A Blogger Into Coolhunters, Go Figure

As soon as the LA Times thing was over, I went up Lexington Avenue a couple blocks to Rocky Sullivan's. Oddly enough, although they've been doing readings there for years, I'd never been before, but Lynn Messina was going to be reading from Mim Warner's Lost Her Cool, which uses "assistant lit" as a platform to satirize coolhunting--and I've got a soft spot for coolhunting satires ever since reading Alex Shakar's The Savage Girl. Plus I've been a fan of Lynn's ever since her first book (though we've only recently been in touch and, in fact, I'm hoping to bring her here soon).

I managed to get a spot at the crowded bar next to Lynn's Red Dress Ink compatriot, Ariella Papa, who's just come out with her latest, Bundle of Joy?, and will be reading from it next Tuesday at the Chelsea B&N. Apart from annoying drunken chatter from a group of guys standing off to my side, the reading went superbly. Which wasn't too surprising, since Mim Warner is great fun; I spent all my subway time yesterday devouring it and smiling to myself. As far as I can tell, it doesn't matter if chick lit's an avowed passion for you or a guilty pleasure--heck, even if you can't stand the genre, I think Lynn's sense of comic writing stands a good chance of winning you over.