Marilyn Brant's 5 Loves and a Dud

Ahhh...Europe.  How AWESOME would it be to spend a summer there?  Eating french bread and brie in France and red wine and pasta in Italy.  And calories don't count there, right?  Is that why European women can eat carbs and not gain weight?! Damn them! Today we've got the lovely Marilyn Brant sharing her 5 Loves and a Dud.  Her latest novel, A Summer in Europe makes us want to hop on the next plane there.  (Seriously, let's go!)  It's delightful and fun, we think you'll enjoy.

Here's the scoop on A Summer in Europe: On her thirtieth birthday, Gwendolyn Reese receives an unexpected present from her widowed Aunt Bea: a grand tour of Europe in the company of Bea's Sudoku and Mahjongg Club. The prospect isn't entirely appealing. But when the gift she is expecting--an engagement ring from her boyfriend--doesn't materialize, Gwen decides to go.

At first, Gwen approaches the trip as if it's the math homework she assigns her students, diligently checking monuments off her must-see list. But amid the bougainvillea and stunning vistas of southern Italy, something changes. Gwen begins to live in the moment--skipping down stone staircases in Capri, running her fingers over a glacier in view of the Matterhorn, racing through the Louvre, and taste-testing pastries at a Marseilles cafe. Reveling in every new experience--especially her attraction to a charismatic British physics professor--Gwen discovers that the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared to the renaissance unfolding within. . .

Sound good?  Then leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday December 4th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MARILYN BRANT'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

5 LOVES

1. Great Movies I love classic movies like "The Philadelphia Story" and "Roman Holiday" and more recent films that are, in my opinion, just as classic, like "When Harry Met Sally," "Shakespeare in Love," "While You Were Sleeping," "A Room with a View" and just about every cinematic production of "Pride and Prejudice." I love the way I can lose myself in films like these...find myself in the drawing room with Darcy and Elizabeth or hanging out at the deli with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan or listening in (alongside Jimmy Stewart) while Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant banter by the poolside. I also love movies like "Footloose," "Dirty Dancing" and "La Bamba" that make me want to sing and dance along. And I especially love watching really well-made films of any era -- everything from "It Happened One Night" to "The Princess Bride" to "The King's Speech" -- with family and friends, so we can experience it together and talk about it for hours afterward. Often over dessert.

2. Food  Yeah, real specific, huh? Just so you know, I TRIED to narrow it down to a single edible item like, say, Thai spring rolls, which I really love (especially with plum dipping sauce), or even just one particular cuisine, like Italian, which I also love -- and not only because I grew up with Sicilian friends and married a man whose family comes from the Tuscany/Liguria regions. No. The sticking point was that it just didn't seem fair to talk about my adoration of crisp garden salads with freshly chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and romaine...without also mentioning desserts that I can't imagine my life without, like gelato, baklava, English trifle or brownies. How do I say, "Oh, I love dips like roasted-red-pepper hummus," and callously ignore my deep affection for thin-crust sausage-and-mushroom pizza or garlic mashed potatoes or grilled jumbo shrimp? You see how that's a problem, right? So, really, with very few exceptions (see my Dud below), I love ALL food, and I embrace this.

3. Traveling  I've had a pretty insatiable case of wanderlust since I was a kid and have spent much of my life plotting out where my next trip was going to be and how long I'd have to save my allowance (or my paycheck) to get there. When I was in high school, I was an AFS exchange student in Brisbane, Australia for three months, and it really changed the direction of my career. Up until then, I had my future planned out until I was about 80. After the trip, I didn't know what, exactly, I was going to do with my life...LOL. It made the end of high school and the first couple years of college more confusing, but I think it was important for me to go into those years with an open mind. In college, purely on impulse, I auditioned for a folk dance group and ended up performing with them for 2 years, including going with them on a summer-long European dance tour when I was 19. That, too, was a life changer because I really fell in love with Europe and knew I had to go back. Which I did, a few years later, with this world-history teacher I was crazy about...and he proposed to me there, on London Bridge. That was almost 20 years ago ;). Together, the two of us backpacked abroad quite often before we became parents. Since then, our trips have all been much closer to home and much shorter (!!), but I still really love going on roadtrips, taking long walks through other cities and getting a new perspective simply by being in a different place.

4. Music and Musicals  The first film my parents let me stay up late to watch was "The Sound of Music" when I was in 3rd grade. I was absolutely mesmerized by it. At age 8, I wanted to BE Julie Andrews -- well, once she stopped acting like a nun. (I'm Catholic, so I knew enough about nuns not to overly romanticize...) But that musical fueled my desire to learn how to read music and to play my first instrument. It also hooked me on stage musicals. Going to see live productions of "The Music Man" and "My Fair Lady" and, later, "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Miserables" -- plus listening to several hours of pop songs every day, which drove my parents nuts! -- was a huge part of my music education. These days, I can't write a character without knowing what kind of songs they'd listen to and, for my own amusement and for any readers who are music lovers, I always have a soundtrack for each of my books.

5. Math I know, I know. You're wondering if, maybe, Liz & Lisa accidentally switched this Love with my Dud since I know a lot of writers who'd probably prefer facing a cold virus over an algebra equation. But I genuinely love math. (Note: I did not say I always understand it!) One of the big reasons is because math correlates strongly with music (see Love #4) and, when I was a junior in high school, I had an amazingly cool algebra teacher/amateur guitarist who shared my love of both. My senior year, after having just been to a physics class where we'd had a lecture on acoustics, I saw my old algebra teacher in the hall, and he and I got to talking about the number of oscillations per second of major musical notes, like the A above Middle C (which is 440 Hz, in case you were dying to know and, yes, in answer to your silent question, I AM a geek). This led me on a fascinating side project of figuring out -- by using an equation I totally can't remember now -- what the vibrations would be for every note on the piano. Seriously, I calculated all 88 of them one night, charted them out and gave a copy of it to my old teacher. It wasn't for extra credit or anything. I wasn't even in his class anymore! It was Just For Fun. (See? Card-carrying levels of geekdom.) But that's when I knew that absolutely any subject on earth could be thrilling for kids if it could be made relevant to their lives and could tap into a passion. A priceless insight for someone who later became a teacher herself...and the parent of a kid whose favorite subject is -- you guessed it -- math.

DUD:

Cold viruses As I write this, I'm up to my elbows in crumpled Kleenex tissues which, no doubt about it, influences my choice for this particular Dud. I have had this very bad cold for six days already, and it was one of those types that hit me with the force of an express train -- immediate, unrelenting and painful. I. Hate. It. For what it's worth, I also don't like celery or sardines. I find mean-spirited gossips highly annoying. And I'm not a big fan of driving around in busy parking lots, particularly during the holiday season. But I will deal with all of these (okay, not the gossips) almost cheerfully if I don't get another cold like this one EVER again. Hope all of you are staying healthy ("Wash your hands! Get lots of Vitamin C! Go to sleep at a reasonable hour!" Do I sound like my mother yet? *grin*) and here's wishing everyone reading this a wonderful end of the year.

Thanks, Lisa and Liz!!

Thank YOU Marilyn! xo, L&L

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

Robert Rave's 5 Loves and a Dud

We love us some Robert Rave. And not just because he's cute! (Although he is very cute!) But because he's hilarious, writes sassy books and loves his mother! Awwww....

On that note, his latest memoir Conversations and Cosmopolitans: Awkward Moments, Mixed Drinks and How a Mother and Son Shared Who They Really Are is co-written by mama Rave (Jane). How sweet is that?

Here's the skinny on Conversations and Cosmopolitans:  After moving from the Midwest to New York City at the age of twenty-one, Robert Rave finally found the resolve to mail a letter to his parents informing them that he was gay.  Once Robert was “out,” both he and his mother Jane felt a newfound freedom to be more honest with each other.  From the discrimination Jane experienced as a pregnant teenager in a small town, to Robert’s “manscaping,” almost no topic was off-limits in their conversations.  Soon, Robert was creating a “gay glossary” so that Jane could understand the lexicon and Jane was giving Robert the same dating advice that she used to give Robert’s older sister (“men are jerks”).

Sounds like a must-read memoir, right? Well, it could be yours! And you know the drill! Leave a comment and be entered to win one of FIVE copies! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, November 27th after 6PM PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ROBERT RAVES' 5 LOVES AND A DUD:

LOVES

1. HGTV.  Yeah, I realize this might not be groundbreaking or even remotely sexy.  However, I love this network.  It’s aspirational, it’s escapism, it’s everything.  From “Income Property” to “Design Star” and yes, the anchor of the channel and my favorite—“House Hunters.”  (It goes without saying that “House Hunters International” falls under that same umbrella.) It pretty much is the only channel that I leave on constantly.  Although, “Extreme Couponing” on TLC is so riveting and truth be told makes me panic when they’re standing in the checkout line. I also don’t find it a coincidence that “Hoarding: Buried Alive” is on the same network.

2. Jenna Lyons—Creative Director for J Crew.  I loved J Crew back in the early nineties, but then when I moved out of the Midwest my love affair with the clothing company ended. When Jenna Lyons came on board (and also Andy Spade) they took the brand to an entirely new level.  I know basically the world at large loves her, particularly the female demographic, but I have to speak up for the guys and also profess my love and loyalty to her. There’s really something for every guy in the J Crew men’s store.

3. Capri Blue Jar Candle.  I have two French Bulldogs and let’s just say they have very sensitive stomachs.  Also, I’m presently single.  Therefore, should I ever want to change my relationship status on Facebook again, I need to keep these candles burning constantly.  They smell that good. I’ve only ever seen these sold at Anthropologie, but you might be able to buy them elsewhere. I don’t know, Google it.

4. Frank Sinatra.  I’m really late to the party on this one, I know.  Maybe it’s because I’m thirty-seven and it took me a minute to wise-up, but now I’m hooked.  He’s really great for every occasion: lazy Sunday afternoon, the holidays, an intimate dinner, or my personal favorite—drinking wine!

