Monday, March 12, 2012

Friendship the Meg Donohue way...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

Meg Donohue was born and raised in Philadelphia but now resides in San Francisco with her two daughters (both under the age of 3!), her husband, and their Taiwanese rescue pup, Cole. With an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University as well as a BA in comparative literature from Dartmouth College, it was really only a matter of time before she started making a name for herself in the world of the written word. "How to Eat a Cupcake" is Meg’s debut novel and she’s currently at work on her second.

"How To Eat a Cupcake" is available for sale everywhere tomorrow (March 13th), but here’s a bonus for ravenous readers: if you pre-order the book, email Meg with “I Pre-Ordered” in the subject line, and she’ll email you the recipe for some delicious Meyer lemon cupcakes that was developed exclusively for her readers by Bar Bambino’s pastry chef Alyce Shields. A pretty sweet deal, if you ask me...

Here's another sweet treat...HarperCollins has a copy of "How to Eat a Cupcake" for a lucky reader in the US or Canada.

Find Meg on Facebook, Twitter and at her website.

Favorite song about friendship:
The song that immediately comes to mind is one that I think I learned in Girl Scouts called “Make New Friends.” The lyrics are “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold.” I think Annie and Julia, the main characters in HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE, would have liked that song—though neither were ever really Girl Scout types.

Favorite best friend of a chick lit novel main character:
I loved the entire friend group in Meg Waite Clayton’s THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS.

How did you meet your best friend?
I don’t remember the specific day we met, but my best friend Jeannine switched to my school in fourth grade and we’ve been friends ever since. Some years we were closer than others while we growing up, but for the last ten years or so she’s been the best friend a girl could ask for. We were roommates in NYC after college and stood by each other’s sides when we married our respective husbands (the same summer!). She now lives in Chicago while I live in San Francisco, but we talk and email and text on a weekly, if not daily basis, and see each other at least twice each year. One of the hardest parts of being so far away from each other is not being able to know her children as much as I’d like to.

Three words to describe your best friend:
Loyal, thoughtful, stylish.

Did you ever have those best friend necklaces that split in the middle?
I don’t think so! I kind of want one now though. Is it too late?

Favorite place to hang out with your friends:
The beach! My friends and I spend time together every summer in Avalon, New Jersey. It’s a small beach town on a barrier island off the southern coast of New Jersey. I have so many great memories of being on the beach with those friends—and luckily, we keep making more. The novel that I’m working on now is set in Avalon so I’ve been visiting it in my mind a lot recently.

Other chick lit author you'd want to be best friends with:
I follow Emily Giffin on Facebook and she seems like someone I’d have a lot in common with—we’re both juggling kids and careers. I’d like to chat with her over coffee--or martinis!—someday.

Favorite destination for a girls weekend/trip:
The beach, yet again. If there’s a girl who doesn’t like a day spent relaxing on the beach and an evening of cocktails, grilled fish, and music, I don’t want to be friends with her!

What is something about a friend that surprised you?
I have a friend who on the surface appears to be incredibly demure, classy, and a bit conservative, but the truth—which she reveals only to her close friends—is that she has a wickedly dirty sense of humor and swears like a sailor. I adore that about her!

Character from "Friends" you'd be best friends with?
Actually, my friend Jeannine reminds me of Monica—they’re both hilariously, endearingly neurotic at times, very stylish but also sort of scrappy and tough, and true, loyal, dependable friends.

Special thanks to Meg for answering our questions and to HarperCollins for sharing "How to Eat a Cupcake" with our readers.

How to win "How to Eat a Cupcake":
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: Which chick lit author would you want to have as a best friend?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. 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 March 18th at midnight EST.


38 comments:

EFC Chrissy said...

Great interview. This book is on my TBR list.

I am a follower. My email is everyfreechance (at) gmail (dot) com.

An author as a best friend .... hmmmm ... probably Emily Giffin. Her facebook posts crack me up sometimes. I think she would be pretty cool to hang out with and talk to.

Marthalynn said...

I love that she and her best friend still remain so close even though they live far apart.

I would love to be friends with Sarah Maizes! She's so irreverent, yet she seems like a great mom and friend.

I'm a follower :)

marthalynn16 [at] gmail [dot] com

Meg Donohue said...

Thanks so much for having me! I loved chatting with you ladies!

Anonymous said...

I'd like to be friends with Sophie Kinsella.

I'm a follower!

cat123hen(at)aol(dot)com

Stephanie said...

I'd want to be friends with Jill Mansell.

I'm gfc follower.

Skk25@aol.com

Jeryl M. said...

I would like to read this book.

jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

Jeryl M. said...

I would like to be friends with Jane Porter. She seems like she would be a good friend.

I am a Facebook follower.

I am a subscriber.

Maureen said...

I think I would pick Phillipa Ashley. She seems so friendly and fun.
I am a follower
Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/MaureenCE/status/179316304401010689
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

bn100 said...

Great interview about friendship. The book sounds good.

Sophie Kinsella

I follow this blog.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Lilian said...

1. SOPHIE KINSELLA! I just love her sense of humor. And I would love to be one of the first ones to read her newest works. (yes, I am greedy)

2. I'm a follower~

3. tweeted: https://twitter.com/lilboxism/status/179358308803674112

4. Joined Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

lilianxchengATgmailDOTcom

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: Which chick lit author would you want to have as a best friend?

Jennifer Weiner, DEFINITELY

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

Already follow this blog.

