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Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Kaira Rouda

Happy Launch to the amazingly talented, Kaira Rouda! Her debut novel, Here, Home, Hope is a must-read for any woman who's ever thought about changing her life. Which, let's admit it, is pretty much all of us!  We'll admit that we've each had a "mid-life" crisis meltdown (or five!). So when we read, Here, Home, Hope, we were seriously LOL'ing  (and you know it takes a lot to get a real LOL out of us!) as we thought about our own lives.

So Liz was beyond honored to be asked by Kaira to blurb for her book.

And here it is... (so official!)

“A must read for anyone who's had their own mid-life crisis, Here, Home, Hope reminds us that it's never too late to reinvent ourselves.” – Liz Fenton, author of I'll Have Who She's Having, The D Word and creator of Chick Lit is not Dead

Synopsis of Here, Home, Hope: Kelly Mills Johnson is a 39-year-old mother and wife stuck in the rut of her middle-American suburban life.  A routine relationship with her lawyer husband, two uber-successful businesswomen for best friends to envy and an all-around predictable existence motivate Kelly to reinvent herself.

In an often-times humorous manner, Kelly begins diving into new projects (armed with Post-it notes and a Things to Change list), revisiting old memories and rediscovering passions.  Whether she is taking care of the anorexic teenager dumped on her doorstep, making up with an old high school friend or avoiding the boozy advances of her divorced neighbor, Kelly’s insistence on moving her life in a new direction and finding the perfect blend of home and career is inspiring and entertaining.

And if you leave a comment here, you could be one of the five lucky winners of a copy of Here Home Hope! We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm EST on Wednesday, May 4.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: KAIRA ROUDA

1.  How many agents did you query before you found "the one"?

Yes, well that is the question. I looked back at my files and I would guess, since 1997 – the year I first started querying literary agents – that I’ve approached/pitched about 300. That’s funny, actually. And sort of depressing if you let it be.

My first agent very much believed in my manuscript, WARNING. We met at the Antioch Writer’s Workshop and we had it sold, too, to a huge editor at a big house. The famous editor actually called me. I’ll never forget it. She loved the book. The next day, she died in a taxi in Manhattan. I didn’t have a contract.

My second agent was wonderful. I found her because she was in the same literary agency as my nonfiction agent who represented REAL YOU INCORPORATED. My second agent helped me understand what was selling, what the basic structure should be. She helped me draft the very first version of what is now HERE, HOME, HOPE. But she was, as all agents are, extremely busy. When we didn’t get a hit, she needed to move on.

So, the answer is, I haven’t found the one. Would I love to have a partner to guide my career and to help me through the next book, to help place it and make it better? Absolutely. Will that person come along? I don’t know. I guess it all depends on whether HERE, HOME, HOPE resonates with people – whether readers like it and want to read more. I hope that happens. I hope an agent comes into my life. It’s tough going it alone, it really is. But, given the choice of going it alone, or never going for it – I decided to go for it.

I’d love “the one” beside me.

2.  What was your rock bottom moment during the process?

December 13, 2010. I’m not kidding. I realized it is all up to me. I’m publishing my first novel with a small press and I don’t have an agent. I don’t have a big six publisher. For the first time in my life I don’t have a full time job. I have four kids – one in college and one about to go. I had that ….oh my goodness what are you thinking moment. It comes back, quite often. But I’m trying to climb out of the bottom.

I know I’ve written the best novel I can. I’ve done the best I can. I’ve partnered with the best publisher, publicist, event planner and support folks I can. My family is behind me. I have hope.

3.  How long did it take to write your book?

About 2 ½ years.

4.  What did you do to celebrate your book deal?

With a bottle of champagne and a walk on the beach with my husband, my biggest fan.

5.  Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?

I truly believe things happen when you’re ready; if I had been ready sooner, I would have published the novel sooner. That said, I wish I would have had the confidence to publish the novel sooner.

6.  Who is your writer crush?

Jenna Blum. She’s an adventurer, an author of amazing range and a great supporter of other authors. That said, I’m also enamored with Eleanor Brown, Beth Hoffman and, from a very far distance, Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult who stick up for women writers whenever they can. Love that!

7.  What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing?

My new puppy, Tucker. I cannot stop smiling at him. He is a living, walking Teddy Bear.

8.  GNO drink of choice?

Dirty martini. Stuffed olives. But most of the time, it’s Chardonnay. California, preferably.

9.  Favorite trashy TV show?

Housewives of ______ fill in the blank. I am fascinated, but not usually remembering to tune in. When I do, love it. I do have Bachelor/Bachelorette moments, too.

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?

Whichever celeb happens to be denigrating women at the moment…pick one. There are many. That sounds snarky, but it drives me crazy. We need to stand up for ourselves, for other women. Stick together.

Thanks so much for having me here!

