Jess Riley's 5 BEST EVERS

Our guest today: Jess Riley Why we love her: Her writing has some bite to it--it's sharp and sassy.

Her latest: All The Lonely People

The scoop: WANTED: a whole new family to share holidays with. Please have a good heart and be a thoughtful, polite person. No sociopaths, no pedophiles, no fans of the Kardashians. We're not weirdos, I promise. I love old Steve Martin movies, new Steve Martin banjo tunes, Indian food, and reruns of Bob Ross painting happy little trees. So if you're looking for something other than the typical family dysfunction this Christmas, drop us a line." After losing her beloved mother to cancer, 37-year-old Jaime Collins must confront the ugly fact that she and her siblings don't actually like one another. At all. Fueled by grief and an epic argument at Thanksgiving dinner, Jaime decides to 'divorce' her siblings and posts an ad on Craigslist for a new family for Christmas. What happens next is a heartwarming, funny, and surprising journey to forgiveness and healing. Is blood really thicker than water? And how far do we have to go to find our way back home again? Dedicated to anyone who has ever wanted to unfriend a relative on Facebook, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is about family: those you make ... and those you make peace with.

Our thoughts: We think you'll love this novel about a seriously dysfunctional family--it will make you feel better about your own!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on Sunday, January 20th.

Fun Fact: In college, Jess worked briefly at a medium-security men’s prison, which inspired her next novel.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JESS RILEY'S 5 BEST EVERS

Best Song: If you’re someone I just met in real life, I’ll probably tell you I listen to The Middle East, or The Avett Brothers, or Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. And much of my iPod is indeed devoted to these artists. But when I’m driving alone in my car, what do I crank up and sing along to? “Say it Isn’t So” by The Outfield. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. “Save a Prayer” by Duran Duran. Anything by Journey. Even “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, which I was belting out just the other day. Basically anything that would make you instinctively turn the volume way, way down when you pull up to a stoplight. Maybe when I turn 40 in a few years I won’t care so much what strangers in crosswalks and other cars think of my taste in music, but for now, I just don’t want to deal with the weird looks. (But here’s something: will I still listen to songs like Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills” when I’m 60? Or will I listen to The Black Keys on the oldies station?)

Best Book: Here I will list the books I read in 2012 that inspired dramatic emotional reactions:

Made this old cynic sob uncontrollably: Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

Made me laugh out loud on nearly every page: Bossypants by Tina Fey

Made me insanely jealous, because I wish I could write like that: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Made me wish I had a better attention span so I would actually read it: The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach

Best Movie: I love a very specific kind of sappy movie, and It’s a Wonderful Life meets the mark, hands-down.  Funny, quirky, corny, with a surprising dark edge that ultimately leads you to a happy ending and positive message.* I watch it every Christmas and have to pretend I’m not actually crying at the end every time.  *This also happens to be the tone I try to strike in my own writing, except without all the “Hee-haws!” and insinuation that life as a spinster librarian is about the worst end you could meet.

Best Life Moment: I LOVE hearing from readers—nothing is more gratifying, but another author recently said that in answer to this question and I don’t want to copy her … so I’m going to go with the nostalgic golden years of my childhood, when my mom and I lived with my grandparents inside a state park on the shores of Lake Michigan. I was trying to soothe my five-year-old nephew to sleep the other night, and this is what I told him about living with my grandparents when I was his age, in a soft, gentle voice: “Some of my aunts and uncles still lived at home, so there was never a shortage of people to read to me or play with. There would be epic badminton games on the lawn, and when cousins came to visit we’d build sandcastles on the beach. Grandma would take me for long walks through the woods, and in summer I fell asleep listening to the waves washing onto the dunes, hearing the whippoorwills cooing in the trees. The air smelled like wild raspberries and majestic white pines, and—”

Nephew, interrupting, sleepy but wired from the Little Debbie oatmeal pie he’d eaten before bed: “Did you know … that the largest state in South America is … BRAZIL!?”

Best Advice: Never rollerskate backward in a skirt, and never get a perm at Cost Cutters. Also, quitters always win (if you’re quitting smoking and negative thinking patterns).

Thanks, Jess!  xoxo, L&L

Diary of a Debut: 5 reasons to have a writing retreat in Vegas

We're still pinching ourselves that our book is going to be published by Simon & Schuster/Atria Books next year. As Lisa's two-year-old would say, O-M-G. As Lisa and Liz would say O-M-EFFING-G. Did we mention EFFING? So there we were. Sin City. Lisa with her Beats by Dr. Dre hugging her ears and Liz with her shiny new Macbook air polished and ready to go. Lisa with her never-before-listened-to-but-oh-so-perfectly-planned-writing retreat-playlist filled with umpteen songs to inspire her but who would only end up playing Undermine from Nashville(SUCH a great show!) on repeat for thirty-six hours instead. Liz with her gossip magazines scattered about for "research." (Stars without make up can be very motivating!) Both trying not to think about the dinging of the slot machines thirty-seven stories below.

The screams of people winning at the craps table. The multiple bars with cocktails at the ready. You see, we might now have a dream agent. We might now have a dream publishing deal. We might now be living the dream of writing our second novel. But...

We are also moms. Moms who NEVER GET OUT.  Moms who, after seeing multiple bachelor parties streaming through the lobby as they checked into Mandalay Bay, had to exercise MAJUH will power  in order to stay in their room and meet their word count goal. And you know what? Not only did we meet that number (and then some!), but we'd do it all over again (well maybe not the sharing a bed part--more on that in a minute!).

And so begins our Diary of a Debut--the online journal chronicling our road to publication. We'll also be snapping photos along the way and sharing them on Instagram. (Follow us there: LisaandLiz.)

And of course we have a GIVEAWAY. Leave a comment and be entered to win a bundle of 15 *surprise* books! We'll select the winner this Sunday, January 20th after 3pm PST.

5 REASONS TO HAVE A WRITING RETREAT IN LAS VEGAS

1. You could get randomly upgraded to gigantic suite so large that you wonder if Mike Tyson, a tiger--or God willing--Bradley Cooper-- will round the corner at any moment. And while neither of us woke up with a missing tooth or a baby in our safe, we did have quite an adventure. Dedicated to our craft and feeling palpable pressure to perform, we spent the entire time in one small corner of the suite. Why? Because that's where the only desk was located, of course. Apparently, most people don't come to Vegas to write. The 12 flat screen TVs unwatched, the second and third bathroom unused, the minibar *sniffle* untouched, we pecked away at novel number two. (Check out the view from our room in the pic!)

What Lisa learned: JUST SAY NO when you get upgraded to a palatial room with a steamer shower (gotta get me one of those!) and an incredible view of the Vegas strip--only before seen through the eyes of a doe-eyed girl vying for a rose on The Bachelor, when you are told that there is only ONE bed that you're going to have to SHARE.  Lisa, with her ear plugs secured tightly is ready to get her first full-night of uninterrupted sleep in months was awakened every hour by Liz, who was tossing and turning because she couldn't sleep through the noise of the elevator shaft nearby and drunk ass people stumbling back to their rooms. #getLizearplugsforchristmas

2. When you need to take a "break" the people watching alone is enough to inspire the next three books Let's just say being holed up in a room--albeit 2500 square feet large--can get claustrophobic. (Bradley Cooper still hasn't shown up! And this has nothing to do with anything, but did you know he's fluent in French?  ) The walls start to close in when the pressure to write that book your aforementioned dream editor and agent are hopefully going to swoon over, when that pressure is so overwhelming you seriously consider chucking that MacBook Air into the jacuzzi tub, heading down to the casino and ordering a bloody mary (extra spicy, please!) instead. But you don't--mostly because one of you (ahem, Lisa) is a nazi and has imposed a strict rule: we cannot even breathe in the stale smoky air of the casino until we've met our word count goal. But because she's not a totally meanie and, at one point, suffered from a case of writer's block so bad she wondered if she had in fact switched bodies with a qualified author while writing THE TOAST, gives in and allows you to take a break and stroll through the casino. Stroll.

