Meg Donohue's 5 Firsts & Lasts

Today's guest: Meg Donohue Why we love her: We crowned her a Lit IT Girl after reading her sparkling debut, How to Eat a Cupcake.

Her latest: All the Summer Girls

The scoop on it: In Philadelphia, good girl Kate is dumped by her fiancé the day she learns she is pregnant with his child. In New York City, beautiful stay-at-home mom Vanessa finds herself obsessively searching the Internet for news of an old flame. And in San Francisco, Dani, the wild child and aspiring writer who can’t seem to put down a book—or a cocktail—long enough to open her laptop, has just been fired… again.

In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women begin to realize just how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier—and the secrets that only now threaten to surface.

Our thoughts: You know we're suckers for any novel that tackles the complicated bonds between female friends. Meg handles this flawlessly in this book. We highly recommend you add this book to your beach bag this summer!

Giveaway: TWO copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win and we'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 26th after 12 PM PST.

Fun fact: You can read the first two chapters here!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MEG DONOHUE'S 5 FIRSTS & LASTS

KISS

First:  Surely my first kiss was from my mother or father in the moments after my birth. Did you expect something steamy? A good Philly girl never kisses and tells!

Last: Well, okay, maybe just this once: After a week of not kissing for fear of passing the flu to my husband, I am finally healthy and we shared a sweet kiss without the specter of plague attached. I hope.

BOOK I READ

First: It’s not the first book I read, but I remember being particularly enthralled by Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I don’t recall the story, but I know I thought it was beautiful and very sad. I wonder if that was one of the first times I enjoyed the experience of reading something that made me sad? It seems like a monumental, and mature, moment in one’s life as a reader. (I just went online to read the summary of Bridge to Terabithia, and got something—ahem—stuck in my eye. So turns out I’m still carrying around a little seed of sadness planted by this book twenty-five years ago.)

Last: Speaking of beautiful and sad, the last book I read was Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. This book haunted my dreams over the course of time that I read it. I found it to be quite devastating, in part because Atkinson’s characters are so vivid and whole.

RISK I TOOK

First: I think some of the earliest risks I took were with humor. Being funny takes guts—you put yourself out there, and hope your sense of humor will resonate with others too. Sometimes there’s nothing scarier for a kid than just opening her mouth and speaking; fear of rejection can be a muzzle. Looking back, I realize that the jokes that fell flat (and there have been many over the years) were actually confidence builders. The world didn’t end when I swung and missed. I learned to laugh at myself and the cricket-filled dead air that follows an unsuccessful stab at humor, and that ability to laugh, shrug, and move on has served me well.

Last: My last big risk was when All the Summer Girls was published. I spend a long span of time working on a book in private; releasing it into the public sphere is both scary and exciting.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First: When I was in graduate school for creative writing, the Gettysburg Review published one of my short stories. It was the first time I was paid for my fiction, and the story attracted the attention of a couple of agents. I remember feeling very much like it was the start of my dream coming true. I was right, if only in that the experience gave me the confidence to continue believing in myself. Last: In April, my husband and I left our kids with his parents and went to Palm Springs for my birthday. We read for hours in the sun, swam, hiked, ate delicious food, and had Bellinis every morning. It was glorious. Hell ya!

AHA! MOMENT

First: During a back-to-school shopping trip with my mom when I was in middle school, she asked if I cared what brand my clothes were. The truth was that I did care about the brand of my clothes—I wanted to be cool, sue me!—but just my mom asking the question was enough to remind me that the coolest kids are the ones that march to the beat of their own drum, the ones that do things their own way, in pursuit of their own brand of happiness. Her question has served as a bit of a touchstone over the years.

Last: I’m in the early stages of working on my third book, and while I have had the general story arc in mind for a while, it has taken some time to feel like I have a handle on the important details that take a story from an idea to a novel. Lately, I’ve had a few breakthroughs, my protagonist is revealing herself, and many of the more intricate plot points are finally coming together and taking shape. I’m excited!

Thanks, Meg!

Diary of a Debut: What's in a name?

Many people liken the publishing process of a debut novel to having a baby.  They've even coined a term: Book Pregnant. And we totally get it. Even though we haven't been puking each morning and craving crabs during our book pregnancy, there is a feeling of treading into uncharted territory with something you love and have poured your heart and soul into. (Although Liz is praying she doesn't gain 70lbs with this pregnancy...) We've been lovingly caressing the manuscript through the editing process and are anxiously awaiting the cover reveal.  So when our team at Atria felt that the title The Toast should be, well TOAST, it was time to go back to the drawing board.

To be honest, it wasn't a total surprise.  We had sent the manuscript to a freelance editor( the wonderful Emily Heckman, in case you need one), and she loved the book, but wasn't too keen on the title.  So we changed it before sending it on to Atria.  And then our editor at Atria loved the book, but didn't love the new title we had picked out. So we changed it back to The Toast, but we knew its days might be numbered.

So when we got word that it was time to pick a new title, we already had a list we had come up while sipping sake and eating spicy tuna rolls. (We do our best work that way!)

But no one really loved those ones either. (Did we mention that we suck at coming up with titles? Even while sipping sake?)

It was our fab agent, Elisabeth, that came up with a title that everyone loved.   (Thank GAWD she's good at it! #savedourasses)

So The Toast became Your Perfect Life.  Which is totally fine, because now we don't have to worry anymore about having two champagne glasses clinking on the cover. #soooocliche

And for a minute it felt odd, because our baby had a new name. But only for a minute--then we were seriously IN LOVE with our new title.  And we hope you are too.

Tell us what you think!  We have a SIGNED copy of Amy Hatvany's Heart Like Mine. (It's GREAT, btw!)  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Monday, May 27th after 8am PST.

Flash Giveaway: Alison Sweeney's The Star Attraction

Giveaway: A SIGNED copy of Alison Sweeney's The Star Attraction. The Scoop: Sophie is a Hollywood publicist who has a fabulous job, a fabulous boyfriend, and a fabulous life. She even scores her PR firm's most important actor client and every woman's dream—Billy Fox. But will a steamy make-out session in a restaurant alley with her big-name client cost Sophie her job? And does she really want an escape from her life and her loving, if imperfect, relationship with her investment banker boyfriend? The Star Attraction takes us on a wild ride through one woman's daytime soap come to life.

Our thoughts: Loved this fun-filled novel.  A MUST read for the beach this weekend!

We'll choose the winners this Monday, May 19th after 3pm PST.  Good luck!

Rory Samantha Green's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Rory Samantha Green Why we love her: We heart discovering new authors!

Her latest: Playing Along

The scoop: Two Lives. Two Continents. One Song…

Then: George Bryce was an awkward, English schoolboy fantasizing about being in a band. Now: George is frontman of Thesis, an overnight indie scene sensation. Intense, creative and self-deprecating, his childhood dreams have all been fulfilled – so why does George still feel so lost?

Then: Lexi Jacobs was a confident Californian high school cheerleader, planning her future marriage and a meaningful career. Now: Lexi is searching for substance in a life full of mishaps. Cautious, bemused and rapidly losing the control she used to rely on, none of her teenage dreams have delivered and she’s left wondering, “What next?”

Follow George and Lexi as they navigate their days thousands of miles apart. Fly with them from London to LA and back again, as George copes with the dynamics of his tight knit band and loose knit family, while Lexi juggles her eccentric new boss, bored best friend and smother mother.

Even though there’s an ocean between them and their worlds couldn’t be further apart, George and Lexi are pulled together through music, and their paths appear determined to cross. The question is – when?

Our thoughts: Fun summer reading for sure!

Giveaway: TWO copies! Leave a comment and we'll choose winners after Noon PST on Sunday, May 19th.

Fun Fact: Her mom is bestselling author Jackie Collins!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...RORY SAMANTHA GREEN'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS:

First: Must I really start here?! I think I wrote ‘Playing Along’ to try and compensate for the lack of romance in my adolescence! My first kiss was when I was 16 years old. I went on a date with a waiter at my dad’s restaurant. I’d had a crush on him for months. Every time he placed a Caprese salad in front of me, my heart somersaulted. After dinner he dropped me home very early and clearly had no intention of kissing me goodnight, but I leaned in anyway, forever hopeful. The result was an awkward and cringe worthy bumping of mouths, and I went to bed that night with a very crumpled ego. It shouldn’t rightly be categorized as a kiss at all, it was more like a bruise, but there it is, stamped on my timeline, a reminder that as much as we wish it to be – life is rarely a movie!

