Sit, Cinderella, Sit - by Lisa Cheek (Paperback)

About the Book

"A debut memoir and (sort of) Cinderella story about a woman who'd been told she was "too old" to create magic who flew to rural China, edited a film without speaking a word of Mandarin, and discovered her own power."--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

A debut memoir and (sort of) Cinderella story about a woman who'd been told she was "too old" to create magic who flew to rural China, edited a film without speaking a word of Mandarin, and discovered her own power.

Lisa Cheek loved editing TV commercials--almost as much as she loved her dog, Ron Howard. Then, she "aged out" of advertising, at 45. After being let go, Lisa got a call--at 2:45 AM--from a director who, like everyone in Hollywood, had a film he wanted to make: the original Cinderella story. Now, his dream could come true--if Lisa granted his wish.

In Sit, Cinderella, Sit, Lisa Cheek shares her adventures in editing a film made on location in China--along the Tibetan border--where Mandarin was the only language spoken by everyone but her. Stuck in a house with fourteen men she couldn't understand, literally, she yearned for conversation and coffee.

But there were moments of wonder and laughter. Lisa forged a bond with her translator and a woman named Sunny. She rescued one dog, and then another. "Everyone speaks Cinderella," the director had assured her. Maybe he was right.

Told with humor and heart through a fairy tale lens, with flashbacks into the author's not-always-happy childhood, Sit, Cinderella, Sit is a story about what can happen when you take a leap of faith, look and hear beyond people's differences, and dare to believe in yourself.

Review Quotes

Listed in People's "Best Books of January 2025"
Listed in Zibby Owens's "Most Anticipated Books of 2025"

"A feel-good memoir about embracing risk and finding the courage to love."--Kirkus Reviews

"This memoir is a heartwarming exploration of self-discovery, perfect for those looking for a light yet reflective read."--Readers' Favorite, 5-star review

"Out of work in her forties, Lisa Cheek accepted a job offer that took her to China. Familiar work, but made seemingly impossi- ble because Cheek spoke no Chinese. Nevertheless, she set out on what became an adventure into herself. It is a great story, a triumphant story well told, with the added bonus of two darling dogs that help along the way."--Abigail Thomas, New York Times best-selling author of A Three Dog Life: A Memoir

"In all seasons of life, there are times we feel unmoored. Sit, Cinderella, Sit, chronicles one such time with honesty, insight, and hope. It's one of those stories that helps you remember that kindness and love are universal languages, best spoken by dogs." --Julie Barton, New York Times best-selling author of Dog Medicine, How My Dog Saved Me From Myself

"Lisa Cheek's can't-put-it-down memoir seems so blithely written, it feels like you're dishing about life with your best friend. All of a sudden, you realize you're smitten with the story and have been touched by its sweetness. Transfixed and transformed, I found magic on every page of this thoroughly delightful modern-day fairy tale." --Debra Landwehr Engle, author of The Only Little Prayer You Need and Twenty

"What an adventure! Lisa Cheek gives us a raw and heartfelt story any dog lover will relate to. Travel, dogs, and a peek into the unglamorous side of Hollywood by way of China--what more could a reader want?" --Teresa J. Rhyne, New York Times best-selling author of The Dog Lived (and So Will I) and Poppy In The Wild

"With a quick-witted tone and the creative lens of a gifted filmmaker, Lisa Cheek takes us through the mid-life resurrection of a woman who isn't afraid to make her own way. In the end, she reminds us that we aren't meant to do life solo and that true surrender requires far more strength than weakness." --Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Perennials

"Cheek takes us on a delightful and charming journey through an almost hidden part of the world. Sit, Cinderella, Sit has a bit of everything that you will want to read again and again." --Christy Warren, author of Flash Point

"With tenderness, wit, and curiosity, Lisa Cheek takes you on an eye-popping adventure that proves it's never too late to find your true place in the world."--Rona Maynard, author of Starter Dog: My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World

"Sit, Cinderella, Sit is vivid, enticing, and heartfelt. I was right there with her minute by (often) uncomfortable and (very often) poignant minute." --Patti Eddington, author of The Girl with Three Birthdays

"Here is a fresh voice, a wise old soul with a bouncy young attitude and the golden gift of capturing the bright shards of life. Her sketches of the precarious life of the people who make the wheels of Hollywood go round are totally convincing . . . an unimaginable adventure filled with all the pain and joy of a complete life . . ." --Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

"Refreshingly candid and insightful, Sit, Cinderella, Sit, is an entertaining memoir of one woman's international journey in search of authentic love--for herself, for humanity, and for those powerful teachers we call dogs." --Michael Konik, author of Ella in Europe: An American Dog's International Adventure

About the Author

Lisa Cheek is a writer and former film editor. After twenty-five years editing and producing other people's work, she finally listened to the advice of friends and coworkers and decided to tell her own stories. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, her two mutts, Josie and Elvis Bruce Wayne, and two cats, Eartha Kitt and Trixie. When she's not working on her next book, she's traveling somewhere interesting. Lisa has several film and television scripts in various stages of development.