Jen Lancaster's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Happy 3rd Birthday to our perfect baby, Chick Lit Is Not Dead. Thank you for never keeping us up all night, never having a diaper blow out, for never going through those terrible twos--and most importantly, for never talking back! We love you. In the last three years, we've hosted over 150 authors, launched five features (number six revealed today!) and written two (almost three) books.

But today it's all about the number ONE.

One majuhly talented and funny as hell author who's on our site to help us celebrate...

You know that feeling when you see a young guy that's so hot you don't care that you're openly salivating like a cougar in heat?

Or when you bite into that rich, chocolate dessert that's so good you don't care that it's going straight to your ass?

Or when you cry just a little when Phillip Phillips makes it into American Idol's top 24. (Okay, maybe that's just Lisa.)

Well...

That's how we felt when this author not only said YES to our invitation to help us celebrate, but to launch our latest feature: 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me.

Jen. Effing. Lancaster

Need we say more?

Oh and just for shits and giggles, we also asked if she'd give away FIVE copies of her fabulous novel, If You Were Here (out in paperback March 6th). She said yes to that too. Y'all can thank us later. Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of five copies. We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday, March 4.

So we're not going to make you wait any longer because we're not dumb asses. We know you want to find out what Jen Lancaster has to say.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JEN LANCASTER'S 5 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

First, happy anniversary! Cheers to three great years of bringing chick lit authors and readers together!

I’m really excited to share the advice I’d give to a teenage me. This topic is at the very front of my mind as I’m in the middle of writing a novel called Here I Go Again which takes an in-depth look at the origin of high school mean girls. The central theme is how decisions we make in the past can impact us for years to come. (I realize this sounds uber-serious, so please note there’s also a time travel element and a tribute to David Coverdale of Whitesnake.)

Anyway, if I could offer a seventeen year old Jeni five bits of advice, I’d say the following:

1. Stop calling yourself “Jeni” and dotting the “i” with a sunflower. You sound like an asshole.

2. Okay, the first suggestion is pretty specific, so I’ll do six instead. Ahem, here goes… everyone is currently going through something. Yeah, maybe you know some girls who seem to have their shit together more than you. Maybe they’re thinner and more popular, maybe they’re dating the guy you wish you were with, maybe they have a designer bag for which you’d kill. Don’t waste your time envying them because you have no idea what happens behind the closed doors of their life. All is not what it seems. Maybe the skinny chick has an eating disorder. Maybe the girl with the hot boyfriend puts up with his abuse. Maybe the one with an awesome bag would rather have nothing if it meant her divorcing parents weren’t engaged in a possession-based arms race. Don’t let yourself be distracted by what anyone else has or what you believe you lack. You just worry about you. The grass is rarely greener.

3. Don’t be so wrapped up in looking cool. Follow the Tao of Snookie on Jersey Shore when she says, “You do you and I’ll do me.” (I assume this is more of a “to thine own self be true” aphorism and not something sexual.) (At least I hope.) Be who you want to be, not who everyone peer-pressures you to be. Individuality is cool. Following the pack for the sake of belonging isn’t.

4. You’re not fat. Seriously, you’ll never have the metabolism of a seventeen year old again. Appreciate what you have now, because trust me, your ass will never be this high again.

5. If you believe high school is the best time of your life, then you’re doing it wrong. “It gets better” should ring true for almost everyone. If it doesn’t resonate with you, then you’re probably your high school’s version of Regina George. Fix that shit immediately or you’re going to be the gal who peaked at seventeen and who everyone shuns at the reunion.

6. The harder you work now, the easier it will be when you get older. I coasted through high school, doing what was expected and not a lick more. Then in college, I did even less. Sure, eventually everything worked out for me, but not without having to move some major boulders in my thirties. I wish that I’d possessed awareness that my path would have been so much smoother if I’d buckled down when I was building a foundation.

Now if only I could travel back in time and tell my high school self these things…

Anyway, happy anniversary, thanks for having me, and rock on!

Thanks, Jen!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

If you're not already, you should be following Jen Lancaster's hilarious and refreshingly honest blog, Jennsylvania. And be on the look out for her upcoming book, Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult's Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development; Or, Why It's Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Froot Loops Are Not for Dinner.

Chris Brown and Rihanna collaboration: media hype or seriously disturbing?

I was one of those people who used to think Rihanna and Chris Brown were adorable together. In fact, I hadn't crushed on a couple like that since Justin and Britney strutted into the VMAs wearing their matching denim outfits. But Chris and Rihanna seemed to be the real deal-both at the top of their game, and cute as hell.

Until he beat the living shit out of her.

Just like any public relationship that we all help put on a pedestal, it came crashing down when the curtains were pulled back to reveal the ugly truth-that their relationship was unhealthy and abusive.  The pictures released of Rihanna post-beating were graphic and disturbing.  But even more disturbing was Chris Brown's hollow apologies for his actions and anger at any interviewer that GOD FORBID bring it up while he was trying to promote his new album.  His lack of ANY remorse left a bad taste in my mouth and also made it difficult to separate Chris Brown, the guy who makes great music from Chris Brown, the dickhead who beat his girlfriend within an inch of her life.

But, this is America, and we'll forgive just about anything if you lay low for long enough. (Marv Albert, I'm talking to you!)  So when Chris Brown performed at this year's Grammys, I didn't think too much of it.  No, I wasn't going to buy his albums, but I wasn't surprised that he was back on the main stage.

But when I heard that he and Rihanna had collaborated on not one but TWO singles and were rumored to perform on American Idol together later this season, I wanted to puke up all the Cheezits I had downed while I thought no one was looking. (Damn you, salty goodness!) This was also followed by reports that the couple was back together.  Which left me, sitting in front of my computer, holding a empty bag of Cheezits and saying, WHAT THE F*CK!

Where is Rihanna's support system? I know she's an adult who makes her own decisions, but someone fell asleep at the wheel on this one. And history tells us that Chris Brown's pattern of abuse is determined to repeat itself, you just don't brutally kick the shit out of someone as a fluke. But what scares me even more is the message this sends to impressionable young men and women. It's okay to be someone who uses violence to solve your relationship issues. It's okay to beat up your girlfriend, she's going to take you back AND perform on American Idol with you too!

I would guess most of us have been in some sort of abusive relationship at one time or another.  Maybe they were over controlling and put you down so that you wouldn't ever dream that you deserved better.  Or maybe they pushed you around and made you feel like you couldn't leave. It's a fact that many women stay in abusive relationships because they just don't feel like they have any other options.  And this Rihanna/Chris Brown shit certainly is not going to help give them the strength figure out that they do.

But I get it.  Rihanna certainly didn't sign up to become the battered women spokesperson and has the right to make all the terrible decisions she wants. Just like we have the right to talk all kinds of smack about it here. But I think American Idol should know better and be concerned with the message they're sending by inviting them to perform rather than trying desperately to drive ratings because they're scared The Voice has become more relevant.

What do YOU think? Am I overreacting or does the thought of Chris Brown and Rihanna performing together make you want to puke your Cheezits too? Tell me!

xo, Liz

Holy Photoshopping! Adele editon by Liz

We've all been guilty of it.  Wishing our ass was smaller, our boobs bigger, our post-baby tummies devoid of that unyielding flat tire. (Damn that flat tire!) Often times you'll hear me say, I'd be really happy if I could just lose just five more pounds.  And then after losing them, guess what?  I feel like I need to lose five more.  Long story short: women are incredibly hard on themselves. (And on each other, but that's a whole other blog in itself!)

Which is why I love when someone like Adele comes along. Talented, beautiful and not a size 2, she disproves the notion that sexy only comes in a few sizes. Sweeping the Grammys, she rocked the house when she performed in her beautiful and form-fitting black dress.  And she was going to be on the cover of Vogue in March!  Wow, a plus-size woman on the cover?  Amazing! I was elated.

Until I saw the cover.

My first thought?  Who the F is that and what did they do with Adele?  My second thought? Can I hire Vogue's photoshopper to work on my Christmas card next year?  DAMN!

Yes, she looks UH-Amazing. But it doesn't look like her.  And what bothers me is that NO ONE in the world seems to give a shit about her size except the editors at Vogue.  Certainly not the millions of fans like me who love her music.  Her pure talent outweighs any of that bullshit.  She got her heart ripped out by someone, just like we all have at one time or another, and made some incredible music out of it. (Take that, asshole who smashed her heart in two!)  WHO CARES how much she weighs.

And why in the hell did Vogue book her if they were planning on throwing her in a corset and photoshopping the crap of her anyway?  What is the point of making someone look like a completely DIFFERENT person?  Yes, she looks hot.  But I think she would have looked just as hot had they lost the freakin' corset and just let her show herself exactly the way she is.

Woman in general already struggle so much with body image. Even the most beautiful girls are taught to hate something about themselves, and I believe that cropping the bejesus out of Adeles's arm sends a terrible message to our daughters.  You're not worthy unless you like this.  You can be a RIDICULOUSLY talented singer but all that matter is the size of your ASS. Really?  We've evolved as a society so much, yet women are still  judged, not by their accomplishments, but by their dress size. Makes. Me. CRAZY. When will we learn to love ourselves?

