Secrets Of A Fix Up Fanatic

Ever since her former boss introduced her to her handsome, brilliant husband-to-be, Susan Shapiro has been on a marital mission. So far, she's fixed up twelve marriages and countless couples. Unlike all those "relationship experts" who are incapable of having a real relationship, or who took off their first ring to pledge their vows to their second or third life partner, Shapiro has witnessed--and scored--on all sides of the setup spectrum. She learned to charm her own blind dates, walk down the aisle with her personal Mr. Perfect, keep her first and only marriage rapturous, and expertly set up dozens of other duets. Now the author of the acclaimed memoirs Lighting Up and Five Men Who Broke My Heart, and a self-proclaimed "diehard romantic optimist," shares her honest, provocative, and sometimes downright subversive slant on every stage of dating, sex, and domestic relations. She'll show you how to: - Fix yourself up first so you're really ready to be fixed up fabulously - Recognize raw marriage material and not let a good one get away - Break through your fears, insecurities, and dating defenses to land true love - Find love mentors who will set you up and help you close the deal - Decide which love and marriage myths to lose if you want to win - Keep fixing up your relationship so it stays warm and loving forever

A Brilliant, Buoyant Guide to Publishing Your Book Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year worldwide. So why not yours? In The Book Bible, New York Times bestseller and wildly popular Manhattan writing professor Susan Shapiro reveals the best and fastest ways to break into a mainstream publishing house. Unlike most writing manuals that stick to only one genre, Shapiro maps out the rules of all the sought-after, sellable categories: novels, memoirs, biography, how-to, essay collections, anthologies, humor, mystery, crime, poetry, picture books, young adult and middle grade, fiction and nonfiction. Shapiro once worried that selling 16 books in varied sub-sections made her a literary dabbler. Yet after helping her students publish many award-winning bestsellers on all shelves of the bookstore, she realized that her versatility had a huge upside. She could explain, from personal experience, the differences in making each kind of book, as well as ways to find the right genre for every project and how to craft a winning proposal or great cover letter to get a top agent and book editor to say yes. This valuable guide will teach both new and experienced scribes how to attain their dream of becoming a successful author.

For nearly 30 years, Madonna has been at the center of the media spotlight. She has sold more than 200 million records worldwide, launched her own record label, headlined an Oscar-award-winning film, authored bestselling books for both adults and children, inspired global street-fashion trends, and instigated international debates over a range of feminist issues from sexual fetish to adoption ethics. Masterfully harnessing her talent and power to navigate her ascent to stardom, she has become the very definition of iconic. She has also been a constant companion. In Madonna and Me, more than forty women write about Madonna’s influence on their lives. No subject goes unexplored—from sex and money to fashion and identity, the stories are just as brazen, bold, and balls-to-the-wall as Madonna. They explore the evolution of her chameleonlike personas—material girl and “boy-toy” tartlet, kooky Kabbalist and savvy businesswoman, siren and mother—and her impact on culture as a groundbreaking feminist. Of course, not all women worship at her altar, and likewise the essays in Madonna and Me are brutally honest, funny, engaging, and real. They delve into the hearts, souls, memories, and moments of contemporary women, celebrating the ways in which Madonna has inspired us and challenged us, pushing us to be bolder, edgier, braver versions of ourselves.

Edgy Manhattan shutterbug Rachel Solomon can't wait to escape her difficult Midwestern Jewish family of doctors—and her crazy, condescending WASP friend and photography mentor, Elizabeth Mann. Not so easy when Elizabeth marries Rachel's surgeon-brother, moves to the Midwest, and becomes the daughter Rachel's mother always wanted—one who pops out four babies in a row, who are named after Rachel's dead Yiddish-speaking relatives. Although Rachel long ago rejected the suburban female role, she's shocked to find she's been replaced. With unsparing candor, sparkling emotional insights, and hilarity, the girl who cut herself out of old photographs now has to fight her way back into the Solomons' photo albums, homes, and hearts. From the author of the hilarious fictional debut Speed Shrinking—which became an international phenomenon—and the acclaimed memoir of past passion Five Men Who Broke My Heart comes a new book that blows the lid off of the secrets of female friendship. Based on a true story, Susan Shapiro's darkly comic novel Overexposed chronicles the brilliantly twisted tale of two strong women who wind up switching lives.

There’s a reason the media has dubbed matchmaker Rachel Greenwald as “The Wife Maker.” Yes, she’s responsible for over 750 marriages, but more importantly, she has solved perhaps the biggest dating mystery of all time: when you finally meet Mr. Right (or even Mr. Potential), what really compels him to call back (or not) after a date? Armed with her Harvard MBA, Rachel embarked on a fascinating ten-year research project to decipher this puzzle. In Have Him at Hello, she applies her business savvy to the dating world by conducting in-depth “exit interviews” with 1,000 single men, asking why they called back one woman, but not another. By refusing to accept the post-date brush-off like “There wasn’t any chemistry…” or the excited, but equally vague evening recap, “We hit it off!” Rachel extracted unabashedly honest and raw details. It turns out there are clear, tangible, consistent reasons why marriage-minded men either fall for you or disappear. The surprising “Top 5 Date Makers” and “Top 10 Date Breakers” revealed in this book can actually change your fate when Mr. Right finally comes along. Rachel’s goal isn’t for you to pretend to be someone you’re not, but rather to keep the ball in your court. By using her innovative research and tips as a guide, more men will ask to see you again ; then you can do the selecting, rather than wondering if they’ll call. Because information is power, this book will make your first hello a lasting one.

Through her bestseller, Love in 90 Days, Dr. Diana Kirschner helped thousands of women find true love. Now she has written the perfect follow-up: SEALING THE DEAL, a unique guide to deepen any love relationship, to move from casual to committed, and ultimately to go from the anxiety of not knowing where things are going...to the security of fulfilling and lasting love. Love Mentor Dr. Diana offers revolutionary advice for finding-and keeping-the one you love: Create irresistible attraction and an atmosphere that men love to be around. Find out the single most important thing you can do to get a sincere commitment from the guy you want. Keep that crazy-in-love feeling going, no matter how long you've been together. Learn the secret to instantly resolving conflict with your man. Know when to have "the talk": Don't think it matters when you bring it up? Think again. Avoid the biggest mistake women make when he's "not ready" for a commitment Get your relationship back and better than ever, even if he has cheated O:PIf you have love problems, Dr. Diana has the solutions. This book is your key to creating your own happiest-ever-after now.

Newspaper, magazine, and web editors are desperate for new voices and anyone, in any field, can break in. So why not you? Over the last two decades, writing professor Susan Shapiro has taught more than 25,000 students of all ages and backgrounds at NYU, Columbia, Temple, The New School, and Harvard University. Now in The Byline Bible she reveals the wildly popular "Instant Gratification Takes Too Long" technique she's perfected, sharing how to land impressive clips to start or re-launch your career. In frank and funny prose, the bestselling author of 12 books walks you through every stage of crafting and selling short nonfiction pieces. She shows you how to spot trendy subjects, where to start, finish and edit, and divulges specific steps to submit work, have it accepted, get paid, and see your byline in your favorite publication in lightning speed. With a foreword by Peter Catapano, long-time editor at the New York Times where many of Shapiro’s pupils have first seen print, this book offers everything you need to learn to write and sell your story in five weeks or less, including: • How to craft a cover letter and subject heading to get read and reviewed quickly • Who pay for essays, op-eds, regional, humor, or service pieces from unknown writers • Ways to follow up, build on your success, land a TV or radio spot, become a regular contributor, staff writer, and find a literary agent for your book with one amazing clip Whether you're just starting out or ready to enhance your professional portfolio, this essential guide will prove that three pages can change your life.

"Proust had a cookie. Susan Shapiro has a cupcake—and a really hilarious book." —Patricia Marx, author of Him, Her, Him Again, the End of Him In Susan Shapiro's laugh-out-loud funny fictional debut Speed Shrinking, Manhattan self-help author Julia Goodman thinks she's got her addictive personality under control. Then her beloved psychoanalyst moves away at the same time her husband takes off to L.A. and her best friend gets married and moves to Ohio. Feeling lonely and left out, Julia fills in the void with food, becomes a cupcake addict, and blimps out. This is a huge problem—especially since she's about to go on national television to plug her hot new self-help book about how she conquered her sugar addiction. Navigating her insurance network, Julia desperately sees eight shrinks in eight days, speed-dating for Dr. Replacement—or any other new guru—to help shrink back her body and anxiety in time for her close-up.