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| Chiclets |
Wikipedia defines chic lit as genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often
humorously and lightheartedly. Really, a marketing wizard somewhere decided
to label a profitable segment of sales with a phrase reminiscent of chiclet candy. If you don’t remember, chiclets
are cute, sweet, minty and come in a variety of pretty colors. What more could you want in chewing gum or
books? Although chick lit will never be
confused with literary fiction (defined by Wikipedia as a term principally used for fictional works that hold literary merit) many
authors of books geared to a female audience fall into a larger commercial or
mainstream category, defined as somewhere between chick lit and literary
masterpieces. Reviewers and critics
should be very cautious in applying the chick lit label to writers presenting a
more realistic, balanced and less-escapist approach to issues confronting
women.
Putting aside my small chiclet tirade, I read chick lit. Some of my colleagues would consider that
statement to be embarrassing, but I have already confessed in earlier posts to
having crazy cats named after the Blues Brothers. Have I ever mentioned my
fondness for the two Hellboy movies? I
especially like chick lit during the summer and I prefer series to
stand-alones. The authors listed below,
a mix of chick lit and mainsteam/commercial, manage to include laughter, a few
serious issues, knowledge of some field I know nothing about (restoration, wine
and beer making, dolphins, etc), and love.
Their books hold more than a box of chiclets ever could.
My favorite series:
Darcy
Burke Ribbon Ridge
Mary
Alice Monroe Lowcountry Trilogy
(currently 4 books – Lowcountry Wedding
just out)
Wendy
Wax Ten Beach Road
(my new favorite)
Beth
Kendrick Black Dog Bay
(Once Upon a Wine due in July)
Kristan
Higgins Blue Heron
Lit Chicks, perhaps less judgmental sounding than Chick
Lit, would also include Jennifer Weiner,
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Beth Harbison, Susan Mallery, and Sophie Kinsella.
Happy beach reading.
-S. Bakos
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