So there. *steps off soapbox* I'd like to know what YOU think.  Do you think Vogue went too far?  Or are you happy they gave Adele a anorexic makeover?  Tell me!

xoxo, Liz

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Molly Shapiro

It's rare, but occasionally we experience love at first word.  When we pop open a book and fall madly in love with the very first sentence, the narrative so addicting that we're turning the pages as quickly as possible.  We don't quite know how to put our finger why certain books make us swoon, we're just freakin' happy that we found another one that does! The book we're salivating over?  Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro.  We LOVED it.  We want you to grab a copy of your own RIGHT NOW.  It's fun and crass yet also thoughtful and insightful. If we actually posted reviews here, we'd give it a gazillion stars!

So OF COURSE we had to crown Molly as our next Lit IT Girl!  Who better to carry on our tradition of wearing the debut author tiara?

Here's the breakdown on Point, Click, Love: Best friends and fellow midwesterners Katie, Annie, Maxine, and Claudia are no strangers to dealing with love and relationships, but with online dating and social networking now in the mix, they all have the feeling they’re not in Kansas anymore. Katie, a divorced mother of two, secretly seeks companionship through the Internet only to discover that the rules of the dating game have drastically changed. Annie, a high-powered East Coast transplant, longs for a baby, yet her online search for a sperm donor is not as easy—or anonymous—as she anticipates. Maxine, a successful artist with a seemingly perfect husband, turns to celebrity gossip sites to distract herself from her less-than-ideal marriage. And Claudia, tired of her husband’s obsession with Facebook, finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome co-worker. As these women navigate the new highs and lows of the digital age, they each find that their wrong turns lead surprisingly to the right click and, ultimately, the connection they were seeking.

Sounds great, right?  So leave a damn comment so you can have a chance to have a copy of your own!  We'll choose FIVE winners on Sunday February 26th after 6pm PST. We're crossing our fingers for you!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR MOLLY SHAPIRO

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I had been through the whole agent search process before with my first two unpublished novels. (I didn’t have an agent for my book of short stories, Eternal City.) So with Point, Click, Love, I really knew what I was doing and had a good idea about who would be right to represent this book. I drew up a list of my 10 top choices and queried them first. Luckily, one of them decided to take me on.

2. What's a line from your "favorite" rejection letter? My rejections were all fairly cordial and kind. For me, the worst was getting no response at all. The silence was deafening.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? Not knowing if anyone was ever going to read it. Because I had written two unpublished novels previously, I knew that the chances that this book would ultimately share the same fate were pretty good. But even though I was realistic about the difficulties of getting published, I had this completely irrational feeling that this time would be different. Writing Point, Click, Love was more fun and I felt more connected to the characters. Deep down, I thought others would feel the same way—and they did!

4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz? When I was studying creative writing at Columbia, Charles Baxter came to talk to us. He told us that he wrote three novels before getting his first published, and that made a real impression on me. I thought about that when I was unable to get my first two novels published, and it made me realize that sometimes it’s better if everything we write doesn’t make it into print. It also gave me the strength and confidence to keep on trying.

Another guest speaker at Columbia, an editor at a much-celebrated literary magazine, said something that really bothered me. She said that she believed that a really great piece of writing would always be found and published, even if it was sitting at the bottom of a huge slush pile. I know she was trying to be encouraging, but she ended up making me feel like if I didn’t get published, it was simply because I just wasn’t good enough. Personally, I believe that there are tons of great stories and novels out there that will never see the light of day.

5. How did you celebrate your book deal? I was in Seattle with my two kids visiting our very close friends when I found out. So that evening we all hopped into their little speed boat and rode from Lake Washington to Lake Union. We docked at our favorite Japanese restaurant and ate sushi and drank wine overlooking a gorgeous marina, the sun setting in the background. Pretty much perfect.

6. Who is your writer crush? I have lots of favorite writers, but in the chick lit genre, I’d have to say Helen Fielding. I think Bridget Jones’s Diary is the most well-written, funniest, and most entertaining piece of women’s fiction I’ve ever read. I also give her credit for writing a fabulous film adaption. I’ve watched that movie more times than I care to admit.

7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be? The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. My absolute all-time favorite. Reading it at age 17 was life-changing.

8. What's on your iPod right now? I’ve got a wide variety of stuff on my iPod, from Ella Fitzgerald to Ciara to Glen Hansard to Justin Timberlake. But the best is when my 12-year-old son, Harry, surprises me by putting a new song on there. The other day I was working out and all of a sudden MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” started blaring in my ears. I couldn’t stop smiling as I imagined Harry dancing around the kitchen to it.

9. What's your #1 stress reliever? Definitely going to the gym!

10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? Jon Stewart. He never fails to crack me up and always manages to stay relevant. As far as I’m concerned, he can be in there every week.

Thanks Molly! xoxo, L&L

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

Lauren Baratz-Logsted's 5 Loves and a Dud

The inner teenage in us jumps with joy for good YA.  Especially Liz-she's the biggest YA whore this side of the Mississippi. Maybe it's all those Sweet Valley High's she devoured in middle school or all the Judy Blume novels she read over and over.  Either way, she's a sucker for YA! So we're excited to have the lovely Lauren Baratz-Logsted sharing her 5 Loves and a Dud.  And don't worry, if YA isn't your bag, she writes adult fiction too!  In fact, her latest, The Bro-Magnet sounds really fabulous! But today we're highlighting Little Women And Me.

Here's the dealio on Little Women and Me: Emily is sick and tired of being a middle sister. So when she gets an assignment to describe what she'd change about a classic novel, Emily pounces on Little Women. After all, if she can't change things in her own family, maybe she can bring a little justice to the March sisters. (Kill off Beth? Have cute Laurie wind up with Amy instead of Jo? What was Louisa May Alcott thinking?!) But when Emily gets mysteriously transported into the 1860s world of the book, she discovers that righting fictional wrongs won't be easy. And after being immersed in a time and place so different from her own, it may be Emily-not the four March sisters-who undergoes the most surprising change of all.

Sound good? Then leave a comment yo!  We have FIVE copies to give away.  We'll choose the winners on February 19th after 6pm PST. Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LAUREN BARATZ-LOGSTED'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

5 LOVES

1. General Hospital. I've watched on and off for 33 years. It's my daily break from writing and I still get caught up in the storylines, no matter how insane. It was just revealed that Johnny's dead sister Claudia was really his mother...even though the actress who played Claudia is only four years older than the actor who plays Johnny - how crazy is that???

2. Adele. As I'm writing this, the Grammy Awards were just given out the night before with Adele winning all six awards she was nominated for. Not only is she an amazing singer, but her very existence and success are proof positive that a woman doesn't have to diet her way down to waif status or do anything but just sing brilliantly to succeed.

3. Toenail polish. Yes, to some that might sound like a minor thing. But for someone like me who wears almost no makeup - except for eyebrow pencil so I'll actually have eyebrows and lipstick in winter so I don't look like the possessed girl from The Exorcist - having pretty toenails is a very big deal. Right now they're sparkly.

4. My cat, Yoyo. I've had seven other cats before Yoyo over the course of my life, and I've never seen a cat do the things he does. Just to give two examples out of many, one time, when he couldn't get to his litter box because someone had closed the door to that room, we caught him straddling the toilet because he didn't want to leave a mess on the floor. The other thing is that no matter how long my daughter might hold on to him and no matter how awkward the position, he never bites or scratches or tries to get away from her, even when the expression on his face is one of "Seriously? Oh, the indignities!"

5. Reading. Need I tell you why?

DUD

Elitists. Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good. But by the same token, just because something is popular it doesn't mean it's automatically bad either. And it just makes me crazy when I come across someone who is across-the-board against everything - be it books, TV, film, or music - that's popular. It always seems to me like people like that doth protest too much. And then it makes me want to say, "Insecure much?" And then that makes me want to say, "Fine. You just sit there with your Dom Perignon and your sushi and your PBS documentary on the history of the doorknob. I'll just stay right here with Yoyo on my lap, eating Cheetos and watching GH."

Thanks Lauren! xoxo, L&L

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

The Bachelor: Why do men go crazy for crazy?

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! Not big on the holiday, the hubs (yes, I lured him back!) and I "celebrated" by snuggling up on the couch with a bottle of wine and making fun of watching The Bachelor. Before you read this post, you must check out this hilarious video of The Bachelor's Courtney Robertson getting auto-tuned.  It will make your (Valentine's) Day! (Look for Ben popping up throughout- his head superimposed on different bodies.)

So it's out with the stable-ish PhD student, in with crazy model.

After last night's episode of The Bachelor when Ben (who throughout the show was clad in some of the FUGLIEST tank tops ever made which I thought would have prompted at least one girl to say, I'm outta here) said no rose for you to Emily and Rachel, but kept crazy Courtney who he says he feels "very connected to", I was left to wonder...

why do men always fall for the effing crazies?

We can't forget Michelle whose nickname very quickly became crazy Michelle from Brad Womack's season. She was finally rejected, but I don't think crazy Courtney will suffer the same fate. SPOILER ALERT: Reality Steve claims she and Ben are engaged. *cue shock and surprise*

So why doesn't Ben see any RED FLAGS with Courtney? On their one-on-one date high atop a Mayan temple, Courtney said she had issues with Ben giving Emily a one-on-one because, "Emily had said some nasty things to Courtney." With a glass of wine in hand (I'll be shocked when I see her without vino), she told Ben with a crazy look in her eyes that had she not received a one-one-one date from him she wouldn't have accepted a rose (BULLSH*T) and that she'd "lost the spark, babe" only to regain it five minutes later (?!) as they climbed the stone staircase hand in hand, Ben not looking the least bit concerned (!?) about what he'd just heard, and Courtney, in her voice over, professing with every stair she climbed she was leaving her hurt feelings behind.

