Anyone have a review manuscript of Jennifer 8 Lee's book on Chinese food? Apparently, the self-promoting New York Times writer has included no fewer than four pages of name-dropping acknowledgments. They deserve to disseminated more widely.

At first, we thought Jenny 8. Lee's oversharing was just on this side of adorable, if mildly grating. We're reconsidering our assessment in light of her latest blog post, which reproduces, in full, the gushing letter she received from her editor, Jon Karp, upon the submission of her first draft. We can't help but think that Jenny has just bought herself a one-way ticket on the Schadenfreude Express.

Somewhere at the nexus of self-promotion/congratulation, reflexive ass-kissing, and totally charming genuine enthusiasm is New York Times metro reporter Jenny 8. Lee's new website. As we learned a while back, her new book used to be called The Long March of General Tso, but apparently that title was too confusing—there was some concern that people would think it was a book about the Chinese military. Because people are stupid. Now it's called the Fortune Cookie Chronicles, which should play better on the "synagogues and college campuses" Jenny plans on hitting on her book tour. Also, it seems that Jenny is an overachiever—her editor, Jon Karp, had contracted her for 90,000 words, and it looked like she was going to be 20,000 over. But Karp told her not to worry, as they could just change the typesetting: "Perhaps you did something similar in high school when you had to turn in a term paper." Uh, right. We were always turning in papers that were just too long. Anyway: Watch that space! She'll be posting cat pictures within weeks.

Jennifer 8. Lee, the Times reporter who penned the infamous "Man Date" story for Sunday Styles back in 2005, is under the gun, which explains why she hasn't invited you to any parties recently. She's got just three months to go, while still working Metro desk stabbings-and-fires style, before she must turn in the finished draft of her upcoming book about the diaspora of Chinese food. Gawker Weekend ambushed her up at Harvard today, where she was talking to students, and saw a mock-up of "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles"—pub date, March, 2008, and yes, it lost its genius original title, "The Long March of General Tso"—but the lettering of the title is quite brilliantly done up to look like a packet of soy sauce. Plus the jacket, it's orange, which is perfect: not too red, not too yellow. Most recently, Lee's been cramming for a chapter devoted to Chinese food around the world, and she's been burning through her advance in search of the greatest non-China-based Chinese restaurant on earth. So far, she's been to Rome, Paris, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Singapore, Vancouver, Bangkok, and soon to Dubai. Unclear whether that list is complete, but apparently the shit's different wherever you go. In France, they have sweet 'n' sour frog legs!

It's been awhile since we've reveled in the wise words of Jenny 8. Lee, she of Man-dates, multi-city birthday extravaganzas, and books about the history of American Chinese food. But fear not, Jenny-watchers: She's imparted her wisdom to that august trade association, the Publishers' Publicity Association. We can all rest a little easier knowing that she "would like it if publicists married pitches w/trends in society." Sure does make pitching the Styles section a whole lot easier, doesn't it? More of her publicity needs and wants after the jump.

In a world where anyone with a blog can get a book deal, why should one of this decade's most tenuous trend pieces be optioned for film? The Observer is reporting that rights to "The Man Date," Jennifer 8. Lee's shocking expose on buddy nights are on the verge of being acquired by an independent filmmaker. God give us strength; we know how this one is going to turn out.

We have no idea how the Jenny 8. finagled a 9-inch story on an insignificant trend — people naming their babies Nevaeh, which is "heaven" backwards — with an entirely inscrutable headline, no explicative display type, and insufficient heft to merit any jump space at all, from its rightful home deep inside a weekend section to its prominent placement on the bottom of today's front page. But we must say we're impressed. Good work, kid.

• The Village Voice gets its very own hipster-Blair, in the form of young Nick Sylvester, who fabricated parts of his cover story. Upon being caught, he fainted outside of editor Doug Simmons' office, only to find himself suspended upon regaining consciousness. Meanwhile, freelancers bitch about the possibilty of the story being a stolen pitch and Sylvester loses his indie cred by being asked to resign from his haute music-reviewing gig at Pitchfork.
EXHALE! And in other news:

When we received an email from Jenny Lee last night enquiring which of us was on the birthday beat, we answered honestly and then steeled ourselves for what we assumed would be the inevitable indignance. So you can imagine our surprise when her numerical name appeared in our inbox again moments later bearing not scorn but a gift. Herewith, the actual invitation to the four-city Jennifer 8. Lee 30th-birthday extravaganza, as delivered to invitees, and submitted by Ms. 8. Lee herself:

Hoping for a chance to wish a happy birthday to your favorite numeraled reporter? Have we got good news for you today, then. The Jennifer 8. Lee 30th-birthday extravaganza will be making a four-stop U.S. tour. We hear from people fortunate enough to be invited that select friends, members of the Harvard-alumni Yahoo listserv, Times colleagues, man-daters, and Amandra Tree recently received a real, old-fashioned, paper invite on card stock, bearing on its front the image of a Chinese food container, chop sticks, and a fortune cookie and on the back this text:

Perhaps a brewing Jenny 8. Lee trend story? From Craigslist this morning:

Times trendmonger Jennifer 8. Lee has sold her first book, the Observer reports today:

What are Times up-and-comers thankful for this year? We asked, and they answered. Three more from the Gray Lady, starting with Stylesy trendmonger Jennifer 8. Lee, who turns earnest on us:

Thursday Styles
OCTOBER 6, 2005

The Romenesko headline seemed so exciting: "Young NYT Staffers Told to Be Rebellious in Their Writing."