Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Fun in the sun with Meg Donohue...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Sarah Deragon
**Giveaway is now closed**

It's June and the heat is on! Time to put on your swimsuits, lather on some sunscreen, and lay out on the beach with what is proving to be a hot summer read...Meg Donohue's latest novel, All the Summer Girls (reviewed here). She's here today to answer some fun questions about the hottest season of the year in a new interview format we are doing called "This or That." (She's the first to do an interview this way, so give her a round of applause for her fun responses!)

Meg Donohue is the bestselling author of All the Summer Girls and How to Eat a Cupcake, the latter of which was translated into Dutch, German, Italian, and Polish. She has an MFA from Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she now lives San Francisco with her husband and two young daughters. Both of her books combine chick lit, a bit of mystery and depth.

Visit Meg at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to HarperCollins, we have one copy of All the Summer Girls for a lucky US reader!

Pool or ocean?
Ocean, of course! One of my favorite summer pastimes is settling into a beach chair in the shallow water and reading while the ocean ebbs and flows around my feet.

Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
I'm a FroYo girl. Preferably with some chocolate or caramel candy mixed in.

Carnival or amusement park?
I think there's something surprisingly romantic about carnivals, though I'll admit I often wonder about how diligently those traveling rides are checked for safety. (Can you tell I'm a mom?)

Kayaking or canoeing?
I really love both of these, but I haven't canoed in at least a decade. I kayak every summer in the bay in Avalon, New Jersey, sticking mostly to the narrow channels that cut through the wetlands. It's so peaceful!

Mountain biking or hiking?
Hiking. With young kids, I hike less than I'd like these days, but my husband and I used to take "urban hikes" with our dog through San Francisco's many parks almost every weekend.

Surfing or water skiing?
Surfing, because there's always the option to just sit on your board and bob up and down on the waves, and you can still call it exercise!

All inclusive resort one week vacation or a seven night cruise?
I am one of those people who finds the idea of a cruise a bit claustrophobic...but an inclusive resort? Heaven!

Watermelon martini or Blackberry Sangria?
I'm a sucker for watermelon drinks, and there is something so elegant and festive about a martini glass, so I'll happily accept a watermelon martini! Cheers!

Thanks to Meg for putting us in a summer mood and to HarperCollins for sharing her book with our readers.


How to win All the Summer Girls:
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:
1.Please tell us: What is your favorite way to kick off the summer?
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. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.


US only. Giveaway ends June 10th at midnight EST.


42 comments:

EFC Chrissy said...

My favorite way to kick off the summer is with our annual Memorial Day Picnic...we actually have it on the Saturday before Memorial Day. Our whole family comes and we have a great time. As the kids get older, it's even more fun. THis year was our 8th picnic,

I follow the blog, Facebook, Twitter, email, PInterest.

everyfreechance@gmail.com

mep said...

Love to kick off summer by taking my kids to the pool or splash park and eating concession stand hot pretzels for dinner!

This book sounds great!

mep AT nottobrag DOT net

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

My favorite way to kick off the summer is a trip to one of the many lakes in Iowa. My favorite is up in NW Iowa and I'm so excited to be headed up there this weekend!

I follow via FB, GFC, Twitter and Pinterest.

missamberljohnson at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I love heating up the grill and being outside!

sumsum085@aol.com

I follow the blog, Facebook, Twitter, email, PInterest.

pascale said...

First, I loved How to Eat a Cupcake and cannot wait to read this book.

In California, it seems like summer all the time... so its hard to talk about a single kickoff. I guess it is the county fair, even though that is in July!

I follow the blog
I follow FB

pascale.poitras@verizon.net

TinaB said...

My fave way to kick off summer is a trip to the beach for some sand and surf!!
I follow u on fb & pinterest
Brannanflooring@aol.com

Sue G. said...

1. Favorite way to kick off summer is going to softball games. My girls have played since they were 5 with the youngest now 16.

2. I do follow this blog.

3. I posted the contest on Facebook under Sue Galuska.

4. Already did join Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

5. I follow on Twitter - @tsmb02.

6. I added my mom, Shirley Burgo a few months back.

Nova said...

Our favorite way to kick off the summer is by having a cook-out with the kids and anyone else who shows up.
sparkle40175AThotmailDOTcom
I follow the blog by email.
I follow the blog by GFC.
I follow CLC on pinterest.
I am a fan on facebook.

Jessica said...

1. I always kick off the summer by going to the beach. =]
2. I follow this blog through GFC.
3. I tweeted this https://twitter.com/xxpaperhearts/status/341993079340933120
4. I'm a member of Chick Lit Central on facebook.
5. I follow through twitter and pinterest.

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

DD said...

My favorite way to kick off the summer is to enroll my kids in all the camps I can!! Just kidding. Not really. Well, maybe just a little. I actually look forward to signing us all up for our local library's summer reading program. The kid and I love reading so this keeps us going throughout the summer and gets us cool prizes, too!

dawndennis66611 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for the giveaway! Again...another GREAT book! How could this NOT be a good summer read?

My favorite way to kick off the summer is to go on a camping trip lasting about 4 days. It's totally remote camping too, LOL. Caving, swimming, living off gallon jugs of water and the stuff you cook over an open fire! Sometimes i don't even use a tent!

I follow via GFC under Jovon Tucker, Twitter- Book2Buzz, and FB Jovon Tucker. I have also tweeted about the contest.

