Jen Hatmaker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Books used to climb to the top of best sellers list AFTER publication and people actually reading them and word of mouth making other people buying and reading them.

Now it’s all so manipulated. Really, How can a cookbook be #1 bestseller before even being published? Because people pre-order without even reading it because the author asks and gives incentives to buy and give great reviews.

So, no I’ve never written a best selling cookbook. But really neither has she. She just built a network of people who would buy whatever she’s shilling.

Oh, absolutely. I know of a similar author who ended up on the NYT bestseller list well in advance of actual publication. Author had a hot shot media guru who arranged advanced media reviews. All reviewers were sent online galley copies or not and were instructed to give the book 5 stars.
Anything less than 5 stars weren’t shown. Some reviewers never even read the book.

Book emerged as a bestseller!

[Anonymous]

I’m conflicted cause I want Jen to have success with a bona fide book containing something of value. Fun recipes with humorous anecdotes seems worthwhile. I also want her to find a healthy loving relationship after the hell of having her once sweet husband become a raging alcoholic hitting the narcs and anti anxiety meds and cheating with a much younger woman, who then leaves her and immediately finds true love with another after his 30 day rehab.
But….everything has felt manufactured with Jen for a long time. Starting when she was covering for the slow death of her marriage. Her relationship with Tyler feels forced and artificial. Like they are both playing characters in a lifetime movie of what a middle age love affair should look like. There’s a strange projection going on that doesn’t track with legitimacy.
As for the book and it’s celebrity endorsements I celebrate her ability to market herself and get her people to buy her wares. I honor her hustle and never say die attitude. Just wish she could do all that while maintaining her authenticity. To not pretend to care about her community because it’s her milk cow but genuinely love these devoted women who extend her endless grace.

[Anonymous]

Yikes the texts she posted between her and Tyler are embarrassing. She hasn’t dated someone new since she was a college teen though right? Maybe she’s just trying to date the best she can remember how and it’s why she sounds so immature about it all.

[Anonymous]

Wow! I’m soooo happy I found this thread. I have never bought any of Jen’s stuff and don’t actually have an Instagram account but I’ve been a major lurker for years! She and “her people” are the only ones I check up on regularly. Big thanks to dumpor, pixwox and picuki now that Instagram is so restricted to non account holders! I know, I need to get a life…

The Tyler romance is bewildering as eff. I swear even as a “super follower”, it was months before I realized that she was being serious about him being her boyfriend. I thought it was all one big joke. I had to go back and review every post with my jaw hung open.

Brandon definitely seems more compatible with his new fiancée but I find them both pathetic. Him for being a cheater and her for wanting to marry one so quickly after the fact. Brandon has also always seemed like a try-hard, unhappy with Jen’s success compared to his. But Jen has so often bragged about how good he was to her with her giving nothing in return. I can see how he snapped.

I wish Tina would make her profile public again though! I know, I know. I REALLY need a life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m conflicted cause I want Jen to have success with a bona fide book containing something of value. Fun recipes with humorous anecdotes seems worthwhile. I also want her to find a healthy loving relationship after the hell of having her once sweet husband become a raging alcoholic hitting the narcs and anti anxiety meds and cheating with a much younger woman, who then leaves her and immediately finds true love with another after his 30 day rehab.
But….everything has felt manufactured with Jen for a long time. Starting when she was covering for the slow death of her marriage. Her relationship with Tyler feels forced and artificial. Like they are both playing characters in a lifetime movie of what a middle age love affair should look like. There’s a strange projection going on that doesn’t track with legitimacy.
As for the book and it’s celebrity endorsements I celebrate her ability to market herself and get her people to buy her wares. I honor her hustle and never say die attitude. Just wish she could do all that while maintaining her authenticity. To not pretend to care about her community because it’s her milk cow but genuinely love these devoted women who extend her endless grace.

Jen is another crumbling cautionary tale of how a business model based on hustle culture, fake it to you make it, fraudulent influencer brand building, and constant shilling in the name of "serving your tribe" is in the end bound to be corrosive, soulless, exploitive, and ultimately unsustainable.

When it all starts to go south, and it goes south for everyone eventually, the desperation is evident.

[Anonymous]

So does anyone here think that she really came up with all the recipes in the book (not that there’s that many for a 250 page book) all by herself? Maybe some or the base for some,but that they weren’t tweaked by or arranged to be tweaked by her publishing team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does anyone here think that she really came up with all the recipes in the book (not that there’s that many for a 250 page book) all by herself? Maybe some or the base for some,but that they weren’t tweaked by or arranged to be tweaked by her publishing team?

