Sharing the e-book Love

It's been an amazing few days of celebrating and the party is only just getting started! And now that you've all (hopefully!) bought our latest novel, The D Word and our first book, I'll Have Who She's Having (combined you're spending less than a gallon of gas or the cost a fancy coffee drink) and emailed us the receipt to Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com so you can be entered in the huge ass contest to win rad prizes (iPad 2 anyone?) we want to share the e-book love and tell y'all about some other great books you must download-stat! Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker. When we found out Lisa Becker was from Manhattan Beach (one of Lisa Steinke's favorite places) and she'd also written a book about online dating (something that hit very close to home for Lisa Steinke- she still shudders at the thought of some of those cyberdates) we knew we had to read it. And it turned out to be hilarious, clever and full of fun! Click is the story of Renee Greene who is fast approaching her 30th birthday and finds herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, so she reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-retentive Mark, the overly-judgmental Gretchen and the over-sexed Shelly) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and inadvertent Reply to All's, readers will root for Renee to "click" with the right man.

Sound like a book you'll "click" on and download? For only $4.99 we say it's a no-brainer! And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of 5 copies of Click! We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm PST on Friday, June 17th.

Momfriends by Ariella Papa. The title alone had us wanting to read this one! Juicy, sassy and smart, it's about three Momfriends- Ruth, Claudia and Kirsten. After years of infertility treatments, Ruth finally has the baby she always wanted, but it’s more difficult than she’d ever imagined. She is almost at the end of her rope when a knock on her door changes everything. Claudia’s life is all about rules and achievement. She is determined to get her toddler twins into the right preschool and eventually Harvard. Everything is going to go according to plan until a flirtation with colleague makes her throw out her rule book. And Kirsten is an artist and a dreamer. She loves the life she made with her boyfriend, David, and their three kids, but lately David is distracted. Something is missing and what Kirsten discovers late one night confirms that her life is not everything she dreamed.

Sound like a book you'd like to read? We say at $4.99, you should definitely add it to your e-book line up for summer (and Ariella's written a few others that you should also check out)! And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of three copies of Momfriends. We'll randomly select the winner after 6pm PST on Friday, June 17th.

The Kitchen Shrink By Dee DeTarsio.  It's the story of Lisby Shaw who wonders when her life turn into a country music song? Probably when her best friend signed her up for the debut of the new reality TV show, The Kitchen Shrink, for the ultimate life and home makeover! Unable to squirm out of this “it will be fun” opportunity, Lisby tries to juggle her upstairs-behind-the-scenes-life with her downstairs-in-front-of-the-camera persona, where everything she says and does can and will be used against her. Hopefully, the show doesn't find out about her fling with that hunky carpenter. Or that she and her friend smoked hootch she found in her daughter's room. Lisby cannot believe what a freak show her life has become. At least no one knows about her crush on Sam, Sam, the Cameraman… Lisby tries to find her way as the TV cameras capture her every move, zooming in on drama with her kids, her ex, her mom and her best friend. Stay tuned for Lisby’s extreme close-up as she becomes a jilted laughingstock on national TV. All is lost…or is it?

We think you'll love this e-book and it's great price- just $2.99! And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win a FAB gift basket that includes an Amazon Kindle eGift of The Kitchen Shrink, Domestic Diva clean-up gloves, Five-in-one hammer/screwdriver tool AND a 1.5” Perdy Paintbrush. We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm PST on Friday, June 17th.

Twang: a novel by John Schlimm.  We love us some country music. Carrie Underwood. Kenny Chesney. The list goes on. So we were seriously diggin' this e-book from former Country Music publicist John Schlimm. But it doesn't matter if you're a country music fan because Twang: a novel, is a scandalous and LOL read for any pop culture junkie looking for a surefire beach read this summer. As a former celebrity publicist who worked with several Country Music megastars during his whirlwind tenure in Nashville, Schlimm’s eyes were opened wide, leaving him with an unmatched perspective of what really lies beneath the popular world of entertainment.  What resulted is a comical and unforgettable tale that follows several fictionalized superstars through the most dramatic and life-changing year in their careers.

So much fun and also a steal at $2.99!  And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of one of THREE ebook giftcards-one to Amazon, one to B&N and one to iBooks! We'll randomly select the winner after 6:00 pm PST on Friday, June 17th!

Thanks for sharing in the e-book love!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

Liz & Lisa's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

So we're quickly figuring out that writing these features is a lot harder than we'd thought it would be- but it's been a lot of fun! Don't forget that it's not too late to enter The D Word HUGE ASS giveaway! .

Here's how the contest will work-It's simple!

• Buy The D Word(only 2.99!) and email us the receipt at  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com to receive an entry to the contest. There is no limit on the number of entries. Every copy of The D Word purchased= one entry.

• And as a bonus to those who've purchased The D Word, if you also purchase a copy of I'll Have Who She's Having (only .99!!!) you will receive an additional entry.

• Just email your receipt(s) to Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com and put "launch contest" in the subject line.

All receipts must be received by TUESDAY JUNE 21st at MIDNIGHT PST and this contest open to US/Canada only.

Click HERE to see all the FAB prizes you could win. (Hint: IPAD2!)

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIZ & LISA'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO-Liz

DO treat yourself to good spray tan every once in a while. Besides the fact that I think the super-hot spray tan girl was totally judging my boobs, this was a great experience! It gave me a little more swagger in my step for the next 7-10 days.   Maybe your indulgence is a hot-stone massage, keratin hair treatment or a mani-pedi with extra massage.  Whatever it is, just remember to take time out of your incredibly busy life to do something nice for yourself every once in a while.

DO forgive others and yourself often. Being angry takes so much energy!  People often tease me that I never stay mad for long and it's true-forgiving the people you're upset with and moving on is the best gift you can give yourself.  Holding on to it is unhealthy and can be destructive.  And don't forget to forgive yourself too!  We all make mistakes, some small, some HUGE, but just remember that tomorrow is a new day.

DO-Lisa

DO realize the power of a teammate in friendships, in partners, in business, in life. I am so lucky to be able to write books with my BFF. But our working relationship would never be a success if we weren't a team. And the same can be said for my marriage. And with my other close relationships. Because, let's face it, we don't always get along and we don't always agree, but we should always be willing to hear each other out, give each other the benefit of the doubt and have each other's back. Bottom line: you don't always have to be on the same page, but you DO have to be on the same side.  That's being a teammate. And if you can get that part down, the rest is smooth sailing.

DO live in the moment. DO appreciate what you have. DO be present. DO be happy. This is probably what I have to work on the most. Constantly doing what I call "pushing the re-set button" and promising myself yet again that I'll stay present, that I won't get caught up in negativity and won't let toxic people and frustrating situations get the best of me. And instead of letting my mind wander to what's wrong, keeping it focused on the positive that's right in front of me. There's a magnet on my refrigerator with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is mystery, Today is a gift.

DO-Liz & Lisa Do remember it's never too late to pursue your dream We may have talked for TEN years about writing a book, but we finally did it. It may have taken one of us threatening the other and there may have been some man-handling involved but once we put finger to keyboard, the words flowed and we wondered why we'd waited as long as we did.  So never think that you can't.  Because you can!

LIZ AND LISA'S DO-OVER

This one is tough.  We'd love to say that we have no regrets, but c'mon, let's face it, we grew up in some fashionably unforgiving times.  In fact, we think we'll just present photographic evidence of what should NEVER be repeated.  And yes, that is US in the pictures.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things You Didn't Know About...Liz & Lisa

Are you REAAAADDDDYYYY? Ready for our week of SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION?  Get your puke bags out because we'll be all up in your grill this week, putting the shoe on the other foot and participating in the same features usually reserved for your favorite authors (but now we'll hopefully be in that group, right?). We're starting off with 5 Things You Didn't Know About...(remember that one?)

But first we wanted to remind you about The D Word HUGE ASS giveaway!  Here are the deets in case you missed them:

Here's how the contest will work-It's simple!

• Buy The D Word(only 2.99!) and email us the receipt at  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com to receive an entry to the contest. There is no limit on the number of entries. Every copy of The D Word purchased= one entry.

• And as a bonus to those who've purchased The D Word, if you also purchase a copy of I'll Have Who She's Having (only .99!!!) you will receive an additional entry.

• Just email your receipt(s) to Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com and put "launch contest" in the subject line.

All receipts must be received by TUESDAY JUNE 21st at MIDNIGHT PST and this contest open to US/Canada only.

Click HERE to see what you could win! (iPad2, anyone?)

We also have ONE more way you can win:

If you post a review of EITHER The D Word or I'll Have Who She's Having on GoodReads, Barnes & Noble or Amazon and send us the link to the review to  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com by July 14, 2011 at midnight PST, you'll be entered to win a DXG 720p high-defintion camera. You can receive one entry for the review of each book for a maximum of two entries.  Doesn't matter if you've loved or absolutely hated the book(although we're crossing our fingers you like it...), you'll still be entered to win!  We'll choose the winner by random drawing. US/Canada Only.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS... 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT LIZ & LISA

We're pretty much an open book. Ask us anything and we'll tell you. Maybe even sometimes we're TMI. So we're wondering... is there really anything you don't know about us? I guess we'll find out...

1.  We were both black diamond skiers in college. There was a time when we could've made even Picabo Street proud. We'd head up weekly to Big Bear or Tahoe or Mountain High (anyone remember Mountain High?) to ski with abandon. We had balls o'steel as we cascaded down runs with names like "the ledge" and sometimes, don't tell anyone this, we might have even had a shot of something that started with gold and ended with schlagger (WTH were we thinking?) before taking off. But you know how it goes, after college we got busy and married and had kids. And now we're not even sure we'd recognize a ski if we saw one. And don't people wear helmets now? Gawd, that would've been nice back then!

2. We both married tall dudes from the same small, obscure town in Middle America I know.  It kind of freaks us out too.  But at least we get each other's jokes when we're talking shit about our last visit there.

3. We're both huge Barry Manilow fans. Yep, we're Fanilows.  We've been to see him several times together in concert, although someone (Lisa!) almost got us kicked out of one when she started screaming I LOVE YOU BARRY at the top of her lungs in between each song. We've also met him, although we have to say he wasn't the friendliest as he signed our Copacabana 8-tracks. But we got over it and know that "Somewhere Down The Road" we'll see him again and he'll love us.  Right?

