One of the unexpected joys of becoming a blogger has been meeting so many amazing women, many of whom have become my friends in real life. Plus, they’re such good writers.
So, I thought I’d take a minute to share some of their books with you. Enjoy, check out their websites and follow them on social media.
You’ll feel like you just gained a whole new group of girlfriends.
You Have Lipstick on Your Teeth edited by Leslie Marinelli
This collection of essays is “dedicated to all the women in our lives who love us enough to always tell the brutal truth.” And that’s what these wonderful women writers do here and on the In The Powder Room website every day. They tell the brutal truth, sharing their embarrassing, painful and often very funny stories so we can breathe a sigh of relief and thank God we’re not the only one who feels that way. They write about their bodies, their children, their fears, their desires. Trust me, by the time you finish reading this book, you’ll want to be get to know every one of these writers personally. Speaking of which, don’t miss the poignant piece by my friend, Janie Emaus, appropriate entitled, “Confucious Say: When Shit Hits Fan, Girlfriends Bring Pooper Scooper.”
Over It by Mary Buchan
I knew, after one phone conversation with Mary, that I would find her book empowering. A wellness nurse and life reinvention coach, Mary writes from experience, sharing her own personal stories and offering practical ways to incorporate the lessons she’s learned the hard way into your own life. Whatever your “it” is, this little gem will help you get over, around or through it.
Lost in Suburbia by Tracy Beckerman
It’s no surprise that Tracy won first place in the “Humor – Global” category of this year’s Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. The woman is a riot! In this memoir – and her syndicated newspaper column – she writes about the things we’ve all dealt with as mothers. You know – the things that are hilarious when they happen to someone other than you. Like getting stopped by the police while driving in her robe. Like telling off the car dealer trying to sell her a minivan based on its color and DVD player. Like being told by her daughter “you have extra butt” hanging out of her bathing suit. If Tracy were my neighbor, the suburbs would truly be paradise.
Geek Mom by Natania Barron, Kathy Ceceri, Corrina Lawson and Jenny Williams
I met Corrina at a press junket and now have a new admiration for all the self-proclaimed geeks out there. One of the founders of the popular Geek Mom website, she shared her passion for science fiction and fantasy with me and was so enthusiastic, I almost felt like a superhero myself. This great guide is filled with out-of-the-box DIY projects, activities and ideas for every member of the family to geek out on, from role playing to recipes. FYI, this could just as easily be called Geek Grandma.
70 is the New 40 by Barbara Penn-Atkins
Barbara is an award-winning speaker and Certified Retirement Transition Coach who lives by the Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, “To be 70 years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be 40 years old.” Her book provides food for thought – and dig-down-deep writing prompts – to make you really think about what you want the second chapter of your life to look like. Then she gives you the tools to make it happen. Inspiring!
What a great collection — and a few I’d never heard about so I’ll be checking these out!
Love this list! And have added the titles to my “must read” list.
So excited to add these to my reading list. They all look great!
Thanks for the list…and the description I may not be able to unsee…the extra butt!
I think it’s amazing that this whole blogging gig has helped so many people realize their dream of writing books.
Thanks so much for including me in this list! I am in awesome company. And I wished you lived closer, too. I could use some allies in the ‘burbs!!
And the stack on my nightstand grows!
HI Lois – Thanks so much for including me in your list!
It is amazing the awesome people you meet online!
What a great list of awesome writers and their books — several I did not know about! My reading list is getting bigger by the minute and I am thrilled to add some bloggers to that list!
So lovely that you featured women we “know,” either online or IRL. Great idea, great list.
Fantastic list of books. Must add to my list
This is a great list and I am looking forward to reading them all!
Very cool! This is such a great group of accomplished women!
Thanks for sharing. Will have to check out some of these books.
How fun for you. Blogging does bring you into different circles you thought you might ever be in.
What a great list! The only one of these I have read so far is Lost in Suburbia. Tracy is so funny and such an amazing writer.
I need to check these books out. How awesome is it that you’ve met some pretty cool authors?
Thanks for the great list…..summer is not over yet………..adding to my list!
They all sound like great books, that is awesome that you got to meet them too!
I have a copy of Lost in Suburbia but haven’t read it yet. I need to do that soon!
This is such an AWESOME list! Thanks for sharing. I am definitely going to check out Geek Mom.
Great list!!!!
This is a great collection of books, I’m going to have to add some of them to my reading list. Thanks!
I’ve already read Mary’s, and I’ll have to check out the others. I’m in the process of writing a similar post with book reviews from our blogger friends!
Thanks for the awesome round up of books. I will definitely look for them on my kindle- I love supporting other Women and reading books give RAVE reviews!
Oh my goodness, extra butt hanging out of your bathing suit!!! I must read Lost in Suburbia!
Oh! I have to read some of these. Some others I already have read. Thanks!
This is wonderful! I pinned it to my “e learning” and my “reading” boards on Pinterest.
I’m going to have to get all of these books!
Great collection! It’s also such a nice thing when you get them signed too. Gotta check out some of these!
LIke you and Helene I am also in the process of writing a similar post. Because we are surrounded by a lot of writing talent, so at least 3 posts helps. I love how you constructed yours, (of course) Lois!
BTW, I never received this post in my email. Odd, isn’t it? xo
Great list of summer reading from strong women writers and midlifers no less! Thanks for sharing!