by
Laura Barnard
Often, when I tell people I’ve written a book their face lights up.
‘What kind of book is it?’ they ask, surprised that I could write more than a post-it note.
‘Chick-lit.’
Then their faces drop.
It grates on me that the minute they hear 'chick-lit' they dismiss it as if I’ve written nothing more than a diary entry. I’m proud to be a writer of chick-lit and also proud that I'm an avid reader of it.
It’s considered to not be intellectual enough for some people. Unless you’re reading something that is ridiculously confusing and makes your head hurt you’re not smart enough to be considered a book-worm.
It’s considered to not be intellectual enough for some people. Unless you’re reading something that is ridiculously confusing and makes your head hurt you’re not smart enough to be considered a book-worm.
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| Author Laura Barnard |
I couldn’t disagree more. Any book, regardless of genre, is good as
long as people enjoy it.
Why do I read chick lit? Like most people I have a busy life, and at the end of the day I enjoy a cup of tea and to indulged in someone else’s life. I don’t want to read a horror and be scared someone is out there waiting to kill me, neither do I want to read a thriller (after a long day I can barely remember my name let alone keep track of a government agent double crossing another agent!).
What I want is to read about a group of friends having fun. I want to hear about other women getting into tricky, hilarious situations. Most of all I want to fall in love with a gorgeous man who I can dream about without the guilt of them being a real person. I’ve been known to utter a fictional character's name in my sleep much to the horror of my husband. I can reassure him he’s not a real person.
Why do I read chick lit? Like most people I have a busy life, and at the end of the day I enjoy a cup of tea and to indulged in someone else’s life. I don’t want to read a horror and be scared someone is out there waiting to kill me, neither do I want to read a thriller (after a long day I can barely remember my name let alone keep track of a government agent double crossing another agent!).
What I want is to read about a group of friends having fun. I want to hear about other women getting into tricky, hilarious situations. Most of all I want to fall in love with a gorgeous man who I can dream about without the guilt of them being a real person. I’ve been known to utter a fictional character's name in my sleep much to the horror of my husband. I can reassure him he’s not a real person.
What I’ve decided instead is that these
people who judge are pretentious idiots with nothing better to do with their
lives. But each to their own. I personally judge a book on
how it makes me feel by the end. If I
loved it and can’t get it out of my head it’s a winner.
