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Candace Bushnell to Write YA Books About Carrie's Teen Years

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:31:22 -0700

Ever wonder about Carrie Bradshaw's teenage years? Well, Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell will fill in all the blanks for us with a pair of young adult novels that will follow Carrie in her "formative high school years." The Huffington Post has more:

Bushnell, in a statement issued by her publisher, said, "Carrie in high school did not follow the crowd - she led it. It was there that she began observing and commenting on the social scene."

I'll be very interested to find out how Bushnell balances Carrie being the leader of the popular crowd as well as the one "observing and commenting." Also, how long do you think it'll be before these books are adapted for TV (most likely the CW)? By then I will have to stop picturing Sarah Jessica Parker as a teenager in Square Pegs (see above). I think I'd rather see something like that than another Gossip Girl knockoff, but who knows? Maybe these books will be totally fabulous.

Source and source

Buzz Book Club: The Conclusion of Four Blondes

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:15:14 -0700

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! The time has come to bid farewell to the characters of Bushnell's world in Four Blondes. It seems fitting that the final story in this book would be the most autobiographical (although I have no idea if Bushnell ever went to London looking for love) because she seems most at home with this character.

If you're new to the Book Club, this is how it goes: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post. In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

And stay tuned for the announcement of my June book club selection!

To discuss the final section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Single Process," read more.

After the first three stories, I found this last one to be a bit of a relief! I found it funnier and easier to enjoy than the others, so I think it's my favorite of the four. Now that all four have been read, which story was your favorite, and why?
Comparisons between Americans and the English run rampant in this story. What do you make of all these sweeping statements (i.e. it's "easy" to find a relationship/husband in London, English men are "bad in bed" and talk too much, etc.)? Do see truth in any of these? And is Bushnell saying anything in particular in bringing up all these stereotypes?
Near the end, the married-with-children English friend, Mary tells the narrator that she envies the single career woman and sometimes feels invisible. Then she describes the "black fantasy" married women have (that their husbands die while they are still young, leaving them "free"). I wonder where Bushnell got this idea, or if she actually knew women who told her that. What did you make of this section?
Do you like Bushnell's style of writing and her depiction of modern women? Did you find Four Blondes to be a nice, light, breezy read, or not so much?

Buzz Book Club: Four Blondes, Section Three

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:00:25 -0700

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! We're now three stories into Four Blondes, and somehow I'm not surprised that she gave us an honest-to-goodness princess in the section we read this week. I suppose after former model and magazine editor, it's the next logical place to go, right? Sidenote: I really think Candice Bushnell's at her best when she's writing in the first person. The story raised a few questions for me and I can't wait to discuss.

If you're new to the Book Club, this is how it goes: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Finish the book by completing the final story titled "Single Process." We'll chat about the final section a week from today, Friday, May 30.

To discuss the second section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Platinum," read more.

In the story, Cecelia has achieved everything that Janey (from the first story) was striving for and probably would have envied - she literally married a wealthy prince and became a socialite. And yet, even in this lifestyle, she's not only miserable but drowning in a kind of paranoia. Do you think Bushnell is making a statement about the goals these women have for themselves?
More than the others, this story focuses on female friendships - but just like the male-female relationships so far, they aren't particularly healthy or happy. In fact, in both Cecelia's past friendship with Amanda and her current friendship with Dianna Moon, there is a sense of unhealthy obsession and an emotional instability on the parts of all the women. What do you make of these friendships? Are they meant to just highlight how alone Cecelia is because of her lifestyle, or do you think Bushnell is saying something about female friendship overall?
I found it difficult to discern many redeeming qualities about Cecelia, and I also found her to be an unreliable narrator in many ways because she is so unstable. And yet, there is one moment of clarity for Cecelia that I was really on board for: when she stops and ponders whether she's ever done anything without the help of a man. It's these moments when Bushnell questions sexual politics and gender roles that I find her writing most appealing. And yet, these musings come to us by way of the most mentally unstable character of all the blondes so far. What do you think of this?

