The Chick Lit Chick: Hello, World!

Do you ever judge a book by its cover? Don’t lie, we all do it from time to time. Cardinal bibliophile sin, I know. Yes, but I’ve learned that this often works for me. And who is this me you may be wondering. I am The Chick Lit Chick, bringing you every tidbit you want to know about the genre, from Chica Lit to Bitch Lit to Mommy Lit and everything in between.

Now back to this cover business. I’ll admit this doesn’t work 100 percent of the time, but I often find myself at my local library, (or not so local, I’ve been known to be a bit of a rouge library patron, checking out books on friends, relatives, even employers cards) perusing the shelves for a brightly colored spine and a fun font. That is almost a sure bet that I’ve struck gold--another piece of chick lit to devour.

As I carefully slide the book off the shelf, I feel a sense of anticipation. Will I like the book, what’s it about, am I being tricked and it’s really some mystery novel with a great book jacket designer? A quick glance at the cover and description confirms that it’s exactly what I want. I’ve performed this ritual countless time at countless libraries, and I am rarely disappointed. Some of you may be wondering why I’m blathering on about something as seemingly as trivial as book covers. Or, why we even have a chick lit column on our site? If the idea of reading about the latest and greatest from Candace Bushnell or Sophie Kinsella (they're like the Oscar Wilde's and James Baldwin's of chick lit) doesn’t excite you, then I ask you to not follow my example and check it out anyway.

I promise to explore the genre in a way you’ve imagined. And for those of you who are just as excited as I am about the column, I will do my best to fill your insatiable need for all things chick lit. As is everyone who wants to please their adoring fans, I’m always open to suggestions.

Feel free to drop me a line at TheChickLitChick@gmail.com. I look forward to traipsing up Park Avenue and down Rodeo Drive with you guys!

--Ashleigh Menzies

Ashleigh is a bonafide chick lit addict (with the collection of pink-colored trinkets to show for it), and will be bringing you the best of the genre every other Friday.

Bitch Lit vs. Chick Lit: Uptown Literati's Podcast Series from Whitney Teal on Vimeo.