5. Pinterest.com.  It’s basically an online pinboard, or inspiration board, and as well as a vision board (what’s up The Secret?).  I love finding new things online and what inspires other people—this website is all of that and more.  I’ve really made some awesome discoveries on there: stores, photos, and interior design ideas to name a few.

DUD

People who create Facebook profiles for their pets…And then friend request me.  I’m not lying, this has happened to me on several occasions.  I love my dogs.  In fact, they’re the closest thing that I have to children at the moment.  However, the most social networking they can and should have is humping my neighbor’s dog.

To find out more about Robert Rave, follow him on Twitter.

The First Word Is Always The Scariest

This past weekend, I got a ton of shit done.  I channeled my inner OCD'er and finally put away the mass amount of birthday presents from both kids' birthdays the week prior. (Bounce house party overload, anyone?) I cleaned out my inbox.  I cleaned out my outbox.  I ordered my Christmas cards. I put my books in alphabetical order by genre.  All to avoid the one thing that I HAD to do. Write the next chapter of our third book.

You'd think I'd be dying to dig in.  I'm loving the concept and what we've written so far.  In fact, dare I say that I think this is by far the best work we've ever done?! We've finally learned to say more with less and for once we aren't making writing decisions based what we think others want to read-we're writing what WE WANT to read.  And it's surprised us both what a huge difference that small change is making.

So then why the hell did I have to practically reorganize my entire house before I could sit down and write?

Fear.

As many of you know, there's so much fear that goes into writing.  Fear that you won't be able to create the magic you did last week.  Fear that your writing partner is going to tear the shit out of it.  Fear that you're pouring your heart and soul into something that may not ever see the light of day.

So for me, it's all about writing that first word.  If I can get past that, then I know I'll find my sweet spot again.  That's why it's the scariest.  On the way to our writing retreat a few weeks ago, I sat on the plane, fingers poised, doubting myself, thinking my time might be better served getting drunk with the cute guy sitting next to me. The fear I felt about that first word was so overwhelming that I felt physically sick, and it wasn't from the all the Barcardi and coke drinking going on around me. (Btw, Barcardi? Really? The year 2000 called, they want their drink back...)

But on the first day of our retreat, I finally did it. I wrote the first word of the first chapter of what will hopefully be our breakout book.  And you know what?  Once I got over that hump, the words flowed from my fingers for two days straight.

So when I found myself in the same position a few weeks later, I knew the drill.  Just put on those earphones with my new favorite song, drown out MarioKart and SpongeBob and start writing.  Simple, right?

Maybe.  All I know is my house is always the most organized when I'm writing a book.  But maybe next time I'm faced with fear, I can pop over, read this post, and remember it's all gravy after that first word.

In honor of NaNoWriMo, we want you tell us what the hardest part of the writing process is for you.  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a copy Skipping A Beat by one of our favorite authors, Sarah Pekkanen.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, November 20th after 6pm PST.

xoxo,

Liz

Anna David's 5 Loves and a Dud

AWESOME MEMOIR ALERT!  So, you already know that we're closet memoir whores.  Something about the way people let us into their lives and write about it so beautifully(or in the case, so funny!) makes us want to read more. Today we're featuring a fabulous author and her fantastic memoir, Falling for Me. Anna David is the author of the novels Party Girl and Bought.  She's also written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Redbook, Details and many other publications.  She's also appeared on national television programs including Today, and CNN's Showbiz Tonight. In short, she's a freakin' STUD!  And we really loved her 5 Loves-especially #4!

Here's the scoop on Falling for me: Like most women, whether they’ve chosen the Fortune 500 career path or have had five kids by 35, Anna David wondered if she’d made the right choices. Then she came upon the book Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown, Cosmopolitan’s fearless leader from the mid-sixties to the late nineties. Immediately connecting with Gurley Brown’s unique message of self-empowerment combined with femininity, Anna vowed to use Sex as a lesson plan, venturing out of her comfort zone in the hope of overcoming the fears and insecurities that had haunted her for years. Embarking on a journey both intensely personal and undeniably universal, she becomes adventurous and spontaneous—reviving her wardrobe and apartment, taking French lessons, dashing off to Seville, and whiling nights away with men she never would have considered before. In the process, she ends up meeting the person really worth changing for: herself.

Sound great?  It is! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday November 20th after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ANNA DAVID'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1.  Going to the Farmer’s Market on Sundays. I prefer going to a smaller one in Larchmont rather than the massive Hollywood one because part of what I love about this ritual is that it feels sort of homey and quaint and hundreds of stalls isn’t my idea of homey and quaint. I usually labor over whether or not to get strawberries since they tend to get soft quickly before snagging heirloom tomatoes and avocados (to later chop up the tomato, mix with onion, and scoop into the avocados). Sometimes I stop at this roasted chicken stall (their garlic topping, which lasts for months, is ridiculous) or get these cheesy crackers that I crumble and use in place of croutons in salads. My last stop is always the flower stall, where I get lilies because I’m addicted to the way they smell. At home, I put them in water mixed with a dash of lemon, bleach and sugar, which helps them to last all week—as in just long enough for me to go get some more the following Sunday.

2. Hiking up Runyon Canyon. Some of my friends hate it because they think it’s too crowded or too Hollywood (it’s impossible to go without seeing someone famous—usually Kathy Griffin in full makeup) but I love it. Right at one of the entrances, there’s a booth set up that contains bottled water and granola bars that works on the honor system. In a big city like Los Angeles! Whoever set it up trusts people to leave a dollar if they take something. I never actually have because I usually walk around the world with a bottle of water all but surgically attached to me but it always makes me feel like I live in a small town or something when I see it.

3. The Bar Method, which is basically, from what I can determine through my very unscientific survey, the hardest workout known to man: you essentially line up at a ballet barre and work your muscles like you never knew they could work. Any class where the teacher trills about how great it is to see legs and arms shaking because that means you’re really working isn’t for the faint of heart or body. The experience is actually somewhat miserable and I think one of the reasons I may love it so much is the sheer relief I feel when it’s over: it’s like the glory of removing the pebble from your shoe that was making your foot hurt but times about a million. Plus, the Bar Method I go to is on Third Street in West Hollywood, one block away from Joan’s On Third—the perfect place to reward yourself for your nearly impossible workout with some of their fried cinnamon sugar sprinkled pita crisps.

4. Discovering new writers I love, or new books by writers I’ve long loved. Right now, it’s all about Jennifer Egan and A Visit From The Goon Squad but before that it was this woman Sacha Scoblic who wrote a memoir about sobriety called Unwasted. The sign of a great book, to me, is that I get excited when I’m brushing my teeth at night because I always read before I fall asleep. The problem is that I’m a pretty all-or-nothing person so if I don’t feel that way, I usually don’t end up finishing the book. I also love taking an entire week to read the Sunday New York Times. I’m someone who has to force herself a little to care about current events; it’s a horrible quality I’m deeply ashamed of but somehow the Sunday New York Times manages to make everything interesting and also allow me numerous opportunities to slip, “As I was reading the other day in the Times” into conversations whenever I can and imagine it makes me sound incredibly sophisticated. While I savor the Book Review and Sunday Styles, I’m often also surprised by the gems I discover in the magazine or the business section—or even, who knows—on the front page!

5. The near seasonlessness of Los Angeles weather. I never knew what a weather person I was until I moved to New York a few years ago on a whim and stayed for over three years. I came back to LA last February and the day I landed, it was 80 degrees. I had just endured, essentially, three months of blizzards. And now that it’s fall, in New York I would be starting to panic, thinking I’d better get out there immediately and enjoy the pretty weather because before I knew it, it was all going to be snatched from me and I’d be forced back into my two coat-mitten-hat-scarf uniform. But in LA, the end of summer doesn’t feel like a great tragedy because it essentially feels like summer all year long.

DUD

I hate to say it but e-readers. I have a Kindle—my second one—and though I’d love to love it, I simply can’t let go of my desire to hold a physical book. I like to know what page I’m on, not the percentage of the book that I’ve read, and if I’m slightly bored, I like to skip ahead, read a couple of paragraphs or pages and see if I’m more intrigued by what’s coming next—usually I am. I abandon a lot of books that I know I’d finish and probably like if I had the actual physical books. I was listening to Mark Maron’s podcast (another love!) and he was reading pages of Keith Richards’ Life and I thought it sounded amazing. But on the Kindle, I’d stopped reading almost immediately.

Thanks so much Anna!  xo, L&L

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

Ask Liz & Lisa: What's your writing process?

Okay, so we know.  It's been a while! *hang heads in shame* Things have been crazy the past six months and we've been showcasing so many fabuloso authors that we may have been neglecting all your lovely questions.  But rest assured, we still think they are all awesome and plan to get to them.  Remember, if we choose yours, you win a book!  Today's Q comes from Mary Beth-and she's won a copy of Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

But don't despair!  We are also going to give away a copy of The Arrivals by the fantastic Meg Mitchell Moore! (Who, btw, is chatting it up LIVE over at SheKnows a week from tonight. Click here for deets.) Just leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday November 11th after 3pm PST.

Here's Mary Beth's Q:

I don't know where to begin & would love the insight of fiction writers on their process. For example, do they outline/map out all of their characters ahead of time as well as the storyline? Or, do they have a basic idea of the direction they'd like to go, and just start writing...then see what organically surfaces?

Thank you so much, Mary Beth

Funny you should ask.  We just returned from a three-day writing retreat in Chicago and had to deal with this very issue!

So we've been talking about starting the third book for at least six months.  But between life and babies and launching The D Word, we've been well, a bit overwhelmed.  First we were going to start it while we were in Hawaii, but we were thwarted by Vodka POGS.  Then we decided to dive in while we were in Vegas, but we discovered it's hard to concentrate when the craps table is calling your name.  So finally, after one of us might have threatened the other that it's now or never, we decided the only way we could ever get this damn thing started was to lock ourselves in a hotel room for 72 hours.  And alas, our writing retreat was born.

