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~ By Melina Kantor 

Hello Everyone. I hope you’re all having a somewhat relaxing and enjoyable summer, and that if you’re in one of the many places where it’s really unspeakably hot right now, I hope you’re staying cool.

This week, I came across an article on the appeal of chick lit. I’m sure that those of us reading this blog could come up with a billion reasons to love chick lit, but Lucy Walton had some interesting points:

When I pick up a chick lit, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, that although I have not read it; I am going to like the ending. Despite their predictability, they are still addictive. I often ask how new writers make the modern chick lit not a cliché as this is such an easy trap for a authors to fall into. I am assured that with the diverse careers women now have (compared to Austin days) that can take them anywhere in the world. This can be the basis of many a story previously untouched.

What do you think?

Have a great weekend!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

When I was 27, I had to leave New York and move back to California.

And back into my mother’s house.

Now, I love my mother. And I love her house. And it would be wrong to complain about living in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area.

But I was 27, and in love with New York. But even with my recent MA from Columbia, I couldn’t get a job with a salary high enough to be able to live there.

The plan was to go home for one year, and save enough money to go back.

I could not have been more miserable, and I was not at all shy about saying so.

One Sunday morning, I came downstairs and tried to make breakfast. There was nothing I wanted. Sure, the kitchen was well stocked, but I wanted take out from one of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan. The kitchen could have been filled with fresh baked pastries straight from Paris, and I wouldn’t have cared.

Cue the tantrum.

I went to the living room and gave my mother an ear full. I was a failure. I would never be 27 again, living the life of a single girl in the city. My opportunity was lost. Even if I went back in a year, which by the way I was absolutely, positively going to no matter what just you watch, I was going to be 28 and it wouldn’t be the same.

Everything was ruined. I was a complete and total failure.

Okay, so I was being dramatic. Forgive me. Being around my mother causes me to act like a teenager.

My mother waited for me to finish, and looked up from the couch. Her response? “You’ve been reading too many of those books with pink covers.”

In other words, too much chick lit.

Now, I think we’d all agree that there’s no such thing as too much chick lit. Her point was that I was reading about too many 27 year old single girls in New York, living the life I wanted, and having their happily ever afters, and that none of it was real.

I still thought I could have made the “chick lit style life” my reality if I’d just tried a little harder.

But my mom was right. I was reading about too many protagonists who had great shoes, cute apartments, cute pets, good jobs, great social lives, and a love interest.

Yes, of course there are plenty of 27 year old women who do have those things. But many of us, especially in big cities, don’t. I know many readers read chick lit to live vicariously and escape. But honestly, there are some books that used to make me feel awful.

I still refer to the protagonists in those books as “shiny happy characters.”

I’m not saying that characters can’t be happy and successful. I’m not even saying a character has to be likable. I just think that even in the lightest and happiest of stories, it’s important that the protagonist have her fair share of struggles and challenges, and not just guy related.

Otherwise, it can be hard to relate. Especially for those of us who live in real New York apartments where we keep our blow dryers on the bedroom floor because our bathrooms have no outlets and our socks in a drawer under the television because we don’t have an inch of space to spare.

I did move back to New York after a year. I got a decent apartment. And a job, and a cute dog. I made friends and built a life.

But still, life’s not shiny. Not at all. And my friends’ lives aren’t shiny either.

My characters all live in New York, are in their late twenties, and single. But I do my best to keep it real. In fact, my tantrum in my mother’s kitchen inspired a scene in my first book.

What to you think? Do you enjoy living vicariously through “shiny happy characters” or do you prefer a protagonist with some real challenges?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

Hello Chick Lit Fans,

Happy Friday.

And happy summer!

June is here, which hopefully means a lot of us are on or soon to be on vacation. Which means there’s more time for writing!

But we all know it’s impossible to write if we don’t a) take time to relax and have fun and b) allow time for some inspiration.

That’s why I loved these to posts about summer movies and TV:

These posts from Chick Lit Central are all about chick lit authors and their favorite movies.

This post from Heroes and Heartbreakers is about June TV premiers.

In case any of you feel guilty for indulging in movies and TV when you should be writing, just remember how much movies and TV shows can teach us about writing.

Although eventually, we do have to write. . . If you need a boost, check out this post from Novelicious: Top 5 Writing Tips from Alice Peterson

Stay cool this weekend!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor    

Happy Friday, Chick Lit Fans.

We hope you’ve had a good, writing and / or reading filled week!

A while back, we mentioned that Esquire Magazine is coming out with a line of ebooks geared towards men. According to this article in The New Zealand Herald, the books are “plot driven and exciting.” Hmm. As opposed to, well, what exactly?