Not stop. Not sit. Not order. And so we head downstairs in our sweat pants (because if you wear something cute who knows what could happen?) but immediately curse ourselves when the first encounter we have  is with two smokin' hot guys who also happen to write for Esquire magazine. And despite the sweats--or maybe in spite of them--we still get our flirt on because maybe they'll write about our book! #flirtinginsweatpantssucks

3. Getting carded can inspire 5,000 words Before you fall into (a shared!) bed after a long day of writing, you might just be inspired by the encounter with the Esquire guys and change into something sassy. And you might just make your way back down to the bar for a nightcap (or two). And when you do, you might nearly fall off your bar stool when you are asked for an ID. Did we even bring them down with us? we bemused, rifling through our purses.  Turns out, getting carded can be quite inspirational! After celebrating plowing through the first day, only breaking for Starbucks, we wrote 5,000 more words. (Who cares that the bartender was probably required to inspect the drivers license of anyone who appeared to be under 50.) #we'lltakeit

4. Room service never tasted so good--not!  In an unexpected twist, the gluten gestapo (a.k.a. Liz) joined us on our writing retreat. Apparently, just before heading to Vegas, she decided that she was no longer going to consume wheat. And neither was anyone around her! Cut to the first time we order room service. Two cobb salads, please. The salads arrive, looking delicious. But so did the bag of warm bread that came with them. Lisa reaches out to grab one, and her hand is instantly batted away. "You can go ahead and take that," Liz says to the server. Lisa watches the bread basket leave, tears in her eyes. They couldn't drink. They couldn't gamble. And now they couldn't even have bread? And don't even get her started on the gluten free waffles that were consumed. Good thing we are in Vegas and the food choices are endless. There may or may not have been a secret hamburger WITH THE BUN consumed when Liz wasn't looking. #wheatbellyisunattractive

5. After you meet your writing goal, dancing like you're 21 again never felt so good.  The reason we were in Vegas was not just for a writing retreat. Liz was also hosting her hubs 40th birthday party there later that week.  So we decided to arrive early, write, then drink our faces off! And party we did. Let's just say we cleared out the dance floor, (and not in a good way) our arms flailing, sipping from our drinks, dancing to remixed versions of songs by MC Hammer and Ace of Base that the horrified twenty-somethings looking on had never heard of. No matter that we were celebrating like we'd finished our second book, not just made a dent in it! #anyreasontohaveacocktail

As far as what happened next? I think the sign proudly displayed on the inside of Lisa's Spirit Airlines plane said it best: Vacuum sealed to hold all Vegas Secrets

THANK YOU for taking this journey with us. We couldn't do it with out you! Here's to the next 55,000 words!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Beth Kendrick's 5 BEST EVERS

Our guest today: Beth Kendrick Why we love her: Her books are exactly what you need to get into your 2013 groove!

Her latest project: Her book, Nearlyweds, has been into a TV movie airing on the Hallmark Channel January 12th at 9pm EST/8 CST!

The scoop: They've had the white dresses and the fancy receptions. But now that the honeymoon's over, Stella, Casey, and Erin have each had to face some hard truths about the men they've married and the lives they've chosen. So when the news breaks that the pastor who presided over their weddings failed to file a few critical pieces of paper, none of these newlyweds are rushing down to the courthouse to legalize their vows. Instead, the brides share their hopes, disappointments, and secrets while grappling with that pivotal question: Should they stay or should they go?

Our thoughts: We loved the book and will be glued to the TV on January 12th!

Giveaway:  THREE signed copies of Nearlyweds.

Fun fact: Watch the TV movie trailer for Nearlyweds here.

Where to read more about Beth: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BETH KENDRICK'S 5 BEST EVERS

1. BEST SONG: This is a tough call, but let me just say this: The best song to blast in your office and dance to when nobody’s watching is “Freedom 90” by George Michael. Always and forever.

2. BEST MOVIE: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. This film is perfection from beginning to end. It’s hilarious, it’s brilliant, it’s poignant. I still covet Sloane Peterson’s fringed white leather jacket. And it has a great message: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” (See also: Best Advice Ever)

3. BEST BOOK: Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll understand. Pass the Kleenex.

4. BEST MOMENT:  I cannot lie--going to Vancouver to hang out on the “Nearlyweds” film set was pretty damn awesome. My college roommate/BFF came with me, and we got to sit in canvas director’s chairs and watch real people speaking lines and acting out scenes that I had dreamed up in my twisted little mind. Bonus: hot, shirtless men kept walking up to chat with us. (We picked a great day to visit the set!) The screenwriter, cast, and production team did an incredible job, and the movie is really charming and funny. Naomi Judd plays the diabolical mother-in-law and she owned that role!  Mind = blown.

5. BEST ADVICE:  Do not back up--severe tire damage.  I have found this to be true in both the literal and metaphorical sense.

Thanks Beth!  xoxo, L&L

2013 Club: Elizabeth LaBan and THE TRAGEDY PAPER

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! *blows horn and gulps champagne* We are so excited to kick off the new year with a brand spankin' new feature! The 2013 Club will showcase all the best and brightest debut authors of the year. Because, we know y'all love discovering great new authors as much as we do! 

Our guest today:Elizabeth LaBan

Why she rocks: Her writing will suck you in from page one!

Her debut: The Tragedy Paper

The scoop on it: It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim's surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.

Our thoughts: Another great YA novel that's not just for teens.  We love it!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on January 13th after 3pm PST.

Fun Fact: Our writer crush Jen Weiner loved The Tragedy Paper too, saying it was a "A beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak."

Where you can read more about Elizabeth: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: ELIZABETH LABAN

DO'S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do... Write a lot, read a lot, and go out into the world to find all the great and crazy stories.

DON'TS: 3 things every aspiring novelist shouldn't do... Give up, take rejections personally, or over-edit themselves.

MUST HAVES: On your desk? I work at my dining room table and it is always a mess. The only thing I must have is my laptop computer – which is usually surrounded by piles and piles of junk.

On your Facebook feed? There isn’t really anything I must have here, just my news feed. I like to see what everyone is up to, how their kids are, and what people are cooking for dinner.

App on your phone? I just installed Twitter – I love it!

LASTS: Song you listened to on repeat? I must confess, I listen to my 13-year-old daughter’s iPod. The two songs I have been listening to over and over are Some Nights by Fun. and Home by Phillip Phillips – don’t tell anyone.

Book you read? I am just finishing a book by Jacob Tomsky called Heads in Beds – a memoir about the hotel industry. It promises to let you in on lots of secrets about how hotels are run and how guests can get extra stuff. I love hotels, and I love that sort of thing, so I am really enjoying it.

Time you laughed? Last night my kids and I were laughing really hard. My daughter’s name is Alice and for some reason Alice Cooper came up. I said, very seriously, “Is Alice a boy’s name, too?” My daughter said matter-of-factly, “Shouldn’t you have looked into that already?” We were laughing so hard my husband had to come up and see what was going on.

HOW MANY: Agents did you query before you found "the one?" I’ve never told anybody this (I mean that!) but I queried about 50 agents before I found my wonderful, loyal, never-tiring agent Uwe Stender.

Hours do you write per day? That varies greatly. I am not someone who writes every day for a certain amount of time. Some days I don’t write at all. Lately, for example, I have not written much because I’m trying to help get the word out about The Tragedy Paper and my mother has been in and out of the hospital – so it’s been busy. But there was one weekend in November when I had a burst of excitement over the next novel I hope to write. I wrote for hours. I couldn’t drag myself away from the computer. I drove my family crazy. I’m waiting for another burst like that.

Minutes a day do you waste online when you should be writing? Maybe thirty or forty-five. I probably do what everyone does – turn on my computer, briefly glance at the top news stories, go through my Facebook news feed to see what people are talking about. (That can sometimes spin my day out of control. The other morning, for example, one mom said her kid and lots of others at our school had strep throat but didn’t have many symptoms. My daughter was a little under the weather so I had to call the doctor, whose office was closed, then find an urgent care center we could go to to get tested. By the time we were set to leave she felt much better, so we didn’t go, but we’d wasted a good hour or so). I also glance at Twitter, of course, and sometimes check Amazon to see the rating of my published nonfiction book and my not-yet-published novel. You know what? I want to amend that estimate of time wasted and change it to three to four hours!

BESTS: Way to celebrate a book deal? I had been trying to sell a novel for a long time. The Tragedy Paper is the fourth novel I’ve written, and the first one to be published – so we started talking about going to a particular, wonderful, Thai place when I got an offer a very long time ago. The problem was, by the time I finally got an offer, that restaurant was closed. So we went to a great sushi restaurant instead.

Trick to overcome writer's block? Get up and walk around, talk to your kids if you have any, or just talk to someone, anyone. They might give you a good idea for a next scene.

Way to think of a book idea? Brainstorm with people, and, if that doesn’t work, think about what you would like to read. I find book ideas come to life for me without my even realizing it. Something will click and then EVERYTHING suddenly seems like it will fit in the new book – I am constantly saying, “That would be a good scene in the book,” or “I have to write that down so I can remember it.”

NEXTS: Show you'll DVR? Parenthood – my absolute favorite. And the new season of Girls on HBO.

Book you'll read? Every Day by David Levithan.

Book you'll write? Another young adult book – it’s starting to form, I am starting to think everything my daughter does would be a good scene in the book (that’s how I know it is taking shape!). I’m not ready to talk details yet. I wrote those first few chapters last month, but now I’m waiting to be taken over again with that amazing, all-consuming need to write!

Thanks, Elizabeth!  xoxo, L&L

Jennifer Coburn's 5 BEST EVERS

Today's guest: Jennifer Coburn Why we love her: She's a writing machine. Every time we turn around, she's written another hilarious and entertaining novel! You go, girl!

Her latest: Brownie Points

The scoop on it: Sometimes that’s the way the Thin Mints crumble... When Lisa Taylor and her family move from San Francisco to the suburban paradise of Los Corderos, they know their family won’t fit in perfectly. They’re the only interracial family in the neighborhood. Lisa is a snarky sculptor. And 13-year-old Logan is gay. After Logan is repeatedly bullied at school, he finds his niche in an unusual place – his twin sister’s Girl Scout troop. When he tries to join, the organization refuses, so the boy sues for gender discrimination and sets off a firestorm of national media coverage. This only makes matters worse between Logan and his father, a macho firefighter who is already struggling with his son’s sexual orientation. Adding to the strife is Lisa’s increasing distaste for Junta Moms who wish each other “Namaste” while rigging school elections and stealing each other’s husbands. Join the Taylors on their hilarious journey as they face the fight of their lives and, in the process, discover what it means to be a family.

Our thoughts: Loved it. So much fun!

Giveaway: 5 COPIES! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. Winners will be selected after 3pm PST on Sunday, January 6th.

Fun fact: Jennifer's novel, Reinventing Mona is free on Kindle until Sunday, January 6th!

Where you can read more about Jennifer: Her website, Twitter and Facebook.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JENNIFER COBURN'S 5 BEST EVERS

Best Song: This is a tough one because I have so many memories associated with music. My father was a lyricist and used to sing “Wild World” to me when I was a little girl. He died when I was 19 years old, so this Cat Stevens song will forever break my heart (in a good way). I can never hear any Simon & Garfunkel song without remembering my trip to Florence with my then-11-year-old daughter, Katie because every night at the steps of the Uffizi Gallery we held hands and listened to a couple singing these classics. But my all-time favorite would have to be the Beatles’ “In My Life.” The music is so simple, the lyrics so nostalgic. I love the sentiment: In our lives we meet so many people and experience so much. In the end, we love them all.

Best Book: Another toughie because I always think what I am currently reading is my favorite book ever. (If I don’t feel that way by page 50, I move on to another.) I am in the middle of Charity Shumway’s Ten Girls to Watch and loving every page. But last week I was reading Jenny Lawson’s Let’s Pretend This Never Happened and I swore her genius memoir was the best book I ever read. Before that I finished Jen Lancaster’s latest side-splitter Jeneration X and guess what? Best ever!

Best Movie: Finally an easy question! Any movie where Ben Affleck takes off his shirt is an instant favorite. But seriously, I loved Argo because I was on the edge of my seat the entire two hours even though I knew exactly how it ended. That is masterful filmmaking.  Close second is Crash. Also great: Moneyball, Shawshank Redemption and Hoop Dreams.

Best Life Moment: I love getting mail and Facebook messages from readers, so an intensely gratifying moment was when I got a note from an Emergency Room nurse who thanked me because, after a particularly rough day, my book made her laugh. Anyone who says chick-lit is irrelevant should keep in mind that there is an important place in the world for lighthearted, humorous escape.

Best Advice: Don’t compare your insides with other people’s outsides.  Other people may look like they’ve got it all together, but you have no idea what they’ve been through (or may currently be going through). You can’t see their doubts, fears and insecurities. I recently met a woman who was the picture of perfection: successful, poised and gorgeous. I was having a day when everything was going wrong.  I asked the woman what her secret was, and she didn’t miss a beat. “I’m heavily medicated,” she said, then proceeded to tell me about her battle with depression.

Thanks, Jennifer! xoxo, Liz & lisa

Tina Reber's 5 Loves and a Dud

Our guest today: Tina Reber Why we love her: She's fab with a capital F!

Her latest: Love, Unscripted (out TODAY!)

The Scoop: An A-List Movie Star. . .Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine a life where fans would chase him, paparazzi would stalk him, and Hollywood studios would want to own him. While filming in Seaport, Rhode Island, Ryan ducks into a neighborhood bar for a quick escape from legions of screaming fans . . . and finds much more than he expected. A Small-Town Girl. . .Nursing a recent heartbreak, Taryn Mitchell believes men are best kept at a safe distance. But when Ryan Christensen unexpectedly bursts through the front door of her pub, she can’t help but be drawn in by his humor, charm, and undeniable good looks. At six foot two, with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and an incredible body, Ryan has every girl in Seaport swooning. But Taryn isn’t every other girl. A Relationship That Doesn’t Follow the Script. . . Despite her better judgment, Taryn soon finds herself falling hard for Ryan. But is their bond strong enough to survive the tabloid headlines, the relentless paparazzi, and the jealous fans who seem determined to tear them apart?

Our thoughts: We think this book is a perfect way to start 2013 out right!

Fun fact: Tina is a NYT and USA Bestselling author!