We like to keep things very organic-we're careful not to pre-plan too much as we never know where the story will take us once we start typing. Our process is to come up with the basic plot (beginning, middle and end- although the end is always subject to change), then have a discussion about location, characters, character's names (that's a big one!), etc.. Then we begin. We know our style is unique and that there are many authors who outline the shit out of their book before they type a single word. At the end of the day, it's all about personal preference. (We think it's more fun to surprise ourselves!)

Now you now what we do. But we'd thought we'd also give you a few tips from our writing retreat on what NOT to do again:

1. Don't try to write your first chapter in row 32.  Liz doesn't know why she thought it would be a good idea to try to bust out her first chapter while on the flight to Chitown.  But between all the drunk Notre Dame and USC fans and the hot guy in 32B, let's just say she didn't get shit accomplished.

2. Outlining while hungover is awesome! (Not!)  When Liz ran into an old friend the night before the retreat, she thought it would be a good idea to catch up over drinks. (cue FOUR rasberry Stolis and club sodas) She was feeling a bit "rusty" and thought it might loosen her up and get her creative juices flowing.  But the only juices flowing were the room service cheeseburger she threw up at 1am.

2. Friends don't let friends eat Slim Jims Lisa knew something was up when Liz texted her and begged for her to stop at 7-11 for Advil, Cheeze-its and a Slim Jims on her way to the hotel.  But, wanting to get the retreat off on the right foot, she bit her tongue, gagged a bit, but arrived promptly with the requested items.

3. Room Service sounds better in theory After sampling pretty much EVERY SINGLE THING on the menu by day two, Lisa begged Liz to let them take a break and eat downstairs.  But Liz, who had declared herself the Word Count Nazi, said no one was allowed outside until we hit the 20,000 word mark.  *cracks whip*  And after we made our goal and headed downstairs in the lobby bar?  Lisa wouldn't even let us drink the shots sent over by some mystery man. (Note to mystery man:  White Russians?  Really?!)

4. Housekeeping is your friend  We don't know why we never let them come in.  It just seemed too complicated.

5. Now what?  So it's easy to write when you're locked in a room together with nothing else to do.  Now comes the hard part-trying to find time to write with Legos and smashed carrots flying past our heads.  And to do it without killing each other in the process!  Luckily, we seem to have it down.  Liz has stopped sending her early morning, pre-caffeine knee-jerk reaction emails and Lisa hasn't had a meltdown in months.  And guess what?  We really like what we have so far. We got this!

What we're trying to say is just do what feels right for you.  As long as it's working and the story is flowing, you'll have no problem finishing your masterpiece on schedule.  And remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the writing process!

xoxo, L&L

Have a question?  Send it to asklizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com!

Seven Seconds in Heaven with Greg Olear

We're all about women supporting woman on this site.  In fact, that's one of the reasons we started it almost three years ago.  But that being said, we love a few good men too!  Especially funny ones who write hilarious books that have the word "doucheface" in them. (Going to have to use that in a sentence this week...)

That's why we're totally stoked to have Greg Olear spending Seven Seconds in Heaven with us today.  His hilarious new novel, Father-Mucker is a fun read that we think you'll devour.

Here's the dealio on Father-Mucker: A day in the life of a dad on the brink: Josh Lansky—second-rate screenwriter, fledgling freelancer, and stay-at-home dad of two preschoolers—has held everything together while his wife is away on business . . . until this morning’s playdate, when he finds out through the mommy grapevine that she might be having an affair. What Josh needs is a break. He’s not going to get one.

Sound fab?  It is!  And we have FIVE copies to give away!  Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win.   We'll choose the winners on Sunday November 13th after 3pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS... 7 SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH GREG OLEAR

01:00

 The only time I ever played Seven Minutes In Heaven, back in seventh grade, the game would have been more accurately called Seven Minutes Of Excruciatingly Awkward Silence In A Closet Redolent With Mothballs, With A Girl With Peanut Butter In Her Retainer

02:00

 It should really be called Eight Minutes in Heaven, though, because “Stairway to Heaven” is exactly eight minutes long, and that’s what should be playing while the two lucky contestants are barricaded in the closet.  Best junior high make-out song of all time.  Because if you don’t want to make out, you can always rock out.

03:00

 I was much better at Spin the Bottle.  I first played the game in seventh grade, in my friend’s basement, not long after the Seven Minutes in Heaven fiasco, and it was during that game that I had my first grown-up (read: French) kiss.  Two weeks later, I played the game again, behind some bushes on the way home from school—just me and two girls, a ratio I found to my liking (things did not escalate, alas, but I did catch a really nasty bout of flu from one of them, thus learning an early lesson about the need to protect oneself from Ds of the ST variety).

 04:00

 I went to see The Bridges of Madison County.  In the theater.  At a matinee.  By myself.  At the end, I sobbed so loudly and uncontrollably that I had to walk out.

 05:00

 For me, the Stendhal Effect is a common occurrence; a lot of things move me to tears.  If I listen to “Cats in the Cradle,” for example, I will cry every single time.  That’s no exaggeration: Every. Single. Time.  Other songs that make me cry include: “Taxi,” “Highway Patrolman,” “Texas Rangers,” “Love Is Like a Bottle of Gin,” and, if I’m in the proper mood, “Tomorrow,” from Annie.

06:00

 Don’t get me started on Guess How Much I Love You.  I’ve never managed to read this to the kids without choking up.

 07:00

 A writer friend of mine, the great Ben Loory, recommended I teach a short story by Tobias Wolff called “Bullet to the Brain.”  I’ve read it five times.  I cried five times.  I told my class—an undergraduate creative writing workshop—about this; they didn’t believe me.  So I had one of my students read the last page aloud.  She did, as robotically as possible.  Which stolid performance did not stop me from weeping, right there in class.  They is, they is, they is.

Thanks Greg!  xo, L&L

To read more about Greg, head on over to his website or find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Isabel Gillies' 5 Loves and a Dud

Warning: Major girl crush alert! New York Times bestselling author and actress, Isabel Gillies is in 'da house. And we are giddy as a couple of school girls running around the playground. After reading her memoir, Happens Every Day: An All-To-True Story, which ended up on the New York Times bestseller list (no surprise as it was candid, ridiculously honest and beautifully written), we fell for her. And when we read the last page and closed that book, we wanted more.

And apparently we weren't the only ones who felt that way. Because Gillies has written a follow-up memoir, A Year and Six Seconds: A Love Story.  And dare we say it's even better than her last? You know when you're rooting for someone so much that you can actually feel it in your gut? That's how we felt for Isabel when we read her latest memoir about picking up the pieces after her husband leaves her for another woman. And even though by the title we pretty much knew it was all going to work out, we were still fully invested, riding the roller coaster with Gillies, her two young sons and even her parents. (Plus, she weaves the story in such a way that although you know it's coming, you have to wait for the love! But, don't worry, it's well worth it.)

And one guess what we're going to tell you next!

Yup. You got it. If you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of five copies of A Year And Six Seconds: A Love Story. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, November 9th after 6p.m. EST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ISABEL GILLIES' 5 LOVES AND A DUD

LOVES

1. Aquaphor. I discovered Aquaphor (the most perfect solution on the planet) when I had babies. I don’t know who told me to get it, a doctor, another parent, a magazine, but when I did my life changed. It’s like Vaseline but with a magic ingredient in it. I used to rub the viscous, smooth ointment into whatever red, chapped, questionable mark that was on the baby and it would just go away. I started putting it on my lips, rubbing it into my hands, having it on my bedside --  and now there is not a drawer or purse that you won’t find a little or big tube of it -  this genius, inexpensive, healer of all things. Sometimes even a bad mood.

2. Nora Ephron and Woody Allen.  I put these two together because I love them both so much. The other night during a snow storm (in October, please) my husband Peter and I watched Hannah And Her Sisters, a Woody Allen film from the eighties, and I tell you, I went to sleep thinking all is right with the world. Same thing happens if I read or watch ANYTHING that Nora Ephron has a hand in creating. Yes they make the most intuitive observations, yes they are smart and funny, yes they predominately write about New York, but it’s something about their tone that speaks to my soul. Their point of view is very often right along side mine, not always, but a lot. I am just so happy they do what they do. I will never get enough of it.

3. Cook Books!  Goodness how I love to read cookbooks. First of all they usually are so beautiful and heavy. If I didn’t need them in the kitchen I would keep all of mine in the bedroom (and in fact I have about five at all times in there as many nights, I read them before sleep). My mother had lots of wonderful cookbooks. I can picture her in front of her red shelf perusing each spine for one she wanted to pull out and use. I think sometimes her fingers even fluttered in anticipation of one of her old friends tumbling into her arms to be brought into the kitchen. I am the same. I love my cookbooks like friends. I know all of them, visit them on a weekly basis and thank them when they have done something awesome for me, like help me cook for my family. Love them! I also LOVE getting them as presents!

4. The Weather.  Yup. Love the weather. To me the weather is one of the best ways to feel in touch with this amazing universe we live in. Sometimes it’s dark, heavy and full of anticipation. Sometimes it’s bright, vivid and invigorating. Sometimes it makes you stay inside and play Monopoly, sometimes it makes you jump into an ocean. I love how it changes and I love how we are all utterly affected by it. It’s an equalizer. It’s more powerful than us. It’s the first thing most people think about. It’s something to hope for and something to work with. And in the North Eastern part of The United States, if you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change.

5. LOVE.  The last love has to be love. I almost don’t know what to say because the word is so big, it’s so complex, it’s what I like to write about, it’s what we are all consumed with, and I think it is what keeps the world going.

