Kristin Harmel's 5 Things I'd Tell The Teen Me

Our guest today: Kristin Harmel Why we love her: She was one of the first authors we met and she was so incredibly sweet, awesome and adorable!

Her latest: The Sweetness Of Forgetting

The scoop: At thirty-six , Hope McKenna-Smith is no stranger to bad news. She lost her mother to cancer, her husband left her for a twenty-two year old, and her bank account is nearly depleted. Her own dreams of becoming a lawyer long gone, she’s running a failing family bakery on Cape Cod and raising a troubled preteen.

Now, Hope’s beloved French-born grandmother Mamie, who wowed the Cape with her fabulous pastries for more than fifty years, is drifting away into a haze of Alzheimer’s. But in a rare moment of clarity, Mamie realizes that unless she tells Hope about the past, the secrets she has held on to for so many years will soon be lost forever. Tantalizingly, she reveals mysterious snippets of a tragic history in Paris. And then, arming her with a scrawled list of names, she sends Hope to France to uncover a seventy-year-old mystery.

Hope’s emotional journey takes her through the bakeries of Paris and three religious traditions, all guided by Mamie’s fairy tales and the sweet tastes of home. As Hope pieces together her family’s history, she finds horrific Holocaust stories mixed with powerful testimonies of her family’s will to survive in a world gone mad. And to reunite two lovers torn apart by terror, all she’ll need is a dash of courage, and the belief that God exists everywhere, even in cake. . . .

Our thoughts: We think this is Kristin's best yet!  Run out and grab a copy today.

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Monday August 13th after 6pm PST.

Fun fact: Kristin has also interviewed a ton of cool celebrities for People Magazine!

Where to read more about Kristin: Her website, Facebook or Twitter!

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

1. One Day, You’ll Appreciate People Thinking You Look Younger: When I was a teenager, I looked two or three years younger than I actually was, thanks to the fact that I was (and still am!) only five feet tall. Because this was the thing that made me “different,” I worried about it all the time. I lived in constant fear of receiving crayons and a kids menu at a restaurant while on a date (which never happened, thank goodness, although it happened plenty of times when I was out with my family! Cringe!). Now, however, I’m 33 with lines creeping in, and sometimes people assume – oh, the horror! – that I’m older than I really am! So I think the lesson here isn’t just for the teen me. It’s for the current me too. It’s important to learn to feel happy where you are in life, and not to let other people’s opinions – or misconceptions – define you.

2. High School Popularity Means Nothing in the Grand Scheme of Life. NOTHING. That goes for middle school popularity too. When you’re a teenager, there’s so much pressure to fit in, to pick a group, to prove yourself. And that can destroy you on the inside. When I look back at my teen years now, I think about how much happier I would have been if I wasn’t worrying so much about the social dynamics at school. Here’s the secret no one tells you in middle school or high school: Teen popularity means nothing once you’re in your 20s and beyond. Some of the happiest, most successful, most interesting people I know now, as an adult, were the dorks in their schools. And truly, some of the most popular people from my classes over the years seem to have peaked in high school and are living somewhat unhappy lives now. So if you’re not in the "in crowd," stop worrying. If you feel different, good. Conformity doesn’t get you anywhere interesting in life. Dare to be you – and realize that when you get a bit older, you’ll spread your wings and soar in a way that most of those Populars will never know how to do.

3. Mom’s Right. About Almost Everything. Okay, so she may not have realized that the family minivan isn’t the coolest first car for a 16-year-old. Or that wearing that top with those jeans would be social suicide. But looking back, those things didn’t really matter, did they? She was right about the important stuff. So when she told me that the boy I had an unrequited crush on was a complete loser anyhow, or that it was cool to play the drums in the marching band if that’s what I wanted to do, or that I was stronger than I gave myself credit for… she was right. When she told me that having morals was far more valuable than conforming, that it was fine (and even preferable) to prefer the Beatles to Rage Against the Machine (everyone else’s favorite at the time), and that I should always follow my heart… she was right. And she’s been right ever since. The biggest mistakes I've made in life were the ones I made while deliberately ignoring her advice. In life, your mom is often your biggest cheerleader, the one who wants to see you as happy as possible. She always has your best interests at heart, and that means her advice is always worth considering.

4. Stop Hurrying to Grow Up: When I was a teenager, I couldn’t wait to be an adult. I wanted to live my own life, make my own decisions, chart my own course. And those things would come in time. But looking back, I wish I’d paused to enjoy my teen years a bit more instead of always rushing to the next step. When you’re a grownup, you don’t get a three-month summer vacation. There’s no one to cook your meals, fold your laundry, chauffeur you from spot to spot and pay all your bills. So enjoy being a kid while it lasts. The adult freedoms – and the responsibilities that come with them – will be here before you know it. And you’ll regret not enjoying childhood a bit more while you had the chance.

5. It’s Never Too Early to Chase Your Dreams: I’ve known I wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. And I wrote all the time – secretly, furtively, feeling almost foolish for dreaming that I could one day be a novelist. I started off as a journalist –when I was 16, actually! – but novel-writing still seemed to be a far-off dream. I thought I’d have to be very old before I had the maturity to write a book. But what I didn’t realize was that at 16 – or 17 – or 21 – I had a unique perspective on the world too. I should have realized I had something to give and therefore had the courage to try. So if there’s something you dream of, whether you’re 7, or 17, or 77, don’t be afraid to begin today. The future’s what you make of it, and it starts now.

Thanks Kristin! xoxo, L&L

Mary Carter's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Todays' guest: Mary Carter Why we love her: Although she's written several novels, this is the first we've read. We always love discovering an author we adore and can't wait to read more from.

Her latest: The Things I Do For You

The scoop on it: After years of supporting her husband Brad's generally ill-fated career ventures, Bailey Jordan has a job and a life she loves, working as a high profile real estate agent in Manhattan. Things are wonderful, and she's ready to start a family. Everything changes when Brad is involved in a car crash and dies for thirteen minutes. Previously an agnostic, Brad comes back to life on a mission. Unbeknownst to his wife, he buys a lighthouse on the Hudson River and plans to turn it into a bed and breakfast. Bailey reluctantly joins him, but she's overwhelmed by business stresses, eclectic guests, and strange rumours. And as Brad's behaviour grows increasingly erratic, she must find a way to get him to come back down to earth if their marriage is to survive...

Our thoughts: We're always suckers for a good love story. This was sweet, heartfelt and hit home.

Giveaway:5 copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners after 3PM PST on Sunday, August 12.

Fun fact: Mary has started, The Writers’ Den, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where she will be teaching the exact writing course that helped her write and publish her first novel. Aspiring writers in the New York City area can go to to this website for more information.

Where you can read more about Mary: Her website.

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

1. Don’t put more effort into a boy than he is putting into you I wasted a lot of time chasing boys, concentrating all of my energy on whichever one I had a crush on, putting a higher value on them than I did myself. It not only doesn’t work, the guy you think is so wonderful often disappoints. If he likes you, you can bet he’ll return your calls, be interested in your dreams and goals, and treat you like you treat him. Be happy and confident, let boys be the icing on the cake.

2. You are not fat I would give anything for the body I had back in high school. Problem was, I didn’t appreciate it then either. I thought I was fat. I hated my thighs. I would go on fad diets, and stay up nights before vacations exercising. Taking care of your body is one thing, obsessing over it is another. Crazy thing is? It usually has nothing to do with what you really look like. If you can get it out of your head, you’ll be much happier.

3. Doing a little bit every day adds up to a lot more than cramming it in all at once I used to wait until the last minute to do most things: practice piano, write that essay or report that was due the next day, even exercise. Now, as an author with deadlines, I realize the time I spend every day working on my projects gets me a lot further at the end of the year than procrastinating until it’s do or die. Take writing for example: One page a day equals the first draft of a novel at the end of a year. A little bit really does add up to a lot.

4. Don’t quit the saxophone or piano I played both growing up, then just drifted away from them after high school. I’d give anything now to be able to whip out my saxophone while waiting for the subway and serenade the commuters. Or have a few gigs a week in little clubs in the village. Or tinkle the ivories on the side. If you have a talent like that, don’t let it slip away! May seem like drudgery now, but some day it will be way cool.

5. Cherish your family My mom and I fought a lot when I was a teenager. Our temperaments were too similar. I remember one screaming match before school where I yelled: “You’re acting like my mother!” There was a pause, then she said quietly, “I am your mother.” It made us both crack up. These days my mother is my best friend and has been the one person who has always had my back. At times, we tend to treat those we love the most the worst.  Once in awhile step back and realize they really are on your side, even when they’re driving you crazy.

