'Forget Bridezillas' | Erma Bombeck Writers´ Workshop

The workshop for humor writing, human interest writing, networking and getting published

‘Forget Bridezillas’

Jeff Zaslow, the father of three girls (and a 2012 Bombeck Workshop keynote speakers), has a new book out on the heels of one now on the bestseller list.

“Forget Bridezillas. A best-selling journalist visits a small-town wedding shop to uncover the poignant dreams of real women on the verge of commitment,” writes O. Magazine, which includes the book among its list of “Ten Titles to Pick Up Now.”

The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters “mines the diamonds, the stories, hidden beneath the surface,” says Publisher’s Weekly, found in a small-town bridal shop to explore the hopes and dreams mothers and fathers have for their daughters.

Here’s a link to the lovely trailer:

The Magic Room

Reflections of Erma

Humor writer of the month

Jerry Zezima

Jerry Zezima is the very model of a modern, middle-aged man — except that he’s now won four awards for humorous writing from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He laughs at the absurdities of life in his humor column for his hometown paper, The Stamford Advocate. His column is syndicated by McClatchy-Tribune and has run in newspapers across the country and around the world. A collection of his columns appears in his book, Leave It to Boomer: A Look at Life, Love and Parenthood by the Very Model of the Modern Middle-Age Man.

See past winners

If you'd like to be considered as our featured writer (or you read someone who should be), send an e-mail with a brief bio and a link to your Web site.

Who's publishing what?

I’ll take a wife

Lisa Smith Molinari, an 18-year Navy spouse, mother of three and humor columnist, published an article, “I Want a Wife, Too” in the May issue of Military Spouse magazine. Check out her blog for her weekly column that’s also published in the Indiana Gazette and on the Stars and Stripes Military Moms website.

Unwavering loyalty

W. Bruce Cameron, part of the 2012 EBWW faculty, has published A Dog’s Journey, a sequel to the New York Times‘ best-selling novel A Dog’s Purpose. Bruce has always loved dogs, which he concedes puts him in a “unique category with maybe two or three billion people.”

A real mother

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Denise Malloy has released a book, A Real Mother: stumbling through motherhood. A columnist for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, she quips her bio reads like a bad joke: “After working as a lifeguard, a Peace Corps volunteer, a middle school teacher, a switchboard operator and finally, an attorney (but don’t hold that against her), she is uniquely qualified to do absolutely nothing. That is why she writes.”

Got your trophy husband?

Lisa Tognola’s parody ad for a “Hunk of the Month” club (made of “medical grade plastic … as close as you’ll get to the real thing”) is included in the new Valentine’s Day anthology My Funny Valentine. The compilation’s editors came to her, she said.

“Since creating my blog last summer, I’ve benefited from increased exposure online. The co-author of My Funny Valentine spotted my work and suggested I submit a Valentine’s Day themed piece for consideration in her book,” she said.

The collection was released Nov. 30.

Submit information about your publications Read more.