Ben also saw no RED FLAGS when the girls in the house warned him against Courtney- yet again- referring to her as a black widow in a bikini.

WTF?

So I asked the hubs why do men go crazy for crazy. He very plainly said, men think crazies are better in bed.

So thaaaat's it.

And y'all know that when Courtney took Ben in the ocean for a little skinny dipping, that can't be all that went down out there.

It's just so disappointing because he also has Nicki who's nice, Kacie B. who's just so darn cute and Lindzi who's pretty, smart and well, rode in on a horse!...but apparently not crazy enough for Benjamin. SPOILER ALERT: I read that Lindzi's one of the final two. (Poor thing.)

I have to wonder if our little long-haired wine maker is watching these shows as they air--suddenly becoming privy to everything the ladies tried to warn him about--and saying WTF did I get myself into with Courtney? Probably not. Apparently not only does he look for crazy, but also another really appealing quality. Back on top of that Mayan temple, he told Courtney that he also wants someone who's a little bit weird.

But at the end of the day, in all fairness to our crazy mean girl model, I guess we all have a little bit of crazy in us. After all, not only am I still watching this crazy show, but I'm writing about it!

Happy Valentine's Day, ladies!

xoxo,

Lisa

Catherine McKenzie's 5 Loves and a Dud

We don't know about you, but the two or three paragraphs on the back of a book make it or break it for us.  Liz, the ultimate skimmer, makes a decision in about 1.3 seconds whether she wants to commit to 250+pages. So we she read the back cover on Spin by Catherine McKenzie, she knew she was IN!  It sucked her in right away-and she was thrilled to discover that the inside of the book did the same! And that's why we are singing from the rooftops because Catherine has agreed to share her 5 Loves and a Dud on CLIND. Bottom line? SPIN is a fun romp that we think you won't be able to put down.

The scoop on SPIN:When Kate Sandford lands an interview at her favorite music magazine, The Line, it's the chance of a lifetime. So Kate goes out to celebrate—and shows up still drunk to the interview the next morning. It's no surprise that she doesn't get the job, but her performance has convinced the editors that she'd be perfect for an undercover assignment for their gossip rag. All Kate has to do is follow "It Girl" Amber Sheppard into rehab. If she can get the inside scoop—and complete the thirty-day program—they'll reconsider her for the position at The Line. Kate takes the assignment, but when real friendships start to develop, she has to decide if what she has to gain is worth the price she'll have to pay.

Okay, so see what we mean?  Doesn't it sound FAB?  Then leave your comment ladies!  Because we have FIVE copies to give away and will be choosing the winners after 6pm PST on February 12th.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...CATHERINE MCKENZIE'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

5 LOVES

1. Montreal – the city where I grew up and still live holds a special place in my heart. The locals say that we have two seasons: Winter and Construction. While it’s true that we’re famous for our extensive summer-long construction projects (think Boston’s Big Dig, but everywhere), Montreal is lovely at any time of year. Well, except November. Anyway, one of the great things about Montreal is the food: from Chinese to Thai to Italian to Lebanese to just about anything you can think of, Montreal does it well, cheaply and all over the city. Even most New Yorkers I’ve met who’ve been here will admit that it rivals NYC on the restaurant front. And though they might not admit that our bagels are better, they are. Trust me.

2. Jackson Hole, Wyoming – one of my other favorite places on earth, I’ve had the great fortune to be in Jackson in both summer and winter. Summer means insanely blue skies, views that will take your breath away, and visits to Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Bears and bison amble by on the roads just outside of town, and there are some truly excellent restaurants. Winter, of course, means skiing, not only at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (which is awesome), but in the backcountry and on the local hill, Snow King (one of the steepest hills I’ve ever skied). The screensaver on my phone is a shot I took from there last summer. I sent it to my editor. Her response: That’s so beautiful it doesn’t even look real. If you have the chance to get there, go. And if you’re a writer, the Jackson Hole Writers’ Conference that takes place every year at the end of June is an excellent experience.

3. Food – I’m sorry but you know those people who say: I was so busy that I forgot to eat? I don’t understand those people. I never forget to eat. In fact, I’m usually thinking about what I’m going to eat next about two hours after I finish my last meal. A particular favorite of mine is pasta; I could eat it every day and often do. This might make some of you hate me, but I make up for all that eating with number 4.

4. Running – It’s probably no exaggeration to say that if I wasn’t able to run on a regular basis I might be completely crazy by now. Assuming, of course, that I’m not already, actually, crazy. There are two great places to run in Montreal: on Mont Royal, where running uphill gets rewarded with a beautiful view of the city, and on the canal where you can run all the way to the old city or out into the suburbs. Running helps calm my brain, lets me think out plot problems and allows me to eat all that pasta.

5. Reading – Ever since I was a child I’ve always been in search of the perfect book. The perfect book for me is one where I’m so absorbed in what I’m reading that if you talk to me, I don’t hear you. It’s harder to get there as an adult, but some books that have taken me there in the last couple of years include: Andre Agassi’s Open, Jessica Z. by Shawn Klomparens, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Innocent by Scott Turow and Moneyball by Michael Lewis. I read eclectically, but good writing is good writing.

DUD

People who do not seem to have flown since 9/11 – Admit it, you’ve all been stuck behind this person in the security line. They don’t know that they have to take off their shoes, so they’re wearing the most complicated shoes to take off possible. They are angry and confused when they have to give up their nail clippers, water bottles, shampoo etc. (Dude, these are small $ items. Is all that anger really worth it?) Their clothing is full of metal, or they’re wearing every piece of jewelry that was every given to them. These people should all be sentenced to watch Up in the Air (an excellent movie), and follow George Clooney’s example. Please people, for the rest of us?

Thanks Catherine! xoxo, L&L

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

Amy Hatvany's 5 Loves and a Dud

We have three words for you. Outside. The. Lines. Amy Hatvany's latest novel. To give you an idea of just how good it is--it's already in its second print and was selected by Target as the February book pick! Amy is blowin' up! Outside the Lines is available TODAY and we're thrilled to celebrate the release with Amy.

So what is Outside the Lines about?

When Eden was ten years old she found her father, David, bleeding on the bathroom floor. The suicide attempt led to her parents’ divorce, and David all but vanished from Eden’s life. Twenty years later, Eden runs a successful catering company and dreams of opening a restaurant. Since childhood, she has heard from her father only rarely, just enough to know that he’s been living on the streets and struggling with mental illness. But lately there has been no word at all. After a series of failed romantic relationships and a health scare from her mother, Eden decides it’s time to find her father, to forgive him at last, and move forward with her own life. Her search takes her to a downtown Seattle homeless shelter, and to Jack Baker, its handsome and charming director. Jack convinces Eden to volunteer her skills as a professional chef with the shelter. In return, he helps her in her quest. As the connection between Eden and Jack grows stronger, and their investigation brings them closer to David, Eden must come to terms with her true emotions, the secrets her mother has kept from her, and the painful question of whether her father, after all these years, even wants to be found.

And now, without further adieu, heeeeere's Amy Hatvany sharin' her 5 Loves and a Dud!

LOVES 1. The Body Shop’s Satsuma products: I’m telling you, this is the BEST fragrance - almost as good as the fruit itself! I’m always packin’ in my purse - I have the body butter, body scrub, shower gel, and perfume oil. I cannot get enough of it!

2. The Food Network: Seriously, this channel is like crack for me. My husband is a military channel fanatic and gives me a hard time when I’m watching my Barefoot Contessa and Drive-ins, Diners, and Dives, but I tell him food porn is way better than war porn. Am I right?!?

3. My girlfriends: I have one of the best groups of down-and-dirty, tell-it-like-it-is, don’t-take-no-crap-off-me women. Quite simply, they keep me sane, and I could not live without them.

4. Social Networking: Before BEST KEPT SECRET and OUTSIDE THE LINES, I had two books published almost a decade ago, before the dawn of social media, and I cannot tell you how different the experience has been this time around. What a glorious thing to connect not only with other writers, but the beautiful, funny, supportive, amazing readers out there! It sometimes makes me want to weep with gratitude. (Yep, total sap.)

5. My kids: Maybe that’s an easy one, but honestly, I am so in love with them right now! At 12 and 10 they are full of such funny - sometimes even brilliant - bits of perception and wisdom. I adore seeing shades of the grownups they will be mixed in with the babies I cradled. I’m bracing myself for the teen years (yikes!), but until then, enjoying every moment!

DUD Kardashian-mania: Ugh. I can’t tell you how much this overexposed family gets under my skin. I’m a huge reality TV fan, too! Love my Housewives, Top Chef, and the Bachelor - but these people just make me feel like I need to take a shower.

To get your hot little hands on a copy of Amy's book, click here. To find out more about Amy, head over to her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks, Amy! xoxo,

L&L

Every writing retreat needs a one-man band by Liz & Lisa

Our second writing retreat was last weekend in Huntington Beach, CA!

You might be wondering...why do we call it a retreat if we're holed up in a hotel room for 48 hours, ahem, working.

(Or maybe that's just our husbands!)

(And maybe we shouldn't have tweeted so many pictures of the sunset from our ocean front balcony.)

Maybe the word retreat makes us feel better because it sounds like a place you go where the words flow freely, the ideas come full force and the characters rise off the page.

(And you won't get in a knock-out-drag-out with your writing partner over a plot point.)

Here's what we do know.

