Hop into your minivan and get ready to cruise through the crazies of Suburbia! Humorist Stacey Gustafson makes an entertaining tour guide in Are You Kidding Me?, a brash, voyeuristic peek inside the topsy-turvy world of suburban motherhood, midlife madness, and all points in between. If you’ve ever called SWAT on a neighbor, faked a heart attack in church, or pulled your hair out while questioning the sanity of your family, Stacey’s tongue-in-cheek brand of humor will resonate with you. Enjoy the ride and don’t forget to fasten your seat belt.When Are you Kidding Me?, a new collection of Stacey Gustafson’s humor columns, turned up in the mail, I figured I’d grab two minutes, put my feet up and check out the first essay. Twenty minutes later, I was still reading. It’s easy to enjoy these quick, upbeat glimpses into suburban family life. Gustafson covers much the same ground as Erma Bombeck, but updated for the 21st century, with a splash of Seinfeld-esque observational humor mixed in. (Why do take out restaurants that serve heaping portions of greasy, sloppy food invariably give you just one dinky napkin with your order? And, more important, what can you do about it?) Gustafson can be grouchy, but she’s never mean-spirited, and while she complains freely about her hubby and kids, she’s clearly, at heart, a loving wife and mom. There are entertaining riffs on being a germaphobe in social settings (I will hurdle pews to avoid shaking hands during church. ) faking your way through receiving an inappropriate birthday gift – like the bronze statue of a nuke couple in an erotic embrace she received from her husband and unwrapped, unsuspecting, as her entire family looked on) and the perils of self-checkout. My own favorite piece? The column in which Gustafson shares her sarcastic inner thoughts as she’s being manhandled during a routine mammogram. I totally plan to re-read that sucker, treasuring every line, before I go in for my next annual screening. - Roz Warren, writer for the New York Times, the Humor Times, the Huffington Post, Womens Voices For Change, the Christian Science Monitor, and for countless other venues from Girlfriendz to Good Housekeeping.Peek inside the world of suburbia and life beyond through streaky, rose-colored glasses. It’s not always pretty and you’ll scratch your head wondering, Are you kidding me? but that’s okay! Stacey Gustafson tackles midlife mishaps, family chaos, and epic bathroom adventures on her own terms with her own personal style of humor. - Leighann Lord, comedian, named one of New York’s 10 Hottest Comics and author of the popular humor blog, The Urban Erma.Stacey Gustafson’s hilarious collection of stories had me laughing aloud almost instantly. Through her words, she captures the everyday moments of life, marriage and surviving crazy situations in ways that are funny and thought-provoking. This is a book Erma Bombeck would be proud to read! - Dahlynn McKowen, CEO and publisher of Publishing Syndicate LLC, including the highly successful Not Your Mother’s Book anthology, and co-author for Chicken Soup for the SoulHumor columnist Stacey Gustafson puts a lighthearted spin on marriage, family, and life’s frustrations while delving into the chaotic depths of suburbia. She has an incredible wit to her writing; combining humor with the realities of raising a family and experiences of life as a contemporary woman. - Penny Warner, Agatha Award for Best Juvenile Mystery and author of over 50 books, fiction and non-fiction including, most recently, How to Host a Killer Party series.After reading Are You Kidding Me you’ll want to call Stacey Gustafson and beg to be best friends because you can totally relate to her charming and funny tales about training bras, the dreaded parent-teacher conference, and ice tea pitchers that no one knows how to refill. This book is perfect for busy parents who sometimes lose their patience but keep their sense of humor. - Elaine Ambrose, author of Midlife Cabernet and Menopause Sucks.