4. We were the roomies that never were. Besties through high school until we weren't. Who knows what happened. Someone talked smack about someone else. Someone told someone else's secret (um, maybe it was Lisa). All we know is that one of us was on the phone to the college cancelling our request to be roommates. Then like all BFF's do, we made up. And when we called the college to reinstate our request to live together, we were DE-NIED. And Lisa ended up rooming with someone who sold CutCo Cutlery from under her bunk bed and refused to pay her $11 phone bill. Guess all's well that ends well. There was no way we could've shared a hot plate for a year without killing each other!

5.  We co-owned a "celebrity" cat We once randomly adopted a pet cat from Petco that ended up winning the elite Santa Monica Cat show.  His name was Ed and he became our unofficial sorority mascot, entertaining frat boys with his back flips and ability to walk on two legs. Once he disappeared for several days only to reappear during a party where everyone screamed, ED!!! (He always knew how to make an entrance) He was the toast of the town and even did some cat modeling on the side. But we were too young and naive to understand that maybe we should get paid for it? *Meow*

xoxo, L&L

The D Word HUGE ASS Giveaway

Yep, you read that right-it's time to announce the details of The D Word HUGE ASS giveaway.  We're so freakin' excited that our launch is almost here! We'll be going global tomorrow, but as some of you already know, The D Word and the relaunch version of I'll Have Who She's Having are already up on many of your favorite eBook sites.  But more on that in a minute.  Right now, we know you want to know what's included in the HUGE ASS giveaway!

We did a poll recently on our Facebook page and discovered that although many of you have eReaders, some of you still haven't gotten around to getting one.  So we thought it would be fitting to give you chance to win something to read The D Word and I'll Have Who She's Having with.  And not just an eReader, but an IPAD2. And that's just the beginning!

Here's how the contest will work-It's simple!

• Buy The D Word(only 2.99!) and email us the receipt at  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com to receive an entry to the contest. There is no limit on the number of entries. Every copy of The D Word purchased= one entry. (Hint: it's very easy to gift it to others on Amazon-all you need is their email address!)

• And as a bonus to those who've purchased The D Word, if you also purchase a copy of I'll Have Who She's Having (only .99!!!) you will receive an additional entry.

• Just email your receipt(s) to Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com and put "launch contest" in the subject line.

That's it!  So now that you know how easy it is to enter, would you like to know what you could win?

1.  iPad2 (with wifi, 16 GB)  w/sassy zebra cover! (iPad valued at $499)

No eReader?  No problem!  Now you can read The D Word on your sassy new Ipad2.  And when you're done, you can Facetime with your hubs, get a triple word score on Scrabble or have your way with those Angry Birds!  And hey, don't forget to swing by here once in a while.

2. DXG high-defintion camcorder(valued at $299)

Need to capture that special moment? The DXG-A80V is one of the top of the line products in DXG’s new Pro Gear line.  With impressive features such as 1080p HD video capture, 12X optical zoom, a 10 megapixel still camera and touch screen controls on a 3-inch LCD display!  You'll have some serious Mommy cred if you show up with this at the next dance recital.

3. Makeup and Skincare basket from 2nd Street Beauty(valued at $250)

There's nothing we love more than trying new makeup!  You'll love this beauty basket filled with tons of goodies from your favorite brands. Located in Southern California, 2nd Street Beauty is THE place to get the latest and greatest beauty products.  Check out their Facebook page.

4. Oakley Sunglasses ($120 value) Holbrook Style, Matte Black

How cool will you be this summer cruising on the beach with your brand spankin' new sunglasses? Enjoy these awesome shades from Oakley that will keep you cool when things heat up.

5. Set of 50 flat cards with envelopes from Creative Blu ($100 value)

Enjoy 5o beautiful cards with envelopes in a gorgeous stationary box from Creative Blu.  They are our one stop shop for all invites, stationary, bookmarks and MORE!  They've also been featured on on My Fair Wedding with David Tutera and did a FABU job on Liz's ten year vow renewal invites.  Seriously, you can't go wrong with anything from Creative Blu!

6. SIGNED set of Laura Dave's books

Laura Dave is one of our all-time fave authors and we were thrilled that she loved THE D WORD! Now you can have a signed copy of each of her three FABULOUS books- London is the Best City in America, The Divorce Party AND her latest release, The First Husband and see for yourself why we're on pins and needles waiting for her next one.

All receipts must be received by TUESDAY JUNE 21st at MIDNIGHT PST and this contest open to US/Canada only.

Are you guys excited yet?! Because we also have ONE more way you can win.

If you post a review of EITHER The D Word or I'll Have Who She's Having on GoodReads, Barnes & Noble or Amazon and send us the link to the review to  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com by July 14, 2011 at midnight PST, you'll be entered to win a DXG 720p high-defintion camera. You can receive one entry for the review of each book for a maximum of two entries.  Doesn't matter if you've loved or absolutely hated the book(although we're crossing our fingers you like it...), you'll still be entered to win!  We'll choose the winner by random drawing. US/Canada Only.

WHEW!  Now let's talk about how you can get your hands on these books and enter to win these fab prizes!

1. Have an eReader or iPad already? GREAT!  Find The D Word and I'll Have Who She's Having at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and Smashwords.

2. Don't have an eReader but want to read it? No problem!  Just download Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac and you can download to your computer is less than a minute.   Have an iPad but want to use your Amazon or B&N account?  Then download the Nook or Kindle apps to your iPad and get reading!  You could even download it to your iPhone OR iTouch via iBooks!  Have a Android phone?  Then download Kindle for Android and read it on your phone or tablet!

Thanks so much for all your support these past few weeks as we frantically try to get ready to launch The D Word.  We truly appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to swing by here and support the site.  We hope you enjoy The D Word and look forward to hearing from all of you!  Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so incredibly awesome.  It means the world to us!

xoxo, L&L

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Camille Noe Pagan

One of the very best perks of this gig is that we often get to read books before they go on sale.  Nothing makes us happier than when we open the front door and see the (totally hot!) FedEx guy dropping off yet another book. A few months ago, the aforementioned hot FedEx guy arrived with a copy of Camille Noe Pagan's The Art of Forgetting.  We instantly fell in love with the fabulous cover and were thrilled to discover that the story was even better. The Art of Forgetting is a must-read from an author who we think may be the next big thing in women's fiction. And she wears her Lit IT girl crown very nicely! We highly recommend that you RUN, not walk to the nearest bookstore and get yourself a copy.

Marissa Rogers never wanted to be an alpha; beta suited her just fine, thank you very much. After all, taking charge without taking credit had always paid off: vaulting her to senior editor at a glossy diet magazine; allowing her to keep the peace with her critical, weight-obsessed mother; and enjoying the benefits that came with being best friends with gorgeous, charismatic Julia Ferrar.

Sure, coming up with 15 different ways to lose five pounds month after month could be mind-numbing. And yes, Julia was a walking, talking reminder that Marissa would never be the type to turn heads. So what? There was no reason to upend her perfect-on-paper life.

But when Julia is hit by a cab and suffers a personality-altering brain injury, Marissa has no choice but step into the role of alpha friend. As Julia struggles to regain her memory—dredging up things Marissa would rather forget, including the fact that Julia asked her to abandon the love of her life 10 years ago—and to return to the sharp, magnetic woman she once was, their friendship is shaken to the core.

With the help of 12 girls she reluctantly agrees to coach in an after-school running program, Marissa will uncover an inner confidence she never knew she possessed and find the courage to reexamine her past and take control of her future.

The Art of Forgetting is a story about the power of friendship, the memories and self-created myths that hold us back from our true potential, and most of all, the delicate balance between forgiving and forgetting.

See? It sounds fab!  That's why we have five copies to giveaway-just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, June 12th after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL:DEBUT AUTHOR CAMILLE NOE PAGAN

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? Five (which isn't a lot, I know!). I was really fortunate that a publishing colleague of mine--the generous and extremely talented Allison Winn Scotch--recommended I query her agent, Elisabeth Weed. Elisabeth called me three days after I submitted to her and offered to represent me, and one phone conversation convinced me she was "the one". The rest, as they say, is history! (Btw, Elisabeth has a fabulous blog -- http://elisabethweed.blogspot.com -- where she breaks down the mysteries of publishing.)

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? I recently received a review from a trade publication that was so nasty I wondered if I'd somehow crossed the reviewer (who was anonymous, so I'll never know). I'm of the school of thought that if you can't find something nice to say, don't say anything at all--which is why I never write negative reviews on Amazon, Goodreads or other forums. A dear friend and fellow author, Sarah Jio, says horrible reviews say more about the reviewer than the author, and I try to remind myself of that when I encounter them.

3. How long did it take to write your book? Just under five months; once I get a solid idea, I write pretty quickly. That said, the revisions for TAOF took longer than the first draft did--so there are some disadvantages to writing fast!

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? My husband and I went out to a nice restaurant for dinner and had champagne. I'm a big believer in celebrating the steps along the way--finishing a draft, signing with an agent, getting the first box of ARCs, etc.--because becoming a published author is a dream come true and I want to enjoy every minute of it.

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I'm still too close to the process to know for sure what I could or should have done differently. That said, it always seems like a little more could have been done--another edit, more publicity, more networking--but at some point, you have to let go and let it happen.

6. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? Email is such a time-suck for me (as are Facebook and Twitter). When I'm writing, I force myself to enter "full screen" mode so my manuscript takes up my entire computer screen. Otherwise, I'll get online and the next thing I know, an hour will have passed.

7. Who is your writer crush? Jonathan Tropper. His books are funny and sad in the most perfect way.

8. GNO drink of choice? Gin and tonic, or a really good glass of red wine.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Tori & Dean. I so relate to Tori's Type-A dysfunction. Plus, it's a relief to see a celebrity couple be honest about their imperfect marriage.

10.What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? None of them! Even after a year+ on Twitter, I still question whether I have the hang of it. I'd get schooled by anyone I attempted to take on.

Thanks Camille!  xoxo, L&L

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

Amy Hatvany's 5 Do's and a Do-over

As much as we love us some light, fluffy reading to escape from the week, we also really appreciate when a book tackles heavier issues with just the right tone.  In fact, it's usually those books that resonate with us for long after we read the last page. That's why we're pleased as punch to feature the lovely  and talented Amy Hatvany and her latest novel, Best Kept Secret today.  It's a story about a mother struggling with alcoholism and trying to put her life back together after her world falls apart-it's a summer must-read!

Cadence's drinking snuck up on her - as a way to sleep, to help her relax after a long day, to relieve some of the stress of the painful divorce that’s left her struggling to make ends meet with her five-year old son, Charlie.