50,000 words are now written for our third MS. And we're excited. Details to come soon, we promise...

And because you're always so supportive, we're giving away a $20 iTunes gift card. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winner on Monday, February 6 after 6pm PST.

So here's what we learned. (Cause y'all know we always learn quite a bit- at these things. Most of which has very little to do with writing!)

1. You can listen to the same song on replay for forty-eight hours straight. Lisa would like to personally thank Debbie Gibson for the role she played. Who knew Lost in Your Eyes could be so inspiring! And Liz would like to thank Sarah Bareilles' for her live rendition of Gravity. (Liz's is so much cooler!)

(In Lisa's defense, Debbie was bringing her back to that mind space she needed to be in- that high-waisted jeans and Strawberry Boons mind space. We'll fill you in soon. Promise.)

2. You can survive on beef jerky for two days.

(And cheese and crackers.)

(And supermarket sushi.)

(But not rice chips- gag.)

And Lisa would just like to take this moment to thank gawd that Slim Jims were not involved this time. (See last retreat.)

3. A one-man band (with a mustache) can sound (and look) really good after a long day of writing

Fire pit. Check.

Glass of wine. Check.

One dude with a harmonica wedged between his lips, a guitar strapped across his body and a keyboard not far away- who can, and we repeat can channel Elton John-if you really listen. Check.

4. There is such a thing as service that is too good

Ring, ring. The light outside your hotel room door is flickering. Someone will be right up.

Ring, ring. We'd like to bring up two bite sized chocolates to put on your pillow.

Ring, ring. There's a guy with a mustache singing tunes down by the fire. We'll pay you to come down here.

Maybe we should've stayed at the Hampton Inn...

5. Everyone in California is gorgeous (When you live elsewhere.) Lisa had forgotten how good looking everyone is in SoCal. (Or the cold has frozen her brain and her judgement.) Either way, from the guys who parked the car to man at the front desk, every male looked like he stepped out of Surfer magazine and every woman like she just walked off a photo shoot. She especially wanted to explain to the incredibly hot and far too young for her-Abercrombie & Fitch model look-a-like- (a.k.a, the bell hop), I like men. I do, as he eyed her and Liz suspiciously as they rode up the elevator to their shared room.

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

The Cell Phone Lot by Stephanie Elliot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks, Stephanie! xoxo,

L&L

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

Alyssa Goodnight's 5 Loves and a Dud

We love a good love story y'all.  Well, make that a sassy love story. And with Valentine's Day around the corner, we'd thought we give you a little sweet treat to sink your teeth into. No, not those truffles, a really great book! We think you'll adore Alyssa Goodnight and her lovely novel, Austentatious.  It's fun, it's sassy.  And it has a MAGICAL journal.  What more do you freakin' need?!  It drops TODAY so run on over to get your copy.

Here's the scoop on Austentatious: It started innocently enough. While browsing in one of Austin's funky little shops, Nicola James is intrigued by a blank vintage journal she finds hidden among a set of Jane Austen novels. Even though Nic is a straight-laced engineer, she's still a sucker for anything Austen-esque. But her enthusiasm quickly turns to disbelief once she starts writing in the journal—because somehow, it's writing her back. . .

Miss Nicola James will be sensible and indulge in a little romance. Those twelve tiny words hit Nic like a thunderbolt, as if her diary was channeling Austen herself! Itching for a bit of excitement, Nic decides to follow her "Fairy Jane's" advice. The result: a red-hot romance with a sexy Scottish musician who charms his way into Nic's heart in about five seconds flat.

Sean MacInnes is warm, funny, and happens to think Nic is the most desirable woman he's ever met. But a guy like Sean doesn't exactly fit into her Life Plan. With no one but Fairy Jane to guide her, Nic must choose between the life she thought she wanted—and the kind of happy ending she never saw coming...

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS....ALYSSA GOODNIGHT'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

5 LOVES:

1. SWIMMING.  It's possible my love of swimming can be traced back to my childhood.  But not in the way you would assume.  As a kid I rarely visited the neighborhood pool.  My brother and sister and I used to hole up in our rooms and whisper about the possibility that maybe, just maybe, today was the day our mom would take us to the pool.  It didn't happen often, but when it did, my day was totally made!  I loved the cerulean blue of the pool water lapping in all its tiny waves against the sides.  I loved gulping in deep breaths of air and dipping under the water to peek at another world.  You could disappear underwater, sneak up on people, go exploring, and then float back to the surface to start all over again, and I loved every minute of it.  Every summer it's exactly the same: my first glimpse of the pool, that color, those waves, the mysteries that lie beneath.  I can't wait to dip my head below the surface and just swim.

2. CHIPS & SALSA.  Sheer genius.  Crispy, salty, fried corn tortilla chips and zesty, spicy, fresh-flavored salsa--a match made in heaven!  If the chips weren't so darned high in fat, this would be the perfect snack.  Honestly, I could probably even make a meal out of this delicious combination.  I think the presence of chips and salsa on the table in Mexican restaurants makes a meal more fun, more festive, and way more relaxed.  Once you've shared chips, dribbled salsa, and witnessed each others awkward chip/mouth manuevers, you're friends.

3. DR. PEPPER.  Dr. Pepper feels just a little bit magical.  The can itself is marked with the information that the sofa is an 'Authentic Blend of 23 Flavors.'  23??  I can't even imagine hitting on something delicious after messing around with twenty-three different flavors.  But they did it (way back in 1885), and it's done.  No other soft drink holds the same appeal for me.  I'll drink Coke, and it's fine, refreshing, but it's not special like Dr. Pepper.  I tried giving it up--those 150 empty calories and 40g of carbs (I have a can right in front of me--these stats aren't memorized, although they probably should be), but I couldn't do it.  Dr. Pepper is my writing companion.  Almost every afternoon I sit down with one and escape to another world...

4. JANE AUSTEN.  A love that many of us share.  I read Pride & Prejudice in high school and loved it.  I read it again in college and loved it some more.  But it wasn't until years later that I gobbled down her other five novels (not to mention a good number of spin-offs and retellings) that I came to truly adore her.  I love that her novels elevate everyday life, the focus of which is romance, to literature.  I adore her narrative voice, adding snark and humor and wisdom beyond the stories themselves.  Despite her limited circumstances and experiences, she understood the world so well that modern day retellings remain fresh, and quotes from her novels, journals, and letters are relevant today.  She is inspirational, and given the option to invite anyone in history to dinner, I just might choose her.

5. USA NETWORK.  Much like Greek mythology's Athena, popping fully formed (and armed) from Zeus's brain, the USA Network seems to have done the same (although I'm not sure which brains are responsible).  All of sudden, the USA Network began producing programming that was fun, fresh, and different.  I was totally on board with a pretend psychic detective and his kooky sidekick.  I was intriged by a burned spy and his brand of vigilante justice.  And I admit to having crushes on a certain White Collar criminal and a blind CIA analyst.  I love the USA Network...for creative programming (I regularly watch Psych, Burn Notice, White Collar, Covert Affairs, and In Plain Sight), for embracing the sidekick, for infusing every show with humor, and for loveable characters.  If you're not watching, you're missing out!

DUD:

Inefficency.  I fight (I think valiantly) against it everyday in my own life, and it irks me to be thrown into situations that positively teem with inefficiency.  I want to step behind the counter at the local movie theater and reorganize their whole strategy.  It shouldn't take 20 minutes to get a popcorn and a soda if the line is only eight or ten people long and everyone in it pretty much wants just wants a popcorn and soda.

Thanks Alyssa!  xoxo, L&L

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

Get Married This Year

With a title like Get Married This Year: 365 Days to "I Do", it's no wonder that Dr. Janet Blair Page's book is a hit. We were more than curious to dive in and see what advice she had for how to find "The One"- easily one of the top questions any single girl has asked herself- a question we DEFINITELY asked ourselves for years before finally walking down the aisle. From designing the ultimate Spouse Shopping List to getting the right guy to commit, she offers a blue print on how to find love in 12 months or less. Here's more about Get Married This Year: Your To-Do List This Year:

Today: Get to know yourself.
 Next Month: Figure out what you really want from your man.
 Month 3: Learn how to get out of your own way. 
Month 6: Take the field and find the right guy.
 Month 10: Make the big decision.
 Month 12: Get married!

Does it work? We'll let you be the judge! We've got 5 copies (US only) to give away. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners on after 6 P.M. PST on Sunday, January 29.

So what does this author of how to find love, well, love? We asked...

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...Janet Page' Blair's 5 LOVES AND A DUD

LOVES 1. My fiancé -- my biggest treat is enjoying loving him with the comfortable knowledge that he is imminently capable of staying in love with me forever. Appreciating him and letting him know it is great for our relationship. It's also a really great feel good boost for me that has fantastic spill over into the other areas of my life. My family, friends, and clients benefit from the warmth of my having someone in my life who makes it so wonderfully easy to practice daily appreciation.

2. My daughters and son-in-laws -- spending time with them is a joy and I know I'm very lucky that everyone is so comfortable and anyone can be with anyone else when we're together without any edges. I was conscious of keeping fun in the family when they were growing up as a good lure for the rest of our lives. They choose mates that enhanced our family so all is made easy.

3. My goddaughters, friends, brother, sister-in-law, and mother -- give me fuel whenever I am with them. As a shy pre-teen who forced her way into being expressive and social, I've never gotten over gratitude for the pleasure being with people brings me. I am an extrovert convert. I have tried writing with no people breaks or forcing myself to get all tasks done without playtime but I just get miserable, less creative and start spiraling down into feeling like dull stuff.