Where to read more about Tina: Her website,  Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...TINA REBER'S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1. Reading.  I always frown a bit when people tell me they don’t have time to read.   I tend to follow up their responses with “why?” just to see what kind of excuses they can come up with.  I can’t imagine my day without reading something.  A good romance novel is like the word version of a drug to me.  I love being able to escape into different times, different worlds, different cities, and feel as though I’ve lived through an entirely new situation.  I’ve fallen in love hundreds of times, felt the deep emotions of hate and loss and longing, and have the craziest gang of imaginary friends.  Why live just one life if you can have the experience of trying on many?  I’d like to think I’ve improved my reality from lessons learned in fiction.

2. A quick-witted good sense of humor.   I really appreciate someone who can keep up with my level of sarcasm and finds amusement in the quirky parts because life it too short to be so serious all of the time.  If you have a dirty mind to go with it, even better.

3. The simple things.   * Seeing the amazing things my son builds out of Legos or designing the best paper airplane with his dad.  * Camping with friends.  * Watching a herd of deer walk through my backyard.  * Spending a few moments wondering what the dog is dreaming about.  * Shoes that don’t kill my feet.  * Running around in the rain.

4. Mashed potatoes and gravy.  If stranded on a deserted island with only one staple food, this would be my choice.  If I had an endless supply of sweet corn to go with it, well that would just be a bonus.  It’s my ultimate comfort food and rates higher than chocolate (which is a tight second).

5. Electronic gadgets.  I know – it’s a total contrast to my “simple things” love but once you learn to work with the electronic appendages, they do make life simpler.  My e-reader allows me to carry hundreds of books in my purse at a fraction of the weight (can you imagine toting all those books around?)  My cell phone allows me to stay in contact no matter where I am on the planet and has this totally awesome navigation feature that helps me find the local Hobby Lobby store.  I must pay homage to my laptop, which gives me the freedom to write wherever and whenever the inspiration strikes.   Oh, and I must give a shout-out to the inventors of flat screen TVs, WIFI thingamabobs, Netflix, and to Amazon for having the latest episodes of Sons of Anarchy, White Collar, and Burn Notice available at the power of a click.

DUD:

Guys who wear their pants around their thighs.  Okay, I get the fact that some boys/men have straight hips and a flat butt, but seriously, I do not want to know what type and brand of underwear you are wearing today.  Pull your damn pants up, go to one of the many stores that sell pants in different sizes, and buy a pair that fit your body.  It’s not hard.  You’re already in the store.  Mosey on over to the wall of jeans.  While you’re there, find a belt, too.  Cinch that puppy up.

Thanks, Tina!  xoxo, L&L

Allison Winn Scotch's 5 BEST EVERS

Today's guest: Allison Winn Scotch Why we love her: Y'all know we've loved her for years--since the day Lisa stumbled upon her book, Time of My Life, in Barnes and Noble.

Her latest: The Song Remains the Same (Out in paperback today!)

The scoop on it: She’s a wife, a sister, a daughter…but she remembers nothing. Now she must ask herself who she is and choose which stories—and storytellers—to trust. One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes up in the hospital with no memory of it, or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind with the help of family and friends who have their own agendas. Although Nell can’t remember all that came before, something just doesn’t sit right with the versions of her history given by her mother, her sister, and her husband.

Desperate for a key to unlock her past, she filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping that something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .

Our thoughts: One of Lisa's favorite books of the year was even better the second time around.

Fun fact: Today marks the 6th time Allison has been a guest on CLIND!

Giveaway: FIVE copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, January 6th after 3PM PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ALLISON WINN SCOTCH'S 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: Nope, can't do it. Music is my muse, and my "best song" depends on whatever is happening in my life at that particular moment, at that particular emotional need. That said, I think my go-to answer for this, simply because it will never NOT be one of my greatest songs ever, is Read My Mind by The Killers. Everything about the song resonates with me: the beat, the melody, Brandon Flowers' voice, the haunting but uplifting lyrics about perseverance and finding a better life…I don't know. It's just…brilliant. And sometimes it makes me cry and sometimes, it's the background music for a long run. Any time, any situation, it's basically perfect.

BEST BOOK: Oh lord. I can't choose a best book. Seriously. There are too many influences, too many beloved chapters. How about if instead, I offer my best books (that I read) of 2012? My three favorites were WILD (a raw, gorgeous, searing memoir), THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (I cannot say enough good things about the genius and emotional poignancy of this book), and BEAUTIFUL RUINS (so clever and creative, and I admired the heck out of what the author pulled off because I don't think I could have done the same thing).

BEST MOVIE: I am a huge pop culture fan, so this is hard for me. I know it's a bit of a cliché, but I'm going to go with Love, Actually. From a writer's perspective, I find the movie genius: the way that all of the plot threads both stand alone and weave together.  And then, from a romantic's perspective, I love the honest, hilarious, touching exploration of love in all its different forms. I don't think I'll ever tire of watching Colin Firth jump into the lake full of eels or Hugh Grant singing Christmas carols to little kids or Andrew Lincoln exposing his inner-feelings on flash cards. It's all just perfect.

BEST MOMENT: Ooh, toughie. Of course, I want to say the birth of my kids or marrying my husband, but honestly, the first thing that comes to mind is turning 30. Which was quite a few years ago. But I remember my parents called me and said, "Wow, can you believe that you're 30? Are you overwhelmed with it?" Or something like that. And I said, "No, actually, I feel like I've earned it. Like I'm finally an adult and that everything that I've done so far has led up to here." My 20s were tumultuous in the way that one's 20s often are – trying to figure out my relationships, my career, all of that. By the time I hit 30, I felt like I had a certain peace with everything, all of the choices I'd made, all of the wrong turns I'd taken. It was sort of this really gratifying moment: okay, I'm here, it's great, I'm happy, exhale.

BEST ADVICE: Don't Quit. Growing up with the last name of "Winn," my father's go-to line was "What's your last name?" What he meant by that is actually the verb version of my last name: win. It wasn't that he expected us to win all the time, but he did expect us to carry ourselves like winners, which translated to the fact that we kept going, we didn't quit, and we always tried our best even if we really, really didn't want to. Now that I'm long past childhood, this message has served me well: in the book world (when my first manuscript didn't sell or when sales from my debut weren't what I wanted and I had to regroup to figure out how to sell my second book) or even in my marriage (when the relationship ebbs into the more difficult moments that long marriages inevitably face). Don't quit. Keep going. There's a lot of wisdom in that simple advice. Quitting never feels good in the long-term, but finding that you have the strength to come out on top – not necessarily victorious but still in a better place than you imagined – is the best reward possible.

Thanks, Allison! Happy New Year, everyone! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Megan Caldwell's 5 Best Evers

Today's guest: Megan Caldwell Why we love her: Her writing is smart!

Her latest: Vanity Fare: A novel of lattes, literature and love

The scoop on it: Molly Hagan is overwhelmed. Her husband left her for a younger, blonder woman; her six-year-old son is questioning her authority, and now so is she. In order to pay her Brooklyn rent and keep her son supplied with Pokémon and Legos, not to mention food and clothing, she has to get a job—fast.

So when an old friend offers Molly a freelance position copywriting for a new bakery, finding romance is just about the last thing on her mind. But the sexy British pastry chef who's heading up the bakery has other thoughts. And then so does Molly, when she meets the chef's intimidating business partner—who also happens to have a secret that might prevent Molly from getting her own happily ever after.

Our thoughts: LOVED, loved, loved. Best book to give us a jump start into the New Year.

Giveaway: FIVE copies. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 3pm on Sunday, December 30th

Where to read more about Megan: Her website

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...5 BEST EVERS (Of Megan's choosing!)

1. BEST HAIR PRODUCT You know those quizzes they ask in women’s magazines where they ask what one beauty product you’d take to a desert island with you? (Like there’s someone to impress there, but whatever.) I would not hesitate a moment, I would take Kiehl’s Silk Groom for my hair. I use this every single day, and I seriously panic if I am close to running out. I really hate wispy, fluffy hair (on me, at least) and the Silk Groom calms it down so I am not fluffy in the slightest. Thank goodness.

2. BEST HISTORICAL MINISERIES: There are a surprising amount of entrants to this category, and I think I might have seen every one. But my favorite, the one that makes my heart ache and skip and flutter every single time I watch it, is North and South, starring Richard Armitage and some lady with big eyes. Armitage has the smokiest, deepest, most luscious voice ever, and he’s tall, and plays such a stubborn alpha male who gets completely thunderstruck when he falls in love. SWOON.

3. BEST NOIR FILM: I love noir, which I know is odd given that I love romance novels so much (Spoiler: Noirs do not have happy endings). One of the most brilliant ones of all time is Double Indemnity, based on a book by James M. Cain and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. It’s a brilliant plot filled with so many double-crosses it’s got hatchmarks, and the performances are excellent.

4. Most HANDSOMEST MAN EVER: It’s not really a controversial choice, given that he is the world’s first male supermodel, but British model David Gandy is by far the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. Dark hair, blue eyes, height, that body, a scowl, and I’m gone. I can lose 20 minutes at a stretch falling down the Gandy hole, which is when you google image David Gandy and emerge, blinking and lust-crazed, some time later.

5. BEST BRONTE SISTER BOOK: Jane Eyre. I think Jane Eyre began my love of first-person narrative, a chicklit convention, and I wrote Vanity Fare in first person because any other viewpoint just didn’t work. I strongly identified with the plain, unobtrusive Jane who fell in love—and was loved back with fervor—with Mr. Rochester, one of the first Alpha male heroes I ever met. Their dialogue, their courtship, her rescue of him, her strength in resisting him—again, swoon.

Thanks, Megan!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

eBook Week: The Twelve Days to Christmas by Michele Gorman

Featured ebook: The Twelve Days to Christmas by Michele Gorman Cost: $2.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win!  We’ll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: What if his proposal had an expiration date? Hannah's in a bit of a pickle. In twelve days she flies from Hong Kong to the US with Sam, where he's finally going to meet her parents... and ask to marry her. Since overcoming a rather rocky patch in their relationship (which was totally his fault), he really is a new man, and they're completely in love. The problem is, she feels panicky every time she contemplates matrimony. Which is perfectly normal, isn't it? Isn't it?! She has no idea but she's got to find out before he pops the question... because she's not 100% sure she's going to say yes. Which will make for a very uncomfortable family holiday. He's got to ask her before they go. So Operation Proposal begins.

As time ticks down to their flight, Hannah realizes that her own secrets are threatening their future. Before she can be happy with Sam, she's got a lot to learn about herself in the twelve days to Christmas.

Happy holidays! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

eBook Week: Sleigh Ride: A Winter Anthology

Featured eBook: Sleigh Ride: A Winter Anthology Cost: $3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The Scoop: A Winter Anthology includes seven wintry tales of romance, adventure and drama by award-winning women authors Megan Barlog, Maria Geraci, Dani Stone, Malena Lott, Maggie Marr, Jenny Peterson, Samantha Wilde. Each short story includes a sleigh ride and is sure to put the reader in the mood for the most wonderful season of all. Called "beautiful" and "touching," this collection is a Good Read/Good Deed project with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the domestic violence prevention cause through the Alpha Chi Omega foundation.

In Samantha Wilde's, "Monks and Musicians," a quaint sleigh ride is anything but calm or bright when a mom hears some news that turns her life upside down.

Maria Geraci takes readers to sunny Florida where a woman takes the holidays in her own hands with an unexpected romantic adventure in "Noche Buena."

Sisters reunite and prove the powerful bond of family stretches across the miles in Jenny Peterson's, "Fairy Lights."

Megan Barlog gives us a glimpse of life in the Dome where a handsome stable owner befriends a woman whose future is in peril in "The Escape."

In Dani Stone's "No Place Like Home" second chances are especially bittersweet around the holidays, but is it worth the risk to love again?

A lost dog in a snowstorm in Vermont tests a woman's spirit in this tale of survival and the best Christmas present of all in Maggie Marr's, "Dashing Through the Snow."

A grieving mom goes home for the holidays to face the family she left behind after tragedy in Malena Lott's, "Snowflakes and Stones."

7 Holiday questions for Samantha March

Ebook week continues with the fabulous Samantha March of Chick Lit Plus. She's here to dish on her new book, THE GREEN TICKET and answer some of our "hard-hitting" holiday questions! Featured eBook: The Green Ticket by Samantha March

Cost:$3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies! Leave a comment and we’ll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty – manager to a successful salon and spa. Thrilled to finally have a real adult job, Alex enthusiastically jumps into the world of schedules, conference calls, and getting a massage when interviewing prospective employees. What she doesn’t expect are the very grown-up issues that comes with a demanding boss. Kevin Dohlman quickly becomes Alex’s worse nightmare – covering up his affairs, dealing with his enormous ego, and trying to protect her female staff from him becomes a full-time job in its own right. Alex has also befriended Kevin’s wife and co-owner, Dani, and is trying to keep Kevin’s secrets hidden from her. The situation only worsens when Kevin starts paying Alex off to make sure she keeps her insider knowledge to herself.

While struggling to keep her wits and stay happy with her new grown-up job, Alex is juggling college courses, a new love interest, and keeping up with her close group of girlfriends. When her roommate and best friend Lila gets offered an opportunity to move to Los Angeles and sign with an agent, Alex realizes her life truly is changing, and everyone around her – including herself --is growing up. Knowing she is faced with some hard decisions ahead, Alex struggles with keeping her job at Blissful. But does she really want to throw away what she dreamed of as a career – or will the secret-keeping for Kevin become too much to handle? The Green Ticket is a story about morals versus money, and how one young woman navigates the shaky line between the two.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...7 HOLIDAY QUESTIONS FOR SAMANTHA MARCH

1. Who do you think will most want to receive THE GREEN TICKET as a gift this year?

Hmm, now I’m trying to decide if you mean my book or...money! Since the big Powerball was just drawn the other night, that seems to still be the only thing on everyone’s mind – including my own! Seriously – what would one do with 500 MILLION dollars?! Back to the question – for the book I’d say my mom, for the money – probably Lindsay Lohan. I hear she’s having trouble paying her taxes. Darn shame.

2. What books are you giving as gifts this year?

Quite a few! To name some : THE GREEN TICKET (obvs!) BREAKING THE RULES by Cat Lavoie (fab!) DOGS HAVE ANGELS TOO by Sarah Cavallaro (so sweet!) and DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW by Joanna Trollope (for my mom!).

3. What's the next book you'll curl up by the fire with?

PASS THE HOT STUFF by Dana Page

4. Scrooge or The Grinch?

The Grinch!

5. Peppermint martini or hot cocoa?

Hot cocoa – with plenty of marshmallows!

6. Home Alone or Miracle on 34th Street?

Home Alone!

7. What's the #1 thing you're looking forward to in 2013?

My wedding :)

Congrats, Samantha! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

eBook Week: Malena Lott's Something New

Featured eBook: Something New by Malena Lott Cost:$3.99

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: Three generations of women. Four secrets. One stage.

