Monday, June 13, 2011

Guest Post and Giveaway: "The Wedding Writer" by Susan Schneider

Please join me in welcoming Susan Schneider, author of The Wedding Writer (my review) to The Book Chick today, and be sure to enter to win a copy at the end of this post.

What IS a wedding writer anyway?



Well, I was one for about ten years. On staff at a number of bridal publications in New York, I wrote dozens and dozens of wedding stories. All year round we’d collect wedding photographs from recent brides, choose the ones we liked best, and then I’d interview the bride and get all the details, from how she felt when he popped the question to how she settled on calla lilies and roses for her bouquet. I loved writing wedding stories because they were mini fairy-tales; I never had to stint on the romance! So, when I set out to write my novel, I knew I wanted a wedding writer protagonist: I imagined her as a single working girl (underpaid, of course!), spinning tales of bliss in a humble cubicle.

A wedding story has a beginning, a middle, and an end: First comes the proposal, then the wedding itself (the story’s main character!) and then the happily-ever-after ending. Lucky, the main character in my novel, lands a job in as a wedding writer in the competitive world of wedding publications, and from there sets her sights on the top editorial job. Her own happily-ever-after?  She’s got a ways to go before she lands the tiara…

Work is important to Lucky, as it is to all the women in The Wedding Writer. Nowadays many of us find fulfillment in the workplace, and yet so many crave being a princess for a day. Are the two mutually exclusive? Why does the idea of having a fantasy wedding still draw us so powerfully?  I’m a divorced working woman myself, but one of my earliest memories is of my cousin Ellen in a stiff taffeta wedding gown. Staring up at her, I was transported by her transformation from cousin to… princess!

The trick to being a good wedding writer is to cast a spell. The writer  takes an ordinary girl (say, my cousin Ellen) and her guy and spins a web of their dreams through their own pictures and words. And for that one day reality is suspended—romance rules! Real life is back with us soon enough. So let’s hear it for the wedding writers and every woman who ever dreamed of the perfect white dress and a perfect day. As a wedding writer, I never thought it was too much to ask.

Thank-you so much for visiting today, Susan! Now, if you would like to get your hands on your very own copy of The Wedding Writer, here's how you can win one:

1. *Mandatory Entry* Post in the comments (please leave me your e-mail address or a way for me to contact you) and tell me- what's your funniest wedding memory (it could be from your own wedding, or someone else's)?

2. *Bonus Entry* Become a follower of this blog through Google Friend Connect and let me know in the comments (a separate comment is not required) that you now follow. Current followers are eligible for this bonus entry as well.

3. *Bonus Entry* Spread the word about this contest in some way. Post on your Facebook or blog or Tweet about it, just come back and let me know what you did!

This contest runs until June 27, 2011 and is open to US and Canadian residents only. At the conclusion of this contest I will notify the winner via e-mail, and the winner will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!
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25 comments:

  1. BingoJune 13, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    My funniest wedding moment has to be our last minute disagreement on what kind of salad dressing to have and how to serve it (it was a sit down dinner). Before we left on our honeymoon, I had called my parents to thank them and my dad told me the 350 salads were never served...and none of us noticed!
    Thanks for the chance at this book!

    kdhaney at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. BingoJune 13, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    I am a Google Friend Connect Follower

    kdhaney at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. travelerJune 13, 2011 at 11:33 AM

    Something amusing at my niece's wedding occurred at the end when all the women grabbed the flower and vases centrepieces. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. petiteJune 13, 2011 at 11:38 AM

    Someone sitting at a table near us spilled wine on a guest and didn't apologize nor blink an eye. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Meg @ write meg!June 13, 2011 at 12:39 PM

    I was an 8-year-old flower girl at my aunt's wedding -- and it was there that I steadfastly refused to do the "Chicken Polka" on the dance floor. Even as a kid, I realized how ridiculous that dance was -- and not even my mom, physically trying to get me to do the polka, could change my mind! It's actually embarrassing to think back on me sulking in a corner while that funny song played... but, you know. I've always been moody.