You're welcome, Kaira! xoxo, L&L

For more information about the incredibly talented Kaira Rouda, visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

 

 

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Okay, so this is Lisa talking. I have a MAJOR girl crush/writer crush/mom-to-be crush on Aidan Donnelley Rowley. It was when I discovered her website and started reading her intelligent, humorous and very candid blogs, that the girl crush began. Then her debut novel,  Life After Yes was published. And that was it. There was no turning back. I was head over heels. (Aidan, I promise you that I am in no way a stalker type-I blame my pregnancy!) And then she started sharing stories on her blog of being pregnant with her third baby. And being the total first time prego sap that I am, have loved following along with her journey. Hence the the mom-to-be crush. Not surprisingly, when I shared Life After Yes with Liz, she also felt mad love for this incredibly talented author. And we knew we had to ask her to be our guest here at Chick Lit Is Not Dead. And she said yes.  She's here today telling us everything from how she got her first agent to her GNO drink of choice...

But first, Life After Yes begins: "I'm choking. I can't breath. The air's as thick as cream and smells like peanut oil. Everything is White. I begin to see shapes: the smooth surface under my elbows, the big box in front of me with the soft blog, my own trembling hands. I'm in my office but there are no windows or doors. Just walls." (Talk about a first page that draws you in!) Life After Yes is the story of Quinn O'Malley, a  young attorney, who, after losing her father, finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her boyfriend wants to get married and whisks her off to Paris to propose. But Quinn's not so sure. It's a fabulous story of life and love in chaos. 

And five of you will get the chance to win a copy! Just leave a comment and we'll randomly select the winners on Thursday.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL AIDAN DONNELLEY ROWLEY:

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I queried fifteen (maybe twenty?) agents before securing representation for Life After Yes. After weathering several rejections, I was preparing to send out a second wave of letters when I received a request for a partial submission. Soon after, I submitted the entirety of the manuscript. And then, shortly after, an offer! Just recently, after much thought and soul-searching, I signed with a wonderful new agent, Brettne Bloom of Kneerim & Williams. I am thrilled to be working with her now on my second novel.

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? Just a few months after polishing Life After Yes and sending out my first slew of queries, my father died of cancer. This also happened to be a time when I was receiving several rejections from agents I’d approached. Needless to say, it was a rotten period of my life. I decided to put my writing dreams on hold to take time to grieve and to take care of myself (I was five months pregnant with my second daughter). Two weeks after I lost Dad, I got an offer for representation for Life After Yes.

3. How long did it take to write your book? I wrote my book on and off for more than three years. There were large chunks of time in which I did no writing at all (my first pregnancy is a prime example; I think I spent twenty hours per day sleeping and/or ordering obscure and ultimately useless baby items online!), but I always came back to my pages, often with a fresh eye and focus.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? This might sound odd, but I don’t remember many details! It was right before Christmas and I had a newborn at home and I think I was still struggling from sleeplessness and postnatal mental mush. I am sure I had a few celebratory cocktails that evening!

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I would have stressed a bit less and enjoyed a bit more. I look back at certain stages – the title search, the cover search, the quest for blurbs – and I can literally taste the anxiety I felt then. I realize now that so much of the publishing process is out of the author’s control and we should surrender a bit to its ebbs and flows. Publishing a book is in its own right an immense and incomparable privilege; I wish I had been able to keep this critical bit of perspective throughout.

6. Who is your writer crush? This is a tricky one because there are so many fabulous writers out there these days. Among many others though, I love Claire Messud, Elizabeth Strout, and Jhumpa Lahiri. I adore reading and swooning over the words and worlds of fellow authors.

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? My two little girls are by far by biggest (and best) distraction. I feel so lucky to have the flexibility to write when I want, but the problem is that it is very hard for me to not spend time with my girls given the choice. I do not stick to a fixed writing schedule, and I’m trying to be better about self-discipline, but it’s tough. Now that I am pregnant with number three (another girl!), I fear that my ambitions for increased productivity are a bit laughable.

8. GNO drink of choice? Easy! Pinot Grigio. This was one purely autobiographical element of Life After Yes. Quinn, my protagonist, loves her Pinot Grigio. I like to think I have my consumption habits better under control than my fictional friend, but I do like to indulge. I have not had a sip of Pinot in twenty-two weeks and I miss it. Just a little.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Recently, I have been craving trashy television and watching it every single night before bed. My poor husband is not thrilled with this. I blame my current viewing habits on the pregnancy and tell myself that there must be something redeeming about these programs (some kind of existential protein or iron?) that I am missing in my life. Lately, I have been quite loyal to the Kardashians and our nation’s sundry Real Housewives. I do worry that I am exposing my unborn child to a symphony of utter junk, but I try to make up for it by blasting classical music while writing.

