Dating Advice Columnist Lisa Daily Thinks Up A New Book

Dating advice columnist and author Lisa Daily can tell you why she didn’t call, the color you should never wear on a first date, and even where to snoop around for evidence if you think your guy has been flirting. Millions read her dating advice column or tune in to watch it every week on Daytime, and the early buzz about her debut novel. fifteen minutes of shame says she comes across with the same trademark quirky humor and fresh, irreverent voice that made her dating advice book, Stop being dumped! a bestseller

Women ages 16 to 60 flock to Lisa’s popular Dream Girl Academy at the Learning Annex in New York City and to events across the US. Lisa is a dating coach, speaker, and popular media guest: she has conducted over 2,000 interviews on major radio and television shows, including iVillage Live, MTV Live, Entertainment Tonight and the UK’s leading national morning show, This Morning, and appears as a real-life dating expert on the DVD from the movie HITCH starring Will Smith. A frequent source for reporters, Lisa has been quoted in hundreds of publications, from the New York Times, Washington Post, and Chicago Tribune to Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Men’s Health, Christian Science Monitor, and US Weekly Magazine.

We had the opportunity to interview the new best-selling author, fifteen minutes of shame (Plume/Penguin, March 25, 2008) and learn more about this dynamic author whose books keep us wanting more.

Thank you for this interview, Ms. Daily. Can you tell us if her experience in dating wisdom helped you write her new book, Fifteen Minutes of Shame?

Thanks for having me! My experience as a TV dating expert definitely helped me write Fifteen Minutes of Shame. The main character, Darby Vaughn, is a TV dating expert who discovers that her husband is cheating on her, live on national television. The week before my dating advice book, Stop Getting Dumped! was first published, a very prominent dating expert was going through a very public divorce, and she was really getting a lot of attention in the media. At the time, my husband and I had just been married for a few years. I remember thinking about how horrible it would be to go through one of the most difficult times of your life with the whole world watching, and the idea for Fifteen Minutes Shame was born.

While developing the story, many of the funniest scenes have to do with the world of television – the disparity between what something (and some people) look like on television and in real life has always been hilarious to me.

How long have you been helping others with relationship problems? When did you start and where did you publish your first relationship column?

I wrote my dating advice book, Stop being dumped!, in 2002, and I started writing my column at the same time. The column became regular TV and radio appearances, and I’ve done the weekly segment on DAYTIME for a little over two years.

Her book is humorous/chill lit women’s fiction. Did you find it difficult to get buy-in from a major publisher for a genre that critics say is dying? Do you still see a market for it?

I think there will always be a market for good, smart, funny women’s fiction. Other humorous women’s fiction authors, like Jennifer Weiner and Sophie Kinsella, will continue to sell their wonderful books, whether they’re called chick lit, women’s fiction, or anything else. I feel lucky, I had no problem getting accepted Fifteen Minutes of Shame: We sold it to the same house (Plume/Penguin) that published my nonfiction book. They loved the story and bought it in nine chapters and one proposal.

With that being said, I think the market is tightening a bit. When Chick Lit became popular, publishers flooded bookstores with Chick Lit and, in some cases, contemporary romances dressed as Chick Lit. There was more supply than demand, and now we’re seeing publishers and the market adjust.

Her first dating advice book, Stop Getting Dumped!, became an overnight sensation and bestseller. In what ways did you become a part of making that happen? In other words, what kind of promotions did you do on your own or did you primarily rely on your promotion team at Penguin?

I was lucky to have a great team at Plume/Penguin: Trena Keating was my great editor-in-chief (and also the person who encouraged me to write Fifteen Minutes of Shame) and my publicist, Sarah Melnyk, was really excited. With that being said, I took responsibility for leading the marketing efforts for Stop Getting Dumped! — Every publisher has limited time and resources for any book, and while I was grateful for all the support Plume gave me, I knew it was my responsibility to get the book off the ground.

I did a lot of online marketing with dating sites, writing articles, pitching to the media incessantly, leaving postcards in New York cabs, and speaking to any group that would listen.

Can you tell us more about your Dream Girl Academy?

After stop being dumped! became a bestseller, I received so many letters from women all over the country asking if I would teach a class or seminar to teach women some of the methods in the book. I started teaching the class at Open U in Minneapolis and at The Learning Annex in New York City – sort of a dating school for cool, fun girls. Eventually, I was teaching the class as far away as London, and was amazed at how popular they became. The women would bring their girlfriends and their moms, and it was this amazing, supportive, fun, girly environment. Many times, I ended up staying after class and talking to the women for hours. As soon as we put information on the web that I would be doing a 20-city tour for FIFTEEN MINUTES OF SHAME, we started getting requests from readers, so I’ll be doing Dreamgirl Academy events all over the country in March and April.

You are a popular speaker and media guest, appearing on more than 2,000 major radio and television shows. That’s an incredible number of appearances. Can you tell us which of those shows stood out as the most memorable and would you like to talk to us about it?

I really love doing interviews, and I’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of interesting people that way. I think the most memorable was when I did a little talk show called SOAP TALK (which I had never heard of before I was hired), and I sat next to Rick Springfield in the makeup room. I had had a HUGE crush on him as a teenager, and it was completely surreal to sit next to him. We chatted for a while and he was very friendly. Then he went on with his segment and sang JESSE’S GIRL, and I passed out with some of the producers on the side stage.

Your book, Fifteen Minutes of Shame, is about a relationship advice columnist much like you. Do you see a bit of yourself in your main character?

Darby is a lot like me, although my husband doesn’t plan on leaving me on national television to my knowledge. Darby has a real desire to help other women find love, funny things always happen to her and we are both madly in love with men who have bright green eyes.

Darby, like me, tends to think through difficult emotional situations, and because she’s so rational, she seems so put together, people think she’s okay, even when she’s not.

Other than that, Darby and I share the same perspective on dating and love: each chapter begins with Darby’s dating advice, which is the same advice I’d give as a real-life relationship expert.

What is it about your book that people are going to say, “I need a copy of that book!”

It’s fun and it will make you want to be brave in love.

What plans do you have for the future?

I’m working on a new dating advice book, coming out in January 2009 called HOW TO DATING AN ADULT, and a new novel, called THE TRUTH ABOUT GOSSIP, which should also be out sometime in 2009.

Thanks for the interview, Ms. Daily. Can you tell us how we can find out more about you and your deliciously funny book, Fifteen Minutes of Shame?

Thank you very much, I had a great time! You can find out more about me and FIFTEEN MINUTES OF SHAME at www.lisadaily.com