It wasn’t always like this. Just a few years ago, Cadence seemed to have it all—a successful husband, an adorable son, and a promising career as a freelance journalist.  But with the demise of her marriage, her carefully constructed life begins to spiral out of control.  Suddenly she is all alone trying to juggle the demands of work and motherhood.

Logically, Cadence knows that she is drinking too much, and every day begins with renewed promises to herself that she will stop.  But within a few hours, driven by something she doesn’t understand, she is reaching for the bottle - even when it means not playing with her son because she is too tired, or dropping him off at preschool late, again.  And even when one calamitous night it means leaving him alone to pick up more wine at the grocery store.  It’s only when her ex-husband shows up at her door to take Charlie away that Cadence realizes her best kept secret has been discovered….

Sound good?  Well, we have five copies to giveaway-just leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on Sunday June 12th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...AMY HATVANY'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

5 DO'S

1.  Do make a gratitude list. I used to snark at this idea, but after practicing it for a while, it has literally become impossible for me to feel grateful and irritated at the same time. In moments of stress, shifting my focus to all the wonderful things in my life lessens the weight of the negative and reminds me how blessed I actually am.

2.  Do wear red. It’s a power color! I always feel so confident and strong when I slip a red piece of clothing on. I even got married (ahem – the second time) in a blood red dress (Go figure: the only person not wearing white in the wedding party was me.) Find the shade that works for you and embrace your inner sassy minx!

3.  Do help someone else out when you’re having a bad day. It can be something as simple as telling a co-worker how great she looks in a particular outfit, or even making surprise dinner for a friend and delivering it to her house. Helping others lifts my spirits so much, and gets my mind off my own “stuff,” even if it’s just for a little while.

4.  Do get to bed early one night a week. Whether you’re single or have a partner, the extra rest or additional “quality” time is a must. In our busy, busy lives, moments filled with wonderful conversation, or just snuggling beneath the covers alone and reading a book in peace and quiet – pure bliss!

5.  Do speak kindly to yourself. Negative self-talk has been so damaging to me in the past. I would NEVER speak to someone I care about with the same judgment and disdain I have used on myself. Several years back, I made a commitment to knock it off, and wow, what a difference! No one deserves your love and compassion more than you.

DO-OVER

If I could, I’d convince the little girl I used to be that exercise is pleasurable, not punishing. That way, it wouldn’t feel like I’m being forced to walk the plank on my way to the gym!

Other than that, there is very little I would change about my life. I’ve had a few wishes for “do-betters” for mistakes I’ve made along the way – a few hairstyles come to mind (anyone else have the 1980’s Wall O’Bangs?) - but overall, I believe everything  I’ve done, mistakes included, has led me to the woman I am today. And I’m pretty okay with her.

Thanks Amy!  xoxo, L&L

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

Claire Cook's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Crack open the bubbly! Because one of our favorite authors and people is in da house. Claire Cook is back to partay with us at Chick Lit Is Not Dead because her eighth book- Best Staged Plans- is out TODAY! (Has it already been a year since we celebrated the release of Seven Year Switch?) Where did the time go? And speaking of time...where does Claire find the time to write so many darn novels? (*She recently revealed the answer to that question over at International Chick Lit Month. Hint: It starts with waking up and ends with at the crack of dawn!) Anywhoo, back to the partay!  Best Staged Plans synopsis: Sandy Sullivan is a professional home stager who lives and works in the Boston suburbs. So getting rid of her own house and downsizing should be a breeze, right? Well, best staged plans and all, Sandy’s husband, Greg, is dragging his feet and their son, Luke, has returned home and moved into the “bat cave” in the basement.

Sandy reads them both the riot act and takes a job staging a boutique hotel recently acquired by her best friend’s boyfriend. The good news is that she can spend time in Atlanta with her recently married daughter, Shannon. The bad news is that Shannon soon receives a promotion and heads back up to Boston for training, leaving Sandy and her Southern son-in-law, Chance, as reluctant roommates. And then Sandy suspects her best friend’s boyfriend may be seeing another woman on the side. Fixing up houses may turn out to be easier than fixing up lives.

And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of five copies of Best Staged Plans. We'll randomly select the winner after 6pm EST on Thursday, June 9th.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...CLAIRE COOK'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

5 DO'S

1. Do rise above the negativity. People will tell you why you can’t or shouldn’t do whatever it is you want to do. Sometimes seeing you go after your dream reminds them of what they’re not doing in their own lives. Sometimes it’s simply jealousy. But whatever the motive, don’t let it hold you back. You have to decide you’re just going to do it anyway. You might want to protect yourself a bit in the beginning, too. I didn’t tell anyone about my first novel until it was finished. You don’t need anyone’s permission – as Nike famously said, just do it!

Long shots happen every day. Believe in them. Believe in yourself. And if there are people in your life who aren't supportive of your dreams, dump them if you can. Or at least stop sharing your dreams with them.

2. Do work your butt off. It’s tough out there, so make it a point to always do more than the situation requires. I did this when I was trying to break in to the publishing biz, and I continue to do it on a daily basis. I meet every deadline. I dive back into a manuscript again and again and again - whatever it takes to make the novel I’m working on as good as it can be.

3. Do decide to be who you really are. The buzz word these days is branding, but I think of it as authenticity.  Being a novelist is the first job I’ve ever had where I wasn’t pretending, or at least trying to pretend, to be a slightly different person. Who I am and what I write are totally in synch. There’s tremendous power in that!

And remember, if everybody’s doing it, it’s already been done. Put a little surprise in everything you do. Originality counts!

4. Do remember karma is a boomerang. This is the truest thing one of my characters has ever said. So do something nice for someone and set that boomerang in motion.

It’s easy to get needy when you’re struggling to figure out what’s next, or you hit a low point in the rollercoaster of your life, but many of the fabulous things that have happened to me (including the Must Love Dogs movie and a Today Show feature!) were triggered by something nice I did for someone else. People talk; your actions determine what they say.

5. Do make friends with the Internet. Whatever your goal, the Internet can help you get there. Learn everything you can about the world you want to conquer – it’s all online if you take the time to look for it, including an ehow video on just about everything! Get your computer and social networking skills up to speed and start connecting – new readers are discovering my books through Facebook and Twitter every day. I’ve also learned to design my own website and taught myself iMovie and Photoshop – so helpful for putting my own stamp on things and interacting with my amazing readers.

DO-OVER

Don’t wait around for someone else to make it happen for you. “Nobody gives you power. You just take it,” Roseanne Barr once said. Boyohboy, do I wish I’d learned that one earlier. Here’s the truth: you’re only the center of your own universe. Everybody else thinks of you as a far lesser planet – and that’s if you’re lucky – most people aren’t even thinking about you at all! I think I spent far too much time waiting around politely for other people to give me my power, when, to mix metaphors, I was like Dorothy and those ruby slippers – I had it all along.

So whatever it is you want in your life, figure out how to make it happen yourself. You’ve got the power

Thanks, Claire!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Claire Cook wrote her first novel in her minivan in the parking lot outside her daughter’s swim practice when she was 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the adaptation of her second novel, MUST LOVE DOGS, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. Midlife rocks! Her seventh novel SEVEN YEAR SWITCH has just gone into paperback, and her eighth, BEST STAGED PLANS, will be published today! And make sure you connect with Claire on Facebook and Twitter, too!

Alison Pace's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

It's FINALLY here! A Pug's Tale by Alison Pace (well it will officially be here tomorrow but what's one more day, right?). It's a sequel we've been waiting for since we fell for Alison's completely lovable novel, Pug Hill. And ever since we discovered this gem of an author, we've been in love. Because there's no one quite like her. Her writing is smart and funny and even a little bit quirky- in a good way! And she writes about pugs- what's not to love about that? They're like the cutest dogs evuh! A Pug's Tale Synopsis: There are pugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art!

Hope McNeill has worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for years, but this is the first time she's been able to bring along her pug, Max. (Officially at least. Previously she's had to smuggle him in inside her tote bag.)

The occasion: a special "Pug Night" party in honor of a deep-pocketed donor. Max and his friends are having a ball stalking the hors d'oeuvres and getting rambunctious, and making Hope wonder if this is also the last time she gets to bring Max to the museum.

But when a prized painting goes missing, the Met needs Hope's--and Max's--help. In her quest for the culprit, Hope searches for answers with an enigmatic detective, a larger-than-life society heiress, a lady with a shih tzu in a stroller, and her arguably intuitive canine. With luck, she'll find some inspiration on her trips to Pug Hill before the investigation starts going downhill...

Sound like a fun read? We think so! And if you agree, just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of five copies of A Pug's Tale. We'll randomly select the winners after 6PM EST on Wednesday, June 8.

And now Alison entertains us even more with her fabulous list of Do's (love the perfect schmerfect reference!) and a very important Do-over.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ALISON PACE'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO'S

1. Let Yourself Say Hokey, Cliched Things Like, Perfect Schmerfect (though, present moment excepted. try not to write them). Always with writing, I believe in putting one foot in front of the other and in not trying to be perfect.  I believe in this with most other things, too.

2. Get a Dog!  This is not just for writers who'd like to write books about dogs.  Really.  Other than solo submarine pilot, writing, the day-to-day routine of it, is one of the loneliest pursuits I can think of (er, um, of which I can think?)  Having a dog with you as you're writing can be not only company but oftentimes inspiring, and always calming.  And I'm a big, huge, tremendous believer in the fact that dogs connect people to the world --from the walks you must take them on, to the people you meet because of them, dogs bring you out into the exterior.  That's a big thing if you're hoping for a career that is so interior.  And I get a lot of thinking done, sorting out of plots and characters and the likes when I'm walking my dog, too.  In my mind, it's win-win-win :)

3. Go Elsewheres! At some point in your life, try to live somewhere where you don't know anyone.  First, you get a lot of writing done at first because you don't know anyone and have no plans.  Bonus!  But also, being in a strange place lets you get to know yourself better and I think, scary as it can at times be, a bit of introspection makes for a *much* better writer.

4. Give Bad Books a Second Chance. About three years ago, I started an essay collection and the first draft was very, very far from what we could call "working." I put it aside and felt tremendously insecure about going back to it.  I started other projects, finished other projects (namely A PUG'S TALE which I hope you enjoyed!) avoiding the unfinished essays. About six months ago I was pretty sure I'd have to scrap the whole project but told myself I'd give it one more no-holds-barred try.  I *just* finished a new first draft of that book and I'm so happy with it and I'm super grateful I dusted it off.

5. But Not a Third.  Let doors close.  I think in writing and in life, it's important to know when something just isn't going to work out.  Listen to the inner voice, and if it's really not going to work out, move on.  There will be other things to write.  There will always be other things to write.

