Blog of the Month: Chick Lit Central

Welcome to our latest feature, Blog of the Month!  Each month we'll be showcasing one of our favorite sites so you can get to know them better.  Kicking it off?  Chick Lit Central, which was launched in May of 2010!

The 411:

Melissa Amster first started Chick Lit Central as a Facebook group to discuss chick lit novels with women all over the world. She saw book blogs doing reviews and interviews, so she decided to add that aspect. As soon as she did, Sarah Pekkanen offered her debut novel, The Opposite of Me, for review. Soon, she was meeting authors (Allie Larkin’s interview was the first one ever) and running giveaways. Since then, the group has expanded to include two partners (Amy and Melissa P.), five associate reviewers and a promotional associate. We’ve reached over 940 followers at the blog and are still growing!

Why do people love CLC?

It’s very friendly. We love books, authors, readers, etc. We don’t compete with other chick lit blogs and try to share the love whenever possible. It’s truly a place to celebrate chick lit!

What is unique about CLC?

We give shout outs to books, even when we don’t have the time to review each and every novel or feature each and every author. We have Books of the Week, which we’re starting to phase out and just added a BookShelf page. We also do theme months and share information about ourselves from time to time, in relation to the theme.

Where to read more about CLC:

Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Goodreads

What inspires you?

Amy: Wow, now this is a tough question because many many things do.  One that comes to mind right off the bat is seeing female business women make it to the top, especially successful women entrepreneurs. For example, Jennifer Gilbert, the author of I NEVER PROMISED YOU A GOODIE BAG, besides having to deal with a life shattering struggle, made it all the way to the top, and has her own event planning company, Save The Date. Another example is Alli Webb, founder of The Dry Bar. If you live near one of these salons, you have to book yourself an appointment. They specialize in blow drys. You will look fantastic after your service. There are many salons across the country and more keep coming. Alli was on The Katie Show in an episode featuring successful women entrepreneurs.

Melissa A: I agree with Amy about seeing women who have achieved their dreams/goals. I love reading stories about entrepreneurial women.

Melissa P: Many things inspire me from day to day. I would have to say though that the main sources of inspiration for me are music, dance, nature, and travel. There have been many times while writing that I hear a song and it inspires an entire scene and drives the feeling and emotion behind it.

If you were stranded on an island, what celebrity would you want to be with you?

Amy: Really? Just one???? Sorry, but I have three: Of course the gorgeous and sexy Rob Lowe. Steve Martin. If you're stranded on an island you need some laughter right? Last, but not least, Meryl Streep...she doesn't need any particular reason.

Melissa A: I’m a big fan of How I Met Your Mother and I adore Jason Segel (Marshall). However, I don’t think my husband would be too happy with an arrangement involving me being alone with him. Therefore, I think Cobie Smulders (Robin) and I would have a blast and instantly become friends. I also don’t think Neil Patrick Harris (Barney) would be much of a threat. We could sing show tunes and he’d make me laugh.

Melissa P: Easy. Derek Jeter. Need I say more?

What's one inanimate object you can't live without?

Amy: Have to pick two again: books and lip balm.

Melissa A: My laptop. It has my PC Kindle, photos, videos, etc. Basically, it’s my life. I go ballistic when it’s not working!

Melissa P: This is a tie between my iPhone and my laptop. They both do essentially the same things just on a different scale. As long as I can listen to music, write, and FaceTime with my loved ones, I don't need anything else.

What books are you adding to your bookshelf this year?

Amy: You ready for a huge list?  The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Meyers, The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio, Market Street by Anita Hughes, Why Can't I Be You by Allie Larkin, Family Pictures by Jane Green, The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen, J'Adore Paris by Isabelle LaFleche, A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams, All The Summer Girls by Meg Donohue, Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman, and of course Jennifer Weiner's next book.

Melissa A: Too many!!! I am so excited to already have Family Pictures by Jane Green, The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen and The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio. I ordered Jodi Picoult’s latest novel and will get that later this month. I’m also looking forward to purchasing Khaled Hosseini’s next novel as I loved his previous two. Also, most of the books on Amy’s list.

Melissa P: Anything by Jane Green, Elin Hilderbrand, Sophie Kinsella, or Marian Keyes to name a few...the list is endless!!!

Thanks Ladies!  xoxo, L&L

Cari Kamm's 5 Best Evers

Today's guest: Cari Kamm Her latest: For Internal Use Only

The scoop on it: Chloe Kassidy has just been accepted into one of Manhattan's most exclusive art exhibits, Love Through Light. However, with her singular dedication to her career, she soon realizes that in sacrificing her personal life, she has never been in love. A hopeless romantic who is terrified of heartbreak, Chloe begins to enlist the help of her circle of friends to learn about love through their very different stories and experiences.

In Chloe's emotional rollercoaster to having the greatest love story ever told, she'll learn that like her photography she must use the negatives in life to develop and prove that she's a strong woman who found her way to love through light.

Inspired by the notion that women grow up with ideas of true love and destiny, For Internal Use Only approaches those ideas with a decidedly twenty-first century viewpoint. A humorous love story with an edgy and dramatic twist, For Internal Use Only is a vastly entertaining novel that gives each of us a new fairy tale to look forward to: our own.

Our thoughts: We love books with a love story! You'll be hooked immediately as you follow along with Chloe on her funny and emotional journey to understand love.

Giveaway: 2 e-copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, February 24th.

Where you can read more about Cari: Twitter, Facebook and her Website.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...CARI KAMM'S 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: This is a tough one. The only way for me to decide was to check my iTunes account and view my ‘top 25 most played’ list. These are my top four:

Gravity – Sara Bareilles

Cocoon – Jack Johnson

She left on a Monday – Bic Runga

By Your Side – Sade

These songs are often played on repeat for hours!

BEST BOOK: Sophie Kinsella Can you Keep a Secret? inspired me to write. Mark Nepo The book of Awakening. Nepo calls it, "a book to help people meet their days and inhabit their lives.” I’ve read this book for the past three years. Each day has a designated read. This book keeps my perspective in check. It’s definitely a life changer!

BEST MOVIE: I’m a huge fan of romantic comedies. Pretty Woman, Serendipity, When Harry Met Sally and Love Actually are on the top of that list. But, I’m going to go with Big Fish. The main theme in Big Fish is reconciliation. The film is full of color. It inspired me. It reminded me what it’s like to be a child again and to believe in fairytales. A great reminder that our imagination has endless possibilities!

