Lani Diane Rich on gods in Alabama

Just like last year, Beatrice will be marking the post-Thanksgiving holiday season with a round of holiday gift ideas from authors. (It doesn't matter which holiday you give these gifts for, should you choose to follow their advice—we at Beatrice are an ecumenical bunch.) This year, I thought I'd use the three-day weekend to recognize the women behind LiteraryChicks.com, a group blog of "chick lit" writers with eight novels between them...and then there's the contributions to anthologies, the books written under pen names... Let's start with Lani Diane Rich, since her third novel, Ex and the Single Girl, was published just last week as part of Warner's launch for its new 5-Spot imprint. And because she's one of the first writers to take the National Novel Writing Month challenge and go on to turn that manuscript into a literary debut (Time Off for Good Behavior).

One of the best books I've read this year, and indeed one of my favorite books ever, is Joshilyn Jackson's gods in Alabama. What makes this a great gift book is that it's one of those books that everyone can enjoy—men, women, Grandma, the Grinch. It has something for everyone: Sex. Secrets. Lies. Murder. Humor. Kudzu. Tequila. Jackson's prose is engaging from go. Get a load of this opener:

"There are gods in Alabama. Jack Daniel's, high school quarterbacks, trucks, big tits, and also Jesus."

I mean, come on. That speaks for itself. Get a copy for everyone on your list; it's better than another scarf.

Lani's not the only writer to fall in love with gods; earlier this year, Beatrice hosted a conversation between Joshilyn Jackson and Helen Ellis.