Thanks, Mary!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

Erin Duffy's 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Today's guest: Erin Duffy Why we love her: She wrote one of the juiciest books of 2012. Speaking of...

Her latest: Bond Girl (Out in paperback now!)

The scoop on it: While other little girls were fantasizing about becoming doctors or lawyers, Alex Garrett dreamed of conquering the high-powered world of Wall Street. Now she's grown and determined to make it big in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street's most esteemed brokerage firms. Though she's prepared to fight her way into an elitist boys' club, she starts out small, relegated to a kiddie-size folding chair with her new moniker, "Girlie," inscribed in Wite-Out across the back.

Always keeping her eyes on the prize (and ignoring her friends' pleas for her to quit), Alex quickly learns how to roll with the punches, rising from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate in no time. Suddenly she's being addressed by her real name, and the boys' club has transformed into forty older brothers . . . and one possible boyfriend. But then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is faced with the most difficult choice of her life: to stick with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster . . . or to kick off her Jimmy Choos and go running for higher ground.

Our thoughts: We loved it just as much the second time around. Click here for our thoughts when we hosted her on our site when Bond Girl was released in hardback. (Then add even more gushing and oohing and ahhing!)

Giveaway: 5 copies of the paperback! Leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners after 3pm PST on Sunday, August 5.

Fun Fact: Duffy used to work on Wall Street and wrote Bond Girl after being laid off after a decade long career. Way to make a come back!

Where you can read more about Erin: Facebook

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ERIN DUFFY'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

Well this is a first for me! It’s not often that I get a forum to blog about Dos and Do Overs, mostly because no one seems to ever really care what I think about, well, anything. Typically, when I give my thoughts to friends or family I’m greeted with polite smiles, not-so-polite eye rolls, and then I’m entirely ignored. It’s hard for me to be surprised by this, because Lord knows, I never really take my own advice, either, so I guess I can’t blame them.  I will say though, that I’m beginning to wish that I could sit down with the younger version of me and smack her in the face before imparting these brief words of wisdom. Writing Bond Girl has been an amazing experience, proven by the fact that I get to be on Chick Lit Is Not Dead! I don’t know that writing it makes me qualified in any way whatsoever to give my thoughts to other people, so I promise if you all want to skip over this entry, I’ll forgive you. But, as I’m trying to think more positively these days, I’ll at the very least give it a whirl. In no particular order, here they are!

1. DO save your money. I’m thirty-four now and I wish I had been a bit more frugal in my twenties then I was. Here’s the thing about recessions: you don’t really appreciate what the word means until you live through one. Maybe you lose your job, or maybe you take a pay cut, or maybe you watch friends struggle to find work month after brutally long paycheck free month, but whatever is, you realize you’re your money can dry up fast! I myself have yet to find my money tree (but I’m still looking, really hard, and I’ll report back if I find one), and I want to kill the younger, dumber Erin for taking a steady paycheck for granted. If I had gotten up a little earlier and had time to take the subway to work instead of a cab over the years, I’d have more money saved and maybe wouldn’t worry quite as much about having to move home to my parents to avoid paying rent. Basement living isn’t really my thing. And at thirty-four, if I’m going to cohabitate with someone,  I really prefer it not be with my mother. No offense, Mom.

2. DO think long and hard about dating guys who already have loads of baggage in their twenties. Relationships are hard enough when both people’s crazy quotients are within the realm of reason. I can’t tell you how many girls I know who invested years of their lives with guys who due to any number of unfortunate life events, were simply too crazy to possibly be considered good dating material. I can’t think of a single instance in this case where things ended well, or where the girl wasn’t left saying to herself, “what was I thinking?” The answer is, she wasn’t, (and in the interest of being honest, yes, ladies, I’m one of them), so this one I would like to stress. I’d put this whole paragraph in capital letters to prove that point but then it would look like I was screaming at you.

3. DO spend quality time with your girlfriends. One of the worst parts about getting older, aside from wrinkles, sagging boobs, and a slowing metabolism, is that your friends will inevitably get married, move away, have babies, and begin their own busy lives. It becomes harder and harder as time goes by and life gets in the way to maintain those all important female ties. Sometimes, it seems easier to let weeks go by without checking in, but thanks to facebook, emails, texts, and various other forms of electronic communication, it’s infinitely easier than it used to be. You will need your girlfriends at times in your life, and when you do, make sure you know where to find them.

4. DO take time to take care of yourself. It’s so easy to get caught up jobs, families, friends, ect that we can forget to take a few minutes to make ourselves presentable to the outside world.  I once went an entire week running around like such a lunatic that I actually managed to go four days without brushing my hair and the resulting self-loathing was strong enough to crush an elephant. Now, let me be clear here, no one is talking about being Marcia Brady and brushing your hair 100 strokes a day while gazing fondly at your appearance in the mirror, but a multitude of sins can be cured with a hairbrush and a hot shower.  If nothing else, it will help your mental state to know that worst case scenario, if you do end up in the emergency room somewhere, your mom will be proud to know that you are, in fact, wearing clean underwear.

5. DO take some chances in life. I worked in finance for twelve years before I published Bond Girl, and sure, there are days that I am terrified that switching careers was maybe a bad idea. The truth is, if you don’t at least try new things, and work hard at something that you love, you’ll never know what you are capable of achieving. No one is saying to start walking tightropes over highways or swallowing fire or anything, but a few well thought out risks in life will make you a braver, and I’ve found, happier person. And hey, if things don’t work out, you probably will at least have some really funny stories to tell your kids one day.

And last but not least, here is my do over…drum roll, please? Thank you.

DO NOT beat yourself up over every mistake you make. There are enough people in this world who will relish the chance to make you feel like an idiot at every possible opportunity. You don’t need to join them, they’ll do just fine without you, trust me. I wish I had been a little easier on myself at certain times over the last few years, and didn’t punish myself whenever I failed to do something perfectly. (Or at least, as close to perfect as I can possibly be. The truth is, I’ve accepted the sad reality that perfection is something that will elude me for the rest of my days on this earth.) I don’t care what Dr. Oz or anyone else says, ladies, if you ask me, sometimes it’s okay to lie on your couch, eat pizza, and watch bad reality TV for eighteen hours a day. Think of it like a reboot for your system. I think there’d be a lot less neurotic people running around out there if they would just take a day to chill out!

Well, it seems that that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks so much ladies for letting me blog today, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I have to run, there’s a Real Housewives of New Jersey marathon starting, and my pizza just got here.

Xoxoxoxo

Erin

Thanks, Erin!

xoxo,

L&L

 

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Kathleen McCleary's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

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Today's guest: Kathleen McCleary Why we love her:  Her writing is honest and heartfelt. We've all been where her characters have been. We love that we can relate.

Her latest: A Simple Thing

The scoop on it: When Susannah Delaney discovers her young son is being bullied and her adolescent daughter is spinning out of control, she moves them to remote, rustic Sounder Island to live for a year. A simple island existence—with no computers or electricity and only a one-room schoolhouse—is just what her over scheduled East Coast kids need to learn what's really important in life. But the move threatens her marriage to the man she's loved since childhood, and her very sense of self.

For Betty Pavalak, who moved to Sounder to save her own troubled marriage, the island has been a haven for fifty years. But Betty also knows the guilt of living with choices made long ago and actions that cannot be undone. The unlikely friendship between Susannah and Betty ignites a journey of self-discovery for both women and brings them both home to what they love most. A Simple Thing moves beyond friendship, children, and marriages to look deeply into what it means to love and forgive—yourself.

Our thoughts: A moving story about friendship and forgiveness.

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, August 5 after 3PM PST.

Fun fact: At age 12 she was briefly considered for the lead role in “The Exorcist,” until her mother found out what the movie was about. (Her mom had a friend who was a casting agent.)


Where you can read more about Kathleen: Twitter, Facebook or her website.

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

1. No one is really paying that much attention. Do you know how self-conscious you feel? How shy? Let it go. Really. Everyone around you is busy thinking their own thoughts and worrying about the minutiae of their own lives. They don’t notice your pimples (well, okay, maybe that one giant one in the middle of your forehead) or your bad hair days or your bowlegs or that stupid thing you said at a party three weeks ago. And if they do notice all that stuff and tell you about it, they’re not worth your notice. Let them go.

2. Hang on to that friend. Your girlfriend across the street, the one you share most things with, including your biggest crushes, a love of Motown music, and your first taste of alcohol? She’s a keeper. She’ll be the maid of honor in your wedding; you’ll care for her oldest daughter while she’s in the hospital giving birth to baby number two, she’ll cry with you when your father dies, and you’ll still laugh so hard every time you get together that your face hurts. Friends like that don’t come along too often. When you run across one, hang on to her as though your life depends on it. Someday, it will.