Some of my favorites quotes from Big Fish:

Young Ed Bloom: Now I may not have much, but I have more determination then any man you’re ever likely to meet.

Karl: I don’t want to eat you. I just get so hungry. I’m just too big.

Young Ed Bloom: Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you’re not too big? That maybe this place is just too small?

Will Bloom: A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him, and in that way he becomes immortal.

Young Ed Bloom: You don’t know me, but my name’s Edward Bloom… And I love you.

Will Bloom: [to Ed] You’re like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny combined – just as charming, and just as fake.

BEST LIFE MOMENT: Saying Yes. I moved to New York City twelve years ago and immediately connected to a special area in Central Park called Literary Walk. It’s the only straight line in the park, lined with American elm trees and decorated with statues of prominent writers such as Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. I had no idea I would be a writer one day and that this landmark would mean more to me today than it did twelve years ago. It’s now a meaningful spot that I will never forget for the rest of my days. On January 27, 2013, I walked there proudly with my new novel in hand, ‘For Internal Use Only,’ and my boyfriend to take a picture with my book. I walked into the park as a proud author and walked out as his fiancé. It was a sparkling moment with all things love.

BEST ADVICE: “Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Thanks, Cari!

Jackie Collins' 5 Best Evers

Our guest today: Jackie Collins Why we love her: She is sexy and SASSY!

Her latest: The Power Trip

The scoop: A luxurious yacht in the Sea of Cortez, a birthday cruise for one of the world’s most beautiful women and an invitation no one can refuse.   The Power Trip—take it if you dare.

From Hollywood icon and mega-seller Jackie Collins comes a thrilling new novel, The Power Trip, set on a state of the art luxury yacht off the coast of Cabo San Lucas.  A tropical getaway with a cast of global power-hungry elites turns sour when they find out maybe they don't control as much of the world as they thought . . .

In The Power Trip you will meet Aleksandr Kasianenko, a billionaire Russian oligarch, as he sets sail on The Bianca. You’ll meet his sexy supermodel girlfriend, whom The Bianca is named after, and five dynamic, powerful, and famous couples invited on the yacht’s maiden voyage: Hammond Patterson, a driven Senator, and his lovely but unhappy wife, Sierra; Cliff Baxter, a charming, never-married movie star, and his ex-waitress girlfriend, Lori; Taye Sherwin, a famous black UK footballer and his interior designer wife, Ashley; Luca Perez, a male Latin singing sensation with his older decadent English boyfriend, Jeromy; and Flynn, a maverick journalist with his Asian renegade female friend, Xuan.

You will also meet Russian mobster, Sergei Zukov, a man with a grudge against Aleksandr. And Sergei’s Mexican beauty queen girlfriend, Ina, whose brother, Cruz, is a master pirate with orders to hold The Bianca and its illustrious rota of guests for ransom.

Our thoughts: We can never resist Jackie's books, and The Power Trip is no exception!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners after Noon PST on Sunday, February 17th.

Fun Fact: Want to discover Jackie's favorite recipes?  Click here!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JACKIE COLLINS 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: What's Going On by Marvin Gaye. What a voice! What a man!

BEST MOVIE: ARGO. A brilliant edge-of-your-seat movie.

BEST BOOK:  The Godfather by Mario Puzo. Strong, sexy and gritty.

BEST LIFE MOMENT:  The birth of my three daughters. Magical!

BEST ADVICE: If you want to be a writer stop talking about it and just do it!

2013 Club: Julie Kibler and Calling Me Home

Our guest today: Julie Kibler Why she rocks: She's a fantastic writer & she has great advice! (See below!)

Her debut: Calling Me Home Out today! February 12, 2013!

The scoop on it: Eighty-nine-year-old Isabelle McAllister has a favor to ask her hairdresser Dorrie Curtis. It's a big one. Isabelle wants Dorrie, a black single mom in her thirties, to drop everything to drive her from her home in Arlington, Texas, to a funeral in Cincinnati. With no clear explanation why. Tomorrow.

Dorrie, fleeing problems of her own and curious whether she can unlock the secrets of Isabelle's guarded past, scarcely hesitates before agreeing, not knowing it will be a journey that changes both their lives.

Over the years, Dorrie and Isabelle have developed more than just a business relationship. They are friends. But Dorrie, fretting over the new man in her life and her teenage son's irresponsible choices, still wonders why Isabelle chose her.

Isabelle confesses that, as a willful teen in 1930s Kentucky, she fell deeply in love with Robert Prewitt, a would-be doctor and the black son of her family's housekeeper--in a town where blacks weren't allowed after dark. The tale of their forbidden relationship and its tragic consequences makes it clear Dorrie and Isabelle are headed for a gathering of the utmost importance and that the history of Isabelle's first and greatest love just might help Dorrie find her own way.

Our thoughts: Beautifully written and incredibly touching, we loved this story. Read an excerpt here

Giveaway: FIVE COPIES. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, February, 17th after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Julie also writes for Book Pregnant, a group of debut writers who talk about what to expect when you're expecting a book!

Where you can read more about Julie: Her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads. (Girlfriend is social media covered!)

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: JULIE KIBLER

DO'S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do...

1. Take your time! It's amazing how quickly it passes.Not selling the first book you write doesn't mean you'll never sell a book. Trust me on that. Starting my first (unpublished) manuscript feels like yesterday now.
2. Be generous with your time and energy while you're aspiring. Your generosity will be returned to you exponentially when you are launching your first novel! (Host authors on your blog, attend their signing events, buy their books!)
3. Realize that your novel is not the only thing on everyone else's mind—even if it's ALL you can think about. Life goes on around you. Try to join in as often as you can. Living leads to better writing. I have this lesson on repeat.

DON'TS: 3 things every aspiring novelist shouldn't do...

1. Assume you already know everything you need to know about writing. It leaves egg on your face.
2. Compare yourself with other aspiring novelists or published authors. Your journey will never, ever look like theirs or play out in the same way. Comparison is the sure road to killing your self-confidence, little by little. So easy to say, so hard to do...
3. As tempting and easy as it is with the technology available today, don't surround yourself only with other novelists. When your book releases, you'll wish you knew a lot of everyday readers, too. (Thankfully, I think I did ok with this!)

MUST HAVES:

On your desk? Suave Advanced Therapy Hand lotion. I am an addict. Truly.

