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Meet the Author: Erika Lenkert

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Meet the Author: Erika Lenkert 1I am pleased to welcome Erika Lenkert to Metropolitan Mama today.

Erika is a frequent contributor to In Style, Everyday with Rachel Ray, and dozens of other national publications. She has authored several lifestyle books and is the lifestyle editorial director for Glam.com. Lenkert’s most recent book – “The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy: Fresh and Practical Advice for Navigating the Next Nine Months” – was released in March 2008.

ME: Please tell me a little bit about your background.

LENKERT: I graduated from Berkley with an undergrad degree in Literature and wanted to get into publication so I worked for HarperCollins in San Francisco. From there, I started writing traffic guidebooks. After that, I moved to L.A. and started working with InStyle and Travel & Leisure. Since then, I’ve written several books and I am now the Lifestyle Director for Glam.com.

ME: How old is your little girl now and how old was she when you wrote The Real Deal Guide?

LENKERT: She’s 2 ¾. I wrote the proposal when I was 5 months pregnant. I sold it after she was born. I wrote it when she was 6-8 months and it came out when she was 2 ½. 

ME: Did you personally enjoy being pregnant – what were the best and worst parts?

LENKERT: I really loved being pregnant. I tend to be one of those people who has a positive attitude toward everything. Being a pregnant woman is kind of like being a transformer. It’s physically and mentally changing and yet I felt very proud. It was good to move out of the self-indulgent lifestyle. What I didn’t like about it was the severe back problems that I had as a result. I had very, very serious problems a year and a half after birth.

ME: What resources did you turn to (magazines, books, websites) when you were pregnant?

LENKERT: I had the What to Expect book. I didn’t love it. I went online A LOT – not to any one particular source. I found it annoying that these books and our culture makes everything scary – the “fear factor” is injected into everything. I wasn’t a fan of that so I decided to write a different kind of book…

ME: What final thoughts/advice do you have for pregnant women?

LENKERT: The most important thing that you can do have a good time and avoid books that tell you everything can go wrong. Enjoy the pregnancy – this is the last time that your life is all about you. 

Thanks, Erika! I completely agree with you about the “fear factor” thing. For the vast majority of people, pregnancy is a very normal, healthy process. There are already way too many scare-inducing books about pregnancy on the market. I like that you focus on all of the positives instead of the “what ifs…” 

WIN IT! One winner will receive a copy of Erika’s new book: “The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy.” To enter, simply leave a comment on this post prior to Thursday, May 29 at midnight (don’t forget to follow the rules). The winner will be announced and contacted on Friday, May 30. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address. 

*UPDATE* The winner is #7 Barbara Baker. Congratulations!

Comments

  4. The insights to pregnancy with education, information and practicality. Many Thanks SW

  8. “The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy.”

    * * * * * A Great Gift! * * * * *

  9. I have the “What to expect book…” and is way to medical. Need something more down to earth.

  12. I am a Charge Nurse on a High Risk OB unit…..I would love to win this book to add to our library of books for patients to read! Thanks so much for the giveaway!

  14. I hate people who focus on the “fear factor”, I would love to read this book and pass it along to my friends who will become Mom’s

  15. “The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy.”

    * * * * * The Perfect Gift! * * * * *

  18. She is so amazing. I have to agree with her about the What to Expect book. I wasn’t a big fan of it either. I just find a lot of the advice that I use online. It would be great to have a book with those kinds of things in it!

  21. I’d love to give this book to my coworker/friend. She’s pregnant with her first child and I know she’d appreciate it!

  24. I work at a fertility clinic and would love to read this book. I, myself will be trying to get pregnant sometime next year. Once I’m done reading it I will pass the book on to friends and co-workers. :)

  27. My sister just found out she is expecting,so this would make a great gift!

  32. This looks great! I’ll need it one day here in the near future! Thanks for a great offer! :o)

  35. My daughter just found out she’s pregnant, possibly with twins, and I’d love to give her this book.

  37. My sister just found out she’s due in January and NEEDS THIS BOOK! Her midwife gave her WTWWYE, I told her to throw it out!! Thanks for the giveaway!!

  39. This is a great book for me Im pregnant with my first and nothing is going like it says in my What to expect when expecting book. Im always at the bookstore looking for something like this. I want a book that can be encouraging and fun to read because at this time in my life/pregnancy I need it.

  42. This would be great to see what I have to look forward to with my husband very soon.

  43. My first pregnancy was unplanned, so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked. We’re planning on getting pregnant again next year and I’m so excited about the whole process–trying to get pregnant, wearing maternity clothes, being pregnant! This book would be a great place to start since it sounds so positive!

  49. WOW sounds like a great read, I’d love to win this and of course pass it on to the next preggo Mommy! I’m preggo right now, 6 months along!

  52. I teach a class at Sunday school for teenage boys and girls. This would be a great thing since we have a couple girls that got into trouble…

  53. I work in the nurse’s office at a high school. This book would be a great resource for the pregnant teens that we see.

  56. Finally after so many failures, my DD is pregnant! yeah! So happy for them, this looks like it is a top read and taking the place of what to expect when expecting. Thanks for the special book!

  60. This sounds like a great book. I like that it tells you to enjoy yourself whilr being prgnant and not to worry about all the sstuff that could go wrong. Would love this for my daughternlaw.

  71. I totally agree with the author–I wasn’t a fan of the What to Expect books either. Seems like they are considered the “staple” of pregnancy books, but I really preferred the more down to earth ones. This book sounds like it would fit the bill!

  72. Wow! This sounds like a refreshing book about pregnancy. I am pregnant now and could use something that doesn’t reflect on doom and gloom. Also, my sister is trying to get pregnant so this one would be passed around!

  78. What a great title for a book. It’s (from what I’ve heard) much better than the old, “What to expect; when youre expecting” title…

    Count me in…I’d love to read it and then pass it on to others.

  81. I wish this book was out when I was pregnant!!I would love to get this book for my Aunt who is expecting her first in July!!(and I may get a copy for myself if we decide to have one more;))

    The fear factor thing really got to me,too when I was preggo…..I also had the What to Expect when you are Expecting…..and I have to admit,it made me a little paranoid…and that is no good!!!

  82. I’d love to have this as a reference for my expecting friends (I’m pretty sure I’m through with procreation). And, thanks for stopping my my blog and commenting, Stephanie, what a treat!

  83. I love the positive view point on this book. I too felt like when I was pregnant every thing I read was about what could or might go wrong. I would love this for my next pregnancy!

  84. I would love to give this book to my friend who just found out she was pregnant. She had been trying for a few years and would probably enjoy a book that focuses on the positives instead of what can go wrong.

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