What She Left Us by Stephanie Elliot

Today's authorWSLU amazon FINAL COVER FROM SARAH: Stephanie Elliot Her latest: What She Left Us

The scoop on it: Jenna and Courtney are dealing with the unexpected death of their mother in different ways. Jenna broke off her engagement to the man she thought she'd love forever, while Courtney headed back to college to take charge of a dorm-floor full of college students as a resident assistant.

Six months later, Jenna is fueled by panic over the news that the sisters may have the same disease that caused their mother's death and she makes an irrational decision - she packs it up and heads to college to be with Courtney. The timing couldn't be worse for Courtney, who's discovering love for the first time with Mitch, a sexy guitar player who may just be off limits.

Emotionally unstable, Jenna wonders if she made the worst mistake of her life by breaking off her engagement with Darren, and when he shows up to make amends, she can't help but second-guess her decision. But then there's Clay, the compassionate bartender at Klippy's who seems to understand everything Jenna's going through. And those hazel eyes just seem to see right through to Jenna's soul…

As the girls maneuver through their unpredictable futures, trying to manage their new health risks as well as tumultuous love lives, Courtney finds a disturbing photograph that indicates there may be more to their family than she ever imagined.

This stunning revelation could shatter the sisters to the very core, making them question everything they thought they knew about their family, their faith, their past and, most of all, each other.

Our thoughts: A fast-paced, engaging read. We absolutely love Stephanie and her books--definitely download this one!

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of What She Left Us here and in the novel section, there's info about her upcoming book, Before the Beginning, out this summer!

Where you can read more about Stephanie: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

eBook Week: The Twelve Days to Christmas by Michele Gorman

Featured ebook: The Twelve Days to Christmas by Michele Gorman Cost: $2.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win!  We’ll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: What if his proposal had an expiration date? Hannah's in a bit of a pickle. In twelve days she flies from Hong Kong to the US with Sam, where he's finally going to meet her parents... and ask to marry her. Since overcoming a rather rocky patch in their relationship (which was totally his fault), he really is a new man, and they're completely in love. The problem is, she feels panicky every time she contemplates matrimony. Which is perfectly normal, isn't it? Isn't it?! She has no idea but she's got to find out before he pops the question... because she's not 100% sure she's going to say yes. Which will make for a very uncomfortable family holiday. He's got to ask her before they go. So Operation Proposal begins.

As time ticks down to their flight, Hannah realizes that her own secrets are threatening their future. Before she can be happy with Sam, she's got a lot to learn about herself in the twelve days to Christmas.

Happy holidays! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

 

eBook Week: Sleigh Ride: A Winter Anthology

Featured eBook: Sleigh Ride: A Winter Anthology Cost: $3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The Scoop: A Winter Anthology includes seven wintry tales of romance, adventure and drama by award-winning women authors Megan Barlog, Maria Geraci, Dani Stone, Malena Lott, Maggie Marr, Jenny Peterson, Samantha Wilde. Each short story includes a sleigh ride and is sure to put the reader in the mood for the most wonderful season of all. Called "beautiful" and "touching," this collection is a Good Read/Good Deed project with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the domestic violence prevention cause through the Alpha Chi Omega foundation.

In Samantha Wilde's, "Monks and Musicians," a quaint sleigh ride is anything but calm or bright when a mom hears some news that turns her life upside down.

Maria Geraci takes readers to sunny Florida where a woman takes the holidays in her own hands with an unexpected romantic adventure in "Noche Buena."

Sisters reunite and prove the powerful bond of family stretches across the miles in Jenny Peterson's, "Fairy Lights."

Megan Barlog gives us a glimpse of life in the Dome where a handsome stable owner befriends a woman whose future is in peril in "The Escape."

In Dani Stone's "No Place Like Home" second chances are especially bittersweet around the holidays, but is it worth the risk to love again?

A lost dog in a snowstorm in Vermont tests a woman's spirit in this tale of survival and the best Christmas present of all in Maggie Marr's, "Dashing Through the Snow."

A grieving mom goes home for the holidays to face the family she left behind after tragedy in Malena Lott's, "Snowflakes and Stones."

 

7 Holiday questions for Samantha March

Ebook week continues with the fabulous Samantha March of Chick Lit Plus. She's here to dish on her new book, THE GREEN TICKET and answer some of our "hard-hitting" holiday questions! Featured eBook: The Green Ticket by Samantha March

Cost:$3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies! Leave a comment and we’ll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.