4. Working in a fulfilling career -- I can't retire . . . ever. Last year I was hemmed in during a sudden Atlanta snowstorm and it was a shocker because I didn't have a clue about what I did with the three days. It just seemed to evaporate. I think of plenty to do if I am already doing something and I can't imagine any more interesting or satisfying base than my practice, writing, and speaking. 5. Physical activity -- I only excel at consistency in the area of sports and exercise but if it's hiking, biking, walking, tennis, yoga, or weights, I love the feeling of my blood circulating. Whether that's a primal or peculiar high, I don't care: it works for me. Any day with some exercise even if it is walking up multiple flights of stairs is a better day.

DUD

My dud is my own attitude -- I'm capable of being bleak and if even though it is for short snatches, it feels too long and completely unnecessary. My goal this year is to eliminate worry. Cautionary tactics are a good thing but my irritating times of thinking things won't work out will be countered with the aim of spending 100% my time believing they will. How's that for a New Year's resolution?

To find out more about Janet Page Blair, PhD, visit her website.

Thanks, Janet!

xoxo,

L&L

I'm just not that into you (anymore):Project Runway

Liz here. I think y'all know I have a hard time with the word NO. But it's especially true when it comes to my DVR-I just can't say no to all those shiny and new Fall shows.  But there's always a few that get dumped before I even watch one episode, (sorry 2 Broke Girls!) and a few that I can't WAIT to sink my teeth into each week (Helloooo Once Upon A Time).

But just like any relationship, sometimes things go sour with even the best of shows.

You know how it is-things start off and you're just so excited to see them.  You think about them when they're not around, you talk about them incessantly to anyone who will listen.  You may even get irrationally angry when others block you from seeing them. (Um, yeah, sorry about that, Mike!) Then, things may start to cool off a little.  They seem to get comfortable and stop caring about how they look.  Or maybe they start trying a bunch of new things that, well, are LAME.  All of a sudden it's been two, maybe three weeks since you've seen them. And before you can say Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, your former favorite show has become (gasp!) irrelevant!

And yes, Project Runway, I'm talkin' to you.  Like Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Chuck and Lost before you, I'm thinking of dumping your ass.

I LOVED Project Runway.  Like put the kids to bed, order sushi and force my husband to watch, LOVED it.  Christian Siriano made my heart sing and Mondo's F'ed up patterns intrigued me. I didn't even mind that Heidi Klum seemed to be pregnant every fucking season.  Hell, I even stuck with them when they moved over to Lifetime without High Def  TV and watched that terrible Models of the Runway spinoff!  Because even though I could barely see what the hell they had made without HD, I didn't care.  I was there for the DRAMA. So when they announced Project Runway All-Stars, I was jumping up and down with joy.

All my fave designers!  In ONE show!  How could they go wrong? How could they mess up PERFECTION?

Well, they did. Let me count the ways.....

But wait, before we get into all that, I've got a copy of Gunn's Golden Rules by Tim Gunn.  Just leave a comment and I'll choose a lucky winner on Sunday January 29th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

WHY I'M JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU(ANYMORE):PROJECT RUNWAY

1. The poor man's Heidi Klum Where the F is Heidi Klum and who is this imposter they have hosting the show?  I sincerely hope that she's not as uncomfortable being on TV as I am watching her on it. Make the cringing stop. Please. And she doesn't even say that German bullshit at the very end when the designer gets kicked to the curb.  WTF! 

And while we're on the subject of Miss Klum, so freakin' bummed to hear about her and Seal.  I really was buying in to their whole perfect relationship thing. *cue mental image of Seal serenading Heidi with Kiss From a Rose each night*

2. The New Judges Where is my boyfriend Micheal Kors and his barbs?  Nina Garcia's knowing smirk? And Isaac Mizrahi as a replacement?  Really? That's the best you could come up with? And don't even get me started on the fact that MISS PIGGY was a guest judge last week. Because she's a fashion EXPERT. Come on!

3. That British chick Okay, what the hell happened to Tim Gunn and who is this bitchy Brit with the bad haircut?  Her utter disdain while in the workroom makes me uncomfortable. And not in a good Real Housewives of Atlanta sort of way.

4. The Designers Between April's gray hair and Austin Scarlett's scarf and bolo fixation, I'm not feelin' my fave designers.  Where is Kenley's cattiness? Why isn't anyone talking shit on Michael? When did Rami learn to do something other than draping? Where is the DRAMA?  Do they really think we actually tune in for the designs?  Jesus, I haven't been able to see them clearly anyway the last few years!

5. High Definition TV  Sooooo...the lesson here is to be careful what you wish for.  I lamented the last three seasons about the lack of HDTV on Lifetime.  But little did I know how disconcerting it would be to actually see my favorite designers so UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.  Did Mila always look so sweaty in the workroom? Was Kenley's lipstick always that red?  Did Micheal's eyebrows look like that before? It's creepin' me out.

So I'm sorry Project Runway, it's been real.  But I just moved you below Spongebob on my DVR playlist.  And we all know what that means-You're out. Auf Wiedersehen!  Oh, and Top Chef?  I'm officially putting you on notice.

What about you?  Any shows you are dumping this season?  Tell me!

xoxo, Liz

Robyn Carr's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

We have to admit, we were a little sad when we put 5 Do's and a Do-Over on the shelf a few months ago. Not that we haven't enjoyed 5 Loves and a Dud- we have. It's just that 5 Do's and a Do-Over was one of our all-time faves and it will always have a special place for it in our hearts. So that' why you're going to see it pop up from time to time, starting with today. And who better to share her list than the fabulous New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr? She's only written like a gazillion books! We absolutely loved  Bring Me Home for Christmas--book #16 in her Virgin River series (and not just a book to be read at Christmastime, btw). Here's the skinny on Bring Me Home for Christmas:

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list: getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It’s time she got over her silly college relationship and moved on. So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother’s men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters. As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. An the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

Read an excerpt from Bring Me Home for Christmas.

So much fun, right? Well, we've got one copy to give away. Just leave a comment to be entered. We'll randomly select the winners after 6 p.m. PST on Sunday, January 29th.

Oh, and be on the look out for the launch of our next feature...coming very soon in honor of our THIRD ANNIVERSARY (woo hoo! Can you believe it? Three years already?!) brought to you with the help of a fabulous author you all love!

And now, without further adieu....

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ROBYN CARR'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

DO'S 1.    Do spend real money on nice under-things and pajamas – you never know when the ER will be staffed with adorable hunks in your age range.  Okay, we don’t want you in the ER, but while you’re at home just slaving away, nice unders will make you feel important; nice sleepwear will make you feel decadent and desirable. 2.   Do give up on reading a book that’s just not doing it for you.  Life’s too short and reading is one of the greatest pleasures.  Nancy Pearl, Uber Librarian, suggests giving a book 50 pages until you reach the age of 50.  Then you can subtract a page for every year over 50.  Ditch the guilt.  There’s an old saying – No two people read the same book; if it’s not for you, that’s all right. 3.    Do live with a glass half full; do vow to be relentlessly happy.  It’s a choice, that’s all.  Negative thinking and acting becomes habit forming and brings negative results.  Likewise, a positive attitude and looking for the silver lining in everything seems to bring good luck!  I remember saying to one of these positive gurus “Bad things do happen to good people, you know.”  And he said.  “Bad things happen to all people, and so do good things.”  Life can be tough.  It can feel less traumatic if you believe everything will work out as it’s supposed to. 4. Do go to your closet and find that one outfit that you loved on the hanger but has never looked good on you and get rid of it.  Pitch it.  Yes, you do have at least one – maybe something that was going to be perfect for you ten pounds from now.  Maybe a color you love but that unfortunately makes you look ill.  A style that never flattered you.  Let it tempt you no more!  Make it go away! 5. Do get a flu shot.  If you don’t, you’ll regret it.

DO-OVER? Can I please go back to the very first writer’s conference in 1980 at which I was actually a speaker?  Can I please make that Ladies Room run once more and pay closer attention and not tuck the back of my skirt in my panty hose?  Please? Rbo

Thanks, Robyn!

xoxo,

L&L

To find out more about the fabulous Robyn Carr and her gazillion books, head over to her website.

5 (More) reasons I still watch The Bachelor

 "On a scale of one to 10, I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

Ah, it's highly intelligent statements like this one (among many other reasons coming up in a minute) that keep me watching The Bachelor every week. This is my personal favorite from last night. Spoken by Jaclyn who was upset over the possibility of the cocktail-party-crashing mystery guest getting a rose...

Confession:  Bachelor Ben Flajnik is starting to grow on me just a wee bit. He still needs an effing haircut like nobody's bidness (could his sister not point that out to him???), but there's something about him. He seems, dare I suggest, normal? Well, normal by reality show standards anyway. (And we have to admit he looked pretty good skiing with his shirt off... and did you see the part where he played the piano? *swoon*)

Or perhaps I'm no better than any of the women on the show- I'm simply caught up in the moment, the rose on the table staring me down- making me believe that he. Is. The. One.

But regardless of how I feel about Bachelor Ben, let's face it- he's not what makes The Bachelor a Monday night must-watch- it's the catty, backstabbing, tight (and bad- does anyone else agree?) dress wearing, crying, idiotic statement spewing women who have us pulling up a couch cushion each week.