On your Facebook feed? Family news. It's amazing how much more I know about my family, especially those who live far away, now that there's Facebook. Things that don't come up in phone conversations often appear in my newsfeed. I am watching my little nieces who live more than 2,000 miles away grow up there! I love it!

App on your phone? Ebook apps—Nook, Kindle, Overdrive, etc. I do about 80% of my reading on my iPhone.

LASTS:

Song you listened to on repeat? "Horses"/Dala (www.dalagirls.com) I missed hearing this group live by a few minutes at the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest a few years ago and have regretted it since.

Book you read? I'm always juggling about four these days. Last one I finished is The Promise, by Ann Weisgarber, an advance readers' edition from Pan Macmillan, my UK publisher.

Time you laughed? I hope I laugh every single day. My clever youngest daughter makes me laugh every day, especially. Last full-on belly laugh? When I was talking to a close friend after I had my first newspaper interview last week, and told her how I forgot the name of one of my minor characters from Calling Me Home. It wasn't funny at the time, but if you don't laugh about things like that, how do you survive?

HOW MANY:

Agents did you query before you found "the one?" I was very lucky with Calling Me Home. I queried maybe five agents, but Elisabeth Weed was my first choice from the get go. I queried her first with the previous manuscript, too. And she's the best, as is her foreign rights agent, Jenny Meyer.

Hours I write per day: I am a burst writer. I write like crazy when I'm in the midst of a burst. I beat myself up a lot when I'm not. If I'm writing consistently in one of those bursts, it's usually from about 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. I'm the worst night owl you'll never know.

Hours I waste online when I should be writing: Most of them. Yeah.

BESTS:

Way to celebrate a book deal: Chocolate dessert and a peach Bellini. And maybe a thick, juicy steak … Yeah, definitely that. I remember now.

Trick to overcome writer's block: I ask my character, "WHAT do you WANT?" before I go to bed. I can't do this if I need to wake up early, because that voice generally haunts me all night. I'm exhausted the next morning, but I usually know what they want, and that's the key to a good story.

Way to think of a book idea: For me, it tends to happen in the midst of an everyday conversation. Something I hear sets my heart and brain racing, and I'm off and running.

NEXTS:

Show you'll DVR? Can you believe I don't own a DVR? We have basic cable. If I could DVR, it would be Parenthood, though the season is over now. I love that show.

Book you'll read? A manuscript from a dear friend who is seeking her first blurbs. I've already peeked at the first few chapters, and I know once I start, I'm in for the duration.

Book you'll write? I could tell you but then I'd have to think of another one, because once I start talking about them, they seem to lose their magic.

Thanks, Julie!

Randy Susan Meyers' 5 Best Evers

Today's guest: Randy Susan Meyers

Why we love her: She's a thoughtful and talented author and we're already anxious for her next novel.

Her latest: The Comfort of Lies (February 12th)

The scoop on it: Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with a man she could never have. Married, and the father of two boys, Nathan was unavailable in every way. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption.

Five years ago, Caroline, a dedicated pathologist, reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband. She prayed her misgivings would disappear; instead, she’s questioning whether she’s cut out for the role of wife and mother.

Five years ago, Juliette considered her life ideal: she had a solid marriage, two beautiful young sons, and a thriving business. Then she discovered Nathan’s affair. He promised he’d never stray again, and she trusted him.

But when Juliette intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. How could Nathan deny his daughter? And if he’s kept this a secret from her, what else is he hiding? Desperate for the truth, Juliette goes in search of the little girl. And before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted.

Riveting and arresting, The Comfort of Lies explores the collateral damage of infidelity and the dark, private struggles many of us experience but rarely reveal.

Our thoughts: A captivating novel. A complicated story. Complex characters. We were engaged from the moment we cracked open the book.

Giveaway: TWO copies. Just leave a comment & be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 3pm PST on Sunday, February 10th.

Fun fact: There's an inspirational page on Randy's website for aspiring writers.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...RANDY SUSAN MEYERS' 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: The more relationships in my rear view, the more I organize my exes according to the sad-song scale: heartbreak song men . . . liar-song men . . . didn’t-mean- to-hurt you-but-oops-I-did song men. Maybe it’s a litmus test of my personality, but though I now know the wisdom of loving a happy-love-song man, I sure do love a great love-gone-wrong song.

In The Comfort of Lies, pile-ups in the intersections of infidelity, adoption, marriage, parenthood and careers create perfect storms for desolate love music.  I gathered a playlist eponymous of the particular sadness or strength of each character, and, of course, each rang in a past love nightmare of my own—thus creating a personal blues loop, allowing me to fall down the rabbit hole of melancholia, making me ever more grateful that I ultimately smartened up and married a non-sad song man. In the course, I found perhaps the most gut-wrenching sad-song I ever heard.  Perhaps I listened to Ayo’s “Down On My Knees” fifty times during one particular revision. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the triangulation of love quite so plaintive and naked as in this, now favorite, song.

On the other end of the scale, from the perfect-love-moment songs, nothing beats “Come Rain or Come Shine” sung by the great Ray Charles. It’s ‘our song’ and it’s the one I listened to in a loop of stunned-new-love when I met my husband.

BEST BOOK: As reading is close to breathing for me, this is a tough category--but there are two books by a single author that come to mind, so let’s call them twins and include them both. Before and After by Rosellen Brown asks what if your love of your child collides with your moral code—which side will you fall on? And what if this internal battle is also a battle with your husband—the father of your son. Brown does a brilliant job turning the prism of the family to catch the light bending with each character. Tender Mercies breaks your heart, and it breaks it without adornment or fancy footwork. The story of a man who severely injures his wife through an accident of bravado, told from his point of view, explores with the brightest of lights the inside of a marriage after tragedy.

BEST MOVIE: Examining the top four from which I chose (Terms of Endearment, Slap Shot, Schindler’s List, and The Princess Bride) I see how I flip from genre to genre: where is the connective tissue here?) Picking one, I’ll say Schindler’s List.

I was asked by a Holocaust survivor to attend the Boston premiere of this movie. The invitation-only audience was largely made up of survivors and their family. When the curtain closed on this powerful film, the audience was silent but for the sobs. No one stood for at least fifteen minutes. The ability of a filmmaker to use the medium to completely capture an audience, while also bearing witness to history, has no better example than Steven Spielberg.

