Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
I suspect the following telephone conversation may or may not have occurred last fall:.
PUBLICIST: Hey Jen listen, we have to get a guy to read your book and give an early review, too. Marketing says we can't go with a 100% female group unless we expect to shut out the male buyers, as well. We've lined this one guy up, middle-aged, reads a lot but there's a problem. He's never heard of you.
JENNY MOLLEN: Damn I guess that's OK from a reviewer standpoint, but I HATE it that there's actually someone in America doesn't know me!
PUB: You think that's something? Believe it or not, he doesn't know your husband , either. He's heard of him, but had to sneak out to IMDB just to figure out just who he was. Oh, he checked you out while he was there, too. Thinks you're cute.
JM: What? He didn't know who Jason Biggs is? Is this guy a moron?
PUB: No, he just doesn't go to the movies, or even watch them much on television.
JM: Hey at least he'll know me now! And he'll have seen something I created while still never seeing anything Jason did! Did you get him a copy of the book? Did he read it? What does he think?
PUB: From what I hear, he dove right in and loved the first part said that it was funny. Chick-lit or not, it was funny no matter what your gender. Loved your choice of phrases, thinks you have a real gift at painting an image using words. Appreciated your ability to discuss your issues with your parents with honesty and humor intermixed.
JM: So if he was so impressed, why'd he take so long to finish it?
PUB: Apparently, he has a real job, and some stuff to do that doesn't involve reading. Plus, he got really hung up on that stalking your husband's -ex- section. He thought it went on way too long, and it creeped him out so badly that he only read it a page or two at a time took him 3 days at that rate!
JM: Everyone's a critic.
PUB: Well, that IS pretty much what we asked him to do, Jen! Hey, he got past that part and he's happy YOU'RE done with it for good, too. He enjoyed the next section where you talk about Mr. Teets, in fact, he enjoyed most of the rest of the book except maybe the part where you tried to get Jason a date with a hooker for his birthday. He did say that you got away from the stalking chapter, that you'd got back to the pace and the expert phrasing that you used in the beginning of the book. Even the parts he was uncomfortable with were quite well written.
JM: Look, if this guy loves me, great! But if he doesn't, let me know and I'll get in touch with him and help him understand why he SHOULD love it! And me.
PUB: Jen, I'm not sure that's the best idea let's just let your words hook him. I've read your book you must have gotten him back, and I'm SURE he'll love you.
JM: There you go maybe this 'book club' thing WAS a good idea after all.
Follow-up. The things I loved most about this book also turned out to be what I hated most about it the author's unabashed openness and honesty about embarrassing situations. Sometimes, they were funny. Sometimes, touching. Unfortunately, occasionally, they were really creepy and made me so uncomfortable that I had to take a break from reading. Overall, I enjoyed the book but there were enough downsides for me to grade it down a little.)
RATING: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was given this book by PR (not sure if it was the publisher's or the author's publicist) in return for promising to read it promptly (within 2 1/2 weeks) and contribute my honest thoughts along the way with a book club of other readers working under the same agreement. Their failure was to forget to make me POST my review promptly, as well this is about 6 months late! (And by the way, I WAS put in touch with the author via conference call, and I DID love her for her honesty and openness even if I only liked her book.)
PUBLICIST: Hey Jen listen, we have to get a guy to read your book and give an early review, too. Marketing says we can't go with a 100% female group unless we expect to shut out the male buyers, as well. We've lined this one guy up, middle-aged, reads a lot but there's a problem. He's never heard of you.
JENNY MOLLEN: Damn I guess that's OK from a reviewer standpoint, but I HATE it that there's actually someone in America doesn't know me!
PUB: You think that's something? Believe it or not, he doesn't know your husband , either. He's heard of him, but had to sneak out to IMDB just to figure out just who he was. Oh, he checked you out while he was there, too. Thinks you're cute.
JM: What? He didn't know who Jason Biggs is? Is this guy a moron?
PUB: No, he just doesn't go to the movies, or even watch them much on television.
JM: Hey at least he'll know me now! And he'll have seen something I created while still never seeing anything Jason did! Did you get him a copy of the book? Did he read it? What does he think?
PUB: From what I hear, he dove right in and loved the first part said that it was funny. Chick-lit or not, it was funny no matter what your gender. Loved your choice of phrases, thinks you have a real gift at painting an image using words. Appreciated your ability to discuss your issues with your parents with honesty and humor intermixed.
JM: So if he was so impressed, why'd he take so long to finish it?
PUB: Apparently, he has a real job, and some stuff to do that doesn't involve reading. Plus, he got really hung up on that stalking your husband's -ex- section. He thought it went on way too long, and it creeped him out so badly that he only read it a page or two at a time took him 3 days at that rate!
JM: Everyone's a critic.
PUB: Well, that IS pretty much what we asked him to do, Jen! Hey, he got past that part and he's happy YOU'RE done with it for good, too. He enjoyed the next section where you talk about Mr. Teets, in fact, he enjoyed most of the rest of the book except maybe the part where you tried to get Jason a date with a hooker for his birthday. He did say that you got away from the stalking chapter, that you'd got back to the pace and the expert phrasing that you used in the beginning of the book. Even the parts he was uncomfortable with were quite well written.
JM: Look, if this guy loves me, great! But if he doesn't, let me know and I'll get in touch with him and help him understand why he SHOULD love it! And me.
PUB: Jen, I'm not sure that's the best idea let's just let your words hook him. I've read your book you must have gotten him back, and I'm SURE he'll love you.
JM: There you go maybe this 'book club' thing WAS a good idea after all.
Follow-up. The things I loved most about this book also turned out to be what I hated most about it the author's unabashed openness and honesty about embarrassing situations. Sometimes, they were funny. Sometimes, touching. Unfortunately, occasionally, they were really creepy and made me so uncomfortable that I had to take a break from reading. Overall, I enjoyed the book but there were enough downsides for me to grade it down a little.)
RATING: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
DISCLOSURE: I was given this book by PR (not sure if it was the publisher's or the author's publicist) in return for promising to read it promptly (within 2 1/2 weeks) and contribute my honest thoughts along the way with a book club of other readers working under the same agreement. Their failure was to forget to make me POST my review promptly, as well this is about 6 months late! (And by the way, I WAS put in touch with the author via conference call, and I DID love her for her honesty and openness even if I only liked her book.)