DO-OVER

My Do-Over: I wonder what it says about my commitment to my convictions that I'm needing to mull this one over for a bit?  One thing I'd do over would be not to make staying at home and writing all the time such a big career goal.  I've had a bunch of part-time jobs (teaching, lots of administrative assisting, blogging for a doggy site, which was writing but different) over the course of my writing life and the times when I'm writing and working at something else simultaneously are always, hands down, my most productive and happy writing times.  It took me a little bit to figure that out, so if I could go back I'd learn that sooner.

To find out more about the lovely and talented Alison Pace and her other novels including City Dog and If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend, head over to her website and be sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks so much, Alison!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

Andrea Bonior's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

We love our friends.  In fact, nothing makes us happier than sharing a glass of wine (or two, or three...) with our favorite girls.  One hour with them can melt away any frustration caused by works, kids, husbands, traffic, bad hair days or carb bloat! That's why we're excited to have Dr. Andrea Bonior sharing her 5 Do's and a Do-Over today!  Her new book, The Friendship Fix is all about how to keep your relationships with your besties healthy.

It's also the first pick in BookSparksPR Summer reading challenge-have you signed up yet?  What are you waiting for?  (hint...The D Word is a pick later this Summer...)

Here's the scoop on The Friendship Fix: Had enough of that bridezilla? Feeling alone in a new city? Dealing with the trauma of the worst breakup ever—with someone you never even made out with?

We’ve heard the path to fulfillment has much to do with relationships. But while it’s often thought that for young women, it's all about finding the right man, real women beg to differ: It's friendships that are at the heart of happiness. Unfortunately, they’re also at the heart of drama, stress, and sometimes not-so-great escapades after that fifth martini. And, technology, from texting to Facebook, has made all friendships more complicated than ever.

At last comes The Friendship Fix, jam-packed with practical ways to improve your life by improving your circle. From dealing with friends-with-benefits to coworkers from the dark side, from feeling alone to being desperate to defriend a few dozen people, Andrea Bonior, Ph.D. helps you make the most of your friendships, whether they be old, new, online, or in person.

Sound fabulous?  Then leave a comment to be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners Sunday June 5th after 6pm PST.

AND...there's an awesome giveaway if you buy a copy!  Check it out here! LOTS of cool gift cards(Banana Republic, SpaFinder, etc) and MORE!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS....ANDREA BONIOR'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

5 DO'S

1.  DO take a risk, to connect with someone awesome. In my early days as a Mom, sometimes I’d get to talking with another mother at a playground and we’d connect really well. But when it was time to leave, I’d be terrified to take any next step in keeping things going.  In fact, even contemplating it made me feel like some sort of stalker, or the platonic equivalent of the slovenly guy at the bar who winks at everyone with breasts. But as The Friendship Fix lays out, there are ways to take the next step without coming on too strong, though it still requires a leap of faith! Thank goodness I finally learned to stick my neck out when it counted, though, as I now have some wonderful friendships that would never have begun if I hadn’t done so (since they were scared too!).

2.  DO step up when you’ve screwed up. For years I’ve been notorious about not hearing my phone. I either don’t notice that it’s switched to silent mode (thank you, poorly-designed iphone cover) or am a victim of the fact that my house’s decent cell service is limited to a shoebox-sized area of our bathtub. Once, I saw a message three weeks after the fact, and it was an old friend needing support. I felt so horrible that I wanted to crawl into a hole and forget the whole thing, and I could only imagine that she had moved on not only from hoping for my help, but from counting on me as a friend as well. I forced myself to own right up to it, though, and to try to make things right, and I’d like to think that we’ve been back on track ever since. As the book discusses, the majority of times that a screwup ends a friendship, it’s the aftermath that does it, not the original mistake. So, face the awkwardness and correct it sooner rather than later. Too often, you might let your embarrassment harden into a polar freeze, and it’s the latter that really ends the friendship.

3.  DO follow your instincts when things feel off. Sometimes your gut is dead-on about a friendship that’s not right for you, but often we feel too guilty to heed it. Years ago, my relationship with a person who I really felt I should be compatible with—we had a lot in common, and she was an admirable person— just seemed to have a lot of trouble getting out of first gear. I found myself not that excited about our interactions, and didn’t really feel like my best self around her, despite us spending an increasing amount of time together. Keeping up with her felt like something to be checked off a list rather than something I was drawn to, and I left our outings feeling drained and irritable. Finally, I faced the fact that we just weren’t a good match, and she had a certain edge to her that just rubbed me the wrong way. Though I felt really guilty at first, I backed off the friendship gently—and ended up feeling much freer as a result.

4.  DO plan a trip with your closest friends. I just got back from a weekend bachelorette party with some of my dearest college girlfriends, at a cabin so remote that the phrase “Make a left on the third dirt road, past the abandoned van that’s been overgrown by weeds” was actually part of the directions to get there. It was quite a difference from the bachelorette parties of our previous decade (other than the reappearance of a certain prank inflatable item named “Willie”—he’s become an heirloom!). But it couldn’t have been more enjoyable, just being alone together again. Whether it’s a Caribbean cruise or a night at a local hotel, going away with your friends is one of the best things you can do for your relationship. And the anticipation of the trip, plus the recollecting of the memories, give you even more bang for your buck.

5.  DO give yourself permission to prioritize your friendships. Life gets busy. Jobs and school and marriage and kids and pets and just general grownup existence—even if all you take care of is a pot of peonies-- can easily take the place of time with friends. It’s so common to feel guilty going to a brunch, for instance, when your daughter has a stomach bug. Or maybe you’ve gotten into a rut of automatically saying no to every happy hour because it’s so much trouble to make alternate arrangements for the evening rush. But you’re a better spouse, coworker, and Mom when you make time for your friends. Prioritizing your friend relationships—which lengthen your lifespan, help ward off depression, and leave you more fulfilled and less stressed—benefits not just you, but everyone in your life as well.

DO-OVER

Do be mindful of casting such a wide net on Facebook. Social networking has obviously revolutionized the way we communicate, and The Friendship Fix discusses in detail many of the pros and cons of its proliferation. One embarrassing example of its shortcomings: it’s easy to get overzealous in your collecting of friends at the expense of actual connecting. A few months after I first got on Facebook, I found myself randomly thinking about an old high school friend of mine—a phenomenal individual who I remembered fondly. I thought about how great it would be to be in touch, how much I wondered what she was up to, how sure I was she was doing something amazing with her life. And then…. I remembered that we were already Facebook friends, and had “reconnected” in the rather superficial, frenzied way that came with the first 200 friend requests when you first join. (“Your kids are gorgeous!” “Your jobs sounds awesome!” “It’s so great to be back in touch!”) I was horrified. Had I been more mindful in my Facebook behavior, I would never have forgotten that reconnection, and would have had a better chance of turning it into an actual emotional reconnection that stood the test of time, rather than that Facebook “friend” that isn’t quite back in my life in the truest sense of the term. There’s room for all levels of friendship in your life, but make sure you’re not fooling yourself about their quality and succumbing to a numbers game.

Thanks Andrea! xoxo, L&L

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

Mommy Monday: Does My Baby Count As a Carry-On?

I was a hot, sweaty mess. My heart was racing. My mind was racing. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so scared...

No, I wasn't about to give birth.

Nope, I wasn't about to walk down the aisle and commit myself to one man for the rest of my life.

And no, I wasn't about to get my first Brazilian bikini wax since the baby was born, er, three months before.

I was about to...

fly half-way across the country with my baby for the first time.

Cue dramatic music from something scary. Like Poltergeist. Or the Exorcist. Or The Nate Burkus Show.

You'd have thought I was preparing for a three-week cruise to the Caribbean the way I packed for my first four-day trip to California with the baby. The poor hubs looked like a Sherpa as he hauled our, count 'em, twelve bags and various baby gear out to the cab. (In hindsight, we should have ordered two taxis as it probably wasn't fair to make the hubs ride on the roof!)

You name it, I'd packed it- and then some...and some...and some.

Diapers? Forget the flight to Cali. I had enough to fly around the world.

Wipes? I could've wiped the ass of every baby within a two thousand square mile radius.

Spare Outfits? My daughter's suitcase could've put Suri Cruise's closet to shame.

But beyond being prepared for anything my baby could need, I was trying to be prepared for what type of traveler she would be.

What if she decided that thirty thousand miles up was the place she should have her inaugural public melt down?

Well it turns out my baby was a perfect angel. The kind that our flight mates remarked on at the end of the flight. Wow, you're lucky. Is she always so good?

But her mommy? Not so much.

Turns out, mommy was the problem. Mommy who was so frazzled going through security that she practically offered her baby up to be body searched. Mommy who got upgraded to first class and after consuming her second glass o' bubbly became obsessed with babbling baby talk at her baby.  Mommy who probably broke some unwritten rule of the friendly skies and changed her daughter's diaper in, wait for it, the seat.

But if one of us had to be annoying, better me than her, right? *wink* *wink*

xoxo,

Lisa

PS: Leave a comment (and make me feel better about being such a "freak") and be entered to win a copy of The Baby Planner by the fabulous Josie Brown. We'll randomly select the winner after 6pm EST on Wed., June 1.

Ask Liz & Lisa: What the hell do we do when we're not blogging?

Yep, it's time to Ask Liz & Lisa again!  We've received so many great Qs-we'll try to get to them all in the very near future.  And because we're greedy lil' beyotches, we still want MORE!  Ask us anything you want!  Email your Q to asklizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com.  and if we pick your question, we'll send you a fabulous book!

Today's question comes from Catherine-she'll be receiving a copy of Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner.  But don't fret-if you leave a comment here, you'll be entered to win a copy of Skipping A Beat by one of our fave authors, Sarah Pekkanen.  We'll choose the winner on Sunday, May 29th after 6pm PST.

Hey ladies!

I’ve always wondered what you both do for your “regular” job? You’ve mentioned a full-time gig here and there, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen what it is you both do or where you work specifically. Forgive me if you have indeed told us… I try to read every blog post/email, but sometimes the email sits there until I eventually put it in my “to read” folder and it’s lost in the oblivion forever.

Thanks so much!

Catherine

Thanks so much for your Q, Catherine!  And you didn't miss it, we've never really mentioned what we do in real life.  It's funny, it's always been some weird, unspoken rule that we've had.  But now's a good a time as any to break the seal, right?