How are we so amazing that we can feel love? How did we get so lucky? To me, it’s the most interesting and phenomenal part about being human (I’m not saying animals don’t feel love, I think they do, but I’m talking about humans). Just writing about all these things I love is making me feel so good and changed from a half and hour ago, when I was not thinking about love. Love changes you and usually for the better. What about FALLLING IN LOVE? That is like a hurricane of amazing. I could go on, but definitely the last “love” is love.

DUD

ANXIETY.  I am plagued with anxiety. I think I might have a bit of a disorder. How I wish I was very calm and steady, but alas, lots and lots of the time I feel it’s all not going to be okay. Now, I have spent my life trying to fix this, and I have made progress. But it still can disturb my sleep, make me get in a fight or worry until I have trouble breathing. Anxiety is a little worse than a dud. I think of a dud more like a bad movie, but a bad movie can give me anxiety. Waste of time! Waste of money! What if I wrote a dud movie or book!!! See, anxiety.

Thanks, Isabel!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

To find out more about the lovely and talented Isabel Gillies, visit her website and follow her on Twitter.

Marisa de los Santos' 5 Loves and a Dud

We have mad love for New York Times bestselling author, Marisa de los Santos. And are still pinching ourselves that she accepted our invitation to share her 5 Loves and a Dud. (And when we saw that french fries was on her list of loves, we knew she was definitely our girl!) Her latest novel, FALLING TOGETHER has been called one of the hottest books for fall and we couldn't agree more. Here's the skinny on FALLING TOGETHER: It’s been six years since Pen Calloway watched her best friends walk out of her life. And through the birth of her daughter, the death of her father, and the vicissitudes of single motherhood, she has never stopped missing them.

Pen, Cat, and Will met on their first day of college and formed what seemed like a magical and lifelong bond, only to see their friendship break apart amid the realities of adulthood. When, after years of silence, Cat—the bewitching, charismatic center of their group—e-mails Pen and Will with an urgent request to meet at their college reunion, they can’t refuse. But instead of a happy reconciliation, what awaits is a collision of past and present that sends Pen and Will, with Pen’s five-year-old daughter and Cat’s hostile husband in tow, on a journey across the world.

As Pen and Will struggle to uncover the truth about Cat, they find more than they bargained for: startling truths about who they were before and who they are now. They must confront the reasons their friendship fell apart and discover how—and if—it can ever fall back together.

Sounds fabulous, right? Want to win a copy? There's 5 to be won! Just leave a comment and be entered. We'll randomly select the winners after 6:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 6th.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MARISA DE LOS SANTOS' 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1. FRENCH FRIES

There’s something almost mystically beautiful about a food that, apart from the way it tastes, has not a single redeeming quality.  They are so pure in their badness, like those irresistible boys in high school who were dumb and unfunny and entirely self-absorbed but just so stinkin’ gorgeous.   In order to eat fries, you have to check every bit of wisdom you have ever acquired at the door.  Having said that, I won’t just eat any fry.  I don’t need organic blue potatoes, a French chef, and sea salt (although I never say no to that!), but I do need crispness and just the right amount of greasiness (I’m pretty sure that they serve flabby fries in hell), and then I leave my self-respect in shreds in the dust and just go for it.

2. BALLET

As a kid, I abandoned ballet early on for gymnastics, a monumentally bad decision since I am tallish, have zero upper body strength, and way too much fear, but as an adult, I am a ballet addict.  I take adult classes as often as I can, usually three times a week, and every time, I leave class a better, happier person than when I got there.  When I tell people I do ballet, usually they say something like, “Wow, I bet that’s a great workout.”  And I suppose it is, but for me (for once!), the way it makes my body look is not the point.  I love the discipline, mental and physical, the way you start every single class with tendus and plies, the most fundamental movements.  I love the sense that I am participating in the beautiful, even when I am not beautiful (which is often).  And I love (for once!) not having any goal beyond joy and getting better at a hard thing.  I will not be tested.  I will not be taking the world stage by storm.  I will never audition for anything.  Which is just the way I like it.

3. ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

And when I say Anne of Green Gables, I’m talking about the whole series, people.  Eight books, but especially the first five.  Intellectually, I know they might be sugary and old-fashioned and overwritten and mostly plotless, but the truth is that I don’t experience them this way, ever.  I love them.  I love how almost everyone in them (except Josie Pye) is trying so hard to be good.  I love the endless nature descriptions and how Anne and her friends can go on long rambles through fields and woods and never get bitten by one mosquito.  I love the rampant optimism and romance.  I open one book and, boom, I am right there, inside of my childhood.  When I think of my favorite childhood place, I don’t think of any of the houses I lived in; I think of Anne’s east gable room with the flowering cherry tree outside the window.  A chronic bad sleeper, I read these books before I turn out the light.  I am almost never not reading one of them.  I read them to pieces, literally.  Do I know that this is weird?  Yes.  Do I care?  Nope.

4. DETECTIVE FICTION

Give me a well-written, character-driven mystery and I am happy as a clam.  Kate Atkinson, Tana French, Alexander McCall Smith, Dorothy Sayers, Jacqueline Winspear, Raymond Chandler, Alan Bradley, Cornelia Read, Agatha Christie.  I try hard not to be envious of other writers, and mostly I succeed, but I am dead jealous of mystery writers.  I want to learn to plot like that, to end every chapter with a cliffhanger.  I want to write people into dark, dark places and to ruthlessly examine the ugly side of humanity.  I want to create detectives that are complicated, vulnerable, and wicked smart.  So far, no dice, but I am not giving up hope!

5. DRIVING MY KIDS AROUND

I don’t just mean the actual driving, although I do love that.  There is a certain kind of closeness and a certain kind of conversation that only happens in minivans (and I do have one) on the way to swim practice or ballet class.  But I mean the whole shebang.  It’s one of the chief complaints of the modern parent:  the time-suck of their kids’ sports and activities schedules.  But mostly, I don’t buy it.  Mostly, I think we all secretly love to not only drive there but to be there.  My kids swim year-round, and, yes, indoor pool facilities (or natatoria, cool word) are kind of miserable:  hot, humid, loud.  But I am never miserable in them.  I look forward to swim meets, to getting up and getting the kids up while it’s still dark outside, driving through the cool dawn with the sun coming up and my travel mug of coffee in the cup holder and the kids eating breakfast in the back.  We listen to inspiring kid music:  Katie Perry’s “Firework”, The Black-Eyed Peas’s “I Gotta Feeling” and we get inspired.  Then, my husband and I sit (or time or officiate) with the other swim parents and watch our children spend their hearts on the thing they love.  I could be writing books.  I could be doing a lot of things.  But here’s what I know:  it is the great privilege of my life to be there, and at the end of my life, I’ll be glad I was.

DUD

REALITY T.V.

I know that as soon as I say “I hate reality shows,” my fun factor takes a nosedive, but oh my gosh, I detest them.  Actually, in saying that, I’m breaking my rule about not panning anything that I don’t finish because I can’t get through more than seven minutes of any reality show, but, rule be damned, I loathe them.  They bring out my inner cranky grandma (“That girl has no business wearing that skirt!”), my inner snob (“I have been studiously avoiding these people my entire life; why would I want to watch them now?”), and my inner high-horse-sitter (“Making fun of the mentally ill is just cruel.”).  Those housewives with their terrible lips!  The abusive dance moms!  Those wretchedly unhappy hoarders!  Those rich, famous, insufferable no-talent families!  And what about the writers?  What about the actors?  They’re talented!  They have gifts they’ve spent years and energy cultivating!  Employ them!  Give your time to something that’s worth it!  (See?  High horse!).

Thanks, Marisa!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

To find out more about the lovely and talented Marisa de los Santos, follow her on Facebook!

Pamela Morsi's 5 Loves and a Dud

The seasons are changing once again.  But no matter what the season, you can always count on great authors and books at Chick Lit is Not Dead.  And today is no exception! We've got the lovely and talented Pamela Morsi sharing her 5 Loves and a Dud. We discovered Pamela a few years ago when we read and loved The Social Climber of Davenport Heights.  So we're thrilled that she has a new release, The Bentley's Buy a Buick and is sharing her 5 Loves and a Dud!

HERE'S THE SCOOP ON THE BENTLEY'S BUY A BUICK: Think you can trust your husband? Think again! That's what the gossipy types at Erica Bentley's new job say. Even her (multi-divorced) mom agrees. But Erica's sure she knows her husband, Tom, better than that. He says he loves her, and shows it in a million ways. Except…he has been working extra-late these days. And he's been kinda quiet. Even secretive.

Happily married Tom Bentley never thought his head could be turned—until he saw Clara. Her sleek body has him longing, and he can't get her 127" wheelbase out of his mind. That's right. Erica's "competition" is…a car.

The beautiful Buick has Tom completely car-crazy. And Erica's sleuthing is making her just plain crazy. One of them needs to come clean with their newest obsessions, before Clara drives their happy marriage into a ditch!

Sound good?  Then leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday October 3oth after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...PAMELA MORSI'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1.  Coffee in bed.  Well, not “in bed” literally.  (Although I have spilled it on myself.  Definition of rude awakening.)  Preferred on the bedside table, brought by my husband.  There is no way better to start the day.  When I can just roll over, push the wild hair out of my face and get my caffeine fix, life is beautiful.

2.  GIANT HOLIDAY MEALS.    I love doing big family occasions, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July.  I have great memories of these from childhood.  I want our kids to have that same experience.  So, if the weather’s good, we set up outside.  If not, we rearrange the house into something resembling a restaurant. We’ve had as many as 29 for a sit-down dinner.  And, of course, there was the Christmas that we rented the blow-up jumpy for the front yard.  (No children were harmed in the production of this memory)  With minimal oversight, the kids manage somehow to look out for each other, allowing the parents to celebrate with some grown-up conversation.  Now that’s what I call a holiday.