BEST MOMENT: In the movie of my life, watching kids dance the ‘Electric Slide’ to “Electric Boogie” at Thompson’s Island, a small island off Boston’s shore, was a moment of unmitigated joy. For three years I co-ran an event that brought over 1,000 children together (by bus and boat,) from every neighborhood in Boston—an extraordinarily diverse event for a sometimes over-boundaried city. At the time, the song and dance was gaining traction and when it came up on the loudspeaker (at this huge meadow) kids ranging from ages 7-17 came from everywhere on the field and slipped into lines. There had been no instructions, no exhortations to come dance—it simply happened. The adults followed the Pied Piper children. As though we were part of some spectacular version of West Side Story everyone came together in a magical dance, and unlike the movie, it was only followed by love and laughter.

I only wish smartphones were around then—because it would have ended up on Youtube and the kids could have seen themselves.

BEST ADVICE:  If my children follow any advice that I hold close, I hope it is this: Treat others according to the highest standards to which you want to hold yourself, not based on how they treat you.

When my grandmother was 97, I asked her what she would consider the most important piece of advice. “Be nice,” she said. You can’t argue with that, right?

Thanks, Randy!

24 Hours: DIY or bust!

24 HOURS is our newest feature! We'll be stepping outside of our comfort zones for a full day & hopefully live to write about it! Here's the story of my first foray into the world of the crafties...(PS: I survived!)

Something came over me as I began to plan my daughter's 2nd Sesame Street-themed birthday party. I wasn't going to call that bakery from last year. Forget shopping at my go-tos (Party City or Target) to get all of the fixins.

I was overcome with the idea that I was going to bake and decorate the cupcakes myself. I planned to hand craft all of the decorations. I was on a mission to not only make all of the appetizers but to design them. (Think: Elmo inspired cruditee.)

*Cue record scratch* And make sure the sound is really, really loud.

I'm not a DIY'er.

I'm the girl who relies on fabulous, dream-like wonderlands such as The Container Store to tell me what to do. I buy things with no assembly required. I conceptualize ideas and ask others far more talented to execute.

So WTF was going on here?

A couple of things. A) I wanted to do it for this new 24 HOURS feature! 2) I had to make up for my PARTY FOUL(s) at my daughter's 1st birthday party. (She burned her finger on a lit candle and refused to eat or smash her expensive designer smash cake.)

So there I was, hour one of 24, on Pinterest researching how to make Big Bird out of pineapple and I started to get excited. I can do this, I thought. I think I can, I think I can. And the funniest thing happened, I did. But not without trial and error of course. I did a dry run of the cupcake prep which wasn't without complications. I needed to make sure that they not only tasted good (and that there were no choking hazards for the littles--ended up swapping peanut M&Ms for plain for Elmo's nose! Ha!) but I also wanted to coax  my non-sugar-eating daughter into trying a plain cupcake, thinking by party time when it was decorated to look like Elmo, she'd eat it and make me look like a rockstar in front of our guests. (No such luck.  Goldfish won out #momfailyetagain.)

But the party was still a major success (if I do say so me-self). Here are the pictures to prove that even the most non-DIY girl has a little (or a lot) of DIY in her. And for those of you who don't think you have an inner-Do-it-yourself-er in there, you should give it a try. Tap into it. You might be surprised what you discover about yourself and your (not so) secret helper (details on that below)! (Click on each photo to get a close-up.)

On our Radar

Liz here--I'm so excited to debut our latest feature, On Our Radar, where we'll be dishing on the things we're loving right now--anything from a TV show to music to lipstick.  Because when we love something, we want you to know about it! And hopefully, you'll join in the fun and tell us what you heart at the moment too!

On Liz's Radar

1. Nashville

No, not the city!  The TV show! To be honest, the first episode was just so-so.  But thank GAWD I stuck with it because it's my new favorite --Connie Britton is awesome and Hayden Panettiere has such a perfect country drawl that I've forgotten that she was ever a cheerleader that saved the world.  But what makes it really stand out is not just all the pretty people(hello, hot boys with cute accents and guitars!) and fun drama, but the MUSIC.  It's RAD.  And downloadable from iTunes--I've written most of our new book so far while listening to When The Right One Comes Along. Want to get in the action?  You can watch full episodes at ABC.com. FOR FREE!

2. Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany

Okay,  so here's the deal.  I'm an emotional robot and don't like to cry.  EVER.  But, damnit, I can never pass up Amy's emotionally fulfilling books.  So, there I am, reading the ARC of Heart Like Mine, ignoring my husband and children, turning the pages as fast as I can, devouring every word.  And then I felt some liquid substance started coming out of my eyes and I'm like WTF!  (*Maybe* they were tears. *Maybe* even major waterworks.  But let's just keep that between us--I have a rep to protect!)  But you know what?  It was worth it to have a good cry over Heart Like Mine--it's THAT good.  Do yourself a favor and pre-order it. (Out March 19th!)

Here's what it's about: Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be?

At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover that there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew.

3. Neuma Hair Products

You may or may not know this, but I have some FRIZZY ASS hair.  It's never been a wash and go situation over here. My thick, horsey mane is hard to control! My hairdresser(is it still okay to call them that?) turned me on to Neuma last month and I am IN LOVE. I want to MAKE OUT with this stuff.  My hair behaves itself.  It looks shiny!  And most importantly, I don't have it wash it nearly as often. (Don't judge me!  Straightening that mane is a pain in the ass!) So, to my fellow frizzy-haired sisters,  run, don't walk down to your salon and pick this up.

4. The Funeral by Band of Horses

I know I already mentioned I'm loving the music on Nashville.  But here's another song that I've had on repeat for some time.  I heard it randomly and used my Shazam app to identify it. (Btw, how awesome is Shazam, right?)  I tend to lean towards sweet sounding, guitar playing women, but I fell in love with this tune form a few good men.  I've listened to it so often that my kids scream, Mommy No!, whenever it starts playing in the car.  Seriously?  After all the Radio Disney torture I've endured, I think they can indulge me.

Take a listen.  What do you think?

5. #TaylorSwiftBacklash?

Have you seen it start?  The Taylor Swift backlash? She didn't seem too happy when Adele whipped her ass for Best Song at The Golden Globes.  Then she and that boy bander broke up.(They all look the same to me?) And then Michael J Fox (seriously? You know it's bad when Alex P Keaton is taking shots at you!) made some nasty comments about her. Just sayin', it seems like the tide is turning.  Personally, I don't have anything against her, except for the fact that I'm force fed her ridiculously catchy tunes every day on the way to school. (Damn you again Radio Disney!)  But, for her sake, I hope she comes up with some non-break up songs on her next album.

