February 5, 2010 8:07 PM

NEW RELEASE: Loves Me, Loves Me Not

With Valentines Day on its way, there are plenty of newly released (and upcoming!) love stories to choose from - one being the brand new short-story collection, Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

Loves Me, Loves Me Not was released today and contains 40 short stories from a variety of bestelling authors such as Carole Matthews and Adele Parks. Edited by Katie Fforde (author of Love Letters and Wedding Season), the book is set to be a fantastic ready for those who love short tales of romance! Here's some more info...

"Loves Me, Loves Me Not" will give you hours of outrageously indulgent reading pleasure. With over 40 stories to choose, this fabulous collection has something for everyone - from bittersweet holiday flings to emotional family weepies; from fun chick-lit tales to Regency romances . "Loves Me, Loves Me Not" is a true celebration of the very best in romantic fiction. Read all-new stories from the bestselling authors of today - including Joanna Trollope, Katie Flynn, Carole Matthews, Maureen Lee and Adele Parks - and discover the bestselling authors of tomorrow.

Posted by Elle Symonds on February 5, 2010 in Book News, New Releases, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 1, 2009 11:47 PM

All-female shortlist for National Short Story Award

A BBC short story competition has five shortlisted writers - and all are female.

The winner National Short Story Awards, one of the most prestigious for a short story contest according to the BBC, will be revealed on December 7th, on Radio 4's Front Row programme.

The shortlisted authors are Naomi Alderman for her story Other People's Gods, Kate Clanchy for The Not-Dead and The Saved, Sara Maitland for Moss Witch, Jane Rogers for Hitting Trees with Sticks, and Lionel Shriver for Exchange Rates.

The winner will receive a £15,000 prize, with the runner-up gaining £3,000. The shortlist was chosen from more than 600 entries.

Posted by Elle Symonds on December 1, 2009 in Book News, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 31, 2009 11:40 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Pretty Monsters

Posted by Elle Symonds on October 31, 2009 in Rating: 5/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 6, 2009 8:44 PM

COMPETITION: Win a copy of Pretty Monsters!

It's the run up to Halloween, and no better time to indulge in a good old-fashioned scary story (or spooky romance. It's your call!) Here at Trashionista we adore ghoulish tales, and have been lucky enough to get a review copy of brand new book Pretty Monsters.

 

Pretty Monsters is a collection of nine short stories by Kelly Link that's perfect for a dark night curled up under the covers.

 

Pretty Monsters is released on October 15^th, and Trashionista and publishers Canongate have three copies of this beautiful book to give away!

 

Here's some info about Pretty Monsters...

 

Blending fairytale, fantasy, horror, myth and mischief in a delicious cocktail, Kelly Link creates a world like no other, where ghosts of girlfriends past rub up against Scrabble-loving grandmothers with terrifying magic handbags, wizards sit alongside morbid babysitters, and we encounter a people-eating monster who claims to have a sense of humour. With more than a pinch of macabre humour, this is writing to come back from the dead for.

 

To be in with a chance of winning a copy, all you have to do is leave a comment  below. Names will be entered into a draw and winners will chosen after 15^th October. (Don't forget to leave your email address so that we can contact you!)

 

Apart from Pretty Monsters, Kelly Link is the author of two more short story collections: Magic for Beginners and Stranger Things Happen.

 

You can find out more about Kelly Link and her books by checking out Kelly's website.

Posted by Elle Symonds on October 6, 2009 in Competition, New Releases, Short Story Collections, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (33)

November 24, 2008 9:56 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Who Can Save Us Now? Ed. by Owen King and John McNally

I wrote about Who Can Save Us Now? back in July when Jennifer Weiner mentioned it on her blog. It is an anthology of short stories about super heroes and Jennifer has a story of her own in there. I was drawn to this book as I have my own little super heroine story I'm working on, plus of course, I'm a massive fan of Jennifer's. However, I'm not a big fan of the short story, don't know why, so it was going to be interesting how I got on with it.

There are twenty two writers who have taken part and written some very up to date and modern stories. Now I'm not one of these comic book superhero fans who can talk about genre, statistics and stuff with any degree of authority. In fact make that no degree of authority. Basically I don't have a clue. All I know is, I like a good story.

And in the anthology you will find good stories. But you will also find some mediocre ones. Some of them I started and struggled with, quickly moving on to the next one. But others had me gripped. (Obviously) Jennifer Weiner's was one of them. Her unusual superhero story had me intrigued and, indeed, gave me a few goosebumps along the spine.

It is difficult to rate an anthology as there is always going to be variations in quality. However I'll give this a three out of five on average, but please remember there are some fours and fives in there too. (As well as some ones and twos but that's by the by).

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try In Bed With...

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 24, 2008 in More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 16, 2008 11:23 AM

BOOK NEWS: In Bed With...

In Bed With... is described as "a unique, sometimes humorous, often wicked and totally sizzling collection of unashamedly sexy bedtime stories by bestselling, award-winning and well-known novelists". Authors featured include Chris Manby, Adele Parks, Jane Moore, and Joanne Harris.

Interesting. But the most interesting thing is that they're writing under pseudonyms (a combination of the name of their first pet and their street). So who are Pom Pom Paradise and Minxy Malone? Tutty Monmouth or Sunset Proudfoot? Read the stories and then try and guess the author!

Related posts: Sexy Shorts for the Beach | Do the Write Thing | This Is Chick Lit

Posted by Keris on October 16, 2008 in Book News, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 17, 2008 8:19 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Further Under The Duvet by Marian Keyes

We adored Marian's first collection of non-fiction essays, Under The Duvet, and I'm pleased to report that Further Under the Duvet is just as warm and funny.

Whether she is talking about her well-documented alcoholism, charity work, feminism, her love of Prada or the Irish air-guitar-playing championships, Marian is adroit and lovely.

As well as journalism (previously published in places like the Guardian and Marie Claire), Further Under Duvet has a small collection of short stories (two of which are previously unpublished) and Mammy Walsh's Problem Page.

A lovely warm hug of a read.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try: Under The Duvet (of course!) by Marian Keyes

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 17, 2008 in Marian Keyes, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 5/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 7, 2008 1:43 PM

Global Short Story

The Global Short Story Competition is a new monthly competition designed to appeal to writers everywhere, "from the arid outback of Australia to the baking deserts of Africa, the towering skyscrapers of the United States to the humid cities of Asia, the bustling capitals of Europe to the steamy villages of South America". Just that sentence makes me wish I wasn't in drizzly Lancashire...

Each month, a winning story will receive a cash prize and will also be posted on the website. At the end of twelve months, each winning story will be considered for an annual cash prize.

Find out more on the rather smart website. [via blog eclectic]

Related: Short Story Collections archives

Posted by Keris on February 7, 2008 in Competition, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 2, 2008 10:49 AM

BOOK NEWS: The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted

How I love Elizabeth Berg. And the title of this book? Love, love, love. (The cover, not so much ... carry on over the cut for more Elizabeth Berg covers.)

Anyway, out in April, The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted is a collection of short stories on the theme of "What would you do, if nobody was looking?"

Berg's suggestions include "Go AWOL from Weight Watchers and spend an entire day eating every single thing you want – and then some? Start a dating service for people over fifty to reclaim the razzle-dazzle in your life – or your marriage? Seek comfort in the face of aging, look for love in the midst of loss, find friendship in the most surprising of places?"

It's a shame nobody's looking cos I'm doing a happy dance!

Granted, I don't like the new cover above, but I've always loved Berg's previous covers (left) ... except they've been redesigned (right). I like this one for We Are All Welcome Here, but I'm not sure about some of the others.

For instance, the cover for The Art of Mending looks like an eighties Danielle Steel...

What do you think?

Posted by Keris on February 2, 2008 in Book News, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 1, 2008 10:01 AM

Authors write for Amnesty

Thirty top authors including Tom Stoppard,Iain Banks, DBC Pierre, Jeanette Winterson and Kate Atkinson, are putting pen to paper in support of Amnesty International.

Six books, each containing five new stories, will be published in August. The project, titled Blood Like Water, marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

[Via AOL]

Related posts: A little bit of politics | Donate spare books to charity

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 1, 2008 in Book News, British Authors, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 5, 2007 12:24 PM

BOOK NEWS: Do the Write Thing

Do The Write Thing was a popular series of creative writing coaching slots by bestselling author Patricia Scanlan. The winners of the subsequent short story competition are collected in this anthology.

All royalties from Do The Write Thing go to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute. I'm very charitable today, aren't I?

Related posts: No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July | This Is Chick Lit review | The Guy Not Taken review

Posted by Keris on October 5, 2007 in Irish Authors, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 27, 2007 10:30 AM

BOOK NEWS: No one belongs here more than you by Miranda July

I intended to feature this book when it first came out, but never got around to it. I'm glad I didn't, because now I've seen Miranda July's fabulously inventive website so I can tell you about that too (it's made up of photos of the top of her fridge - no, really - go see!).

I'm not a huge short story fan, but this collection has received rave reviews so I'm willing to give it a whirl. Has anyone read it?

Related posts: 1500 stories, 20 days and a writer who won't give up | The Guy Not Taken review | Sexy Shorts for the Beach review

Posted by Keris on September 27, 2007 in Book News, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 27, 2007 10:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro

Trashionista recently reviewed Laurie Notaro's novel, There's a (Slight) Chance I Might be Going to Hell. I now can't wait to get my hands on it, having been a fan of Notaro since I randomly stumbled across her books on Amazon. The first, The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club, was all it took to get me hooked.

Usually I'm not a fan of autobiographies: I'll admit to dashing past that particular section in Waterstones after a single glimpse of Paris Hilton/Chanelle emblazoned across a book jacket (but that's a post for another time!) However this changed when I started reading Laurie's wonderful books, which are mainly collections of short, laugh-out-loud autobiographical articles.

Basically, former newspaper columnist Notaro is the self-confessed 'Idiot Girl' of the title  - leader of her own Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club. Unable to fit in with the 'Smart Girls' in life, Laurie and the other Idiot Girls make do with their own little place in the world. And with exploits like these, who wants to be a Smart Girl?

Laurie's book is packed with brilliantly funny pieces on everyday life, from the one about The Pretty Friend (let's face it, we all have one!) to the brilliantly-titled 'Revenge of the Bra Girl.' However, the funniest piece has to be 'Moral Sex', in which Laurie tries to explain to her nana as politely as possible just WHAT Monica Lewinsky got up to...

The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club is something we can all relate to. Despite Laurie's tales being about home and relationships and unlucky shopping trips, her wit and ability to see humour in the most basic of situations is always entertaining! Laurie is someone you just want to go out for a drink with. She's blunt, she's honest, she's funny and even though she puts herself down at some points, she isn't afraid to laugh about her flaws and mistakes. Quite frankly, she's fabulous.

The short articles in this book don't go in order, so you can read a chapter whenever you like. Personally I'd recommend the one about public bathrooms first (thank god - I'm not the only one who hates The Primper!)

As someone who is more of an 'Idiot Girl' myself, I'm well and truly proud. Seriously. Anyone who hasn't got hold of a copy of this should do so now. Since reading this I've purchased other collections: We Thought You Would be Prettier and I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies). Told you she was blunt!

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Bright Lights, Big Ass... by Jennifer Lancaster.

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on August 27, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 5/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 20, 2007 8:48 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: Mere Anarchy by Woody Allen

I suspect unlike most Woody Allen fans, I first appreciated the great director's humour through his short stories rather than his excellent films (Manhattan, Annie Hall, Play it Again Sam, Hannah and Her Sisters, Manhattan Murder Mystery et al.)

His last original collection of fiction was released in 1983 and so Mere Anarchy, a slim volume which still squeezes in 18 stories, was well overdue. But does he still have the golden touch?

I have to be honest, at first I wasn't sure. I'd forgotten that Woody's wordplay can sometimes be dazzling to the point of baffling, and wished often that I knew where my dictionary was...

But once I'd got into the swing of things, I found his way with words entertaining and witty, although wry smile-funny rather than split-your-seams hilarious. The subjects these stories tackle are mostly rather ridiculous - from a man kidnapped because he looks like a famous film star to a someone who loses money after investing in a musical about the adjustable shower head. Other subjects, like nannies selling stories on their employers and the difficulty of getting a child into the right New York pre-school, are bang up to date (even if chick lit did there get first...)

One of my favourite stories was The Rejection (the pre-school one) , which made me laugh out loud. Lines like, "If Mischa could be denied this, there was no meaning in life or all of existence " effectively puncture the bubble of NYC pre-school hysteria. Strung Out, a contemplation on physics and the laws of the universe was very funny too: "I awoke on Friday, and because the universe is expanding it took me longer than usual to find my robe." But Above The Law, Below the Box Springs really made me howl with laughter - it's about some thieves who cut the tags off mattresses and it's just so silly and funny, a great cheerer-upper. (Yes, that is a word...) I'm just not sure why some of the stronger stories in the collection are towards the end of the book.

Although I read the collection straight through like a novel, as I needed to finish it for MoM, I think it would be better savoured in small morsels - the writing is so rich in wordplay it can be better appreciated in small doses and it's a shame to rush through it.

I don't know either non-Woody Allen fans would enjoy the collection or not - you have to have a certain sense of humour. In fact, I might recommend one of his earlier collections first for 'beginners' (Without Feathers contains my fave ever Allen story, The Whore of Mensa.)

But for anyone with a sense of the silly, a great vocabulary and a penchant for Woody Allen-esque humour, this is a great new book. It's nothing new and exciting, just more of the same after a long break - but that's still saying quite a lot.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 20, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Celebrity Authors, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, New Releases, Rating: 4/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 28, 2007 8:25 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Girls' Almanac by Emily Franklin

Emily Franklin's The Girls' Almanac covers relationships, fertility problems, betrayals, illness, death and, ultimately, friendships: how they are formed and why they last. Following the intertwining lives of Jenna and Lucy, two women who eventually become best friends, we are taken on a tour of how people’s lives cross and what brings them together. The book is written in an unusual format. It’s not linear, instead we get a snippet here and a snippet there told in a series of short stories. First up is Lucy as she comes to terms with the death of her fiance and her mother’s second marriage. The second story is also about Lucy but this time she is a young girl with a friend called Alex. Next comes Gabrielle and Andrea, both as young girls, then Gabrielle pops up two stories later as a doctor in Bogota.