    Thanks for the chance! :)

    writing.meg [at] gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Meg @ write meg!June 13, 2011 at 12:39 PM

    I'm also a follower. Sorry I didn't mention that above! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Linda BernsteinJune 13, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    Nothing funny happened at my wedding. It was so hot. It was outside in my brother's backyard. The wedding guests were schvitzing and the caterer was miffed because the rabbi was taking so long. I love Susan's book because it is so wickedly funny and because her characters are all so nicely molded. My review is at http://generationbsquared/what-boomers-read

    ReplyDelete
  8. bellefleurJune 14, 2011 at 5:22 AM

    It was overcast, rainy, drizzly the morning of my January wedding, and when my mom came to wake me up (of course, I was already awake!) she said, "I guess you ordered this weather." Sure mom, I wanted it to rain :) But the sun soon came out and we had a lovely sunny day.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AlisonJune 14, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    This sounds like an amazing book. My wedding memory is when the minister realized he was reading the wrong page and had to start over LOL. I'm a GFC follower now. alison.fees@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJune 16, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    My favorite memory is helping my friend do her makeup for the wedding.

    I am a follower.

    I have posted the giveaway on my blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kim W.June 20, 2011 at 9:34 PM

    My favorite wedding memory.....true story: about 5 years ago my friend got married and I was her maid of honor. I guess she was sopooo nervous, even though she only had about 30 guests that consisted of super-close family and friends, that she actually peed herself during the ceremony!!! Ack! Thankfully her, her new husband, and their family and friends are all pretty casual, off-the-wall-type personalities and everyone had a good laugh about it (once my friend realized that she couldn't change what happened and to just let it go!)!

    I am now a follower of The Book Chick Blog.

    I have shared this contest on Facebook!

    kewalker1972@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Heather WardellJune 21, 2011 at 4:12 AM

    My favorite wedding memory is my husband's pause, which seemed to last a year, before repeating, "Faithful to you alone" in his vows.

    He claims he was waiting to see if there was more he had to say right then but it felt like he was thinking, "I'm promising WHAT?" :)

    I have retweeted your contest tweet.

    You can email me through my profile.

    ReplyDelete
  13. MeJune 21, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    My funniest memory was at my friend's outdoor wedding; her dog was in the wedding march, leading the bridesmaids and when it got to the front where the groom was, it kept right on walking and pooped over in the bushes! Hopefully most people's eyes were now turned to the beautiful train of women behind pooch:)

    cgraceh at gmail dot com

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  14. MeJune 21, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    I am a follower. cgraceh at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. MeJune 21, 2011 at 8:19 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  16. MeJune 21, 2011 at 8:20 AM

    Forgot to post link! Chcek out my blog - top, left - for ad & link to your post to win The Wedding Writer. I'm itching to read this one!

    http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/

    Thanks again. cgraceh at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Literary ChanteuseJune 24, 2011 at 4:53 PM

    Funniest wedding memory was at my sister's wedding I was about 10 and the flower girl. my cousin was the ring bearer and as he was walking down the isle he dropped the ring. of course it rolled under the pews and several people were trying to retrieve it. Well it caused a little hiccup during the proceedings. As a child this was very funny!

    Margaret
    singitm@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Literary ChanteuseJune 24, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    I'm a GFC follower

    Margaret
    singitm@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. MelissaJune 25, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    Funniest wedding memory comes from my own wedding. My husband drank a little too much, and toward the end of the night when we were about to ride away (lol) he decided to take the mic away from the DJ and announce to everyone that we were leaving and he was about to get his freak on. Yeah not cool, at the time I was mortified, but looking back it was hilarious. To this day we still laugh about that.

    I'm a GFC follower (Melissa)

    coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. NancyeJune 27, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    The funniest wedding memory was from my brother's wedding when his wife was dancing to some crazy songs and really "getting down" to the music. I think she may have had a bit too much champagne!

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  21. NancyeJune 27, 2011 at 8:53 PM

    GFC Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  22. NancyeJune 27, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    Tweet! Tweet!
    @NancyeDavis

    http://twitter.com/#!/NancyeDavis/status/85555588637016065

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
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