GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES

So this is the new "new" book! Amusingly (and that word should probably be in quotes, too), I wrote and sold GOD IS IN THE PANCAKES long before Amy and I had even the glimmer of the idea for SO SUE ME, JACKASS! And in the 3 years it's taken for Pancakes to hit the shelves, we pitched, sold, wrote and came out with Jackass last September.

But it's finally time for the Pancakes, and I'm very happy to say advance reviews have been amazing (well, mostly... curse you, Kirkus!) Publisher's Weekly calls the book "powerful and poignant" and then they get even nicer:

"Unsentimental but caring intergenerational relationships and spot-on adolescent banter provide humor and hope in this stellar addition to the coming-of-age genre, which offers neither judgments nor simplistic answers."

Here's the kicker on the Booklist review: "With well-developed adults and a teen seeking help from God and anyone she perceives as wise, this memorable novel offers food for thought and sustenance for the soul." And School and Library Journal says, "Fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti will rejoice at finding Epstein."

So, yeah, pretty happy!

You can check out the book's website here: God Is In The Pancakes. I'd love it if you wanted to contribute to the Community section.

And I'd really love it if you bought the book, which you can do by clicking this link, Amazon, chatting the book up on Facebook, Twitter, and/or any other social media sources you use, and writing a review on Amazon or GoodReads. That would be fantastic.

Until we blog again...

Robin's New Book!

In what would appear to be a never ending quest for cross-promotional self-aggrandizement, we here at the Shaking blog want to let you know that Robin now has a new book out, too, called SO SUE ME, JACKASS!: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls That Can Come Back to Bite You at Work, at Home and at Play.

Co-written with Robin's sister, Amy (the brains & lawyer in the family), it's a humorous guide to everyday legal issues covering such topics as your work life, your love life, money, kids, home, health, wealth (or lack thereof), and even your death!

The fine folks at Flavorpill LOVE it, not only making the book a Daily Pick, but also calling it a "a go-to resource for anyone too shy to ask the most basic legal questions — and some of the more outlandish ones too."

Check out the website and blog at: www.SoSueMeJackass.com, and then do a sister a favor, and hop on over to your local bookstore or just click this PLEASE BUY THE BOOK link, and do the legally savvy thing!

(For a preview, check out the cool teasers on youtube)

Renee's New Book!

Yes, you read that right! It's Renee's new book... in French! I'm not exactly sure what it's about -- my high school French only takes me so far -- but knowing Renee, I'd bet it has the critical brilliance of a Milton essay, the readability of a Harry Potter novel, and the moral authority of the Bible. No doubt it has something to offer for everyone (who speaks French).

I'm ordering myself a copy right now, and you should do the same: L'Amie americaine: Chroniques d'une New Yorkaise a Paris

We're very proud of our girl here back at the old Shaking Blog. Again, our French language skills may be a little rusty, but we offer our hearty congratulations to Mademoiselle Kaplan: grand succès and joyeux anniversaire!

His Cheating Heart

You've been asking about Jay. Wondering where he's been. If we had some sort of falling out or brutal melee. You were curious if I went all Norman Mailer on his ass. Maybe you even secretly suspected I made him flee to France, just like Renee.

Well, children, I hate to tell you this, but it turns out that the reason Jay's been slacking on this site (aside from his well-documented laziness), is because he's been having an affair with another website. A Brooklyn-based website! An older website at that. I know, it's like, "kill me now!"

Check out the evidence for yourself if you don't believe me:
Is Chris Dodd White Enough?

Honestly, my mother always told me never to trust a man in an Elmo birthday hat and tight-fitting Abercrombie T. I should have listened before I let it get this far. Well, we'll see if he tries to work his way back into our hearts in the days to come. I'm not sure I can trust him anymore... but salty snacks and flowers could go a long way, that's all I'm saying. (Did you hear that, Jay? Salty snacks and flowers...)

Nothing Says I Love You...

Sadly, Tonya and Jim were not engaged in romantic role-play.



Happy VD, everyone, from our cold, cold hearts to yours!

I See Naked People

I arrived home yesterday and found this note taped to the outer door of my apartment building:

Dear Tenants:

Your neighbors respectfully request that the relatively new residents (who display a menorah in their north facing window) use a curtain in the evenings for their living room. It will help protect all of our privacy. Thank you.

In a city like New York, a city where seeing neighbors in various states of undress is as common and expected as seeing the sun come up each morning, you know people aren't inspired to write a letter like that unless they've seen some serious shit go down--multiple times.

Now sadly I must confess that I'm neither a new resident to my building, nor do I have a menorah in my window, so I know the letter writer is not talking to me (nor, evidently, has s/he been particularly impressed by the goings on in my living room.)

But the question remains, what must this letter writer have glimpsed... repeatedly? Not only am I morbidly curious to learn the details, I'm also somewhat proud. As a member of the menorah minority, I now have epistolatory confirmation that there are at least two (or three?) kinky heebs out there who are getting some hot and noteworthy action. All I can say is "mazel tov, kids!" You are living a living testament to our "be fruitful and multiply" mandate.

Denial Ain't Just a River...

I am completely content that on official documents I’m classified: “spinster.”
I am completely satisfied with the size of my apartment.
I am completely comfortable with my diminished bank account.
I am completely certain we have a genius in the White House.
I am completely ecstatic that when I tell people I’m a writer, they say, “Oh, that’s so cute, but how do you earn a living?”
I am completely happy about the zit on my chin.
I am completely at ease with my failing eyesight.
I am completely over being mocked as a teen.
I am completely good with the size of my rack.
I am completely in favor of this bitter cold weather.
And Ted Haggard is completely heterosexual.