I met Jill Smokler years ago, in the infancy days of our blogging journeys. We became friends before we realized that we were neighbors. Since our first meeting in 2009, we have come a long way….or I should say JILL has come a long way. Jill is one of my heros, and if being a kick-butt blogger weren’t enough, she is now a published author.
It doesn’t surprise me, though.
This is a horrible picture of me, but it still makes me smile. Good memories.
Recently, I had the chance to ask Jill a few questions about blogging and her new book, Confessions of a Scary Mommy, which by the way, is fabulous. It’s one of those books where I’m nodding my head one minute, shaking it the next, and then laughing my head off. It’s a must-read for moms of all stages.
Here’s how our conversation went:
Interview with the original Scary Mommy
Lolli: What is your favorite things about blogging? What about your least favorite?
Jill: My favorite thing is the relationships that have come from it– the fact that I have this whole community of moms whom I otherwise would never be fortunate enough to know. Moms who have become an important part of my everyday life — it’s incredible. My least favorite thing: The jealousy. It’s so easy to get caught up in it and wonder why so and so got something and why didn’t you? I’m guilty of it, too. I wish we could all realize that there are enough opportunities to go around. We aren’t all competing with one another.
Lolli: If you could pick one all-time favorite post from your blog, which would it be and why?
Jill: The Perfect Picture. My favorite posts are the ones that just really write themselves and this was exactly that. It completely summed up motherhood for me— striving for perfection and realizing that it won’t ever happen, but that’s OK. The alternative is even better.
Lolli: Do you have a blogging schedule or editorial calendar or do you just go with the flow and write what’s on your mind?
Jill: Schedule? Ha! I wish.
Lolli: How was writing a book different from blogging? You say in the beginning (and I’ve heard you say this before) that you never considered yourself a writer. What was the book process like?
Jill: It was entirely different. What I love most about blogging is that it’s me– my stories, on my schedule, when I feel like it. Period. Actually having deadlines and being held accountable was a whole new ball game.
Lolli: You’ve always said that you started your blog for your kids. Is the book an extension of that? Do you hope for your kids to read and treasure the book someday, or is it more for the fellow moms out there (who, like me, can so often relate)?
Jill: I absolutely hope the kids treasure the book — I would have loved my mom’s perspective on the things I write about. But, the book really was for my community and for moms not yet a part of it. It’s the book I wish I’d read when I was a new mom. I think it would have save me a lot of grief!
I love this trailer that Jill made for the book:
All you need to know to connect with Jill:
Check out Confessions of a Scary Mommy on Amazon
- Prefer the Kindle edition? Jill’s got that, too.
- Read Jill’s incredibly witty blog, Scary Mommy
- Follow @ScaryMommy on twitter (except you probably already are…)
- Read the first two chapters of Confessions of a Scary Mommy
Disclosure: Jill sent me an early copy of her book because she likes me. I didn’t have to post anything about it, but I wanted to. That’s all.
© 2012, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Haha! So glad that you were able to clear up the stalker issue. :) She really is great in person, isn’t she?
I finally met her in San Diego – it was great since previously she had thought I was this crazy stalker who kept on trying to get her to go for lunch every couple of months.
Now we at least cleared up the stalker part ;)
I also enjoyed seeing both of our names in the book. :)
I LOVE this picture of you and Jill. I also received a early copy of her book because she likes me. It feels good to be liked by such a nice person, doesn’t it? :)