Thursday, July 24, 2014

Spending summer down under with Liane Moriarty...plus a book giveaway

The weather here in Chi-town has been unusually chilly this summer.  Since I prefer cooler temps for running, this hasn't been a problem for me. However, not everyone shares my love of summertime highs in the high 60s/low 70s.

Though the US, along with other countries around the globe, is currently experiencing summertime, today's CLC guest is in the middle of a rather cold winter.  That's right, author Liane Moriarty lives in Australia, but that's not stopping her from celebrating the summertime season with us.

Liane hasn't always been a full-time writer.  She's had a variety of careers including a stint in marketing and advertising.  Liane is now a full-time author.  In addition to writing a children's series, she has written six novels.  One of those novels is the soon to be released, Big Little Lies. Thanks to Putnam (Penguin), we have FIVE copies for some lucky US readers!

So please join me in giving Liane a warm CLC welcome!

What makes summertime in Australia unique and special?
(First let me say I forgive you for making me think about summer when it’s FREEZING here in Sydney.) I decided to outsource this question, as I think only an outsider can say what’s unique about Australian summers, so I asked some expat friends from the UK. They rhapsodized for ten minutes straight about the beauty and wonder of our long Australian summers. “You Australians do everything outdoors in summer,” they said. “It’s such an outdoor lifestyle!” I felt proud as if I was personally responsible for our outdoor lifestyle (even though my husband has been known to say, “Put down that book and come outside!”). Then my friends began to chuckle at the elaborateness of our BBQs and picnics: the food, the equipment, the tablecloths, and I still felt proud but kind of embarrassed about the tablecloths.

Which book do you feel best embodies summertime?
The first book that came to mind was an Australian classic I read as a child called Ash Road by Ivan Southall. It was written in 1966, the year I was born, and it’s about a group of children who accidentally start a bushfire. I don’t remember much about the story except that it was completely gripping and terrifying and just thinking of it makes me smell summer in Australia.

The one thing I do during the summertime that I don’t do any other time of the year is:
Allow my morning-person husband to drag me and the children out of our beds early on a Sunday morning for a trip to the beach. “You’ll thank me!” he says, chirpily, annoyingly, but he’s right, it’s always worth it.

My favorite summertime guilty pleasure is:
The second almond croissant for breakfast on the beach. (I don’t feel guilty about the first one. I had to get up so early for it!)

I know it’s summertime when:
I can’t touch the steering wheel in my car because it’s so hot.

Favorite summertime food:
Mangoes



Thanks to Liane for visiting with us and to Putnam for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction and interview by Tracey Meyers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends July 29th at midnight EST.

50 comments:

Jenny B said...

Fresh Caramel Popcorn from Johnson's in Ocean City, NJ

Janine said...

I know this is boring and very predictable. But, my summertime guilty please is ice cream. I love ice cream and it's a great way to cool down on hot summer days.

Unknown said...

Toes in the ocean, wind in my hair.

bonlyn55atyahoodotcom

Anonymous said...

Salt water taffy
rjprazak6@gmail.com
Becky Prazak

MandaCann said...

Sitting outside and enjoying a cocktail or beer on tap.

Margie said...

Grilling in our backyard with my family. Thanks for the giveaway.

Melissa Seng said...

Watermelon and sweet tea. Also, iced chai lattes from Starbucks.

Heather said...

Enjoying a summer shandy and reading as many books as I can.

rubynreba said...

Ice cream!!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Unknown said...

Lots of summer books!l

pascale said...

I live it southern california, so it seems that it is always summer... I do miss the change of season from the east coast.

So, that being said, I love the summer book lists and all the new books of favorite authors that come out in the summer. LOVE THAT!

pascale.poitras@verizon.net

Margo said...

The sun on my face, sand between my toes, and a summer beach read in my hand

Linda Kish said...

In So Cal it's usually summer so there are few times of guilty pleasure centered around summer. I do love summer fruits and seem to make my diet consist of mostly them in the summertime.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

AiringMyLaundry said...

I love ice cream in the summer!

Suzanne said...

Ice cream!!!!

Ro said...

Frozen margaritas

Huelsebusch@earthlink.net

Jennifer Huelsebusch said...

Taking the day off work and going to an afternoon Cardinal game and drinking a few beers with a friend.

jpetroroy said...

Sitting in the sun

Connie said...

Don't laugh but I LOVE cold watermelon. It's so hydrating when you're hot and tastes just delicious.

Laura P Bryant said...

Cold grapes.

Colleen Turner said...

Going to the beach and eating piping hot conch fritters with hot sauce and washing it all down with a frosty alcoholic beverage :). There is just something wonderful about the salt of the fritters and the sweet of the drink that gets me every time!

Bonnie K. said...

Well, it isn't really a guilty pleasure, but when I can, I love going to the ocean. Just thought of something, my guilty pleasure could be a nice glass of organic Eel River beer--I rarely drink beer.

bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com

Tami said...

Watermelon, corn on the cob and steaks on the grill!

rhonda said...

Reading on the beach!

Angel Wells said...

I love grilling with the family then we go down to our pond and go fishing. I'll take my book and read on the dock while they fish!

jodi marinich said...

reading when i should be cleaning..lol

Carl Scott said...

It's not guilty at all, it's ice cream. Mocha almond fudge to be exact. Delish!

Anita Yancey said...

For me it is ice cream and sweet ice tea. Thanks for having the giveaway.

ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com

Kimberly V said...

Slacking off on the cleaning a little.

Mary Jo Burke said...

Reading

Rita Wray said...

Reading on my patio.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

susieqlaw said...

Soft serve ice cream cones

Hailey Fish said...

Watermelon or an ice cold watermelon margarita!

fishiegirl22@yahoo.com

Milena said...

Enjoying cocktails or wine outside and reading in the hammock

Melanie Backus said...

Barbecues and homemade ice cream !

mauback55 at gmail dot com

Patricia said...

Ice cream!

debb1955 said...

Reading on the beach, ice cream, grilling.

Unknown said...

Reading a paperback while sitting outside!
sumsum085@aol.com

Beth said...

Iced coffee, book in hand! :)

Beth

Unknown said...

Ice cream! Lots of ice cream :)

bn100 said...

ice cream

Anonymous said...

Staying in the air conditioning, sitting on the sofa or lying in bed, reading and sipping a cup of tea.

Vivian V. said...

Sitting outside anywhere (front porch, deck, beach, park, etc.) reading a good book.

S.Sabia said...

My favorite summertime guilty pleasure is a soft serve chocolate ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles.

Britney Adams said...

Lazy mornings and donuts for breakfast!

Lisamarie said...

Slurpees would be my guilty summertime pleasure! We have a 7-11 right down the street and any warm day gives me the perfect excuse to get one !

Mrs Mommy Booknerd said...

iced coffee!!!!!

cindy roesel said...

Go to Colorado to escape the heat of Miami and enjoy intense family time. YEAH!

Unknown said...

My summertime guilty pleasure is binge watching a season of a fun show that I didn't watch when it originally aired ... not to mention binge reading (whether a series, an author's body of work, or a genre).

Unknown said...

Sitting outside with a big glass of lemonade, reading a book!