We're not sure if we've ever mentioned the fact that we went to college together. And while going to college, joined the same sorority, had the same major(Specialized Communication) AND took all of our classes together. In fact, teachers would often call Liz, Lisa. Although they never called Lisa, Liz? (Cue major identity crisis for Liz! But that's a whole other blog...) So it should come as no surprise that we did our internship together.

At the Family Feud.

Yes, you read that right.  We worked in the contestant department of the Family Feud when Richard Dawson returned that one last time back in the mid-90's.  And in case you were wondering, we DID get a kiss from him. It was a very *interesting* experience that made Lisa decide to pursue a career in television and sent Liz running in the other direction the second she had fulfilled her last hour of the internship.

Lisa worked her way up the food chain on some very cool talk shows. She worked in the television industry for fifteen years and was a supervising producer when she decided to "give it all up" for love and move to Chicago to marry her husband. *cue sappy music*  Now she freelances for a ton of sites, including Real Moms Guide, Barnes & Noble's Unabashedly Bookish blog and Bravado Designs.  And she has her hand full with her new baby too! (A full-time job in itself!)

Liz, upon deciding that she wasn't cut out for TV, figured that she'd make her inner people pleaser very happy by going into outside sales.  Because nothing makes her more excited than to yap, yap, yap with all different people every day.  She works for a large pharmaceutical company and even after eleven years, cannot spell the word pharmaceutical without spell check and still laughs every time her mom calls her for medical advice. (She does realize she has a COMMUNICATION degree, right?) So, the next time you're in your doctor's office and you see a blonde chick walk up with a roller bag, be nice.  It just might be her.

And, of course, we'd love to both be able to write full-time one day. Liz really enjoys her job, but writing books and running CLIND are what she's passionate about.  And you know what?  We have a feeling that one day we'll be able to be here full-time, blogging the shit out of anything and everything that happens. But until then, we'll be stealing time in between everything else to come here and do what we love.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Amanda Goldberg & Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

We don't know about you, but it's been a crazy month over here at CLIND!  SO many new books and authors that we can hardly find the time to post about all of them.  And today is no exception-we have lovely NYT bestselling authors Amanda Goldberg and Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper.  They burst onto the scene with Celebutantes and their latest, Beneath A Starlet Sky, is another fantabulous good time! In BENEATH A STARLET SKY, Lola Santisi—CEO of a struggling fashion line and daughter of Hollywood royalty—is swinging between the fashion world in New York and the real world with her doctor-boyfriend in Los Angeles. Lola is trying to launch designer Julian Tennant’s new dress line, and it looks like they’re about to get their next big break: his wedding dresses have been chosen to feature in the top film at the Cannes Film Festival. They better make a big splash in the sunny Cannes crowds, or else…

For Kate Woods, Lola’s BFF and CAA’s rising star agent, Cannes is all work and no play. Having recently endured a disastrous break-up with Lola’s brother Christopher, Kate is newly single, and focused solely on her clients.

The only thing worse than thinking it was a good idea for Kate to date Lola’s brother, is thinking it was a good idea for Kate to put one of her most loose-cannon clients, Nic Knight, in Lola’s father’s movie. Among Kate’s other mega star clients is Saffron Sykes whose appearance on the cover of Vogue in Julian Tennant could be the difference between Julian Tennant, Inc. weathering the economy or going bust. But when someone throws a wrench in their plans, everyone stands to lose, especially Lola. With her father and brother vying for the same prize, her mother starring in hew new reality show, and one heartbroken girlfriend about to declare motherhood, it’s all on Lola to come up with the answers.

Sound good?  Then leave a comment to be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday night after 6pm EST. Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...AMANDA GOLDBERG & RUTHANNA KHALIGHI HOPPER'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO

1. Do cherish and protect friendships with the girlfriends who knew you when you wore that really bad prom dress, had the bad perm and wore the bad blue eye shadow.  These are the women who will feed you when you’re busy feeding the newborn you just brought home from the hospital, when you’ve forgotten to eat because you’ve been at the hospital tending to an ailing parent, and when you’ve lost your appetite because your husband (or boyfriend) decides they’re “going through something”.  These are the women who are the mirrors that make any accomplishment worth celebrating with a good glass of wine, a hug or a good cry.  These are the women who make it worth it.

2. Do find your own voice: it’s been incredibly meaningful for us to find our own mode of expression; a place where we can go that allows us to feel creatively fulfilled.  We come from families of strong personalities.  And it’s been significant for us to be able to stand on our own two feet as women.  Ruthanna: My hope for my daughter, who’s now a toddler, is that she feels the song of her own soul and doesn’t feel the need to impersonate anyone, or get swept away by some of the alienating and superficial images presented by the media.  As Tina Fey said in her “Prayer for a Daughter”: “May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.” Which leads us to…

3. Do get your heartbroken: let it get shattered, busted, tossed to and fro, so that you learn how to expand, put the pieces back together and stretch, so that you figure out who you are, what’s important to you and that ultimately, the love you have for yourself is the one worth fighting for. Which leads us to….

4. Do have a commitment ceremony for yourself! We throw one in our new novel when one of the characters loses her way and loses her truth.  She vows to cherish, honor and love herself, until death do you part!  Which leads us to…

5. Do forgive easily and often. Because life is precious and short and holding onto resentment, as the great Pema Chodron says, is like eating poison and waiting for the other person to die.  Far too much energy is wasted on war, on anger, on waiting for the other person to change or apologize.  Look deep, ask yourself who’s suffering and how in your own way can you help to alleviate pain in the world.  Often this means starting with our own, often this means starting with forgiveness.  Which brings us to…

DO-OVER

Don’t live with regret. We tend to be pretty hard on ourselves.  And what woman’s not?! The beauty of life is that each moment gives us the opportunity to begin again, which means we can go through each of the above Do’s and in each moment treat ourselves to them, make our lives simpler because of them, and become stronger, more fulfilled women through them.  And when we forget, we can begin again, and again, and again.

Thanks ladies! xoxo, L&L

To read more about Amanda and Ruthanna, head over to Facebook or find them on Twitter!

Announcing...THE D WORD!

We've got big news, y'all.  Crazy, super, HUGE news. Our second novel, The D Word, is going to be released as an eBook on Tuesday, June 14th. *jumps up and down and screams Oprah audience style*  And it's going to launch for only 2.99! (Less than a gallon of gas!) And we're still reeling from the fact that some majuh authors have read it and LOVED it! More on that in a minute...

And it gets even better-we are also going to re-release our first novel,  I'll Have Who She's Having as an eBook with a brand spankin' new cover. (And it's RAD, if we do say do ourselves...) The best part?  The introductory price will be .99! Seriously, you can hardly get your daily Starbucks shot of vanilla for that!

For less than $4 you will be able to buy BOTH of our books! And don't fret, they're going to available in ALL of the eBook formats from Apple to Kindle, so no matter what reader or computer you have-you will be able to download them.

Now, of course, y'all know we're going to have some KICK ASS giveaways to go along with our upcoming launch. (hint, hint: think iPad, a DXG camera, and more!) There will be more info about the giveaways as we get closer to our pub date.  But it's safe to say the giveaway whore in you is going to be very, very happy.

So without further adieu, we present to you The D Word by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke....

Jordan Daniels and Elle Ryan thought their lives would become less complicated when they walked away from their respective relationships one year ago. But instead, they find themselves vying for a relationship with the same divorced man.

As a spiritual counselor, newly single mother Jordan Daniels makes her living predicting other people's futures. If only she could foresee her own. A year after filing for divorce from her husband, Kevin, he seems to be the one moving on effortlessly, while Jordan still can't bring herself to fill his old underwear drawer. But it's not until Jordan's polar opposite, Elle steals Kevin's heart, that Jordan becomes convinced she'll be replaced both as a wife and a mother to her five-year-old son, Max.

When Elle met Kevin, the last thing she wanted was another relationship. Especially not with a man with baggage-she already had enough of her own. She left her fiancé, Chase right before their wedding to avoid the imminent D word, something she's convinced runs in her family like a disease. But a year later, she's no closer to becoming less skeptical about marriage. And despite her attachment to Kevin and his son, when Elle sees just how far Jordan's willing to go to win Kevin back, Elle starts to question if she should have left Chase in the first place.

In The D Word you'll walk in the shoes of Jordan and Elle as they discover that sometimes you're not that different from the person who makes you feel the most insecure.

Here's what some of your favorite authors have to say about it:

"Sassy, smart and highly enjoyable, The D Word delivers with Jordan and Elle--endearing and relatable women-in-transition--who you'll be rooting for all the way to their brand new versions of happily ever after!"  -Laura Dave, author of LONDON IS THE BEST CITY IN AMERICA, THE DIVORCE PARTY and THE FIRST HUSBAND

"A thoughtful, witty examination of divorce and the rocky terrain of its complicated and often murky emotional aftermath." -Amy Hatvany, author of BEST KEPT SECRET

“Reading The D Word is like hanging out with two wonderfully flawed friends who make you laugh even when it seems their worlds are falling apart. Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have captured these women at a crossroads as they struggle to find love, happiness and fulfillment. You’ll laugh, cry, and at times, want to slap some sense into them. But mostly you’ll root for Elle and Jordan because you know them. They’re just like you.” – Irene Zutell, author of PIECES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER

A special thank you to Laura, Amy and Irene for taking time out of your incredibly busy schedules to read our book. It means more to us than we could ever express! xoxo + an extra xo!

Okay, so are you ready to see the new cover for I'll Have Who She's Having?  It's such a fun book, perfect for any time you need a solid LOL.  We hope you heart the new cover as much as we do!

Kate's been depressed ever since yet another long-term boyfriend unceremoniously dumped her. When her younger and married sister Kelly convinces her the way to meet a quality man is for the two of them to sign up for a volleyball class, she's just desperate enough to agree. But Kate becomes so fixated on their coach that she fails to see an unlikely but perfect match right in front of her.

Kelly's been less than happy for longer than she wants to admit. She's the one who appears to have it all: the perfect husband, the big house and the beautiful daughter. Despite it all, she feels an emptiness she can't explain and is conflicted when it's her volleyball coach who offers an answer.

I'll Have Who She's Having follows Kate and Kelly as they battle themselves and each other in their search for a happy ending. Through a series of hardships and self-doubt, they both realize they were looking for happiness in the wrong places. It s a novel for anyone who ever secretly let their insecurities get the best of them.

So there you have it.  We are so excited for next month and hope that y'all will follow on on this crazy eBook journey we're about to embark on.  One thing we promise-it's going to be a fun ride with lots of fun content and great giveaways.  Don't miss out! Stay tuned for details on the Ipad giveaway in a few weeks....