#getsomenewmaterialTaylor

Jane Porter's 5 Best Evers

Today's guest: Jane Porter Why we love her:  Jane has written some of our all-time faves, including She's Gone Country & Flirting with Forty!  And we felt she was the perfect author to help us celebrate CLIND'S 4th birthday! (PS: As a part of our celebration, don't forget to enter our CONTEST to win ANY 4 books of your choice!)

Her latest: The Good Daughter (The second book in her Brennan Sisters series.) Out today! Happy pub day, Jane!

The scoop on it: Love was given to all, except herself . . . Kit Brennan has always been the most grounded of her sisters. A Catholic school English teacher for seventeen years and a constant giver, her decisions have been sound—just not very satisfying. Her fortieth birthday is right around the corner, causing Kit to consider some wilder notions, like skipping right past the love and marriage to raising a child all by herself . . .

A girls’ weekend away is just the reprieve Kit needs from school, Mr. Wrongs, and life-changing decisions. It’s there that she meets a man who’s dangerous; a man who challenges who she thought she was, or rather should be. Kit wants to indulge herself this once, but with one of her students in crisis and the weight of her family’s burdens weighing heavy on her heart, Kit isn’t sure if now is the time to let her own desires take flight . . .

Our thoughts: Loving this series! Jane has such an incredible talent for creating characters we fall in love with.

Giveaway: A copy of The Good Daughter and The Good Woman--both SIGNED by Jane! Plus, a $5 Starbux gift card & some yummy chocolates. Good books +caffeine +chocolate= perfection! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, February 10th after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: She also writes romance novels! She's a super star!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JANE PORTER'S 5 BEST EVERS

MY ALL-TIME BEST, MUST DANCE-TO-IT SONG: Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry.  This is the song I must dance to.  My surfer guy does not dance, but when this song comes on, I must get down....and groovy.  I will dance with anyone I can to make sure I’m moving.  (A close second for best dance is Brick House by Commodores...).  I feel fifteen when I hear it, and in my mind I look hot when I’m shaking everything.  My kids say I’m just embarrassing myself but that’s just their opinion.

MY BESTEST FAVORITE AUTHOR is Jane Austen.  Yes, I know, I’m not original.  But  I do love comfort reads and I love Austen’s characters and stories.  My favorite re-invented Jane Austen is Georgette Heyer.  And she might not be taught as part of the classics, but she wrote a lot more books than Austen, which means I have a lot more gorgeous stories to get lost in, and sigh over, and daydream about.

MY BEST EVER TOOL TO HELP ME WRITE is a lit candle.  I like vanilla, pear, melon, and mango for writing.  I will burn the candle all day—for as long as I’m writing and it makes my office smell really good and keeps me relaxed.

MY BEST EVER ALBUM: It would probably be a toss up between U2’s Joshua Tree and Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell.  I struggle between being spiritual and evolved and corny and emotional as hell.  Usually corny and emotional wins out.  I was born with a massive soft spot on my head that’s not gone away.  Family and close friends know if you can survive my prickly exterior, I’m a total mush head....crave good, kind people who are funny, but ultimately champions of the underdog.

BEST EVER MOMENT IN REAL LIFE: It would probably be the news that I was pregnant with my first son.  All three of my kids are either IVF or ART, and have taken years of fertility treatments, shots, appointments, hope, faith , $$ and pain, and discovering I was pregnant with Jake—I was at school, in the middle of teaching my 7^th grade class—just blew me away.  Learning I was pregnant with the other two was great, but then I ‘expected’ to get pregnant.  The first time was so new and experimental that I was in a fog of joy for days.

Thanks, Jane!

Welcome to the Brand Spankin' New Chick Lit is Not Dead!

Extreme Makeover: CLIND!

Do you like it? (Please, say you do!)

Happy 4th birthday to Chick Lit Is Not Dead!

It's been a roller coaster ride these past four years, and we've loved every minute of it.  And you know what else we love?  YOU GUYS.  Y'all are the best.  Without you, well, we'd just be two lameass girls talking to ourselves.

And it's not just a new look here at CLIND--we've got all kinds of new features too!  Of course, we'll still be interviewing all of your favorite authors and whoring it up with giveaways, but we'll also be talking some shit and taking you with us on our (still very surreal) road to publication.  In our new feature, On Our Radar, we'll tell you what we're loving at the moment--anything from books to movies to twitter hashtags. We'll also be tackling something outside of our comfort zone for 24 HOURS (think: no nagging or no technology!). Remember Liz vs. Lisa and  On The Soapbox?  They're baccckkkk! And that's not all! We'll be checking in with some of our favorite websites with our new Blog of the Month feature. And, last but not least, we'll keep you in the loop on our writing drama with Diary of a Debut.

Other fun things to check out?  If you scroll down, you'll find some inspirational quotes we love. And we've detailed our L&L history and found some old pics that we've posted over at the About Liz & Lisa page.  We've also streamlined our submissions process--make sure you check out the Contact if you want your book or blog profiled on CLIND.

Thankful....

We'd like to give a HUGE shout out to our web designers, Betsy Cohen and her team at Positive Element.  It's not an understatement to say we were HUGE pains in the asses(Who knew it was so hard to choose a font?) to work with on this redesign and they couldn't have been more patient, understanding or professional.  Thank you!

Also, we want to thank YOU.  Who knew, four years ago, when we didn't even understand how to log onto WordPress properly or what the hell a SEO search was, that we'd be here today? It's all because of YOU.  YOU make this fun for us.

Of course there's a COOL giveaway...duh!

To celebrate our fourth year, we're giving away FOUR books.  But not random books.  FOUR books off YOUR wish list. If you win, you'll send us a list of ANY four you'd like and we'll order them for you.  HOW RAD IS THAT?

But to enter, we need you to do a little somethin' somethin' for us.  See all those social media icons up top?  We'll give you one entry for EACH site where you follow us.  Just leave a comment and let us know where you're giving us the love. Got it?  Follow us at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram--that is FOUR entries! If you already follow us on any of these sites, just tell us that in the comments and you'll still be entered!  Haven't clicked follow yet?  Then get your booty over there! (pretty please!)