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Perhaps inconsistent with my above answer, but I do not even know what celebs are on Twitter! I have no problem savoring the celebrity weeklies (religiously) and checking various gossip blogs, but I have not (yet) explored the celebrity angles and avenues on Twitter. I am not even sure what a “Twitter war” is, but it sounds intriguing!

Thanks, Aidan! xoxo, L&L

For more information about the lovely and talented Aidan Donnelley Rowley, check out her website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

25 Things Liz & Lisa want to know about Beth Harbison

BethHarbisonPhoto_(credit_Paige_Harbison)We make no secret of the fact we have MAJUH crushes on a few, select, Chick Lit writers! So imagine how starstruck we've been when so many of our absolute fav's have candidly answered our hard-hitting questions in our 25 Things Liz And Lisa Want To Know series! So far, we've learned that Megan Crane once worked as a customer service rep, that Allison Winn Scotch's secret talent is singing and Jennifer Weiner crushes on Sarah Silverman. Emily Giffin revealed that she can't live without Starbucks and Sarah Pekkanen admitted she's done some of her writing at a table at Chuck E  Cheese!

And now we're proud to add another incredibly talented and funny Chick Lit author into the 25 Qs mix! (Anyone who calls Chick Lit the "beaujolais Nouveau of literature" is our kind of gal!)  Most recently, BETH HARBISON absolutely rocked our socks with HOPE IN A JAR. (Lisa devoured it in one day and immediately told Liz to stop everything she was doing and read it too!)  People Magazine called it Chick Lit with heart and soul and we couldn't agree more. Beth's previous books, SHOE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS, SECRETS OF A SHOE ADDICT and her contribution to the collection of short stories, AFTERBIRTH (stories you won't read in PARENTS magazine), are all must-reads too!
hope-1
We're excited to announce that we have FIVE copies of Beth's latest book, HOPE IN A JAR, to give away! To become the proud owner of this fabulous novel, all you have to do is become a fan of Chicklitisnotdead.com on Facebook and leave a comment about the beauty product you absolutely cannot live without. (Lisa can't leave the house without putting Laura Mercier Secret Concealer on the set of "luggage under her eyes" and Liz isn't human until she slathers Dermalogica Super Rich Repair on her "lizard-like skin!")

So, without further adieu...*Cue drum roll*

Chick Lit is Not Dead presents.... 25 Things Liz and Lisa want to know about Beth Harbison!
1.  Inside my purse, you'll discover: credit cards, Nars Dolce Vita lipstick, one of those little magnifying glasses with a light that I can never find when I need it, gum, a broken MAC compact, a stun gun.
2.  My secret talent is: roller skating
3.  If stranded on an island, the five things I could not live without are: soap, sunscreen, my Kindle, wireless internet, and, I don't know, some sort of boat?
4.  On my nightstand you'll find: water from last night, Lego, a book I haven't read, a People Magazine I'm halfway through, and ear plugs so I don't have to kill my husband for snoring and keeping me up.
5.  When I grew up, I wanted to be: famous!  Like, a famous actress, revered by all.  What happened?!
6.  My worst job: at an office where they didn't appear to need me so there was never anything to do except TRY to look busy, which was nearly impossible -- it was a banner day when someone wanted filing done.
7.  My comfort food: macaroni and cheese with a crispy Ritz top.
8.  The location where I write: my office at home.
9.  Three songs on my IPOD's most played list: Careful (Guster), Viva la Vida (Coldplay), Party in the USA (Miley Cyrus) (don't judge me!)
10. If I was on the cover of US Weekly , my headline would read: Writer Discovers Stun Gun Cure for Husband's Snoring and Restless Legs.
11. The three books that make me think of my childhood: The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart; Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne; any Trixie Belden book.
12. My favorite Chick Flick: French Kiss or Only You (Robert Downey Jr. one)
13. My favorite Chick Lit book: Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella
14. My "must see" TV: Real Housewives of absolutely anywhere; True Blood; The Office
15. My Starbucks order: this time of year it's the Caramel Apple Cider
16. My favorite curse word: Fuck
17. My celebrity man crush: Jon Bon Jovi.  Man, I need a new one.
18. My celebrity girl crush: Paula Deen
19. My writer crush: Quinn Cummings
20. My last meal before execution: Icebox Cake (Nabisco famous chocolate wafers and whipped cream)
21. Three words to summarize my book: Friends, 80's, men
22. It took me ______to write my book: 6-7 months
23. My book's original title: it was always HOPE IN A JAR
24. Right now, I'm working on: ONE TEQUILA SHOT AWAY (from Making a Mix Tape and Driving Past His House)
25. Chick Lit is alive & kicking because: it is the beaujolais Nouveau of literature - fresh, new, always current, meant to intoxicate not to make you think or cry, though sometimes it does all three.
To read even more about the awesome Beth Harbison, head on over to www.bethharbison.com!
xoxo