Last: My husband is under strict orders to kiss me every time he leaves the house in the morning – even if the path to my lips is scattered with two lanky teens, backpacks, discarded homework sheets, one jumping dog and a lone converse high top.  He has become adept at navigating the obstacles! So my last kiss was this morning – short and always very sweet.

RISK I TOOK:

The first risk I took was going to an adventure playground with Laura Agnew when I was 8 years old. Problem being, I wasn’t very ‘adventurous’ and my courageous attempt to clamber up a climbing frame and swing from the monkey bars, resulted in me catching my jeans on a nail and ripping a hole in them noticeable enough to advertise my underwear to the ‘whole’ of London. I was utterly mortified. If the first ‘kiss’ didn't illicit your sympathy, surely this play date gone awry will have done the trick?!

The last risk I took was going white water rafting with my family in Costa Rica over spring break. My reluctance to be ‘physically’ adventurous has lingered, and I often have to push myself to take risks beyond the page. White water rafting was so exhilarating though! I loved every wet, heart pumping second and I impressed my kids by not falling out of the raft (they were assured that I would!)

BOOK I READ:

The first book I remember reading was “The Enchanted Wood” by Enid Blyton. It was my mother’s favourite book when she was a girl and she passed on her love of it to my sisters and I. The book tells the story of two sisters and a brother who happen upon a magical wood, where they climb a tree and discover a world of wonderful and eccentric characters and embark on zany adventures. I became lost in that book and it has forever sparked my imagination and inspired my love of story.

I just finished “Where’d You go Bernadette” by Maria Semple. It tells the story of  a girl looking for her mother by piecing together correspondence. It is utterly brilliant! Laugh out loud funny, satirical, poignant, exquisitely well observed. I was smitten.

HELL YA MOMENT:

My first Hell Ya’ moment was when I won the reading competition at my school when I was a timid eleven year old. I was the youngest competitor and read a passage from Judy Blume’s ‘Superfudge’.  We were judged on our ‘reading performances’. It was an unexpected victory - the rise of the underdog! My sister cried in the school assembly (like I was winning an Oscar) and I had to walk in front of the entire school and claim a shiny silver trophy. It was my first and last time ‘winning’ anything, but it came via my passion for reading, which made it all the more delicious.

My last Hell Ya’ moment was when I uploaded my book, Playing Along, to Amazon and began my publishing journey. It had been a long time coming and I reveled in the sense of empowerment and liberation I felt taking the book’s destiny into my own hands!

AHA MOMENT

My first Aha moment was when I was eleven years old again (clearly a momentous year!) and I used to sit on summer afternoons with my friend, Christina, on the balcony of her flat writing lyrics to the music she played on her guitar. I remember feeling so grown-up and drenched in happiness – realizing the profound joy that can come from expressing yourself through writing and sharing creativity with a friend. I guess I channelled that part of myself when I was writing George.

My last Aha moment was when I listened to some of the women in the reflective writing workshop that I lead, write and read about their on-going battles with loud and nasty inner critics. So many of us are linked in the struggle to be a little kinder to ourselves. We often follow a path of self sabotage instead of self care. I am always deeply moved by the courage it takes to be honest and vulnerable and I learn something every week from the women who come to Write To Be You. It really is a privilege to be witness to the birth of so many heartfelt words. I’m a lucky woman!

Thanks, Rory! 

Alida Nugent's 5 Best Evers

Our guest today: Alida Nugent Why we love her: Girlfrin' is snarky as hell!  We LOVE it!

Her latest: Don't Worry, It Gets Worse

The scoop:Alida Nugent graduated college with a degree in one hand and a drink in the other, eager to trade in parties and all-nighters for “the real world.” But post-grad wasn’t the glam life she imagined. Soon buried under a pile of bills, laundry, and three-dollar bottles of wine, it quickly became clear that she had no idea what she was doing. But hey, what twentysomething does?

In Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse, Nugent shares what it takes to make the awkward leap from undergrad to “mature and responsible adult that definitely never eats peanut butter straight from the jar and considers it a meal.” From trying to find an apartment on the black hole otherwise known as Craigslist to the creative maneuvering needed to pay off student loans and still enjoy happy hour, Nugent documents the formative moments of being a twentysomething with a little bit of snark and a lot of heart. Perfect for fans of HBO's Girls and Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half, and based on her popular Tumblr blog The Frenemy, Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse is a love note to boozin’, bitchin’ ladies everywhere.

Our thoughts: Really fun. If you love the series Girls,(or even if you don't) you'll flip for this book!

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the  winner after NOON on Sunday, May 19th.

Fun fact: Alida's website, The Frenemy is rad-very funny!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ALIDA NUGENT'S 5 BEST EVERS

BEST SONG:

I’m going to have to go with “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette. I sing it every time I do karaoke, which is almost never but still too much. I first heard it when I was a teenager and it was girl-power with such TEETH.. It’s dirty and raw and really great when screaming with friends out a window on a road trip. I know this from experience.

However, if we’re going with new hits, I can’t stop listening to Q.U.E.E.N by Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu. It’s another powerful female anthem that makes me want to dance on the subway and have everybody move out my way.

BEST BOOK

My favorite book is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I love Oscar. He’s smart and his wit cuts deep. He’s decadent and sad and isn’t afraid to describe every sense. I am nothing like him, my writing is nothing like him, but he still inspires me. My friend Shane wrote my name on his grave. I have a book cover of his tattooed on the back of my neck. Oscar is always with me, which I’m sure he’d hate, unfortunately.

I have to mention my second favorite book---The Beach by Alex Garland. I mention it because it proves I have a penchant for books that have made truly awful movies.

BEST MOVIE

These are hard questions. It’s such a cop out that I’ve said two books and two songs. I have to do one movie now. I’m going to say Jurassic Park because I’ve liked that movie the longest. I love dinosaurs, I love Jeff Goldblum, I can’t believe they thought the idea of a dino park was a good idea. As a kid, I thought the old man’s cane had a ball of maple syrup at the top and I wanted to lick it. Yes, definitely Jurassic Park. But I was considering Heathers. Now I’ve said two movies but I’ve chosen one. That’s less of a cop out, I think.

BEST LIFE MOMENT

Holding my book for the first time. I don’t have kids or a puppy, so the book is the closest thing I’ve had to a baby. When that book arrived in the mail, I wanted to go back in time to my middle-school self and say: “hey, keep writing, weirdo! It will one day pay off. Maybe go to a state school."

BEST ADVICE

Bring a jacket with you. Who knows where the day will end up?

Thanks Alida!

Jamie Brenner's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest: Jamie Brenner Why we love her: Her novel immediately sucked us in.

Her latest: The Gin Lovers

The scoop on it: What price would you pay for happiness? For Charlotte, freedom from her marriage might be the one thing she can’t afford.

It’s 1925, and the Victorian era with its confining morals is all but dead. Unfortunately, for New York socialite Charlotte Delacorte, the scandalous flapper revolution is little more than a headline in the tabloids. Living with her rigid and controlling husband William, her Fifth Avenue townhouse is a gilded cage. But when William’s rebellious younger sister, the beautiful and brash Mae, comes to live with them after the death of their mother, Charlotte finds entrée to a world beyond her wildest dreams – and a handsome and mysterious stranger whom she imagines is as confident in the bedroom as he is behind the bar of his forbidden speakeasy.

Soon, Charlotte realizes that nothing is as it seems. Secrets are kept and discovered, loves are lost and found, and Charlotte is finds herself on the brink of losing everything — or having it all.

Our thoughts: Love that it has that "Downton Abbey" feel to it! With a whole lotta sexy mixed in!

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win and we'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, May 19th.

Fun fact: Jamie Also writes under the pen name Logan Belle!

Where you can read more about Jamie: Her website, Twitter and Facebook!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JAMIE BRENNER'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: It was September 13, 1985. Yes, I know the exact date because the MTV Video awards were on. It happened at my house. I was standing with my “boyfriend” in the kitchen next to the dishwashing machine. I could hear Dire Straits on the tv in the other room. I couldn’t even enjoy the moment because I kept wondering if my braces were bothering him.

Last: This morning, with my fiancé. My last, my best, my always.

BOOK I READ

First: Amazing question. I don’t know the exact first book I ever read. I remember reading books in first grade and my teacher telling me they were books for fourth graders. It was the first thing I ever took pride in. The first specific books I remember reading were the Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz books and the Nancy Drew series.

Last: The Island by Elin Hilderbrand. I devoured it. My next will be one by her, too. I just have to decide between her slew of bestsellers!

