Books: Kaz Cooke calling

I've had a writer crush on Kaz Cooke for some time now, so I'm excited to hear she's working on a new book to be published by Penguin in 2011 (oh, so far away!).

The author/cartoonist behind successful titles Up The Duff, Kidwrangling, Real Gorgeous and Girl Stuff: Your Full-On Guide to the Teen Years, Cooke has a knack for telling it like it is in the most humorous way possible, with a dose of tough motherly love.

Of the Wendy Harmer/Jean Kitson/Gina Riley school of Aussie humorists, Cooke's writing style is free of fluff and backed by journalistic credibility, making her advice authoritative but not patronising or dictatorial.

Titled Women's Stuff, Cooke's new book will cover all manner of girlie things, "from confidence and mental health to shopping addiction and Botox", making it the essential guide for grown-up women. As with Girl Stuff, which was based on 4000 survey responses from from teen girls and their mums, Women's Stuff will draw on the real-life experiences of Aussie women.

So if you'd like to help Cooke bring this marvelous print concept to life, and perhaps even have an articulate quote of yours featured for all the world to see (accompanied by your first name and suburb/area), do the Women's Stuff survey.

"You don't have to fill in all the questions, just the stuff that's interesting or relevant to you," says Cooke via press release. "So long as you finish it before 1 June this year."

Sounds like fun! Throw in your two cents at www.kazbook.com. Warning: it may take you up to an hour so consider it your good deed for the week!

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel