The Quintessential First Read Book on Menopause to be Released by Hyperion/VOICE

Coronado, California — After self-publishing her book in March of 2010, Ellen Dolgen and Shmirshky Universal are proud to announce the release of Shmirshky: the pursuit of hormone happiness by Hyperion/Voice on January 18, 2011.

Shmirshky: the pursuit of hormone happiness is the quintessential first read book on menopause. It’s the only menopause book of its kind: easy, fun, and full of love — like a conversation with a trusted friend. It’s about empowering women and the people who love them in a cut-to-the-chase and easy-to-digest package.

“Everyone goes through menopause in one way or another,” says author Ellen Dolgen who goes by the pen name “E,” which stands for everyone. “It can be jarring at times, but if you are prepared you can get the support that you need. Reaching out is IN. Suffering in silence is OUT.”

Everyone? Well, yes. “If you don’t have a shmirshky,” E’s playful codeword for vagina and the women who possess them, “then your mother, wife, sister, or friend does.” It’s just a matter of time before they will need the understanding, support, and crucial information that Shmirshky provides in the author’s funny, engaging and easy-to-read style.

E refers to the entire perimenopause and menopause experience as PM&M for short. “PM&M is way more fun. Plus, it reminds me of something delicious and sweet,” the author says.

“The word shmirshky is more than a body part and a gender that defines femininity,” says the author, 57, who lives in Coronado, Calif., enjoys throwing parties for friends, and openly chats with just about every woman she meets about their perimenopause and menopause experience. “It is a spirit, an attitude, and a state of mind,” she says.

“Shmirshky evokes confidence, care, and humor during demanding, chaotic, and often depressing times,” E says. “Shmirshky is dealing with life’s daily challenges with a grin instead of a grimace. Shmirshky is fun, playful, sexy, and accepting.”

In addition to E’s personal perimenopause and menopause stories, the book Shmirshky: the pursuit of hormone happiness is filled with funny menopause tales and stories, and heart warming personal experiences from a variety of women and the men who love them. Shmirshky condenses a confusing and daunting medical topic into an easy to understand, purse-sized guide which can be used as a reference book throughout the perimenopause and menopause experience. It’s like CliffsNotes for perimenopause and menopause.

“This menopause book is for regular women and men who don’t want to pour through hundreds of pages of medical text,” E says. “The book speaks volumes so you don’t have to read volumes.”

Unlike other menopause books, this unique guide includes a Menopause Symptoms Chart that women can fill out and bring to their doctor. This chart helps doctors understand each woman’s unique challenges to better assist her in finding the help she needs.

Also included in Shmirshky is a Hormone Therapy brand chart that lists hormone options and identifies which of them are bio-identical and which are not. This is a rare resource and is extremely helpful for women who decide to take Hormone Replacement Therapy during their time in perimenopause and menopause.

Shmirshky is an easy-to-understand primer for men who may know next to nothing about this change in the lives of the women they love. Women can feel comfortable giving this book to their husbands, boyfriends, and loved ones so that they can better provide understanding and support.

More than just a menopause book, Shmirshky is also the basis for the author’s comprehensive and interactive website and blog, http://www.ellendolgen.com, where women and men can go to get information and share their stories. It’s all part of her goal of providing love, support, humor and no-nonsense information to the sisterhood who are, will, or have gone through perimenopause and menopause.

You can order your copy of the new and improvedShmirshky: the pursuit of hormone happiness at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, IndieBound or wherever books are sold!