3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.

Facebook - Sabrina-Kate Eryou
Twitter - stereoqueenbee

4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Already a member.

queenofcrunk at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

I'd like to be friends with Jane Green.

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Dawn said...

I'd like to be friends with Sophie Kinsella; I've enjoyed all of her books!

I'm a follower

Thanks!

gleamofdawn3 at yahoo dot ca

Tiffany Drew said...

I've had my eye on this book, can't wait to read it!

I think I'd like to have Emily Giffin as my BFF. She seems like a lot of fun :)

GFC follower Tiffany Drew
Facebook member Tiffany Drew
Tweet https://twitter.com/#!/enterthedrew/status/179385322008879105

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Erin said...

I would want to meet and be friends with Jill Mansell.

I'm a follower and my email is: erins826 at gmail dot com

Kristen said...

My BFF would be Jen Lancaster...

I follow on email and FB!

kly(dot)327(at)gmail.com

Bonnie said...

I would want Emily Giffin as a best friend because she writes great books.

I am a follower of the blog (Twitter) and will post the contest on Twitter (@greenurlifenow). Am a member of CLC on FB too.

sunnydaysrule AT hotmail DOT com

Literary Chanteuse said...

I'm going to say Sibel Hodge.

I'm a follower.

tweeted on twitter.

Member of CLC on fb.

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Elissa said...

I think Jen Lancaster would be a great BFF since she is so hilarious.

I follow this blog.

I'm also on the FB page.

elissadotbullard@gmail.com

faithspage said...

Kairo Rouda would be my pick.

follow on gfc, fb,and twitter.

kyfaithw at aol dot com

Unknown said...

The book sounds like a great read!

1) I would most want to be friends with Emily Giffin, because I think I am as obssesed with Jennifer Aniston, as she is!

2) I am now a follower

3) I shared a link on Twitter.

4) ANd I am now following you on Facebook.

Unknown said...

forgot my email!

allie.mcsmith@gmail.com

Allison said...

No doubt, I would have Jen Lancaster as a best friend!

I'm a follower of CLC.

abrown546@gmailDOTcom

sneakerdoodle said...

I'm a follower :)

I think I'd love to be bff's with someone like Janet Evanovich. She seems like she could make anything humorous. :)

mrspaulafranco@gmail.com

Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) said...

I would love to have Stephanie Perkins for a best friend! Or Emily Giffin ... or Jennifer Weiner. It's hard to choose!

I follow via GFC - Kristilyn.

readinginwinter(AT)gmail.com

karenk said...

thanks for the chance to read this fun novel..love the cover art.

i'm a follower, too.

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

BRN2SHOP9 said...

I would love to have Jennifer Weiner & Emily Giffin as my best friends!

I follow via facebook, twitter, and GFC.

brn2shop9 at gmail dot com

I recently added my friend Lisa to the group on facebook.

Erica said...

Sophie Kinsells ...

I am a follower on twitter

wordywon AT gmail DOT com

Wendy Chen said...

Jennifer Weiner seems like a great person to be friends with!

wendy[AT]wendychenbooks[DOT]com

Andrea said...

Thanks for the chance to win, I have this on my to be read list, too! :)

I would love to be friends with Jen Lancaster, Catherine McKenzie and pretty much a huge list of chick lit authors I adore! :)

Andrea said...

Tweeted:

https://mobile.twitter.com/goodgirlgonered/status/180344024283099136

Margie said...

Thanks for the giveaway.
-Jane Porter
-blog follower
-follower on Facebook
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Pat L. said...

I have just heard about this book a few days ago and am very interested in reading it.

I would like to be friends with Sophie Kinsella or Jane Porter.

I am a new follower - gfc.

patoct@yahoo.com

Carol N Wong said...

This not an entry. I have already read this book and loved it. See my review here:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12266205-how-to-eat-a-cupcake


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Jayne Ormerod said...

Just found this link off Facebook and enjoyed the Friends interview. I'll add it to my TBR pile.

I'm a bit slow to the chick lit thing but I just finished reading Shopaholic and sister, and I think Sophie Kinsella would be really fun to be friends with.

Dolly said...

I'd love to be entered for the giveaway, great interview with Meg!

I couldn't narrow down to one an author who I'd like to have as a best friend! I've followed so many the past couple of years, and just adore them as a whole for the way they support one another, cross-promote and in general back each other.

FB, blog, etc. follower.

jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

Nancye said...

This sounds like a great book

I love Sarah Dessen (does she count?)I also love Jodi Picoult.

GFC Follower

I Tweeted!
@NancyeDavis
https://twitter.com/#!/NancyeDavis/status/181588994168078336

FB Post
http://www.facebook.com/nancyecdavis/posts/253209191437462

I Like you on Facebook
FB ID: Nancye Epperson Davis

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Sverige said...

I loved Annie; she is smart and sassy and she had me giggling more than a few times. Julia is a more complex person. You would think to hate her because of her privileged life and the fact that she still likes to have everything perfect. Yet you can't. Her life altering incident leaves her looking at life differently and the vulnerability she shows ensures that she worms her way into your heart. The story is told alternately from Annie's and then Julia's point of view and I really liked this. It gave you a chance to understand where each character was coming from and how they were feeling. It also allowed me the time to become fully invested in both of their lives and by the end of this novel I was crying both happy and sad tears at times. It truly is a beautiful novel and I look forward to more from this terrific author!