3.  Live Music.   I am an old folky, bluegrass and jazz kind of gal.  But I’ll listen to anything live.  I just love the up close and personal of an in-your-face performance.  Whether it’s a strings recital, a gospel choir or the International Accordion Festival, if you will play, I will listen.  I don’t go to big-star concerts anymore.  Not since I had great seats at Jimmy Buffett and the drunken stranger next to me knew all the words to every song and sang them all evening.  (Is it really wrong to use pepper spray in a crowd?)  These days I find a lot of talent in smaller, more intimate venues.  Good sounds, good friends and a nice, cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

4.  Tuesday Breakfast Club.  I have been meeting the same group of women every Tuesday for the last seven or eight years.  There are six of us, all moms of Special Needs kids.  We were so lucky to have found each other.  There is something really freeing in being able to brag, complain or cry about your not-off-the-rack kid among women who know where you’re coming from.  They neither feel sorry for you for the hand you’ve been dealt or admire you as a heroine for doing what you’ve simply gotta do.

5.  British Drama.  After my daughter goes to bed at night, I try to catch about an hour of TV to sort of wind down.  What really does it for me is British drama.  Yes, I am totally one of those women who can spout whole segments of dialog from Jane Austen productions.  But I also love BBC mysteries like Foyle’s War, The Last Detective or Midsomer Murders.  The downside of this, of course, is that I can never retire to the south of England.  The crime rate there must be astronomical.

DUD 

For me it’s shopping.  I am one of those weird women who hates to spend money, doesn’t like to try on clothes and considers wandering through shops looking at things I won’t buy as a waste of time.  Naturally, it is impossible to live a completely mall-free life.  So I plan my ventures into the retail economy like search and destroy missions.  I get in there, get what I have to have, and get out.  Let’s think of it as if I’m doing a favor.  I’m leaving all that stuff to be found by someone who can really appreciate it, maybe Liz.

Lol, Thanks so much Pamela! xo, L&L

To read more about Pamela, head on over to her website.

Valerie Frankel's 5 Loves and a Dud

Valerie Frankel. She's funny as all hell. She's the author of, like, a gazillion books (including the critically acclaimed weight-loss memoir, THIN IS THE NEW HAPPY & A SHORE THING- her "collaboration" with Snooki!). And, well, we're pretty much in love with her. So we're over the moon that she's here to celebrate  IT'S HARD NOT TO HATE YOU her latest must-read memoir about embracing your Inner Hater (we so love that!) and to reveal her 5 Loves and a Dud. Her dud will having you LOL'ing your ass off- Sorry, Kim Kardashian, but it's sooo true. More on that in a minute.

But first...

Here's the skinny on IT'S HARD NOT TO HATE YOU: In the midst of a health and career crisis, Valerie uncorks years of pent up rage, and discovers you don't have to be happy to be happy. You don’t have to love everyone else to like yourself. And that your Bitchy Twin might just be your funniest, most valuable and honest ally.

“The hate in you has got to come out.” After being advised to reduce stress by her doctor, humorist Valerie Frankel realized the biggest source of pressure in her life was maintaining an unflappable easing-going persona. After years of glossing over the negative, Frankel goes on a mission of emotional honesty, vowing to let herself feel and express all the toxic emotions she’d long suppressed or denied: jealousy, rage, greed, envy, impatience, regret. Frankel reveals her personal History of Hate, from mean girls in junior high, selfish boyfriends in her twenties and old professional rivals. Hate stomps through her current life, too, with snobby neighbors, rude cell phone talkers, scary doctors and helicopter moms. Regarding her husband, she asks, “How Do I Hate You? Let Me Count the Ways.” (FYI: There are three.) By the end of her authentic emotional experience, Frankel concludes that toxic emotions are actually good for you. The positive thinkers, aka, The Secret crowd, have it backwards. Trying to ward off negativity was what’d been causing Frankel’s career stagnation, as well as her health and personal problems. With the guidance of celebrity friends like Joan Rivers and psychic Mary T. Browne, Frankel now uses anger, jealousy and impatience as tools to be a better, balanced and deeper person. IT'S HARD NOT TO HATE YOU sends the message that there are no wrong emotions, only wrong ways of dealing with them.

Sounds fabulous, right? We think so! Just leave a comment and be entered to win one of five copies of IT'S HARD NOT TO HATE YOU. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, October 23rd after 6PM EST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...VALERIE FRANKEL'S 5 LOVES  AND A DUD

LOVES

I’m a big fan of little loves, the tiny day-to-day detail that lifts my mood. Five of them:

1. Using maple syrup to sweeten coffee. I was shocked and horrified to learn that Splenda is as bad for the body as white sugar. I’d been using packets a day for years. My Whole Foods friend Nancy suggested I use honey in my coffee instead. I tried it. Feh. Then my mom gave me a gallon of maple syrup that her neighbors in Vermont made from trees in my parents’ yard. A gallon. There aren’t enough pancakes in the world. I started adding it to coffee, and am now addicted. It’s an organic, natural sweetener I can feel enthusiastic about using, and it tastes great.

2. The cardigan coat trend. This is my daily look: jeans, a tank top, booties, and a big cozy nubby cardigan. This silhouette is the definition of casual chic. It’s flattering on just about anyone, comfortable, mindlessly easy and current.

3. The floss stick. Any brand will do, but I like these. A simple piece of plastic turns a gross boring chore into a fun quest, like searching for bats in a mysterious cave. Greatest personal care invention since the vibrator! Okay, that might be overstating it.

4. Hanco’s Vietnames sandwiches. Nine days out of ten, I don’t eat meat. On that tenth day, I go full pork, and have a Hanco’s classic sandwich. The bright, tangy carrots and radish combined with rich ground pork, packed into crispy crunchy bread. Hmmmm.

5. Fleece electric blanket. It’s about that time of year. The kind I have has a separate dial for each side of the bed. That’s crucial. My husband is always too hot (not to brag), and I’m always freezing cold. I switch on my side an hour before bedtime, and slip into coziness.

DUD

I loathe so many things and rude behaviors, I wrote an entire book about it. What really bugs the crap out of me lately, is the simpering baby voice way Kim Kardashian drawls, “Thank you.” Sounds like, “Thenquewwwww.” It oozes out like toxic sludge. It’s like she was taught to pretend to be gracious, or to go through the courtesy motions, but she doesn’t really give a crap what anyone else does or says for her. If I ever met her, and she drooled, “thenkewwwww,” to me, I’d slap that mush right out of her mouth. God, I hate the sound of false sincerity. I teach my daughters to declare gratitude, loud and proud. “Thanks!” Appreciation isn’t some gas that leaks out of silicone tire lips. It’s a punctuation mark. A point! THANK YOU for reading this.

To find out more about the hilarious Valerie Frankel, follow her on Twitter and Facebook and check out her website. And don't forget to buy her book!

Thanks, Valerie!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

RIP, Harry

I said goodbye today. Goodbye to an old friend. A very dear old friend. A friend that always made me look good, never questioned my choices and stood by me through thick and thin (literally).

I bid farewell to my Hot Tools one-inch curling iron, "Harry".

Circa 2002.

May he rest.

Yes, he was nine-years-old. And I didn't want to let him go. But after a while, there was no denying that he was quite literally falling apart. His handle broken, the plastic peeling off, the temperature gauge broken, his cord so tangled it was nearly impossible to use. He was, in a nut shell, a fire hazard.

And he looked like he'd been through the war. Because, I suppose, maybe he had.

He had witnessed it all...

The Break Ups. Harry Hot Tools was there for me when I went out on the town after a break up, desperately in search of some male attention. He was patient as I tried to copy some celebrity's perfect curls, wrapping even one-inch sections of my hair around him, burning myself along the way. He'd smile with me as we looked at the result, semi-effortless looking loose curls cascading down my back. But he also didn't judge if I threw my hair in a bun and cried on the couch for days, never once picking him up, never once attempting to do my hair.

My blow dryer on the other hand, he judged. He judged real bad.

The Flat Iron Phase. He understood my need for the sleek, bone-straight look (even though I was never that great at achieving it- see above). He didn't speak up went unused for so long that he collected cobwebs. He never complained or questioned. He just waited. He knew I'd be back. And I was.

The Engagement. He helped me style my mane when I was getting ready for what I'd later find out was the dinner where I'd get engaged. To think I almost wore a, gulp, ponytail.

The Wedding. He was just one of the girls in the bridal suite. There as one of my BFFs helped me do my own hair for the big day. He even understood when I didn't take him on my honeymoon. And even though I know he was throwing up in his mouth a little as I said it, he never once balked at the words air dry.

I'll miss Harry more than I can express. And if I didn't fear accidentally electrocuting myself or setting my house on fire, I probably would've held on to him a little longer. But after waiting the traditional mourning period for an inanimate object (one day), I replaced him. And he'd be rolling over in his grave if he knew just what I'd replaced him with....

Sherry Schmot Schmools.

Yes, she's a Hot Tools knock off. And female. But I was desperate. I couldn't find the real thing. I was with my baby and had limited time. Blah, blah. Excuses, excuses. But, well, I was in mourning. I'm sorry, Harry. I really am.

Leave a comment (If you've had a weird love affair with a hair styling tool all the better!) and be entered to win a copy of  Groundswell by Katie Lee! We'll randomly selected the winner on Sunday, October 14th after 6pm EST.

xoxo,

Lisa

Lit IT Girl Isabelle LaFleche

We've got another fab new author for y'all today!  And to make things even more fun, we've switched up our Lit IT Girl Qs too.  We think you'll dig Isabelle Lafleche and her debut novel, J'Adore New York!  It's stylish, sassy and fun-a great book to curl up by the fire with. Here's what's up with J'Adore New York: Offered the chance to transfer to her law firm’s New York City office, stylish Parisian lawyer Catherine Lambert jumps at the opportunity—a fashion devotee with her finger on the pulse of style, she sets her sights on conquering Manhattan’s high-flying worlds of glamour, law, and love tout de suite. But soon, the non-stop New York minute filled with monster bosses, lecherous clients, and vindictive secretaries begins to take its toll. That is, until one handsome and powerful client begins to change her world for the better…only to throw it all into jeopardy with one surprising request. Perfect for fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary, The Devil Wears Prada, and Sex in the City, Isabelle Lafleche’s breakout novel J’adore New York is a rollercoaster of struggle and romance from the city where dreams come true.

