Chick Lit Cheerleader: A new kind of "Dirty Dancing"

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Every time I hear Bruno Mars' latest song, "When I Was Your Man," I always think of a chick lit novel and how I can picture it playing in the background while a guy is realizing that he screwed things up with the girl he loves and she has moved on. I could see it being a good fit for Jason from Charlotte Street (by Danny Wallace) or even for Ryan from The Week Before the Wedding (by Beth Kendrick).

Ever since I started CLC, I have been associating music with chick lit. Back in the summer of 2010, "The Only Exception" by Paramore always gave off a chick lit feel. Then there was Adele's latest CD, 21. The following summer, I listened to The Band Perry's debut album often and all the songs made me think of chick lit. Since that time, a song will come along every now and then to remind me of a novel I had read recently. It's interesting to read about what authors think should be on the soundtrack of their novel. Therefore, I thought it would also be fun to ask an author what they would want as the soundtrack of a novel that was written by someone else. Perhaps their favorite novel? That's what brings me to our Chick Lit Cheerleader, Jen Tucker, and her post for this month...

(Please note that this post contains potential spoilers for the novel.)

Dancing Naked in Dixie....Doesn’t that title just stir up a whole lot of interesting mental imagery? Heh-heh.

I was challenged by Chick Lit Central to choose a novel I loved, and give it a soundtrack if it were to shine on the silver screen. Not a piece of cake to select only one since I love so many books written by a plethora of gifted writers. Last summer, I read Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark. How much did I love it? So much so, that I think I emailed and tweeted Lauren after consuming every other page her novel. It’s absolutely gush worthy. I’m thankful that I ended up with a dear friend in Lauren out of my exuberance, and not a place on her stalker list. Her writing is so picturesque, that it’s not a stretch for me to craft a soundtrack playlist that compliments her story. Charge up those iPods, ‘cause here we go!

"Killin’ Kind" by Shelby Lynn
Julia is the city girl transplanted in a small town that is next to last on her list of “must sees” before she croaks. In fact, she’d rather dance naked than cover this historic town on assignment for the travel magazine she writes for. The last thing she needs or wants is a romance with a guy who isn’t a part of her run around world. Yet, love seems to find us when we least expect it, doesn’t it? Julia…you’ve just found that killin’ kind of love, girl.

"Stars" by Simply Red
I understand the dilemma of falling for someone when you least expect it. That’s the story of my real-life romance with my husband, Mike. Julia’s in a relationship that’s going nowhere fast. Shug also has someone in his life he’s committed to, and God bless her pea pickin’ heart, she’s just not the nicest of southern belles. When love burns brightly between Julia and Shug, the one place they find solace is in each other’s arms.

"Wide Open Spaces" by The Dixie Chicks
Julia is dealing with some serious stuff personally and professionally. Exploring the globe has always been her gig as a writer. Stepping out of her father’s shadow professionally, and also distancing herself from him emotionally, has been a huge part of why she wants a “get away” writing career. Until Eufaula, Alabama came along, I think Julia was looking for meaning in her life in wide open spaces that never completely satisfied her soul.

"Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses?" by U2
Julia is so busy chasing the stories that come her way; living a life of chaos and disarray in the thick of it. With her recent articles less than stellar, she needs to rein it in professionally and strike gold with this next article. Being in Eufaula has made her stop the insanity wheel, and for once in her life, calmed her down long enough to smell the sweet tea and roses. Can you really take the wild horses out of a manic girl like Julia? Maybe she’s found the right place, the right man, and the right time in her life to make that happen.

"Turn Me On" by Nora Jones and Jamie Cullum
“Turn me on” moments are strong throughout the storyline between Julia and Shug. With this steamy duet playing in the background, the sparks definitely would feed the flame between these two characters that readers want more of. Trust me, I’ve already twisted Lauren’s arm to write a sequel so we can find out what transpires with these love birds from different zip codes. All I can offer Lauren’s legion of fans is you better "Stay Tuned."  Man—that was totally corny, wasn’t it?

Jen Tucker is the author of the funny and true stories, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out and The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. In September 2012, she had her children's book, Little Pumpkin published as an e-book. She also blogs monthly for Survival for Blondes. She currently lives in Indiana with her husband, three kids and two dogs. You can find her at Twitter, Facebook, her blog and on her website. And in case you missed them. check out her previous Chick Lit Cheerleader posts here.