books by women i met through blogging

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!