While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself --is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle? The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...7 HOLIDAY QUESTIONS FOR SAMANTHA MARCH

1. Who do you think will most want to receive THE GREEN TICKET as a gift this year?

Hmm, now I’m trying to decide if you mean my book or...money! Since the big Powerball was just drawn the other night, that seems to still be the only thing on everyone’s mind – including my own! Seriously – what would one do with 500 MILLION dollars?! Back to the question – for the book I’d say my mom, for the money – probably Lindsay Lohan. I hear she’s having trouble paying her taxes. Darn shame.

2. What books are you giving as gifts this year?

Quite a few! To name some : THE GREEN TICKET (obvs!) BREAKING THE RULES by Cat Lavoie (fab!) DOGS HAVE ANGELS TOO by Sarah Cavallaro (so sweet!) and DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW by Joanna Trollope (for my mom!).

3. What's the next book you'll curl up by the fire with?

PASS THE HOT STUFF by Dana Page

4. Scrooge or The Grinch?

The Grinch!

5. Peppermint martini or hot cocoa?

Hot cocoa – with plenty of marshmallows!

6. Home Alone or Miracle on 34th Street?

Home Alone!

7. What's the #1 thing you're looking forward to in 2013?

My wedding :)

Congrats, Samantha! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

eBook Week: Malena Lott's Something New

Featured eBook: Something New by Malena Lott Cost:$3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: Three generations of women. Four secrets. One stage.

When matriarch Maeve Apple receives a letter in the mail that Princess & the Pauper is being remade, she believes she's 25 again and ready to relive her stardom. Meanwhile, her daughter, Bess, is dealing with Maeve's dementia, her own divorce and planning her youngest daughter's wedding, on the Luxe Weddings reality show. Bess' eldest daughter, Kelly, has a secret of her own that could threaten her chance at love again. Curvy Gwen, the youngest, may be the star of Luxe Weddings, but she finds her heart belongs on the stage, attracted by the lights and her co-star, as they search for Maeve's long-lost pauper and the biggest secret of all.

eBook Week: Amber Myer's The Swimmer's Assistant

Featured eBook: The Swimmer's Assistant by Amber Myers Cost: .99!  WOW.  How can you NOT buy a copy?

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a copy.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: Meet Jane Williams. She doesn’t understand the popularity of Twilight, can’t walk properly in high heels, struggles to speak Starbucks (venti what?), and nearly drowned in the toilet when she was a baby.

Meet Brian Parker. He’s a star swimmer with a temper and has just hired Jane to be his assistant as he trains for the London Olympics.

Enter the problem. Jane has developed feelings for Brian which is ridiculous because he has a dog who hates her, he chews with his mouth open, and has a perfect Twilight-obsessed girlfriend named Vanessa who plays Cinderella at Disneyland. Surely her crush can’t amount to anything. Or can it? There was that time when they nearly kissed…..

eBook Week: True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur

Featured eBook: True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur Cost: $9.99

Giveway: ONE copy!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: After the sudden death of her Italian winemaker husband, Meryl Michelli flees to her small hometown in Pennsylvania, looking to slam the door on heartache and trudge forward. But it's never that simple, especially when old family ties have been strained by years of geographic and emotional distance. A chance encounter with a childhood friend brings back a betrayal she could never put to rest, and readjusting to life in the States in upper mid-life wears her thin in ways she never could have imagined. But it's only when she completely falls apart that Meryl comes to understand that the key to the future lies in understanding the meaning of the past.

True Vines traverses the lush, manicured rows of northern Italy's majestic wine country and the winding path of Pennsylvania's Delaware River as Meryl seeks to reconcile her past and her present. Saying goodbye to one existence allows Meryl to swing the door open to another as she weaves a new, uniquely beautiful tapestry that transports her to exactly the place in this short, sacred life she is meant to be.

eBook Week! Lauren Baratz-Logsted's Pursuing The Times

Welcome to eBook week!  We'll be showcasing fun eBooks each day for you to download and read in between your last-minute shopping.  And, duh, of course, we'll be doing some giveaways also!  Enjoy!

Today's featured eBook: Pursuing The Times by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Cost: Only $4.99 at Amazon!