When matriarch Maeve Apple receives a letter in the mail that Princess & the Pauper is being remade, she believes she's 25 again and ready to relive her stardom. Meanwhile, her daughter, Bess, is dealing with Maeve's dementia, her own divorce and planning her youngest daughter's wedding, on the Luxe Weddings reality show. Bess' eldest daughter, Kelly, has a secret of her own that could threaten her chance at love again. Curvy Gwen, the youngest, may be the star of Luxe Weddings, but she finds her heart belongs on the stage, attracted by the lights and her co-star, as they search for Maeve's long-lost pauper and the biggest secret of all.

eBook Week: Amber Myer's The Swimmer's Assistant

Featured eBook: The Swimmer's Assistant by Amber Myers Cost: .99!  WOW.  How can you NOT buy a copy?

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a copy.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: Meet Jane Williams. She doesn’t understand the popularity of Twilight, can’t walk properly in high heels, struggles to speak Starbucks (venti what?), and nearly drowned in the toilet when she was a baby.

Meet Brian Parker. He’s a star swimmer with a temper and has just hired Jane to be his assistant as he trains for the London Olympics.

Enter the problem. Jane has developed feelings for Brian which is ridiculous because he has a dog who hates her, he chews with his mouth open, and has a perfect Twilight-obsessed girlfriend named Vanessa who plays Cinderella at Disneyland. Surely her crush can’t amount to anything. Or can it? There was that time when they nearly kissed…..

eBook Week: True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur

Featured eBook: True Vines by Diana Strinati Baur Cost: $9.99

Giveway: ONE copy!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose a winner after 3pm on December 23rd.

The scoop: After the sudden death of her Italian winemaker husband, Meryl Michelli flees to her small hometown in Pennsylvania, looking to slam the door on heartache and trudge forward. But it's never that simple, especially when old family ties have been strained by years of geographic and emotional distance. A chance encounter with a childhood friend brings back a betrayal she could never put to rest, and readjusting to life in the States in upper mid-life wears her thin in ways she never could have imagined. But it's only when she completely falls apart that Meryl comes to understand that the key to the future lies in understanding the meaning of the past.

True Vines traverses the lush, manicured rows of northern Italy's majestic wine country and the winding path of Pennsylvania's Delaware River as Meryl seeks to reconcile her past and her present. Saying goodbye to one existence allows Meryl to swing the door open to another as she weaves a new, uniquely beautiful tapestry that transports her to exactly the place in this short, sacred life she is meant to be.

eBook Week! Lauren Baratz-Logsted's Pursuing The Times

Welcome to eBook week!  We'll be showcasing fun eBooks each day for you to download and read in between your last-minute shopping.  And, duh, of course, we'll be doing some giveaways also!  Enjoy!

Today's featured eBook: Pursuing The Times by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Cost: Only $4.99 at Amazon!

Giveaway: TWO eCopies! Leave a comment here and we'll choose a winner on December 23rd after 3pm PST.

The Scoop: All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review - just one - and she'll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing's for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.

Kaira Rouda's 5 BEST THINGS ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS

Today's guest: Kaira Rouda Why we love her: She writes from the heart! We love that.

Her latest: Here, Home, Hope and All the Difference

The scoop on Here Home Hope: Kelly Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors' seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly's own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan.

From page one, Kelly's witty reflections, self-deprecating humor, and clever tactics in executing that plan--she places Post-it notes all over her house and car--will have readers laughing out loud. The next instant, however, they might rant right along with Kelly as her commitment to a sullen, anorexic teenager left on her doorstep tries her patience or as she deflects the boozy advances of a divorced neighbor. Readers will need to keep the tissue box handy, too, as Kelly repairs the damage she inflicted on a high school friend; realizes how deeply her husband, Patrick, understands and loves her; and ultimately grows into a woman empowered by her own blend of home and career.

Award-winning Here, Home, Hope will surely appeal to readers of chick lit and other women's fiction titles who are ready to transition into something new in their own life.

The scoop on All the Difference: From the bestselling author of HERE, HOME, HOPE, comes a novel of suspense and choices, with a nod to the best of Susan Isaacs's tales of suburban murder. Once again, everything isn't what it seems in the suburb of Grandville. ALL THE DIFFERENCE is the story of three Grandville women whose lives become entangled by the choices they make and how, ultimately, one of them turns to murder to achieve her goals. Roommates Laura and Angie couldn't be more different. Laura is a local celebrity, the television anchor who is motivated to move out of small-time media markets and on to the big time, no matter the cost. Meanwhile, Angie, a luckless waitress, spends her time waiting for Mr. Right to save her from temporary jobs and a life spent making bad choices. On the other side of town, Ellen abandons her life as a successful fundraiser for that of an isolated housewife in the country estate she shares with her husband, whose affairs become increasingly hard to ignore. When the city’s gossip columnist, Maddie, and restaurant reviewer, Dixon, become involved in the story, the unlikely duo stir up more than they intended. With her signature mix of compassion and wit, Kaira Rouda once again takes readers on an entertaining journey into the heart of women’s lives in suburbia, this time with a dose of suspense.

Our thoughts: Both of these highly entertaining books are only .99 from now through December 31st. It's a no-brainer!

Giveaway:Two copies of Here, Home, Hope and two copies of All the Difference. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll randomly select the winners on Sunday, December 16 after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Another GIVEAWAY ALERT!! Are you feeling Naughty or Nice? Doesn’t matter, with this giveaway, you could win a prize to make both sides happy!

To have a little fun with the holidays, Kaira “asked” a leading lady from each of her two novels what she would pick for a Holiday giveaway prize.  Kelly, the protagonist of HERE, HOME, HOPE, is represented by the “Nice” gifts.  Ellen, one of the stars of ALL THE DIFFERENCE, made the special “Naughty” selections. To win this amazing prize, please visit Kaira’s Facebook author page or her website’s blog and sign up. The giveaway is open to US and Canada residents. Good luck!

Wait, there’s more!

As a special holiday gift for everyone, HERE, HOME, HOPE and ALL THE DIFFERENCE are 99 cents for your eReader now through December 31^st so if you haven’t had a chance to read both of Kaira’s novels, now you can!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...KAIRA ROUDA'S 5 BEST THINGS ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS

Thank you so much Liz and Lisa! I was thrilled to be asked to write about my five favorite things about the holidays! I’m a proudly expressive Christmas celebrator, and I look forward to this month with the glee of a child. Why? Well, I’ll try to keep it to five reasons:

1. Cards. I love to receive Christmas/Holiday cards. It fills me with such happiness when the mail arrives and in it I see festive return labels, red ink addresses and funky, fun-sized envelopes. Every year, since my first child was born and continuing to today (actually last weekend), we make it a family tradition to take photos and come up with themes. Now that the kids are 21, 19, 18 and 16, it’s tougher to be original. We’ve pumped out 20 years of fairly clever, heartfelt cards, if I do say so myself. This year I considered doing Six Shades of Gray….but the kids weren’t too sure about that. (Nothing naughty, simply all six of us wearing different shades of gray!) Instead, I’m working on a different theme and hope to have them in the mail soon. I also hope, even though we’ve moved several times in the past few years, that I’ll be blessed by a burgeoning mailbox!

