Author Interview: Edith G. Tolchin | Fanny on Fire

Here's what Edith G. Tolchin had to say about her award winning comedic novel , Fanny on Fire (and who doesn't like to laugh?)! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your published book (s). I’m an editor, celebrity interview columnist and of course, an author of several books. My first few books were non-fiction, about my experience and knowledge of the inventions industry. My most recent book is Fanny on Fire, a comedic novel loosely based on my life growing up in the Bronx, New York. I must have done something right because Fanny was a recent finalist in the Foreword Reviews INDIES Book Awards ! Tell us about the genre you like to write, and how is it similar / different from other women fiction genres? I like comedy—whether fiction or non-fiction. Comedy heals the soul and helps deal with everyday problems. I also enjoy doing my interviews (I’m a columnist for Inventors Digest) and doing my book reviews of newly-released celebrity memoirs for the New Yo…

A Character Review - Who Didn't Love Blix?

BY CATHERINE MAVEN - I can’t believe I actually DOWNLOADED this book onto my Kindle – it looks like the kind of romantic claptrap that I’m ALLERGIC to. So you might be surprised to find out that right after I finished reading it, I BOUGHT the hardcover book! (And this, despite the fact that I have downsized my library until I only own about twenty books.) The thing is, the main story is NOT why I LOVE this book! Wait. Let me back up. MfB is about a young woman (Marnie MacGraw) who gets married and then separates two weeks later, is distraught and disillusioned, and then finds out that a woman she only met once – the great aunt of her so-recently-ex husband – has left her her house in her will. There are lots of quirky, interesting characters, including a child and a dog! – and even the possibility of another love. Not bad, an easy read, and not totally predictable. But what I LOVE about this book is the great aunt who passes away in the course of the book – Blix. Blix is an AMAZING …

Author Interview: Angela Cairns | Touch

We’re kicking off our author interviews on Hen Lit Central with Angela Cairns, author of Touch. Here’s what she had to say about what inspired her to write Touch, plus lots more! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your published book(s). Hi, I’m Angela Cairns, author of Touch, the first novel in the Ellie Rose series. Sequel coming soon! Ellie is a physiotherapist, like me. She has an amazing life planned in Australia. When Ellie loses her soulmate Brett in a tragic accident, all their plans to marry, work together and travel, die with him. Devastated, she returns to England but flees to the countryside to escape the smothering sympathy of family and friends. She must somehow find a way to survive. She needs to move on, but Ellie can’t help looking back, and if she continues to live in the past, will she miss her second chance for happiness? Tell us about the genre you like to write, and how is it similar / different from other women fiction genres. Touch is a w…

Period Limbo: Major Signs You've Hit Perimenopause

BY MELISSEA ROWE - September is Menopause Awareness Month! And although this may not be a particularly sexy cause, it’s no doubt an important period (no pun intended!) in a woman’s life. We all know menopause doesn’t happen overnight. It can feel like a long, drawn-out process with you asking yourself every other month -- are we done yet?! But the journey to this important milestone is a bumpy one, which is why it has its own special name, perimenopause. Perimenopause is a gradual process that happens when the ovaries start making less estrogen. It usually lasts about four years, but can continue on for ten. (and ten years of anything is pretty awful). If you’re unsure whether you’re going through it, here are the top three signs you’ve officially entered, what many call, ‘period limbo’. 1. Irregular periods For most women, the first sign of perimenopause is when irregular periods start. You may skip periods entirely or they may just be lighter than usual. But according to …

Ever heard of the term 'Otherhood'? Me, neither - until I went on Netflix.

Nobody Talks About the ‘Otherhood’ Stage of Life—So I Made a Movie About It. - Cathy Schulman "Otherhood" is a stage many women experience: Those years when the kids have grown and left the house, before grandkids have arrived. So why don't we see it more onscreen? Here, producer Cathy Schulman explains how she changed that. Read the full article here !   Cathy Schulman is a well known Hollywood film producer for films like Crash (BAFTA Award for Best Film), Isn't She Great, Sidewalks of New York and more. She's also the CEO and President of Welle Entertainment which is committed to producing films, television, and media for diverse audiences with a focus on women issues. So it's no surprise that she recently produced Netflix's original 'OTHERHOOD' (August 2019) starring Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman (charges aside). I happened to stumble across this movie the other day, deciding to give it a go (hesitantly …

The Great Circle of Life...

BY MELISSA ROWE -- The decline of an aging parent is incredibly painful to witness. And no matter how well prepared you think you may be, caring for a loved one can be extremely difficult -- both physically and emotionally.  As adult children though, we’ll all need to step in (or step up) at some point. And depending on the amount of care required, you’ll be helping out with the cooking, cleaning or becoming a personal chauffeur too. But by taking responsibility for an aging parent, you’ll be allowing them to live longer, and keep their negative emotions about growing old at bay. Just remember, one day your children will be the ones supporting you in what’s famously known as the 'circle of life'.  ‘Switching places’ with an aging parent may feel like a strange concept at first. The people who once cared for us suddenly become the vulnerable ones. It’s a tragic reversal of roles that can impact the entire family. You’ll have to adjust your mindset because no doubt many…

Empty Nest vs. Empty Heart: How to Stay Positive When Your Kids Move Out

BY MELISSA ROWE -- For many women, much of our lives have been consumed by parenting. Rarely has there been a role more important or more meaningful than this. So it’s no surprise why there’s so much pain when our children finally move on to college or university, or if they’ve landed their dream job or lover and move out. And once the last child leaves home, it isn’t just the nest that feels empty. It’s our hearts, too! Parents who have an especially difficult transition may be suffering from empty nest syndrome. And although it isn’t an official diagnosis, empty nest syndrome is very real -- and it hurts. The key for many women is finding meaning outside the maternal script. This means embarking on a new chapter that doesn’t involve fulfilling the needs of your children. Nor does it involve counting on them for your own happiness. Remember, this transition isn’t just exciting for your children -- it should be a good time for you, too.   Managing it effectively is crucial in…