There are so many stories and time frames the characters are hard to keep up with (there’s a chart at the beginning of the book just in case the reader loses track). No sooner have we met and been given the background of a character than that story ends and we hear no more about them, which gave me the impression that the book was imparting facts rather than telling a story. Some stories were interesting but there were some I just didn’t see the point of. Unfortunately the second was one of them, which didn’t bode well for the rest of the book.

It has been said that some short stories are a slice of life but the detached way in which these stories were told left me unemotional about the characters and not really concerned about how or why their lives intertwined. [Nicola Pedley]

Rating: 2 out of 5

Like this? Try The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 28, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 2/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 17, 2007 4:37 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Lorrie Moore

This week's Trailblazer is a real personal favourite. J'adore Lorrie Moore.

Lorrie Moore was writing intelligent, witty, poignant and insightful short stories (and one novel) about life, love and relationships as far back as the early '80s She satirised things like America's self-help culture before most of us even knew it existed. She's smart, savvy, always ahead of the curve - and a brilliant writer, too. If I could write like anyone, it would be Lorrie Moore. (She's one of Nick Hornby's favourites too, so I'm in good company).

Moore's first book, the story collection Self-Help, was published when she was twenty-six. As well as her books, she has been published in The New Yorker, The Paris Review and in the anthology The Best American Short Stories. She now teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which may be why she hasn't published a book for nine years (since Birds of America) - a situation I hope is remedied soon. 

Read this: Self-Help, or Who Will Run The Frog Hospital?

What do you think - and who's your favourite trailblazer?

Trailblazer archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 17, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Short Story Collections, Thursday Trailblazer | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 14, 2007 11:11 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

I read The Yellow Wallpaper at university six or so years ago and it has stayed with me as one of the most disturbing stories I've ever read.

A short story, written in 1891 by feminist author Charlotte Perkins Gilman (she also wrote a book about a female utopia called Herland) it's the first person account of the descent into insanity of a nameless woman who's physician husband claims she's suffering from nervous exhaustion.

Renting a house for three months, the husband chooses the highest room in the house as their bedroom believing its lightness will do his wife good. And she does like the room, apart from the yellow wallpaper which she finds unpleasant and creepy. As the story goes on, the wallpaper disturbs the narrator more and more until she's seeing figures sneaking behind it and eyes and tongues lolling out. Ugh, it gives me the willies just to think about it. I won't say anymore because you can read it online, but if the ending doesn't make you shiver you're a braver woman than me.

It's an amazing piece of work, a genuine horror story that also highlights the issues facing woman in the none-too-distant past. The narrator is most likely suffering from post-natal depression, but her husband believes writing and any sort of society is likely to overexcite her and make it worse, and so makes her a prisoner in her own home.

It's actually based on Gilman's own experiences (with depression, rather than interior decoration) and its publication was delayed when a doctor (not Gilman's own) took exception to it, claiming that it would drive anyone mad to read it. I highly recommend you test his theory here (and make sure you let us know what you think).

Rating: 5 out of 5

Like this? Try The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle

Posted by Keris on May 14, 2007 in American Authors, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (4)

April 24, 2007 8:41 AM

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]

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 24, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Romance, Short Story Collections, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 29, 2007 6:20 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Dorothy Parker

To some extent, Dorothy Parker is better known for being a witty raconteur than a great writer - but there's no reason a woman can't be both! (I know I am, ha ha).

She was a notorious gossip columnist for The New Yorker and then a theatre critic, writer of short stories, poet and member of the  infamous Algonquin round table (a group of artistes and witty people who met regularly to gossip around a round table at The Algonquin hotel in New York).

Parker quotes include:

"A little bad taste is like a nice dash of paprika."

"Brevity is the soul of lingerie"

and, of Katharine Hepburn: "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B"...

Parker didn't really have a very happy life, marrying a gay man and an alcoholic and spending much of her life trying (not very successfully) to fight off depression. Perhaps that's what made her so bitchy, even to her friends. She had a good heart though and tried to help others: campaigning against the death penalty and Communist witch hunts, among other human rights issues, and helping victims of the Spanish Civil War. She went to Hollywood to be a screenwriter, but hated it, although she penned several films including classic A Star Is Born. her fighting spirit, her wit, and most of all her writing have inspired many women writers of today, including the inimitable Nora Ephron (who was lucky enough to meet her).

Read this: The Portable Dorothy Parker

What do you think? Who's your favourite trailblazer?

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on March 29, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Classic Novels, Short Story Collections, Thursday Trailblazer | Permalink | Comments (6)

January 29, 2007 1:54 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Bitch Lit edited by Maya Chowdhry & Mary Sharratt

Maya Chowdhry and Mary Sharratt have edited this collection of short stories all having the general theme of women anti-heroes. Bitch Lit is apparently an antidote for all the Dick Lit we’ve had to endure in the past.
 