2. Decorations. I counted 27 green and red plastic tubs in our storage unit just before my husband and I began to cart them out to our car to take home. This year, I’m using about a third of our stash to decorate. When we lived in the Midwest, we had a bigger house. That’s just how it is. Ohio house = 27-tubs to decorate. California house = 9 tubs. My favorite element of the decorations is the Christmas tree itself, and of the ornaments adorning it, my favorites are the ones the kids made through the years. I love opening the ornament boxes and pulling out memories. It’s such a magical feeling. I try to get the tree decorated early, so I can bask in the glow of its lights and memories all December.

3. Good cheer. People are happier. Truly. Ok, not people are miserable at hot, overcrowded malls, but aside from that, the holidays make folks merry and bright. There are more toasts, more parties, more sparkles on women’s dresses and in their eyes. Sure, we’re all extra busy and more exhausted, but somehow, that doesn’t negate the smiles and wishes of “Happy Holidays”. What could be better? Remind yourself if you’re in a grumpy mood to fake it until you feel it. And if you see a grump headed your way, give him a smile. My favorite saying: A smile confuses an approaching frown. It works!

4. Lights. We are so lucky to live in Laguna Beach, a resort town that goes all out to celebrate the season. Santa’s Beach House opens in the village the first Friday of December and a big party celebrates his arrival. Stores and restaurants stay open late and the happy energy is tangible. I love the bee lights decorating almost every tree and store front. The entire village looks like a postcard of the perfect Christmas town, minus the snow, thank goodness!

5. Time together with our family’s traditions. The best thing about the holidays is the luxury of time with my family. We have such a blast – playing board games, sharing meals, opening gifts, telling stories, hugging, teasing each other. Well, you know. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

I know you have your own list of favorite things about the holidays! Remember, even with the bustle, to stop and appreciate the moments.  In the end, those special memories are truly the gift of the season.

Thanks, Kaira!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Lisa's Favorite books of 2012

Echoing what Liz said yesterday, there have been so many awesome books this year. In fact, let's have a round of applause for the fabulous novels and memoirs we were so lucky to devour! But because there was such a long list of exciting reads, selecting only a handful of my favorites was so not easy. (It made the past two weeks of dealing with my sick toddler waking up at all hours suddenly seem like a cinch).  So here goes...

And hey, we want to hear what books you LOVED in 2012.  Don’t forget to leave a comment and let us know!

1. The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch I instantly fell in love with Nell, who loses her memory after being one of two survivors of a horrific plane crash.  She must then attempt to navigate the stories that her loved ones are telling her about herself and her past--stories that aren't exactly adding up.  Nell not only must figure out who she was, but who she is going to be as she moves forward. The Song Remains The Same (coming out in paperback on December 31 with this fabulous new cover) is my fave from Allison thus far, a sparkling page-turner that I was not able to put down.

2. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio  This is not only one of my favorite books of the year, but it's also my favorite Sarah Jio book so far (she's written two others). It's a powerful and emotional story of two women who've never met, but are connected in unimaginable ways. In 1933, single mother Vera Ray loses her son the night of late-season snowstorm in Seattle--a cold-weather phenomenon called Blackberry Winter. Almost eighty years later, Seattle Herald reporter, Claire Aldridge, is assigned to cover a similar snowstorm that hits in May and learns of the unsolved abduction of Vera's son. She vows to find out what happened... Warning: Once you pick it up, will not be able to put this New York Times bestseller down. As you turn the pages, it's one unexpected twist after another right up until the shocking ending. (PS: Jio's upcoming novel, The Last Camellia, is out May 28, 2013. I cannot wait to read it!)

3. Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster This is hands down, Lancaster's funniest memoir yet. Not to mention the most hilarious book I read this year. (And yes, I'm more than a little in love with her sense of humor!) From the full title of her book alone,  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, you know it's going to be a highly-entertaining page-turner. But it's the comedic tales she shares that suck you in for a wild ride as you hungrily devour chapter after chapter of her witty moments. This book appeals to all, but in particular the Gen Xer (ahem, me!), who will laugh and relate as Lancaster explores what it means to finally decide to grow up — sort of. I particularly enjoyed the stories about perimenopause and a home waxing kit. (PS: I've already read Jen's upcoming novel, Here I Go Again, out January 29, 2013, and it's fabulous!)

4. These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen Ah, Sarah Pekkanen. Where do I begin? Her books always top my favorite lists because she is such a brilliant writer. I swear she can give you the full picture of who a character is in just a few words. That's talent! So not surprisingly, what I love most about These Girls are the three main characters, roommates Cate, Renee and Abby. Cate has just been promoted to the editor of a fashion magazine but quickly realizes her new job comes with as many problems as perks. Renee, who is vying for a promotion of her own at the same magazine, turns to a bottle of diet pills after she overhears snide comments about her weight. And Abby is their newest roommate who is tight-lipped about what caused her to flee her nanny job in the suburbs. And as these girls help each other bring their truths to light and overcome their personal battles, I was reminded of the power of female friendships.  (PS: I've just finished Sarah's next book, The Best of Us, coming out April 9, 2013, and she nailed it--uh gain.)

5. Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany This is one of the most moving and thought-provoking books I read this year. Hatvany is a beautiful writer and proves her skill, once again, at tackling tough subjects. In Outside the Lines, Eden searches for her father who left her two decades before, when she was just 10 years old.  After a series of failed romances and health scare from her mother, she knows it's time to face the emotions she's had bottled up all this time. Her journey to find her father, who she isn't even sure wants to be found, had me on the edge of my seat as I flipped the pages wondering how the story would end. (PS:My next read will be is Amy's upcoming book, A Heart Like Mine, out on March 19, 2013! The buzz? It's sensational!)

Man Candy bonus pick!

The 500 by Matthew Quirk (Because we read great books by men too!) This book is a complete departure from the novels I usually gravitate toward.  In the vein of John Grisham's The Firm, I was gripped from page one and felt more like I was watching an action movie than reading a story (in a good way). Mike Ford lands his dream job at Washington's most powerful consulting firm which turns out to be a world filled with lies, cheating and stealing. While rubbing shoulders with "the 500," the group of elite men and women who really run Washington, Ford is expected to join in on the fun. But even though he comes from a world of con men, he isn't sure he's cut out for the job. Can't wait to find out what's up next for this debut author.

xoxo, Lisa

Liz's Favorite books of 2012

There were a ton of great books in 2012.  So many, in fact, that Lisa and I had hard time narrowing them down, not to mention the fact we had a good ol' girlfight over who got which ones! (She'll share her 2012 faves tomorrow...) Besides the bestselling authors we already know are wonderful, I also chose three debuts that you may not have heard of.  Because who doesn't love discovering a fab new author?!

The books listed here are the ones that I couldn't put down, that I couldn't wait to get back to, that had characters that I was thinking about(and in some cases dreaming about!) long after I was finished.  These books were my favorite of the year. And girlfrin', I read a lot!

And hey-we want to hear what books you LOVED in 2012.  Don't forget to leave a comment and let us know!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIZ'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2012

1. Ten Girls to Watch by Charity Shumway Not gonna lie--Shumway had me from page one with her fresh and dynamic narrative.  This could have been just another story about a girl trying to make it in the Big Apple, but she made it an engaging page turner about Dawn. When she's tasked to track down the past winners of Charm Magazine's Ten Girls To Watch, she ends up discovering a few things about herself through the exceptional women she's researching. And don't even get me started on how she got the job in the first place! (her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend gets her the gig...) Do yourself a favor and pick up this lovely debut!