Buzz Book Club: Four Blondes, Section Two

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:15:32 -0700

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! Now that we've read the first two stories in Four Blondes, I gotta say this second section was better crafted than the first but these characters give Janey a run for her money in the "abhorrent" department. Still, that's good stuff to discuss, especially since they're a little less materialistic and far more pretentious.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read the entire third story titled "Platinum." We'll chat about this third section a week from today, Friday, May 23.

To discuss the second section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Highlights (For Adults)," read more.

Well, not many of you could relate to the first character, Janey last week. How do you feel about Winnie? Do you find her more relateable?
Along similar lines, which do you find more able to stomach: Janey's empty materialism and blatant social climbing, or the judgmental and controlling Winnie?
I personally found this story difficult to enjoy with two such miserable main characters. What was your experience of reading this section? Did you find it funny and interesting, or difficult?
This section brought us not just Winnie's point of view but her husband James' as well. I sometimes found myself wishing Bushnell had focused on just one of them. What do you think of Bushnell's decision to tell the story from both perspectives?
Marriage does not look appealing in this story (or at least Winnie and James' marriage doesn't)! Do you think Bushnell is using James and Winnie's marriage to say something about marriage itself?

Buzz Book Club: Four Blondes, Section One

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 08:30:12 -0700

Welcome back Buzz Book Club readers! Before we start, I want to say that I know many of you have already read Four Blondes and were either turned off or maybe even appalled by the main characters. You should know I'm right there with you.

However, just like with movies, I think there is something interesting and valuable about examining what makes a book fail in comparison to others in its genre. Moreover, Four Blondes gives us a lot to talk about in terms of the portrayal of the women in Candace Bushnell's universe on the eve of the Sex and the City movie, like Bushnell's use of sex as a means of power, the unadulterated materialism of her characters, etc.

So with that said, here's a recap of how the Book Club goes If you're new: every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few questions to prompt discussion in the comments section.

Of course, you are always welcome to read beyond the weekly chapters, but please don't spoil anything in the comments! After the jump you'll find some questions that struck me as I read this section.

The next assignment: Read the entire second story titled, "Highlights (For Adults)." We'll chat about this second section a week from today, Friday, May 16.

To discuss the first section of Four Blondes (in which we read to the end of the story titled "Nice N'Easy"), read more.

In this first story, the character Janey seems woefully underdeveloped and it's hard to care for her either way. That said, is there anything about Janey that you can relate to?
To me, the ending was frustrating, because it seemed like Bushnell gave Janey an easy out with a modeling job that basically fell from the sky. Would you have felt more satisfied if Janey had become a real estate agent? Is there another possible ending that would have satisfied you?
Janey's certainly not a great woman, but all of the men in this section are abhorrent as well. Are there any differences you see between the way Bushnell talks about women and the way she talks about men?

Buzz Book Club: Four Blondes

BuzzSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:30:25 -0700

Hello Buzz Book Club readers! First of all, happy Friday! Now, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little emotionally spent from several Buzz Book Club books in a row that dragged us through the emotional ringer (Revolutionary Road, The Life Before Her Eyes).

Given that and the fact that it's Springtime, I thought I'd pick a light and frothy book for my May selection: Four Blondes by Candace Bushnell (author of Sex and the City).

It also seems appropriate, since we've had Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle on the small screen this year, and the Sex and the City movie is on the way to the big screen. So we might as well get into the spirit of the sassy, high-powered woman by reading Four Blondes.

For those of you new to my book club format, here's how it works:
I'll announce a new book each month. Every week I'll suggest chapters to complete by the next post (which, in this case, will go up every Friday in May). In these weekly Book Club posts, I'll posit a few discussion-provoking questions for you to respond to in the comments section.

To find out what Four Blondes is all about and to get the first assignment, read more.

