MENUMENU
  • About
  • Buy
  • Press
  • Book Clubs
  • Writer Resources
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • g

Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / 3Ws / 3Ws – Jen Lancaster

3Ws – Jen Lancaster

October 24, 2014 Filed Under: 3Ws, author interviews, books are awesome, writing

10155423_10152043018075869_898849928927335489_n

What do you create?

Professionally, I create what I hope are light, engaging reads.  I’ve written eight memoirs (despite having never pulled Chrysler out of bankruptcy) and three novels.  Thus far, seven of my books have hit the New York Times Best Seller List, which still feels surreal, particularly given the content.  For example, I wrote a weight loss memoir in which I didn’t actually lose any weight.  (However, Such a Pretty Fat did teach me to conduct a domain lookup, as I discovered the original title Pretty Fat linked to a big girl fetish site.)  Although I can’t imagine anyone will study my writing in a comparative lit class in 2114, right now, my work’s an excellent choice for airplanes, beaches, and anywhere else someone might need a laugh.

Personally, I’m perpetually monkeying around with something – whether it’s trying to arrange the perfect evergreen-based holiday tableau, refurbishing old furniture into something entirely fresh and new, or photographing dolls in a Twilight reenactment… because apparently I have a lot of free time on my hands when I’m not on deadline.

 

Why do you create?

I create because I can’t not create.  There’s never a point when both my hands and mind are idle.  I mean, I didn’t set out to be a writer – I simply had too many thoughts and feels about having been laid off that I was absolutely compelled to document it all.  That this ended up being my career?  Definitely a happy accident.  In retrospect, I feel like I’d have been better in the business world if I hadn’t been so busy mentally redecorating the conference rooms when I was stuck in boring meetings.

Plus, there’s such satisfaction in having created that it’s almost like an addiction.  I’m driven to find new forms of expression to perpetuate that high.  Sometimes it works, like how my furniture painting hobby turned into another line of business, and sometimes it doesn’t, like when commenters suggested I return to my job behind the perfume counter in response to the syndicated newspaper column I used to write.  Whether successful or not, I can’t stop chasing the creative dragon.

 

What do you consume?

The first thought to cross my mind here is – less.  I consume less now.  Last year, I had this big idea about recreating the Such a Pretty Fat experience.  I wanted a do-over because even though this memoir was considered a success (having spent a good portion of the debut summer on the Times list) I didn’t actually reach my goal of becoming thinner, which was sort of the whole point.

This time, I wanted to approach weight loss differently, looking at it more from a wellness perspective.  Sure, there’d be a Biggest-Loser-gym-rat component, but my theory was that if I approached weight loss from every aspect of wellness – not only physical, but also intellectual, environmental, social, spiritual, etc. – that I’d finally meet my goals.  Eventually, my editor and I decided to switch the focus to something less introspective, which is why I Regret Nothing (May, 2015) is more of a fun, bucket-list type-book.

I still decided to pursue the concept of wellness, not because I wanted word count, but because I needed to make healthy changes.  And I’ll be damned if my theory wasn’t right.  Because I concentrated on all aspects of wellness, I’m down forty very easy pounds so far, without ever writing a check to a personal trainer or sitting through a Weight Watchers meeting.  So, less.  I definitely consume less.

(Or was I supposed to answer about how I just can’t seem to quit The Real Housewives here?)

Links

Website: http://www.jennsylvania.com

Twitter: @altgeldshrugged

Facebook: AuthorJenLancaster

1395896_10151700649895869_914020446_n

1 Comment

Comments

  1. Eric Wilder says

    October 25, 2014 at 1:25 am

    Wonderful interview. Checked out the Twilight images. That’s great! Awesome stuff.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Home
  • Allie Larkin
  • Blog
  • Book Clubs
  • Contact
  • Writer Resources

allielarkinwrites

All My Life by Evan Dando is one of my favorite so All My Life by Evan Dando is one of my favorite songs, and today when I was in the car, iTunes churned it up, and I thought, ‘I bet I can play that,’ so when I got home I did. And it was immensely satisfying. So, I thought I’d share my messy first draft, because there’s a lot of joy to be found in just doing the thing you hoped you could do. This gave me joy. Thank you, @kenwilcoxguitar for teaching me things that made this possible. #awkwardguitar #evandando #allmylife #coversong
Two things there are never enough of: 1. Delightfu Two things there are never enough of: 1. Delightful books 2. Mid-life love stories. @thenormannation has given us both. Matt and I have a running joke about our literary rivalry, but truth is he’s a truly kind, keenly observant, super smart human with a very big heart, and one of the great joys of reading his books is how beautifully all of that shines through in his writing. Charm City Rocks (out today!) is so much fun to read, and I know it will be a bright spot in your summer. You don’t even have to take my word for it. Roxy can smell a hit. #matthewnorman #charmcityrocks #bookstagram #dailyroxydog #dogstagram
Have you ever had a mulberry? I’m pretty sure I Have you ever had a mulberry? I’m pretty sure I hadn’t before this. Wow, they’re amazing! #mulberries
I don’t know if I’ll ever be any good at carvi I don’t know if I’ll ever be any good at carving, but it sure is fun to try. #reliefcarving #stressrelief
She’s a California dog, but that expression is u She’s a California dog, but that expression is undeniably New York. #dailyroxydog #howsitgoing #dogsofinstagram
Happy Pub Day, @byronlanedotcom! Even the roses in Happy Pub Day, @byronlanedotcom! Even the roses in my garden are celebrating you today by coordinating with the color scheme of BIG GAY WEDDING! Roxy sends her love too! XOXOXO #biggaywedding #byronlane #astarisbored #bookstagram (P.S. @noahegalvin is narrating for Byron again and they are truly a winning team!)
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Allison Larkin | Site by Little Leaf Design