RISK I TOOK

First: I wanted bangs but my mother said no. So I cut them myself. I got punished and the bangs looked terrible. I’m just thankful that even though the end results were bad, it didn’t stop me from taking more risks!

Last: Quitting my job to write novels full time. Only slightly more terrifying than the  moment when the scissors cut into my six year old hair.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First: April 6, 1986. The boy I’d liked since 7th grade asked me out.

Last: The day I saw a copy of my first novel, Blue Angel.  My publisher sent me a box of advance copies. I showed it off like a newborn baby. And then I put it on my bookshelf next to Judith Krantz.

AHA! MOMENT

First: The boy who asked me out told me he loved me. I was fifteen, and I realized that I was going to have a “life” after all. Things didn’t only happen in books and movies.

Last: When my fiancé kissed me for the first time. I realized that I could still feel fifteen again.

Thanks, Jamie!

2013 Club: L. Alison Heller's The Love Wars

Our guest today: L. Alison Heller Why we love her: Her debut novel is FANTASTIC. And she is CUTE as hell.  And FUNNY too! (Yes, we're girl crushin'!)

Her debut novel: The Love Wars

The scoop: Even though Molly Grant has only a handful of relationships behind her, she’s already been through more divorces than she can count.

At the premier Manhattan law firm where she’s a matrimonial attorney, the hours are long, the bosses tyrannical, and the bonuses stratospheric. Her clients are rich, famous, and used to getting their way. Molly’s job—and primary concern in life—is to work as hard as possible to make sure they do. Until she meets the client who changes everything….

Fern Walker is the desperate former wife of a ruthless media mogul. Her powerful ex is slowly pushing her out of her young children’s lives, and she fears losing them forever. Molly—haunted by an incident from her own past—finds herself unable to walk away from Fern and sets out to help her. She just needs to do it without her bosses finding out.

Now, as complications both professional and personal stack up, Molly can only hope that her own wits, heart, and instincts are enough—both in and out of court.

Our thoughts: Very Devil Wears Prada-esque! We LOVED it--fast paced and fun, you won't be able to resist The Love Wars. One of our faves so far in 2013.

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 19th after NOON PST.

Fun fact: Alison writes what she knows--she opened her own family law and mediation practice in 2006.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: L. ALISON HELLER'S THE LOVE WARS

DO'S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do

Be Nosy! Eavesdrop, people watch and make up pretend lives for any strangers who inspire such speculation. I always thought this was just a weird thing I did, and it decidedly is, but it’s also a skill that when nurtured can strengthen your fiction.

Read Bird by Bird by Annie Lamott. Not only does it fantastically describe the writer’s state of being open and observing, but it also coaxes that openness. It changed the way I think a little bit.

Write (of course) and revise, revise, revise.

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

Think that you can’t be a novelist because you don’t have an MFA.

Think that you can’t be a novelist because the first draft doesn’t turn out the way you want. (That means you’re doing it right. Or at least I hope it does.)

Give up! I’ve heard plenty of novelists reference the trick to success: finishing things.

MUST HAVES

On your desk? A lot of mail that I’ve opened but not yet dealt with. Stray sticky pads stuck in random places. Five pens, three of which are uncapped. The largest pair of noise cancelling headphones I’ve ever seen. (In all honesty, I don’t need ANY of these things, but they’re on my desk and have been for quite some time. I would much prefer to chalk this up to their being crucial than my sloppiness.)

Truly, my only must have is my computer, which I love and take pretty much everywhere.

On your Facebook feed? True confession: I am a lurker—an unrelenting, take-no-prisoners lurker on both Facebook, specifically and the Internet, generally. I LOVE looking at pictures—the adorable toddler pictures, the good times at a bar pictures, the we-hiked-up-a-mountain pictures, the we-got-a-fish tank-and-this-is-us-setting-it-up pictures. I am rather heavy-handed with the likes, which I hope is enough to save me from being a creepy lurker and at least land me in the friendly/benign category.

App on your phone? Pages and Notes. It frustrates me beyond to try and edit on that tiny keyboard (and small screen), but it’s still comforting to feel like I can do it wherever.

I also have a surprising amount of apps for dressing up princesses, but I swear those aren’t for me.

LASTS

Song you listened to on repeat? Under African Skies by Paul Simon. There’s a scene in my second book in which sisters listen to it on a car trip, so I was playing the song over and over while conjuring and writing. In the book, the track sparks one of the sisters to remember her childhood, which was almost nothing like mine except that I too listened to Paul Simon a lot growing up.

My Dad loved music, Paul Simon’s included, and since he passed away two years ago, playing the songs he loved has been one of the ways that we remember him and continue to feel connected. It’s wonderful, but also sad. I had no idea that Under African Skies would bring on the nostalgia (because honestly, it’s the earlier stuff I remember listening to as a kid) but it did.  I got completely sidetracked from the scene and—between the crying and the memories and singing along and the continued pressing of repeat—things got a little messy.

Book you read? PICTURES OF YOU by Caroline Leavitt. LOVED it.

Time you laughed? The last time was a few hours ago when I arrived at my daughter’s preschool for pick up and saw hanging on her little hallway cubby hook the dress AND tights she had been wearing that morning. I briefly imagined her casting off her clothing like some pirouetting fairy sprite too ethereal to be bothered with such earthly confinement (an act that would have been in character for her) before thinking to check whether her spare clothes were missing. Thankfully, they were, at which point I allowed myself the laugh. (The reason for the change was rather tame—water spill.)

HOW MANY

Agents did you query before you found "the one?" I had read somewhere to send out queries in shifts of 15-20 because your manuscript will change along the journey of finding representation. Because I’m nothing if not obedient, I had sent out my first shift of about that many and got several rejections, very quickly—one less than a minute after I sent it out, which I felt had to be some sort of record. As part of my surveying stage, I also signed up for one of those “find an agent” writers’ conferences being held in my city.

Here’s how it went down: on Friday, I attended the conference with my first two pages and query and was basically told that I needed to scrap everything before anyone would get within fifty feet of it. I returned home demoralized and spent the weekend fairly moany and groany. On Monday—two days after that—my now-agent, part of the initial batch of 15-20, who had previously requested a full manuscript, called and offered representation.

Mine was sort of like a classic agent quest on speed. I got incredibly, incredibly lucky that someone on the top of my list from my first batch made an offer. But, I also experienced that metallic taste of rejection—blank looks after nervous oral pitching (the worst) and the feeling that I was just throwing queries into a black hole.

The moral: taste is subjective. Polish your manuscript as best you can and listen to the suggestions, but sleep on them and go with your gut on what’s a valuable comment and what’s noise.

Hours do you write per day? I don’t have a strict count because any goal would be too vulnerable. I usually try to use the morning hours. If I can’t because of my divorce work, I will attempt to mobilize after dinner (the time when I am usually at my weakest as a human being).

Hours do you waste online when you should be writing? A lot. This is another reason much why I don’t hold myself to a strict word count. If anyone has any tips of how to spend less time on Internet, please let me know.

BESTS

Way to celebrate a book deal? I was really good at celebrating. I bought a handbag I’d been eyeing. I drank champagne. I had far more celebratory meals than the event warranted. Truly, in the celebrating-your-own-book-deal category, I shone.

Trick to overcome writer's block? Reading or writing something else can help, as can the passage of time—sometimes you just need to NOT actively think about something for the ideas to start breaking free from your brain.

Way to think of a book idea? Primarily newspapers; stories from friends (gossip, I guess, although that term sounds rather mean); and magazines. I get excited when a story makes me stop and ask what if and why.

My idea for my second book came along with the true story of a regular guy—with a family, house, respectably boring job and probably a golden retriever—who’d committed a crime in the workplace. There are plenty of whys in there, but I couldn’t stop wondering about his wife—was she surprised or in denial? How did it square with her morality and family priorities? What, if anything, did she tune out? What was she consciously aware of? And so on. The story changed drastically as I got into it, but that was the germ.

NEXTS

Show you'll DVR? Right now I think I’m DVRing Mad Men and The Good Wife. My DVR, however, has likely decided on its own that it’s too full and tired and underappreciated to tape either. I’ll realize it later in the week when I go to watch them and have another exhausting yes, you can! talk with it. And the DVR might appear to get with the program (no pun intended), but will ultimately ignore me again. That’s our dynamic as of late.

Book you'll read? I just cracked open WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel— my sister and mother (along with most others on planet earth) loved it and I can see why. I really want to read Amy Shearn’s THE MERMAID OF BROOKLYN both because I’m a mother in Brooklyn and because it looks wonderful. And, of course, as soon as I can get my hands on it, the all-around fabulous and talented Meg Donohue’s ALL THE SUMMER GIRLS. Doesn’t just reading the title make you feel the fresh sea breeze across your face?