2.  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn So, I almost didn't put this one on the list.  Not because it wasn't effing fantastic(because it was!), but because it's already received so much press this year and topped so many "best of" lists.  But, there was just NO WAY I could skip highlighting this haunting tale about two of the most effed up people you will ever meet.  Gone Girl, which is about a woman who goes missing on her five year wedding anniversary, is absolutely brilliant.  I couldn't get the book out of my head for days after finishing(and even had a few nutty dreams about it...) If you haven't read it yet, you need to RUN, not walk to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy. Seriously.

3. I Have Iraq In My Shoe by Gretchen Berg Attention, my fellow SATC fans.  You are going to love the sh*t out of this memoir! When Gretchen, a shoe-loving fashionista gets a job teaching English in Iraq to pay off her mounting credit card debt, she has no idea what she's in for. Berg had me cheering her on as she navigated a completely new culture that didn't seem to wear deodorant or appreciate her keen sense of style. SO smartly written and freakin' hilarious, I promise that you'll fall in love with Gretchen on page one. Sometimes, memoirs can lose their steam in the middle, but I Have Iraq in My Shoe had me engaged from beginning to end.

4. Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro Another fresh debut! I loved the sparkling narrative in this novel about four Midwestern friends who are each trying (and in some cases failing) to navigate the online and social networking world.  Kate's realizing that online dating might not be all it's cracked up to be. Anne is stalking her possible sperm donor. (long story!) Maxine obsesses over celebrity gossip to distract her from the cracks in her marriage. And Claudia resents the hell out of how much time her husband spends on Facebook. What makes this book special? The way Shapiro weaves their stories beautifully with her sharp writing.  I couldn't put it down!

5.  The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner Oh, how I loved this book! When Ruth(who headed to LA six years prior with her sassy grandmother in tow) hits the Hollywood lottery and gets the green light on the show she's written, she can't wait to become the next Shonda Grimes.  But when the reality of how things really get done in Tinseltown sets in, she realizes that she may be in over her head. And did I mention she has a huge freakin' crush on her boss? I loved the insider details Weiner included, having just come off her own Hollywood story. This story leaped off the page and I raced to the end.  For me, this was my favorite of hers since Good in Bed. (Which, for the record is on the short list for my ALL-TIME fave books!)

YA Bonus Pick!

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman  I was on a business trip when I opened this book on my iPad.  THREE hours later, I had the run the battery down devouring this charming tale about Audrey, a witch-in-training who has to get it together when her mother goes missing under mysterious circumstances.  Audrey has her own teenage problems to deal with as she attempts to get her powers up to speed before everything is destroyed by someone from her mother's past.  Fun, light and absolutely addicting, I can't wait for the next book in this series!

xo, Liz

Josie Brown's 5 BEST EVERS

Our guest today: Josie Brown Why we love her: She is one sassy lady!

Her latest: Totlandia: The Onesies

The Scoop: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club’s founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection…from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

Our thoughts: The perfect gift for your favorite Mom this holiday season!

Giveaway: FIVE eCopies! Leave a comment and we'll choose winners on Sunday, December 9th after 3pm.

Fun Fact: Josie's novel, Secrets Lives of Husbands and Wives, has been optioned by NBC!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JOSIE BROWN'S 5 BEST EVERS

1. BEST SONG: I’m very old school! “If I Fell” from the Beatles and “Stop in the Name of Love” from the Supremes. Both are about heartache, and so singable, right?

2. BEST BOOK: Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell. I read it thirteen times, before I reached the age of sixteen. Part of my devotion has to do with the fact that its author is from my home town of Atlanta. (FYI: as is Kathryn Stockett, who wrote The Help, and I assume will inspire new generations of writers and readers.)

The scope of this saga of unrequited love – over a generation, and through a major war – seemed to me to be the ultimate love story. Frankly, it still does. Nothing comes close!  The heroine, Scarlett O’Hara, envisions herself in love with a man who is promised to another, and never really showed her anything other than flirtatious lust. Only in the last chapter does she realize she has just lost the love of her ideal mate: Rhett Butler, who loves her, despite the tests of time, place and circumstance, which strip away all the gentility in which she was born and bred.

Again, unrequited love.

3. BEST MOVIE: Down and Out in Beverly Hills, with Richard Dreyfus, Bette Midler, and Nick Nolte.

I love the first because of its sly humor and perfect dialogue, and a great plot. An upheaval takes place in the Beverly Hills mansion of a wealthy family when  a homeless man, trying to commit suicide in their pool, is saved by the Dave Whiteman, the owner of the mansion. Despite being a giving father and successful businessman, Dave feel s he’s taken for granted by his wife, and ignored by his children: a daughter who he worries is anorexic, and a son who is in the closet. Every member of the family wants to believe that the bum from the pool has some wisdom to dispense. Not. Finding out the truth is part of the fun.

4. BEST MOMENT: When I delivered my first child: my son.  Pregnancy is an experience. Motherhood is a whole other life. It is a great journey, and a wonderful challenge, to have someone dependent on you for the first twelve years of their lives, then grow away from you, only to realize your love and faith in them won’t be matched by anyone else…until they find their soul mate.

5. BEST ADVICE: For everyone, it is to open your mind, and your heart. Those who close themselves off to new people, new places, new experiences, and of course new ideas. Life is a journey.  Enjoy every step of the way.

Thanks, Josie! xoxo, L&L

The Giving Challenge

Liz here. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling especially thankful this year. I made a leap of faith and didn't fall on my ass.  My publishing dreams are on the cusp of coming true--with my best friend!  My family is healthy.  And we've got fabulous readers like y'all who swing by and tell us what's on your mind. Really, I couldn't ask for more. I'm a true believer that the more you give, the more you'll get back. Maybe that's why that I can't pass the person holding the sign on the side of the road without offering something--I've probably unknowingly bought more crack than anyone I know, but hey, my intentions are always good.

Each holiday, the adults in my family donate money rather than exchange gifts.  This year, we adopted a family through a fantastic foundation called Megan's Wings.  They help out families who have a child with cancer--gifts for the children, gas cards to drive to the treatments, etc. And as we perused the aisles of Target shopping for this Spiderman-loving four year old who was battling cancer, all the things that I thought I just had to have didn't seem so important anymore.  I would have bought the whole store for that little guy and his mom if I could. That feeling of giving back was better than any gift I could open. (Unless it was that big ass Louis Vuitton bag I've been eying for several years, that would feel really rad too...Mike Fenton, are you listening?!)

But please, don't think I'm getting on my giving high horse.  I can be just as selfish as the next person--I literally had an out-of-body experience the last time I stepped into Anthropologie. (Why does all their stuff have to be so...soft? and quirky? and perfect?!) But I'm trying, really trying, to push myself to give more than I think I can each year. And to push my kids to do the same thing. Because as much as I'd love for them to grow up to be superstar athletes that work part time as rocket scientists(in the off season, of course), the most important thing I want them to learn is to be kind.

Are y'all up for a challenge? Do one good deed this holiday season--maybe it's adopting a family, or maybe something simple like buying Starbucks for the person behind you in line. Maybe you offered to help someone carry groceries to their car or dropped off some toys to your local home for foster children. Do ONE good deed and come back and tell me about it here.

Once you come back and let me know what you've done(and if it's a charity, share that too so others can discover them!), and I'll enter you to win one of FOUR $25 Amazon gift cards. Oh, and tell your friends too! Let's make this a movement.  And if anyone can do that, it's a bunch of Type-A beyotches like us.

I'll choose the winners in a random drawing on January 1st after 10am. That means you have ALL MONTH to get your shit together and do something nice.  I know you can do it.

Ready...Set...GO DO GOOD!

xoxo, Liz