And as I watched last night, I found myself giddy with excitement yet again. Even though I've seen it all before- even though it's the same Bachelor just a different name. Even though it's the same cocktail party showdowns and tearful exits. Even though it's a total formula-  It never gets old. And I decided that because five reasons I still watch The Bachelor just weren't enough, here are five more. (PS: Be sure to leave a comment about why you watch- or why you don't- and be entered to win a copy of FLY AWAY HOME by fellow Bachelor watcher, Jennifer Weiner. We'll randomly select the winner after 6p.m. PST on Sunday, Jan 22. )

1. The crazy declarations

If we conquer our fear of heights together, we can do anything! (Said by Ben after he climbs the San Francisco Bay bridge with his date, Emily.) Who cares that they've only known each other for two and a half minutes? They've climbed up to a really high place together so they can survive marriage! WTF?

When I walk through the door tonight, I'm going to fall in love with Ben quickly.  These girls are going to hate me but I'm willing to take the risk because he's (Ben's) someone I want to be with for the rest of my life. Spoken by a mystery guest who crashes the cocktail party. Oh and BTW, she doesn't know Ben at all. See #2

2. The (uninvited) mystery guest

I love the drama as the mystery guest is slowly revealed. The hands on the steering wheel. The voice mail left for Chris (Harrison). The legs getting out of the car. The reaction of the girls when she enters the cocktail party. WHO. THE. *#&%. IS. THAT. GIRL? Well, last night it was Shawntel (or whatsherbutt as model, Courtney, so affectionately called her). You remember funeral director Shawntel from Brad's season? Well poor Shawntel's crazy declaration didn't prove true- she didn't get the rose or the love. (And let's face it, had she stayed, the girls would've likely killed her or at the very least beaten her to a freakin' pulp.) But what she did get were a lot of fun comments like:  she's uglier in person and her thighs are thicker than mine (spoken by the SAME girl). The guys she dates go on dates where she draws people's blood.  We don't re-use Brad's dumpster trash And my personal favorite: She rode in here on her high Hearse *cue cymbal*

3. The dates

Scaling the San Francisco Bay Bridge, a private concert by Matt Nathanson, a piano duet. And that was just one date with one girl- Emily. Oh, to be a reality show contestant... *Swoon* To fall in love to the glow of the camera lights. To make out with six producers watching you. To go on one unrealistic date after the next making your expectations so high that it will be virtually impossible to succeed in love in the real world. Wait, maybe I'm wrong. Apparently if you do a death defying stunt together, you'll have no issues living under the same roof, sharing money or raising kids! (See #1). Plus, on what other show can you watch women skiing the streets of San Francisco in their bikinis?

4. Chris Harrison

Gotta love the man. He's got the greatest gig in TV.  He probably makes a sh*t load of money and he's only on the air for about five minutes each week. Although last night he actually got about six minutes because he greeted the mystery guest (told her to freshen up?! See #5) and had to come out a second time to establish that Ben was about to give out the final rose of the evening. (Erika went down hard like a sack of potatoes temporarily halting the rose ceremony.)

5. Jennifer Weiner's live tweets

As if we didn't already love this New York Times bestselling novelist enough for writing fabulous book after fabulous book (can't wait for her upcoming release, The Next Best Thing) she also live tweets The Bachelor! @Jenniferweiner And she's hilarious. (Trust me, her tweets alone are reason enough to watch the show.) Some of my favorites:

She's got thicker thighs than me. She's uglier in person. Wow. Did the meanest girl get a free spray tan? #thebachelor

Hmph. Ben declines to hand out the final rose. Jaclyn's crying like she lost a limb. Or an implant. Something important. #thebachelor

When I'm in charge of everything, The Bachelor will be on every night

And one reason I might have to stop watching...

The tonsil hockey

WTF? Really Ben? I don't know about you, but it wouldn't be a turn on if Ben told me I was the best kisser in the house. Then kissed me again and told me it was still true. Aren't we missing something here? This means he's sticking his tongue down a lot of throats. #gagmewithaspoon

xoxo,

Lisa

Kate Rockland's 5 Loves and a Dud

Weight.  We're a country obsessed with it.  We have magazine cover devoted to it.  Some of us (Liz!) talk about it constantly. So when we saw that Kate Rockland's next novel was titled 150 Pounds, well, we knew we had to get our hands on it ASAP! We're thrilled that Kate's returning to the site today(we crowned her as our VERY FIRST Lit IT Girl last year!) to share her 5 Loves a Dud.  We think you'll find them as hilarious and insightful as her novels, even if now we're a bit scared to visit New Jersey. (um, total California girls over here!) Regardless, we think you'll love her latest, 150 Pounds.  It's fabulous and fun-it's a must read for all you weight obsessers (don't deny-we know you do it too!).

Here's the scoopage on 150 Pounds: In the fast paced life of blogging, two women stand out: Alexis Allbright, of Skinny Chick, and Shoshana Weiner, who writes Fat and Fabulous. Both have over five million loyal readers. Both are hungry for success. But the similarities stop there.

With over 100 pounds on the scale separating them, weight isn't their only difference. Alexis is a loner who is so bitchy the only person who can stand her company is her gay best friend Billy. She gives neurotic New Yorkers a run for their money with her strict daily workout routine, and weighing of food. Shoshana is Alexis’s opposite. Living in Jersey with rowdy roommates, she is someone who “collects friends,” as her mother puts it; and treasures a life of expanding circles...and waistlines.

When both appear as panelists on a popular talk show, their lives intersect in ways neither could have imagined. In turns comedic, heartwarming—and familiar to any woman who's ever stepped on a scale—Alexis and Shoshana realize they have far more in common than either could have possibly imagined, and more importantly, something to offer.

Sound fun? Then leave a comment and you'll be entered on of FIVE copies.  We'll choose the winner after 6pm PST on Sunday January 22nd.  Good Luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...KATE ROCKLAND'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1. Other People’s Weddings I know everyone likes to complain about having to book hotel rooms, buy silver bridesmaid shoes, or stop eating their lobster to stand up when a couple gets announced as husband and wife for the first time. Me? I frickin’ love weddings. From the moment I get the invitation in the mail and affix it to my fridge, to stumbling back to my room buzzed off the free champagne, I have had a ball at every wedding I’ve ever been lucky enough to be invited to. I love noting which traditions the bride and groom included or discarded, love embarrassing speeches by fathers when they tear up, love the surprise of which appetizers and entrees a couple chose when they’re placed before me, and I especially love the moment the bride enters the room, chapel, church, synagogue, or beach to walk down the aisle and everyone sucks in their breath at how beautiful she looks. As you can imagine, I started planning my own wedding the minute I met my husband. My friend Marissa used to joke she was afraid to open my bedroom closet, lest six wedding dresses fall out.

2. Coffee Some people have a morning exercise routine. I have a morning coffee routine. From the minute I wake up, I start looking forward to my medium hazelnut, extra cream, and two sugars. I go to a local café four blocks from my apartment. I know the owner, and we usually chat for a few minutes each day. This gives me hope, that should I ever die and my husband doesn’t notice, this store owner will call the police and not let my cat eat my face off. I don’t mind standing in line, as I usually do a heaping dose of people-watching. I like imagining what profession everyone is in, where they’re running off to. I try and spy on people working on their laptops, to see what they’re typing. I like the sacks of beans that decorate the store, and the funny names of the beans like “Obama blend.” That first sip is heaven.

3. Cranky Northern New Jerseyans and New Yorkers  I lived in Colorado once and didn’t trust anyone I met. They were too earnest, too helpful, too laid-back. After two years I hastily packed my bags and moved home to the East Coast. I’m from Northern New Jersey, right across the river from Manhattan. People here tell it like it is. If you’re acting like an asshole, people will tell you. If you leave your car double-parked too long on the street, someone will smash in your window. That’s just the way it is. I don’t trust friendly people, and when I travel, I miss loud Jersey women who can make you laugh in five minutes. I like it that if someone falls on the sidewalk in Manhattan, no one helps them up. I mean really, get better walking shoes. I keep thinking my husband and I have to move to the suburbs, but I’m terrified of someone breaking into our house. My family thinks I’m crazy; aren’t I scared to live in a city? I’m not. I like that there’s always someone standing outside their building smoking, or walking down the street in front of me. No one’s ever bothered me in the city. I don’t trust the rest of the country. I feel like there’s never been a serial killer from New Jersey.

4. The Smell of My Son After a Bath Because one of my son’s favorite pastimes is smushing avocado into his ears, digging in the dirt with his fingers, or sticking banana up his nose, by the end of the day the kid needs a bath. I don’t so much enjoy the act of giving him a bath, as it’s physically draining to lift him in and out of the tub, fill it with fancy California Baby soap, stick in all his colorful bath toys, undress him, and lay out his bath towel. However, the end result is divine; the day gets washed away, and all the minor stresses I’ve had melt when I kneel down and make sure he has no toe lint between his toes from his socks. I love how his hair gets a tiny curl to it after a bath, and how his skin shines like pearls, the avocado gets removed from his ears, and his skin smells simply divine. I like that even though I don’t always get it right when it comes to mommyhood, I can give my son this small gift of a bath every night, and send him off to sleep clean and happy.

