This Just in From Michele Weston...

EXTRA! EXTRA!
HOT BOOK ON THE STANDS!

Best selling author and curvy role model Jennifer Weiner writes stories. Some booklover circles refer to her as the “Queen of Chick-Lit …” (p.s. I’ve been tracking her journey and accomplishments since my Mode Magazine days!)  All of her followers have been reading her fabulous, uncompromisingly, vulnerable, well-known female characters in novels: Good in Bed, In Her Shoes (which became a fab movie, of course!) to name a few…

In her latest book, The Guy Not Taken (Publisher: Washington Square Press, September 2006), Jennifer brings us a collection of eleven short stories that truly have enough emotional ‘umph’ and surprises to satisfy.

Ms. Weiner visits some of her old characters, but she also goes to places she has not taken us before. The Guy Not Taken has strong storylines and exposes the truly colorful characters that we expect from this author.  As I read this collection, I think the two stories that stand out for me are the seamless early parenting story, The Mother's Hour, and the emotionally loaded story titled: Swim. Oh, and I also loved the convention of introducing characters by the chronological age of the females from teenager to a retired lady for the structure of the book as well...

Jennifer's style is bold and readers often think that her stories are autobiographical -- Jennifer shares: "As I write an outline for a book, and write the book and then - write a revision and more re-writes - I do not mean to - like many other writers telling a story - It does not represent my real life, nor my real family any more!" Sure, her mom's funny and her husband is tolerant as she becomes the best, best seller she is! (Bet you thought she was sharing her biggest secrets, huh?!)

You may want to run, not walk to the bookstore or go online right now and order this one for a good 'curling up book' as we celebrate the fall nights of the holiday season!

For more information and to check out Jennifer’s blog log onto jenniferweiner.com