The Writer's Life: The Writer's Life 6/25

Sometimes an idea seems a natural to attract a wide audience. Such is the case with Jo Barrett’s novel, Men’s Guide to the Women’s Bathroom. The story is simple: a female attorney in her mid 30’s, post divorce, has left NYC and returned to her hometown of Austin, Texas, where she follows her dream of giving writing a shot. She finds a goldmine in the culture of the ladies’ room. The main topic of conversation, of course, is men, dating and mating in the post-modern, sexually liberated world. The prose is lively and witty, the dialog natural and smart, the protagonist eminently likable, not an embittered feminist. There are pop references galore, almost all of which I recognized at least fleetingly. The best friend is an omniscient gay male, which seems a requisite for chick-lit. Its 297 pages glide by, reading more like 250. Many of the chapters are but a page or two. Published in 2007, it was the author’s first novel. She has written two more but none since 2009. There is not much information about her on the web. According to her website, she has written for a Texas magazine and appeared on many TV shows. Perhaps she was done in by declining sales or is concentrating on developing screen adaptations for the two of her books that have been picked up by Hollywood. A ringing endorsement by Hugh Jackman is on the cover of Men‘s Guide. I was unable to find any but current sales information on it, so I guess it wasn't the natural best seller I assume it had been. Still, I’m sure many women would eat it up. By today’s standards, it is very mild. I doubt many would be offended by anything in it. I’m surprised only 12 users have rated it at Amazon, forging to a consensus of four stars out of five. As an old-fashioned male chauvinist pig, I say 3.5. The author shares the same name with a successful romance novelist.

There was a bit of fireworks at the floating book shop today. A guy parked at the end of the bus stop, in line with the box from which local postal deliverers pick up their haul. When the postal truck arrived, the driver gently tapped his horn twice, and the idiot ignored him. The driver, an unhappy camper who tosses mail bags as if he has contempt for them, then parked at an angle in front of the car, blocking its way. This led to angry words, the postman daring the guy to take a shot at him. A woman and a man railed at the idiot for having parked at the bus stop. Then Political Man returned from his trip to the newsstand. Minutes earlier he had approached, triumphant that the Supreme Court had upheld the challenge to Obamacare, 6-3, and then went on his usual Republicans are fascists rant, and also tossed in his contempt for Russian immigrants. He lit into the idiot viciously, using typical anti-immigrant language. Fortunately, nothing more than words were exchanged. I guess PM believes tolerance is a one-way street and, since liberals are on the side of the angels, everyone who disagrees with his views is evil and must give way.

Russian immigrants have been kind to me, and this was the case again today. A gentleman donated five volumes of Agatha Christie translations, and all five sold. The session would have been very disappointing if not for his generosity. Spasibo, sir. Thanks also to the young man who purchased Houdini's Box, The Art of Escape by Adam Phillips.

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp

Vic's Horror Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f

Vic's Blog: http://vicfortezza.blogspot.com/

Vic's Web Site: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/