if you think it's a text book...
or a cook book...
or a diet book...
I've been told it's inspiring, and I've read reviews that praise the humor and coming-of-age storyline of an adult woman... but no one should consider this book a lifestyle guide.
Even though Amazon does...
Silly Amazon. It categorized the novel as a humanities text book. Imagine that. Maybe I can get a college or university to add it to their curriculum. Maybe I should add a disclaimer so people don't try the diets found between the covers.
Roxanne isn't a real-life character, but she has real-life feelings. When I originally wrote the book, I tried the diets she did to see how the character might act or feel. Mostly, I felt hungry, tired, and irritable. I gained weight, fell in love with hot yoga, and learned to hate apples. I discovered the importance of a workout buddy and realized that "diet" is a dirty word.
So - go ahead and buy Hot Dogs are Diet Food if you're looking for an interesting read of one woman's journey to reclaim her life. But don't try the diets! As one reader said, they're liable to kill you.
*Note: Hot Dogs are Diet Food was originally published as Reflections.