We'll choose the lucky winner after February 10th at noon PST.

So, are you ready to raise a toast? *clinks glasses*  Here's to a freakin' awesome 2013! 

Ali McNamara book giveaway!

Hi, y'all. T.G.I.F! We're excited to share a great giveaway with you! Today's featured author: Ali McNamara

Why we love her: Reading her books feels like curling up on the couch and watching your favorite rom-com.

Her latest: From Notting Hill With Love Actually

The scoop: She was a girl, standing in front of a boy...Movie fanatic Scarlett O'Brien dreams of a life as glamorous and romantic as all the big screen flicks she worships. When a chance house-sitting job in iconic Notting Hill comes along, she knows living in one of her favorite movie settings is an opportunity too good to pass up.

Leaving behind her skeptical friends, family, and fiance, Scarlett heads to London and finds herself thrust into the lead role of her very own romantic comedy. But can real life ever be just like the movies? Larger-than-life new friends, a handsome but irksome new neighbor, and a mystery from her past may prove to Scarlett that living her life like a RomCom is more complicated than she thought!

Our thoughts: What's not to love about this entertaining novel that reminds us of all the romantic comedies we love?

Giveaway: 5 copies! Just leave a comment, sharing your favorite romantic comedy, and you'll be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 3pm PST on Sunday, February 3rd.

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

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Polly Williams' 5 BEST EVERS

Today's guest: Polly Williams Why we love her: Her writing is smart and funny--the perfect combo for books, and all things really.

Her latest: Afterwife

The scoop on it: Sophie Brady is a force of nature—funny, beautiful, and devoted to all the people in her life—even in death. After a traffic accident cuts her life tragically short, Sophie finds herself attending her own funeral (on time, no less) and watching the reactions of those she holds most dear.

Sophie’s darling, gorgeous husband Ollie is heartbroken, trying to father their young son while working out how to use the washing machine. Furthermore, he’s absolutely clueless about his new status as most eligible bachelor in the neighborhood. Sophie is determined to help her husband find love again, with the right sort of woman, of course.

Luckily, she’s not the only one looking out for Ollie. Her best friend Jenny is ignoring her own pain by helping him navigate the murky waters of widower-hood. But as she grows closer to Sophie’s husband, Jenny unearths secrets that make her question how well she knew her friend, and where the line between loyalty and love ends…

Our thoughts: Hilarious. A page-turner. The best break from the mayhem of everyday life.

Giveaway: FIVE copies. Just leave a comment & be entered to win. We'll pick the winners after 3pm PST on Sunday, February 3rd.

Fun fact: Her debut bestseller was titled The Rise and Fall of the Yummy Mummy. Such a great title!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...POLLY WILLIAMS' 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: Harvest Moon by Neil Young. A song that features in Afterwife - it is played at my heroine’s funeral! I’d like to go out to it too actually. Listening to Harvest Moon makes me think of a bonfire on a warm starry night, friends, wine and acoustic guitars. Heaven.

BEST MOVIE: I think it must be the soppy romantic in me but my favorite movie is A Room With a View, based on the wonderful EM Forster novel, starring Helena Bonham Carter. It’s really quite dated now but somehow it satisfies on a deep level. Everything comes right in the end. Love and passion triumph. The rightful order is restored.

BEST BOOK: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen is one of my all time favourite reads – I loved every word - although I do adore poetry too and dip in and out of it quite regularly. I particularly love the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. She had an artist’s eye, a scalpel-sharp pen.

BEST LIFE MOMENT: I think it has to be the birth of my first child. He came almost seven weeks early. It was all quite traumatic but I was so overwhelmed with relief that he was born healthy, and awe-struck that I’d created another human being, however tiny. He’s nine now and not much smaller than me but I remember his birth like it was yesterday.

BEST ADVICE: Collette’s ‘What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.’ It always reminds me to be grateful for the small things. That life itself is the gift. In other words, you’re a long time dead, honey!

Thanks, Polly!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Photo credit: Lucy Johnstone

Darien Gee's 5 BEST EVERS

Today's guest: Darien Gee Why we love her: We fell in love with her book, Friendship Bread, and plan to devour anything else she writes--ever.

Her latest: The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society

The scoop on it: Welcome to Avalon, Illinois, Pop. 4,243. At Madeline’s Tea Salon, the cozy hub of the Avalon community, local residents scrapbook their memories and make new ones. But across town, other Avalonians are struggling to free themselves of the past: Isabel Kidd is fixing up her ramshackle house while sorting through the complications of her late husband’s affair. Ava Catalina is mourning the love of her life and helping her young son grow up without his father. Local plumber Yvonne Tate is smart, beautiful, and new to Avalon, but finds that despite a decade of living life on her own terms, the past has a way of catching up—no matter where she goes. And Frances Latham, mother to a boisterous brood of boys, eagerly anticipates the arrival of a little girl from China—unprepared for the emotional roller coaster of foreign adoption.

Enter Bettie Shelton, the irascible founder of the Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. Under Bettie’s guidance, even the most reluctant of Avalon’s residents come to terms with their past and make bold decisions about their future. But when the group receives unexpected news about their steadfast leader, they must pull together to create something truly memorable.

By turns humorous, wise, and deeply moving, The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society is a luminous reminder that the things we hold most dear will last a lifetime.

Our thoughts: A charming novel we couldn't put down. We simply love the way she writes!

Giveaway: FIVE copies (US only). Just leave a comment & be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 3pm PST on February 3rd.

Fun fact: You might also know Darien as Mia King, the author of more fabulous books!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...DARIEN GEE'S 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: Love Song by Sara Bareilles. I loved the song the first moment I heard it, but it was the video of her listening to her song playing on the radio for the first time (you can do a search on YouTube) that really did me in. I think she’s a great songwriter and artist.

BEST BOOK: She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb, which really taught me about great characters, great plot, great writing. It was a book that really spoke to readers, and it changed the way I viewed literary and commercial novels.

BEST MOVIE: Baby Boom starring Diane Keaton and written/directed by Nancy Meyer. I have a lot of respect for both of them, actress and writer. My novels, especially my Mia King work, follows in the same vein. I would follow Nancy Meyer to the ends of the earth (Something’s Gotta Give is another favorite).

