What's the difference between a ghostwriter and a memoir guru?
The Houston Chronicle praised Joni Rodgers’ latest novel, The Secret Sisters, for it’s “honesty, humor, and fearlessness”, three qualities she brings to every memoir she co-authors.
Joni’s first memoir was her own. Bald in the Land of Big Hair (Harper Collins 2001) tells the story of her cancer treatment and recovery and how the experience gave birth to her career as a writer. “Rodgers manages the rare literary feat of being painful and funny in one urgent breath,” said Entertainment Weekly. “A mix of Molly Ivins’ blowsy wit and Anna Quindlen’s suburban logic.” The book was excerpted in Good Housekeeping, condensed by Reader's Digest, translated for publication around the world, and is in its severalth printing.
In Linda Armstrong Kelly’s No Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance, Raising Me (Broadway 2005) Joni helped the mother of Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong tell the story of a single mom whose humor and high spirits helped lay the foundation for a sports legend. Broadway, a Random House imprint, offered a six-figure advance based on Joni's proposal, and film rights were optioned by Columbia. Publishers Weekly called it “a heartwarming tale, laced with true Texas grit,” while Booklist celebrated it’s “rah-rah optimism”, which Linda has since parlayed into a public speaking career.
Golden Girls star Rue McClanahan enlisted Joni's help on her memoir, My First Five Husbands…and the Ones Who Got Away (Broadway 2007) to refine content, give the story structure, and capture Rue’s unique voice. As Joni polished the final draft, Rue wrote to her, “You made gorgeous cream pies out of my curds and whey!” Publisher’s Weekly called the book “chatty, thoughtful, and effervescent.” Syndicated columnist Liz Smith agreed: “My First Five Husbands is golden…this book is a riot!” The book debuted at #18 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Joni refers to herself as a “memoir guru” instead of a “ghostwriter”, because she approaches each project as more than a manuscript. While most ghostwriters come from a journalism background, Joni’s fiction background and talent for crafting gripping stories, vibrant characters, and realistic dialogue lends a literary quality to her work. Confidentiality, mutual respect, and professional commitment are a given. Having done her own memoir, Joni also understands the deeply emotional process involved and goes above and beyond the call of contractual duty, guiding clients through the publishing journey with personal caring and an experienced author’s knowledge of the industry.
After a recent project, a senior editor wrote to Joni's agent: "Joni’s professionalism and easygoing nature earned [the client's] trust early on, paving the way for a terrific collaboration... The result is a remarkably well-written, charming, delightful memoir that perfectly captures [the client] and her story, and is, I feel, a standout in the genre of celebrity memoir. [The client's] authentic voice and sensibility shine through; there is nothing typical or cookie-cutter about it. She delivered a fantastic book that was everything we’d hoped for when we signed it up, and forged a strong friendship with [the client] in the process."
Because confidentiality is an important part of the memoir guru's service, it's not possible to post a complete list of ghostwriting credits or references, but references will be provided during discussion of viable projects. Since Joni also writes fiction under a nom de plume, she is able to consider only a limited number of co-author projects.
For information on availability and fees for proposal and full manuscript writing and book doctoring, contact Wendy Sherman at Wendy Sherman Associates.
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BOOKS & WRITING CREDITS
Collaborations
Coming in 2009 from Simon & Schuster
A Little Bit Wicked
by Kristin Chenoweth with Joni Rodgers
My First Five Husbands...and the Ones Who Got Away by Rue McClanahan
(Broadway, 2007)
No Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance, Raising Me by Linda Armstrong Kelley with Joni Rodgers
(Broadway, 2005)
Anthologies
The Worst Noel (Bestselling authors share their deliciously hellish holiday tales)
(Harper Collins, 2005)
Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor's Soul
(Health Communications, 2006)
Hope Begins in the Dark: 50 Lymphoma Survivors Tell Their Exclusive Life Stories
by Jamie Reno et al
(Vital Options, 2007)
Memoir
Bald in the Land of Big Hair (a true story)
(Harper Collins, 2001)
Fiction
The Secret Sisters
(Harper Collins, 2006)
Sugarland
(Spinsters Ink, 1999)
Crazy for Trying
(MacAdam/Cage, 1997)
Magazine & Column Credits
Good Housekeeping
(Book Bonus)
Lifetime
(monthly advice column)
Family Circle
(personal essay pieces)
"Earth to Joni"
(syndicated weekly column)