Book you'll write? My second will be out in 2014 and I just handed in the first round of revisions on it to my editor. It has a working title, but we changed THE LOVE WARS so many times (four) that I’m reluctant to put it out there until it’s cemented. Also, as life is generally better for me and those around me when I have a work-in-progress, I’ve started the initial draft of my third, which doesn’t take place in NYC—a first for me.

Thanks Alison!

Flash Giveaway! Isabelle Lafleche's J'Adore Paris

Giveaway: A SIGNED copy of  J'Adore Paris by Isabelle Lafleche The scoop: When chic Parisian lawyer Catherine Lambert lands her dream job as intellectual property director for Christian Dior, she is on top of the world. She’s prepared to embark on the ride of her life in the world of fashion, fighting high-profile legal battles against international counterfeiters. She’ll also be reunited with colleague-turned-boyfriend Antoine in her beloved hometown.

But Catherine’s visions of front-row seats at the couture shows and strolling the Champs-Élysées hand in hand with the love of her life are soon displaced by the realities of dingy police vans and threatening anonymous phone calls. The code of ethics that she knew from mergers and acquisitions does not seem to apply in the nefarious counterfeiting underworld, and Catherine finds her life turned upside-down by surprise meetings in dark alleys and an unexpected degree of notoriety among the criminal element. Will Catherine and her loyal assistant, Rikash, manage to outsmart even the most crooked of characters and come out on top?

Our thoughts:  Say oui oui to this one!

Leave a comment to enter.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday May 19th after NOON PST.

The 2013 Club: Amy Sue Nathan and The Glass Wives

Our guest today: Amy Sue Nathan

Why she rocks: We can't believe this is her debut novel! Can't wait for her next book! (Which sounds juicy, btw. Details below!)

Her debut: The Glass Wives (Out May 14th!)

The scoop on it: Evie and Nicole Glass share a last name. They also shared a husband.

When a tragic car accident ends the life of Richard Glass, it also upends the lives of Evie and Nicole, and their children. There’s no love lost between the widow and the ex. In fact, Evie sees a silver lining in all this heartache—the chance to rid herself of Nicole once and for all.  But Evie wasn’t counting on her children’s bond with their baby half-brother, and she wasn’t counting on Nicole’s desperate need to hang on to the threads of family, no matter how frayed. Strapped for cash, Evie cautiously agrees to share living expenses—and her home—with Nicole and the baby. But when Evie suspects that Nicole is determined to rearrange more than her kitchen, Evie must decide who she can trust. More than that, she must ask: what makes a family?

Our thoughts: We loved this book about the complexities of friendship! A must-read!

Giveaway: TWO copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, May 12 after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: She hosts the popular Women's Fiction Writers blog! (In all her spare time!)

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: AMY SUE NATHAN

DO'S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do

1. First, believe in yourself and your story. If you don’t, chances are you won’t be able to convince anyone else to believe in it either.

2. Second, remember that kind criticism is your friend. It’s not easy (nor is the first “should”) but it’s essential.

3. Third, take a break when you need a break. I’m a big believer in letting things simmer and stew. When I’m stuck I don’t sit in front of the computer, I walk away from it. That seems to always allow me to find the answers to my plot or character issues or to get reinspired.

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

1. First and foremost, ignore the naysayers. That means if someone rolls his or her eyes when you say you’re writing a book, or seems disinterested in your ambition, cross ‘em off your list. At least for a while.

2. Next, do not compare yourself or your book to others. I’m still working on that one.

3. Last but not least, don’t forget that what works for one writer doesn’t always work for another. Do what works for you.

MUST HAVES:

1. On your desk? I have learned to always have a drink on my desk, otherwise I tend to forget to get up and drink. That means coffee, water, sugar-free lemonade, or if I’m working at night, it could be wine!

2. On your Facebook feed?   On my Facebook feed I always follow my writer friends. They inspire me.

3. App on your phone? The app on my phone I can’t do without is weather. It’s very important for me to know the temperature in many different cities. Tell me where you live and I’ll add it to my list.

LASTS:

1. Song you listened to on repeat? Confession time: I rarely listen to music.

2. Book you read? But the last book I read was THE LIFE LIST by Lori Nelson Spielman, which comes out July 9th. It was fabulous and I read it in less than two days!

3. Time you laughed? The last time I laughed was a few minutes ago when one of my dogs poked her nose in front of the computer. She wants to know why you don’t want HER to answer questions.

HOW MANY:

1. Agents did you query before you found "the one?" In total I queried 116 and my agent was somewhere in the middle.

2. Hours do you write per day? I don’t write every day, but when I do, it’s hours and hours and hours. I’m an all or nothing kind of writer.

3. Hours do you waste online when you should be writing?  Online hours are wasted? I don’t think so! Okay, maybe. Sometimes. Okay—way too many.

BESTS:

1. Way to celebrate a book deal? My best friend of thirty-three years is flying out to celebrate with me. My son will be home from college and my daughter is staying home from school.  We are having a small launch party to celebrate that night, but the big event will be at my local library a few weeks later.  I think all of those things make it “the best” for me!

2. Trick to overcome writer's block? My trick for overcoming writers block is to block out writing. I walk away, do something else, forget about the issue or problem.  The muse is displeased when ignored. Ta-dah! Problem solved.

3. Way to think of a book idea? Ideas come to me. I pretty much have nothing to do with them, except I write them down immediately so I don’t forget, which I’m apt to do.

NEXTS:

1. Show you'll DVR? I’m embarrassed how many shows I DVR. I love TV and I love documentaries. My DVR runneth over.

2. Book you'll read? Right now I’m re-reading THE THIRD SON by Julie Wu.

3. Book you'll write? The book I’m writing now is about a blogger, but not just any blogger.  This woman misrepresents herself. Okay, she lies. It’s a story about those big life lies, what makes people tell them and what has to happen to compel someone to come clean and deal with the consequences. It’s also about the perils of getting lost in an online life at the expense of a real life.  I also have two more books in the hopper.  I have no idea what a hopper is, by the way, but that is definitely where my books are waiting for me and they’re pounding to get out.

Thanks, Amy!

7 Seconds in Heaven with...Jon Harrison

Our guest today: Jon Harrison

Why we want to spend 7 Seconds in Heaven with him: We love a man who can not only write about love but do it well.

His latest: The Banks of Certain Rivers

The scoop on it: Neil Kazenzakis is barely holding his life together: ever since an accident left his wife profoundly disabled, he's been doing his best as a single dad and popular high school teacher. He's also been dealing with Lauren Downey, his sort-of girlfriend of the past two years who's pushing for a commitment—and for Neil to finally tell his son Christopher about their secret relationship.

Neil's carefully balanced world begins to fall apart when some questionable footage of him is anonymously posted to YouTube...just as Chris learns about Lauren in the worst possible way. Doubting his own recollection of the events in the online video as he's threatened with the loss of his job and the ability to care for his wife, Neil must find a way to prove the truth to his family, his community, and himself as he struggles to regain the splintered trust of his son.

Heartbreaking, poignant, and written with devastating humor and warmth, The Banks of Certain Rivers is a shattering story of memory, loss, and just how far a man will go to show the people closest to him the meaning of love.

Our thoughts: Warning: This book is unputdownable.

Giveaway: One e-copy. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winner on Sunday, May 12th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: The fabulous Catherine McKenzie told us about Jon. Thanks, Catherine!

Where you can read more about Jon: Facebook,Twitter and his website.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...7 SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH...JON HARRISON

1. Liz & Lisa: What’s your favorite book and why? Jon Harrison: There are so many. If I had to pick one novel, I'd say The Sun Also Rises. For all the ugly behavior of its characters, it's really the spring from which all modern fiction flows. I can go back to Raymond Carver's collected poems again and again. Ditto for St. Augustine's Confessions.

2. L&L: What’s the best thing about living in the Rockies? JH: We get all four seasons, sometimes in the same day. Also, the views can be pretty great.

3. L&L: What do you love about running? Does it help your writing? JH: It's nice to be reminded that there can be something just as painful as writing, and that's running. The great thing about it, though, is that after a run I actually feel good instead of filled with the usual dread and self-doubt. So it's a nice break from my writing routine.

4. L&L: Where’s your favorite place to write? JH: I have a wobbly table in my loft on which there are marked-up manuscript pages, sticky note pads, a brass barometer, a volcanic rock from Mt. Fuji, a baseball signed by Fritz Peterson, a faded Mystery Science Theater 3000 mug filled with pens and sharpies, and my laptop. That's my favorite place to write.

5. L&L: What are you reading right now? JH: A fantastic book called The Rider by the Dutch novelist Tim Krabbé. On the surface it's a spare, tight story about a bike race, each kilometer in the race taking a page in the novel, but really it's a profound trip inside this guy's head that blows me away each time I read it.

6. L&L: Where did the inspiration for The Banks of Certain Rivers come from? JH: A while back there was a thing in the news where a bicyclist in New York City was charged with assault for aggressively charging toward a cop. As it turned out, some tourists had filmed the whole thing, and the cop had actually run out into the street and knocked the guy off his bike. It got me thinking about how, with cameras everywhere, things are so thoroughly documented now, and how easily that could be manipulated.

7. L&L: What’s your biggest pet peeve? JH: People who make a big show of writing in coffee shops.

Thanks, Jon!

Bridget Siegel's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Bridget Siegel Why we love her: She makes politics fun! (and sexy too...)

Her latest: Domestic Affairs

The scoop: When twentysomething political fund-raiser Olivia Greenley gets tapped to work on the presidential campaign of Georgia governor, Landon Taylor, it’s her dream job. Her best friend in the world is the campaign manager, and Taylor is a decent, charismatic idealist, with a real chance to be a great leader. Sacrificing her sleep, comfort, friends, family and income for a year to make the world a better place is the right call, but what happens when both Campaign Lesson #1, No Kissing the Boss, and Lesson #2, Loyalty Above All, go down in flames before the first primary?

Bridget Siegel, veteran of the John Edwards and President Obama campaigns, vividly captures the idealism and chaos, as well as the emotional heat and corruption, of the candidate’s bubble. What becomes of Olivia’s best friends when she must keep from them the biggest secret of her life?   Is the candidate a true romantic or a political hypocrite? How far can she go to justify her happiness?

Our thoughts: Fun! A total guilty pleasure!

Giveaway: TWO copies! (US only).  Leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on May 13th.

Fun fact: MAJOR multitasker alert! Bridget has worked on political campaigns at the local, state, and national levels. A graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, she is now an actor, writer, and political consultant.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BRIDGET SIEGEL'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: I had the cliché first kiss at summer camp. There's a good chance I was wearing a tie-dyed shirt and some bedazzled jean shorts.

Last: I just did one of those running jump into my boyfriend's arms kisses. You know the ones that look so graceful and romantic in your head but wind up hurting his back and your forehead when you clumsily fall over in reality. I didn't mind though, we had just booked a trip to Disney this summer and that's worth any injury. Disney World is my hands down favorite place. I'm that girl who goes to London and says "wow, this looks just like Epcot".

BOOK I READ

First: I'm not sure on my very first book-it may have been the big Richard Scarry book at my grandma's house- but the first book that really took hold of me was Gone With the Wind. I carried it with me, which, you know, in pre e-book days wasn't such a small load, every day of the fourth grade. I loved everything about it from the language to the dresses. It was the first time I realized a book could transport you to a whole new world. I think I was Scarlett O'Hara for at least three consecutive Halloweens, and every day in between in my head.

Last:
This week I had the chance to read two great books not out yet so get your pre-ordering skills on! I read Lindsey Kelk's new book About a Girl, which was funny and sweet. She writes characters with such old-school gumption. Not to mention they say things like "rubbish" and "swings and roundabouts". I read it with a British accent in my head, which makes me feel like I have gumption too. The other was my friend Alberto Hazan's medical thriller Dr.Vigilante. He's an actual ER doctor who wrote about an ER doctor who spends his nights going after the abusers and molesters who bring patients in to him during the day. It's poignant, scary and it sneaks in some intense romance. I'm still shaking a little thinking of it

RISK I TOOK

First: I tried a ski race when I was a little kid. My younger brother went down before me speeding past the gates like it was the easiest thing in the world. I followed after and the second I hit my first slab of ice I panicked and snowplowed down the rest of the hill. It wasn't my best showing. It was also when I realized just because my brother makes something athletic look easy, does not mean it is.

Last: I try to do new things all the time but I think the last major risk I took was quitting politics to go for an acting career. I was lucky enough to have a lot of supportive people around to help me through it. I haven't won any Oscars yet but even on the bad days, actually going after my dream is the best life I could ask to lead. Though, now that I think about it, the leather pants I wore the other day weren't exactly a non-risk.


HELL YA MOMENT

First: The first one I can remember (when I was old enough to say "hell") was hitting a homerun in little league. I always played for terrible teams. They used to call us pinwheel- because that's what the other teams looked like going around the bases on a continual loop. We probably lost that game 15-1 but the feeling of the ball hitting that perfect place on the bat and soaring was definitely a hell yeah moment.

Last:I just recently found out I'm going to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune and I think I actually might have screamed "hell yeah". Understand, it's not like a lottery thing, I had to go through many audition stages. I think the process is probably somewhere between what you'd have to do to get on Jeopardy and the Price is Right- like a mildly intelligent jumping around sort of thing. I believe my experience as the mascot at my college really helped, at least with the enthusiastic cheering part. And, I may or may not have made a "Wheel of Fortune Workout Video" where I dressed in workout clothes and a WOFW headband. Now I practice every day. I'm feeling pretty confident I'll win a million dollars and a trip to Hawaii. Or maybe Disney.

AHA MOMENT

First: When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress, a singer, a teacher, a tennis player and a Mets catcher -- in various orders depending on the season. But in the third grade my next door neighbor, Sue Lebow, took me to a county democratic lunch and I had my first introduction to politics- aha! Come to think of it, working in politics was sort of like being an actress, singer, teacher, tennis player and Mets catcher all at once so I guess it worked out.

Last: When you delve into new careers with no real prep for them you have aha moments all the time because there's just so much new to learn (I had at least 4 learning how to be on Twitter #confusing) but I think the most recent lesson that's stuck with me is advice my friend Gabrielle gave me about dating. I had gone on one date and felt the need to decide immediately whether or not it would work, which retrospectively I had done often. "There's something between a first date and marriage," she had told me. I know that seems pretty obvious but I think so many times in life I rush to make a decision instead of living through it with an open mind. I've tried to really change that and it's led me down paths I don't think I would have ever walked otherwise. I learned that sometimes the best things are those you couldn't even imagine, so don't make decisions before you've seen the real options (not only the ones you can think of). There's a lot of life in between the first date and marriage.

Thanks, Bridget!

2013 Club: Andrea Lochen and The Repeat Year

Our guest today: Andrea Lochen

Why she rocks:  You'll be hooked on this debut novel from page one.

Her debut: The Repeat Year (Out today!)

The scoop on it: Everyone has days, weeks, even months they wish they could do over—but what about an entire year? After living through the worst twelve months of her life, intensive care nurse Olive Watson is given a second chance to relive her past and attempt to discover where she went wrong…

After a year of hardships, including a messy breakup with her longtime boyfriend Phil, the prospect of her mother’s remarriage, and heartbreaking patient losses at the hospital, Olive is ready to start fresh. But when she wakes up in her ex-boyfriend’s bed on New Year’s Day 2011—a day she has already lived—Olive’s world is turned upside down.

Shouldering a year of memories that no one else can recall, even Olive begins to question herself—until she discovers that she is not alone. Upon crossing paths with Sherry Witan, an experienced “repeater,” Olive learns that she has the chance to rewrite her future. Given the opportunity of a lifetime, Olive has to decide what she really wants. Should she make different choices, or accept her life as she knows it, flaws and all?

Our thoughts: We loved this story of what you do when you actually get a second chance.

Giveaway:TWO copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, May 12th.

Fun fact: Read an excerpt of The Repeat Year here.

Where you can read more about Andrea: Her website and Facebook .

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: ANDREA LOCHEN

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

1) Learn how to take constructive criticism

2) Find a writing community

3) Say yes to new and interesting opportunities—the more you live, the more you’ll have to write about!

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

1) Fall so in love with your first draft that you’re unwilling to make any changes

2) Take rejection personally (especially from the people who clearly don’t “get” your book)

3) Make all your characters aspiring writers

3. MUST HAVES: On your desk? A yummy scented candle from Anthropologie, several to-do lists, and a drawerful of my favorite candy (Chewy Spree are my guilty pleasure while writing).

On your Facebook feed?  Grammar jokes, pictures of ridiculously cute animals and babies, updates from my favorite authors.

App on your phone?  I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m probably the last person in the country without a smart phone, except perhaps, my grandfather.  We’ll see how much longer I can hold out on this trend!