5. Reading a Murder Mystery Some of my favorite mystery writers, P.D. James, Elizabeth George, and Ngaio Marsh my mom got me into from high school on. I love nothing more then settling down into bed and scaring the bejezus out of myself. I know it’s a genre I could never write, and that fascinates me. To be a mystery writer one has to know not only how to solve puzzles, but how to come up with the original puzzle in the first place, one that hasn’t been penned already by another author. Figuring out plot extends to other pop culture loves I have, like watching The Closer or seeing a really good film with a winding plot. I like characters that might not be who they seem. When I was younger, there were times I needed to know who the murderer was so badly I’d cut class and sit on the toilet in the ladies’ room, hastily speed-reading through the pages. My husband teases me because I sometimes will scan the last page of a mystery novel to make sure I’m on the right track as to who the killer is, and then I’m bummed out when I’m right. I’m getting better at resisting this urge.

DUD

Couples Buying Homes on HGTV’s “House Hunters” I’m addicted to HGTV’s show “House Hunters.” Mainly, because I can’t afford to buy a house. It’s also why I read fashion magazines, and consider whether the $1200 Marc Jacobs sweater would look good with my skin tone: It’s a fantasy. However, the couples who agree to be filmed as they buy their dream home really piss me off. They seem to have no concept what “small” is, to start. I have been living in a 650 square foot-apartment with two other people and a shy cat for six years. We have closets narrower then my body if I stand with my back to them, which are so jam packed there is one in the living room that no longer opens. Nothing makes me angrier then when I watch a couple stroll into a four-bedroom house in Texas and state that the walk-in closet off the master bedroom is “too small.” Girl, that closet is the size of my entire apartment. How much space do Americans think they need? Someday I’ll move into a house and it’s going to feel like a castle, no matter what size it is. And I won’t complain about the size of my walk-in closet. At least the door will open.

Thanks Kate! xoxo, L&L

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

My So-Called Resolutions by Liz

It's that time of year again. Time for my so-called resolutions.

I found myself, New Years morning, fingers poised on my keyboard as I tried to write an Facebook-worthy resolution status.  The usual suspects came to mind, I'm going to me more positive, I'm going to lose ten pounds, etc...And even though there were tons of things I wanted to improve about myself (hello, self hate!), I had a damn hard time coming up with something Facebook worthy.  The only thing that made me feel better?  I had finally learned how to spell the word resolution without using spell check.  Check that off the 2011 list please!

But after some very deep soul searching, I've come up with my 2012 list. And I want to hear about yours too!  Leave me a comment and I'll enter you to win an ARC of Spin by Catherine McKenzie.  I'll choose the winner on January 15th after 6pm PST.

LIZ'S SO CALLED 2012 RESOLUTIONS

1. Make more time for the things I love Is there an available fairy godmother out there?  Because I need to make a few more hours in the day. I struggled in 2011 to find time to write-something I'm determined to change in 2012.  One step in the right direction?  The BOSE noise cancelling headphones I got last month.  They're so awesome that the house could be F'ing burning down around me and I wouldn't hear shit.  But, at last I'll finally have that peace and quiet I've been craving to get some writing done.

2. Get my funny back Where the F*CK has it been? I blame a lack of trashy reality TV watching on my part-something I vow to correct ASAP. (You hear that, Dance Moms?)  And anyway, considering this is an election year, I'm going to need all the funny I can get! *cue a million ridiculously annoying campaign ads*

3. Read MORE  Yes, gi-normous TBR pile, I'm talking to you. I'm going to make you my bitch in 2012.  Consider yourself warned.

4. Get in shape    *snorts*  I know, I know.  But if you count carrying three grocery bags on each arm once a week weight training, then at least I'm doing something, right?

5. Skip the fad diets Last month, that freakin' HCG diet made me a horrible, hungry ogre who wanted to gnaw on her husband's arm like a hambone.  And those annoying people who claimed they were NEVER HUNGRY while on it?  LIARS!!!  Instead? I downloaded Net Diary, an AWESOME app that helps you track your calories.  The anal type-A control freak in me is jumping up and down that I can count every single morsel that enters my mouth in 2012.  Except for that BLT with avocado my drunken alter ego devoured at 1am in Vegas last weekend.  But let's just pretend that never happened....

Bonus so-called resolution: 

Finish our next book- This one's easy.  At almost 40,000 words and a writing retreat coming up later this month, we should be ready to shop it by March.  Want a quick peek at the premise?  Hmmm...All I'll say is that it's about two childhood best friends who get themselves in a sticky situation and it's called The Toast. You'll have to wait on the rest!

*raises glass* Here's to a great 2012!  I hope it's your best year EVER!  xoxo, Liz

Lit IT Girls: Debut Authors Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz

We been searching long and hard to find which debut authors should rock the Lit IT Girl crown in 2012.  And when we came across Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz, we knew they were destined to wear it! We love the fact that they are great friends that decided to write a novel, just like us.  And their debut eBook, Unscripted, is funny as hell!  Natalie and Marla are reality TV producers that have worked on shows such as Blind Date, Starting Over, Making the Band, Bands Reunited, Bad Girls Club, The Judds, Ruby, Sweet Home Alabama and Little People, Big World. And their inside knowledge of producing reality TV is one of the many things that makes Unscripted great.

Here's the dish on Unscripted: As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth. Her career and her friends are all she needs. Right?

When her screenwriter ex makes a hit movie based on their relationship, Abby's faults are projected on screens across the country. Suddenly the fact that her job depends on orchestrating hot tub hook-ups doesn't seem so impressive.

Her friends rally to help. Zoë thinks she needs to meet a guy. Stephanie suggests an attitude adjustment. Nancy wants her to get in touch with her inner Goddess. Abby knows they mean well, but she prefers to focus on her work. Unfortunately, she's already embarrassed herself in front of her new boss, Will Harper, who she would find totally crush-worthy if he weren't so irritating.

Abby's about to be reminded that life doesn't follow a script—and good things happen when you least expect it...

Sound fun?  It is!  And we have 5 eBook copies to giveaway.  Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!   We'll choose the winners on Sunday January 15th after 6pm PST.  Good Luck!

And without further adieu, we present to you the first 2012 Lit IT Girls!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHORS NATALIE AARON AND MARLA SCHWARTZ

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"?  We probably queried about 20 agents. It was a long and slow process but a lot of fun at the same time (one of the joys of writing with a partner).  We will let you all in on a shameful secret of ours.  When mailing out our queries, we did not just shove each envelope into the mailbox at once.  We decided to make a little ritual of it.  So, at about 10 p.m. one night, we took our group of carefully stuffed and addressed envelopes to the post office.  And each time we dropped one into the mailbox, we shouted out the name of the agent, sang a song (if you can call it that) about why they should represent us, and did a mini “happy” dance to accompany each query.  We’re sure if a security guard had spotted us, we would have been carted off to the nearest jail for drunk and disorderly behavior (we were actually sober).  In the end, we got very, very lucky and had a couple of offers.  By no means was it a bed of publishing roses after that, but at least our little ritual got the ball rolling for us.

2. What's a line from your "favorite" rejection letter? We actually tossed each one of those away as soon as they came in.  We were trying to stay as positive as possible, and not let every “no we don’t like you or your book” letter be a punch to the stomach (which of course it was).  So if there were any great lines, we have systematically erased them from our brains.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel?  The hardest part was actually getting started.  It’s like working out.  You go to bed every night, and think to yourself, ”Tomorrow is the day, dammit!  Tomorrow I am going to go to the gym.  I’m going to eat healthy, drink a ton of water, and start on a brilliant vitamin regime.”  And then the sun rises, you hit the snooze button, you go into work, and lo and behold, some schmo brings in donuts.  That’s how writing was for us.  We talked about our book for ages.  We even sat down together many times and tried to write it but realized that we were not going to get anywhere until we outlined.  Once we outlined everything (and by the way, Marla’s husband Matt mistakenly erased three months of work by placing a magnet next to her computer) we were ready to begin the really hard work of putting actual words to paper.

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

Best: Be patient. We’re used to the fast paced world of TV Production and it was difficult for us to adjust to the, errr, more leisurely pace of the publishing world.

 Worst: We can’t really think of any bad advice…we’ve been lucky to have some great people in our corner.

5. How did you celebrate your book deal?

Since Marla’s husband Matt had sacrificed many Saturdays to the Book Gods, he was instrumental to our celebration. The three of us went for an expensive but delicious meal at Mario Batali's restaurant - Osteria Mozza. We ate and drank far too much and for the first time in months we were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief!

6. Who is your writer crush?

Marla– right now, I’d have to say Sara Gruen and Kathryn Stockett.  And I’m not sure if “crush” would be the right word.  More like, “who do you envy?”  And not because of their success, but because they were both able to create these amazing worlds in which you can completely immerse and lose yourself in.  I am so enamored by authors like these, and wish I had a pinky’s worth of their talent.

Natalie– For me, right now it’s Tina Fey.  I read “Bossypants” in one sitting and was laughing from the moment I started reading the blurbs on the back of the book to a few hours later when I finished. Thanks to Tina Fey, we now have a definitive answer for every jackass who ponders the difference between male and female comedians: “The men urinate in cups. And sometimes jars.”

7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?

Marla– Wow, that is not an easy question!  These days, I rarely read a book twice.  It takes me months to read a novel (I work full-time, have a crazy two-year-old and oh ya…a husband) so when I do finish one, I don’t really have time to revisit old favorites.  But there is, however, one book in the last ten years that I have gone back to time and time again and that is, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Oh wait!  Can I pick two?  Well, I’m going to anyway!  My second choice would be “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.”  I think those two books would keep me somewhat sane on a desert island.