Here's the link" https://twitter.com/Book2Buzz/status/342012098613764096

I think that's everything!

Book Mama said...

Since by birthday is in June, I like to kick off the summer with a birthday BBQ with friends and family.

I follow the blog, FB, Twitter, Pinterest

I posted this contest to my FB

mengel2@nycap.rr.com

Mary Jo Burke said...

Kick off summer with my daughter's birthday shopping trip to the mall.

maryjo(at)maryjoburke(dot)com

Rhonda said...

Trip to the beach starts or summer.email follower lomazowr@gmail.com Twitter follower@rhondareads th follower will tweet.

Janine said...

I would love to read this book. It sounds really good and a great summer read. One of my many favorite ways to kick off summer is that first nice night laying outside on my swing looking up at the stars with a glass of wine and my husband by my side.
I follow you on your blog, FD, Twitter and Pinterest. I shared the link on FB.
Janine
kinini01 at hotmail dot com

JJT said...

Summer starts with a nice cold diet coke and a good book! I follow a jtretin at gmail dot com Will Tweet - @readsalways

Unknown said...

We have an end of school BBQ for my kids and their friends.

I follow the blog.
CLC member
I follow on twitter

kumquat8 at hotmail dot com

Rita Wray said...

My favorite way to kick off the summer is spend time at my son's house by the pool. Throw some steaks on the grill and I'm happy.

I follow with email and Facebook.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

Let's see...I like to kick off summer by making sure my pool is clean (it's always clean)and the solar is working (just got it fixed) so we can enjoy our swimming time.

Linda Kish said...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

holdenj said...

A gin and tonic on the patio!

I am a follower.

Thanks!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Stacie said...

We kick off summer on the last day of school by getting ice cream and making a list of all the stuff we want to do that summer!

Stacie said...

I follow your blog by email.

Stacie said...

I joined your group on Facebook.

Stacie said...

I follow you on Twitter.

Stacie said...

I follow you on Pinterest.

Anonymous said...

My favorite way to kick off summer is to go tubing down the river!

melinda.garza15@yahoo.com

I follow this blog.
I follow on FB.
I follow on twitter.
I follow on pinterest.

Janie L. Hermann said...

My favourite way to kick off summer is to sit on my back deck in a lounge chair with a big glass of iced tea and read while watching my son play in the pool.

I follow the blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Going off to tweet this now from @janieh.

My email is janieh at gmail dot com

Erica said...

My favorite summer kick off is a steak on the grill. Ahhhh, yum.

I follow the blog! Here's how: Facebook, Twitter, email, Pinterest, GFC.

wordywon at gmail dot com

bn100 said...

with a BBQ

I follow the blog

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

karenk said...

reading...on my front porch sipping a cold drink

i'm a follower

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Mrs Mommy Booknerd said...

I love having a a HUGE memorial day cookout!

MRSMOMMYBOOKNERDSBOOKREVIEWS@GMAIL.COM

I follow the blog, Facebook, Twitter, email, PInterest.

Sue G. said...

Can't believe I forgot my email. Here it is: suegaluska@yahoo.com

Here is my post again:

1. Favorite way to kick off summer is going to softball games. My girls have played since they were 5 with the youngest now 16.

2. I do follow this blog.

3. I posted the contest on Facebook under Sue Galuska.

4. Already did join Chick Lit Central on Facebook.

5. I follow on Twitter - @tsmb02.

6. I added my mom, Shirley Burgo a few months back.

rubynreba said...

I like to curl up with a good book on the front porch.

GFC Follower

Facebook fan

pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Anonymous said...

I kick of my summer by planting flowers, playing in the sprinkler to wash off, and relax on the porch with iced coffee and mint chocolate chip icecream. No better way!

GFC: Twisty J
FB Follower
e-mail follower

twistingthelens@gmail.com

Thanks!
Jaime

Jilleen said...

I love to kick summer off with a great book and a perfect spot outdoors on that perfect 70 degree day!

I follow this blog via email and GFC
I follow on Twitter
I follow on Pinterest
I follow on FB

Thanks for the great giveaway
Jill at Seaside Book Nook
seasidebooknook at yahoo dot com

Jencey Gortney said...

My Favorite way to kick off the summer is to pick my beach reads for the summer.

I follow the blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

jenceyg at gmail dot com

Tiffany Drew said...

I love to kick off the summer with a family bbq and some badminton!

GFC: Tiffany Drew
FB: Tiffany Drew
Twitter: @enterthedrew
Pinterest: Tiffany Drew
Tweet: https://twitter.com/enterthedrew/status/344095318679355392

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Hailey Fish said...

I kick off the summer by opening all the windows and just loving the summer breeze.

I follow on FB, Twitter and Pinterest.

fishiegirl22@yahoo.com

Lindsey said...

linds84@gmail.com

My favorite way to kick off the summer is stopping got a Blizzard from Dairy Queen.


I follow the blog, liked on Facebook, and follow on Twitter.

Tweeted the contest at @lindstx84

Melissa said...

Thanks for participating and telling us how you kick off the summer.

Thanks again to Meg for chatting with us and HarperCollins for sharing her book with our winner.

Random.org chose one winner from all entries with contact info.

Congrats to Jilleen!

Anonymous said...

Great read!