Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Stephanie Evanovich heats up the summer....plus a book giveaway

This past year, I read Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich and totally loved it! (See my review.) So I was more than excited when I found out that Stephanie had another book coming out, this time about the secondary characters from BGP: Chase and Amanda. Today is the pub day for The Sweet Spot, so she's here to celebrate with us by talking about something else that's really hot....summer! Thanks to HarperCollins (William Morrow), summer is about to get a lot hotter for THREE lucky US readers who win her latest novel! (And since it's a prequel where events are referred to in Big Girl Panties, you can easily read this one first!)

I recently met Stephanie at BEA and she's absolutely wonderful in person! Very friendly and enthusiastic, just like how she comes off online. The best part was that she knew who I was before I even told her my name! #authorcrush

Stephanie and I have a few things in common. She's from New Jersey and I lived in New Jersey for a couple of years. She performed improv comedy and I took improv classes. We both have two sons. And best thing of all...we share a birthday! (I knew there was another reason why I like her so much!)

This Asbury Park native began writing fiction while waiting for her cues during countless community theater projects. She attended New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts and acted in a few small-budget movies. Now a full-time writer, she is an avid sports fan and holds a black belt in tae kwon do. If her last name sounds familiar, it's because she's the niece of Janet Evanovich, author of the Stephanie Plum series.

Visit Stephanie at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

When I go to the beach, I MUST bring these three things: 
A towel - for the obvious reasons. A beach umbrella - because I'm sometimes lazy with the sunscreen. And a book.

Favorite ride at an amusement park: 
Roller-coasters, hands down! I will ride them until I'm 80, or they give me whiplash...whichever comes first.

Did you go to camp as a kid? Day or overnight? Favorite memory from camp? 
I did go to a day camp one year, but I resented it. I grew up on the Jersey shore and looked at it as a lot of wasted beach days.

What is your favorite way to cool off? 
The ocean. It's just not summer until a giant wave face-plants me onto the ocean floor and gives me a sand-filled, bathing suit wedgie.

Time to barbecue...what will you be grilling? 
I love a good shish kabob. Veggies and succulent meats all living in harmony on a stick. Yum.

Favorite movie that takes place in the summer: 
Bull Durham. It's got baseball and Kevin Costner talking about open mouthed kisses - yowza. And that scene with Ebby Calvin Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) singing about women "getting wooly" still cracks me up.

Thanks to Stephanie for visiting with us and HarperCollins for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction by Melissa Amster

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 13th at midnight EST.

30 comments:

Janine said...

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any movies that take place in the summer except Dirty Dancing. That one was really good, but I know there are others that I have seen and liked. My brain just isn't bringing them to me right now.

Unknown said...

Jaws! Boy does that show my age, huh? I jumped out of my seat in a big way watching this!

Robin Driscoll said...

Dirty Dancing is my favorite

Melanie Backus said...

I love Twister! Sitting on the edge of your seat as the tornado claims its territory and the couple that love each other finally getting back together....I love it!

Unknown said...

The Parent Trap, Such a cute movie.

Linda Kish said...

Dirty Dancing for me, too.

Lisamarie said...

Grease is an all time favorite. Dirty Dancing is up there too!

jpetroroy said...

Now and Then

Bonnie K. said...

Little Miss Sunshine was a very funny one.

bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com

Mary Jo Burke said...

American Graffiti

maryjo(at)maryjoburke(dot)com

Preet said...

Dirty Dancing is my favorite summer movie.

Anita Yancey said...

My favorite movie that takes place during summer is Sweet Home Alabama. Thanks for having the giveaway.

ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com

Glenda said...

I honestly can't think of one favorite summer movie. I did like most of the ones mentioned here.... Just not one favorite.

Viv V. said...

I love Twister. It always keeps me on the edge of my seat (even though I've seen it several times) because I live on the edge of "tornado alley". In fact, a tornado touched down just a few days ago, a couple of counties away from us. Too close!!

Michelle said...

Independence Day is one of my favorites!

Patricia said...

Just rewatched Bang the Drum Slowly, which took place during a long ago summer. My family loves that movie.

rubynreba said...

I loved an old movie A Summer Place with Troy Donahue.

Daphne said...

the only one i can think of is Independence Day

Jennifer H said...

All the baseball movies.......Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, The Natural

Hailey Fish said...

Little Miss Sunshine!

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

Definitely Now and Then!!! Since I have taken up biking, I have been thinking about that movie a lot since they were always on their bikes in that movie! :)

bn100 said...

dirty dancing

Bridget T. said...

Sweet Home Alabama.

Sarah said...

Only thing that came to mind was Sisterhood of Traveling Pants. However, others' comments reminded me of favorites including Field of Dreams and Dirty Dancing.

traveler said...

Summer movie would be the sandlot. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com anne.

Donna E said...

Can't think of any others than what has already been mentioned -- Dirty Dancing {love Patrick Swayze in most everything he did}, Field of Dreams, Jaws, Independence Day. Not sure any are really my favorite tho. Meet Me in St Louis, a 1944 musical starring Judy Garland and a young Margaret O'Brien, actually was to represent all the seasons of the year. I've always enjoyed it because I got to play Tootie in a play in Junior High.

donna [dot] durnell [at] sbcglobal [dot] net

Jenny B said...

Dirty Dancing

Cathy Custer said...

A league of their own!

Nova said...

I really like The Sandlot! it is a great movie for the whole family; my kids still watch it.

Unknown said...

I'd probably have to go with Dirty Dancing!