Natalie– Over the weekend, I was casually asked, “who’s your favorite band?” and I nearly had a panic attack. I can never whittle any of my cherished musicians, books, movies, or TV shows down to an absolute favorite – so I’ll go with the first two that popped in my mind. (What?  If Marla gets two, then so do I!) My first choice is Pride and Prejudice. I love Lizzie’s self-deprecating wit, and Darcy is the standard by which I judge all heroes. I’ve read it countless times and never tire of it. My second choice is A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. I recently re-read it and it reaffirmed how much I love this book. As someone who lost a parent at a young age (and was similarly afflicted with a nagging fear of dying young), I found great relief in this memoir. And hey, if the Preface and Acknowledgment sections of a book left me crying with laughter, I can easily count that book among my favorites.

8. What's on your iPod right now?

Marla– “Plans” by Death Cab for Cutie.  Love love love those guys and this has been my favorite album for years!

Natalie– “Your Protector” by Fleet Foxes. Their eponymous album is always in rotation on my iPod.

9. What's your #1 stress reliever?

Marla– Probably any form of chocolate I can get my hands on; reading; and sleeping (something that I never realized I would miss so desperately after having a child).

Natalie– Bitching with friends is always helpful (especially if accompanied by a great meal and an adult beverage!) Otherwise a good book or movie can take the edge off.

10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? Three words: Winter is Coming.

Last Fall’s crop of new TV shows were lackluster at best so we’ve been pinning our hopes on the return of “Game of Thrones.” At the end of last season, we wanted to read all the books so we could find out if Joffrey dies a horrible death (and by we, we mean Natalie since Marla has already established her reading speed) but after much debate, we decided to remain spoiler free. We can only hope that Sansa’s poor direwolf, Lady will be resurrected as a White Walker and return to eat Joffrey alive. But don’t tell us!  Is it April yet?

Thanks Girls!  xoxo, L&L

To read more about Natalie and Marla, head on over to their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Cooper Lawrence's 5 Loves and a Dud

Can you guys believe it's 2012 already?  And since this may or may not be the final year of our existence according to that pesky Mayan calendar, we better make it count by reading LOTS of awesome books! We'll be switching things up a bit this year-look for lots of pop culture talk (The Bachelor, anyone?) and more shit-talking posts from us.(And we want to hear from you too!)

And of course, all the VERY best authors and giveaways.  Because that's how we roll in 2012, bitches!

We're kicking off the New Year with the fabulous Cooper Lawrence and her latest, The Yoga Club.  Cooper is our type of multi-tasker-not only does she co-host The Big Show with Scott & Todd in New York, you can also catch her on Fox's Dish Nation.  She's also written several other books.  See?  Serious Multi-tasker! And she does it well-The Yoga Club is a lot of fun-the perfect way for you to kick off 2012!

Here's the skinny on The Yoga Club: Chatting it up with bendy WASPs is the last thing on Coco Guthrie’s mind during her 8:30 a.m. yoga class. Having made her fortune as the world-renowned inventor of Butt-B-Gone derriere cream, Coco still doesn’t feel like she belongs among the upper class— until she attends the swankiest Halloween soiree in Greenwich, Connecticut, where three of her fellow morning yogis shared her brilliant idea to appear as Sarah Palin. Soon it’s clear that a love of stretching isn’t all this accidental sorority—which includes a single mom with echolalia, an entertainment reporter who charms the pants off handsome stars, and a drama-prone producer with a taste for drag— have in common.

When the four mischievous Sarahs wander away from the party to sneak a peek at the mayor’s neighboring estate, they are stunned to find him adorned in leather and latex, and rolling up a woman’s body in a Persian rug. To make matters worse, someone has spotted the spying Palins. Someone who threatens to expose their torrid affairs in business and the bedroom. Now the unlikely foursome must use all their wits and wiles to get to the bottom of the kinky crime. But will their budding friendship be strong enough to protect their deepest secrets?

Sound good?  Well then you'll be stoked to know we have FIVE copies to give away!  You know the drill-just leave a comment and we'll randomly choose the winners after 6pm PST on Monday January 9th.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENT...COOPER LAWRENCE'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1. Thick and thin friends.  No, no, not your friends with canckles and food issues, but the ones who go through it with you…and I mean….ALL OF IT! My closest friends are people I have known for twenty years or more who know me better than I know myself, will call me on my “stuff”, and are people I have relied on at various times in my life without question. As Marlene Dietrich said, “It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.”

2. Marconi, the inventor and the puppy. Since I have spent the bulk of my career in radio I would be remiss not to be grateful for Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission.  Radio is my second love, the first being my 96lb Italian Spinone puppy aptly named….you guessed it…Marconi (which is only funny if you know I’m in radio). What makes my Marconi special is that he is a pet therapy dog through the Delta Society. We visit at our local hospital on a weekly basis and its great to see him working with the patients.

3. The greatest channel on TV.  Investigation Discovery Hollywood crimes, murder and forensic investigations, oh my! When you’re relaxing on your couch and eating dinner, what’s better than watching a cold case solved by DNA of an assailant’s 30 year old semen? I can't get enough of Deadly Women, Wicked Attraction, and Solved: Extreme Forensics.  In this one episode they had to get the help of a NASA scientist…but I don’t want to ruin for you. If you don’t get the ID: Investigation Discovery channel, call your local cable provider.

4. Living in NYC. I would love to regale you with stories of the hustle and the bustle, or the museums and cocktail soirees on exotic rooftops but my real love for this city is that anything can be delivered to you at any time of the day. Groceries, burritos, laundry, furniture, shoes…you name it they’ll bring it. You don’t have to get out of your sweatpants….ever!

5. Being Single. Read the first four. Is it any shock?

DUD

WAR. No disrespect to them but I got their greatest hits for Christmas and I was really underwhelmed. “Spill The Wine” is ok once it gets to the chorus but the whole spoken word thing that leads up to it is so hacky.

Thanks so much Cooper! xoxo, L&L

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

5 Reasons I still watch The Bachelor

Dear, The Bachelor, I hope this isn't too forward. But I f*cking love the sh*t out of you. To clarify, I don't mean you, the bachelor, as in Brad (gag) or Jake (double gag) or even Ben (you should cut your shaggy mop, but you are growing on me.)- but the show. The glorious cat-fights, the endless streams of tears, the ridiculous stunts, the bad (make that really bad) prom dresses and that's just the premier episode.

I'm addicted.

The rejected Bachelors and Bachelorettes are obviously addicted too- many now coming back for a second beating more after having their hearts broken on national TV. Like our latest, Ben Flanjik.

And c'mon, admit it, you're just a little bit addicted too... (I see your comments on Facebook and Twitter!)

Who cares that I'm pushing forty. That I had to wait until the kids went to bed to watch because the content of the show is just that wrong. That I sat by myself with a large glass of wine rubbing my hands together maniacally waiting for the opening credits to start. That my husband has even thrown in the towel after many seasons of (not so) secretly watching by my side. (Brad and his therapist did him in.) I'll always be a loyal fan. I'll always watch you.

Here are the five reasons why I'll never stop...

1. The drama. Omg. It never ceases to amaze. Do these women not watch the previous seasons? Do they not get that drama is not the answer to securing a rose and landing the bachelor? All I have to say is thank gawd they don't.  And thank gawd for the free-flowing alcohol that the show provides them.

2. The crazies. I know she's technically one of my own, but the blogger. Jenna. OMG. She brings hot mess to a whole new level getting into an argument with another woman and saying the seven words I was quite certain I'd NEVER  hear in my life: Maybe. We. Can. Share. A. Tampon. Sometime.

WTF? (I think I'll be asking that a lot this season!)

And in the most dramatic rose ceremony ever, (I'm sure Chris Harrison would agree as, isn't every rose ceremony the most dramatic?) she pries herself off the bathroom floor where she was crying hysterically about not following her own advice that she blogs about- and gets a rose. But of course she does. She only adds to the dramz. See #1.

3. The unexpected. The horse! The bacon! The grandma! And that was just last night.

Lindzi rides in on a horse and secures the first impression rose. And of course prompts one of the women (the model- who looks like she's going to be CRAZY this season) to say,  f*ck her and the horse she rode in on.

Amber B. (a.k.a. Amber Bacon) offers Ben a taste! (No one likes bacon that much. No one.)

And Brittney brings her sweet, 72-year-old grandmother who raised her. (A brilliant play, btw!)  And who, even though she is SEVENTY TWO, is apparently not safe from bashing (is nothing sacred?). The catty women can't hold back even for a little old lady- talking shit on grams and her wrinkly skin. Two words: Eff. Them.

4. The wine. Oh this part is all about me even though two Bachelors have been in the wine biz- Andrew Firestone and now, Ben Flanjik. I'm referring to what goes on in my own living room as I watch. A nice deep pour from a nice bottle of red just makes it all even more delicious. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that the women seem to drink a sh*t load of it too.

5. The love. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic. And they do fall- so madly and deeply-as they hold each other tight in their bathing suits (or as this season's promo promises, in their birthday suits). And I am rooting for them- all of them. Even the ones that gross me out like the high-waisted pants wearing CRAZY pilot Jake. Because there's someone for everyone. Right, Vienna?

And before I go, here's the woman who would've gotten the first impression rose from me last night (because I can't totally bash everyone and everything!): Kacie B.  (What can I say, I'm a sucker for a southern accent!)

Here's to another delicious season! I'll be toasting next week's episode with a bottle of wine from Ben's Evolve Winery.

xoxo,

Lisa