Fat Is the New 30: The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide to Coping with (the crappy parts of) Life [Kindle Edition]

Jill Conner Browne (Author)

Book Description

The Sweet Potato Queens® are back and bawdier than ever in Southern belle extraordinaire Jill Conner Browne’s ninth edition of the hysterical series.

Having experienced pretty much ALL of the crappy parts of life, Browne feels it is her duty to render whatever assistance she can to her fellow sufferers — and she does so in her own inimitable fashion. Her father taught her there are very few situations in life that we really and truly cannot change, and it is up to us to figure out how to either make fun OUT of them — or make fun OF them. And fortunately for the rest of us, Browne is well equipped for both.

Including the exploits of the Queen contingent and her family, she delivers applicable tidbits like:

• Thinking or talking about watermelon can save any negative situation.
• If you get drunk in Scotland, you can’t have your cow with you.
• When sanity and reason fail, you can always cheerfully resort to ridicule.
• Denial means that every situation is perfectly perfect.

More fun than a Cracker Barrel full of monkeys, Fat Is the New 30 will change your life — or at least give you ideas for making fun of yourownself.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Q&A with Jill Conner Browne, The Sweet Potato Queen

Question: The Sweet Potato Queens were born on a gleeful St. Patrick’s Day, back in 1982, when you and a few friends decided to get Queened-up for local parade in Jackson, Mississippi. Did you realize that parade would begin an international movement for women?

Jill Conner Browne: Yes, It was my Five-Year Plan. Are you kidding me? No! I had no idea I would become a cult leader! My only goal was to entertain myself—a goal that endures to this very day, I might add.

Question: Tell us a little about the annual Zippity Doo Dah Parade that happens at the end of March every year. Women come from all over the world, wear sequins, and march with bands, raise money for charity, eat and laugh. How does it all come together? (Let us live vicariously!)

JCB: We simply out-grew the other parade and started our own, which has been fantastic for the Queendom, the city of Jackson and most importantly, for Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children. Queens (and Spud Studs) start arriving on Wednesday of parade week--March 21-25 for 2012--and overnight the city is overcome with sparkle. It is four days of fantastic: Arts, Eats & Beats in the Fondren Arts District, The Come On In Party, Big Hat Brunch, SPQ Big Hair Ball, Sal & Mookie's Kids' Carnival, Patty Peck Honda Car Giveaway, the beautiful "Night-Time Zippity Doo Dah Parade" immediately followed by the street dance, Pearls & PJs at the Hilton, and ending with the Bathrobe Brunch on Sunday morning. And it all raises money for sick kids—what could be better?

Question: Fat is the New 30 is your ninth book. Is there a theme that runs through all of your books, other than being stitch-in-the-gut funny?

JCB: Life is too short—and too LONG—to spend it doing ANYTHING that doesn't make your heart sing.

Question: You believe that humor is the best medicine, which is evident throughout the book since you make us laugh at even the "crappiest parts of life." How are you able to mix humor and happiness into nearly every life situation?

JCB: Oh, my Daddy taught me many useful things! One of the most important was this: There are very few situations in life that we really and truly cannot change. But when we do encounter one of those, the task at hand is to figure out how to either make fun out of it--or make fun of it. I am extraordinarily gifted in this department.

Question: Nearly all of your books, including Fat is the New 30, include some "you’ll have to roll me out of the kitchen" recipes. Do you test them all out? Which of the new recipes is your favorite?

JCB: Did I test them all? Have you SEEN me lately? If and when you do see me, you will note that I am wearing a very long jacket. Suffice it to say that if I am ever found dead in a short jacket, you will know that I was dead before the jacket went on. Yes, I tested all the recipes and they are poison! If you eat this stuff all the time, you WILL DIE--and you will die with a HUGE bee-hind--however, they are VERY good for your disposition. My fave? Why, I love them all, obviously! Can happily go from Scott-apeno Dip to Viney's Floor of the Hilton Minner Cheese to I-Can't-See-My-Feet Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding.

Question: You’re a Southern Girl but there are Queens from all over the world. Do you think we all have a little Southern in us?

JCB: My "voice" is that of a Southern woman--on account of that's what I turned out to be (luckily)--but the experiences are universal so no Southern is required. However, if you are lacking in Southern, you can certainly get you some in my books and it will make you happy!

