Jen Lancaster's Blog, page 29

Cover Story

You know how I was pretty much MIA here on this site for the past six months? And I kept telling you I was working on a new book? Yet you had no tangible proof that was true? And you started to suspect I was just hiding out in my basement, eating candy, and watching The Real Housewives? (Okay, that part might have happened a little bit.) Well, today I have some proof by way of new cover and a release date. And yet me being me, I must first take a circuitous route prior to the big reveal. So, ...

Trick Or Treat For Dignity!

Setting: My family room, last week. We are watching television and two feral kittens are curled up on my chest and shoulders, and one on Fletch's lap. Me: Hey, I was doing some research online about kitten development and I found out the Thundercats aren't always going to be so sweet. I guess in the next few months they're going to hit "adolescence" and we can expect them to be bratty and distance themselves from us. Fletch: Where'd you find this information, CrazyCatLady.com? Me: No! I think...

Bet You Big Teaser, Huh?

Just emailed my friend the following note: Hey, are you up for coming over here tonight for Top Chef? Am thinking you need to see these kittens so you can properly describe them to the police/animal control/a priest after they eat us. If you don't follow me on Twitter, you've not yet heard tales of Chuck Norris, nor are you aware that the average size for kittens this age is three to six pounds. Chuck's already passed the ten pound mark. I fear for us. Photos to follow tomorrow.

That Seemed To Take A While, Didn't It?

Every year when November rolls around, I think, "I should participate in NaNoWriMo!" Then I remember that I'll have just rolled off book deadline season and pretty much already did write 50,000 words in a month - twice - because I'm both a procrastinator and an idiot, and not necessarily in that order. Also for the past few years - and always right before deadline - I've been thrown a monkeywrench. (Is this expression right? Now that I've typed it, it seems all foreign and wrong. And is the m...

Hey, What If You Had An Upcoming Event But Forgot To Tell Anyone About It?

Let's not let that happen... What: The third annual Witty Women Writers event at the Book Cellar When: Thursday, October 15, 7:00 PM Where: 4736 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL Why: What do you mean, why? It's an event; it's fun. Amy Guth and Stacey Ballis will be there, too, and we'll all be doing our best to make you laugh. I'll even be reading stuff from the not-yet-finished-being-written book My Fair Lazy. Who: I think I just covered this above. What Else: I'm not saying the event last year w...

Yes, This Post Is Two Years Old, But Pertinent Because I'm Making This Soup Today

Setting: On the couch at my friend Stacey's house, catching up before watching Top Chef. Stacey: What did you do for Labor Day weekend? Me: Fletch went to his 20th class reunion in Indiana and I stayed home and worked on my stupid book. (Note: Apparently I DO have people and they would like you to know I do not feel this book is stupid.) Stacey: I'm sorry, that had to suck. Me: What's worse is it was our five-year anniversary and I couldn't go with him because I was buried in work. By the way...

Two Week Notice

I've got two weeks left to finish this book, so until that's done, I won't be putting up any new posts as I shall be busy both writing and crying about deadlines to anyone within earshot. (You can probably expect some increasingly panicked Twitters, though.) Regardless, the internet exists almost exclusively to display pictures of kittens anyway. As I'm not without resources, I've got you covered. Although, given the fact that Chuck Norris is already almost seven pounds at four months old, he...

That's The Chicago Way

Hey, Stacey, you'll never guess what kind of, um, romantic present Fletch just gave me! No, wait! Don't guess! You'll never guess. I'll just show you tomorrow when I pick you up. xo, jen Jen - I really thought this isn't anything I'd ever have to say to anyone, but DO NOT BRING A GUN TO LUNCH. XO, Stacey And no, I didn't bring a gun to lunch. That would be illegal and also super dangerous considering the Turkish coffee I drank. (There was one point where I was cruising home all hopped up on caff

And Yes, I Believe I CAN Fly

"Did you watch Mad Men this week?" Stacey asks. "Actually, I don't watch it at all," I reply, taking a big swig of my Turkish coffee which is so thick I can practically chew it. I've put away most of the pot and am down to the ultra-concentrated layer of sludge at the bottom. (If you're unfamiliar, this is the kind of coffee that coffee would drink for breakfast. Imagine Cuban coffee on crack which is like regular coffee on crack so essentially Turkish coffee is coffee to the second power. You c

This Doesn't Count Towards Today's 2000 Word Total

I'm getting down to the wire here on the new book, both in terms of writing and also finishing up having the experiences about which I need to write. The latter's going better than the former, as, obviously, it's way more tempting to have an adventure than to catalog it. This weekend was chock-full of documentable occurrences, like trying foods from previously untasted countries in the company of good friends, attending a benefit and meeting new people, reading classic literature (am finding Fau