Little Pink Slips - Sally Koslow
Former McCall's Editor Pens Novel on Magazine Life
Sally Koslow's novel is a fictional account of Rosie O'Donnell's editorial takeover of McCall's magazine and the resulting Rosie magazine.
Little Pink Slips is an insider's look at the not so ladylike world of women's magazine publishing.
Sally Koslow's novel tells the story of Maggie Gold (nee Magnolia Goldfarb), a Fargo, North Dakota, transplant to New York City, who moved to the city with the dream of becoming editor of a magazine. Maggie becomes editor in chief of Lady magazine, a typical women's publication that's so similar to its competition that even loyal readers get the books confused. When she's given the task of revamping the magazine, she gets usurped by her publisher and other top brass at the company. She is told that, instead of her sophisticated redesign, the magazine will be handed over to brash television celebrity Bebe Blake and published as Bebe magazine.
Maggie is demoted to a vaguely defined editorial position and a small office in no man’s land while Bebe, a ketchup red-haired diva known for her flamboyance and unpredictability, takes the reins as editor (a role she has zero experience with) and turns the venerable women's magazine into a joke. Her unfocused vision for the magazine includes a cover photo in which she points a gun at the camera, and other over the top suggestions leave the corporate staff shaking their heads. Maggie tries to intervene, but aware that making waves might risk losing her job, she stays quiet and hopes the corporate staff will realize their mistake.
Little Pink Slips is a dishy look at the world of magazine publishing from someone who’s been on the inside. Sally Koslow was editor in chief of McCall’s, then the country’s oldest women’s magazine. When Rosie O’Donnell took over and turned it into Rosie, Koslow was shifted to the vague role as corporate editor and seven months later was let go.
The story unfolds slowly, and seems to take unnecessary detours. The love interest subplots seem forced, and the excessive name dropping in the novel (some misspelled) aren’t necessary for telling the story.
Koslow tells the story without a swipe of malice; rather, the story is told with honesty, thought, and a small amount of humor.
Little Pink Slips Update
The New York Post has reported that Koslow has sold the screen to the novel to Executive Producer Frank von Zerneck and cable network Lifetime.
Von Zerneck's past film credits include Scott Turow's Reversible Errors and Joyce Carol Oates' We Were the Mulvaneys.
No casting arrangements have been announced.
Koslow, Sally
Little Pink Slips
New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 12, 2007
