Elbowing the Seducer

Book excerpt: A classic novel of love, sex, and the vagaries of the literary life, as witnessed by a young woman on the verge of success Dina Reeve is a talented writer with a dry, urban sense of humor and a tendency to worry about sharks in bathtubs. Howard Ritchie is an editor of a literary magazine and a boozing, compulsive womanizer. Newman Sykes is a philandering, acerbic critic. They are among the seducers and the seduced in this witty and elegantly written novel, which follows its richly drawn characters as they move between bed and typewriter. Praise for Elbowing the Seducer “The debut of an enormously gifted writer.”—The New York Times “A juicy slice of life—intelligent, bitingly honest, funny.”—Kansas City Star “Wonderfully witty and sharp-eyed writing.”—Ms. “Excellent satire.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer