Monday, June 22, 2009

Guest blog and book giveaway: Dan Begley

We've got such a treat today! I'm introducing you to a brand new author on the chick lit scene. Smart and funny, just like all of the chick lit authors you've come to know and love, but this author is a bit different: he's a man!


Yes, today we've got award winning writer and professor Dan Begley here to chat. His debut novel, MS. TAKEN IDENTITY, comes out today, and it's a fabulous read. I was asked to blurb this book, and I really loved it. It's a clever and funny story about learning who you really are and what's important in life.

And what's even more exciting is that Dan will be giving away not just one, but TWO signed copies of the book! Deets on how to enter are at the bottom of this post.

So, without further ado, I give you our guest blogger for today, Dan Begley:


Man! I Feel Like a Woman

When I was a boy, I wanted to be a pro football quarterback. As a teen, my obsession was basketball and the Boston Celtics. In college (when I realized I’d stopped growing and wouldn’t be 6’9”), my interests turned to hockey. So naturally, now that I’m getting a novel published, my chosen genre is…chick lit.

Pardon?

Actually, chick lit and I go back a long way. I read my first chick lit novel when I was in college. I was taking an English Lit survey class, and we were reading Dickens and Joyce and Orwell, among others. Then the professor, a rather staid gentleman, assigned the chick lit novel, unabashedly praising it as one of the best books ever written. Of course, he didn’t use the term “chick lit”; he called it by another name.

Pride and Prejudice.

Yes, that one.


Maybe you’ve read it. Or seen the movie with Keira Knightley (my wife could watch it daily). Or the miniseries with Colin Firth. Or read Helen Fielding’s modern take: Bridget Jones’s Diary. The connection between chick lit and Austen is inescapable. Google the two: 130,000 results.


It seems that Ms. Austen tapped into something both universal and timeless in her delightful novel: romance, fashion, and Love, and the silly things it makes us say and do and feel. In a nutshell, that’s what P and P is about. And, as far as I can tell, that’s what chick lit is about.


Now, I’ve only written one book in the genre, so I’m no expert. There are many other far more talented and insightful (and attractive) practitioners—I won’t name names, but you know these good ladies’ names—and they would be far more qualified to tell you what it is and isn’t.


As for me, I just wanted to write a story about a guy who starts off with his own pride and prejudice about the genre, about the people who read it, and about life itself. He’s not a bad guy; he just has a blind spot. Okay, blind spots. And huge ones.


But in the end, he just wants what every single woman in every single chick lit novel wants: To love, and be loved.


Come to think of it, that’s what we all want, isn’t it? I know I do. And thanks to my wife Robin, I have it.


I’m not sure how women who enjoy chick lit (or women in general) will take to my novel. They may think that it’s making fun of them. If you stop reading after page forty, I can see how you’d think that. But if you hang in there, I think you’ll find that the book is saying something else, entirely.


After all, that’s my name on the cover of a chick lit novel.


And I couldn’t be more proud.



Thanks so much for stopping by, Dan! That post totally makes me want to read your book again!

To enter to win a copy of MS. TAKEN IDENTITY, just leave a comment at the bottom of this post. To get another entry, blog about it! OR, to get yet another entry, email five of your friends about this contest (and cc me on the email so that I can account for your extra entry- brenda[at]brendajanowitz[dot]com).

The lucky winners will be announced on July 6th.



68 comments:

KR said...

This sounds cute. Please count me in.

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

drey said...

Me! Me! =)

(thank you!)

dreyshouse at gmail.com

Nancy Luckhurst said...

Wow, Dan, you are a brave man! I would love to read your book and see a guy's take on chick lit.

I agree with your wife; I could watch Pride and Prejudice daily too. :)

TiredMom said...

Would love to read this--please enter me in the drawing

Pearl said...

I'm game! I'm actually not too picky about my author's gender--good reading is good reading!

And, of course, the cover makes me giggle!!

damfinogal said...

Wow, I'm really curious to read this one!!

Kathryn's blog said...

Hello Brenda,

This sounds like JUST the book for me. I cannot wait to read it.........

Kristen said...

Sounds great! I'm really looking forward to reading this book. I <3 chick lit!

kriskem@gmail.com

sphinx63 said...

Sounds like a fun read. As a fan of P&P, any man that reads it and doesn't run screaming is an interesting person! Thanks for the chance.

sphinxcw at aol dot com

Mitzy said...

wow this sounds great! I love his lil mini bio about his past haha

just1linmichele@aol.com

Vikki Marx said...

With a fun cover like that, it's already captured my interest.

vmmm@optonline.net

Rzezfez said...

This sounds like a must read! I am very excited to get it!

Jessica ( frellathon ) said...

Please enter me in your giveaway.
jessica(at)fan(dot)com

clacla said...

This is a book I would like to read. Please add me into the list.

Allison said...

I love my chick lit!
Please enter me.

allygotts567[at]hotmail[dot]com

Valorie said...

I'd love a chance to win! And I blogged: http://www.morbid-romantic.net/2009/06/22/book-giveaways-0622-0628/.

Valorie
http://www.morbid-romantic.net

Lesley (aka Upper West Side Writer) said...

The book sounds great--I'd love to win it! Thanks!

lesleymfan(at)gmail(dot)com

Wendy said...

Hi, Dan!

Ms.Taken Identity sounds like a really funny chick lit and I can't wait to read it. :)

donnas said...

This sounds great. Please include me.

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Llehn said...

I would love to be included in this giveaway. Thanks.

lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot0com

throuthehaze said...

count me in please!
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

Ally M123 said...

Not ever having read chick lit written by a man I am really curious so I will read it. Count me in on the giveaway!

espressogurl at hotmail dot com

Bunny B said...

Wow! Sounds fun! Love the title :)
bunnybx at gmail . com

Pam said...

I've read some great reviews of this book. I can't believe it's chick lit by man - how interesting! I'd love to be included!

melacan at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

This sounds like an amazing read, pleas enter me!

lovestoread0708(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Interesting book! aitmama (at) gmail (dot ) com

Kristen said...

I would love to read this one. It was already officially on my wish list when I stumbled across your giveaway.

whitreidsmama at yahoo.com

LoveMyCoffee said...

This sounds really cute! Count me in

Dutchlvr(at)aol(dot)com

scottsgal said...

The cover is hysterical - would love to read this

msboatgal at aol.com

Michelle said...

This sounds like a great read!

mindy said...

sounds like a fun read thanks for the giveaway minsthins at optonline dot net

Renee G said...

This sounds great --- I'd love to read a copy.
rsgrandinetti(at)yahoo(Dot)com

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a fun read. Thanks!

Andrea said...

I would love to read this!

And I blogged about the contest here

belle2211@yahoo.com

Alicia said...

Sounds cute.

Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

bloggyig at gmail dot com

Heather S said...

I would love to read this book! Cute! Thanks

hmahan_0529 @ yahoo dot com

SMorris said...

This book looks great..hope I win!

Nickolay said...

Looks like a awesome book. Thanks for the chance

jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

Miranda Ward said...

I would love to read this

Anonymous said...

Hi Brenda - I'd love to win a copy of Dan's new chik lit book.
It sounds like a fun read.
Rose H.
I'm the orange and black girl icon at gather.com - you can click on my comment there to e-mail me - if I should be so lucky:)

Mia J. said...

Sounds like a good read. I would love to win it.

Lady Roxi said...

Love to have this.

Thanks,

darkfyre1(at)gmail(dot)com

Kelly said...

Yayyyy, new chick lit! I'd love to read it from a guy's perspective. What fun! :)

krtrumpet [at] aol [dot] com

Debbie said...

How fun! Thanks for the chance.
fourkidsrgreat(at)gmail(dot)com

Patti said...

This sounds like it might be a fun book.

budletsmom(at)yahoo(dot)com

Brooke said...

Kudos to Dan... He reminds me of all the women that had to write under mens names to even get published why back when... Only he is admitting to being a gentlemen.. I would love a chance to get a signed copy...

Esme said...

This sounds funny. thanks

chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com

Victoria said...

I'd love to read it! Thank you!
victoriah40@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

That's a great book cover!

13rubberducks [at] gmail [dot] com

Nicole D. said...

Sounds interesting!

mrsshukra said...

I want to win this, thanks!
delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

jemscout425 said...

this book sounds like a fun read. count me in
pksanddancer(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said...

I would love to read this book - if only for the looks the cover would get me in the office! Please enter me.

Thanks

mdwartistry at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I would love to have this book, too! Please count me in.

luna_lunak at yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I want to be entered! This sounds like a great read.

bsyb100 atgmaildot com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me to win this book. Reading is my passion and I love to try new authors!
thanks
Debbie
dcf_beth(at)verizon (dot) net

MOMFOREVERANDEVER said...

mrs.mommyyatgmaildotcom


count me in

Everyone have a great week!

Mishia said...

Sounds like a great book! Thanks

jwx4 said...

Looks like a fun book. Enter me, please.
jwx4(at)yahoo(dot)com

wendy wallach said...

Loved the interview! Please enter me.

madamerkf at aol dot com

Ellie Wright said...

Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me.
eswright18 at gmail dot com

Jennifer C. said...

Sounds like a great summer read!

jennifercausby at hotmail dot com

Hillary said...

I would love to win this! Thanks!

hillary1128@yahoo.com

October Woman said...

Kudos to you Mr. Begley! It's wonderful to hear a man talk positively about a much maligned genre!

L said...

I'd love to win this!

lovinfitch(at)aol(dot)com

Valerie said...

how fun!
kawaiineko2008 at aol dot com

Valerie said...

how fun!
kawaiineko2008 at aol dot com

1993wel said...

This looks like a cute book, fun summer beach read.