Question: What’s next for you and the Queens?

JCB: The Sweet Potato Queens Musical! I just got the first draft from Melissa Manchester, Sharon Vaughn and Rupert Holmes! It's always been my dream--and now it is happening! Of course, that doesn't require ANY effort on my part--which is so perfect--I can be entertained while lolling. Heaven.

---

From Booklist

Hilarious . . . Poignant . . . The Sweet Potato Queens’ chronicler returns with the ninth in the series and this time takes on the more serious parts of life, such as raising children, getting older, and surviving a recession, with her trademark bawdy humor. As before, she peppers each chapter with her and others’ personal anecdotes. . . .Legions of Sweet Potato Queens, now boasting 6,200 chapters in 20-plus countries, will line up for the latest book in Browne’s popular series. —Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 654 KB
• Print Length: 266 pages
• Publisher: Amazon Publishing (March 20, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006JTTIDQ
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,440 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #88 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Essays

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Potato Queen's Humble Subject March 24, 2012

By Love my Lab

Format:Kindle Edition

I laughed so hard reading just the first few chapters last night that my Lab jumped off the bed and slept on the floor. This is my 1st SPQ book and look forward to getting to the whole bunch of 'em. I am now one of Her Majesty's loyal subjects. Long live the Queen!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sweet Potato Queen still reigns supreme with her wise advice and charming down-home humor! March 21, 2012

By Sharon Galligar Chance

Format:Paperback

Queen Jill covers everything from how to survive life in this horrible economy with a little style and panache, to how to survive raising your teenagers to adulthood (I personally earmarked this section for extra referral!). Light and snappy, Jill brings her legions of followers and fans up to date on her life so far in this bright and happy book.

If you're Southern - you will identify and love it. If you're not Southern, that's ok, we'll let you read it anyway! It's just that GOOD!

So grab your best pair of rhinestone sunglasses, and plop a tiara on your head, and be prepared to laugh until you nearly split your sides with this fabulous new book from Her Majesty, THE Sweet Potato Queen, Jill Conner Browne!

Sharon Galligar Chance, Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
[...]

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Southern entertainment at its best! April 5, 2012

By Donna McBroom-Theriot

Format:Kindle Edition

I have to say that Jill Conner Browne is one of my favorite authors. Her humor has been my entertainment from the very first book she wrote. I could not tell you when I've laughed and cried so much while reading a book. She captivates you with her down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is humor from the first page to the last.

I have every single one of her books so imagine my delight (jumping up and down here) when I received an email asking me to review her new book. As I said, I have been an avid follower of Jill since her book first appeared in Southern Living Magazine umpteen years ago along with an article about the Sweet Potato Queen's Parade.

Fat Is the New 30 does not let the reader down. It picks up where any of her previous books leave off, making you laugh from start to finish. Through her words, the author has the unique ability to bring you into her life, holding you confined to your seat as you turn page after page.

By the time you finish the last page and close the book, you feel as though Jill has invited you into her life and confidence; and she just wants to help you through life's vicissitudes. She teaches us how to survive raising those children (lovely as they might be) from infant to teenager to adulthood with humor and a little denial (well, a LOT of denial) thrown in. Because after all, isn't that the best way to survive life?

Southerners are going to love this book. And, well, if you're not a Southerner, you are going to wish you were! So, grab this book, the biggest tiara (and most sparkly) you can find, and a tall glass of Southern style sweet tea (you'll want to refrain from drinking as not to snort the stuff as you become pomaded from laughter and thus, it WILL come out of places we Southern ladies don't like to mention) - where was I - oh yeah - grab that tall glass of iced tea and sit and read for a while. You'll be glad you did.

More About the Author

Jill Conner Browne is the multiple #1 New York Times bestselling author of nine Sweet Potato Queens® books and has created a global phenomenon--6,200 chapter groups in 37 countries--based upon her philosophy and world-view as recounted through these rollicking, raucous and riotously funny essays. Women and smart men understand that the bawdy, sassy, down-to-earth humor is simply the vehicle by which the greater message is conveyed--that is, one of self-reliance and empowerment, inspiring all to do what makes their hearts sing.