Sound fab?  Then leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday October 16th.  Sorry, open to US residents only!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL ISABELLE LAFLECHE

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"?  I actually don't have an agent; I found a publisher on my own. As for the publishers, I probably queried 30 or so.

2. What's a line from your "favorite" rejection letter?  We're not interested in your story but we see  "lots of potential."  Good luck!

3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel?  The rewrites and corrections were pretty intense and brutal. In order to get to the finish line, I consumed gargantuous amounts of Red Bull ( don't try this at home, it's bad for your health!)

4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?

Best: A friend in the publishing business suggested I contact a local publisher instead of going international. It was definitely the right thing to do for me.

Worst:  To send your manuscript  to agents and publishers quickly in order to get your foot in the door.   Any novel needs time to mature and evolve. It's important to have several trusted friends who will provide honest feedback read it first. No one gets it right the first time, not even the pros.

5. How did you celebrate your book deal?  With a Lady Dior handbag that I wear all the time. (Five years of blood, sweat and tears makes it worth it, non?)

6. Who is your writer crush?Candace Bushnell. I love how her writing keeps evolving and how she keeps surprising us with fabulous New York stories.

7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?The Great Gatsby. I can't get enough of that rarified world. I'm thrilled that a remake of the movie is currently in the works with Leonardo Di Caprio!

8. What's on your iPod right now?Jazz, The Black Eyed Peas, Adele, and lots of French music.

9. What's your #1 stress reliever? Running with Lady Gaga blasting in my ears. Nothing beats that.

10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? Twitter is abuzz with reports that Marc Jacobs has been confirmed as the new Creative Director of Christian Dior,  however at this stage no official sources have been released. I think it would be a fantastic move!

Thanks Isabelle! xoxo, L&L

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

Jenna McCarthy's 5 Loves and a Dud

We love when someone has the cajones to tell it like it is.  And when they are hilarious too?  Well then we CRUSH on them bigtime, yo! So how excited were we that the very funny Jenna McCarthy agreed to share her 5 Loves and a Dud with us?  Um, VERY.  Jenna's fifth novel, If It Was Easy, They'd Call The Whole Damn Thing A Honeymoon:Living With And Loving The TV-Addicted, Sex Obsessed, Not-So-Handy Man You Married., is an incredibly funny take on marriage that had us rolling on the floor.  She's so freakin' fabulous-she was on the TODAY show earlier this week chatting with Hoda and Khloe Kardashdian about it-watch it here! And we think you'll love her 5 Loves and a Dud. (Liz is a total hat whore too!)

Here's the dealio: Jenna McCarthy presents an uproarious but insightful peek behind the curtains at the unholy state of matrimony. With ballsy wit and bawdy humor, she explores everything from male domestic idiocy and the frustrating misfires in spousal communication to how to stay true to the peskiest of vows: forsaking all others. Part in-your-face guide, part brutal confession, this book is a must-read manifesto on surviving marriage in an age when everyone seems to live forever and getting a divorce is as easy as ordering a latte.

Sound fabulous?  It is!  Leave a comment here and be entered to win one of FIVE copies.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday October 9th after 6pm PST. Good Luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JENNA MCCARTHY'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1.  Hats. I might be the Imelda Marcos of hats. I collect them as souvenirs the way some people stockpile refrigerator magnets or shot glasses. My two favorites are a fluffy red chenille one I got in Dingle (best town name ever), Ireland and a furry leopard bucket model a girlfriend sent me from Paris. Hats are the perfect accessories because they dress up boring basics and you don’t have to style your hair! Cowboy hats, bowlers, newsboy caps, berets—I love them all. Anything but beanies. I have a big head so I look like a convict in those.

2.  Tennis. I grew up actively not playing sports. In my twenties I went to the gym religiously, but I mostly hated it. I’ve probably spent a year of my life on some or another miserable cardio machine, going nowhere. I was thirty when I took my first tennis lesson, and I admit the most compelling thing about the sport to me was the outfits. My first tennis skirt was pink and ruffled and I couldn’t wait to put that thing on. I may have looked halfway cute, but man was I bad. We’re talking balls-flying-off-into-the-street bad. In retrospect, I’m surprised that I had the optimism to stick with it, or the audacity to think that I might ever be able to play the game. But I did and I can and sometimes I even win. That’s still hard for me to believe.

3.  Crazy-super-soft fabrics. Minky blankets, slinky dresses, plush robes, velvety bamboo t-shirts, faux fur anything, zillion thread count Egyptian cotton sheets: If it feels good to wear it or touch it, I am powerless to resist. (I’m a Taurus; I hear lots of us are wired this way.) As it happens, I am violently allergic to cashmere—which is probably a very good thing.

4.  America’s Funniest Videos. I watch very little TV. Not because I’m holier than anyone; I have a hard time sitting still. I have never seen Sex and the City or any of the Real Housewives shows. But I do record AFV. I watch it with my kids—or by myself—and I laugh until I cry. I’ll even rewind the good clips and watch them in slow motion. (Did I really just admit that?) It’s totally lowbrow, I know—and probably says something disturbing about my personality seeing as it’s mostly a show about dumb people hurting themselves—but I can’t help loving it.

5.  Salt. I can’t think of a single non-dessert food that doesn’t taste better to me dusted with salt. I put it on everything, even toast and cheese and licorice. Thankfully I have extremely low blood pressure—at least for now.

DUD

There are plenty of things I don’t particularly care for (apathy, regret, flying, Spinning, telemarketers, cellulite, the word “mauve,” Renee Zellweger, coffee with skin milk in it, dull pencils, the way people in LA refer to the movie business as “the industry” as if it’s the only one in existence, touching the wet hair around the shower drain) but at the tippy-top of the list is plain old rudeness. It’s everywhere! Every day! There’s the jerk who walks through the bank door and doesn’t bother to pause and hold it for you. The cashier who answers the phone while you are standing in front of her trying to complete your transaction. Bores who monopolize every conversation. Children AND ADULTS who don’t say please and thank-you. I realize I sound like someone’s grandma here (“When I was a kid we knew how to be polite, uphill in the snow both ways!”) but honestly, a lack of simple courtesy makes me mental.

Thanks Jenna! xo, L&L

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

Janet Elder's 5 Loves and a Dud

We're suckers for a cute dog almost as much as we're suckers for a good book. Combine the two and you've got Huck:The Remarkable True Story of How One Lost Puppy Taught a Family--and a Whole Town--About Hope and Happy Endings, the fantastic New York Times bestseller by Janet Elder. We couldn't be more thrilled to have Janet as our guest today sharing her 5 Loves and a Dud and celebrating the paperback release of Huck (out today). But before we get into all that, can we just stop for a second and talk about this picture of Huck ?  

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Could he be any freakin' cuter? Just wook at that wittle face. Aww...

We know. We know. We're a little crazy for Huck over here. But you'll get it as soon as you read this amazing story that's about so much more than a dog that runs away. It's about love, hope and the kindness of strangers. Be prepared. This book will make you laugh, cry and want a dog just like Huck! (Who even has his own Twitter account. Follow him here.)

Here's the skinny on Huck:  Huck is the true story of a family’s desperate search for their eight month old, nine pound puppy lost in the wild. It is a harrowing adventure story. It is a love story. Michael was four when his relentless campaign for a dog began. At seven he made a PowerPoint presentation, “My Dog,” with headings like “A Childhood Without a Dog is a Sad Thing.” His parents, Janet and Rich, were steadfast; bringing a dog into their fast-paced New York City lives was utterly impractical.

On a trip to Italy, however, a chance happening leads Janet to reconsider, a decision then hastened by a diagnosis of breast cancer. Janet decides the excitement of a new puppy will be the perfect antidote to the strain on the family of months of arduous treatments for her illness. The prospect of a new puppy will be an affirmation of life, a powerful talisman for them all. On Thanksgiving weekend, soon after the grueling months of treatments are over, Huck, a sweet, mischievous, red-haired, toy poodle joins the family and wins everyone’s heart.

A few months later the family ventures to baseball’s spring training, leaving Huck with Janet’s sister in Ramsey, New Jersey. Barely twenty-four hours into the trip, Janet receives the dreaded phone call: Huck has slipped through the backyard fence and run away.

Brokenhearted and frantic, the family catches the first plane to New Jersey to begin a search for their lost puppy. It is a race against time, for little Huck is now lost in an area entirely unfamiliar to him, facing the threat of bears and coyotes, swamps and freezing temperatures, rain and fast cars.

Moved by the family’s plight, strangers – from school children to townspeople to the police lieutenant – join the search, one that proves to be an unyielding test of determination and faith...

Sound like your kind of story? If you leave a comment, you can win one of five copies of Huck. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, October 8th after 6PM EST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JANET ELDER'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

LOVES

1. I love to ride my bike in Central Park. The loop around the park is roughly 6 miles. It’s a modest workout unless you go around the loop two or three times which I often do. Pedaling through the rolling hills and gentle valleys of the park I am able to escape the confines of life lived in an apartment in the concrete canyons of the city.  A good ride frees both body and soul.

2. I love to read on the subway. When I first moved to New York and started taking the subway every day, I was struck by how many people were reading. Step onto any subway car at any time of the day or night and you are likely to see people reading newspapers in many different languages, you’ll see kids reading comics and adults glued to the latest thriller. I often catch up on my periodical reading, The New Yorker, The New Republic, The Economist as well as the guilty pleasures of Vogue, In Style and People.

