Jennifer Weiner – I’d hate her if I didn’t love her

I’m not a chick lit fan. I have no objection on principle. I mean, I’ve certainly read my share of the lesbian equivalent – you know, those read-it-in-one-sitting novels that used to be published by Naiad Press. And, seriously, how can I take issue with the genre that gave us Miranda Priestly?

But my lack of enthusiasm for the chick lit cult aside, I am a true fan of one of its high priestesses, Jennifer Weiner.

My love of Weiner (OK, I often think like a 12-year-old boy, too, but it’s pronounced “Wine-er”) started on a lazy Sunday afternoon of watching movies, one of which was In Her Shoes.

I know the movie isn’t universally loved, but I enjoyed it enough to Google for more information. I learned that In Her Shoes originally was a book by Jennifer Weiner, so I hopped over to her site and began browsing. My crush started here:

“March, 2005: Jen attends a screening of ‘In Her Shoes’ in Los Angeles. Determined not to make a complete fool of herself, Jen holds it together for the first ten seconds, then bursts into tears the instant the Fox logo flashes on-screen.” … continue reading

I remember my first visit to an independent bookstore. This was after slinking around the library in my small hometown for any gay/lesbian material and coming up with The Well of Loneliness. Walking into Dreams and Swords in downtown Indianapolis, Ind., with my first girlfriend was like walking into an alternate universe. One subtitled “Feminist Family Bookstore.” And for the first time in my life I could walk into a gay and lesbian room, instead of sneaking over to leaf through one or two queer books tucked into a corner of shame. That day I bought my first book by an out lesbian author: Zami by Audre Lorde.

Dreams and Swords went the way of too many independent bookstores over the past 15 years, casualties of the age of Wal-Mart and online retailers who can sell at 20 percent below retail price. Unfortunately, during the beginning of this year, D.C. area communities have to bid farewell to an African-American community institution, Karibu books. As the stores close its doors, African-American writers and audiences (and anybody who appreciates generally excellent writing) are losing a community icon. Karibu was one of the largest Afro-centric bookstores in the U.S., with the slogan ‘‘books by and about African people, 365 days a year.” … continue reading

After a scorching ninety-degree afternoon in New York City, the evening of May 31 finally began to cool as the nineteenth annual Lambda Literary Awards kicked off at FIT’s Katie Murphy Amphitheater. Among those gathered at the sold-out ceremony — which celebrates everything the LGBT writing and publishing community has to offer — were special guest Kate Clinton, Marijane Meaker (Highsmith: A Romance of the 1950s), Radclyff (Bold Strokes Books), Rachel Pepper (The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians), Alison Bechdel (Fun House), Alison Smith (Name All the Animals), Kim Wallace (Erik & Isabella: Junior Year at Foresthill), Hilary Carlip (Queen of the Oddballs), Ellis Avery (The Teahouse Fire) and Michelle Tea (Rose of No Man’s Land).

presenter Alison Smith and awardee Alison Bechdel

Executive director Charles Flowers hosted the event, which featured twenty-five award categories — including, for the first time, bisexual and anthology books. Kate Clinton, described as a “faith-based, tax-paying, American-loving political humorist and family entertainer,” got the ball rolling with the opening “I’m so excited to be here, I’m wearing an astronaut diaper.” Mary Cheney was the brunt of many jokes, with Clinton announcing her nomination for the book Self Made Man and a very funny Christopher Rice (Anne Rice’s son and author of several best sellers) including Cheney’s Now It’s My Turn in the list of best Lesbian Romances. … continue reading