Erin Judge's Blog: More Good Stuff

I've noticed that a few of my friends and social media connections are dipping their toes into the world of non-dieting and intuitive eating lately. I could not be happier! My novel Vow of Celibacy is all about the protagonist Natalie's journey toward body acceptance after she ditches dieting for good.

In my own personal story, quitting dieting is one of the best things I ever did. Honestly, it was terrifying, but ultimately super liberating. And I'm way, WAY more fun at restaurants these days.

Thinking about ditching dieting? I say go for it. And maybe check out Vow of Celibacy to inspire and entertain you along the way.

Great news! All month long, Vow of Celibacy is on sale at the Amazon Kindle store:

https://www.amazon.com/Vow-Celibacy-N...

Enjoy!

Happy Summer! I'm thrilled to announce that Vow of Celibacy won a Bisexual Book Award in the Fiction category earlier this month! Thanks especially to the Bi Writers Association for their advocacy for Bi+ books, stories, writers, and poets.

I'll be out on the road again throughout the summer and fall, performing comedy and signing books. Next up: Sonoma County Comedy Festival in July. Check out http://erinjudge.com/calendar for the latest.

I'm on tour from April 20 - May 11, hitting up Boston/Cambridge, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Nashville, Asheville, Raleigh, Atlanta, and closing out in NYC. It's almost all stand-up comedy (plus one writer panel). Every single show is going to be so much fun.

Come out, say hi, get your book signed, give me a hug, and laugh! http://www.erinjudge.com/calendar

Thank you so much for considering Vow of Celibacy for your book club! As a lover of great reads, deep discussions, and tasty snacks, I appreciate book clubs on many levels.

Even though Vow of Celibacy is a light-hearted and fast-paced book, I hope it also raises some interesting questions. As I was writing it, I thought a lot about what it means not just to have a secret but to be a secret. Both Natalie and Anastaze constantly find themselves hidden in the shadows, and suddenly they’re both facing situations that challenge them to step out into the light. How does it feel to go through that? And how do our parents' legacies and shortcomings shape us? How do anonymity and pseudonyms challenge or expose social prejudices about gender? Does everybody have to “come out,” regardless of sexual orientation?

Below, you’ll find some sample discussion questions about Vow of Celibacy. You can download the full list here. And if I'm available, I'd love to video chat with your book club! If you're in Southern California, I might be able to swing by in person. See below for contact details. And please connect with me on social media if you’d like to keep up to date on book tour events, comedy shows in your town, and much more.

In the mean time, I hope you enjoy Natalie's story.

With love and thanks,

~Erin Judge

Sample Discussion Questions

In her vow of celibacy, Natalie promises not to have sex until she figures out what the hell her problem is. So, what is Natalie’s problem with love and sex?

Anastaze reminds Natalie that she forgot to count Julian and Emily in her inventory of relationships. What does this omission reveal about Natalie?

It's official: As of today, Vow of Celibacy is OUT!

"Out" is also the title of the second-to-last chapter of the book. I believe that we ALL have to come out as who we are, not just LGBT people. The great transition that happens between our mid-teens and full-fledged adulthood can be complicated and difficult to navigate, but two core components are figuring out who we are and what we want, and not being afraid to share that with the world.

Vow of Celibacy is a queer story and body-affirming story and a sex-positive story, but mostly it's a story about stepping out of the shadows and into the light.

I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you to everyone who has added "Vow of Celibacy" to their Goodreads lists already! I hope that, come August 9, you will enjoy getting to know Natalie and Anastaze and following them on their journeys toward revealing their authentic selves to the world.

In the mean time, please feel free to post questions. And check out my tour events schedule to see if I'll be bringing my stand-up comedy book tour to a venue in your city! http://erinjudge.com/books-media

Thanks again for all your pre-release support!