I’m A Pop Culture Human, Standing Next to Drew Barrymore

Posted December 29, 2009 to Digital, Media Appearances

Linda Holmes, mastermind of the NPR blog Monkey See, has named me among her Top 10 Favorite Pop-Culture Humans of 2009. I don’t think there is a better compliment than “pop culture human.” Even better? I’m #8 between Drew Barrymore and Ben Folds. Sweet Holy Crap.

8. SB Sarah. One of the founders, and seemingly the current primary blogger, at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, Sarah Wendell is fearless and opinionated and puts her chin out every day to do one of the toughest jobs a lady can assign herself, which is to challenge people’s preconceptions and prejudices about culture. In Sarah’s case, she writes thoughtfully and hilariously about romance novels, dumping on the worst cliches and celebrating the writers who find ways to make a difficult genre interesting.

She’s also become very knowledgeable about e-books (which are perfect for romance readers), and wrote wisely and well about the new FTC guidelines for bloggers. Nothing warms my heart like a stereotype-buster, and nobody busts the stereotype that women who read romances are dumb, unthinking, or anti-feminist quite like Sarah.

I have fainted with the power of the compliment above. Gracefully, of course, and my skirt didn’t fly up and reveal my shapely ankles or anything. HOLY CRAP. Thank you, ma’am.

Tags: awesomesauce, blog, npr, pop culture

I get to use the word “douchebag” at HuffPo

Posted December 08, 2009 to Digital, Media Appearances

Huffington Post invited me to submit a rebuttal to that I mentioned in passing late last week. Mr. Elsner took a stack of romances from the library, read them, and pronounced the entire genre as absolute crap.

My response is now up over at Huffington Post’s book section: An excerpt:

In response, I refer to that book he holds in such high regard, “Pride and Prejudice”, by Jane Austen:

“You have insulted me in every possible method. You can now have nothing farther to say.”

A shabby, patched-up survey of books with no curation involved, let alone curiosity, does not an expert make. I invoke Smart Bitch Law #1: Thou shalt not diss the reading material of another person merely to elevate one’s own. By doing so, thou art passing the buck, and verily thou art being a douchebag.

I worked on this entry for days – and am very pleased that folks seem to like it.

New York Daily News looks at Romance and New Moon

Posted November 20, 2009 to Digital, Media Appearances, Print

In an article about the suckage of romance gone bad titled Why We Love It When Love Bites, NY Daily News Entertainment Editor Olivia Smith takes a look at romance, New Moon, and why so many people are drawn to tales of Love Gone So Freaking Wrong.

She quoted Dr. Eric Selinger, editors from various publishing houses, and me:

o the “Twilight” series, taken as a whole, fulfills readers desire for desire itself, and ultimately for a happy, and romantically sustainable ending.

“I think romance is popular in particular right now because happy endings, or even a happy future, may seem so scarce,” says Sarah Wendell, one of the bloggers behind Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

She adds, “It’s reassuring and affirming to read with the belief that no matter how bad the obstacle is, how awful the present may be, there will be a happy ending wherein everything works out.”

But for now, in “New Moon,” it’s all about the yearning, and for desire junkies, the movie has spawned at least two real life “impossible love” counterparts.

Obviously, our email exchange had more, but column inches are column inches. I do love that Smith looked at the element of the movie and of the series – forbidden love and yearning that might not be satisfied – without looking down her nose. Well played, ma’am!

Behold, The Bitches...

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Check It Out!

I was a guest on The Gayle King show on October 10, talking about Everything I Know About Love, I Learned from Romance Novels. Here’s a 1:10 clip from the show where I highlight the top two lessons learned from reading romance novels. I received a TON of compliments about my necklace and my shoes [...]

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