The blurb claims that all these stories are tales of women and power, the opposite of cautionary tales. Bitch Lit is a celebration of women who take the law into their own hands, who defy society’s expectations, put their own needs first and don’t feel guilty.

Unfortunately when they say ‘take the law into their own hands’ what they actually mean is break it. The characters in these stories serially murder, steal, commit adultery and fraud or, if you’re lucky, are just extremely selfish or mean spirited. They’ve attempted to describe this book as feminist, but that’s like saying Hitler was male so if the world was a fair and righteous place we should have a female dictator who commits genocide and tries to take over the world. It’s just wrong!

As with any book of short stories there will be a mixed bunch. Some are better than others, but all of these left a sour taste in my mouth and stole some of the faith I had that human nature was basically good and kind. Ironically the authors who wrote the shortest stories were the most successful in fitting in a complete tale. Some of the longest ended leaving me confused and wondering what happened. It seemed they’d reached their maximum word count and just stopped. They might as well have stopped mid sentence for all the sense some of the endings made.

One thing this book does achieve is in provoking a reaction. I can imagine people who enjoy looking at a rubbish bag or an unmade bed as a new form of modern art would find this book extremely interesting.
 
If you’re like me and prefer to recycle your rubbish, do yourself a favour don’t buy this book and save a tree. [Angela Richardson]
 
Rating: 1 out of 5

Like this? Try This Is Chick Lit edited by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Posted by Keris on January 29, 2007 in American Authors, British Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 1/5, Recent Release, Rubbish Books, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 19, 2006 2:20 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Santa, Baby by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips

Sometimes there's a book I just can't wait to read, and I never learn not to over-hype it to myself, in case I get disappointed... this was the case with Santa, Baby. It's Jennifer Crusie! It's Christmas themed! I'll love it, right?!

Well... maybe. Despite the cover, which gives huge prominence to the big draw that is Jennifer Crusie, this book is actually three novellas with a Christmas theme in one handy holiday volume.

And as I was reading, I couldn't help wishing that the book was another great Crusie novel, instead...

The collection opens with Hot Toy, Crusie's novella, which is light but very entertaining, well-written with an unpredictable storyline. As always, she has great ideas and tight plotting and it's very definitely Christmas-themed. It's not as good as her novels, but as a light seasonal treat, very enjoyable. Then we have Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster and Naughty Under the Mistletoe by Carly Philips and... meh. Firstly, they could have been set at any time of the year with just a few Christmas details thrown in later, unlike Crusie's story which is seeped in a seasonal theme (with a sexy spy thrown in for good measure).

I found the two non-Crusie stories (sorry, novellas- and that's part of the problem- they were more like stories streeeetched out to become mini-novels, without the plot to back it up) very cliched and hard to believe or relate to: this is a world where you know someone intimately and make plans to be with them forever after just one night, and where a man repeatedly calling you "sweetheart" is endearing rather than deeply patronising. Of the two, I slightly preferred Naughty Under the Mistletoe, partly because it didn't have  fifty pages of sex (I'm not exaggerating- call me Prudey McPruderson but I like something left to the imagination, especially as this occasionally missed the mark- "donned a rubber"? Sounds safe, but not sexy... and flickering tongues just remind me of lizards I'm afraid!) but didn't think either of these stories were anything special or managed to capture any real emotion. And there was too much telling and not enough showing ("how could any man get inside her when she'd feared emotional closeness would result in unhealthy dependence?"- who thinks like that?!)

If you like a predictable romance story that you don't need to think about, you might enjoy them, but they weren't my cup of tea, and I'd recommend just reading Hot Toy to get you in the holiday mood- then, as with a box of champagne truffles on Christmas morning (she hinted), exercising some restraint and leaving the rest- for your own good.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Don't look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Meyer.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 19, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 7, 2006 8:00 PM

THURSDAY THREE: Christmas is coming

...In literature, as in real life! You might not have a great deal of time for reading just now, so what are some light Christmas reads for you to enjoy as the season approaches? Here's three to start you off...

One of the big Christmas releases this year is Santa, Baby, three short novels / long stories by different authors, in one handy volume. The big draw is Jennifer Crusie's Hot Toy (read an excerpt here), and you can read our review, as well as our exclusive interview with Ms Crusie, later this month.

A Redbird Christmas is another fairly short novel, by Fried Green Tomatoes author Fannie Flagg. It's a fable about Oswald T. Campbell, whose health is so bad he's warned he'll die if he doesn't move to Florida, far away from the cold Chicago winter. Miracles ensue!

What will the third seasonal-themed story be? Carry on over the cut to find out!

Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich (you can also expect an exclusive interview with her later this month!) is a special Christmas-themed Stephanie Plum story. Amazon reviews are very mixed of this one, but might be worth a try if you're a die-hard Plum fan!

