Welcome to The IT Girl’s Guides

All along while working on the IT Girls Guides our question has been “Are they going to get it?”  And whether they refers to a journalist, a bookstore buyer or a customer looking for a new book, the answer has always been “We sure hope so.”  A lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into these books, most of all from the authors, but certainly from the team that’s worked on them.  Our hope has been that customers see them for what they are, a fun, irreverent and informative way to get up to speed on a new technology. 

 Recently, I attended BookExpo, a publishing industry conference that takes place over what must certainly be the longest weekend of the year.  I saw a lot of the same old same old books, and some new and exciting ones.  Fiction and celebrity non-fiction tend to take center stage here, but it was a surprising book that caused me to stop in my tracks to take a closer look.  The book title?  Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips.  Yes, you read that right.  Someone was daring to take what is often a morbid and depressing subject and, as the author said in the foreword, give it a makeover.  I thought this was exactly the attitude an IT Girl would take. Of course, when an editor came over to ask me if I had questions about the galley I was checking out, the first thing that came to my mind was how in the world they sold that to a bookstore buyer. I asked if there was any pushback, or negative feedback. Because, if there was, after reading only the backcover, I was willing to go in to any buyer’s office and make the case for this wonderful read. The editor said that yes, there was some hestitation, but that most buyers were willing to take a chance on the book. Most? C’mon. As someone who has close friends and family fighting cancer, I know that laughter is more than the best medicine, it’s what keeps you getting out of bed day after day. My hat is off to author Kris Carr, even my hat isn’t nearly as cool as the one she was wearing at BookExpo. She truly embodies what an IT Girl is supposed to be. And for the reps who went out and sold this title - kudos to you too. For putting it in perspective for me, and hopefully others. I hope this book knocks it out of the park.

–Ellen