3. You get better with age. I’m not kidding. That baby fat will drop away. You’ll lose those chubby cheeks and that awkward way of standing with both arms crossed over your stomach (which believe me, is flatter than you think). You’ll figure out that you are at least as smart as everyone else. You won’t be afraid to express your opinions, to admit it when you’re wrong, or to apologize. You’ll be great at things you never dreamed you’d be good at, like soothing a fussy baby and writing and doing handstands (no kidding!). You’ll learn to love your body for what it can do, and not hate it for what it doesn’t look like. You’ll laugh more easily and without self-consciousness. You’ll understand with your whole being how important it is to be kind. You’ll understand that this is what true beauty is about.

4. It’s okay to be a book nerd. Keep reading. I know you spend a lot of time alone in the library. You know what? One day, you’re going to write books that will sit on those shelves. It’s your little shot at immortality. Grab it.

5. You are worthy. Of attention, of respect, of love, of understanding, of forgiveness—from yourself most of all. You’re a keeper, too. Take care of yourself. Be kind.

Thanks, Kathleen!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

 

 

Emily Arsenault's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Our guest today: Emily Arsenault Why we love her: Her books are captivating-we can't get anything else done once we crack it open!

Her latest: Miss Me When I'm Gone

The scoop: Author Gretchen Waters made a name for herself with her bestseller Tammyland—a memoir about her divorce and her admiration for country music icons Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton that was praised as a "honky-tonk Eat, Pray, Love." But her writing career is cut abruptly short when she dies from a fall down a set of stone library steps. It is a tragic accident and no one suspects foul play, certainly not Gretchen's best friend from college, Jamie, who's been named the late author's literary executor.

But there's an unfinished manuscript Gretchen left behind that is much darker than Tammyland: a book ostensibly about male country musicians yet centered on a murder in Gretchen's family that haunted her childhood. In its pages, Gretchen seems to be speaking to Jamie from beyond the grave—suggesting her death was no accident . . . and that Jamie must piece together the story someone would kill to keep untold.

Our thoughts: Beautifully written-we think you'll love this one.  Throw a copy in your suitcase and relax with it by the pool.

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on Sunday, August 5th after 6pm PST.

Fun fact: Emily and her husband served in the Peace Corps together in South Africa!

Where to read more about Emily: her website, or Facebook.

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

1. Stop trying to write confessional poetry. You are sixteen years old. You have nothing to confess. Put down the pen, close the notebook, and go read a good book or have a cookie or something. You’re embarrassing yourself.

2. Talk to your grandmother more. Ask her about her life. Your grandmother lives just up the street from you, but you are so focused on personal dramas and grades and getting into a fancy college that you rarely have real conversations with her. During your first semester of college, she’ll pass away and they’ll bury her in Arlington National Cemetery because she was an army nurse in WWII. They’ll mention in the eulogy that the ship she served on was called the Mercy. It’ll dawn on you that you never knew that before. You never asked. Over the next few months and years, you’ll think of about a hundred more questions you wish you’d asked. For this you will feel very sad and very foolish.

3.  You know who your real friends are. Pay more attention to treating them well than obtaining newer, “cooler” ones. Your friends put up with a lot from you. You don’t always deserve it.  Do you remember their birthdays? Do you make a real effort to cheer them up when they feel down or stressed? Bring them chicken soup when they’re sick? Not so often? You might try a little bit harder

4.  Quit obsessing about grades. Yes, doing well in school is important, but grades are relatively meaningless symbols on a piece of paper, not assessments of your worth as a person. To put it in perspective: a few years from now you’ll be helping your mother clean her house and you’ll toss those precious report cards of yours in a Dumpster without even glancing at them.

5. Yes, you’re weird. The sooner you own it, the happier you’ll be. You’re not fooling anyone pretending to like the music, books, and movies you think you’re supposed to like. You’re too much of a nerd for anyone to notice if you’re wearing Gap clothes or not, so why not spend that money instead on a harmonica or The Collected Plays of Edward Albee or a trip to Graceland? And no, not everyone will “get” your sense of humor, but always biting your tongue makes you feel invisible and miserable.

Thanks Emily! xoxo, L&L

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Liz & Lisa's 5 Things I'd Tell My Teen Me with SWEET VALLEY HIGH giveaway!

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We are LOVING the teen me feature.  Maybe it's because we met in high school. Or maybe it's because there's so much we WISH we had known back then.(Like to just say no to MC Hammer pants...) Liz is feeling especially reminiscent lately, having just moved back to her hometown last week-one mile away from Lisa's dad and a handful of houses away from her own mom!So when got the chance to do a super cool giveaway with one of our teen faves, Sweet Valley High, we figured it was finally time to give our teen selves some serious advice. If you leave a comment, you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies of the ENTIRE series of Sweet Valley Confidential-a new six part e-series! We'll choose the winners on Sunday, August 5th, after 6pm PST.

Here's the scoop on SVH:From Francine Pascal, creator of the bestselling SWEET VALLEY HIGH series and author of the NY Times bestselling SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL, comes the continuing adventures of beautiful blonde twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in an exciting new six-part e-serial, THE SWEET LIFE.The first novella-length episode – THE SWEET LIFE #1 – begins three years after the events of Sweet Valley Confidential; Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are back in Sweet Valley and inseparable once more. Things are looking up for both twins: Elizabeth is a star reporter at the LA Tribune with a popular blog, and Jessica’s PR career is on the fast-track. But while the professional lives of the Wakefield sisters are secure, their personal lives may be in jeopardy. Jessica, now a mother, finds that managing parenthood, marriage, and a job is harder than she expected, while Elizabeth and Bruce must face a scandal that could strengthen their bond…or tear them apart for ever.Meanwhile, life goes on in Sweet Valley. Families are made, hearts are broken, and…Lila Fowler is a reality TV star? Some things never change.Sound good?  Then don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!  We'd love to hear what advice you'd give YOUR teen self!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIZ & LISA'S 5 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

LIZ'S

 

1. Like yourself and others will follow suit. This is a tough one. But something I wish someone had told my shoulder-pad wearing self-it would have saved me YEARS of angst. Admittedly, I still hate myself sometimes(last night I told my husband that my arms looked like those huge slabs of meat that hang at the butcher shop), but at least I'm self-aware of it now, so that's progress, right?

2. Forgive often. Trust me on this one.  Holding onto that anger will only make things worse-there's a freedom in letting go of the past and moving forward that can bring true happiness.  P.S. don't forget to forgive YOURSELF often too-we all make mistakes, girlfrin'.  Time to move on!

3. Be nice to your Mother. Gawd, I was a horrible bitch to my poor mom.  Thankfully, I got the chance to make it right later in life.  But, time is precious and you never know if you'll have that luxury, so tell your Mom TODAY how much you love her, even if she did embarrass the shit out of you last week at the mall.  That woman shoved your big, fat head out of her va-jay-jay, so show some respect!

4. Pluck your eyebrows. Please. Why the HELL did no one mention this to me until I was TWENTY-TWO years old?  I'm ITALIAN for God's sake. It was BAD. (the picture above is photographic evidence.)

5. Stop trying to grow up so fast. Seriously, it's not all that it's cracked up to be.  Take time to be a kid-wear those Mickey Mouse ears at Disneyland and have pillow fights with your girlfriends.  There will be plenty of time to have grown-up issues. Until then, have fun going to the mall, making  s'mores and eating whatever the hell you want without gaining a pound!

LISA'S

1. Journal the hell out of this time in your life. At the very least, it will be good fodder later- especially when you decide you want to write novels. (Yes, it happens!)

2. Don't get that spiral perm. Don't use Sun-In. Don't use a crimping iron. Your hair is beautiful as it is- au natural. Trust me, you'll spend thousands of dollars later trying to get it to look just like it does right now.

3. Don't wear high-waisted shorts or jeans. Ask for help in purchasing a decent bra when your boobs grow from an "A" to a "D" in one summer (Yes, it happens!). Burn all of your boxy t-shirts. If for no other reason, do these things so your husband doesn't get the chance to find the pictures during a move and mercilessly make fun of you for months-years even.

4. Date, date, date. (Did I mention date?) WAIT until you get married to have that long long-term relationship. Before then, have all the fun you can dating different people. Have many relationships. Figure out who you are and what type of man you're most compatible with. Although you're going to fall in love- a lot- which is a good thing if you ask me, you don't want to fall in love and stay with that person for a long time. You won't end up marrying him. Trust me.