4. LASTS: Song you listened to on repeat? Taylor Swift’s “Holy Ground”

Book you read? John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, which is even better than all its hype!

Time you laughed? I teach creative writing at a university, and my friend recently shared a Tumblr blog with me called “My Life as a College Professor.”  It cracked me up because it’s so true in a totally irreverent way!  It points out professors’ pet peeves, embarrassing moments, little victories, and major failures using hilarious animated GIFs.

5. HOW MANY: Agents did you query before you found "the one?"  More than I care to admit, but Stephany Evans was worth the wait!

Hours do you write per day?  I don’t write every day, but when I do, it’s for a solid chunk of six or seven hours.

Hours do you waste online when you should be writing?  My ratio of hours spent writing versus online dallying is probably 3:1 on a good day and 1:3 on a bad day.

6. BESTS: Way to celebrate a book deal? With my first book deal, I danced around the living room and called everyone I knew.  Then my husband suggested we go out for dinner anywhere I wanted.  I chose Pizza Hut.  True story!  (What can I say?  I love their pizza!)

Trick to overcome writer's block? Taking a long walk, preferably along Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin, but anywhere scenic and solitary will do.

Way to think of a book idea?  I tend to come up with the novel premise first and initially have no idea what it means or who the characters will be.  Therefore, I play the “what if?” game a lot.  In the case of The Repeat Year, my question was, what if a person was given a chance to do-over a year of her life?

7. NEXTS: Show you'll DVR? Downton Abbey; I can’t believe I have to wait until January 2014 for Season 4.  Maybe I’ll have to move to England before then, so I can watch it sooner!

Book you'll read? This is Paradise, a collection of short stories about Hawai'i that debuts this July.  It’s written by my dear friend, Kristiana Kahakauwila, who’s extraordinarily talented.

Book you'll write?  My second novel doesn’t have an official title yet, but it’s about a young single mother who discovers one summer that she can see her four-year-old son’s imaginary friends.

Thanks, Andrea!

Beth Kendrick's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Beth Kendrick Why we love her: Her books remind us of summer--so fun and entertaining.

Her latest: The Week Before the Wedding (Out tomorrow: May 7th!)

The scoop on it: After enduring a chaotic childhood, Emily McKellips yearns for a drama-free life, complete with a white picket fence. Her dreams are about to come true: She has a stellar career, a gorgeous house, and a fiancé any woman would die for. But as friends and family arrive in picturesque Valentine, Vermont, for her wedding, an uninvited guest shows up.

Ryan is Emily’s first husband from a disastrous starter marriage. They wed on a whim, only to discover that combustible chemistry couldn’t ensure a happily ever after. But Ryan is no longer the headstrong boy she left behind. He’s now a successful film producer who just happens to be scouting a resort in Valentine with his adorable retriever in tow.

As the bridesmaids revolt and the mothers of the bride and groom do battle, Emily is surprised to discover new sides of both her ex and her fiancé. She thought she had life and love all figured out, but the next seven days might change her mind—and her heart.

Our thoughts: Loved! Throw this novel in your bag when you take your next vacay!

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, May 12 after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of The Week Before the Wedding here.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BETH KENDRICK'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

1. Kiss:

First: The actual boy next door. Very sweet and adorable. We were four years old, and we made a solemn vow that someday, we would wed.  This vow lasted right up until we were placed in different kindergarten classes.

Last : My oafish red rescue dog, Friday. He pounced on me while I was trying to do sit-ups this morning and slobbered all over my forehead. (Cue Katy Perry: I kissed a dog and I liked it…)

2. Risk you took:

First: After growing up in New England, I decided to head off to a liberal arts college in Minnesota because--wait for the dazzling brilliance of my 17-year-old brain at work here--I wanted to see the Northern Lights. Yep. That was the rock-solid foundation upon which I based my future. And it’s all worked out beautifully, so I regret nothing!

(Fun fact: I finally did see the aurora borealis two weeks before graduation. Had to wait four years, but it was worth it.)

(Fun fact #2: The steamy opening scene of The Week Before the Wedding is actually set at that college in Minnesota. There are these underground tunnels connecting the dormitories, and even though they’re now sealed up and forbidden to students, the hero and heroine sneak in there and…oops, I’ve said too much already!)

Last: I just started working a on a new book. (It’s kind of a spin-off of The Week Before the Wedding; the heroine’s bridesmaid was so fun and irrepressible that my editor and I decided she needed her own story.) Every time I turn in a book, I vow that it will be my last, that now I will shape up and do something “practical” with my life…and then I open a new Word file and start another chapter one. I don’t have a problem, okay? I CAN STOP ANY TIME I WANT.

3. Book you read:

First:  My childhood favorite was Muncus Agruncus, a Bad Little Mouse, and as the title suggests, it’s about a mouse who wreaks havoc on someone’s clean and orderly home.  He floods the bathtub, trashes the dollhouse, tromps through a birthday cake. He’s a renegade rodent who lives by his own rules and escapes to safety at the end. He does what he wants!  I still have the book, I still read it with my kid, and it’s still awesome.

Last: Right now, I’m in the middle of Data: A Love Story by Amy Webb. It’s the funny, fascinating memoir of a tech-savvy journalist who was fed up with the horrors of online dating and figured out strategies to “game” the system so she could search out—and attract—the most compatible prospects. So interesting from a cultural, psychological, and mathematical perspective.

4. Hell ya! moment:

First: There are a lot of these, but one that stands out was buying my first house and finally getting a dog after years of living in apartments with no-pet policies. I scoured Petfinder.com until I found the perfect little terrier named Murphy (it was not unlike online dating, actually). I got to snuggle him on the sofa, I got to train him and take him to the park…and I got to pay his exorbitant surgery bills when it turned out he had a shattered hip from his previous life on the streets. Adulthood rules!

Last: During a recent trip to Disneyland, I went on a rollercoaster that goes upside-down. Normally, I’m loath to commit to anything scarier than the spinning teacups, so this was a big deal. (Full confession: I did it because my preschooler dared me to.) And I loved it!

5. Aha! Moment:

First: I was on a V.C. Andrews kick in middle school (who wasn’t?) and one of the other classroom moms warned my mother that she shouldn’t allow me to read Flowers in the Attic. On the drive home, my mom said, “I’m not into censorship”, and assured me that I was old enough to choose my own reading material. That was a lightbulb moment for me; I realized that language has power, and that my mother trusted me with that power. What I read has an effect on me. What I write might have an effect on somebody else. Use language thoughtfully and responsibly.

Last: My kickboxing instructor recently told the class, “You’ve gotta learn how to take a hit”, and I think this applies to writing and to most areas of life, really.  Getting punched in the face now and then is inevitable.  You can’t duck every jab. The important thing is to figure out how to absorb the blow and pick yourself up, over and over.

Thanks, Beth!

Marci Nault's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Marci Nault Why we love her: We love the way she writes about friendship and love and everything in between!

Her latest: The Lake House (Out May 7th!)

The scoop: Achingly tender, yet filled with laughter, The Lake House brings to life the wide range of human emotions and the difficult journey from heartbreak to healing.

VICTORIA ROSE. Fifty years before, a group of teenage friends promised each other never to leave their idyllic lakeside town. But the call of Hollywood and a bigger life was too strong for Victoria . . . and she alone broke that pledge. Now she has come home, intent on making peace with her demons, even if her former friends shut her out. Haunted by tragedy, she longs to find solace with her childhood sweetheart, but even this tender man may be unable to forgive and forget.

HEATHER BREGMAN. At twenty-eight, after years as a globe-trotting columnist, she’s abandoned her controlling fiancé and their glamorous city life to build one on her own terms. Lulled by a Victorian house and a gorgeous locale, she’s determined to make the little community her home. But the residents, fearful of change and outsiders, will stop at nothing to sabotage her dreams of lakeside tranquility.As Victoria and Heather become unlikely friends, their mutual struggle to find acceptance—with their neighbors and in their own hearts—explores the chance events that shape a community and offer the opportunity to start again.

Our thoughts: A wonderful summer read!

Fun fact: Marci Nault is also the creator of 101 Dreams Come True, a website about going after your “bucket list.” On the site visitors can follow along as Marci accomplishes items on her list and documents her journey.

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, May 5th after 12pm PST.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MARCI NAULT'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

1. Kiss

My first kisses were on the kindergarten bus. Every morning my mother would braid my long, blonde hair that reached the back of my knees. When I stepped onto the bus the boys would tug on my braids and then pull me into their seats and kiss me. I would push them away and say, “I hate your guts!” My mother always worried I wouldn’t be invited to the prom because by then I would’ve told every boy in my class how much I hated him.

