Author Biography:  Lucie Simone has a passion for travel, yoga, and writing. She has a degree in Journalism, a Master of Fine Arts in Television Production, and is a certified yoga teacher registered with Yoga Alliance. Her love of comedy (and living under the delusion that she might one day be an actress) resulted in a stint studying improvisation, which, ironically enough, taught her to be a better writer.

Her short story, A Taste of Italy, won the New York Book Festival competition for best ebook and is a bestseller at Amazon UK. The release of her debut novel,Hollywood Ending, a romantic comedy about life in Hollywood for the not-so-rich-and-famous, marked the launch of her small press, Simon & Fig, which publishes Chick Lit, Lad Lit and Women’s Fiction exclusively.

Lucie lives, loves and writes in the City of Angels, but considers New York City her second home and visits as often as her bank account will allow.

GUEST POST BY LUCIE

The Evolution of Chick Lit

Ever since Bridget Jones and her infamous diary first stumbled onto the literary scene in 1999, Chick Lit has captivated many a modern gal looking for humorous heroines whose tales reflect our own sometimes glamorous, sometimes gluttonous and often times glorious lives. And just like its readers, Chick Lit has evolved and “grown up” as the years have passed. No longer is the genre overflowing with books centered around dating disasters, shopping sprees and career casualties. Now, we’re seeing heroines who are married, and maybe even with children, as they undergo new life challenges such a coping with divorce, overcoming loss, and managing that delicate work/life balance.

I first noticed this trend with the appearance of Ellen Meister’s Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA in 2006. Centering around three women whose children attend the same elementary school in a Long Island suburb, this story reveals the struggles modern women face in trying to keep their marriages alive, their careers afloat, and their friendships strong. And even though I didn’t have kids, live in a suburb, or even have a husband, I could still relate to the characters and their stories because at its core, it was still about the empowerment of female bonding.

Jennifer Weiner’s long and impressive list of books, starting with Good in Bed and leading up to her current Chick Lit hit, The Next Best Thing, chronicles beautifully the evolution of Chick Lit since her debut in 2002. Her characters have matured and grown up right along with her, and her novels continue to reflect the humor and heart that keeps the genre kicking.

And recently, I found and fell in love with a fat, over-forty, fabulous Chick Lit heroine with a passion for cake and a knack for making mistakes. I absolutely loved Sue Watson’s Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes about Stella Weston, a mom, TV producer and soon-to-be-divorcee who chucks her crumby job and launches a baking business from her kitchen. It’s about reinventing yourself and learning to love who you are despite your so-called flaws. But above all, it celebrates the friendships that carry us through the tough times and see us for the fabulous women we truly are no matter what catastrophes befall us.

I love how resilient Chick Lit is. And despite the fact that the publishing industry long ago declared the genre dead and buried, it lives on with that same youthful spirit and the notion that laughter is the best medicine. Whereas Prada and Jimmy Choo used to occupy the minds and empty the wallets of Chick Lit heroines like Carrie Bradshaw and Becky Bloomwood, today’s Chick Lit chicks are concerned with deeper pursuits such as career satisfaction, meaningful relationships and how to have it all while still having fun.

And, of course, it just wouldn’t be Chick Lit without a fabulous set of friends for nattering and nurturing while our heroines keep on keeping on even in the face of dirty diapers, divorce, and the daily grind. For me, Chick Lit will always be about strong female voices, fabulous friendships, and a great sense of humor. No matter how old we get, we will always need these three things to keep us company.

Long live Chick Lit!

**Contact Lucie at the links below:

Blog: Lucie Simone

Websites: Lucie Simone   Lucie Simone (small press): Simon & Fig

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**Click HERE to read my review of Lucie’s book, “Picture Perfect!”