As the article states, in many ways these books are just a harmless gimmick. But this point is also made:

The thing is, “chick-lit”, or “Women’s Fiction”, only exists as a sub-genre because There. Is. A. Dominant. Genre. If books about women’s experience were the standard, the term wouldn’t exist.

What’s more, such descriptors are generally used in a pejorative way by the literary world, to demean certain women’s writing, pass it off as commercially viable but also intellectually crap.

What do you think?

In unrelated news, I also came across this blog post by Liza Palmer about making deadlines. She has some really good advice. If you have any tips to add, share it in the comments.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

Hello Chick Lit Fans,

Happy Friday! And Happy First Day of June.

This week, two chick lit related stories caught my eye.

1. An article in The Economist called, “Chick-Lit Readers Keep Out!” claims that:

“Women’s Fiction” may be a familiar term, but it’s usually deployed in the marketing of certain books or else the demeaning of them, whereas men’s fiction is typically categorised as Literature—the standard against which other so-called niches are measured and defined.

The article also includes this quote from Jennifer Weiner:

If you write thrillers or mysteries or horror fiction or quote-unquote speculative fiction, men might read you, and the Times might notice you. If you write chick lit, and if you’re a New Yorker, and if your book becomes the topic of pop-culture fascination, the paper might make dismissive and ignorant mention of your book. If you write romance, forget about it. You’ll be lucky if they spell your name right on the bestseller list.

2. Then there was the “Female Writers Write Only Chick-Lit? That’s Pure Fiction.” article in The Sydney Morning Herald that began with:

Women should stop defending romance and start making fun of the fantasies men enjoy, beginning with action thrillers.

Now, there’s an idea!

So, what do you think? Please leave us a comment and let us know.

Have a great weekend!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ Interview by Melina Kantor 

* This post is part of Erica Manfred’s Chick Lit Plus Blog Tour.

Until recently, I thought I’d heard (or even experienced) some of the worst JDate horror stories imaginable.  Or at least some of the strangest.

Trust me. My friends and I could write books about our online dating experiences without having to stretch the truth even a little.

But then, I learned about poor Rhoda Ginsburg, the “zaftig, middle-aged journalist” from Erica Manfred’s book who falls in love with a vampire she meets on JDate. And he’s not just any vampire. He’s a former Hasadic rabbi who now lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and spends a surprising amount of time on eBay.

Oh yeah. He’s gorgeous too.

And well. . . Let’s put it this way. If Rhoda were sitting around a table with me and my single friends while we tried to outdo each other with entertaining JDate stories, she’d totally win.

As soon as I heard about Interview With a Jewish Vampire, I knew wanted to read it. Being a fellow JDater (and a Buffy fan), how could I not? The story did not disappoint. Interview With a Jewish Vampire is a hilarious book filled with incredibly vivid and quirky characters, such as Charlene, Rhoda’s friend who “looked like Wonder Woman but sounded like Tickle Me Elmo” and Rhoda’s tough, former New York City school teacher mother Fanny.

I’m delighted to have Erica here today to tell us more.

Welcome Erica! Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Q. Most authors I know don’t exactly love being asked where they get their ideas, but in this case, I can’t resist asking (forgive me). What sparked the idea for a book about JDate and a Hasidic vampire? 

A: I fell in love with vampires in the 1980’s when I read Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice.   The language, the romanticism, the concept of an entire vampire society who lived for centuries and were cursed with having to kill to live was enthralling.   The sexiness of Rice’s vampires also made them irresistible.   What red-blooded American fan of paranormal romance doesn’t fantasize about being ravished by Lestat?

I originally envisioned  Interview with a Jewish Vampire as a humorous essay, a funny valentine to Anne Rice’s classic.    I imagined the scenario of  a Jewish girl meeting a Hasidic vampire on Jdate and interviewing him.  He explains that he was a rabbi turned into a vampire by Dracula, an anti-semite, who thought it was a good joke to turn a Hasidic rabbi into a vampire because he’d be forced to drink blood which isn’t kosher.   I mentioned the piece to a literary agent who repped a lot of paranormal novels  at a journalist’s conference and she got very enthusiastic and told me to turn it into a novel.   I sat on that idea for a while, too long a while as it happened.   I wrote the novel with the encouragement of my writer’s critique group, but by the time I finished it, the same agent refused to look at it because she’d decided she wanted to move on.  She didn’t want to be identified as the agent who only represents vampire novels anymore.