What's your favourite holiday read? (Whether specifically Christmas-themed or not!) Perhaps you'll get a new fave this xmas? I know I'm hoping to put my feet up with a good book on Boxing Day...

Thursday Three archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 7, 2006 in American Authors, Modern Fiction, Romance, Series, Short Story Collections, Tuesday Three | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 2, 2006 6:18 PM

THURSDAY THREE: Bitch Lit

Is it me, or is the book world getting a little bit... bitchier this year? With anthologies created purely to rail against chick-lit, and chick-lit anthologies created to show them who's boss, women writers are sparring like never before. Today's Thursday Three is about saying damn it to nice cutesy heroines, and celebrating the inner bitch in all of us...

Bitch Lit, edited by by Maya Chowdhry and friend of Trashionista Mary Sharratt, is a collection of stories about bad girls and anti-heroines, "women who take the law into their own hands, who defy society's expectations, put their own needs first and don't feel guilty," according to the blurb on Amazon.  It's a book that celebrates the fact that sometimes being powerful means being a bitch- or at least, being thought of as one.

What bitchy books will we find over the cut? Be nice to me and I'll tell you...

The title of memoirist Elizabeth Wurtzel's book Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women (follow that link to read an extract) is pretty self-explanatory. She considers why women are called bitches by the media and society, and why victim-hood is too often celebrated, rather than bolshiness! In five essays, she writes about women as diverse as Hillary Clinton, Sylvia Plath and Nicole Brown-Simpson (O.J's unfortunate ex). She draws few conclusions but asks some worthwhile questions- although she was criticized for her choice of women (!)

Back to fiction, Martha O' Connor's debut novel The Bitch Goddess Notebook [The Bitch Posse in the U.S]caused quite a stir when it was published earlier this year. The story of three friends whose lives are ripped apart by a violent crime, it also has a main character who celebrates female sexuality quite er, actively.

So what do you think- is 'bitch' a huge insult, or a word women need to reclaim? Does it mean we're seen as ambitious and powerful- or unpleasant and overbearing?

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 2, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Non Fiction, Recent Release, Short Story Collections, Tuesday Three | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 13, 2006 11:41 AM

BOOK REVIEW: This is Chick Lit edited by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

As I said on Wednesday, This is Chick Lit was created when its editor, the lovely Lauren Baratz- Logsted, read about the creation of an anti-Chick Lit book, This is Not Chick Lit. Thinking that sounded bizarre (no-one calls anthologies This is Not Sci-Fi, do they?) not to mention mean-spirited, she decided to help create a positive book showcasing great chick-lit writers.

This is Chick Lit is the result.

Featuring stories from authors including Johanna Edwards, Stephanie Lehmann, Karin Gillespie and Deanna Carlyle, it's fair to say that to British readers at least, we're talking up and comers or well-known but not super-famous chick-litters.  A small part of me felt that maybe a more mighty response to the "not" book would have included titans of the genre like Jennifer Weiner and Marian Keyes, but that's not to undermine any of the great writing found in this volume.

I found the book fun and easy to read, and unlike many short story collections, where I need to stop and read something else in between, I raced straight through this one, wanting to savour the next story, and the next. I really liked most of these stories, particularly Cafe Con Leche Crush by Heather Swain, Takeoffs and Landings by Johanna Edwards and Dead Friends and other Dating Dilemmas by Julie Kenner. I also really enjoyed the fact that at the start of each author's story was a brief paragraph of what chick-lit means to them, a celebration of the term. And Lauren Baratz-Logsted's introduction is positive, empowering and inspiring!

Unfortunately, I found the first story, about two writers on opposing sides of the chick-lit battleground, a great idea but handled in a rather heavy-handed way. I also felt the collection ended on quite a negative note, with a story about a spoiled whiny woman who no-one wants to marry...  (Bit cliched, no?) But there's mould-breaking fiction here too, and experimental pieces like Confessions of a Three Eyed Freak by Ariella Papa demonstrate that there's far more to the genre than shoes (although there is one on the cover!), sex and shopping.

A great effort, and a more than worthy defence of Chick-Lit, if such a defence is needed.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 13, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Romance, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 11, 2006 5:50 PM

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

I'm reaching the end of This is Chick Lit, which I'm going to be reviewing soon (later this week, in fact!) and it's inspired this week's Yay or Nay.

The book was created as an antidote to This is Not Chick Lit, designed to offset the negativity of that title and showcase the variety and talent of chick lit writers. An admirable idea- but what do you think? Is it better to confront and perhaps out-do your bully, or to ignore them and not dignify them with a response?

Do you like the idea of creating a book in response to another book, or not? Tell us: is it a Yay or a Nay, and why?   

Our other Yay or Nays

[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!]

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 11, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Modern Fiction, Recent Release, Short Story Collections, Yay or Nay? | Permalink | Comments (2)

September 29, 2006 8:50 AM

Now The This Is (Not) Chick Lit Comic Strip

Now the This Is/This Is Not Chick Lit controversy has been immortalised in a Patricia Storms comic strip featuring Jennifer Weiner, Rachel Pine and friend-of-Trashionista Lauren Baratz-Logsted.

Whatever next?

Posted by Keris on September 29, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Recent Release, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 7, 2006 9:01 AM

I'll stop going on about it soon ...

I was amused to notice that on Amazon US that customers who bought This Is Not Chick Lit also bought This Is Chick Lit and See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit.

Perhaps the customers are buying This Is Not Chick Lit as a guide to What Not To Write.

Also This Is Not Chick Lit seems to be outselling This Is Chick Lit. Doesn't that disprove the Not-Chick-Litters argument (that chick lit is stealing readers from more worthy books)?

Or perhaps it just shows that sticking the words Chick Lit in your title (even if you have to stick the knife into a bunch of fellow women writers) will sell more books.

Posted by Keris on September 7, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, New Releases, Opinion, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (6)

September 6, 2006 8:07 AM

MOVIE NEWS: The Guy Not Taken

Diane loved Jennifer Weiner's new short story collection, The Guy Not Taken and now I hear Dreamworks have snapped up the film rights to the title story.

More news as and when we hear it (I know you'd expect nothing less!).

Posted by Keris on September 6, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Girly Stuff, Movie News, New Releases, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 5, 2006 7:09 PM

MOVIE NEWS: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

Around the turn of the millennium the hot book to be seen with was The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank (it wasn't really about hunting or fishing, but about a young woman called Jane and her lives and loves told in a series of collected stories).  Francis Ford Coppola bought the Rules-parody title story and sold it to Reese Witherspoon's film company as a vehicle for the Legally Blonde star. Then...nothing.

Now, finally! Sarah Michelle Gellar is starring in a new version of the film, with the main character's name changed (to Brett- Brett?!) and by the sound of things, very loosely based on the original.  Marc Klein, who wrote the screenplay, was also responsible for good-natured but sappy Serendipity, so I'm expecting more of the same... which means, of course, that I can't wait!

[Via Glamour and Imdb].

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 5, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Movie News, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 31, 2006 10:56 AM

Jennifer Weiner reads from The Guy Not Taken... and there's more!

You've read the review (haven't you?!) and now you too can have a sneak peek at The Guy Not Taken before it's released.

Jennifer Weiner is reading an exclusive extract of one of her stories from the book, "Swim", here  (scroll down). You can also catch it here, along with a Book Clubs Q&A (with audio clips of Jennifer answering questions about her books) and first chapters of all her novels. Her jam-packed site's also running a competition where you can win the chance to have Jennifer visit your book club- U.S residents only, I'm afraid!

Finally, watch the ad for The Guy Not Taken here.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 31, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book Websites, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

PREVIEW REVIEW: The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner

Yep, it's not even out yet and already we have a review for you- how good are we to you ? (Clue: very). The Guy Not Taken is out next Tuesday in the U.S (September 30 via Amazon in the UK), and... I highly recommend it!  A collection of stories formerly stuffed into shopping bags in Jennifer Weiner's spare room(!) her agent suggested she might want to think about maybe... publishing them. (After a little updating, of course!)

And thank goodness she did!  They're full of Jennifer Weiner's trademark humour, warmth and poignancy and the majority are very real and entertaining.

The collection opens with a trilogy about the Krystal family at different times of their lives, the first of which was written while Weiner was at university, the last very recently to tie up the loose ends.  It's fascinating to see the threads of her novels in the earlier two stories- I noticed aspects of both In Her Shoes and Good In Bed.  There's also a story (called Good Men) about Bruce and Cannie, the main characters of Good In Bed, which is told from Bruce's point of view.  I loved this insight into the author's creative process, and the fact that she's sharing these steps in the development of her writing.  There were one or two stories I didn't feel would stand alone as narratives, however...

Dora on the Beach seemed very unlikely and quite silly and the eponymous heroine is weedy to say the least- 62 is too young to be acting like a little old lady! Some of the stories are slices of life where nothing much happens and I can see that they'd be better suited to being part of a novel, although they're still very well-written.  The best two stories in the book are Oranges From Florida, a very moving story of divorce from a father's perspective which is gently heartbreaking, and The Mother's Hour- a pacey and slightly shocking tale.

Despite some stories being stronger than others, the book works as a whole and is very entertaining.  It's a treat for Jennifer Weiner fans who love her previous work, but newbies would get a lot out of it, too.  Although I raced through (er, I mean savoured slowly!) the stories, my favourite part of the book was actually the "Notes on Stories" at the back of the book, sharing some of the gossip behind the writing process.  I'd love to have read even more of this and would like to formally suggest to JW's publishers that her next between-novels project be a work of non-fiction essays about her life and writing (they don't even have to pay me for the idea!)  It's certainly whetted by appetite for her next novel, and left me wondering if any of the ideas from her more recent stories will be showing up in her future work... you can bet I'll keep reading to find out.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank, In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 31, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 4/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (7)

August 30, 2006 11:00 AM

The Sunday Night Book Club

I always love books that help a good cause, but The Sunday Night Book Club sounds like it would be a great short story collection even if it wasn't raising money for Breast Cancer Care.