Secret of the trade. These authors all hire chef consultants to help create their recipes. Especially the ones who aren't trained chefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m conflicted cause I want Jen to have success with a bona fide book containing something of value. Fun recipes with humorous anecdotes seems worthwhile. I also want her to find a healthy loving relationship after the hell of having her once sweet husband become a raging alcoholic hitting the narcs and anti anxiety meds and cheating with a much younger woman, who then leaves her and immediately finds true love with another after his 30 day rehab.
But….everything has felt manufactured with Jen for a long time. Starting when she was covering for the slow death of her marriage. Her relationship with Tyler feels forced and artificial. Like they are both playing characters in a lifetime movie of what a middle age love affair should look like. There’s a strange projection going on that doesn’t track with legitimacy.
As for the book and it’s celebrity endorsements I celebrate her ability to market herself and get her people to buy her wares. I honor her hustle and never say die attitude. Just wish she could do all that while maintaining her authenticity. To not pretend to care about her community because it’s her milk cow but genuinely love these devoted women who extend her endless grace.

Jen is another crumbling cautionary tale of how a business model based on hustle culture, fake it to you make it, fraudulent influencer brand building, and constant shilling in the name of "serving your tribe" is in the end bound to be corrosive, soulless, exploitive, and ultimately unsustainable.

When it all starts to go south, and it goes south for everyone eventually, the desperation is evident.

This is why we will probably never get a Me Course on How Late Stage Capitalism Exploits The Vulnerable.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend the book Christian Celebrities by Katelyn Beaty. It’s a fascinating read and discusses the realities behind book authors/publishers/ghost writers/NYT bestseller list, etc.

[Anonymous]

I think I’m in the Jen Hatmaker demographic; 40 something married mom, former SAHM, Christian, Caucasian, raised in a small town, etc.

Why a cookbook? I have exactly two and both were hand me downs that I keep for sentimental reasons. If I’m going to try a new recipe, it’s because I ripped it out of a magazine or I’ll search online for inspiration. I would love to know who is buying cookbooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So does anyone here think that she really came up with all the recipes in the book (not that there’s that many for a 250 page book) all by herself? Maybe some or the base for some,but that they weren’t tweaked by or arranged to be tweaked by her publishing team?

I might be wrong, but I feel like I vaguely remember her asking online for people to share their favorite recipes with her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m conflicted cause I want Jen to have success with a bona fide book containing something of value. Fun recipes with humorous anecdotes seems worthwhile. I also want her to find a healthy loving relationship after the hell of having her once sweet husband become a raging alcoholic hitting the narcs and anti anxiety meds and cheating with a much younger woman, who then leaves her and immediately finds true love with another after his 30 day rehab.
But….everything has felt manufactured with Jen for a long time. Starting when she was covering for the slow death of her marriage. Her relationship with Tyler feels forced and artificial. Like they are both playing characters in a lifetime movie of what a middle age love affair should look like. There’s a strange projection going on that doesn’t track with legitimacy.
As for the book and it’s celebrity endorsements I celebrate her ability to market herself and get her people to buy her wares. I honor her hustle and never say die attitude. Just wish she could do all that while maintaining her authenticity. To not pretend to care about her community because it’s her milk cow but genuinely love these devoted women who extend her endless grace.

So much of this--you did a great job describing how I feel. There was a time I thought she was a delight and had several genuine, helpful things to say. She was funny and articulate, relevant (to me!) and authentic. So much of that is gone now. I want to see it come back, but meanwhile, I am annoyed with her and feel a little tricked.

[Anonymous]

The text exchange she posted was so cringe! Why would she post that? It's like she was trying to prove she actually has a relationship with him. But it really didn't work. So much awful with her lately.

Remember dooce? She was Mormon, but she's also gone around the bend now.

[Anonymous]

Regarding the live video interview posted today as tour hype: Tyler and Jen seem like totally compatible friends or colleagues. Strange how she kept addressing his mom as “Mrs. Merritt” and also that they haven’t met in person yet. Nothing particularly warm about that. He is (seemingly genuinely) gushy about Jen as a friend…but nothing (nothing.) came across romantic. His rambling about her NYT bestseller status does suggest he’s read the recent comments on this page though…so there’s that… I think we’re nearing the part of their PR plan where they monetize their images and advice and podcasts to cover “long distance holidays” and “blending traditions” followed by “how to have the healthiest breakup ever” and “being best friends with your ex”…

[Anonymous]

If she does read any of this page, I hope someday she can see past the obnoxious comments throughout and focus instead on the ones that might point her back to truth. No amount of wealth or control of her circumstances or beauty and fabulous clothes/accessories or a new boyfriend, real or pretend, or a spot on a bestseller list or another fabulous trip can ever replace the peace and joy of being who Christ made her to be: someone who is willing to give all the rest of it up to follow Jesus in love and gratitude and worship. Everything else is a well that dries up eventually. She claimed to know that once upon a time. I hope she gets her relationship with Caleb back too.