BEST LIFE MOMENT: My third child was born at home. My first birth had been a Cesarean section, and there’s not a lot of respect for natural birth after a surgical birth. I’m also a chicken when it comes to pain and obviously there are no meds with a home birth. So this was a game changer for me on a lot of levels, the least of which was that I really learned to trust myself, my body and my own instincts.

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE: “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” Steve Jobs. I think this is especially great advice for women, who are consummate multi-taskers. Just because we can do something doesn't mean that we should, and learning to deliberately choose where we put our time, energy and heart can make the difference between happiness and unhappiness, success and failure.

Thanks, Darien! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

2013 Club: Alison Atlee and The Typewriter Girl

Our guest today: Alison Atlee Why she rocks:  A true talent, Atlee's writing captivated us!

Her debut: The Typewriter Girl (Out tomorrow--January 29th)

The scoop on it: When Betsey disembarks from the London train in the seaside resort of Idensea, all she owns is a small valise and a canary in a cage. After attempting to forge a letter of reference she knew would be denied her, Betsey has been fired from the typing pool of her previous employer. Her vigorous protest left one man wounded, another jilted, and her character permanently besmirched. Now, without money or a reference for her promised job, the future looks even bleaker than the debacle behind her. But her life is about to change . . . because a young Welshman on the railroad quay, waiting for another woman, is the one man willing to believe in her.

Mr. Jones is inept in matters of love, but a genius at things mechanical. In Idensea, he has constructed a glittering pier that astounds the wealthy tourists. And in Betsey, he recognizes the ideal tour manager for the Idensea Pier & Pleasure Building Company. After a lifetime of guarding her secrets and breaking the rules, Betsey becomes a force to be reckoned with. Now she faces a challenge of another sort: not only to outrun her sins, but also to surrender to the reckless tides of love...

Our thoughts: A refreshing debut, we were completely in love with Betsey!

Giveaway: FIVE copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 3pm PST on Monday, February 3rd.

Fun fact: Alison has fun ways to involve her in your book club.

Where you can read more about Alison: Her website, Twitter, Pinterest & Facebook.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: ALISON ATLEE

DO'S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do...Find a schedule you can live with, not just aspire to. Find ways to mark and celebrate your progress. Find friends who also write.

DON'TS: 3 things every aspiring novelist shouldn't do...Wait for the perfect time. Wait until everyone in your life approves. Wait while you learn everything about your story/genre/querying/the publishing business.

MUST HAVES: On your desk? Nothing in particular. Just not nothing.

On your Facebook feed? I’m too much of a newbie there. Recommendations, please!

App on your phone? Audible audiobooks.

LASTS: Song you listened to on repeat? The soundtrack for Pan’s Labyrinth.

Book you read?  If we can count audiobooks, I just finished Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett. It’s 26^th in the series, but my first Discworld novel, and boy, was I confused for the first hundred “pages”!  Ended up loving it, though, and Stephen Briggs’ narration is stunning. I’m practicing his stilted interpretation of The Auditors for my own amusement.

Time you laughed? During a meeting. Someone made a Freudian slip that really wasn’t all that hilarious, but it turned into a Pez-dispenser-on-the-knee moment for my friend and me.

HOW MANY: Agents did you query before you found "the one?" About seven for The Typewriter Girl.

Hours do you write per day? Two weekdays, six weekends.

Hours do you waste online when you should be writing? No idea. I don’t have broadband, so even legitimate reasons to be online feel like a waste of time...

BESTS: Way to celebrate a book deal? Road trip! A dear friend and I went to see Oprah at an O magazine event.

Trick to overcome writer's block? I change physical positions to jog an idea—stand if I’m sitting, move to a new spot, make false eyelashes out of Post-it notes. Whatever. As for serious writer’s block, I’m not sure there’s a trick as much as a journey that’s going to be different for everyone.

Way to think of a book idea? Do housework with public radio playing in the background.

NEXTS: Show you'll DVR? Downton Abbey

 Book you'll read? Hallucinations, by Oliver Sacks

 Book you'll write? “The Oliver Sacks book is research,” she replied coyly.

Thanks, Alison! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Alyssa Goodnight's 5 BEST EVERS

Our guest today: Alyssa Goodnight Why we love her: We adore her Jane Austen AWESOMENESS.

Her latest: Austensibly Ordinary

The scoop: Cate Kendall is no stranger to daydreams of brooding men and fancy parties--after all, she teaches one of her beloved Jane Austen novels in her English classes every year. But as for romance or adventure in her own life, the highlight of most weeks is Scrabble with her cute coworker, Ethan, and he draws the line at witty banter. But Cate is ready for a change. When she finds a mysterious journal that seems to have a link to the soul of the great Jane Austen herself, she knows it's her chance. And she grabs on with both hands...

Before she knows it, Cate has invented an alter ego with an attitude, attended some seriously chic soirees, and gotten tangled up with a delicious mystery man. And she's uncovered enough unexpected secrets about Ethan that her Scrabble partner has taken to brooding looks and unfathomable silences. It's a positively Austenite predicament, and Cate is sure she'll land in hot water and heartbreak--but maybe not with Jane herself to guide her...

Our thoughts: Crawl under the covers and dive into this one-you'll love it!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Leave a comment here and you'll be entered.  We'll choose the winners after Sunday January 27th at 3pm PST.

Fun Fact: Check out her best life moment below--but WARNING!  It may make you hate on what your hubs did (or didn't do!) for your birthday last year.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ALYSSA GOODNIGHT'S 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG:  "Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightingale  This song never fails to put me in a good mood, and I admit to breaking out in a little impromptu boogie every time I hear it.  (The name Maxine Nightingale gives me a little burst of happiness too.)

BEST BOOK: Before last summer, I think I would have said This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart, which is a classic romantic suspense from the 60's and my favorite comfort read.  But this summer, I read Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein and was blown away.  This book is historical and important and intense and heart-wrenching.  My heart was in my throat through at least half of it.  I've never read anything quite like it, and I have every expectation that memories of it will stay with me for a long time to come.

BEST MOVIE: This one is really tough for me, because there are movies that I will watch over and over and over again, but faced with this question, I'm not convinced that I'd really consider them 'Best Movie' material.  I mean, that's a serious accolade.  I think that if pressed, I would have to say The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Yes, I know it was three movies, but it's one story!  They broke it into three movies as a concession to the limitations of the human bladder.  I'm typically not a big fantasy fan, but there is just something magnificent about that story: the quest, the heroism, the battles, the humor...  It is simply epic.  (It has its share of hotties too.)

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE:  "Don't forget to be awesome!"  I first saw this as a poster/piece of artwork on Pinterest and immediately pinned it, thinking, that about sums it up, doesn't it.  Since then, I've seen it in various other incarnations and decided that it sums up all the other bits of advice quite nicely.  The big thing to remember while you're busy being awesome: It doesn't matter that no one else may be convinced of your awesomeness.  They'll figure it out eventually.  I love this sentiment so much that I recently created a framed reminder for myself to sit on my office desk.  I've (only somewhat jokingly) suggested that my two boys tap the frame everyday from now on.

BEST LIFE MOMENT: The moment it became clear that that my husband had pulled off my crazy 40th birthday wish.  I'd wished for a flash mob--not one I was dancing in, mind you, just one to watch.  And I got one!  I walked into our local Main Event, thinking I was going to play a round or two of birthday laser tag (which I LOVE) with a couple of friends, and instead a really impressive group of friends was lurking, in jeans and black t-shirts, waiting for me to arrive.

Getting over the initial shock, I was pressed into a front-row seat as Thriller was pumped out of the intercom system and everyone slid into rows.  It was an impressive, unbelievable thrill to watch as my friends hunched and twitched to that cult favorite.  And the surprises just kept coming!  As the songs changed and dancers switched in and out, my sons, along with clips from Muppets grumps Statler and Waldorf, commentated, and snapshot photos of my life were displayed on screen.  It was AMAZING.  They even managed to include me for a couple of dances, including, crazily enough, All the Single Ladies.  It was epic, and I will never forget it.  My husband never fails to impress.

Thanks Alyssa!  xoxo, L&L

Belinda Jones' 5 BEST EVERS

Today's guest: Belinda Jones Why we love her: Her books (she's written 11!) are so much fun!

Her latest: Winter Wonderland

The scoop on it: Imagine waking up in a snow globe...That's how travel journalist Krista feels when she arrives in magical Quebec to report on Canada's glittering Winter Carnival. Over ten sub-zero days Krista's formerly frozen heart begins to melt as she discovers an enchanting world of ice palaces, husky dog-sledding and maple-syrup treats galore. And then she meets Jacques, a man as handsome and rugged as he is mysterious...The two share a secret that could bond them forever, but can they find a way to break through the protective layers around their hearts to warm up this winter wonderland? ...let the snow-spangled adventure begin The irresistibly gorgeous new novel from Belinda Jones will completely melt your heart, perfect for those looking to escape in an exhilarating, romantic story with a little extra magic. Fans of Lindsey Kelk, Milly Johnson and Carole Matthews will love Belinda Jones's unique blend of humour, adventure and delectable romance.

Our thoughts: The perfect love story to warm your heart on a cold winter day! It's no surprise that her book has been shortlisted for Romantic Comedy novel of the year by the Romantic Novelists' Association! (Congrats, Belinda!)

Giveway: FIVE *signed* COPIES of the UK version (same book, slightly different, but just as fabulous cover). Just leave a comment & be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, January

Fun fact: You can read the first chapter of Winter Wonderland.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BELINDA JONES' 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG: I'm typically a fan of the smoothie retro-crooners - Frank, Doris, Dean et al. I have my car radio station constantly tuned to the music of the Forties. And yet... my favourite song is Jump by Van Halen!! It's very much about the associated memory and how it makes me feel: My best friend Emily and I were in Paris on vacation and ended up in some dark'n'divey basement club. The song came on, we climbed up onto a platform, danced wildly and then joined hands and decided to take the chorus literally. Only Emily jumped a lot higher than me, hit her head on the ceiling and fell unconscious to the floor. Now of course this is a fonder memory for me than her, but what it is symbolic of to me is that daring leap you take when you are young. I felt a cautious side in me developing as I got older and I don't like it! Whenever I have a big decision coming up or I have to do something that makes me quake in my boots I crank up that song and tell myself, 'Might as well jump!'

BEST BOOK: The Lost Continent - Travels in Small Town America by Bill Bryson. For me if you have Travel and Humour in a book, I'm in heaven. And nobody does that better than Bill Bryson. This book inspired my own pilgrimage - On The Road To Mr Right - A Search for the American Dream Guy - which is my only non-fiction title. The freakiest aspect - it made the Sunday Times Top 10 list the same week Bill Bryson had another hit book out so I was actually in the same chart as my hero for a brief pinch-me moment. Still can't believe it!

BEST MOVIE: Thelma & Louise. This movie, for me, has everything - humour, drama, love, action, two redheads and a great soundtrack. I remember coming out of the movie theatre in Brighton on a high - I went straight to the nearest liquor store to buy a Wild Turkey miniature so I could feel like Thelma and then sat on the pebble beach, looking out to sea and promising myself I would one day take a road trip across that dusty red terrain. I actually visited Canyonlands, Utah on the 10th Anniversary of the movie for a magazine article and then drove through again, coincidentally, on the 20th Anniversary when I was relocating from California to be with my new husband in Virginia. We're getting to favourite advice in a minute but I have to quote Louise's sage drawl here: 'You get what you settle for!' Wise words!

BEST LIFE MOMENT: The first time I took my dog Bodie to the beach. He was picked up as a stray in South Central and when I rescued him from Pryor's Planet (run by Richard Pryor's wife Jennifer who does a fantastic job!) I was told, 'He loves to run!' So we drove from LA to Hendry's Beach in Santa Barbara and I let him loose. The pure joy I got from seeing him bound and frolic and then startle at the waves, and then give swimming a go - little chin up in the air, slightly panicked look on his face - and then shake it off and do it all again, was THE BEST. His eyes were so bright, his grin so enormous, my heart nearly burst! And every time we go, now to a beach in Virginia, it's THE BEST all over again.

BEST ADVICE:

'Better to regret the things you've done than the things you haven't!' My life may be peppered with shameful, cringe-making moments that turn my cheeks pomegranate pink just to think of them but I am unburdened with a list of things I wish I'd tried but didn't have the nerve. As Sophia Loren confirms, 'Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.' Never let potential embarrassment stand in your way. She who dares wins! You get the idea!! The other quote I reference most frequently is Edmund Burke's, 'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.' I think this is true in every day life. It's important to speak up and stand up for what is right. It may palpitate your heart but it's very empowering!

 Thanks, Belinda! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

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

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

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