With my usual finger on the pulse of the market, I tried to sell  Interview with a Jewish Vampire  just when editors had decided that the vampire craze was over.   Never mind that my book was a parody of vampire romances with a Jewish twist, which gave it a fresh take on the genre.   If the publishing world has declared vampires over,  they cannot be resuscitated except maybe by Anne Rice, who invented the genre and whose fans would buy the phone book if it had her name on it.   But even Anne herself has moved on from Lestat and her other vampires.   She’s dabbled in angels and is now writing about werewolves, for God’s sake.   If even Anne, the mother of all vampires, has deserted us what hope is left?

Q: You describe yourself as a “self-publishing guru.” What is your top piece of advice for writers considering self-publishing their work? 

A. Do it for love, not for money.  Only the very smart and lucky few actually make money self publishing.   That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it however.   

Q. What are some of the challenges of writing non-fiction in addition to your novels? Is it difficult to make the switch? 

A. Yes, actually it is.  I write non-fiction for a living, I still do.   I’m primarily a health writer.  I write fiction for love and it’s hard doing both because I have to focus on the money-making side.  I feel like I should be out there pitching editors for new work, not writing about Jewish vampires.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about your current projects?  

A. I’m planning to write a sequel to Interview With a Jewish Vampire, called “True Kosher Blood.”  And I’m publishing another book on Kindle, a mystery called “Get Off My Case, A Norma Katzman, detective, mystery.”

Thank you Erica. I’m looking forward to “True Kosher Blood!”

Erica Manfred is a freelance journalist, humorous essayist, and author.   Her most recent book is the novel,  Interview with a Jewish Vampire.  She’s also authored two non-fiction self-help books, including most recently He’s History You’re Not; Surviving Divorce After Forty.     Her articles and essays have appeared in Cosmopolitan, The New York Times Magazine, Ms., New Age Journal, Village Voice, Woman’s Day, SELF, Ladies Home Journal, and many other publications.  Erica lives in Woodstock, New York with her Chihuahua, Shadow, and her daughter, Freda. Brought up by Jewish parents who spoke Yiddish but avoided religion, she got her Jewish education at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation which welcomes Jews from all backgrounds, from atheist to Orthodox, to vampire.    Her website is www.ericamanfred.com, or visit www.jewishvampire.com

~ By Melina Kantor 

Hello Chick Lit Fans!

Happy Friday.

This week, all of my favorite chick lit related blog posts and stories are from one source. If you haven’t already, head over to the International Chick Lit Month site. This week alone, they’ve got blog posts on writing tips, inspiration for unpublished authors, and much, much more.

If you’ve come across any links that you’d like to share, leave us a comment and let us know.

Meanwhile, here’s a good warning for anyone who dares interrupt your writing this weekend.

Until next week!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

Hello Chick Lit Fans!

Happy Friday.

We here at the blog thought we’d kick off the weekend by sharing some of the writing related images / cartoons / inspiration floating around the social networks this week.

If you’ve got any more, please share! You can post them to our Facebook page, and while you’re there, you can “like” us too.

Enjoy!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

Hello Chick Lit Fans!

Congratulations on surviving the week!

Here are two of the chick lit related stories floating around the Web this week:

First, there’s this story in Publisher’s Weekly about defining chick lit, in which Barbara Vey actually asked people on the street for their definition of the genre.

Then, I came across this article about being a book snob. Warning: the article includes the term ‘”downmarket” genre fiction’. Hmm.

Also, don’t forget to check out all the wonderful posts over at International Chick Lit Month!

Have a great weekend.

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She loves to travel and enjoys turning her adventures into research and inspiration for her writing. This summer, she and her dog will be moving from Brooklyn to Jerusalem. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.

~ By Melina Kantor

Hello Chick Lit Fans!

Happy Friday. More importantly, happy International Chick Lit Month! Yes, there’s an entire month dedicated to our favorite genre, and it’s brought to us by the lovely women at Chicklit Club, Chick Lit is Not Dead, Chick Lit Central and Novelicious. Head on over for wonderful guest blogs and much more. While you’re there, be sure to read the fantastic message on their “About” page.

You may also want to hop on over to Kirkus Reviews to see what Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has to say about contemporary romance.

Last but not least, I came across this cartoon here and just had to share. Thank you, Dr. Fizzy McFizz!

Have a great weekend!

Melina writes contemporary women’s fiction with a pinch of oregano and a dash of chutzpah. She recently returned from a two month trip to Crete and Israel, where she visited  family and friends did her best to turn her travels into research and inspiration for her writing. You can visit her at http://melinakantor.com.