Miranda Priestly Returns! Lauren Weisberger to Write The Devil Wears Prada Sequel

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger

Welp, I guess it’s time to go back to the well. One of my favorite contemporary authors, Lauren Weisberger, recently landed a deal to write Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, a sequel to her bestselling 2003 novel, The Devil Wears Prada.

Check out some info from the press release:

Eight years after saying goodbye to Runway, and escaping the clutches of Miranda Priestly, it seems as though Andrea “Andy” Sachs has the perfect life. The lowly assistant is herself now tabloid fodder. She edits The Plunge, the hottest bridal magazine on newsstands, and works side-by-side with Emily, her old Runway colleague and new BFF. Andy is madly in love with Max, a dashing scion of a storied media company, and planning to tie the knot. But Andy is still haunted by her days atRunway, and the specter of Miranda Priestly. Andy can hardly know that all her efforts to build a bright new life will lead her directly to the one she fled — and into the path of Miranda.

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Instagram Photo Challenge #JunePhotoADay

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Yes. I am trying once again. In fact, I already posted today’s photo on Instagram, so I’m ahead of the game.

The list of challenges is above. Again, shout out to FatMumSlim, whomever she is, for coming up with these creative challenges.

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#DryUntilJuly

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Welp, it’s June. Which means I am once again attempting to go an entire month without having an alcoholic beverage. Sweet Baby Jesus, help me.

Many people ask why I would subject myself to such needless torture and self-abuse. The reasons are many, but here are my main three:

My body needs a break. I’m not a young whippersnapper running wild in the streets of Miami-Dade County any more. I’m a grown ass man trying to make a living, and be taken seriously, as a writer. I can’t do the shit I used to do and still expect above average results. So, that means cutting out the alcohol, eating properly, and getting more rest.
My bank account needs a break. I spent way too much fucking money on alcohol alone last month. If I’d invested just half of that money into my business, I’d be able to do some things I now must wait to do. Enough is fucking enough, man. I joke about being poor but the reality is, I’m a profligate spendthrift. I need to chill the fuck out, son.
I’ll have more time. As mentioned earlier, by cutting out drinking, even for just a month, I’ll have more time to do things I need to do, namely write and cook. If I’m not putting in full eight hour shifts in someone’s bar, then I can spend those eight hours writing the sequel to Gueslist. (Ha! Fooled you. That ain’t happening. The sequel, I mean.) If I’m not out in the street, drunk and hungry, I won’t be tempted to spend an average of $20 per meal every day. I’ll be in my kitchen, making everything from steak and potatoes to PB&Js, and at a fraction of the cost.

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Saturday Night Live Mocks the Fifty Shades of Grey Phenomenon (Video)

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Jay Fingers

This is somewhat old, but hey. The above Saturday Night Live video lampoons the whole “mommy porn” phenomenon attributed to E.L. James‘ fanfic-cum-literary smut smash Fifty Shades of Grey:

In a parody Mother’s Day commercial for Amazon.com, moms are surprised by their gift-giving spouses and kids as they’re getting all sexed up reading the erotic novel.

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Interview: Jamie White Talks About Her Novel, The Life and Times of No One in Particular

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Jamie White

Hello, Dear Readers! Please enjoy this interview with Jamie White, author of the recently released novel The Life & Times of No One in Particular.

What inspired you to write The Life and Times of No One in Particular?

The original idea goes back to my Buffy The Vampire Slayer RPG days. A bunch of us would run into problems coming up with characters/stories and would curse our muses out. One member and I came up with a couple muse characters that would inspire less-than-good ideas in people as a joke about the whole thing. This led to a short story loosely tied to that I realized could be expanded into a book.

You wrote The Life and Times of No One in Particular during NaNoWriMo. What was that experience like? Did you follow any sort of writing routine?

It was a great experience! The site has people from all over the country participating in the challenge and people in the same area would meet up to have “write-ins” where we’d sit and write, chat, help each other with plot issues, etc. I highly encourage anyone participating in the challenge to at least try and meet up or two. I found I wrote easier in the evenings, so I would usually get going on the day’s word count around 5 or 6 PM and always had music playing while I wrote.

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Novel Excerpt: The Life and Times of No One in Particular by Jamie White

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Jay Fingers

The Life & Times of No One in Particular by Jamie White

Hello, Dear Readers! Please enjoy this excerpt from The Life & Times of No One in Particular, the new novel by Jamie White.

Several others were at the altar doing the same thing; only they were offering larger and more elaborate gifts. I listened for a little while to their prayers, enjoying the sounds of their voices all coming together as one for the same purpose, even if they were asking with different words. Wanting to beat Melody to the punch, I revealed myself to the large crowd. Several people fainted right off. Okay, I hadn’t expected that. Wasn’t this exactly what they were asking for? Sometimes I really don’t understand people. Most, however, just got very quiet and watched me. They were standing so still, they looked like statues.

Akakios was one of the first to bow, a look of complete awe and gratitude on his face. He stayed that way until I asked them all to stand again. “I am Thalia,” I introduced myself, making one of those comedy masks appear in my right hand. (Hey, it’s a name they know; Might as well go with it!) I have heard you and I am here to grant your prayers.” The others began bowing as well, softly muttering prayers of thanks. I motioned to Akakios. “Please come here.” I watched as he stood straighter and walked up to me.

He bowed again as he reached me. “Yes, my muse?”

“You have pleased me. I believe you shall be the first to benefit of my guidance.” I looked around the room at the others. “As to the rest of you, I will see your offerings and decide who else is worthy.”

Just then, Melody popped in. She really has crappy timing sometimes! “I am Calliope and I find you all worthy!” She had a tablet in her hands and a little golden crown on her head. I really wish I could strangle her sometimes.

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Infographic: Readers of Fifty Shades of Grey by State

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Fifty Shades of Grey infographic

The masterminds at Goodreads created the above infographic to exhibit the influence and impact of the phenomenon known as Fifty Shades of Grey.

E.L. James‘ erotica trilogy has sold over ten million copies, and Goodreads’ infographic charts both the geographic distribution of readers and the books that have received a bump from a new national interest in literary smut. They say:

The states with the highest readers per capita are located primarily in the Tri-State and New England area: New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, and New York. Fifty Shades of Grey has given some readers a new taste for erotica, and we’ve found a jump in interest in similar books on Goodreads. Just recently, Penguin’s Berkley Books imprint snatched up Sylvia Day‘s self-published novel, Bared to You, which has generated 2,500 reviews in the past two months … Other books potentially joining the sultry summer reading list are Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard, Rock Me by Cherrie Lynn, Captive in the Dark by C.J. Roberts, and The Reluctant Dom by Lesli Richardson.

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Book Trailer: The Life and Times of No One in Particular by Jamie White (Video)

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Check out the trailer for The Life & Ties of No One in Particular, the upcoming novel from author Jamie White.

The novel tells the story of Clarissa, a muse who has spent centuries trying to inspire artists who are sometimes too stubborn to listen to her. Now, she’s decided to tell her side of the story.

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You Are Dead To Me

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Jay Fingers

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Movie Trailer: The Great Gatsby Starring Leonardo Dicaprio (Video)

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Jay Fingers

As you should know by now, my favorite book of all-time is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It’s a classic tale of status, wealth, ambition, and (most of all) love. The 70s film version starring Robert Redford will always be cool, but now Baz Luhrmann has decided to give the jazz age story a new 3D sheen. Will it work? Who knows. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular Gatsby, Tobey Maguire as Nick Carroway, and Carey Mulligan as Daisy. Check out the trailer above. Continue reading →