A very special thank you to Suni Danielle of Suni Danielle Photography for creating our uh-maze-ing covers. You rock, girlfrin'!

Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment and tell us what you think!

xoxo, L&L

L B Gschwandtner & Karen Cantwell's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

It probably won't surprise you that we have a soft spot in our hearts for writing teams of two who author books together. Because we feel if a couple of people can work together to get a novel on paper without killing each other, they've survived half the battle. (We managed to get through both of our novels with only one cat fight! But it was a good one! Meow!) And majuh bonus points if they are also funny! So when we discovered L B Gschwandtner and Karen Cantwell, co-authors of Foxy's Tale, we fell for them because they made us seriously LOL our asses off when we read their novel. And you know how we like a good LOL! Synopsis of Foxy's Tale: A comic, chick lit tale wherein former beauty queen Foxy Anders, who's fallen on hard times, rents an apartment to mysterious, bumbling Myron Standlish who’s arrived in the city looking for a long lost trunk containing who knows what. When Foxy’s teenage daughter, Amanda hooks up with Nick, a cute guy at school, while getting cooking lessons from Foxy's new assistant Knot, they’re all in for some romance with a dash of suspense and a sprinkle of supernatural.

And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of three eBook or print (up to you!) copies of Foxy's Tale. We'll randomly select the winner after 6pm EST on Thursday, May 19th.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...L B GSCHWANDTNER AND KAREN CANTWELL'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER 

DO'S

1.  Karen: Always wear a bra. If you’re knocked unconscious in an accident, you don’t want your very personal friends, Teensy and Eensy (in my case) or Jumbo and Whopper (in Dolly Parton’s case) to be exposed to the world.

LB: You may also want to consider your panty style of choice. Only a few of us can get away with a string bikini on an emergency room gurney. Just sayin’.

2. Karen: Wash your hands in a public restroom. They might have hidden cameras and you don’t want to wind up on a Today Show segment dedicated to health and hygiene.

LB: Double tie your trash bags. You’d be surprised what can leap right out at you. Eeeewwww.

3. Karen: Clean UNDER the toaster when Aunt Gertrude visits from Niceville, FL. She looks under everything and she’s not so NICE when she spreads the news to relatives about your housekeeping deficiencies.

LB: Take anything out of your closet that you haven’t worn in 2 years and give it to Goodwill. No regrets.

4. Karen:. Tell your children you love them every day. Make sure you keep video footage as well -- you’ll want evidence when they’re adults and say it’s your fault they’re seeing a therapist.

LB: Ignore the impulse to ask anyone: “Do these jeans make me look fat?” Really, that’s between you and your mirror.

5. Karen: Laugh at your own foibles. And laugh at the word "foibles," because let’s face it -- it’s a funny word.

LB: I don’t even know if a foible is good to suggest doing.

DO-OVER

Karen: I would do-over the time I obsessed on things I wanted to do-over. What a waste that was.

LB: I’ve had some hair cuts I would definitely DO over and, looking back at some old pictures, wish I had. Now I wish I could do-over looking back at those pictures.

To find out more about the lovely and talented LB Gschwandtner, visit her website, check out her blog and be sure to follow her on Facebook. To find out more about the equally lovely and talented Karen Cantwell, visit her website and follow her on Facebook.

Thanks, L B & Karen!

xoxo,

L&L

Laura Dave's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

There really are no words left to describe our deep love for Laura Dave. We'll simply say she's the best and that her writing is some of the very best out there. And that we will always look forward to her next book with child-like anticipation. She's just that damn good. So first order of business? Don't even think. Just get your hands on her latest fabulous, insightful, emotional, nail biting, passionate, fantastic novel, The First Husband.(Officially out today!) And if for some crazy reason (because you'd just have to be crazy) you haven't read her other books yet, you must immediately buy, download, check out, whatever your method my be, her debut novel, London is the best City in America and her second book, The Divorce Party. (Both uh-mazing and each optioned to be made into movies by some serious A-listers. Um, can we say Reese Witherspoon & Jennifer Aniston respectively?) Synopsis of The First Husband: Annie Adams thinks she has it all. Her longtime boyfriend, Nick, is on the verge of becoming a successful film director, her travel column is nationally syndicated, and they've got a great dog. Her life finally feels like it is falling into place. Until, out of nowhere, Nick announces that he's reconnected with a woman from his past and he's moving out.

Reeling from Nick's exit, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin, a down to earth chef who seems to be everything she didn't know she wanted. Three months later, they're married. And Annie finds herself in a small Massachusetts town -- completely unmoored and wondering if she's picked a life on the rebound. When Nick returns, wanting a second chance, Annie's stuck: truly torn between her husband and the man she may have been meant to marry.

Sound like your kind of book? Hells yeah it does! Well you know the drill...just leave a comment here and be entered to win one of five copies of The First Husband. We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm EST on Wednesday, May 18th.

And we're lovin' Laura even more after reading her 5 Do's and Do-Over (especially after discovering we have a mutual soft spot for that show from the late nineties, Felicity! How hot was Ben???)

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LAURA DAVE'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO

1.     DO Take a Road Trip

I will grant you: The world is full of incredible places to explore. But my favorite kind of trip is one where I never have to see an airport.  My greatest adventures have involved getting behind the wheel of my car (or a friend’s car—I’m not picky!), putting on some great music (recently I’ve found it’s hard to beat The Avett Brothers), and seeing where I end up.  I’ve driven the California coast a dozen times since moving to Los Angeles three years ago.  And one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life remains driving into Moab, Utah for the first time—and finding myself surrounded by all that orange mountain rock.  There is just something about seeing the world while driving through it. It is a great way to explore somewhere new—and the absolute best way to revisit a place that matters to you. And a person that matters to you.  The great windfall of a road trip is often all those borrowed hours with the person riding shotgun.

Just make sure to establish beforehand that you’re in charge of the soundtrack.

2.      DO Cook For The People You Love.

I came to this lesson late: Cooking can be an act of total and complete joy.  I’m not talking about dishing out six course gourmet dinners every night—unless you are so inspired, in which case, do you want a new friend?

But I’m sincerely saying that I’ve found making something wonderful and nourishing for the people that matter most to me has added a serious contentment to my life.  From heading down to the farmers market for an early-morning run to navigating a new pasta sauce (may I highly recommend this yummy number from Jessica Seinfeld, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment putting a healthy and comforting meal on the table. Added bonus: This contentment often results in someone pouring me a glass of wine.

(Oh, and this is a side DO: when you cook, someone else better clean.)

3.       DO Walk It Off

During a pilot episode of a TV show that will remain nameless (Felicity! Don’t hold it against me—it was a great show!), the main character offered a piece of wisdom that has always stayed with me.  She said: I'm learning little by little that we decide what our lives are gonna be. Things happen to us. But it's our reactions that matter.

I think this is beyond true.  We often face adversity—sometimes in small ways, sometimes in larger ones—but it is how we handle what is in front of us that determines our happiness.  As much as possible, I try to enjoy the good.  And, when the tough comes breaking in, I remind myself: this too shall pass. And it often passes faster (or at least it feels like it is passing faster) if I find a way to walk it off.  Actually taking a walk—tying up some soft sneakers, breathing in the fresh air—is often the best start I find.

4.   Do Make New Mistakes

For a long time I thought if I played my cards just right, I could avoid making mistakes: No more keeping my mouth closed when it matters most, no longer saying yes when I mean no.  No more unnecessary parking tickets because me and quarters apparently have issues.  But the hard lesson to learn is that if you are going to be involved in your life, you’re going to make mistakes. You simply can’t avoid it, at least some of the time.  But I’ve tried to follow a mantra I recently learned: since you’re going to make mistakes the key is to make new ones.  Learn and explore and forgive in an entirely new ways.  (As an example: just yesterday, instead of the keeping my mouth closed, I spoke up and said the exact wrong thing!)  In all seriousness, this is what I try to do now, as much as possible: I try to learn from what’s happened, truly learn from it.

And then go screw up in brand new ways.

5. DO Agree With Each Other Whenever Possible

One of the greatest things about writing the kind of books I do is that I get a chance to sit down and talk to so many amazing people about their relationships and families.  When I started working on The First Husband, I visited with a couple who I’d first met years ago while finishing my first novel.  I knew this couple was special from the start.  Not only had they been married for forty years, but they still loved and enjoyed each other so much.  I asked them what their secret was.  The wife told me very simply: “Well I listen very carefully and whenever possible, I look for reasons to agree with him.”  Then her husband said: “I do the same.”

In honor of them, this is my final DO.  Agree with each other whenever you can.   Not only does it make the world a little easier, it makes it a whole lot better.

DO-OVER

Don’t Expect One Size To Fit All

I don’t mean this in terms of clothing.  When I was younger, I used to think that there was a right way to go—a safe college, a safe path.  It was just a matter of picking correctly.  But, I’ve learned that what is right for one person can be completely wrong for another.  It isn’t about what makes sense on paper, or makes sense to the group at large, it’s what makes sense to you.

So, for my do-over, I’d tell my teenage self this in a way she could hear it.  (I’d probably have to get her on the phone.)  And, when I did, I’d tell her to trust herself more.  She could make a decision—or several—that might be confusing to the outside world—but, if it felt right, she should be brave enough to follow it freely.

Oh, and while I had her, I’d also tell her not to buy that enormous striped sweater just because the saleslady promised her it only came in one size.  Even if she was telling the truth, she also wasn’t. So I guess I also do mean this in terms of clothing.

To find out more about the incredibly talented Laura Dave, head over to her website, follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And don't forget to BUY HER BOOK.

Thanks so much, Laura!

xoxo

L&L

Jennifer Belle's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

The Seven Year Bitch is back bitches! This time in paperback! And if you didn't read it the first time 'round (or even if you did), it's time to snatch up a copy and dive in. We loved, loved, loved this sassy novel. And we thought our favorite magazine, EW, summed it up perfectly: “A fun ride...The heroines of Jennifer Belle’s wry comic novels often feel like a cockeyed cross between Cosmo girl and Woody Allen muse, and...Isolde Brilliant is no different. [Isolde] flirts with infidelity and navigates satiric set pieces (fertility-challenged nannies, bad playdate mommies) like a Baby Bjorne-toting Alice in a kook-infested Wonderland.” —Entertainment Weekly

Synopsis: What’s a fabulous New York City girl supposed to do when she finds herself fantasizing about the grim reaper more than she fantasizes about her husband? When she can’t help but give him the finger on the set of Sesame Street? And when she doesn’t exactly hope for a safe landing when he goes away on business?

