relationships (or connections) aren't necessarily what they seem and that Anne and Wentworth will end up together, and perhaps that lessened my enjoyment somewhat. But I think the main problem I had was that I just didn't feel emotionally involved. Probably because I didn't warm to Anne. And I'm afraid Wentworth's no Darcy either. (Although I must admit to a small flutter when he made his declaration to Anne - Austen does a good declaration!)

While there is plenty of Austen's deliciously dry wit and beautifully drawn characters - particularly Sir Walter, Admiral Croft and Anne's ridiculously bratty sister, Mary - Anne seemed a little wet and a bit dull and I couldn't quite see why Wentworth had been in love with her for so long.

As with all of Austen's books, Persuasion is as much about money and status as it is about romance, and it was interesting from that point of view, but I didn't feel that it added anything I hadn't already learned in her previous novels.

Despite all of the above, it's still Austen and so it's beautifully written and, to use an Austen-esque term, sufficiently diverting, but I'm afraid it will never replace Pride & Prejudice in my affections.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Emma by Jane Austen

Jane Austen and Harriet Evans

Harriet Evans brings our special Austen Week series to a close in potentially controversial fashion!

“Don't think of Jane Austen and her books as 'classics'. It's as pejorative a word as 'chicklit' is, almost. They endure because they're good - no, great - wholly absorbing stories about women and their lives, the choices we make, the people we love, the things that happen to us."

"No one has done it better before or since. No one makes me laugh in recognition like she does, or bite my lip with sadness. She's the best. That's all there is to it. “

Harriet Evans is the author of Hopeless Romantic and Going Home, both available through Harpercollins.

Jane Austen action figure

Thanks so much to Kim Stagliano for alerting us to this Jane Austen action figure from US company, Signals. 5¼" high, she is demurely garbed and well equipped with a book (Pride and Prejudice, of course) and a writing desk with removable quill pen".

Signals also sells an Austen inspiration bracelet - a cuff featuring Austen's line "Indulge your imagination in every possible flight" in raised letters on brushed silver - and "I *heart* Mr Darcy" shirts. Something for (almost) everyone then!

Related posts: Austen week archives | The Jane Austen Centre | Literary Luminaries book bags

FRIDAY FLICK: Mansfield Park

Long before ITV1 got their hands on Austen, when Billie Piper was but a babe in arms (well, almost), was this 1996 version of Mansfield Park, starring Frances O'Connor and Johnny Lee Miller.

It's the story of Fanny Price, the poor relation sent to live with her uncle and benefactor Sir Thomas Bertram (plus her auntie and distant cousins). But from whence comes all of Sir Bertram's money? (And more importantly, isn't Johnny Lee Miller rather dishy?! )

I have to say, I really enjoyed this film, but (confession time!) I haven't read the book it's based on. (Oops). I understand that some MAJOR liberties have been taken with the text, and that true Janeites (as Austen devotees are known) are still up in arms about it, eleven years later.

If you've never read Mansfield Park, you'll probably find it as enjoyable as I did. If you have read it, watch this at your own risk, people - and perhaps take it with a pinch of salt...

Like this, but more faithful to the original text: The BBC's Pride and Prejudice.

Friday Flick archives | Austen Week archives

BOOK REVIEW: Notting Hell by Rachel Johnson

I wasn't sure if I'd like Rachel Johnson's debut novel, Notting Hell. I wasn't overly keen on her first book The Mummy Diaries, finding it a bit smug (you can't moan about 'having' to go on holiday, can you?)

But the author's description of this book (something about the "haves and have-yachts") made me laugh and full of nostalgia for that film (as the residents of this book call Notting Hill), I gave it a go.

It follows a year in the lives of two women, Mimi and Clare, both of whom live on a street with access to a private communal garden - a luxury in London. Mimi has three kids and a part-time journalism career whilst Clare is a garden designer and feng shui obsessive. Whilst Clare are her husband Gideon are super-rich, Mimi and her hubby... are not.

The book's all about the inhabitants of the square from the alternating viewpoints of Mimi and Clare, which allows us to see things that each character does not. But Mimi is the only really sympathetic adult character here, and she has some big flaws... We learn about life on an exclusive communal London garden and the petty rules, silly jealousies and extra-marital affairs that occur. (I'm dying to know how much is based on true events - and if any of it's based on anyone I might have heard of, tee hee!)

It suffers from the same slight smug problem as her earlier book, and I couldn't help feeling books like this are so unconnected from the real world as to be a bit frustrating. But Mimi is a great character and I enjoyed the pace of the book, most of the time - there are occasional interludes when things are getting exciting and the narrator takes us back in time to give us the background story - grr, get on with it!

Still it's a good read (a nice one for summer, with some good moments of humour) if not a great one.

Although if you'll get second home envy or private school bile at the thought of reading about the super-privileged, it might best to steer clear... I find it rather fascinating, though.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Jane Austen

Did you think we'd pick someone else for Austen Week?! Of course we couldn't...

As romance and chick lit authors have been testifying here all week, Austen is an inspiration to writers everywhere (male writers too, although not that many would like to admit it!) She wrote intelligent, well-plotted satirical novels that are hugely witty and which were often ahead of their time in their political and social themes. She's been called the original chick lit author - and as we all know, that's a huge compliment!

Anyone who wants to know how to write a romantic comedy (with a serious underlying moral) could do a lot worse than to study Miss Austen's six fine novels...

And you you read about why I find her an inspiring person (not just author), over at our new sister site Dollymix.

Read this: The Jane Austen boxed set (I know - cop out! I really couldn't choose...which do you like best?)

Was Jane Austen ugly?

Despite what people have always thought, turns out the nickname 'plain Jane' might not be quite accurate when it comes to Miss Austen.

But who cares what our classic authors look like says Dollymix editor-in-chief Katie Lee in her excellent piece over on our brand-new sister site... I'm sure she'd love to hear your thoughts (as would we!)

Booklamps

Of all the book products I've written about for Trashionista, I think these booklamps are my favourite.

Created by Dutch company Atelier Bomdesign, there are a bunch (or a library...) of different styles to choose from, including wall and standard lamps (costing from €200). Gorgeous.

[via Apartment Therapy]

Related posts: The Self Shelf | Tracy Kendall's book print wallpaper | Book clock by Mxyplyzyk

Jane Austen and Elizabeth Aston

Our special Austen Week series continues, with Elizabeth Aston, author of Mr Darcy's Daughters, The Exploits & Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy and The True Darcy Spirit. Why does Jane mean so much to her?

Then they stopped, holding hands, and looked down. The girl knelt, and laid a red rose on Jane Austen’s gravestone.

The gesture brought tears to my eyes. The same kind of incredulous tears as when, at thirteen, I finished Persuasion and realized there were no more to read, that Jane Austen had written just those six astonishing novels.

I was influenced by Jane Austen from the moment I was born. My brothers were named after their grandfathers; I was named after the heroine of Pride and Prejudice. So she was destined to be an inspiration to me, as a writer and as a woman: the most clear-headed, witty, satirical, humane and romantic novelist that England ever produced.

We women writers have it easy today, with our education and our opportunities and our computers, and yet we should be enthused and encouraged by Jane Austen’s example. Two hundred years ago, what were the odds that a country parson’s daughter would overcome all the difficulties of her life and write books that generations of men and women would read and be enchanted and amused and enthralled by for the next two hundred years?

But she did.

And the characters from those six novels have been part of my life ever since. "Good evening, Mr Darcy!”

Elizabeth Aston is a passionate Jane Austen devotee who studied English at Oxford. She lives in Oxford and Italy with her family. Find out more about her Austen inspired novels here.

MOVIE NEWS: Nancy Drew movie trailer

I don't know how it passed me by, but I didn't even know about this film until yesterday.

What do you think? Do you agree with the You Tube commenters that Nancy's too young, Ned's too gormless (and not hot enough) or does the movie get it right? (I haven't read any Nancy Drew books - yet - and the film looks quite cute to me.)

Related posts: Inspired by Nancy Drew | Nancy Drew stationery | Book-inspired outfits!

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

Last week, we talked about the huge advances given to celebrity authors - and had a pretty lively debate (-- click that link to check it out!)

This week: some more Austen, in Yay or Nay form this time! Please tell me I'm not the only one old enough to remember Emma Thompson's excellent, Oscar-winning film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility? (Okay, it's not that old, just eleven years... same as Emma, clearly Austen has a revival every decade or so.)

I do love that big-screen version, though. So I have mixed feelings about the fact that Andrew Davies, the man who thought to put Colin Firth in a wet shirt, is making a new version for the small screen. Will it be as good as the film? Better? Or have we had Austen adaptation overload?

Tell us what you think: The new S & S: is it a Yay, or a Nay - and why?

Yay or Nay archives.

[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is author of the Austen- (and Colin Firth)- inspired novel Austenland, so she was the prefect pick for our Austen Week interviewee.

Here's what she told us about her book, her writing life, what she's working on next... and what it's like being soooo beautiful (just read it, already!)

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Austenland: Jane obsessed with Mr. Darcy. Goes to Austen-themed resort as therapy. Madness ensues.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

I write on a laptop wherever and whenever my children permit. At the moment, I’m in a chair in my room while my baby girl naps and my toddler son is at preschool.

Your favourite chick lit book?

I’ve gotta do the safety dance for Bridget Jones’s Diary. She gave us all a place to groove. Go Bridget, go Bridget, it’s your birthday, go go go...

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!) and why?

Ooh, do I have to play favorites? My first loves were the romantically sassy Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), tragically sassy Emilia (Othello), and snarkily sassy Elizabeth Bennett. Others I adore: Tiffany Aching & Granny Weatherwax, Anne Shirley, Amelia Peabody, Kitty Pride (as written by Joss Whedon), Cassandra (I Capture the Castle)…I know I’m totally cheating.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

You’re a writer when you write. Stop worrying about how hard it is getting published and how little money you’d make anyway and the rejections and vulnerability and weirdness, and just start telling your stories. You’ll feel so much better once you do. Also, those pants you keep thinking might be cute again so you keep them in the closet? Time to throw them out. Seriously. [Hey, how did you know...? - Diane]

What are you reading at the moment?

Chasing the Jaguar by Michele Greene. I was at a conference with Michele recently and she’s completely delightful.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

My husband and I co-wrote Rapunzel’s Revenge, a graphic novel about Rapunzel in the Old West (she uses her long braids as whip and lasso and becomes a vigilante hero — she’s so awesome). We’re working on a sequel now while Rapunzel is being illustrated.

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!)

Q: Is it difficult being so stunningly beautiful? A: Why, thank you! I’m so flattered, I don’t know what to say. It’s not so difficult. I mean, there are the normal challenges that come with any unearthly beauty. I don’t need to remind you about poor Helen of Troy. But I just take it one day at a time. That’s all any of us can do.

Too true, Shannon! Thanks so much!

Interview archives.