Jezebel: terry mcmillan

The Middle Ground Between Chick Lit And Manfiction

Jessica — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:40:00 EDT

There is a ton of chick lit in the world because those pink covers sell like hotcakes, but as Stephen King points out in his current Entertainment Weekly column, there's still a considerable market for meaty ''manfiction.'' "Here's a concept so simple it's easy to miss," King says. "What men want from an Elmore Leonard novel is exactly what women want from a Nora Roberts novel — escape and entertainment." Obviously there are men out there who enjoy a good Terry McMillan, and there are women who die for Elmore Leonard, but King has a point. He names Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, Richard Stark, and Lee Child as the current kings of manfiction island. But it made me wonder if there are current popular writers who appeal to men and women equally.

The modern writers I can think of off the top of my head who appeal to both genders include Richard Price (I just read his gripping novel Lush Life and it has something for everyone. Guns! Deaths! Mystery! Complex Relationships! Hipsters!) Augusten Burroughs, Jhumpa Lahiri, and though it pains me to admit it, J.K. Rowling. Are there any other current scribes who appeal to man and chick-lit aficionados in equal measure?

Stephen King: Who Says Real Men Don't Read? [EW]

The battle between bestselling novelist...

Dodai — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:45:00 EDT

The battle between bestselling novelist Terry McMillan and ex-husband Jonathan Plummer just got nastier. McMillan issued a statement that says Plummer is "an evil person" who tried to paint her "as Mommie Dearest." She asks, "What is it that he has done since he came out of the closet that might benefit other gay men (and women) who are afraid to come out? What kind of platform has he chosen to draw positive attention to this problem? What is it he's doing besides getting a tell-all book published to draw attention to himself with the hopes of making money and once again all by pimping my fame?" Good questions! We have no answers. [Perez Hilton]

Jonathan Plummer, 33, ex-husband of bestselling...

Dodai — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:45:00 EDT

Jonathan Plummer, 33, ex-husband of bestselling novelist Terry McMillan, has, with the help of a ghost writer, penned a "novel." The plot? A young Jamaican man is seduced by a powerful American woman. The young lover breaks the wealthy woman's heart by announcing that he is gay and scandal ensues. Sound familiar? Plummer's book is titled Balancing Act. We think How Stella's Man On The DL Got Revenge, A Book Deal And His Groove Back would be more appropriate, but whatever. [Queerty]