Giveaway: TWO eCopies! Leave a comment here and we'll choose a winner on December 23rd after 3pm PST.

The Scoop: All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review - just one - and she'll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing's for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

Back to School eBook LOVE!

Where did summer go?  Damn, we still have SO many fantastic beach reads sitting in our bag! We had a feeling you might have the back-to-school blues, so we thought we'd cheer y'all up with a little eBook love.  Because, who doesn't love a good eBook, right?  *yells into megaphone* RIGHT?

We've got four that we think you'll love, and are giving away a few of each to get your school year started off right.  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  Have a preference?  Let us know that too!

BACK TO SCHOOL eBOOK LOVE!

Bleak: A Novel by Lynn Messina A smart, funny take on the Charles Dickens classic BLEAK HOUSE—for anyone who’s ever held on to a dream just a little too long.

New York writer Ricki Carstone knows the odds of Hollywood actually turning her debut novel, Jarndyce and Jarndyce, into a movie are slim. But Moxie Bernard, the most famous teen on the planet, has signed on to star in the option. Plus, the producer is throwing her a super fabulous party in Hollywood (with Moxie!) to celebrate the relaunch of her book with a younger, sexier cover. Maybe it will happen after all.

Quitting her dead-end paralegal job to move out to Los Angeles and keep an eye on the project, Ricki meets a handsome out-of-work actor who encourages her to try her hand at screenwriting, and an experienced screenwriter who is willing to help her for a fee, which only starts out small. And then there's her cute neighbor Simon, who thinks her new friends are just taking advantage of her. Will Ricki ever see her name in lights and make it big in Hollywood?

You can read more about Lynn at her website.

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment to be entered to win.  Winners will be chosen Monday, September 3rd after 6pm PST.

Breaking The Rules by Cat Lavoie When twenty-seven year old Roxy Rule’s best friend and roommate accepts a glamorous new job overseas, she expects their relationship to continue as it’s always been—carefree and easy—until they share a heart-stopping kiss moments before his departure. Overcome with mixed emotions, she fights the urge to over analyze the situation and resumes back to her normal life in New York City, working for an intolerable boss at a dead end job, creeping further and further away from her own dreams of becoming a professional chef.

While things become more complicated between her and Ollie, Roxy is sure that nothing can come between two lifelong best friends—not even mild jealousy over a thriving career or a silly little kiss that meant nothing. In fact, it was such a meaningless and forgettable kiss that she convinces herself that it’s not even worth mentioning to her fiancé, although it is all she can think about.

Roxy’s already topsy-turvy life only gets more complicated when her sisters Steffi and Izzie suddenly become her roommates. Steffi is six months into a pregnancy she refuses to discuss and Izzie is in the throes of a premature midlife crisis. Roxy tries to take control of her career, her love life and her sisters – but can she really handle it all? And can the Rule family keep it together – or break under the pressure?

To read more about Cat, head on her to her website.

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment to be entered to win.  Winners will be chosen Monday, September 3rd after 6pm PST.

Haole Wood by Dee DeTarsio  When San Diego weathercaster, Jaswinder Park, is mysteriously summoned to the island of Maui in Hawaii to help her grandmother, she ends up losing her job. This fair-haired, light-skinned foreigner, called haole by the natives, decides to stay in Maui for a couple of days until she can figure out what to do with her life. She realizes that her quick trip to Maui may not be all she’s hoping for when:

-She has to bail her Hawaiian/Korean grandmother out of jail for possession of pakalolo.

-The only thing she can understand her grandmother say is: “Not that.”

-She can’t decide which hurts worse, her sunburn, hangover, or memories of the night before.

-She’s labeled the “Liquor Licker” on the front page of the Maui News in a photo that shows her doing a shot of tequila with a hunky Hawaiian who’s been found dead.

-It seems she’s had orgasms that have lasted longer than her career.

-She scrapes the bottom of the barrel to find her guardian angel.

Beautiful fabric found in her grandmother’s closet unfolds a future for Jaswinder as she designs sensuous silky wraps called sunshminas that provide sun protection. She tries for a Hollywood connection, but her company, Haole Wood, has some growing pains. From trying to find a killer, to selling her sunshminas, to lusting after Dr. Jac, the island dermatologist, to trying to ignore her so-called guardian angel, can Jaswinder learn to embrace the island way of life? Aloha!