5. Learn to spend time alone (to be okay being alone). Somewhere along the way, I figured out that it's nice to be able to see a movie by yourself, have lunch by yourself, hang at home by yourself. Being comfortable being with just you. And this might not make much sense to you now, but  it will serve you well later to not need someone else to fill up that space, but rather to find people to compliment it.

xoxo, L&L

 

Steena Holmes's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Our guest today: Steena Holmes Why we love her: Her passions are chocolate and writing-how can we not love her?!

Her latest: Finding Emma

The Scoop: A child torn from the arms of loving parents, a relationship torn apart from loss...

Megan sees her daughter Emma everywhere. She's the little girl standing in the supermarket, the child waiting for the swings at the playground, the girl with ice cream dripping down her face. But it's never Emma.

Because Emma's been missing for two years.

Unable to handle the constant heartache of all the false sightings, Megan's husband threatens to walk away unless Megan can agree to accept Emma is gone. Megan's life and marriage is crumbling all around her and she realizes she may have to do the thing she dreads most: move on.

When Megan takes a photo of a little girl with an elderly couple at the town fair, she believes it to be her missing daughter. Unable to let go, she sets in motion a sequence of events that could destroy both families lives.

Our thoughts: A thoughtful summer read we think you'll enjoy!

Giveaway: FIVE Copies-US only.  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, August 5th.

Fun Fact: Steena is afraid of heights and can't stand for anyone to touch her nose!

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

1. Fries with gravy might be the best food you’ve ever tasted- but it’s not the only food. Be adventurous. It’s okay to try new things and like them. And don’t eat those chocolate covered ants - no dare is worth it.

2. Boys make better friends than boyfriends. Trust me. Yes, have fun and enjoy yourself, but not every boy who takes you on a hike is trust worthy. And - if they try to pick you up at your friends funeral and won’t take no for an answer - run the other way. RUN. Don’t walk.

3. Best friends are worth their weight in gold. Don’t ever diss your girlfriends for a boy. Remember walking down the middle of the street at 2am giggling while singing “I’m a little tea pot” and you weren’t drunk just happy? Cherish that memory and that friend. Don’t ever let her go cause you will regret it. Trust me on this. The few girlfriends you have are worth more than any boy that comes your way.

4. Your parents aren’t perfect, but they love you. They do understand what you are going through and no, they aren’t being bullies. They just love you. And no, they don’t love your brother more, it just seems that way, but appearances can be deceiving. Think of it this way -- you’re much stronger than your brother - they trust you to get through life on your own two feet. That doesn’t mean they love you less, it just means they trust you more.

5. It’s okay to love yourself. Really, it is. You are beautiful. You have the most gorgeous blue eyes and a curvaceous body most girls secretly dream of having. Accept it. Your chest is never going to get smaller and your waist will get bigger but some day you’ll realize just how awesome that is.

Thanks Steena! xoxo, L&L

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Jessica Park's 5 Things I'd Tell The Teen Me

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Our guest today: Jessica Park Why we love her:  She's freakin' fierce-kicking ass and taking names.  Not to mention the fact that she's funny as hell.

Her latest: Flat Out Love

The scoop: Something is seriously off in the Watkins home. And Julie Seagle, college freshman, small-town Ohio transplant, and the newest resident of this Boston house, is determined to get to the bottom of it. When Julie's off-campus housing falls through, her mother's old college roommate, Erin Watkins, invites her to move in. The parents, Erin and Roger, are welcoming, but emotionally distant and academically driven to eccentric extremes. The middle child, Matt, is an MIT tech geek with a sweet side ... and the social skills of a spool of USB cable. The youngest, Celeste, is a frighteningly bright but freakishly fastidious 13-year-old who hauls around a life-sized cardboard cutout of her oldest brother almost everywhere she goes.

And there's that oldest brother, Finn: funny, gorgeous, smart, sensitive, almost emotionally available. Geographically? Definitely unavailable. That's because Finn is traveling the world and surfacing only for random Facebook chats, e-mails, and status updates. Before long, through late-night exchanges of disembodied text, he begins to stir something tender and silly and maybe even a little bit sexy in Julie's suddenly lonesome soul.

To Julie, the emotionally scrambled members of the Watkins family add up to something that ... well ... doesn't quite add up. Not until she forces a buried secret to the surface, eliciting a dramatic confrontation that threatens to tear the fragile Watkins family apart, does she get her answer.

Our thoughts: Another great YA novel that adults will love too!  Pick it up today!

Giveaway: FIVE Smashwords e-copies!  Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win-we'll choose the winners after 6pm EST on Sunday July 29th.

Fun fact: Flat out Love hit the NYT ebook bestseller list recently after Jessica was featured on Amazon.  A true inspiration to all self-pubbers!

Where to read more about Jessica: her website, Facebook and Twitter.

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

1. All those boys who seem so hot and desirable in high school are not the boys you should be crushing on. The super popular, gorgeous, girls-hanging-all-over-them guys who are not paying attention to you? This is their heyday.  Screw ‘em. Don’t waste your time getting caught up in hype. Ignore what the media tells you is boyfriend material because you are probably missing out on some pretty spectacular guys.

2. Along those same lines, stop worrying about what you look like. Enough with the self-loathing because you don’t have a 95 lb. body, huge boobs, and a perfect ass. You are beautiful just as you are. If your classmates don’t see that, brush it off. Wait until you get out of high school and you can create an amazing world for yourself. You have no control over who you are stuck with in math class, but high school is only high school. There are beautiful people who will come into your life.

3. Friendships can last forever. Friendships can also die a horrible death. It happens. You might screw up and get dumped by your bestie. If a friend isn’t willing to work something out with you, you don’t need that friend.

OR, maybe there is someone in your life who is simply exhausting and awful. You have the right to weed people out of your life. We put so much pressure on ourselves to stay loyal to friends no matter what, and there’s no reason for that. Sometimes it’s healthier to let people go.

Friends and relationships come in and out of our lives. It’s okay. That’s just how the world works. When we lose one connection, another takes its place. So mourn and be sad, but don’t drown in it.

4. Don’t be a slave to fashion trends. You will be severely traumatized later in life when you look at photographs of yourself in which you’re wearing a v-neck Gap sweater BACKWARDS with pegged acid-washed jeans and giant socks under your high-top sneakers. Seriously. You knew that you looked stupid and you did it anyway.

Wear what you want, not what you’re told to want. But don’t forget that you’ll have to look at yourself twenty years later.

5. You will fall in love, you will get your heart splintered into hideous little shards. It will hurt like all hell.

Most importantly, you will recover. It doesn’t feel like it in the moment, but there will come a day when you want to do something other than eat vats of ice cream and sob on the floor of the bathtub. I promise you. Don’t let the heartache stop you from falling in love again.

Thanks Jessica! xoxo, L&L

 

Kitty Pilgrim's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Today's guest: Kitty Pilgrim Why we love her: She's an incredible talent we wish we'd discovered sooner!

Her latest: The Stolen Chalice

The scoop on it: The black-tie gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art promises to be a star-studded evening. Cordelia Stapleton and John Sinclair have flown in from Alexandria, Egypt, to help celebrate ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian culture with New York’s elite. The influential crowd of artists, collectors, scientists, and New York society dine and dance at the museum’s historic Temple of Dendur, unaware that terrorists are planning to attack. Fortunately, museum security and police stop the terrorists, but the evening is a disaster.

The next morning, Cordelia and Sinclair learn that an art theft ring struck New York while they were at the museum. All over the city, pieces of Egyptian art have been stolen. Ted VerPlanck—a pillar of New York society whom Cordelia met the night before—discovers that his penthouse apartment was robbed and the legendary Sardonyx Cup, an ancient Egyptian chalice, is missing. Ted asks John Sinclair to help him recover his precious artifact.

Despite Cordelia’s objections, Sinclair calls on his old flame the Egyptologist Dr. Holly Graham to help find the chalice. They discover the stolen art is being sold on the black market to fund an international terrorist group. The group’s leader, a sinister Egyptian anarchist, and his aristocratic British partner, Lady Xandra Sommerset, are planning a biological-weapon attack to topple the major governments of the world.

Aided by British and American security forces, Sinclair sets out to find the missing art, which holds clues to where and when the attack will take place. Pieces of stolen art are scattered around the world. The action moves from a sprawling ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to a castle on Scotland’s rugged coastline, a beautiful two-hundred-foot yacht in the Mediterranean, the mysterious canals of Venice, the premier beach resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, and ultimately Cairo. Romance sizzles as Sinclair, Cordelia, and Holly Graham are caught in a love triangle, distracted by their emotions, and unknowingly moving closer to mortal danger.

Superstition and science meet head-on. And one question remains unanswered—does the Sardonyx Cup have special powers?

Our thoughts: So unlike anything else we've read in a while- we found this novel completely refreshing!

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win- we'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 29 after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Before becoming an author, Kitty was an anchor and journalist for CNN.

Where you can read more about Kitty: Twitter, Facebook and her website.

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

1. Don’t worry about your personal style – It develops as you go. For many women, a lot of time goes into figuring out “who am I?” in terms of style.  For me, the love of ultra feminine things– tea parties and tutus, seemed to contrast with the explorer who wanted to ride elephants though jungles and don arctic gear. Over the years I learned there is room for both without having to undergo a personality morph.  Don’t limit yourself to one style.  Let your personal flair develop naturally.

2. Wing it!  It seems a lot of time and effort goes into being in the “right field” or in the “right school”.  Too much time is spent on strategizing with the goal of finding the optimal situation.  But in reality there are many ways to succeed.  Most of the famous and accomplished women did not have a “game plan”.  (Madam Curie, Gertrude Bell, Eleanor Roosevelt) They simply followed their instincts and interests with their full energy, and ended up being luminaries in their fields.

3. Seek out people who are different from you.  If you run with a pack of clones, how will you really know what you think and what is group-think? Seek out new people, new cultures, new places and you will grow in experience as well as confidence.

4. Don’t exercise.  (I’m joking -sort of!) Don’t destroy your soul with mind-numbing exercises with the intent of dropping down a dress size. Of course you shouldn’t be a couch potato. Be active!  But do stimulating things that also feed your brain and sense of adventure. Take a walk through a new neighborhood, a museum or a new city – more fun than a treadmill.  Swim at the beach, ski a new trail, bike with a friend, or learn to do the tango. Do interesting things that you enjoy and you will always be fit.

5. Breeze past the negative  - Don’t take negative comments to heart.  Forget the snide school lunchroom comments about your big feet, your crooked nose, or stringy hair.   As a teenager I took too many critical comments seriously.  Your life is not up for review by others. Plug your ears, and look out at the world and dream of what you want to accomplish.

Thanks, Kitty! xoxo,

L&L

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Emily Giffin's 5 Things I'd tell the Teen Me

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Today's guest: Emily Giffin Why we love her: She will always have a special place in our heart. Her first novel, Something Borrowed inspired us to get off our booties and start writing.

Her latest: Where We Belong (July 24)

The scoop on it: Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old television producer, living her dream in New York City. With a fulfilling career and satisfying relationship, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that her life is just as she wants it to be. But one night, Marian answers a knock on the door . . . only to find Kirby Rose, an eighteen-year-old girl with a key to a past that Marian thought she had sealed off forever. From the moment Kirby appears on her doorstep, Marian’s perfectly constructed world—and her very identity—will be shaken to its core, resurrecting ghosts and memories of a passionate young love affair that threaten everything that has come to define her.

For the precocious and determined Kirby, the encounter will spur a process of discovery that ushers her across the threshold of adulthood, forcing her to re-evaluate her family and future in a wise and bittersweet light. As the two women embark on a journey to find the one thing missing in their lives, each will come to recognize that where we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselves—a place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever.

Our thoughts: Loved the dual narrative and hearing from both women about how they were affected by adoption. Also loved and appreciated the unexpected ending!

Giveaway:FIVE copies. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 29 after 3PM PST.

Fun fact: Check out this fun video Emily made. (She reveals 12 things we didn't know about her.)

Where you can read more about Emily: Twitter, Facebook and her website.

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

1. Drop your cash on one great pair of jeans or jacket instead of 15 tops at Forever 21. I finally figured this one out at about age thirty, and I swear I’ve saved so much money with the philosophy.

2. Don’t wear too much makeup, but if you must, don’t pull so hard on your skin when you remove it. Especially your under eye area. And appreciate your taut, perfect neck every single day!

3. When you know a relationship is over, move on and move on fast. You can waste years trying to make something work that isn’t meant to be.

4. You can quit the band, but don’t quit playing your instrument. You’ll wish you knew how later. Ditto to your foreign language!

5. The girl who is being mean to you? You won’t remember her name. And if you do, it’s because she now comes to your book signings!

Thanks, Emily!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

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Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Gretchen Berg

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Our guest today: Gretchen Berg Why we love her: We fell in love from the first word of the first chapter of her debut memoir.  Seriously.  This is the kind of girl that we'd love to do happy hour with!

Her debut: I Have Iraq In My Shoe

The scoop on it: It's the timeless, classic tale: girl-meets-recession, recession-forces-girl-to-go-to-Iraq. I Have Iraq in My Shoe follows the author out of her comfort zone and into the Middle East. Taking the wit of Jen Lancaster and the fun of Sophie Kinsella and moving it to the desert, this is the story of a single, fashion-obsessed American female who finds herself metaphorically strapping on a Kevlar caftan to work in Iraq for a year. Irreverent and hilarious, saucy and smart, it's a tale of lessons both taught and learned, and all in the midst of a war zone: from teaching Iraqi women in headscarves while wearing designer pumps to enduring the shame and frustration of astronomical luggage fees.

Our thoughts: Liz's favorite book of the year so far.  It's like Sex and the City 2, but awesome and hilarious instead of boring and predictable. Gretchen's narrative is addicting.  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Monday, July 23rd after 6pm PST.

Fun fact: If you love her book, check out her blog!  It's super fun too!

Where to read more about Gretchen: her website or Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR GRETCHEN BERG

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? Nine (which, incidentally, is my lucky number)

2. What's a line from your "favorite" rejection letter? Each rejection was surprisingly kind and helpful. One really great agent had emailed me and said while there were things she loved about my writing, and things she loved about the story, she was really hoping it would be more like “Eat, Pray, Love”. I huffed to myself, “Yes, wouldn’t it be great if we could ALL have lives like ‘Eat, Pray, Love’. I mean, who wouldn’t want to flit off to Italy and spend all that time eating delicious pasta and gelato, and then end up in Bali meeting her soulmate? Who?!” So. Very. Bitter.

And then I went home for summer break, and the movie had just come out. It was everywhere. “EAT, PRAY, LOVE!” JULIA ROBERTS! Everyone was reading it, everyone was going to see the movie, everyone was talking about it. I could not get away from it. It mocked me from television interviews and book covers and movie posters and silently taunted “Your story isn’t like thiiiiiiiiis one!”

After summer break I went back to the ms and resumed my search for an agent. I revisited the few rejections I had received to really absorb their comments and see how I could use that information to make the ms better. I re-read that one agent’s email again, which upon closer inspection actually said:

“…There is so much I like about your voice and your energy, but ultimately I wanted more of an organizing principle (like EAT, PRAY, LOVE)…”

Oh. That is different from what I had thought it said. Hunh. She’s right about that organizing principle thing. She hadn’t wanted the book to be like “Eat, Pray, Love”, she just wanted the mess of my manuscript to have more of a shape to it (at the time it was very blobbish.) So, now I read my emails a little more carefully and a little more slowly, but still laugh whenever I see “Eat, Pray, Love”.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? Writing without knowing whether or not it would be published. “All this work when I could be creating outfits on Polyvore!” I can do blog post after blog post (after blog post), but writing an entire book takes serious discipline, and I’m not so much about the discipline.

4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz? I faithfully read Nathan Bransford and Chuck Sambuchino’s blogs for any/all information about getting published, and all their advice is “best”.

Worst advice would be from my dad, when I was talking about querying agents he rolled his eyes and made disparaging remarks, doubting the integrity of literary agents everywhere.

5. How did you celebrate your book deal? I know I should be whipped soundly for admitting this but I really haven’t properly celebrated it yet. I think I’ve been baby-stepping through the entire process, afraid to get too excited about any one part of it, because after that there’s still more. I’ll celebrate properly when I get my first royalty check, and the celebration will totally depend on the size of the check (crosses fingers for beach house).

6. Who is your writer crush? Tina Fey. And since crushes do not have to be monogamous, also Helen Fielding.

7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be? “Bridget Jones’s Diary”. Being in Iraq was kind of like being on a desert island, and that was the one book I brought with me.

8. What's on your iPod right now? Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim”, Sia’s “Clap Your Hands”, and I’m almost sick of “Call Me Maybe”. Almost. My obsession can be entirely attributed to the Harvard Baseball Team’s YouTube video. I’m not proud.

9. What's your #1 stress reliever? Exercise. Or wine. Sometimes I’ll have a few glasses of wine and then think “I should totally get on the treadmill. I’m so motivated right now!”

Not advised, no matter how confident you are the railings will assist your balance.

10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? Anderson Cooper and Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes. For totally unrelated reasons, of course.

Thanks Gretchen!  xoxo, L&L

 

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Joy Castro's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

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Our guest today: Joy Castro Why we love her: We love discovering a new, talented author!

Her latest: Hell or High Water 

The scoop on it: Nola Céspedes, an ambitious young reporter at the Times-Picayune, finally catches a break: an assignment to write her first full-length feature. While investigating her story, she also becomes fixated on the search for a missing tourist in the French Quarter. As Nola’s work leads her into a violent criminal underworld, she’s forced to face disturbing truths from her own past and is confronted with the question: In the aftermath of devastation, who is responsible for rebuilding what's been broken?

Vividly rendered in razor-sharp prose, this haunting thriller is a riveting journey of trust betrayed—and the courageous struggle to rebuild. Fast-paced, atmospheric, and with a knockout twist, Hell or High Water features an unforgettable heroine as fascinating and multilayered as New Orleans itself.

Our thoughts: We were completely engrossed in this thriller & loved that it was set in New Orleans.

Giveaway: FIVE copies! We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 22 after 3pm PST.

Fun Fact: She also writes memoirs, short fiction and  poetry.

Where you can read more about Joy: Twitter, Facebook and her website.

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

1. It was not about you.  I came from a rocky background that included domestic violence, poverty, prison, cultish fundamentalist religion, child abuse and neglect, and eleven different homes by the time I was fourteen.  When I was a kid, I thought the lack of care meant something about my worth.  It took a long time to realize otherwise.

2. A boy cannot provide the love you need.  Nor can anyone or anything else.  Not friends, not the praise of teachers, not a bottle, and not a drug.  “You save yourself or you remain unsaved,” writes Alice Sebold in her memoir Lucky, and she’s right.

3. Having a baby at 20 will not end your dreams.  It will give you new ones.  Your son’s wonderment at the world will reawaken your own, and his sweet innocence will help you see what you yourself must have been like as a child, instead of what you were told you were.  Later in life, you’ll be a foster mother to a damaged teenage girl, and you’ll know how to make a difference.

4. Not all men cheat.  Just because your father was a serial philanderer doesn’t mean that all men are.  Your husband won’t be, and even though it will be hard to trust him, it will be worth it.  You’ll have a long, happy marriage that will be both more difficult and more beautiful than anything you could have imagined.  Happy endings are real.

5. Have more fun.  Relax.   You’re right to believe in education and hard work; they’ll be your ticket out of poverty and dysfunction.  But when you work too hard for too long, life loses its joy.  Notice the beauty around you.  Take time to just be.  Hope and imagination are the most powerful forces in the world.  Believe.  Trust.

Thanks, Joy!

xoxo,

L&L

Beth Harbison's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Today's guest: Beth Harbison Why we love her: We love her plots, her characters, her book covers... We just love on her, K?

Her latest: When In Doubt, Add Butter (July 17)

The scoop on it: As far as Gemma is concerned, her days of dating are over. In fact, it’s her job to cater other peoples’ dates, and that’s just fine by her. At thirty-seven, she has her own business, working as a private chef, and her life feels full and secure. She’s got six steady clients that keep her hands full.

There’s Lex, the fussy but fabulous department store owner who loves Oysters Rockefeller and 1950s comfort food; Willa, who needs to lose weight under doctor’s orders but still believes butter makes everything better; a colorful family who may or may not be part of the Russian mob; an überwealthy Georgetown family; the picture-perfect Van Houghtens, whose matriarch is “allergic to everything”; and finally, a man she calls “Mr. Tuesday,” whom she has never met but who she is strangely drawn to.

For Gemma, cooking is predictable. Recipes are certain. Use good ingredients, follow the directions, and you are assured success. Life, on the other hand, is full of variables. So when Gemma’s takes an unexpected turn on a road she always thought was straight and narrow, she must face her past and move on in ways she never would have imagined. Because sometimes in life, all you need is a little hope, a lot of courage, and---oh yes---butter.

Our thoughts: We are suckers for a great story about the search for true love.

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win- we'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 22 after 3PM PST.

Fun Fact: Beth's daughter, Paige Harbison is also an author!

Where you can read more about Beth: Facebook, Twitter and her website.

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

1. Invent the iPod.  Not the first click wheel one, skip straight to the iPod Touch and reap the rewards of essentially having invented the iPhone at the same time.  Or think of another way to earn money, because financial independence will buy you a lot of peace of mind in your life.  You never, ever want to be dependent on anyone else for anything...and you especially don’t want to be dependent on anyone else for everything.

2. Don’t do things you know are wrong. Even from a young age, lingering regret is possible.  Your parents can’t save you from bad decisions.  No one can.  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  And don’t drink and drive.  Had I done the former more often I’d be happier today and had several people I know done the latter, they’d still be alive.

3. Don’t Imagine You Can Save/Tame/Rescue Someone Else.  That’s not you being altruistic, that’s you being a control monkey.  If you find yourself spending a lot of emotional cash trying to fix someone else, ask yourself if you’re doing it for them or if you’re doing it for some sense of accomplishment for yourself.  Then, no matter what your answer, tell yourself to shut up and live the best life you can and let others take care of themselves!

4. Remember What Makes You Happy.  It’s not always possible to “follow your passion” or “do what you love” for a living, especially right off the bat when you’re starting your adult life.  If you’ve always love ventriloquism or - shudder - clowning, that alone is not a guarantee that you’ll make your fortune at it.  But there is no greater treasure than having private hobbies that reliably give you pleasure even when the rest of the world lets you down.  For me this was always reading.  Or writing.  Or painting a room (which I invariably do badly but enjoy nevertheless), or completing some other crafty project (ditto on the sloppiness).  If your Friday Night Date(less) Frenzy can be quelled by a few hours with a good book, you are far less likely to make foolish mistakes in the name of desperation.

5. Do What Makes You Happy.  It isn’t enough to know or remember what makes you happy, you have to do the thing.  Too often, especially as we get older, we hold off pleasure as a “prize” for after we achieve drudgery.  Well, a life of drudgery doesn’t have a lot of room or motivation for pleasure.  Balance your “musts” with your “wants” and if you run out of “wants” don’t feel guilty about finding more!  A truly great life is made of many small happy moments, snapshots along the way, not just big, rare masterpiece moments and prizes.

Thanks, Beth! xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

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Meg Cabot's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

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Our guest today: Meg Cabot Why we love her: Um, hello, we love The Princess Diaries, not to mention all her fun adult novels too!

Her latest: Size 12 And Ready to Rock

The scoop on it: Summer break . . . and the livin' ain't easy!

Just because the students at New York College have flown the coop doesn't mean assistant residence hall director Heather Wells can relax. Fischer Hall is busier than ever, filled with squealing thirteen- and fourteen-year-old girls attending the first ever Tania Trace Teen Rock Camp, hosted by pop sensation Tania Trace herself—who just happens to be newly married to Heather's ex-boyfriend, heartthrob Jordan Cartwright. But the real headache begins when the producer of a reality TV show starring Tania winds up dead . . . and it's clear that the star was the intended victim.

Grant Cartwright, head of Cartwright Records, wants to keep his daughter-in-law (and his highest-earning performer) alive. So he hires his oldest son, black sheep of the family and private investigator Cooper Cartwright—who just happens to be Heather's new fiancÉ. Heather should leave the detecting to Cooper. But with a dorm full of hysterical mini-divas-in-training, she can't help but get involved. And after Tania shares a really shocking secret with her, this reality suddenly becomes more dangerously real than anyone ever anticipated.

Our thoughts: We love the Heather Wells series-it's fun with a bit of mystery thrown in-we think you'll love it!

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win-we'll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Monday, July 23rd.

Fun Fact: Meg shared some fun pics of herself last time she was a guest here-check it out!

Where you can read more about Meg: Her website, Facebook or Twitter.

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

1. Perm: DON'T DO IT

2. That guy who seems like he's so great? He's not.

3. That guy who seems like he's so awful? He's not.

4. You're not fat.  You're not fat.  You're not fat.  YOU ARE NOT FAT.

5. It really doesn't matter what college you go to. What matters is how much effort you make while you're there.  Stop stressing.

Thanks Meg! xoxo, L&L

 

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Claire & Mia Fontaine's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

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Our guests today: Claire and Mia Fontaine Why we love them: Their writing is honest and hilarious. And they have no qualms about putting it all out there.