3. I love Spring flowers -- all of them — tulips, daffodils, cherry blossoms, lilacs, azaleas. If I had a yard, I’d plant them. The winters are too long and too dark. The first crocus always feels like a gift, a reminder that light is on its way.

 4. I love to watch The Office with my son. We’ve been watching it together for years and years. All through his high school years it was a chance to do something together that had no relevance to what either of us was doing the rest of the day or the rest of the week. It was a time out for something silly which often is just what is needed.

5. I love chocolate chip cookies. Who doesn’t? Best warm with milk. I don’t like them too loaded up with chips or butter though. It has to be the right balance. I know I sound pretty finicky, but they have to be home made or why waste the calories?

DUD

I can’t stand waiting of any kind. I always stand on the wrong line in the supermarket. I hate waiting for a table in a restaurant, or the bus or an elevator.

Thanks, Janet! (And Huck!)

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

To find out more about the lovely and talented Janet Elder (who also happens to be a senior editor at the New York Times!) check out her website and follow her on Facebook.

Sharing the e-book Love- again!

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

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

Are you in too?

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

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

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

Like what you're hearing so far?

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

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

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

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

Want to hear more?

The skinny on Diary of a Mummy Misfit:

Ever felt like you don't belong?When Libby Marchant and husband Ned made the monumental decision to sacrifice luxuries and holidays to see their only son Max through private education, they hadn’t expected to meet so many unsavoury and dislikeable personalities. Happily, the cruel jibes of the pompous ‘Meemies’ are made more tolerable by the lasting and loyal friendship they strike up with the ...affluent Fenella & Josh. Follow Libby’s journey as she discovers the chasm between the Haves and the Have-Nots in her mad new world of school committees, designer handbags, bitching and botox. With Fenella by her side, Libby is able to maintain her sanity. But what happens when the credit crunch bites, you’re desperate for another baby and your Asian neighbour is trying to match-make you with her infatuated son?

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Diary of a Mummy Misfit! We'll randomly select the winner on Sunday, October 2nd after 6PM EST. To find out more about the fabulous Amanda Egan, check out her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And find out where you can buy her book here. Thanks, Amanda!

xoxo,

L&L

Thanks for sharing in the e-book love!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

Seven Seconds in Heaven with...Brian O'Reilly

It's time to play Seven Seconds in Heaven again!  This time we're playing with Brian O'Reilly, creator and executive producer of Food Network's Dinner:Impossible. And he's the author of the fab new book, Angelina's Bachelors, a fun, tasty treat!  We devoured it in just a few days and were drooling over the incredible sounding recipes in each chapter-and we think you'll love it too. Here's the scoop on Angelina's Bachelors: Far too young to be a widow, Angelina D’Angelo suddenly finds herself facing a life without her beloved husband, Frank. Late one night shortly after the funeral, she makes her way down to the kitchen and pours all of her grief and anger into the only outlet she has left—her passion for cooking. In a frenzy of concentration and swift precision, she builds layer upon layer of thick, rich lasagna, braids loaves of yeasty bread, roasts plump herb-rubbed chicken; she makes so much food that she winds up delivering the spoils to the neighbors in her tight-knit Italian community in South Philadelphia.

Retiree Basil Cupertino, who has just moved in with his kindly sister across the street, is positively smitten with Angelina’s food. In a stroke of good fortune, Basil offers Angelina (not only husbandless but unemployed) a job cooking for him—two meals a day, six days a week, in exchange for a handsome salary. Soon, word of her irresistible culinary prowess spreads and she finds herself cooking for seven bachelors—and in the process discovers the magical power of food to heal, to bring people together . . . and maybe even to provide a second chance at love.

Filled to the brim with homemade warmth, Angelina’s Bachelors is a sweet tale of overcoming grief, redefining family, and following your heart—through food.

Totally yummy, right?  Then for sure leave a comment, we have FIVE copies to give away!  We'll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday, October 2nd.  Good luck!

Now, are you ready to spend Seven Seconds in Heaven with Brian?

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SEVEN SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH BRIAN O'REILLY

1.  Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner- A good day for me is a day when I get to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner: the trifecta. I like playing one meal off of the other, trying to make sure that they provide a flow to the day, from both a cooking and an eating standpoint.  And I like to be able to start something  braising or cooking down in the middle of the afternoon. Bliss in a big pot.

2. I’m grateful that writers don’t have to wear ties- at least, not while writing. I like to fashion a Windsor knot and make a decent appearance as much as the next guy, but I’m not sure how well I’d do wearing a suit on a day to day basis. Probably another reason I’ll never be President of the United States.

3. Musical talent- would be a nice thing to have. I tried the guitar when I was a kid, but never had the ear or acquired the discipline to play well. I’d like to be able to revisit that arena before I punch my last ticket. And that could even include dancing.

4. Kirk vs. Picard- I’m all Captain Kirk. I feel like Captain Kirk was the guy who boldly went where no man had gone before; Captain Picard was more of an able administrator and eminence grise. Though I give Jean-Luc great credit for being a man committed to aging gracefully.

5. I like to talk politics more than sports- though, in many cases, they’re one and the same thing, in that they are both largely about strategy, contention and who walks away the winner at the end. I think I like the fact that for all of the nonsense that goes on in politics, it all takes place in and directly affects the real world.

6. I’m gradually becoming a cat person- in my younger days, I had a dog, and he was one of the greatest, most lasting influences on my life and personal philosophy. That dog had more personality, integrity and a better sense of humor than most of the bipeds I’ve met since. But I’ve been living with a cat lately, and he’s kind of growing on me. I like his self-sufficiency. And that thing where he casually brushes up against your leg to say “hi” in the morning…

7. I like the profession of writing novels- largely because I get to spend more time around my wife and offspring. They’re just so cool. Working on making it a full-time thing.

Thanks Brian! xo, L&L

To read more about Brian, head on over to Twitter or find him on Facebook.

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Jennifer Close

We read a lot of good books.  But every once in a while we read a book we LOVE from page one.  A novel that we want to shout from the rooftops, Read this freakin' book NOW! So that's what we're doing now.  We might not be standing on a rooftop, but imagine us picking up our megaphone and screaming at the top of our lungs to go grab a copy of Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close.  Seriously.  The narrative is so refreshing, so fun, so exactly what we needed!  *picks up megaphone again* We LOVED it!

And we're thrilled that Jennifer is wearing the Lit IT Girl crown.  Because there's nothing we like more than discovering a new author and telling y'all about it!  And how excited were we to discover that she shares our GNO drink of choice!!!

Here's the skinny on Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close: Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and doll-sized cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working at a mailing-list company, dizzy with the mixed signals of a boss who claims she’s on a diet but has Isabella file all morning if she forgets to bring her a chocolate muffin. Mary thinks she might cry with happiness when she finally meets a nice guy who loves his mother, only to realize he’ll never love Mary quite as much. And Lauren, a waitress at a Midtown bar, swears up and down she won’t fall for the sleazy bartender—a promise that his dirty blond curls and perfect vodka sodas make hard to keep.

These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, Girls in White Dresses pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.

Sound good?  Then leave a comment, yo!  We have FIVE copies to give away!  We'll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday, September 25th.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL JENNIFER CLOSE

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

I sent out query letters to about seven agents.  My plan was to start with a small group of amazing agents and send out more from there.  One of these agents was Sam Hiyate, who had signed three of my friends from grad school.  I met Sam in person at a book launch party, and we had a great talk about my writing and plans.  I promised to send him the finished manuscript when it was done, and I did just that.  He enjoyed my writing, had a good vision of what kind of a book he thought it would be, and most importantly wanted to sign me.  So I stopped there!

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

There wasn’t really a rock bottom moment during the whole process…which I realize is very lucky!  I think in general, the hardest part was waiting.  After my agent sent out the book to editors, I felt so helpless!  Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long (it was less than a week) but that time was so hard!

And then when the book was totally done, and the ARCs were sent out to stores and reporters, and I just had to wait all over again.  There was nothing more that I could do and I just had to sit at home and hope that people read it and enjoyed it.  It’s a really scary feeling to send this thing you’ve been working on out into the world and hope it does well.  Also, I guess I’m not a very patient person!

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

It took just under three years before it was sold to Knopf and after that, I did some pretty serious edits with my editor.  It’s really fun to look back at the early versions of the book and see how it’s transformed and come together.  Every step made it a better book.  Sometimes, I just had to walk away from it for a few weeks and then come back to it with fresh eyes.

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

I was so overwhelmed!  It didn’t even seem real at first.  For the first day, I was so excited and shaky that I couldn’t even have a glass of champagne to celebrate…and believe me, I always want a glass of champagne!  But a couple of days later, I went to New York to meet my editor and went out with a group of my girlfriends and we had an amazing time.  It started to sink in that it was really happening then.

It’s become a little bit easier to celebrate the little things along the way: finishing the edits, getting the ARC’s, getting a foreign deal, and then of course the day it came out.  My fiancé and I usually just go to a nice dinner with lots (and lots) of wine.

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

I think I would have tried to enjoy the process a little bit more.  But that’s really hard to say, because even though it’s such an amazing experience, it’s also really nerve wracking and it always felt like there was something to be worried about.

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

Everything.  Everything is a distraction!  I’d have to say Facebook and Twitter are the two worst.  I try to really stay off of them for long stretches of time and make myself sit at my desk and just think and write.

7. Who is your writer crush?

I have so many.  Lately, I read Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Ellissa Schappel, which was amazing.  Funny and heartbreaking at the same time.  I’m also reading A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano, which I can’t put down.  It’s so engrossing and well done.  And Ann Packer has always been one of my favorites…Ann Lamott too.  Lot’s of Anns!  I’m also a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld.  And I think I’ll stop here, before I name 20 more people.

8. GNO drink of choice?

Grey Goose and soda with a splash of grapefruit.  I call it “The Jennifer.”  J

9. Favorite trashy TV show?

Oh lord.  This is embarrassing.  There’s lots.  Lately, I’ve been watching Giuliana and Bill.

