Interview with Erica Negi and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Our final debut novelist visiting CLC this week is Erica Negi! (She won't be the last this summer though!) To be fair, she did write and illustrate a book called "My Little Sister Penny" when she was a kid. It was a huge hit with her parents. This time, she has a bigger audience with whom to share her first chick lit novel, "My Life in Loubies." She even has one copy to offer to a lucky reader in the US or Canada! And who can resist a novel about romance...and shoes! The cover makes us think of "Sex and the City," which has us interested in what's inside!

See what she has to say today, and then follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
EN: I usually write in the afternoon or late at night. Either way, it is right before or just after my chaotic mornings, which include a workout and a coffee date with my three year old son. (On a side note, my son drinks milk during the "coffee" date).
I like to write during these times because I am not on "mommy duty" and free to let my mind wander. I don't have any rituals per se, but I find that I work best in silence. I wrote My Life in Loubies in my home office, aka my sanctuary! It's a beautiful, toy-free room with bookshelves and a terrace, a place to zone out from the norm. But when I needed a "change of scenery," I headed over to a local coffee house. I write on my computer, on my iPad and on good-old looseleaf paper!

MP: How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
EN: I love spending time with my family. We have one son and I adore watching him grow into an inquisitive toddler. He keeps my feet moving and my mind working at all times! I am also a room mother at his preschool, which keeps me very busy during the year. As for hobbies, I love to workout, read and shop. But my guilty pleasure is tweeting! I love to connect with my readers and "twitter friends." You can find me at http://www.twitter.com/MyLifeInLoubies and, I tweet back!

MP: What was your biggest challenge while writing My Life in Loubies?
EN: SPOILER ALERT: I struggled with humanizing the Vanessa that I knew existed below the designer labels. It took a great deal of time, patience and writing exercises to humanize her to a point where readers might not feel bad relating to her, sympathizing with her or even giggling with her. It was during the content editing stage where I found myself struggling, but at the same moment this "struggle" up'd the ante, forcing me as a writer to see eye-to-eye with my protagonist.

MA: If "My Life in Loubies" were made into a movie, who would you cast for lead roles?
EN: Vanessa: Leighton Meester or maybe Rachel Bilson?
Emily: Isla Fisher or Emily Blunt?
Ethan: Orlando Bloom
Carmen: a Jimmy Smits type of character?

MA: What do you consider the perfect shoes for a night out?
EN: I am assuming that we are talking about a night out on the town and not the family nights out that I now know, where a tantrum-free dinner is like winning the World Series! So, on a night on the town, I would have to say the Christian Louboutin Satin & Lace Slingbacks. And on a family night, ballet flats are my first choice!

MA: What is your favorite all-time children's book?
EN: It is so tough, almost unfair to choose one, but "all-time," I would have to say "Corduroy." And now looking back, it makes complete sense: a cute bear in a department store!

MA: What is the biggest fashion faux-pas you have ever made?
EN: Crocs. I purchased a pair awhile ago for in-flight purposes during an overseas flight. Yeah, big mistake. They are solely--no pun intended--for kids, like my son.

MA: What is your favorite store?
EN: I am a huge fan of Neiman Marcus, Saks and Intermix for the must-haves, but I love shopping at local boutiques! I would say that at the moment one of my favorite boutiques is Lola Rouge in Newport Beach. And, I am also a huge Lululemon fan! For everything else, I head to Target!

MP: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
EN: Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré! My favorite street in the world! I love Paris, from the lush gardens to the history to of course, the shopping. I don't think I can ever be done with Paris! Plus, I was a French major.

MP: If you were not a writer, what would your ideal job be?
EN: I would definitely be teaching reading to children. I have a Reading Specialist credential along with my other teaching certifications which would enable me to teach and assess reading skills. One of the best moments of my life was watching a student read for the first time!

Special thanks to Erica for chatting with us and for offering the book for the giveaway.

How to win "My Life in Loubies":

Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is the biggest fashion faux-pas you have ever made?

2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).

3. Follow Erica Negi on Facebook and Twitter. Let us know your name on either/both.
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends June 28th at midnight EST.