The synopsis for Four Blondes reads:
"In Four Blondes, [Candace Bushnell] returns with a quartet of novellas on her favorite subject - the mating habits of wealthy sex-, status-, and media-obsessed New Yorkers. These are people for whom a million or two does not make one rich, and who consider Louis Vuitton and Prada bare necessities. Janey Wilcox, for example, is a former model who each summer chooses a house in the Hamptons - or, rather, picks up a wealthy man with a pricey rental. Cecelia, on the other hand, has gotten the ultimate prize: a royal husband. Still, she finds herself descending into paranoia as the Manhattan media circus reports her every flaw. Then there's Winnie Diekes, a high-powered magazine columnist whose marriage flounders as she pushes her unambitious husband to write the book that will make him - and her - famous. Finally, in the most clearly autobiographical story, a writer gives up on the commitment-impaired men of New York and goes to London to find a husband."

The first assignment: Read the entire first story title, "Nice N'Easy." We'll chat about this first section a week from today, May 9.

New SATC Movie Spot - And SATC Man Match-Up Game

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:28:37 -0700

Did you catch the TV spot for the Sex and the City movie that aired during Gossip Girl last night? Well, now you can check it out after the jump. There's more of the brassy theme music, some squealing amongst the ladies and euphemistic talk of "crayons" and "coloring," among other cute stuff.

As I was perusing the movie's website last night I came across the little online quiz in which you can find out who your manly SATC match would be. And yup, I got Harry. He's not the sexiest of the bunch but he sure is loyal and good. Who's yours? Click here, then go to "About the Movie" and the "Match Your Man" option will appear.

To check out the TV spot for the SATC movie, read more.

NBC Applies More Lipstick (Jungle)

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:31:43 -0800

Round One of the Cashmere Mafia vs. Lipstick Jungle faceoff appears to have gone to Lipstick. NBC has ordered six more episodes of Lipstick Jungle, making for a total of 13 for its first season.

Meanwhile, we've heard nary a word about the future of Cashmere, which aired its final completed episode last week. Cashmere was a ratings dud, not even topping 5 million viewers in its most recent airing - but, to be honest, Lipstick isn't faring that much better, getting just 5.8 million viewers last Thursday. However, it's winning its time slot among women in the 18-34 and 18-49 age brackets, which is good for advertisers.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the six new episodes of Lipstick are targeted to air in the Fall, so the first season would basically air in two parts. I'm actually pretty curious to see how the show will fare post-strike, since now the writers will be around to tweak a line here or there. What's your take? Which show did you hope would win the battle of the ruthless ladies?

Photo courtesy of NBC

TV Tonight: Lipstick Jungle

BuzzSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:30:18 -0800

It's time for the battle to really begin: Lipstick Jungle premieres tonight on NBC, bringing us the year's second crop of high-powered career women in fabulous clothing dealing with the problems of the well-heeled and wealthy. As I mentioned, I gave Lipstick a slight edge over Cashmere Mafia based on the first couple of episodes of each; I thought Lipstick was the more serious and somewhat better-acted of the two. It has a ways to go before it's SatC level, but I'm willing to stick with it.

I've already shared some of what Brooke Shields and Candace Bushnell had to say about the show, but in honor of tonight's premiere, I wanted to toss a couple of other moments from our conversation out there:

Shields wanted to play Wendy from the moment she first read the book, but by the time the show was actually casting, she'd found out she was pregnant. Luckily for her, Bushnell and co. decided to make some changes to the show, and by the time they were ready to shoot the pilot, she was free again.
The three leading ladies really are friends in real life. "I remember being on Friends and thinking oh, I want to know that they’re all really friends in real life," Shields said. "We’re with each other for long, long, long days and we have to share so much that it’s nice to really respect not just the talent but the person."
For the record, Candace Bushnell's top five female-focused TV shows of all time are I Love Lucy, Murphy Brown, Mary Tyler Moore, Judging Amy, and - surprise! - Sex and the City.

