*The Other Mother* Author Featured in Newly Launched New Jersey Moms Blog

The founders of the popular (and sometimes controversial) Silicon Valley Moms Blog launched the New Jersey Moms Blog at http://www.newjerseymomsblog.com.

Gwendolen Gross, Ridgewood author of The Other Mother, is one of the 16 featured contributors to this new addition to New Jersey’s online world. Ms. Gross’ blog, The Other Mother – For Moms Who Write, is a free online writing workshop for moms at http://gwendolengross.typepad.com/.

The New Jersey Moms blog is described as “a collaborative group of mothers living or working in New Jersey. Salty on the outside, but soft in the center, these East Coast moms are not only hip, they say what they mean and mean what they say as they write about their lives in The Garden State, where they spend way too much time driving in traffic, being stuck in carpool lines, and dodging tourists on the Parkway or Turnpike.”

Click to read the announcement about the newly launched NJ Moms Blog.

Gwendolen Gross, author of The Other Mother, to Speak at East Brunswick Public Library

Come to the East Brunswick Public Library to hear Gwendolen Gross speak about her new motherhood novel, The Other Mother on May 6, 2008 8:00pm (free event).

Gwendolen Gross’ novel, The Other Mother, is described by Booklist as "an electrifyingly complex and explosively gripping portrait of contemporary, have-it-all motherhood" and is the selection of four national book clubs.

The Other Mother has been featured in the New York Daily News, the Toronto Star, Redbook, OK! Magazine, and on National Public Radio. The Other Mother was selected as a best Jersey book of 2007 by Jersey Writers, a best book of the year by the RoleMommy blog, a book of the week on Amazon, and is on the Amazon bestsellers list (Women’s Friendship).

The Mom Gadget Blog says that The Other Mother "captures the truest most vulnerable times any mother has experienced, as one mother struggles with the fact that all her kids will soon be attending school -- while the other struggles with returning to work with a newborn at home ... The characters are so believable and are sure to leave a lasting impression, long after the final page has been turned."

The Other Mother is available at Amazon and in bookstores.

In connection with the book, Ms. Gross, an award-winning writing instructor, is offering a free online writing workshop for moms. In this interactive forum, mothers write stories inspired by their experiences and choices. Gross says, “I started this writing workshop encourage women to explore the meaning of motherhood through writing, and to share their experiences in hopes of better understanding each other.”

Gwendolen Gross is the author of the novels Field Guide, Getting Out, and most recently, The Other Mother. She graduated from Oberlin College, received an MFA in fiction and poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, and was selected for the PEN West Emerging Writers Fellowship. In addition to her novels, Ms. Gross has published poems and stories in dozens of literary magazines, as well as essays in collections including It's A Boy: Women Writers on Raising Sons and It's A Girl: Women Writers on Raising Daughters. Ms. Gross lives in northern New Jersey with her family.

Event Details

East Brunswick Public Library
2 Jean Walling Civic Center
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Tel: 732-390-6950
May 6, 2008, 8:00pm, Free
Sponsored by The Friends of the East Brunswick Public Library

Learn more about East Brunswick, New Jersey: East Brunswick Township, East Brunswick Public Schools, East Brunswick Public Schools - Adult and Community Education Programs, and Middlesex County.

East Brunswick Township borders South River and the Sayreville on the east; Old Bridge Township on the southeast; Spotswood and Helmetta on the south; Monroe Township and South Brunswick Township on the southwest; North Brunswick Township and Milltown on the northwest; and New Brunswick and Edison Township on the north. (Source: Wikipedia, East Brunswick New Jersey Geography)

The Other Mother Selected Book of The Week

Lauren Baratz-Logsted's Amazon Blog selected "The Other Mother: A Novel" by Gwendolen Gross as the book of the week.

In "The Other Mother," by Gwendolen Gross, the author uses the form of the literary novel to take on the contemporary issue of The Mommy Wars: the Stay-at-Homes v. the Go-to-Works ... a worthwhile and rewarding read.

Read the full review on the Amazon Blog.

The Other Mother Selected As A Best Book of The Year by Role Mommy

Role Mommy has selected The Other Mother: A Novel by Gwendolen Gross for her Role Mommy 2007 book club list of "must reads" of the year. Read her in-depth review of this new motherhood novel.

Other top books of the year for moms that are RoleMommy favorites include Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen, and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Read detailed book reviews for each of these recommended books at the RoleMommy book club. "Role Mommy is a website dedicated to todays' busy moms. Role Mommy Blogs include: The Undercover Mom, Potty Mouth Training, Role Mommy Confessions, Moms of Reinvention, Sound Off, Kiddy Commentary, A Laptop Naptime Mama, Safety Dad, our Role Mommy 411 podcast and more!"

Authors and Books Moms Love -- RoleMommy event on January 23, 2008 in White Plains, New York

From RoleMommy Events:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2008 from 7-9 pm, RoleMommy events will be kicking off a book event series hosted by the White Plains Public Library, located at 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York.

Join RoleMommy for a wonderful night with three amazing women - with refreshments, some goodies and a book signing too! Books will be available for sale at the event by Borders.

Gwendolen Gross, whose new book The Other Mother, made the Role Mommy list of favorites in 2007. This compelling read paints a realistic portrait of the intense divide between a working and stay at home mom and has received rave reviews from critics and readers alike!

Bestselling author Jane Green. Her latest novel is called Second Chance.

Pamela Dorman, Editorial Director for Every Woman's Voice which publishes a host of great reads for women 35 and older including The Feminine Mistake by Leslie Bennetts.

Authors and Books Moms Love at Zvents

The Other Mother Named a Best Jersey Book of 2007

NJ.com announced today its list of the best Jersey books of 2007. This best books list includes The Other Mother, a new motherhood novel by Gwendolen Gross.

"Suburbia is not really a safe place at all, especially for Moms and kids. The neurotic micro-managing of childhood by self-doubting parents and competitive crafters provides fertile ground for Gwendolen Gross in her newest peek through the Pella windows in The Other Mother... It is a funny, gripping, scary adventure set in the dark underbelly of the cul-de-sac near you."
-Maureen Berzok, NJ.com, Jersey Writers

"As a New Jersey author, I was thrilled to have The Other Mother selected as a Best Jersey Book of 2007. I set my third novel here (in a mythical town near the Valley Hospital) because the territory—physical and social both—is rich and fascinating. Sure, we’re close to New York City and all its glories, but there’s plenty to be explored right in the Garden State. What an honor!"
-Gwendolen Gross, author of The Other Mother

The other three books named as best Jersey books of 2007 are: The Last Three Miles by Steven Hart, Exit Ghost by Philip Roth, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.

Desperate Housewives?

Cara Seitchek of Writers Revealed interviews Gwendolen Gross

CS: I noticed that one of the jacket blurbs refers to your characters as desperate housewives ...
GG: I started writing The Other Mother in 1999—quite a while before Desperate Housewives! When the show came out and was a hit I thought—they’ll have to buy my book now! I think The Other Mother could make for great TV...

Read the full interview at Writers Revealed

Which side you’re on in the Mommy Wars is really simple, right?

In Mom Writers Literary Magazine, Jennifer Brown reviews The Other Mother. Here is a short quote from her review entitled "Which Mother are You?"

Gross has a beautiful literary voice and the characters are real, and in their own ways, subtly amazing. Things happen that both stun the reader and seem right in place. The Other Mother was a book I looked forward to picking up every night.

Read the full review in Mom Writers Literary Magazine.

The Other Mother breaks into Amazon Bestseller List

During this holiday season, The Other Mother by Gwendolen Gross is one of Amazon's best selling books about motherhood. Here is a recent snapshot showing The Other Mother breaking into the top five bestseller's list for women's fiction novels in the friendship category.

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,860 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories:

#4 Books > Literature and Fiction > Women's Fiction > Friendship

And, at the same time, this new motherhood novel is in the top 25 in Amazon's list of most popular mysteries and thrillers.

#21 Books > Mystery and Thrillers > Thrillers > Psychological and Suspense

Happy holidays from Gwendolen Gross