Their latest: Have Mother, Will Travel: A Mother and Daughter Discover Each Other, Themselves and The World (July 17)

The scoop on it: A mother, a daughter, and a life-changing adventure around the world. Their bestselling memoir, Come Back, moved and inspired readers with the story of Mia Fontaine's harrowing drug addiction and her mother, Claire's, desperate and ultimately successful attempts to save her. Now it's a decade later and Claire and Mia each face a defining moment in her life, and a mother-daughter relationship that has frayed around the edges. At fifty-one, Claire's shed her identity as Mia's savior but realizes that, oops, she forgot to plan for life after motherhood; Mia, twenty-five and eager to step outside her role as recovery's poster child, finds adult life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Determined to transform themselves and their relationship once again, the pair sets off on a five-month around-the-world adventure.

What awaits them is an extraordinary, often hilarious journey through twenty cities and twelve countries—one that includes mishaps, mayhem, and unexpected joys, from a passport-eating elephant to a calamitous camel ride around the Pyramids—and finally making peace with their tumultuous past in the lavender fields of France, where they live for the last four months of the trip. Seeing how self-possessed and community-minded twentysomethings are in other countries broadens Mia's perspective, helping her grow, and grow up. Claire uses the trip to examine her broken relationship with her own mother, a Holocaust survivor, and to create a vision for her second act. Watching her mom assess half a century of life, Mia comes to know her as Claire has always known Mia—as all mothers know their daughters—better than anyone else, and often better than themselves.

Wiser for what they've learned from women in other cultures, and from each other, they return with a deepened sense of who they are and where they want to go—and with each embracing the mature friendship they've discovered and the profound love they share.

Read an excerpt here.

Our thoughts: What's better than a book about travel, the nuances, complications and bonds of a mother/daughter relationship with a lot of heart and laughter mixed in?

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win- we'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 15 after 3PM PST.

Fun fact: Both Claire and Mia are also national public speakers.

Where you can read more about Claire and Mia: Facebook, Pinterest and their website

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...CLAIRE AND MIA FONTAINE'S 5 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

(PS: Could they be any more gorgeous??)

CLAIRE, 55

Five things I’d tell my teenage self? Now that I’m fifty-five, I realize that some of them aren’t much different than things I’d tell my forty-year-old self (which tells you what a late bloomer I am).

1. You know those grand, romantic dreams you used to have of a “great love?” Of finding your Heathcliff, your Rochester (I guess nowadays it would be your Edward)? Before you decided it was nerdy, pathetic, and unrealistic? Well, it does exist, and it’s going to take four decades and a lot of work for you to become the kind of woman who will attract your Rochester, but you will, trust me on that. And it will be everything you dreamed and more, far more.

2. Listen to what your mom tells you on the Three Big M’s of a woman’s life – money, men, and motherhood. She’s got thirty years, two marriages, six kids, three cultures, and five languages on you and she knows a lot more than you think she does. She’ll turn out to be right on just about everything.

3. You know all those hours you’re spending trying to iron your frizzy hair with heated tin cans, saving for a nose job, and sucking in your lips to make them look smaller because kids made fun of them? Go out and spend those hours having fun instead.

4. Don’t follow a boyfriend to college. You’ll end up leaving him and the school in a year, and with it your dreams.

5. Don’t spend so much time alone or focused on the two jaded, cool girls you hope will like you. Join a team, the school paper, a club; those kids are much nicer and way more fun.

MIA, age 29

1. For all the times your mom says “one day you'll thank me for this–“—it’s true. Seriously. True. You’re rolling your eyes and groaning now when she insists on French lessons, looking up words you don’t know the meaning of, and joining a sports team, but you’ll be really glad when you’re bi-lingual, articulate, and able to join in a pick-up soccer game.

2. Be nice. You have more of an impact on those around you than you can imagine, and a few nice, or thoughtless, words or deeds go a long way. Sometimes things you don’t even remember saying or doing are remembered by others for years to come.

3. No matter how much more “together” than you someone seems, they’re not. College is where everyone opens up about how unattractive, insecure, and unpopular they felt in high school. Even the “popular” girls.

4. Save your clothing. At some point it’s guaranteed to come back in style, at which point either your daughter will want it, or you can sell it as vintage.

5. Amazing but true: one day you’ll actually enjoy classical music. And salad.

Thanks Claire and Mia!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

Gigi Levangie Grazer's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Our guest today: Gigi Levangie Grazer Why we love her:  We fell in love with her after we read her fabulous New York Times bestselling debut, The Starter Wife.

Her latest: The After Wife (July 10)

The scoop on it: L.A. is no place for widows. This is what forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal quickly discovers after the tragic death of her handsome and loving husband, John. Misery and red-rimmed eyes are little tolerated in the land of the beautiful. But life stumbles on: Hannah’s sweet three-year-old daughter, Ellie, needs to be dropped off at her overpriced preschool, while Hannah herself must get back to work in order to pay the bills on “Casa Sugar,” the charming Spanish-styled bungalow they call home.

Fortunately, Hannah has her “Grief Team” for emotional support: earth mother and fanatical animal lover Chloe, who finds a potential blog post in every moment; aspiring actress Aimee, who has her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial; and Jay, Hannah’s TV producing partner, who has a penchant for Mr. Wrong. But after a series of mishaps and bizarre occurrences, one of which finds Hannah in a posh Santa Monica jail cell, her friends start to fear for her sanity. To make matters worse, John left their financial affairs in a disastrous state. And when Hannah is dramatically fired from her latest producing gig, she finds herself in danger of losing her house, her daughter, and her mind.

One night, standing in her backyard under a majestic avocado tree, in the throes of grief, Hannah breaks down and asks, “Why?” The answer that comes back—Why not?—begins an astounding journey of discovery and transformation that leads Hannah to her own truly extraordinary life after death.

Our thoughts: A hilarious page-turner. It's perfect to take on your vacay this summer.

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Leave a comment to be entered to win- we'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, July 15 after 3pm PST.

Fun fact:  She's written numerous screenplays including Step-mom starring Julia Roberts.

Where you can read more about Gigi: Facebook, Twitter and her website. 

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...GIGI LEVANGIE GRAZER'S 5 12 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

(She sent 12 and we loved them all!)

1. That cute, sexy surfer dude you have a crush on who ignores you will have a beer belly, three ex-wives and still be wearing Hawaiian shirts when he’s 40.

2. You will always have a soft spot for Justin Bieber, as I always have for Michael Jackson; your first crush fades but never goes away.

3. Finish college; you are smarter than you think you are.

4. Be fearless when it comes to your dreams; if you don’t feel confident, pretend until you do.

5. Work out regularly. Take a walk. Get outside. Breathe. Eat right 75% of the time, but always have chocolate on standby.

6. 15 is closer to 40 than you think.

7. You will like your looks better as you age – do not waste time lamenting your height, weight, chubby cheeks, bowl legs or curly hair.

8. That mean guy will never change – never will that nice guy, either.

9. It’s all going to be okay. Truly.

10. Don’t be distracted by bad boys, alcohol or drugs. All of them are addictions, and all wreak havoc on your skin and your life’s purpose.

11. Nothing is the end of the world. The end of the world is the end of the world.

12. Your parents were right.

Thanks, Gigi!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

 

Kerry Reichs's 5 things I'd Tell The Teen Me

Our guest today: Kerry Reichs Why we love her: We love her quick-witted and insightful writing!

Her latest: What You Wish For

The scoop on it: Having a baby is . . . complicated.

Dimple knows. She's a successful actress who is turning forty—though her agent and her resume insist she's only thirty-six—and she figures it's now or never. Certainly it's not a good time for an intriguing director to show up at her door with a great script.

Eva, fabulous agent to the stars, doesn't want kids—and never wanted kids. Why is her decision so damned hard for everyone else to accept?

When Maryn was undergoing treatment for cancer, she and her husband both agreed to have embryos frozen. But that was way before their divorce and her remission—and now she's single and childless, and caught in the middle of a controversy she never saw coming.

The traditional and nontraditional couples desperate for a baby . . . the adoptive parents . . . the single mom . . . the two who want nothing to do with parenthood. . . . This is a thoroughly modern story of the pursuit of family in all its forms—and of five very different ways of getting there.

Our thoughts: We loved it! Kerry writes characters that are likable and easy to relate to.

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Leave a comment to be entered to win-we'll choose the winners on Sunday July 15th after 3pm PST.

Fun Fact: Kerry practiced law in Washington DC for six years before she took a sabbatical to write a novel.

