Books by Ellie Slott Fisher
There is no relationship quite like the one between a guy’s mom and his girlfriend/fiancée/wife. Even in the best of circumstances, conflicts will arise. After all, who hosts Thanksgiving now? Who participates in finding and buying the wedding gown? How often is HE going to visit his mom? It doesn’t take much for this relationship to become troubled.
In It’s Either Her or Me, Ellie Fisher interviews the moms, the girlfriends, the sisters and the sometimes clueless men to learn how to help everyone get along. Some reviews follow:
“An engaging, insightful, and psychologically astute take on the triangle formed by a man, the woman who raised him, and the woman who bed and wed him.” – Susan Shapiro, author of Five Men Who Broke My Heart.
“The relationship between a mother and her daughter-in-law is often fraught. Journalist Fisher covers the situation in depth with empathy, drawing on dozens of interviews with women and discussions with psychologists to offer a balanced approach to established or potential problems.” – Library Journal.
“Ellie Slott Fisher tackles the trickiest of all family relationships with wisdom, wit and laughter. This book is a must-read for mothers with sons of any age, as well as wives, girlfriends, sisters and the men themselves.” – Leah Klungness, Ph.D., co-author ofThe Complete Single Mother.
“Most enjoyable and insightful reading for all of us who deal with the challenges of making life work – particularly when it involves the developing of new and yet quickly important relationships.” – Herbert Pardes, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Columbia University.
How do you balance your social life with being a parent? How do you set a good example for your impressionable kids when you’re on the prowl? What if your kids dislike your date? Where do you spend the night if the relationship turns serious? And – most important -how do you make sure your kids are comfortable with it all? Ellie Slott Fisher provides the answers.
Her book, Dating for Dads. The Single Father’s Guide to Dating Well without Parenting Poorly. (2008 Bantam Dell) is a natural follow up to her first book, Mom, There’s a Man in the Kitchen and He’s Wearing Your Robe. Here are some of the reviews on the Dad book:
“Cheerful and upbeat despite being once widowed and once divorced, Fisher focuses on the dating issues of interest to single fathers. She considers everyone involved…Loads of quotes from real people lend a from-the-trenches authenticity to the coverage, which includes first-date basics, dating web sites, and situations common to single dads.” – Library Journal, in recommending Dating for Dads for public libraries.
“Raising children can make it difficult for single fathers to get back into the dating scene. With sympathy and good sense, journalist Fisher…reminds men that children are impressionable and easily confused, so proper etiquette is vital.”- Publishers Weekly.
“It’s hard to be a single dad who’s dating. Trying to be sensitive and responsible to the feelings and needs of your children and the woman you’re dating (not to mention your own), is tough territory for a man to navigate. Ellie Slott Fisher knows that territory inside and out, and has drawn a perfect map of it in Dating for Dads…Read the book and she’ll tell you how – with respect, wit, even sports analogies.” – Robert Mark Alter, author of Good Husband, Great Marriage.
“Ellie Fisher writes in such a familiar, reassuring tone, you feel like you’re getting advice from your best buddy from college.” – Hank Herman, author of Accept My Kid, Please! A Dad’s Descent into College Application Hell.
“Naturally, single fathers are nearly as nervous as single moms about the dating scene. In this reassuring guidebook, the author uses scenarios told in simple terms to get her point across. Remember: Your children do want you to be happy.” – The Sacramento Bee.
Read an excerpt from Dating for Dads. The Single Father’s Guide to Dating Well without Parenting Poorly.
In Ellie’s first book on single moms, she draws upon her own experience and the stories of many other single women, their children, and the men who date them. She offers encouragement, strategies, and a very healthy dose of humor for the single-but-looking mom.
Here’s what some have said of Mom, There’s a Man in the Kitchen and He’s Wearing Your Robe:
“In the voice of a trusted girlfriend, Fisher delivers honest advice, a fresh perspective and comic relief as she guides newly single moms toward the goal of dating well without parenting badly…Practical tips for how to meet men (including an excellent chapter on how to use the Internet safely) and quips from the children of dating moms (‘I just don’t want to see or hear about it’) round out this useful book.” – Publishers Weekly
“Ellie Slott Fisher emerged from years of dating, first as the widowed mother of two and later as a divorcee, with a fine-tuned blather detector as well as a great sense of humor…This is real-world, on-the-ground stuff.” – Mike Maza, Knight Ridder News Service
“Fisher and the singles she interviewed have great insights on when and how to involve children with a beau vs. when to insulate them. She offers straight-ahead advice on the many complications of sex and breakups when you’re trying to take the kids into account. While the perspective is decidedly female, single dads could learn a lot too.” – Dallas Morning News
“Fisher’s clear and humorous approach and down-to-earth advice should help maintain healthy relationships among everyone involved. The most important kernel of advice to take away from this guide: ‘A woman must feel good in her own skin before entering a new relationship.’ Highly recommended for all public libraries.” – Library Journal
“Ellie Slott Fisher was happily married with two young children when her husband of 15 years, Charlie, suddenly died. Since then Fisher has been navigating the tricky world of dating as a single mother. Her new book, Mom, There’s a Man in the Kitchen and He’s Wearing Your Robe, is a thoughtful, honest look at how to date without ‘parenting poorly.'”- NPR (National Public Radio)
