What was your goal with this book? Did you succeed?

I interviewed over 100 men and women for Dating Up, because, as a schlump-aholic myself, I knew I needed to seek out the help of people who had found fabulous partners and formed great, lasting bonds. What were their secrets? Where did they find each other? How did they go from casual dating to serious couplehood to marriage? Using what I learned in my interviews, I began to develop a set of guidelines for getting rid of the schlumps, and meeting great men. Like any good researcher, I put my theories to the test.

Not long after I'd resolved to kick my starving artist habit once and for all, I met and fell in love with an amazing guy. We've been together for a year-and-a-half now.  All of the tips in Dating Up are road-tested, and they've worked for dozens of women I know (myself included!).

The book appears geared toward women. Is there any reason why curious men should not also read it?

The book is definitely geared toward women, but I suppose a man in search of a relationship upgrade could benefit from it as well. The book is focused on meeting a mate who is your equal - in terms of intellect, ambition, kindness, values, and more. I think that's what we all want, regardless of whether we are male or female.

Will men who read it find the contents dismaying?

They shouldn't. (See next answer for more detail - I think it pretty much applies to both questions).

Devil's advocate question with no offense intended: Don't books like this hurt some people, such as those who women are being discouraged from dating? Or is that not your concern?

This book discourages women from dating all varieties of losers - men who can't commit, men who aren't kind, men who lack motivation, men who just can't seem to get it together. It's not an attempt to punish these guys, but rather to help successful, bright accomplished women find the kind of men they deserve. I don't think there are necessarily two predetermined types of guys - schlumps and quality men. I think each of us makes the choice about who we want to be, and we can always change for the better. If a guy is not at the point where he's ready to be a quality man, personally I think he'll make a lousy partner. These days I'm telling a lot of guys the following: Try to be the quality man, never the schlump. You can do it.