Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Hughes of chick lit, plus a book giveaway


**Giveaway is now closed**

The last name Hughes is legendary when it comes to the movie industry. Thanks to Anita Hughes, this last name will now become legendary when it comes to the genre of chick lit. Anita has splashed onto the literary scene with her decadent escapist beach read and debut novel, "Monarch Beach" (reviewed here). She has two more books awaiting publication in the next year or so, and if they're anything like "Monarch Beach," readers will be in for a treat!

A wonder from down under, Anita was born in Sydney and had a charmed childhood that included petting koala bears, riding the waves on Bondi Beach, and putting an occasional shrimp on the barbie. Her writing career began at the age of eight, when she won a national writing contest in THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper, and was named "One of Australia's Next Best Writers." She received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College, and attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program. She currently lives in Dana Point, California with her family, where she interrupts her writing to watch the glorious sunsets. You can find her at her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Anita is here to talk about what made the other Hughes famous, even though she doesn't mention any of his movies here. (We still love her anyway!) Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies of "Monarch Beach" for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

Favorite movie about friendship:
THELMA AND LOUISE is still one of the best movies about female friendship. They are two such strong women sharing a wild and emotional ride. (And of course it doesn't hurt that Brad Pitt is featured without his shirt on.)

Favorite foreign film:
LES RIPOUX. I am a huge French film buff. Les Ripoux (My New Partner) featured a young Thierry Lhermitte. I admit I developed a huge crush on him that never waned - plus the script was very funny.

Favorite movie about time travel:
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. This was one of my favorite novels and the movie did it justice in every way: a pure romantic delight.

Favorite movie based on a chick lit novel:
SOMETHING BORROWED. I have read and loved every Emily Giffin novel. Kate Hudson was perfect in SOMETHING BORROWED and the whole cast made you feel like you were hanging out with old friends. I loved it!

Movie you've seen the most times in a theater:
LOVE, ACTUALLY. There is not an actor or part of this movie I don't love. I have seen it so many times, I could probably recite the lines, but it still gets better and better.

Movie that made you cry the most:
RUNAWAY BRIDE. I'm a sucker for romance. I cry in any movie when the steadicam shot follows the guy and girl reuniting at last. Even though I know Julia Roberts and Richard Gere will get together, when that steadicam shot zooms in on them outside the church I always burst into tears.

Chick lit novel that you wish were a movie:
I just finished reading WIFE 22 and I cannot wait for it to be made into a movie! It is absolutely fabulous and made for the screen.

Who would you cast in the lead roles if "Monarch Beach" were made into a movie:
Anne Hathaway as Amanda, Oliver Martinez as Andre and Richard Gere or Tom Cruise as Edward. (Tom Cruise should be cast in every movie). Someone really fun like Kate Hudson as Stephanie.

Special thanks to Anita for chatting with us today and to St. Martin's Press for sharing "Monarch Beach" with our readers.

How to win "Monarch Beach":
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 movie made you cry the most?
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.

Giveaway ends July 2nd at midnight EST.

36 comments:

EFC Chrissy said...

Great interview! Can't wait to read this book.

everyfreechance@gmail.com

I follow this blog and LOVE IT!

The movie that made me cry the most was probably "My Sister's Keeper" based on the Jodi PIcoult novel. I usually don't cry during movies but I was also pregnant when I saw it which really helped open the floodgates!

Nina said...

Got to give her props on her love for LoveActually! What a great film! But is it lame is I say that THE LION KING makes me cry the most?! Mufasa dies?! Even as a 3rd grader I could not handle it when I saw that happening in the theater!
nina565(at)aol(dot)com

Kimberley Dian said...

Book sounds awesome! And so does the author! I just found this blog yesterday and already I'm here all the time! I discovered it through facebook, which I also joined that group! My email is 'kimberley2229@yahoo.com'.

The movie that makes me cry the most is probably 'Titanic'. Every single time I see those two old people laying in bed with the water rising I burst into tears. But, I think 'When a Man Loves a Woman' is a close second.

Marthalynn said...

Loved reading this! And now I'll add Les Ripoux to my must-see movie list.

The movie that made me cry the hardest was "My Life" starring Michael Keaton. Yeah, it was not pretty. I was a royal mess!

I'm a follower

marthalynn16 at gmail

Nobody said...

1. bethanyscruggs[at]gamil[dot]com
2. movie that made me cry most: marley & me - I am a HUGE dog person.
3. I am a follower!!

Lucie Simone said...

Okay, I get weepy very easily, but the movie that recently did me in completely was THE DESCENDANTS. Even my boyfriend was crying. Even in the car on the way home we were still crying!

Lalucie at sbcglobal dot net

I follow on Facebook & Twitter & will re-PST to both!

Would love to win a copy of Monarch Beach! :)

Literary Chanteuse said...

1. Sarah's Key

2. follower

3. tweeted

4. member of CLC on fb

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Na said...

The Titanic movie made my cry. Poor Jack :(

GFC: Na
Cambonified{at}yahoo{dot}com

Sheena said...

One of the first movies that made me cry was Bambi, but as a adult I'd have to say Steel Magnolias.

I follow the blog and am a member on the facebook page:)
Sheena

wapneski@yahoo.com

Kim W. said...

1)The Titanic made me cry.....every one of the 75,000 times I've watched it. And PS I Love You! Cried buckets. And My Sister's Keeper. I could go on.......I'm a pretty big sap.

2)I follow the CLC blog

3)Posted this on FB

4)I belong to CLC on FB

kewalker1972@gmail.com

PS: Agreed -- Wife 22 SHOULD become a movie. Looooved the book, would make a fab movie!

rhonda said...

MArley and me cried my eyes out.Wife 22 screen ready.lomazowr@gmail.com

Bonnie K. said...

I would love to read this book.

bluedawn95864 [at] gmail [dot] com

Oh gawd. I cry easily and have many movies that I cry along with. The #1 movie would be Love Story.

I tweeted. https://twitter.com/grobiemum/status/217736324592046081
and shared on facebook.

I've requested to join Chick Lit Central on facebook.

I follow your blog.

susieqlaw said...

I would LOVE to read this book!

sendsusanmail AT gmail DOT com

I follow CLC on Facebook , twitter, and the CLC blog!

susieqlaw said...

P.S.movie that made me cry the most

Terms of Endearment

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

I am not a weeper but Love Story probably brought a few tears the first time I saw it.

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) said...

Movie that makes me cry every time is my favourite: Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken. The end makes me BAWL!

Great interview!

Kristilyn (GFC)
readinginwinter(AT)gmail.com

Unknown said...

Hands down...Terms of Endearment, won't even watch it anymore.

I follow the blog.

I poste this on twitter .

I am a Facebook member.

Thanks!

allieDOTmcsmithATgmailDOTcom

Renee G said...

Would love to read this.

Movie that makes me cry - Raising Helen

Follow as Renee G on GFC
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

Mary Preston said...

The movie to make me cry the most was SCHINDLER'S LIST. I sobbed the entire way through it at the movies & I still do when I watch it on DVD.

GFC: Mary Preston

Email Subscriber.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

holdenj said...

I hadn't thought of this in ages, but the first time I saw Beaches, I cried a lot!

I am a GFC and email follower!

Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

My favorite book and movie is The Time Traveler's Wife and I cried while watching the movie, even tho' I knew how it ended.

I am a GFC follower and 'like' CLC on Facebook.

Cyndee said...

The movie that made me cry: The Way We were". I wanted the couple to be married forever..and the soundtrack... I cry buckets when I hear it:(
Cyndee Thomas
cyndee dot thomas0 at gmail dot com
Blog Follower, Facebook group discussion member

Anonymous said...

The Notebook made me cry so hard!

I am a blog follower.

I am a member of CLC on Facebook.

bjoneill@hotmail.com

Reading said...

Thanks for the giveaway.

An Officer and a Gentleman always makes me cry.


lizzi0915 at aol dot com

mep said...

This is random, but I remember totally losing it, watching Family Man with Nicholas Cage. I might have just been having an emotional day, but I kept crying and telling my fiance not to get too busy at work.

I too am excited for a Wife 22 movie and really enjoyed the film version of Something Borrowed. Monarch Beach sounds like a great summer read.

I follow on Twitter (I'm @nottobrag).

mep AT nottobrag DOT net

Nancye said...

I would love to win this book! It sounds great!

The movies that made me cry the most were: "The Notebook" and "Titanic"

I am a follower

I Tweeted
@NancyeDavis
https://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/218476140732497922

I like you on Facebook

Thanks for the giveaway!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Erica said...

A Beautiful Mind made me cry buckets.

I am an email and twitter follower

wordywon at gmail dot com

Maureen said...

Lots of movies have made me cry but I think Beaches made me cry the most.
I follow on GFC
Tweet: https://twitter.com/MaureenCE/status/218675764990717952
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Forget the Housework, I'm Reading... said...

Ok the movie thing is kind of embarrassing.... I can't remember which of the Deathly Hallows movies I think the first where Dobby dies! :( I bawled my eyes out then and reading the book! Love me some Dobby!

tobihelton at gmail dot com

I follow through email and I think GFC
Thanks for another giveaway! <3

Tiffany Drew said...

Disney/Pixar's Up definitely makes me cry the most. I can't make it two minutes into it without crying. Actually, just thinking about it makes me want to cry. I saw it for the first time right after my grandmother died and my grandfather was so heartbroken that he passed away just six months later. So the movie definitely got to me. It's been five years and I still cry like a baby every time I see it.

GFC follower Tiffany Drew
Facebook Member Tiffany Drew
Tweet: https://twitter.com/enterthedrew/status/218732217650774016

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

bn100 said...

Nice interview. Probably The Notebook.

I follow the blog.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: Which movie made you cry the most?

50/50 was a good one for that!

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

Am already a follower.

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.)

Am already a member.

5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

I added my mom, Doris Eryou.

Krystal Lynn said...

the last movie to make me cry was My Sisters Keeper. But in my defense, I'd already had a pretty tough day and it was probably not the best movie choice!

I was also forced to watch Schindler's List right before my visit to Auschwitz. Cried like a baby there.

miss_kris_11 (at) yahoo (dot) com

GoGreen said...

The Notebook is my tear jerker movie.
I follow CLC on Facebook. My email can be found clicking on the blogger icon/link. Will post the contest on Facebook.



Bonnie

Dolly said...

I cry every time I see 'Philadelphia'.

I'm a FB/blog follower.

jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

Janine K said...

The movie that I cried heaps in was "Eight Below" and the only book I have ever cried over was "Dewey - the story of a small town library cat". Yes, I'm a cat lover, but also read all genres!

And as an aussie, I am always looking for a new Australian author to read!

jkkimberley@bigpond.com