I'm Not the New Me: A Memoir

A hilarious and sometimes poignant look at the absurdities of weight-loss culture from an appealing and original new voice.

From the creator of the immensely popular websites Pound and Candyboots, this is the memoir of Wendy McClure's odyssey — on-line and off — through the Valley of The Shadow of Her Really Big Ass. It's about the universe she created for herself when she couldn't see herself as a kicky Weight Loss Success Story, only she put it all on a website and became sort of an inspiration anyway.

I'm Not The New Me is about coming to terms with a family heritage of fat and drastic surgeries, and about self-esteem issues that are nobody's business but your own. It's wondering what's left of yourself after you lose weight — and just who the hell you are if you gain it back. It's about the absurdities of online identities and fat girl clichés, and the sheer terror of appearing live and in person in your very own life.

"When McClure, a 33-year-old children's book editor from Chicago, creates a Web site to chronicle losing weight, she contemplates possible names for it. She rejects My Weight Loss Journey, Soon To Be Slender, My Body Journal, and Funky Flesh, which she decides 'has bad B.O. connotations,' before choosing Pound (its Web address is www.poundy.com because www.pound.com wasn't available). In this funny, likable memoir, McClure offers sardonic commentary on both projects — her struggle to shed pounds and the creation and growth of Pound — from confessing how much she wants a special Weight Watchers magnet (the token the program gives to members when they lose their first 25 pounds) to describing a shopping trip to Lane Bryant. 'For some reason, plus size designers love the mutant conjoined twinset,' she writes. 'I think they're under the impression that fat women get so out of breath putting their arms through sleeves that they're doing us a favor.' McClure's narrative also includes selections of e-mails from appreciative, devoted Pound readers, accounts of online dating woes and some recollections of her childhood. The narrative drags in spots, but, just as Pound fans found McClure's words inspiring, those who read this work are likely to applaud its author for writing such an encouraging, spirited book. Agent, Erin Hosier at the Gernert Company. (Apr. 26)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Bridget Jones-style endearing self-deprecation." Kirkus Reviews

"A brave, bittersweet look at weight, loss, and elusive happy endings." Jennifer Weiner, author of Good in Bed

"I'm Not the New Me is the hilarious, painfully honest, totally compelling, (surprisingly) suspenseful and strangely comforting story of a girl trying to lose a few pounds and not disappear in the process." Jennifer Belle, author of High Maintenance and Going Down

"Wendy McClure writes about eating, and not eating, without resorting to the wretched, aspirational blather of diet speak. Her prose is ruthless, tender, and totally addictive. If you really want to lose weight, read this book — you'll laugh your ass off." Steve Almond, bestselling author of Candyfreak

The poignant and funny memoir of the author's struggle, through weight gain and weight loss, to find her real identity.

Wendy McClure holds an M.F.A. in poetry from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She is the creator of the online journal Pound, as well as the humor site Candyboots. She is a columnist for Bust and a regular contributor to the web site Television Without Pity.