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

No one!  Twitter freaks me out a little bit.  I’m just coming around to enjoying it for all of the nice messages that people send back and forth.  As for anything other than that, I’m out!

Thanks Jennifer!  xo, L&L

To read more about Jennifer, head on over to Twitter and Facebook.

I'm a shopping crackwhore by Liz

We all have our addictions.  Drinking, smoking, reality TV, whatever it is-we all struggle with something.  Truth be told, I'm really more of of a social drinker and I'm not sure how to inhale on a cigarette.  I do love reality TV but these days the channel always seems to be on Spongebob Squarepants.  So what am I addicted to? Shopping.

This isn't the first time I've come to you guys about this.  Last year, I was forcibly put on a cash budget by the hubs to curb my habits. And it worked, for the most part, until I fell off the wagon while shopping for the kids and wrote about it here.

But I vowed to do better.  And I did-although the fact I started a new job that kept me incredibly busy was the real reason I wasn't shopping-I simply didn't have time to spend in my favorite stores!  I just couldn't find a minute in the day to peruse the lovely aisles of that crackpipe called The Container Store. Oh, and Loehmann's.  And Nordstrom.  And Cost Plus.  Basically, I tried not to step foot anywhere that had anything I might want.

But with two kids under age seven, one of my all-time fave places, Target, is unavoidable.  We've had birthday party invites coming out of our ass lately, and it feels like we spend more time stalking those toy aisles than we do at home.  And believe it or not, I had mastered the art of only buying what we came there for.  That means no Missoni, no dragonfly statues for the garden and NO BOOKS.  And I'm not gonna lie, I felt pretty smug about my ability to put on blinders while there.  There were even times we exited the store spending LESS THAN $100.  A miracle, as many of you know.

So when the hubs gave me a free pass to run over to Loehmann's and do some shopping for my upcoming birthday, I thought I had things figured out.  I wasn't going to fall off the wagon AGAIN, was I?

Oh yes I was.  Bigtime.

My arms ached as I carried the ridiculously large pile of clothes around the store, adding on sweaters and dresses and belts.  How would my life be complete without that adorable striped sweatshirt to wear to the kid's soccer practice?  And how could I go on living without that Calvin Klein dress?  And why had I never owned one of those really cool huge ass belts?  NO WAY was I too old for it!

I shopped.  And then I shopped and shopped some more.  I made three trips into that communal dressing room, my addiction on display for the world to see. (Dear Loehmann's dressing room attendant, I saw your judging head shake! Or maybe you were just wondering why I was trying to rock that belt?!?)

And after I finished there, I remembered that we are taking Christmas photos next week.  Panic set in. WTF would we wear?!  I made it my mission to find the outfits that would make the world believe my life was a perfect as the black and white carefree snapshot I send them each year.(LOL!)  Something that would look fabulous as we skipped along the beach holding hands and fake laughing in between me screaming at the kids not to get their clothes dirty. And two hours later, I found them.  Oh, and I also found an additional two pairs of shoes, a purse the size of a suitcase and a questionable hat.

And the hangover was already starting to settle in.  Why had I bought a turtleneck?  Did I wear ANY other color than grey and black?  Did I really need another one of those sweaters that hangs down to your knees?  Did that hat make my face look like a bowling ball? (Um, yes it does.)

So I'm making the dreaded trip back for some returns today.  Not everything, but a few things that I picked up while foaming at the mouth.  Things I really don't need and probably won't wear.  Like that freakin' belt.  And the humungous purse which now makes me cringe each time I walk past it.

The good news?  I'm getting better.  Yes, I went slightly insane this weekend, but I recovered quickly and feel good about what I'm returning, something I never would have done in the past.  So it's baby steps, people.  Or at least that's what I tell my husband!

What are you addicted to?

xoxo, Liz

Jackie Collins' 5 Loves and a Dud

Jackie Collins is an author who needs no introduction. She's Jackie. Freakin'. Collins. 400 million copies selling, New York Times bestselling (twenty-eight times over), play writing, movie directing, talk show hosting, Collins.  Ok, so maybe that was an introduction. But, c'mon, she's Jackie. Freakin'. Collins. *Drum roll please*

Calling all Jackie Collins lovers (and if you're not yet in love, you will be...) Lucky Santangelo is back!

In Goddess of Vengeance, Lucky (easily the most iconic heroine in many of Collins' novels) returns in a ferocious new novel that not only shows off the explosive, sexy glitter of the Las Vegas highlife but also introduces readers to a new generation of Santangelos ready to step into the limelight: Lucky’s sexy son, Bobby, and 17-year-old daughter, Max, whose youthful escapades will excite both longtime fans and those who have yet to discover the irresistible Santangelo Family appeal.

One word: Juicy.

Want your own copy? We bet you do! Put your name in the hat to win one of five copies by leaving a comment. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, September 18th after 6pm EST. In the meantime, read a chapter from Goddess of Vengeance here. And be sure to check out her campaign, Girls Can Do Anything, where Jackie asks fans to post to her Facebook page videos, stories and photos of extraordinary women in their lives. Love it!

And now we couldn't be more thrilled that Jackie is sharing her loves and a dud!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JACKIE COLLINS' LOVES AND A DUD

LOVES

I freaking love chocolate.  It has to be milk chocolate and Reese's peanut butter cups rule!

I love driving my sports Jaguar while listening to Drake and Amy Winehouse at full volume.

I love my Twitter followers and Facebook fans!  Smart, fun and full of wisdom and wit.

I love writing.  It is my passion, and there is nothing better than creating interesting, sexy and diverse characters.

DUD

And my dud for the day would be married CHEATERS - men and women.  The smart way is to be faithful - make marriage count or get a divorce.  Role playing can be much more satisfying!

We couldn't agree more!

Thanks, Jackie!

xoxo, L&L

To find out more about the fabulous Jackie Collins, visit her website.

Must See Fall TV

We're TV Whores- plain and simple. We whore ourselves out so much to good (and bad!) TV shows that our DVRs are busting at the seams. It's so bad that our poor husbands can barely get any space! But hey, what can we say? Our lives are busy and stressful and to say TV is important to us is an understatement. We've got everything from Bachelor Pad to The Good Wife (hey, it's not all fluff!) and now, like any good TV whores, we're ready to mix it up and are on the prowl for more.

With Fall TV upon us (where did the summer go?), we're hot for the new (and the old faithfuls) that are sure to turn us on...

RINGER The only thing better than Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to TV (after 8 years) is Sarah Michelle Gellar returning as not one, but two people. On Ringer, she’ll play estranged twin sisters- one running from the FBI and one that disappeared. We loved Buffy. We loved her in Cruel Intentions. And we even loved her in The Grudge- even though the movie scared the effing sh*t out of us. And we loved her all over again in the pilot for this CW thriller about sisters, Bridget and Siobhan. When Siobhan goes missing, Bridget assumes her identity. Juicy! We didn’t realize just how much we’d missed her. September 13th, The CW.

THE RACHEL ZOE PROJECT Shut the front door! Rachel Zoe is back... and she's preggers. The only thing better than a neurotic Rachel Zoe is a neurotic and pregnant Rachel Zoe. (Btw, she's 6 months pregnant, but you can't even tell. WTF?) We have to admit that even though we'll miss Brad and his bow ties (WTH went down there anyway?) we're excited about the new cutie that replaced him. Tuesdays, Bravo.

UP ALL NIGHT We were super bummed when Christina Applegate’s series, Samantha Who was cancelled. (Also bummed to no longer see hottie, Barry Watson once a week). So we’re thrilled she’s back in this comedy (also starring Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph) about new parents, Reagan and Chris (played by Christina and Will) who are raising a new baby later in life. The show is tackling this later in life first time parenthood that's becoming increasingly more common. Something to which Lisa can definitely relate! Plus, when we read that Christina Applegate said she'd do the show as long as her character never had to come to work with spit up on her shirt, we were in. September 14th, NBC.

PAN AM Mad Men got us all excited about the sixties. (Guess there’s something about philandering men that look like Don Draper drinking hard liquor that gets us all warm and fuzzy inside!) And now Pan Am (starring Christina Ricci!) looks like it will prove to be another exciting drama set in this time period- albeit at 30,000 feet and full of espionage. Yes, the stewardesses (that's what they were called then) partake. We love that this show is based its creator's and executive producer's actual experiences (she and the Pan Am team helped rescue Cubans during the crisis!?). Because she was a stewardess for the airline for seven years, it should prove to make the script all the more real and exciting.  September 25th, ABC.

PARENTHOOD  The Bravermans are back! But more importantly, Peter Krause is back. (Yummy!) Last year we fell for this show with its all-star cast and surprisingly relatable storylines (well most of the time anyway).  And this season, the family's timeline has fast forwarded five months where, among many other things, we find Adam (Krause) still out of work and his wife, Christina, seven months prego and working again to support them (tense!). Saw the premier last night and all we can say is we want more! September 13th, ABC.

THE GOOD WIFE We were dying at the end of last season when Alicia and Will FINALLY got their groove on after a season of sexual tension.  Easily one of the best shows on TV, The Good Wife just keeps getting better.  We can't wait to see what will happen when Peter takes office and we can't help but wish that Cary would just come back to Locke and Gardner already-we can't get enough of him! September 25th, CBS.

HAPPY ENDINGS  Happy Endings debuted in April and gained a lot of buzz. In fact, it's taking Cougar Town's spot (Don't fret-it's coming back in January!) We found it in summer reruns and haven't laughed this hard since Charlie Sheen was running around talking about winning and warlocks.  It reminds us of a cross between How I Met Your Mother and Friends.  Seriously consider checking it out-it's freakin' hilarious AND the characters like to make up their own words. (You'll have to watch to see what we mean...) September 28, ABC.

What Fall TV are you excited about?

xoxo,

L&L