Y'all know how much we love on Jen Lancaster. In fact, we gushed about her just yesterday, the day her latest novel, TWISTED SISTERS, was released. Three words: BUY. IT. NOW. We can't say enough times how lucky we feel that Jen and so many other talented authors have not only taken the time to read our novel, but have also praised it. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, lovely ladies!). In the coming weeks, we will reveal who else gave us a glowing review. But today is about Jen and her tenth book, TWISTED SISTERS! Yes, we just wrote TENTH. Let's take a moment of silence to praise her for that!
We loved her novel so much we chose it for our book club pick of the month. It's funny. It's thought-provoking. It's the perfect book to read if you need an escape from the weather or whatever else you're hatin' on right now.
And guess what? We have one copy to give away (US). Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select that lucky someone on Sunday, February 9th after 3pm PST.
Here's the scoop: Reagan Bishop is a pusher. A licensed psychologist who stars on the Wendy Winsberg cable breakout show I Need a Push, Reagan helps participants become their best selves by urging them to overcome obstacles and change behaviors. An overachiever, Reagan is used to delivering results.
Despite her overwhelming professional success, Reagan never seems to earn her family’s respect. Her younger sister, Geri, is and always will be the Bishop family favorite. When a national network buys Reagan’s show, the pressures for unreasonably quick results and higher ratings mount. But Reagan’s a clinician, not a magician, and fears witnessing her own personal failings in prime time. (And seriously? Her family will never let her hear the end of it.) Desperate to make the show work and keep her family at bay, Reagan actually listens when the show’s New Age healer offers an unconventional solution…
Record Nielsen ratings follow. But when Reagan decides to use her newfound power to teach everyone a lesson about sibling rivalry, she’s the one who will be schooled…
Where you can read more about Jen: Facebook, Twitter and her website.
Liz & Lisa's Book Club: Twisted Sisters by Jen Lancaster
1. In honor of your novel, TWISTED SISTERS, you've been posting "twisted" photos during the month of January. What's been your favorite picture?
I love the shot of my dogs posing with a copy of the book. It’s really hard for dogs to look “fierce” wearing matching cableknit turtlenecks and posing in front of a floral wallpaper backdrop, but Libby and Hambone manage to pull it off. Miss Tyra Banks would give the girls extra credit for smizing, too. They have definite Top Model potential.
2. Your hilarious novel includes sibling rivalry, body-swapping and reality TV. How did you think of the plot?
To fully answer this question, I have to explain that I would rather die than write a love scene. DIE. There’s not enough bourbon in the world to keep me from giggling like a twelve year old at the thought of penning anything vaguely sexy. (So, no, there will never, ever be a Fifty Shades of Bitter book.) Because romance is off the table, I’m constantly trying to look at relationships outside of the sexual realm. And, really is there anything more fascinating than the way women relate to other women? Plus, I wanted to explore the nuances of what it might be like to have a sister. (My theory is it’s like having a best friend you occasionally hate.) I also had such fun with the magical realism element of Here I Go Again that I was anxious to try it again, hence the Freaky Friday aspect. And reality TV? Well, I wish I could quit you, reality TV, yet here we are.
3. The cover is brilliant, as was your last. You are on an awesome cover roll! What's the story behind this cover? And while we're at it, how did you think of the title and when in the writing process did you come up with it?
Thank you! (I happen to think YOUR new cover is pretty awesome, too.) This one is my all-time favorite. In the beginning, the covers of my memoirs were mostly text-based. To differentiate between the fiction and non-fiction, we wanted to diversify the brands, so the art department tried something new. As someone who often buys a book for the cover (I know, I know), I was thrilled when this option was presented because it sums up the story so succinctly.
4. You are a huge Breaking Bad fan. Now that you've finished binge watching that show, what's next? Or what have you started that you recommend?
I plowed through seven seasons of Weeds over the summer after inhaling Orange Is the New Black. (Jenji Kohan, you’re the best. Call me!) I’m currently binge-watching The Good Wife and now I’m mad at all my friends who clearly didn’t insist strongly enough that I watch this show. The one thing that’s making me absolutely crazy is that for as well as they nail Chicago politics, they’ve completely biffed the logistics. Why would the Cook County State’s Attorney live in Lake County? Why would a realtor in Oak Park list a house in Highland Park? And hot dog vendors? On the street in this city? No. And how come no one ever walks around in Chicago team shirts or has a mustache? The tiny details annoy me, I guess largely because they get all the larger points right.
5. You're very open with your fans on social media. But is there something they might be surprised to know about you?
After writing seven damn memoirs, I’m not really sure there are a lot of surprises left. People know how much I love husband and my friends and how I spoil my pets. I always share reading/watching/listening suggestions and they’re kept abreast of whatever my hobby-du-jour is, such as my current obsessions with refurbishing old furniture and learning Italian and growing roses. I guess they don’t know I just ordered a bunch of supplies to start building my own terrariums? So, terrariums. When I start to yammer on about terrariums, please, everyone, do your best to seem surprised.
Thanks, Jen!