Listen to me on Mediabistro's Morning Media Menu podcast

Many thanks to Galleycat editor (and friend) Jason Boog for having me on the Mediabistro Morning Media Menu podcast this morning on Blogtalkradio. We discussed Chris Anderson, Wikipedia, and his new book Free, Dick Cheney's $2 million memoir deal, the erotica genre, my IPPY Awards, and book trailers. It was a lot of fun and they've been having and have some great guests planned, so listen in every weekday or listen to the archives.

Thanks also to the other guest (and soon to be co-host) Matt Van Hoven of Agencyspy for posting my 2009 Sex Blogger Calendar photo and Do Not Disturb book trailer.

And you may or may not know that I met one of my closets friends, Twanna A. Hines of Funky Brown Chick, by appearing on her former Blogtalkradio podcast Dating Roadkill, way back in February 2007. It was a momentous, life-changing night for me in many ways (not necessarily because of the podcast, but that was part of it), and the catalyst for change, starting the next day, and much later. Sorry to be cagey - I will write about it more when I can. There aren't that many specific days I can pick out and say, "That one changed me, taught me something valuable," but that is one of them.

My basic point was that at the time, Twanna was just a name on an email, a voice over the phone. Then in October 2007 we met at a party and it was this instant recognition and we've pretty much been hanging out ever since.

Belated birthday wishes to my favorite Funky Brown Chick

photo by Stacie Joy

I'm too tired to be more coherent, so I will just say that Twanna A. Hines, better known to many as Funky Brown Chick, is one of my favorite people in the world. She's like my sister in crime, and cupcakes, and art, and lateness, and misadventures, and sex, and SXSW, and on and on...seriously. Kindof hard to explain but just try to get in the middle of the two of us when we are having a conversation, or when we are, I don't know, being driven around Atlanta totally lost, and you'll see. It's funny because we have many differences (like babies - I want, she doesn't) but also so many similarities (see above).

Tuesday was her birthday and she went to celebrate her Senator's inauguration! (She lives here now but is a Chicago girl at heart, I think, though I think we now have a pact not to talk about moving out of New York and making the other person sad.)

Happy Birthday Twanna! I shall feed you a cupcake next time I see you.

And if you're going to SXSW Interactive, don't miss her panel, "How to Protect Your Brand Without Being a Jerk!" on Monday, March 16th.

Friendterview with Twanna Hines

If Sarah Lacy can use the word "friend-tor" (friend/mentor) in her book Once You're Lucky, Twice You're Good, I think I can use the word friendterview, right?

Here's mine with my friend Twanna Hines. Well, it's more her critique of a cupcake from Daiuto's this afternoon. Enjoy! You can also watch the rest of our cupcake interviews on our YouTube channel.

Best Sex Writing 2008 party tonight! (and interview)

I'm still a bit under the weather - way better than before, but still waking up coughing/with my throat ticklish and just not right. Basically, it sucks but I am doing my best to fight it, mentally and physically. Am gonna be doing some major Dayquil/Nyquil this week and am still moving pretty slowly, but I'm getting there and hope to be fully better by next weekend.

Please come out tonight if you can, it's gonna be fun and I'm so thrilled to have these women reading with me!

Here's the first of a few interviews I've done about Best Sex Writing 2008, with Funky Brown Chick. We're also being interviewed tomorrow for a new website and for the Bat Segundo podcast. Also see the Best Sex Writing 2008 blog for contributor interviews and sex in the news roundups.



So please don't miss our reading and party, where there will also be cupcakes like the ones pictured below (those are peanut butter chocolate, there will also be strawberry cream cheese ones, free!):

BEST SEX WRITING 2008 BOOK RELEASE PARTY AND READING!
Tuesday, January 22, 7 pm - 9 pm
At Rapture Cafe, 200 Avenue A (between 12th and 13th), NYC, FREE
Featuring editor Rachel Kramer Bussel, Rachel Shukert ("Big Mouth Strikes Again: An Oral Report"), Lux Nightmare ("The Pink Ghetto"), Miriam Datskovsky ("Absolut Nude"), and Liz Langley ("Sex and the Single Septuagenarian"). Free cupcakes from Kumquat Cupcakery will be served, and books will be available for sale and signing.