Where you can read more about Kerry: Her website,  Facebook or Twitter.

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

It’s hard to limit myself to five – my teen self needed lots of help – but hopefully things like wearing sunscreen, exercising, and not getting into paneled vans with strangers fall under the universal “Don’t be an idiot” rule, and need not be repeated.  So I offer my top five below.  And listen kiddo, sometimes the life we planned for ourselves isn't the life we end up living. But that doesn't mean it's not going to be great.

1. Don’t be afraid of risk.  Think bigger.  Take more chances . . . unless it involves hitchhiking, an asymmetrical haircut, having unprotected sex, or trying crack.  College?  Go out of state.  The spontaneous cross-country road trip?  Take it.  When your friend cancels on that trip to Europe?  Go alone.  In fact, do lots of stuff alone.  It teaches self-reliance.  When you waver over quitting the law firm to write a novel, DO IT.  If you open yourself to opportunity, fortuities will land on your shoulders like a flock of birds. Trust yourself, and work really hard.  You can succeed at anything. The only thing holding you back is you.

2.  Don't care so much about what other people think. It isn’t personal and it’s not about you. People don’t think about you as much as you think about you.  They are thinking about themselves. It’s the human condition. Don’t agonize over repeating that outfit, because no one remembers what you wore yesterday, much less two weeks ago (even if it was a god-awful aqua prairie skirt and ruffle shirt).  They’re too busy worrying whether their Guess denim mini makes their butt look big (spoiler alert: it does).  People are more insecure than they seem. Don't be intimidated by them.  Confidence is the sexiest thing, so walk out everyday like the Queen of Sheba, even if you’re wearing a prairie skirt.  And buy nice shoes, it helps.

3. You can’t change a person or a situation, only the way you respond to it. Words can’t be unsaid.  It may feel like an injustice not to speak, especially when you’re angry, or someone has treated you badly, but there’s rarely an upside to lashing out. When it comes to harsh or unkind words, especially with regard to family, you’ll be glad you held your tongue.  Nurture instead.  People are mean when they’re hurt or scared.  Forgiveness doesn’t cost you a thing, but harboring will give you an ulcer.  Forgive and move on.

4.  Hang on to the people you care about, shed the ones that make you feel bad. Your strongest friendships will be tested by time and distance – work hard to maintain them. People can't read your mind. They have no idea whether you’re scared or nervous, or whether you like them or hate them, unless you let them in on what you're thinking. Let them in. But cut the chaff once in a while. You don’t have to be liked by everyone.  If a relationship is a drain, downgrade it to a friendly acquaintance.  Completely dump the ones that make you feel bad.  Even the super hot drummer.  Don’t burn bridges (you’re going to live in some pretty small towns); just ease away gently.

5.  Write thank you notes.   Trust me on this.  It teaches gratitude and leaves a good impression.  People will appreciate and remember a handwritten note after a loss or victory, encouragement in times of need, the occasional unexpected card to thank them for being a friend.  When computers take over the world, don’t lose the fine art of the personally penned letter.

Teen Kerry probably won’t listen anyway, because, well, she’s a teen. But just in case, she can’t stop dancing to Adam Ant for a second, I’ll end with this:  Don't take everything so seriously. Things all work out in the end. If they haven’t worked out, it isn’t the end.

Thanks Kerry! xoxo, L&L

Shannon Greenland's 5 Things I'd Tell The Teen Me

Our guest today: Shannon Greenland Why we love her: Her writing is fun and stress-free, just the way we like our summer reading!

Her latest: The Summer My Life Began

The scoop on it: When seventeen-year-old Em gets to spend a month at her aunt's island resort, it's a dream come true—and exactly the break Em needed from her strict family and their high expectations of her.

But when Em uncovers a long-buried secret about her family, everything changes. And suddenly, Em finds herself making some big choices about her future—choices she never dreamed she'd have the chance to make . . .

Our thoughts: We had a great time reading this one- and since it's YA, you can share it with your teen too!

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Leave a comment and we'll choose a winner after Sunday July 15th after 3pm PST.  Good luck!

Fun Fact: Shannon has also written a fun YA series called The Specialists.

Where you can read more about Shannon:  her website, Facebook, or Twitter.

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

1. Travel! I spent two years between high school and college seeing the world. I helped bathe orphans in Mexico, saw the wall come down in Germany, rode a bike in snowy Denmark, slept in too many airports to count, sang on a stage in Poland… and so much more. Since then I’ve sailed to the Bahamas, climbed a light house in Bermuda, hiked the Na Pali coast in Hawaii, canoed in Venezuela, zip lined a forest… and so much more. Travel! It’ll open your mind and soul to this incredible earth we live on.

2. Be open to change. When your heart and gut tell you to take a less comforting choice, consider listening. 9 times out of 10 your heart and gut are right.

3. Learn a language. Be it Spanish, French, Farsi, or whatever, dig in and learn it. Be willing to travel to a country that speaks your chosen 2nd language and do total immersion. Be willing to take more classes than are required for a high school diploma. Knowing a second language is an irreplaceable skill.

4. It’s okay to break up with a boyfriend. What it’s not okay to do is choose boys over friends. Boys will come and go, but friendship is the foundation to a solid life full of laughter, love, longevity, and surprises.

5. Choose independence. You will be so proud of yourself for working hard, making your own money, and achieving your own success. It’s okay to rely on someone but be ready to stand on your own feet. You will be a better, more fulfilled person because of it.

Thanks Shannon! xoxo, L&L

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Anita Hughes

Today's IT Girl: Anita Hughes Why we love her: We LOVE discovering fab new authors and Anita is no exception!

Her debut: Monarch Beach

The scoop: Anita Hughes' Monarch Beach is an absorbing debut novel about one woman’s journey back to happiness after an affair splinters her perfect marriage and life—what it means to be loved, betrayed and to love again.

When Amanda Blick, a young mother and kindhearted San Francisco heiress, finds her gorgeous French chef husband wrapped around his sous-chef, she knows she must flee her life in order to rebuild it. The opportunity falls into her lap when her (very lovable) mother suggests Amanda and her young son, Max, spend the summer with her at the St. Regis Resort in Laguna Beach. With the waves right outside her windows and nothing more to worry about than finding the next relaxing thing to do, Amanda should be having the time of her life—and escaping the drama. But instead, she finds herself faced with a kind, older divorcee who showers her with attention… and she discovers that the road to healing is never simple. This is the sometimes funny, sometimes bitter, but always moving story about the mistakes and discoveries a woman makes when her perfect world is turned upside down.

Our thoughts: We think you'll devour this lovely debut. (And we LOVE that it's set at The St. Regis in Laguna-one of our fave places!)

Giveaway: Five copies! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday July 8th after Noon PST.

Fun Fact: Although she lives in the States now, Anita was born in Australia!

Where you can read more about Anita: her website, Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR ANITA HUGHES

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I queried quite widely - I got addicted to that send button on my email. Many agents requested fulls at the same time, which was fun.

2. What's a line from your "favorite" rejection letter?  MONARCH BEACH started with a much longer title. (I love how titles changes after you finish a novel). One agent wrote "I would never represent a novel with a title that long." I was crushed.

3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? I actually love to write - there is nothing more fun than sitting down at my laptop and writing. I forget everything else (well, not my children or doing the laundry or making dinner) and just write.

4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz? The best advice was to read the acknowledgments in books I loved. I learned so much - the names of agents, of editors, the team it takes to put a book out. I formed a real appreciation for the comraderie of publishing, and I'm thrilled to be part of it!

5. How did you celebrate your book deal?  My whole family are frozen yogurt fans. We went and got cones of Cake Batter frozen yogurt and then I came home and drooled over shoes online. I didn't buy any yet - it's a long way from the book deal to the release date - but I put several on my wishlist.

6. Who is your writer crush? I have a few - I love Allison Winn Scotch for her novels, her upbeat presence online and her advice to debut authors. I think Jennifer Weiner is fantastic and funny, and I really admire Emily Giffin - she writes wonderful books and knows how to engage her fans.

7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be? I love to read, so one book wouldn't last very long. I would have to say OLD SINS by Penny Vincenzi. Penny is a British author who tells such a good story, you forget where you are.

8. What's on your iPod right now? Will you laugh if I say "One Direction?" My twelve year old daughter put it on there and they are really great.

9. What's your #1 stress reliever? Walking along the beach - the sight of the Pacific on a clear day cures almost every ill!

10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? Channing Tatum, hands down. He is everywhere right now. He makes very appealing eye candy as well as being funny and smart.

Thanks Anita!  xoxo, L&L

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