Jennifer Echols

Just got back from the YMCA, where I picked up the March issue of Lipstick, a free magazine in Birmingham that I always thought was way too cool to survive. I will tell this story as I explained it to my husband, including his appropriate sound effects.

Me: Look, this is the free Birmingham magazine that ran that hilarious story about my writers’ group.

Husband: Uh-huh?

Me: In the front they run an A to Z for the month, and guess who’s R this month?

Lipstick:



R: READ. Going Too Far, a young adult novel by Birmingham author Jennifer Echols, will be released on March 17. None of us in the office could put the advance copy down.

Husband: Ahhhhhhhhh!

Me: But remember, I told you this is their last issue? They closed down.

Husband: Awwwwwwww!

Me: I know. It’s really sad. They were so cool. I hope the editor and the other chicks start some new great project. Probably it would do better commercially if it weren’t quite so awesome.

Husband: That’s got to be weird, seeing your novel in a magazine. I know I feel that way when I see it in a store. I think, “There’s my wife!”

Me: Yeah, I do have that reaction. Not about my wife.

Husband: A lot of these little karma things are happening with this book. Word of mouth. You watch, it’s going to take off.

Small Child: You’re going to be FAY-mous Mama, ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-mommy-o.

Lipstick: N: NATIONAL PANIC DAY.