Featuring stories by Wendy Holden, Cathy Kelly, Adriana Trigiani and lone man Alexander McCall Smith, the book is sponsored by Woman and Home magazine and promises to be a popular addition to Christmas stockings this year.

(Sorry- when I see September on the horizon I become obsessed with Xmas, I'll try to rein myself in now until November at least!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 30, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, British Authors, Irish Authors, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 7, 2006 11:34 AM

1500 stories, 20 days and a writer who won't give up

When author E.J Knapp got into serious financial trouble as the result of bad luck and disability, he put his house on the market- but wasn't willing to let go of his car.  He needs it to get around, or his freedom and access to healthcare is pretty much over.  But he can't actually afford to keep his car...  So instead of feeling sorry for himself, he came up with an imaginative way to make the money he needs: he's selling stories.  Selling 1500 stories, in 20 days will make him the money he needs before his car gets repossessed.

Knapp has refused money from his writer friends, but asked them all to contribute a story to help his plight, which he'll then sell for two dollars each on his site (he's trusting that people will pay to read them, and by giving out the link, I am too).  Writers including Martha O' Connor  and Lauren Baratz-Logsted (contributor to/editor of This is Chick Lit) responded, so this project provides a rare opportunity to improve someone's quality of life, whilst paying a very small price for some great quality reading material: it's win-win-win! Interested? Buy a story here.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 7, 2006 in American Authors, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 21, 2006 8:16 PM

This is (not?) chick lit

The 'chick-lit: good or bad?' debate (you know which side we're on!) looks set to be re-invigorated yet again by two upcoming American books, both anthologies featuring some of the country's most respected writers- but with radically different agendas...  Next month, This Is Not Chick Lit is released- a collection of "Original Stories by America's Best Women Writers" including famous chick-lit hater Curtis Sittenfeld.  The blurb says, "This Is Not Chick Lit is a celebration of America’s most dynamic literary voices, as well as a much needed reminder that, for every stock protagonist with a designer handbag and three boyfriends [ouch!] there is a woman writer pushing the envelope of literary fiction with imagination, humor, and depth."  (This actually sounds like a great collection of stories- shame the snobby title will alienate so many potential readers).

This Is Chick-Lit, on the other hand, is a much more positive project: "The genre of fiction known as "chick-lit" has been a lightning rod for debate in the world of literature, raising questions such as Is chick-lit really literature or just harmless fluff? Is this really an accurate portrayal of the lives of modern women? Eighteen renowned authors—including Jennifer Coburn, Raelynn Hillhouse, Harley Jane Kozak, Cara Lockwood, and Rachel Pine—weigh in with the best of chick-lit—proving that this genre deserves as much, or more, respect as any other." [You said it!]

I guess the funny thing is that for all their snobbery, the women writers who allegedly don't like chick-lit or want anything to do with it are actually profiting from the term and their new book will forever be listed on Amazon amongst all those chick-lit classics they claim to hate.  You know, the ones with really HUGE sales...  Suddenly chick-lit's not the term of abuse you once thought, is it ladies?!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 21, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, New Releases, Opinion, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (3)

June 30, 2006 11:25 AM

BOOK REVIEW - Sexy Shorts For The Beach

When I got hold of this copy of the latest book in the 'Sexy Shorts...' series I couldn't wait to begin reading. It's a collection of short stories which all have a summery theme. What makes it all the more worth reading is the fact that for every book that gets sold money is donated to Cancer Research UK - a very worthy cause. In this heatwave that seems determined to keep returning it can be difficult to concentrate enough to read an epic literary effort, so maybe this collection of tales would be better suited to current climates...

One of the nice thing about a collection of stories is that you tend to be bombarded with a wide range of stories, and writing styles. Whilst you won't love every story you're bound to find some you like and some you'll want to read over and over again. This collection is no different. I have to admit that I personally found it a little difficult to get into the book, my intention was to start at the first story and finish at the last (less chance of me missing any that way). I didn't find my attention grabbed by the first three or four, and it was only my sheer determination that kept me going. Oh boy was I glad I did!

If I was going to summarise the book, I'd say there were about 10% stories I didn't care much for, 60% I enjoyed, and 30% I absolutely adored. There's a brilliant mix of styles and feels to the stories, some are amusing, some are poignant and and some are downright romantic. By the time I'd finished reading I had a beaming smile on my face.

I would definitely recommend this. Its great to be able to pick it up and read a few stories at a time. And its nice to know that by reading you can help a good cause!

Rating : 4 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on June 30, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Romance, Series, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (0)