Great news!  Haole Wood is FREE on Amazon for the next FIVE days starting today! So EVERYONE can get a free copy!  Woo hoo! You can read more about Dee at her website.

Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone For Lauren Tate, a high-powered TV producer, sex, lies, and scandal make for a great movie-of-the-week, but when she becomes the target of a smear campaign, even the most salacious of Hollywood’s tales can’t compare to her real life drama. With her soon-to-be-ex-husband leading the effort to sully her reputation, and her former assistant threatening to snatch her hard-earned position at Timeless Television out of her hands, Lauren’s perfectly planned life quickly begins to unravel at the seams.

Clawing her way back to the top of the TV food chain is no easy task, especially in an industry where backstabbing is a sport and gossip is a fulltime business. But Lauren learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart is missing in action. Can she salvage her career, her reputation, and her love life? Or will Hollywood be the death of her?

You can read more about Lucie at her website.

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment to be entered to win.  Winners will be chosen Monday, September 3rd after 6pm PST.

Thanks! xoxo, L&L

 

Must Have Summer eBooks!

Thank GAWD, Summer is finally here! Awesome spray tan? Check!

Painful yet necessary Bikini wax? Check!

Cool eBooks to read at the beach? CHECK!!!!

We've got the hottest eBooks right here at CLIND for your reading pleasure-and OF COURSE we have copies to give away!  Read on to see what's on Liz & Lisa's iPad this summer....

Construct a Couple by Talli Roland  With a great job at a reputable magazine and a man who's the perfect match, Serenity Holland thinks she's laid the foundation for an ideal London life. When a routine assignment uncovers a shocking secret threatening her boyfriend's company, Serenity decides to leave nothing to chance, taking matters into her own hands. Soon, though, she realises keeping secrets isn't as easy as she thought . . . and the consequences are far worse than she ever imagined.

Sound fab?  We have TWO e-copies to giveaway!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on Sunday June 24th after 6pm PST!  You can also find Talli on Twitter.

 

The Last Resort by Malena Lott Mojo and fitness guru, Rachel Woods, takes the women through adventures on the magic island to discover their deepest desires and fears. Readers will catch up with characters from Lott's previous novels: Ramona (Dating da Vinci), Taylor (The Stork Reality), Macy (Fixer Upper), Georgia (Life’s a Beach) and get introduced to Kelly, who gets her own novel, Something New, in Fall 2012.

The six women converge at the luxury resort in Maui at a time when their lives are at a crossroads, personally and professionally. From the workaholic Taylor, to the newly-divorced mom with the identity crisis Georgia, to the broken-hearted Kelly, the island helps them find their own mojo for what matters most. And their fearless leader, Rachel, has a secret of her own that set the whole chain of events in motion.

Feeling this novella?  Then leave a comment for your chance to win on of TWO copies!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday June 24th after 6pm PST. You can also find Malena on Twitter.

Thank You For Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman.

On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth?

Into it?  Then leave a comment-we ave TWO copies for giveaway!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, June 24th after 6pm PST. You can also find Erik on Twitter and Facebook.

 

 

 

Must have eBooks for Spring!

It's that time of year again-the flowers are blooming, we've just put our boots away and are ready to take down the top on the convertible. It's Spring!  But what we really need? A good eBook to chill with while the kids play in the pool! So we put together of list of a few that looked fun. And OF COURSE we have a couple for giveaway too. Read on to what we're digging for Spring...

Blame It On The Fame by Tracie Banister A power-trippin’ bitch, a has-been, a skanky ex-model, a press-shy indie queen, and a British stage actress no one knows – that’s how the Best Actress hopefuls in this year’s too-close-to-call Oscar race cattily describe each other. Which of them will win the much-coveted gold statue and what price will they be forced to pay as they travel the red carpeted-path to Hollywood glory?

Amidst all the press-schmoozing and angsting over which designer gown to wear, these Oscar contenders feud, commiserate, and face a succession of personal crises – scandalous secrets come to light, marriages implode, accidents land two nominees in the hospital while another receives news that could derail her career, all culminating on Tinsel Town’s biggest night when anything can happen, and does. GIVEAWAY: TWO e-Copies! Leave a comment by Sunday April 29th at 6pm PST.

Find Tracie on Twitter and at her her blog.

Sugarfiend by Caroline Burau If her life is a box of chocolates, acid-tongued, sugar-obsessed Estelle Brown should learn how to pick them better. Her boyfriend’s left her for a bulimic hand model, her roommate’s skipped town, and her boss is in love with her. In the middle of her latest of a lifetime of doomed diet attempts – cutting sugar cold turkey – Estelle decides to quit quitting for good, pack her bags, and lose herself on a 7-day Caribbean cruise.

But even on a floating monument to binge eating, the diet industry follows her. Across from every buffet is a studio full of treadmills. Next to every plate of fried calamari is a large diet Coke. As a ship full of wary passengers ducks for cover, Hurricane Estelle wages her own personal war against moderation. But the consequences land her in the belly of the beast: broke, alone, and forced to take a job as –of all things-- a detox consultant for the ship.

Is Skinny the answer to Happy? Is Sweet ‘n Low the new black? Is that Denise Austin chick … for real? No, no, and yes . . . oddly. But for a Sugarfiend, it’s not the destination that matters, it’s all the cupcakes you get to eat along the way. GIVEAWAY: TWO e-Copies.  Just leave a comment by Sunday April 28th at 6pm PST!

To read more about Caroline, find her on Twitter.

Sneak Peak: Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark (out May 21st!) Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired.

With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage.

Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage? GIVEAWAY: TWO e-Copies!  Leave a comment by Sunday April 29th at 6pm PST and you'll be entered to win!

To learn more about Lauren, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks y'all!  And happy Spring! Now go plant some flowers already. xoxo, L&L

 

The Cell Phone Lot by Stephanie Elliot

Blow up the balloons! Cue the streamers! Break out that bubbly- stat!  MaNiC MoMMy (a.k.a. Stephanie Elliot) is in 'da house sharing the news about her short story, The Cell Phone Lot (available today!). It's a fabulous, fast-paced and funny story about chance encounters. (We love the premise!) And not only is she here, but she's taking over. We've given her the reins (which y'all know we don't do that often) and told her to run this show. So without further adieu, heeeere's Stephanie!

Just one more thing--because you know we're control freaks--she's giving away 5 copies  of The Cell Phone Lot! Details below... Okay, we're really leaving now. Promise!

Okay, really, we mean it this time, heeeere's Stephanie!

The Cell Phone Lot is a short story I wrote between Christmas and New Year’s when my husband and I were flying from Arizona to Ohio to go to my grandmother’s funeral. Being at the airport just sparks imagination, and while there, I recalled a time I was waiting in a cell phone lot, and the idea snuck into my mind. The story came pouring out then, and I wrote these 65 pages really fast.

This little story is all about chance encounters, fate and taking risks in your life. And I truly do believe that every person we come in contact with has been placed in our “life timeline” for a reason, that nothing is random, and everything has a specific purpose. Whether it is to cheer someone up in line while waiting at the post office, to offer a suggestion to a new mother at the park, or to meet your soul mate, I think every contact we make with another human being is purposeful and with reason. This is what I believe fate to be. When I met my husband, I was 20 and he was 21. We were both attending Northern Illinois University. I was heading out with my roommates to go to the bar we frequented. It was a Friday night, early, like 6 p.m. and we usually didn’t go out that early. We wanted to get there to grab a table, but the bar was packed because of some fraternity event.

So we were waiting around until a table opened up, drinking our dollar drafts (yes, back then they only cost one dollar!). A table opened up and two football players went for the same one we were eyeing. I didn’t care for football at all, wasn’t impressed that the guys were big football jocks, but I wanted to get a table, and one of the guys was kind of cute. We argued with them a bit that we got to the table first, and then the five of us agreed to share it.

The guy at the table bought me a beer, shared his pizza, kissed me at another bar later that night, and became my husband and the father of my three kids. We’ll have been married 19 freaking years in May. That’s still crazy to think about because he and I both still feel like we are those college kids back in 1990.

The fateful thing about our chance encounter on February 2, 1990 (Wow, I just realized I met him on the day The Cell Phone Lot is coming out! How’s THAT for fate – 22 years to the day!)… the neatest thing about our story is that there are so many chances for us to have NOT met that night, and also so many chances for us to have met previously. But it was THAT night that was supposed to be THE night for us.

We discovered that when I was a freshman, we had a math class together. We probably had been to the same parties. I knew some of his closest friends – even typed papers for one of his best friends. Had I met him any other time, there would have been no way we’d ever been together forever. Yeah, we might have hooked up earlier during college – to have our relationship outlast the four years of college? No way. We needed that time to grow and become the people we were when we met that night.

And I could have totally missed him the night we met. Let’s say my roommates weren’t ready to leave when we left for the bar, or we didn’t see the table become available, or one of our fake IDs didn’t work that night? There were so many components that led to us meeting that night, that it was completely meant to be.

This is why I love stories about fate, and love, and risk-taking and chance encounters.

With The Cell Phone Lot, I wanted to create two people who might not otherwise ever meet and have them want to be together so badly but to have some major obstacles get in the way.

Grant is at the cell phone lot to pick up a woman he’s going to meet for the first time that he ‘met’ through an online dating service when he meets Bridge in the cell phone lot. She’s also waiting to pick up someone at the airport. They are attracted to each other instantly, and their attraction is palpable.

Their relationship unfolds in the airport as the flights they’re waiting for are delayed by bad weather. It’s anybody’s guess as to what happens – if this chance encounter has fate arriving for them, or if they’ll have separate departures … never to see one another again.

I’d love to give away five copies here, and for those who don’t win it, it’s only 99 cents on Amazon.

Think about where you are now and who you’re with – what led you to this place in your life? Was it a chance encounter? Fate? Was the timing absolutely perfect that any little glitch in the planning and you would have never met? I’d love to hear your story in the comment section for a chance to win one of the five ebooks we’re giving away here!

And thanks Liz and Lisa for hosting me on Chick Lit is Not Dead!

To find out more about Stephanie Elliot, visit her website.

Thanks, Stephanie! xoxo,

L&L

(Fine print: We'll randomly select the winners of The Cell Phone Lot on Monday, February 6 after 6pm PST.)

Must have e-books for the holidays

There are only, count 'em, 10 days until Christmas (WTF? Where has the time gone?). And whether you're looking for e-Books to load onto your own e-Reader (hey nothing wrong with giving yourself a gift-or in this case 3-this holiday!) or you want to give them as gifts, we've got a list of the e-Books everyone should read this holiday. The best part? Not only are they fab, but each one is available for less than 5 bucks! Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris. We loved this LOL funny, breezy, yet poignant read about a 30-something single girl living in Texas (and the cover is fantastic too!).

Here's the skinny on Blue Straggler: From the quirky, memorable characters who make up Bailey Miller’s circle of family and friends to that feeling of your makeup sliding right off in the humidity. Readers will easily identify with Bailey’s sometimes humorous, often semi-tragic, choices that eventually lead her out of Texas, to a small mountain town in Colorado, and back. Along the way, she searches for not only herself but also answers to long-held secrets from her “legitimately unbalanced” great-grandmother’s past. Bonus: She may even find love with a moody mountain man along the way.

Another bonus?: If you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of five e-copies of Blue Straggler! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, December 18th after 6:00p.m. PST.

To find out more about Kathy Lynn Harris, visit her website.

Growing Up Beautiful by Lori Jones.  This juicy glimpse into the inside world of modeling is a page-turner. (Jones own sixteen year modeling career definitely lends authenticity to the novel). And it's told from the alternating POV's of three models (you know we're suckers for a multiple narrative!) In a word, you will LOVE.

Here are the deets on Growing up Beautiful: In the summer of 1986, three young American women are chosen to join a modeling agency in Europe’s fashion capitol of Milan.United as roommates by chance, Star, Joanne and Casey soon find their dreamed-of careers as models taking paths as different as their personalities. Star, who leaves behind her waitress job along with a handful of crumpled up dollar tips, sees her beauty as a way move to the top of Milan’s social strata.Joanne, raised in a privileged lifestyle, is expected to continue an Ivy League education, which doesn't interest her as much as a young photographer she meets on a casting.Casey is a naïve seventeen year old who is ready for adventure, even the dangerous kind.Together, these three learn the funny, unexpected and sometimes ugly truths about growing up beautiful.

Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of five e-copies of Growing Up Beautiful! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, December 18th after 6:00p.m. PST.

To find out more about Lori Jones, visit her website.

Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark. As a former TV news producer and anchor, Clark nails this novel. It's fast-paced, entertaining and gives you a deliciously voyeuristic look at the behind the scenes drama that goes on in a newsroom!

The scoop on Stay Tuned:  For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee meltdowns to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle. But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch.Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life begins fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker makes Melissa her next target.

What happens next? Stay Tuned…

And leave a comment to win one of five e-copies of Stay Tuned! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, December 18th after 6:00p.m. PST.

Watch the trailer for Stay Tuned here. To find out more about Lauren Clark, visit her website.

Thanks, Kathy, Lori and Lauren!

xoxo,

L&L

 

 

Sharing the e-book Love- again!

Y'all know we're self-proclaimed e-book whores. Don't get us wrong, we're book whores tried and true, but there's just something we love about getting our download on! It's almost as exciting as getting a good deal when we're online shopping (like that to die for beret Lisa snapped up for her daughter yesterday. So what if she's only eight-months-old!). So when we read an e-book that we absolutely love, we have to share the e-book love with you- immediately. And of course there are copies for giveaway. Just read on... Here are three more e-books that we're lovin' on right now and think you should download--stat. (And of course we have to remind you about ours too. Cuz we're just shameless like that. Click here and here for the deets.)

Meant to Be by Beverly Butler and Sue Warhaftig. We're not sure what we love more- this sassy, LOL novel or the fact that it was written by two authors! (*wink* *wink*) What we know for sure is when a novel is described as a steamy page turner about middle aged people behaving...badly, we're in!

Are you in too?

Well, here's the skinny on Meant to Be: The novel is about Judith McCoy, a middle-aged mom who hasn’t been tak­ing care of her­self because she’s too busy tak­ing care of oth­ers. Today’s multi-tasking women read­ers will relate to Judith’s plight and root for her as she winds along the bumpy road of self-discovery. The book is sexy, irrev­er­ent, mov­ing, funny and, ulti­mately, uplift­ing. It’s filled with char­ac­ters who try to gen­uinely help Judith and some who are the rea­son for her despair.

 Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Meant to Be! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, October 2nd after 6pm EST. And for more info about the lovely Beverly and Sue, check out their website and follow them on Facebook (there's an excerpt from their book) and Twitter. Thanks, ladies!

Live Out loud by Heather Wardell.  We loved this fun read so much, we decided we needed to snap up her six others. Yes, you read that right -six! Live Out Loud is a novel about friendship, dreams and a pop princess all rolled into one.

Like what you're hearing so far?

Here's the skinny on Live Out Loud: Songwriter Amy wants to honor her late best friend by starting the support center for teenage girls they'd planned when they were just girls themselves. When her song becomes an internet sensation she sees how to get the money she needs, but soon realizes she adores her new pop star career. She must choose: create the center she needed herself as a teen or truly become Misty Will, pop princess?

Click here to read an excerpt. And leave a comment to win a copy of Live Out Loud. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, October 2nd after 6PM EST.

To find out more about the talented Heather Wardell, check out her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And find out where you can buy Live Out Loud here. Thanks, Heather!

 

Diary of a Mummy Misfit by Amanda Egan.  We love the title. We love the cover. And we devoured this delicious story about mommies (or should we say mummies) friendship and bitches! Woo hoo!

Want to hear more?

The skinny on Diary of a Mummy Misfit:

Ever felt like you don't belong?When Libby Marchant and husband Ned made the monumental decision to sacrifice luxuries and holidays to see their only son Max through private education, they hadn’t expected to meet so many unsavoury and dislikeable personalities. Happily, the cruel jibes of the pompous ‘Meemies’ are made more tolerable by the lasting and loyal friendship they strike up with the ...affluent Fenella & Josh. Follow Libby’s journey as she discovers the chasm between the Haves and the Have-Nots in her mad new world of school committees, designer handbags, bitching and botox. With Fenella by her side, Libby is able to maintain her sanity. But what happens when the credit crunch bites, you’re desperate for another baby and your Asian neighbour is trying to match-make you with her infatuated son?
Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Diary of a Mummy Misfit! We'll randomly select the winner on Sunday, October 2nd after 6PM EST. To find out more about the fabulous Amanda Egan, check out her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And find out where you can buy her book here. Thanks, Amanda!
xoxo,
L&L

 

 


 

Thanks for sharing in the e-book love!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa