Modern Girl's Guide to Life author
by Daniel Robert Epstein for SuicideGirls (http://suicidegirls.com/)

There are a few essential books that every SuicideGirl should have. One is Junky by William S. Burroughs, another is The Art of War by Sun Tzu and now the final piece of the puzzle is The Modern Girl's Guide to Life by Jane Buckingham.

While Sun Tzu may teach you that “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” But Buckingham will teach you how to get a red wine stain out of shag carpet before your dinner party guests arrive. It’s tips like this that will you get out your disorganized hellhole of a life.

Check out the official website of The Modern Girl's Guide to Life

Daniel Robert Epstein: How did this book come about?

Jane Buckingham: I started doing this book because I’m really good at my job and bad at everything else. I can’t cook, I can’t clean and I’m the only person in the world who paid almost more than sticker price for a car. I just felt that women today missed all these basics because we were bred to be these super career women but no one taught us how to boil an egg. I felt like I had a lot of friends who felt the same way. You need shortcuts and I felt like everyone knows something like I know etiquette but I don’t know finance. So I wanted to put everything together in one place.

For research we interviewed people, read books, went to websites and any place we could go to find answers. We also talked to normal people and asked them to give us one of their tips. Everyone has something they do that’s unique.

DRE: How did this book get to SuicideGirls?

JB: The reason I know Missy and Sean is because I run a company called Youth Intelligence and we do trend forecasting and consulting. We had started talking about SuicideGirls when it first came out because it seemed to be very trendsetting. Then we sort of connected with them and now I’ve been trying to help them with this whole new thing they are doing.

DRE: Does Youth Intelligence get hired by corporations?

JB: We work for everyone from Levi’s to L’Oreal to Microsoft to NBC.

DRE: Youth Intelligence must be huge.

JB: It is big and I sold it about two years ago to CAA.

DRE: I didn’t know CAA would be into that.

JB: They usually aren’t but they have a marketing group which works with people like Proctor & Gamble and Coke. We have become sort of the consumer intelligence for them.

DRE: So what’s the buzz on SuicideGirls?

JB: We think it’s really hot. As a site it’s very cool and it’s indicative of trend of people being more open about their sexuality and exploring other sides.

DRE: What about me?

JB: I am sure you are going to be a huge trend.

DRE: So the book doesn’t try to put women in a box though.

JB: No, to me it’s the ultimate reference guide. It’s a much hipper Emily Post or Martha Stewart maybe even a more practical women’s magazine. The last thing I am saying is that women should learn to cook and clean. It’s just that “Do you want to change your tire if you get a flat?” No, but if you’re in a bind, like I was when I got a flat tire on the way to a wedding. I want to make sure I know how to do something like change a tire.

DRE: In the interview section of SuicideGirls there is a way for people to comment on each individual interview. I can see people writing about this one “Who does this lady think she is telling me what to do?”

How would this book help the 19 year old girl that’s dying to take her clothes off for SuicideGirls?

JB: I think it’s secrets that you want to know. What’s great about SuicideGirls is that it allows you to express your freedom and this book gives you more freedom. You just learn things, like how to make your own table or the thicker the glass the more accurate the mirror or don’t keep the milk in the side door of your refrigerator because that’s the warmest place in there. I would say to those girls that this book is by no means a prescription. It’s just practical and fun stuff.

DRE: The book has been out for a bit, how well is it selling?

JB: It’s doing pretty well. It just went into a second printing and Target just ordered 5000 copies.

DRE: I believe you also sold the book to be made into a TV show.

JB: Yes to become a sitcom but who knows if that will happen.

DRE: Would you be involved with it?

JB: Yes I would be an executive producer.

DRE: What would the sitcom be about?

JB: It would be like a modern day Mary Tyler Moore and all the hi-jinks that come as a result of that.

DRE: What kind of people are buying the book?

JB: It’s been nice because a lot of people buy it then give another copy to a friend as a gift. We also have a website and I get questions about all sorts of stuff through that.

DRE: What’s next?

JB: I’m really trying to figure out what to do next. I might do another book just on marriage and dating or one just on entertaining.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck

web address: http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Modern+Girl%27s+Guide+to+Life+author/