No, ex-hedge fund manager and new mom Isolde Brilliant hasn’t got the seven-year itch — taking care of her baby and husband and having a growing suspicion that she’s living life in captivity has turned her into a seven year bitch.

That’s New York author Jennifer Belle’s deliciously provocative phrase for the boredom, anger, and hurt that can creep into even the best of marriages — and affect even the most saintly of wives. Belle delivers a dead-on, raw, and hilarious novel about motherhood and marriage, and discovering the life you have is exactly the one you wanted.

Want to win a copy? Well you know the drill by now. Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of five copies of The Seven Year Bitch. We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm on Monday, May 16th.

We love Jennifer- the way she writes and the way she thinks. Like coming up with the ingenious idea to create buzz for her book by paying actresses to read her book in public! Check out the video here. And the way she approached her 5 Do's and a Do-Over which, just like her books, are a must-read. (Liz can especially relate to #4! You might recall her post entitled, birthday blunder.)

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JENNIFER BELLE'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO

"I will never understand people who say they have no regrets. I have a million regrets. I would have rather written Five Do-overs and one Do, but here is what I’ve come up with"- Jennifer Belle

1.      DO travel as much as you possibly can and put yourself in as many miserable, uncomfortable and even dangerous situations as possible. Along the same lines, but having nothing to do with travel, DO date at least one sociopath for the great sex, but don’t let it last more than a year.

2.      DO something you’ve never done like learn to drive or learn to ski. I never did either and I’m constantly made to feel guilty about it. Every single time I go to a party my husband finds a way to tell people that I don’t know how to drive.

3.      DO try never to hold a grudge. I personally am a terrible grudge-holder, and can’t forgive or forget anything sometimes for years. In fact, an old boyfriend gave me the Indian name “Chief Holds-A-Grudge.” I have also let go of friendships I should have fought harder to keep. Recently I was on a radio show with Alex McCord from the TV show Real Housewives of New York and she said the key to her great marriage was never going to bed angry. I said, “Really? I go to bed angry almost every single night.”

4.      Along those lines, DO tell your husband or boyfriend exactly what you want for your birthday or anniversary. I always ask for a night alone in a hotel. I mean, alone without him. On my last anniversary, we couldn’t afford a hotel, so I made my two sons sleep in bed with my husband, and I slept in my son’s bed all by myself with the door closed. Heaven!

5.      DO save your money and don’t waste it on restaurants and clothes and cabs. I have absolutely no money in the bank because I spend it as soon as I get it. DO however invest in a great Norma Kamali bathing suit and LuluLemon workout clothes so you’ll feel good on the off-chance you decide to go to the beach or work out.

DO-OVER

DON’T let your dog sleep in bed with you. My husband can’t even give me a two-second backrub without my dog thoroughly investigating what’s going on in his bed. This is why my dog plays an unfortunate part in all of the sex scenes in my new book.

Watch the book trailer for The Seven Year Bitch here. And to find out more about the hilarious and very talented Jennifer Belle, visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Sarah Dessen's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

In case you haven't noticed, May has been a HUGE month for great books. (Which is appropriate considering it's also International Chick Lit Month-head on over to that site if you haven't already for tons of giveaways!)  So it's understandable that we are crushin' on a TON of writers right now! One of them is the wonderfully fantastic NYT bestselling author Sarah Dessen-her latest novel What Happened to Goodbye(her first in two years!) just came out and we have a feeling it's going to shoot up the bestseller list faster than Lindsay Lohan's next stint in jail.  We LOVED it and have a feeling that y'all will too.  It's the kind of YA that us old people(ie people over 18) like too!  And the fact that she's a fellow Fanilow and reality TV addict?  Totally. Awesome.

In What Happened to Goodbye, Dessen tells the story of Mclean, a high school senior who has taken up the practice of assuming a new identity in each of the four towns she's lived in since her parents' bitter divorce. Living with her Dad and estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Want to win a copy for yourself? Then just leave a comment and be entered to win!  So freakin' easy, right?  We'll choose the winners on Monday May 16th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SARAH DESSEN'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

"When I first got this assignment, I immediately went all neurotic. (This isn’t hard for me, as my default setting is partially neurotic.) Five Dos and One do-over sounds simple, but I am more full of things I wish I hadn’t done than those that I have. Maybe this is because I am so neurotic?

Anyway. Despite my issues, I love a challenge. So here we go…" - Sarah Dessen

DO'S

1.  DO trust your gut. While I often waffle with indecisiveness about everything from what to eat for breakfast to which shoes to wear, when it comes to the Big Stuff I’ve learned to listen hard to that one, true inner voice. When I was eighteen, I was a hot mess in so many ways. High school was not a good time for me, which is probably why I’m still writing about it. All I wanted was to get out of my hometown as fast as possible, so I accepted the first college admission I received and headed off to a state school forty-five minutes away, where I promptly decided to be an advertising major. Within a week or two, I knew I’d made a mistake. I was miserable, hated my classes, and yet I knew that leaving would signal the biggest failure of my life. (It’s bad enough to drop out of college, worse when your parents are academics. The shame! I can still taste it.) In the end, though, I decided that admitting I’d made the wrong choice was better than wasting a year of my life, so I returned home. There, my parents insisted I sign up for a class at the local university. I’d always liked to write, so I picked creative writing. From the moment I sat down in that class, that first day, and looked at my professor, Doris Betts, I knew I was in the right place. Finally. It just took a detour---and being quiet---to realize it.

2. If you really want something and fail the first time getting it, DO try again, even if it scares you. This is a huge one for me. A few years ago, after much thought, my husband and I decided to try for a baby. Like most people who had spent a bulk of their lives worrying about preventing pregnancy, I figured this would require very little effort on my part. I was wrong. A year later, we’d had no luck, and I started making the rounds of specialists. Eventually, I got a little help from a fertility drug and got the little plus sign on the stick. Success! I was so happy, I immediately told all my friends and family and began making preparations. At eight weeks, I went for my first ultrasound. I peered at the screen, so excited but there was…nothing. The pregnancy hadn’t progressed past the first couple of weeks. I was devastated. It seemed so unfair to try to hard for something and finally get it, only to immediately have it slip away. It was almost embarrassing, although I know that doesn’t make sense. Anyway, I swore I wasn’t going to try again, that I didn’t have the strength for another disappointment. But then, as the weeks passed, I couldn’t shake this image of me with a baby in my arms. I wanted it so much, enough to---just barely, sometimes---outweigh the fear. Two months later I got pregnant again. And while it often felt like I was holding my breath the entire nine months, the day my daughter was born was hands-down my happiest. I cannot imagine my life without her, and I’m grateful every day that I faced down everything that scared me to get her here.

3.  DO have boundaries. Although my parents are from New York and Baltimore, respectively, I was raised in the South. Somehow---although clearly not genetically---I ended up with the Disease to Please that is very common around these parts. You know the symptoms, even if you are from the Arctic Circle: you have trouble saying no, want everyone to like you, and thus often resemble a doormat. This wasn’t a huge problem for me until my late twenties, when I began teaching undergraduates at my alma mater. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my students. But I needed to be an authority figure, not a friend, something I figured out too late once they started interrupting me in class, handing in everything late, and sobbing on my office couch about their boyfriend problems. When it comes to teaching, you can come in hard and then soften up, but if you start soft, you never recover. It look me a few semesters---and a few verbal smack downs---to realize this, but once I did, I think we were all better off. I will admit, though, that even at age forty (gulp!) this is one I still struggle with. It is one thing to draw a clear line between myself and a class full of students, another to do it with friends, family and work colleagues. Each time I waffle, however, I think of the chaos of my classroom that first semester and know the alternative is much, much worse.

4.  DO take pride in the things you love. I’ve spent a lot of my life---or maybe it just seems that way---feeling like I have to justify my various guilty pleasures. One example: television. I love it. I have a weakness not only for really good shows, like Friday Night Lights, Modern Family and 30 Rock, but also for morning TV (I’m a Good Morning America junkie) and just about every franchise of the Real Housewives on Bravo. And don’t even get me started on America’s Next Top Model and Jersey Shore. (Really: I could go on for DAYS.) For a long time, I felt like I had to keep all of this quiet, since Real Writers and Serious People only watch PBS, if they even have a TV at all. They are certainly not on the treadmill, talking back to some woman in Orange County who is all blinged out, driving her Range Rover. But what I have learned, over time, is that life is short. If something makes you happy, don’t question it: just be glad it’s there and soak it up. This same thinking allowed me to finally expose my iTunes music library, which I had always hidden from my music hipster friends when they came over. “Is that Barry Manilow?” they say, and while I used to die a little inside, now I proudly nod and crank up “I Write the Songs” even louder. We can’t all like the same things. How boring would that be? So give me my Housewives and Barry, and you can have Masterpiece Theatre and Bright Eyes. Everyone wins!

5.  DO embrace your flaws. For years now, I’ve been embarrassed about my teeth, which are slightly crooked. They’re not awful, but not perfect like most of my friends who, unlike me, had braces. For years, I was so self conscious that I never showed my teeth when I smiled, opting instead for a close-mouthed look that always made me look both smirky and like the Hamburgler. It was worse than my crooked teeth, not that I was willing to admit this. In fact, it took my officemate at UNC, Phyllis, a straight-shooter from West Virginia, to set me straight. After a photographer came to take my picture for a campus magazine, she shook her finger at me. “Smile!” she said. “Really smile! You look so much better when you do!” I did not want to believe her, but she insisted, even taking some shots of her own when I wasn’t posing to try and prove her point. My insecurity about my teeth persisted, though, to the point that I even went for consultations about getting adult braces. But when they pushed the paperwork at me, all I could think of was Phyllis, who by then had passed from breast cancer. The last time I’d seen her, she pointed at me with that same finger and said, “You keep smiling.” So I do. With my mouth open, crooked teeth out there for the world to see. Do I love them? No. But they are part of me, and will stay just as they are.

DO-OVER

Whew! Okay, that wasn’t so hard. Now for the Do-over. I have a lot to choose from, but top of my list is this: I wish I’d traveled more. I’ve always been a homebody---I still live in my hometown---and for years I was afraid to fly, which limited where I could go even when I did get up the nerve or money to leave. But I wish, WISH I had done study abroad when I was in college, backpacked across Europe, or drove across the country with my girlfriends. I wasted so much time being afraid of anything other than what I knew! It makes me crazy.

I know, I know. I can still do all of that, and most likely I will, when my daughter is older. But I’m a mom now, I have a career, a mortgage, responsibilities. I missed that window when all I needed was a passport, a duffle bag and courage. If I could go back, I’d shake my finger at myself just like Phyllis, insisting I go to Italy, Rome, Greece, see all the places I’ve only visited in movies and books. Maybe I’m able to say that because I am older, and have forty years behind me now. But I believe that given the chance, I’d take that other path, the one that led over an ocean to somewhere far, far away. At least, I like to think so.

Want to read more about Sarah?  Then head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks Sarah! xoxo, L&L

Beth Kendrick's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Seriously you guys, we are drooling over all these books about food!  We don't know if it's because we've both been practically starving ourselves for Liz's vow renewal in Vegas later this month or if we just have a major food book fettish, but some of our faves in the last year have been delectably delicious to read! And The Bake-Off by Beth Kendrick is no exception. We fell in love with her last year when she sent us Second Time Around and couldn't wait to get our hand on her latest.  It's yummy fun that we highly recommend you indulge in! (It's fat free too!)  Run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy today for your next weekend getaway.

And the best part?  Beth has written a ton of books so if you are just discovering her, you'll have lots to choose from to read next!

Suburban soccer mom Amy has always wanted to stand out from the crowd. Former child prodigy Linnie just wants to fit in. The two sisters have been estranged for years, but thanks to a series of personal crises and their wily grandmother, they've teamed up to enter a national bake-off in the hopes of winning some serious cash. Armed with the top-secret recipe for Grammy's apple pie, they should be unstoppable. Sure, neither one of them has ever baked anything more complicated than brownie mix, but it's just pie-how hard could it be?

Want a copy?  Then leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners randomly on Monday May 16th after Noon PST.

And we think you'll love her Do's and a Do-over.  And having had the pleasure of meeting her, we can attest that despite what she claims in her Do-over, she is a VERY cool girl.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: BETH KENDRICK'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

Do:

1. Try making a cake from scratch. Break out the eggs, butter, flour, and channel your inner confectionista. I could barely boil water when I started writing The Bake-Off, and by the time I handed in the manuscript, I was making apple pies that could rival Martha Stewart’s. If I can do it, anyone can—trust and believe! Plus, you can tell yourself it’s “more healthful” than store-bought pastry or cake from a mix because there are no artificial flavors, colors, or unpronounceable ingredients, and therefore, you should feel no guilt about helping yourself to a second piece. Bon appétit! (Cookbook suggestions for beginners: Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible, Cindy Mushet’s The Art and Soul of Baking.)

2. Host theme parties. Suggestions to get you started: “fashion victims”, “hideous holiday sweaters”, “famous couples from cinema”. This takes the pressure off guests feeling like they have to look red-carpet ready, plus the themes encourage mingling. And it’s a great excuse to force your significant other to don a trenchcoat and re-enact the Lloyd Dobler boom box scene from “Say Anything”.

3. Find something to nurture. A garden, a dog, a child, a friend in need, an elderly relative…anything that clicks with your personality. Caring for and tending to another living being benefits you both in so many ways.

4. Spend a day being a tourist in your hometown. Put on some comfortable shoes and hit the museums, landmark restaurants, and tourist traps. (And don’t forget the souvenirs. You can always host a “tacky shot glass party” later.)

5. Cultivate weird holiday traditions. When my husband and I first got engaged, we would spend Christmas and Easter dashing around to 4 or 5 different family celebrations. By the end of the day, we’d be frazzled and hungry, so we’d hit a fast-food drive-through on our way home. Our holiday schedule has changed over the years, but we still like to cap off the festivities with French fries. (And nothing says Mother’s Day like a chocolate milkshake!) Holidays are all about rituals, so go ahead and create your own—even if they make no sense to anyone outside your family.

Do Over: When I was a sophomore in college, I got my bellybutton pierced. (This was during the height of the late 1990’s piercing and tattoo craze.) For reasons that remain unclear, I thought poking a little hole through my flesh would somehow transform me into a cool girl. My roommate had hers pierced, and she was the last word in cool, so I figured I’d follow her lead. Except, my roommate was also the kind of girl who could get away with wearing black leather pants and furry leopard-print jackets to her 8:30 a.m. geology seminar, and I…was not. I was the kind of girl who spent her Friday nights doing statistics homework in the library. But somehow, I got it into my head that a little steel ring would imbue me with irresistible magnetism and mystery. I had to take out the ring when I was in grad school, because I was working in a neuropsychology lab doing MRI studies, and you can’t wear any metal near the MRI machine. (Again, not a problem an actual cool girl would have.) The hole in my skin never closed up. But I’ve come to love it, because it reminds me to be true to myself. Leather pants and leopard print is just not who I am. I wasn’t a cool girl in college, I’m still not cool today, and you know what? I’m cool with that.

To read more about Beth, check out her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks Beth!  xoxo, L&L

Wendy Wax's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Can we just pat ourselves on the back for a second and say that we're really lovin on our 5 Do's and Do-Over feature? It's been uhmazing to get such great advice from some of our favorite authors including Sarah Pekkanen, Kristin Hannah and Jen Lancaster. And now we get to add the immensely talented Wendy Wax to that list! (And she has some powerful advice- more on that in a minute.) But first...since The Accidental Bestseller, we've been hooked on Wendy's writing and are always giddy with anticipation as we wait to see what she comes up with next. And with Ten Beach Road she wowed us again. First of all, when we look at the cover of Ten Beach Road it makes us think of Summer- in a good way! Not in the OMG, we have to sqeeze our booties into bikinis way, but in an I'm excited to lounge by the pool with a cocktail and pretend I don't have a spare tire (Lisa) kind of way.  And then when we read Ten Beach Road, a powerful novel about friendship, trust and love, we were inspired and excited to tell y'all all about it.

Synopsis: Madeline, Avery and Nikki are strangers to one another, but they have one thing in common.  They each wake up one morning to discover that their life savings have vanished, along with their trusted financial manager…leaving them with nothing but co-ownership of a ramshackle beachfront house.

Madeline Singer is a homemaker coping with empty-nest syndrome and an unemployed husband. Avery Lawford is an architect—or was, until she somehow became the sidekick on her ex-husband’s TV show.   And professional matchmaker Nikki Grant is trying to recover from her biggest mistake…

No on is going to save them but themselves. Determined to fight back, they throw their lots in together and take on the challenge of restoring the historic beach house to its former glory. But just as they begin to reinvent themselves and discover the power of friendship, their secrets threaten to tear down their trust, and destroy their lives a second time…

And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies of Ten Beach Road. We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm on Wednesday, May 11.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...WENDY WAX'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO'S

1.      Do try to see the positive. I didn’t come wired this way, but my goal is to become a ‘glass is half full’ person instead of a ‘half empty’, or ‘always-holding-a- dribble-glass’ kind of person. I’m drawn to positive people, and I’d like to be one of them!

2.      Do study or travel abroad if you get the chance. My six months in Florence as a college student were filled with constant challenges, but I learned a lot, much of it about myself. And if you’re single, go ahead and date that Italian guy that you need a dictionary to communicate with. I still remember my Italian boyfriend, Umberto, with fondness and, frankly, sometimes not knowing what they’re saying is a plus.

3.      Do embrace change. Life is too short to settle for less than you want or deserve in either your professional or personal life.

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert was right! After years of being attracted to ‘bad boys’ I finally said yes when a ‘nice’ guy asked me out. We just celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary and based on my father-in -law’s maxim that ‘the first forty years are the most difficult’ we’re only fifteen years away from Nirvana.

4.      Do listen to your mother – at least on occasion. I spent a lot of my life rebelling and, in fact, when my entirely suitable husband asked me to marry him, right after I said yes I may have actually added that I hated to make my mother that happy.

It’s amazing how much smarter your mother seems after you become one.

5.      Do open your mind. Step outside your comfort zone. Find new things that interest you. It sounds so obvious, but it can be hard to do. I doubt I’ll ever take up wildlife medicine or hang gliding, but I’m thinking about finally learning golf (one of the many things I rebelled against as a teenager) or rowing, or... I don’t know, but just thinking about what I might try next is invigorating.

DO-OVER

For me, this ties in to becoming a ‘glass is half full’ person. I think we all need to be able to appreciate and accept ourselves right now, in the moment. This photo was taken on Pass-a-Grille beach (where Ten Beach Road is set) about 25 years ago. Today I think, hmmm, not bad. (Okay, actually I would kill to look like this now!) At the time I was wishing my thighs weren’t so fat.

To find out more about the lovely and talented Wendy Wax, visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks, Wendy! xoxo,

L&L

Rachel Gibson's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Today we're ecstatic to have New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson.  Her latest novel, Any Man of Mine is the perfect book to throw in your tote the next time you go on vacay or staycay. Think beachside on Memorial Day Weekend or while lounging on your own lanai (a.k.a. your back porch!). It's sassy, fun and the perfect book for anyone craving a little romance. Synopsis: What happens in Vegas...doesn’t always stay there...Autumn Haven’s Las Vegas “to-do” list said to catch a show and play the slots-not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam Leclaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her run. And she did-right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality and before she could say “pass the coffee” Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn’t clapped eyes on the heart-breaking hockey superstar for over two years… until she organizes his teammate’s “Special Day,” where Sam makes a BIG play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of her plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever? Read an excerpt of this juicy novel here. And also check out her THIRTEEN other novels here.

And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of five copies of Any Man of Mine! We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm EST on Friday, May 6th.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...RACHEL GIBSON'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO

1. Do drive with the top down and the music up. Driving on a country road with the top of the car down and the music cranked up feels like freedom to me.

2. Do take time to celebrate.  Some times when life hands me a gift, I am so wrapped up in my day to day life that I forget to stop and celebrate.  A month or two passes before I realize that I forgot a milestone.

3. Do remember the camera and snap a lot of photos. I love to look at old photographs, and a forgotten camera is a missed opportunity to relive great memories. An opportunity that you can never get back . Snapping a lot of photos is equally important because if you’re like me, you only look good in one out of ten pictures.

4. Do splurge on shoes.  I am a shoe-a-holic and love beautiful shoes.  My weight might fluctuate. My jean size might go up and down, but my shoes always look good on me and never make my butt look big.

5. Do fill your home with flowers. Filling my house with deliciously fragrant flowers makes me happy.

DO-OVER

The zebra print dress, fishnet stockings, anklets, and five-inch pumps I wore in the eighties.  I thought I was hot, but sadly I was not. One of the few  times I wish I’d forgotten the camera.

To find out more about Rachel Gibson, visit her website and follow her on Facebook.

Thanks, Rachel!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa