This hilarious first novel from a confident new voice in women's fiction offers a pitch-perfect take on the dignity-whittling survival game of job hunting--starring a lovably neurotic heroine whose problems ring refreshingly true.

"Van der Kwast casts a deliciously jaded eye on working — and not working — in the media industry in her likable debut. Her beset heroine, Sarah, joins her chick-lit sisters as another smart-cookie neurotic at the mercy of manic Manhattan life, low on cash and middling on morale. After Sarah's film company tanked, she bummed through a few idle months; now she's landed a temp gig at a production company, but she still has to make nice to her spoiled ex-boss, who's safely ensconced in another company and exploiting Sarah's brainpower for her own benefit. Should Sarah give it all up and move to Colorado to write for Aspen Quarterly? Not if Jake, the sexy brooder for whom she's filling in, moseys in to train her and steals her heart in the process. If only Sarah could curb her impulse to snoop around for his dark secrets, one of which is blonde and sexy! The indignities of job-searching will resonate with many an idealistic young urbanite, as will the sendups of corporate culture, from clownish headhunters to the anomie of the cubicle. At times, Sarah's angst feels stale, if only because raucous 'pink slip parties' are so 2001. But clever writing and smoldering romance hold perennial appeal. Agent, Joe Veltre. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Ms. van der Kwast manages to elevate her version of chick lit by adding cleverness and social observation."

—The Wall Street Journal

“Great fun! For anyone whose life didn’t pan out exactly as she'd planned in high school.”

—Robyn Harding, Author of THE JOURNAL OF MORTIFYING MOMENTS

“Sarah Pelletier is looking for the Right One — the right job, that is! Those who empathized with Kinsella’s Shopaholic will feel for Sarah Pelletier as she navigates the world of dodgy interviews and bizarre temp jobs, armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of film and an infinitely variable resume. With a knack for an apt analogy, van der Kwast paints the plight of the liberal arts major in search of a job with painful accuracy.”

—Lauren Willig, Author of THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION

“Jennifer van der Kwast’s debut novel captures the cruel and intoxicating lure of single life in Manhattan with originality and wit. Painfully funny, Pounding the Pavement will leave you laughing out loud.”

—Karen Quinn, Author of THE IVY CHRONICLES

“Pounding the Pavement is a clever, funny novel that takes you for a walk on the ridiculous side of two of life’s big challenges. If you’ve ever had a nightmarish boss or a lousy date, this book is for you.”

—Delphine Hirsh, Author of THE GIRLS’ GUIDE TO SURVIVING A BREAKUP

“A funny, witty look at one woman’s tireless search for a job, a soul mate, and most of all, herself.  A terrific debut!”

—Alison Pace, Author of IF ANDY WARHOL HAD A GIRLFRI

Sarah Pelletier is unemployed and in a very bad mood. Her film company has tanked--right before Christmas, no less--leaving her with one lousy swivel chair and a lifetime supply of paper clips. Her headhunter is a fool who can't pronounce her name; her irritatingly gorgeous roommate's idea of a fun time is to drag her to pink-slip parties; and, to top it all off, her last twelve bucks are trapped in a Metro Card. Something has got to give.

So begins one smart twentysomething's quest for the right job in New York City. After extricating herself from a morass of self-pity strewn with candy bar wrappers and wine bottles, Sarah turns to the all-important task of padding her resume--while artfully dodging her parents' attempts to bribe her into law school. Of course, padding your resume puts you in jeopardy of being construed as over-qualified. In which case you might try unpadding your resume, which then puts you in danger of being labeled inexperienced. Which leaves you with the option of stalking your ex-boss in the hope that she'll drag you along in her ascent to greatness in another company. Unless she stabs you in the back first. Meanwhile, when a temp job saddles her with a massive crush on a Brooklyn-dwelling dreamboat named Jake, Sarah's already full plate is crowded with lust, jealousy, and mild obsession, just when she's trying to be professional.

This hilarious first novel from a confident new voice in women's fiction offers a pitch-perfect take on the dignity-whittling survival game of job hunting--starring a lovably neurotic heroine whose problems ring refreshingly true.

Like her heroine, JENNIFER VAN DER KWAST is in her midtwenties and has worked at a variety of film companies: The Shooting Gallery, Columbia TriStar, Plexifilms, Paramount, and New Line Cinema. She is a graduate of Dartmouth University. Pounding the Pavement is her first novel.