In the end the hair proved useful. I had my mother put my hair in two ponytails with three braids on each side. When the boys tried to grab me I spun around really fast and smacked them with my hair.

This wasn’t exactly my last kiss, but it’s a better story. I was at Carnival in Rio stuck in the subway (long story). Hordes of people were dancing and singing while moving past me.

Then all of a sudden the most beautiful man I’d ever seen walked right up to me, told me I was beautiful, dipped me back and kissed me full on the mouth. (It turns out that this is a Carnival tradition.) He lifted me back up, took my hand and placed it on his bare, fit chest and said, “My heart beats for you.” I looked down at his gorgeous body; his tight buns shown off in black, boxer brief type swim trunks, and admired the Brazilian male form. Along with the sexy boxers was a pink tutu around his hips, a fluffy pink bikini on his chest and a tiny pink tiara in his thick, black hair. (Yes, costumes and drag are also a Carnival tradition.)

2. Book you read

Green Eggs and Ham was the first book I ever read on my own. I was four and so proud that I could read. I’ve had my nose in a book ever since.

The last book I read was Gone Girl and though I loved it, I was upset with the ending – great discussion piece though. Read it for yourself and decide.

3. Risk you took

First Risk I ever took was when I was fourteen and my brother took me rappelling. I was terrified of heights and was a bit of a momma’s girl. I remember leaning back, having to actually sit in mid-air trusting the harness and rope, while looking down the 120-foot drop. I was terrified, but then I was zipping down and bouncing off the rocks having the time of my life. After that I became addicted to taking risks.

The last time I took a risk was deciding to drive in Rio de Janeiro. I was starting a two-month trip through South America right after Christmas 2012 and didn’t realize that Rio was one of the biggest destinations for New Years. The hotels were all booked, and the closest place I could find in my price range was a four-hour drive south of Rio in a coastal town called Ubatuba.

Driving in Rio wasn’t recommended, but what else could I do? Within fifteen minutes of being on the road I began to feel like I was in a video game with cars weaving, beeping, and speeding while people crossed the highways dropping fruit. I became lost and the only thing I could do was wait until I found a large gas station to ask for directions.

At the station, the men were shocked that I was driving alone. Four of them tried to help me by playing charades (I didn’t know any Portuguese). Somehow I found my way and the next day I was sitting on a beach, drinking coconut water and staring at gorgeous men playing volleyball. (Brazilian men are some of the most beautiful in the world.)

4. Hell ya moment

My first Hell ya moment was when I decided to take volleyball lessons. I was so horrible at this sport that guys would push me off the court at backyard barbecues in order to keep the ball away from me. Embarrassed and tired of being pushed around I took an after dark course at the local high school. When I returned the following summer to play with my friends I jumped up and spiked the ball (well as strong as I could put it down at that time) right between two of the guys that had shoved me off the court.

My last Hell Ya moment: I run an online bridal boutique www.Elegantbridaldesigns.com and I went to a wholesaler show with really exclusive lines that tend to stick their noses up at online stores. I was determined to get what I needed from the show so instead of feeling like I didn’t belong I pretended that they needed me more than I needed them. I walked away with the three new distributors I wanted. Fake it till you make it.

5. Aha moment

I was in Yosemite for the first time and had climbed the rocks of one of the popular waterfalls to get away from the crowds below. I had a pool of water all to myself and a view of the entire valley. I stood feeling the mist from the waterfall and the wind from the valley and thought, “This world is awesome. I want to see it all.” From then on I was addicted to travel.

My last Aha Moment was at the Adult Nationals Figure Skating Competition in Scottsdale, AZ in April. I was about to perform for five judges and a huge crowd, and my nerves were getting the best of me. I kept thinking about everything that could go wrong and how badly I might perform. I had a chat in my head and said, “You love to skate. Go out and have fun and forget about being perfect. Skate for the love of it.”

My friends all said that I had the cheesiest smile on my face that lit up the arena as I neared the end of my program. I let go of the expectations and just lived for the moment and took the bronze medal.

I’m trying to take this attitude into my writing and life.

Thanks, Marci!

Kristin Hannah Flash Giveaway!

Giveaway: 1 hardcover and 1 audio book copy of Fly Away

The scoop: Once, a long time ago, I walked down a night-darkened road called Firefly Lane, all alone, on the worst night of my life, and I found a kindred spirit. That was our beginning. More than thirty years ago. TullyandKate. You and me against the world. Best friends forever. But stories end, don’t they? You lose the people you love and you have to find a way to go on. . . .

Tully Hart has always been larger than life, a woman fueled by big dreams and driven by memories of a painful past. She thinks she can overcome anything until her best friend, Kate Ryan, dies. Tully tries to fulfill her deathbed promise to Kate---to be there for Kate’s children---but Tully knows nothing about family or motherhood or taking care of people.

Sixteen-year-old Marah Ryan is devastated by her mother’s death. Her father, Johnny, strives to hold the family together, but even with his best efforts, Marah becomes unreachable in her grief. Nothing and no one seems to matter to her . . . until she falls in love with a young man who makes her smile again and leads her into his dangerous, shadowy world.

Dorothy Hart---the woman who once called herself Cloud---is at the center of Tully’s tragic past. She repeatedly abandoned her daughter, Tully, as a child, but now she comes back, drawn to her daughter’s side at a time when Tully is most alone. At long last, Dorothy must face her darkest fear: Only by revealing the ugly secrets of her past can she hope to become the mother her daughter needs.

A single, tragic choice and a middle-of-the-night phone call will bring these women together and set them on a poignant, powerful journey of redemption. Each has lost her way, and they will need each one another---and maybe a miracle---to transform their lives.

An emotionally complex, heart-wrenching novel about love, motherhood, loss, and new beginnings, Fly Away reminds us that where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, there is forgiveness. Told with her trademark powerful storytelling and illuminating prose, Kristin Hannah reveals why she is one of the most beloved writers of our day.

Our thoughts: Firefly Lane is one of our favorite books. So we loved diving back into that world again and reading more about Tully!

Just leave a comment to be entered to win! We'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 5th after 12pm PST.

Where you can read more about Kristin Hannah: Her website and Facebook.

Leslie Lehr's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Leslie Lehr Why we love her: Her writing is heartfelt!

Her latest: What A Mother Knows

The Scoop: Michelle Mason can't remember that day, that drive, that horrible crash that killed the young man in her car. All she knows is she's being held responsible, and her daughter is missing.

Despite a shaky marriage, a threatening lawsuit, and troubling flashbacks pressing in on her, Michelle throws herself into searching. Her daughter in the one person who might know what really happened that day, but the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of those closest to her, even herself. As her search hurtles toward a shattering revelation, Michelle must face the biggest challenge of her life.

A poignant story of the unshakable bond between mother and child, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

Our thoughts: You'll be thinking about this one long after you finish!

Giveaway: One SIGNED copy!  Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 12th after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Leslie won a student Emmy while attending USC's School of Cinematic Arts!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LESLIE LEHR'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

Kiss

First: A boy on the swim team who had braces. I thought it went fine, but he broke up with me five minutes later because I had braces too. He was afraid we would get our lips locked.

Most recent kiss? When my husband was passing by my office, I asked him what to write about that and he came in and kissed me. He has really soft lips.

Book

First: Are You My Mother  - the one where the little bird asks everyone, even a tractor, if it his mother. So sad – and so happy when he finds her. Hmm. Maybe that’s why I write about mothers so much. Wanting one, being one, needing one.

Most recent book?  Is This Tomorrow, by Caroline Leavitt. The release is the same day as What A Mother Knows. She’s an amazing storyteller and a real sweetheart. We are hoping to do some events together.

Risk

First: Hitting Send on an email to invite a man I hadn’t seen in twenty years for a cup of coffee. I was networking at a lot of coffee meetings, so I told myself it was just business, but secretly I hoped he was single. I stared at the Send button for a good ten minutes before I clicked it.

Latest risk I took? When he emailed back and said he’d buy the coffee, I dressed up in black sundress and high heels. Our coffee lasted three hours. He was single.

Aha! Moment…after that

I’d made it clear on that coffee date that I would never get married again, and he had never married at all, so four years later, when I told him I changed my mind and I didn’t want to keep dating unless marriage was a possibility, he started laughing. He said not getting married was my idea, and he showed me an old newspaper article he had clipped a month after that coffee meeting, entitled “How to Buy A Diamond Ring.”

