I’ve always wanted to write a cool, chick-lit book. Maybe this has been shaped by the fact that I did my 3rd grade ILA (Integrated-Language Arts) project on Ann M. Martin, the author of the “Babysitters Club” series, but there’s something about books with pastel covers that address emotions that make great reads.
My new favorite is “Firefly Lane,” by Kristin Hannah.
Hannah captures the life of a pair of best friends, Tully and Kate. They meet during the summer of 1974 in Washington State, on Firefly Lane. In typical chick-lit fashion, every girl can find a bit of herself in either the beautiful, wounded Tully or the sturdy, practical Kate.
Here is the other Kristin’s website. She recently released “True Colors,” which I plan on reading in the near future.
Before indulging in Hannah’s novel, I finished Stephanie Meyers’ haunting “Twilight” saga. Cue: snickers, but it was probably the best magical series I’ve seen since Harry Potter. And all four books detail a turbulent love story that begs the question: would you rather…marry a vampire, or a werewolf? Read the books to know what I’m talking about, and then email me with your answer. It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds.
Meyers claims she got the idea for the series from a dream, which is awesome. Plus, the movies inspired by the series employ some of the most attractive actors I’ve ever seen. Her writing is clearly for the teen audience, but it can capture adults all the same. Here is the vampire website.
This brings me to the point of this post. Borders recently unleashed that they would be opening a new teen section, called “Borders Ink,” that stocks novels solely meant for the teen audience. This includes Twilight-esque stories among others such as the ever-popular Gossip Girl, Harry Potter, etc.
This image comes from the Wall Street Journal, which featured a story on the new Ink section. This serves as economically relevant, as book sales have been in sharp decline due shrinking disposable incomes. The move to carve out a new and improved section for young adults is clearly a move to help re-brand the popular bookstore and attract those who will spend money on the hottest read.
The article says:
At a time when book retailing is slumping, young-adult titles and graphic novels are still delivering growth. Albert N. Greco, a professor at the Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business Administration who studies the book industry, estimates that young-adult fiction, fantasy and science fiction will generate $744.3 million in U.S. publisher revenue this year, up 13% from $659.1 million in 2008.
Find the rest of the article here.
Some of my other favorite chick-lit authors, which I’m sure the new Ink section will stock adequately, include:
1. Sophie Kinsella – author of the “Confessions of a Shopaholic” series. She creates vivid and somewhat looney character Becky Bloomwood, a British woman with a serious shopping problem. There are four books total in the series, which is full of interesting twists and warm British humor. Here is her website.
Excerpt:
Do you want to know about my secret dream? It’s based on a story I once read in The Daily World about a mix-up at a bank. I loved this story so much, I cut it out and stuck it onto my wardrobe door. Two credit card bills were sent to the wrong people, and — get this — each person paid the wrong bill without realizing. They paid off each other’s bills without even checking them.
And ever since I read that story, my secret fantasy has been that the same thing will happen to me. I mean, I know it sounds unlikely — but if it happened once, it can happen again, can’t it? Some dotty old woman in Cornwall will be sent my humongous bill and will pay it without even looking at it. And I’ll be sent her bill for three tins of cat food at fifty-nine pence each. Which, naturally, I’ll pay without question. Fair’s fair, after all.
Speaking of Brits, another favorite is 2. Louise Rennison, who writes the “Confessions of Georgia Nicholson” series. Georgia, a British teenage girl, writes to us via her personal diaries, detailing the life of her and her “Ace Gang” members, her boyfriends, her parents and a crazy cat/mini-tiger named Angus. Also, she refers to America as “Hamburger-a-gogo-land.” You can meet Georgia via her website.
Excerpt from book:
Looking out of my bedroom window, counting my unblessings. Raining. A lot. It’s like living fully dressed in a pond.
And I am the prisoner of whatsit.
I have to stay in my room, pretending to have tummy lurgy, so that Dad will not know I am an ostracised leper banned from Stalag 14 (i.e. suspended from school). I’m not alone in my room, though, because my cat Angus is also under house arrest for his love romps with Naomi the Burmese sex kitten.
After reading these two hilarious authors, I think I’d be much cooler if I were a brit (sigh). Anyway.
3. Megan McCafferty – author of “The Jessica Darling Series,” which includes books “Sloppy Firsts,” “Second Helpings,” “Charmed Thirds,” and “Fourth Comings.” Kind of like another diary series, complete with a large amount of dry humor and sarcasm. I think she’s the smartest. Check her site.
4. Candace Bushnell.
Original “Sex and the City” author. Enough said. Her website here.
5. Cecily von Ziegesar – author of the “Gossip Girl” series. Yet another series that inspired a trashy and awesome television show. The books are truly for the younger set, but who cares, they are like an extended version of tabloids. Read: too entertaining. Her site here.
6. Judy Blume, of course. Author of “Summer Sisters,” her and Hannah bear a unsurprising and welcome resemblance in writing styles. Her site.
The Chicago Tribune says of “Summer Sisters:”
As warm as a summer breeze blowing through your hair, as nostalgic as James Taylor singing ‘How Sweet It Is.’ You remember. So does Judy Blume. How sweet it was.
And last but certainly not least, as this author has inspired movies and pants-sharing clans across the world, is 7. Ann Brashares – author of the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series.
Brashares recently released her newest book, “The Willow Tree.” The tagline is “the sisterhood grows,” which seems an appropriate reference to her best-selling series. I’ll be reading this soon. Her website here.
Sure, there are other kick-ass chick authors that I haven’t mentioned in this post, but they are in a whole other category. By that I mean their books appeal across genres, i.e. Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve, etc. Suggestions on any other great women writers are welcome in the comments area.