Will Lipstick Jungle join that list? I can't wait to get your thoughts tomorrow. For now, you can check out a preview if you read more.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Candace Bushnell and Brooke Shields Dish on Lipstick Jungle

BuzzSugar — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

Lipstick Jungle - that other show about career women searching for success, love, and happiness in New York City - finally premieres on Thursday. Unlike Cashmere Mafia, this series has Candace Bushnell behind it: The story comes from her book of the same name, and she's remained with the show as an executive producer. But in a conference call with reporters recently, Bushnell insisted Lipstick can stand on its own without being compared to her iconic Sex and the City. Here's some of what she and star Brooke Shields had to say about the show:

On whether professional women must be neurotic if they are also successful:
Shields: "I think you can be successful and still be extremely present in a healthy life. The women of Lipstick are saying to us that it’s OK to be successful and it’s also okay to be happy with your success even though it might not be easy. . . . I’m not saying any successful woman's life is without struggle. But it doesn’t mean it has to be miserable."
On keeping the show real and not cartoonish:
Shields: "The humor comes from the situations and it's earned. The funny moments are earned not because we’re going over the top or we're trying to hit you over the head, but because the situation is funny. But the basis of it and the ground on which we're standing truly comes from the struggles that these women really are going through, and really do exist. So the cartoon feeling was just taken away from the very, very beginning. That's why I was on board so quickly."

Bushnell: "I think one of the things that’s very important to understand about Lipstick Jungle is that the show, the book, and the whole concept was really inspired by real women and a new paradigm of a career woman, and a working woman. It happens to take place in New York. But one of the initial things that inspired me to write the book is the fact that 30 percent of married women make more money than their husbands. Thirty percent of married women work and are the breadwinners for their families, which is something that surprised me and really inspired me. And having traveled all around the country, I will tell you that this Lipstick Jungle paradigm is not just high powered career women in New York."

Lots more from Shields and Bushnell, so read more.

On whether there's room for both Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia:
Shields: "When you walk through New York City or if you’ve lived in New York City at all, that this city is filled with amazing women. But we’re all individual and all really different. . . . Lipstick was around way before any of the other shows were around and I’m not only proud of that from the standpoint of originality, but just from what I regard as women that I can relate to and that I want to watch."

On what the show could teach younger women viewers:
Bushnell: "I hope it offers a different message than the message that so many teenage girls seem to get today, which is that you should be hot and that’s it. I am a very strong believer that we should be telling teenage girls that a great deal of fulfillment and happiness comes from having a career, from working hard, and from really pursuing achievements."

Shields: "I think the value and the power that is derived from friendships, from your real good girl friendships, is a gift that I think we don’t see enough in entertainment. We see cattiness, and pettiness, and b*tchiness, and stabbing in the back. And what these women say is that we really thrive on our friendships and I need my girlfriends. And I need them to be there when I fall down, and when I’m less than pretty."
On the show's wardrobe:
Shields: "It is undeniably a high fashion show. But what I think makes it more accessible is that nothing in it is prohibitive. Nothing in it has a cartoon aspect to it where you couldn’t feasibly think that you could wear that yourself. . . . I think that they look amazing and I think that it’s comfortable on them. But you'll see them before you see the fashion. But then if you take a closer look you’ll realize it is a Louboutin shoe and it is a Chanel jacket, and it is a Dior outfit or a suit."
On being in her 40s and doing love scenes:
Shields: "Well, first of all, when we signed up all of us were basically signing on to a 9 o'clock show. Once we became a 10 o'clock show, and we were all taking a trip to the lingerie shop, and practically all crying - I think it was a bit sprung on us. . . . You know, I’m really pretty proud to be a mom of two and able to put on the wardrobe they give to me and not need the body double. So I guess it’s a shout out to women to say, you know, you should be proud of what your body looks like at this age. And why not?"

Photos courtesy of NBC