Latest Aha! Moment:I just finished chemo for breast cancer and lost all the things that me feel beautiful – especially my long hair. I felt guilty, as though I had seduced my husband by looking as beautiful as possible - ever since I strolled into that coffee shop in my black sundress. But he still thinks I’m beautiful. So the aha moment is that he saw more in me than I did. And that there really are good guys out there. And good people as well - so many people have reached out to me, it’s been a revelation. We are beloved and we are not alone.

Hell ya moment

First: When I learned to read, it felt like playing hooky. I got a book for my ninth birthday and hid out for the rest of my party to read it. My mom was mad, but I got away with it. Now when I read, I still feel like I’m playing hooky, and I still get away with it. But now I get to call it ‘research.’

Recent Hell ya moment- A book reviewer emailed me halfway through reading What A Mother Knows and said she was laughing and crying and couldn’t put it down and her boyfriend was getting annoyed. She emailed again in the morning, excited about the ending - she read it in two days. At first I was bummed that I spent years getting the story right, and she read it in two days.  Then I thought, isn’t that the point? Hell ya!

Thanks, Leslie!

Susan Wigg's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Susan Wiggs Why we love her: Her books are a great escape! (And how cute is she?!)

Her latest: The Apple Orchard

The scoop: Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their rightful owners. People like Annelise Winther, who refuses to sell her long-gone mother's beloved necklace—despite Tess's advice. To Annelise, the jewel's value is in its memories.

But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. So Tess is shocked when she discovers the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. And that she has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel.

The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she's never heard of.

Against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. A place where falling in love is not only possible, but inevitable.

And in a season filled with new experiences, Tess begins to see the truth in something Annelise once told her: if you don't believe memories are worth more than money, then perhaps you've not made the right kind of memories.

Our thoughts: Dive into this one at the beach this summer!

Giveaway:  TWO copies! (US only) Leave a comment to be entered.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on May 12th.

Fun Fact: Check out the cool pics of Susan's "Hell Ya" moment Honk Kong adventure!

Where to read more about Susan: Her website, Facebook and Twitter!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SUSAN WIGG'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: Ah, the magic happened at a school dance, with "Stairway to Heaven" (what else?) playing and the lights low and swirling with color. I was wearing a purple and amber jersey minidress (I always remember what I wore). He was shorter than me and he had a boner. Of course he did. We were thirteen and we were slow dancing.

Last: My amazing husband, who loves kissing as much as I do. We’re really good at it. And we do slow dance. It was not exactly like the first, but he did have a boner. (tmi, but you asked!)

BOOK I READ

First: THE CARROT SEED by Ruth Krauss. The simplest, most hopeful story ever. I was really little, age 4, I think, an early and voracious reader.

Last: PARIS: A LOVE STORY by Kati Marton. It’s a memoir. She was married to Peter Jennings and then to Richard Holbrooke, a diplomat whose untimely death made headlines. And she’s fascinating in her own right. I loved her short, heartfelt book about my favorite city.

RISK I TOOK

First: Gosh, I don’t recall the first. Being the middle child of three, every day was filled with risk. I had a big brother who dared me to do stupid things and a little sister who would tell on me. I recall making cardboard wings and jumping off a barn roof into a pile of hay. That didn’t work out so well. And skiing down a run marked “Experts Only” was fun but disastrous.  Another early risk had to do with writing. I read part of a story I’d written to a friend, and she begged to hear more. It was an amazing moment.

Last: It sounds cheesy, but every time I sit down to write, it feels risky. In writing a novel, you show so much of your heart, and you just have to trust that putting it out in the world like that is the right thing to do. This morning I wrote a scene involving a verbal fight between two characters, and it made me completely uncomfortable, which means it was hitting close to home. I only hope I can redeem these two.

HELL YA MOMENT

First: Being raised by “hell yeah” parents, I can’t recall the actual first time. I do remember that feeling at my very first rock concert. I was scandalously young and I followed my big brother to a Rolling Stones concert at Foret Nationale in Brussels, Belgium, where we were living at the time. There was a riot outside the venue, mounted police were being jostled on their horses, and someone drove a Fiat through the doors. The Stones started to play “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and the world seemed to change color before my eyes.

Last: Doing shots of Jaegermeister and getting a tattoo in a divey parlor in Hong Kong. Really. Check out my right ankle next time you see me. Photos HERE!   (The symbol means "yes" so it definitely was a hell yeah moment)

AHA MOMENT

First: Wow, so many of my “moments” have to do with writing. This one–grade three, Mrs. Green’s class. I was way ahead in reading, so she let me read “Harriet the Spy.” PLEASE have your kids read this novel by Louise Fitzhugh, and never let them see the truly bad movie adaptation. It’s about a girl whose life is changed by writing. I wrote my first story then (photo here) I remember finally “getting” the shape of a story, which is so simple–beginning, middle, end–but so tricky to nail.

Last: Watching my dad’s struggles with Parkinson’s. He and my mom live in my town, not far from me. It’s a devastating illness, yet he greets every day with a smile, and lives his life. He sends emails to his grandkids, has people over, works on little projects, sits quietly with my mom. They’ve been married 59 years and the “aha” for me is this–life can always be wonderful, no matter what’s happening to you or around you. But sometimes you have to dig deep inside to find the joy.

The dedication page of THE APPLE ORCHARD is a little surprise for my parents. Think they’ll like it?

Thanks, Susan!

eBook Flash Giveaway: Double Click by Lisa Becker

Giveaway: One E-copy of Double Click by Lisa Becker The scoop: Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.

Our thoughts: Fun, Fun FUN!

Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy!  We'll choose the winners Sunday, May 12th after 3pm PST.

Jennifer Weiner's The Next Best Thing + Giveaway!

Today's author: Jennifer Weiner Why she rocks: Um, she's Jennifer Weiner + she's not afraid to speak her mind.

Her latest: The Next Best Thing (Out in paperback April 30th!)

The scoop on it: At three years old, Ruth Saunders miraculously survives the car crash that takes her parents’ lives on the icy Massachusetts Turnpike. Her eccentric grandmother, who comes out of Florida retirement to care for young Ruth, nurtures her through years of surgeries, feeding her home-cooked meals, dispensing irreverent wisdom, and telling Ruth she’s beautiful, even though her scars will stay with her forever.

After college, Ruth pursues her dream of writing to Hollywood, heading west with her grandmother in tow, hoping to make it big in the world of TV. After years of failure and a badly broken heart, Ruth gets The Call—her show has been green-lit.

But Ruth’s happy ending is only the beginning, as she struggles with how television gets made: terrified (and terrifying) executives and actresses with their eyes on bigger prizes than Ruthie’s show. Add in an unrequited crush on the man who has been her mentor. Add to that her grandmother’s impending nuptials, and Ruth’s big break might just break her.

A rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, The Next Best Thing is a heartfelt story about a young woman searching for her own happily-ever-after in the land where dreams come true.

Our thoughts: Loved it just as much the second time around!

Fun fact: Want to see Jennifer Weiner in person? She's going on a paperback book tour--see if she'll be near you.

Giveaway: One SIGNED copy. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winner after 12 pm PST on Sunday, April 28th.

What She Left Us by Stephanie Elliot

Today's author: Stephanie Elliot Her latest: What She Left Us

The scoop on it: Jenna and Courtney are dealing with the unexpected death of their mother in different ways. Jenna broke off her engagement to the man she thought she'd love forever, while Courtney headed back to college to take charge of a dorm-floor full of college students as a resident assistant.

Six months later, Jenna is fueled by panic over the news that the sisters may have the same disease that caused their mother's death and she makes an irrational decision - she packs it up and heads to college to be with Courtney. The timing couldn't be worse for Courtney, who's discovering love for the first time with Mitch, a sexy guitar player who may just be off limits.

Emotionally unstable, Jenna wonders if she made the worst mistake of her life by breaking off her engagement with Darren, and when he shows up to make amends, she can't help but second-guess her decision. But then there's Clay, the compassionate bartender at Klippy's who seems to understand everything Jenna's going through. And those hazel eyes just seem to see right through to Jenna's soul…

As the girls maneuver through their unpredictable futures, trying to manage their new health risks as well as tumultuous love lives, Courtney finds a disturbing photograph that indicates there may be more to their family than she ever imagined.

This stunning revelation could shatter the sisters to the very core, making them question everything they thought they knew about their family, their faith, their past and, most of all, each other.

Our thoughts: A fast-paced, engaging read. We absolutely love Stephanie and her books--definitely download this one!

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of What She Left Us here and in the novel section, there's info about her upcoming book, Before the Beginning, out this summer!

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