Interview with Janet Skeslien Charles and book giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Janet Skeslien Charles hails from Montana but has been living in France for the last ten years, after traveling overseas. She spent time in Odessa, Ukraine, which inspired her debut novel, "Moonlight in Odessa" (reviewed here).

How fitting that our names are Melissa and we're interviewing someone who won an award named after another Melissa? That's right, Janet Skeslien Charles won the highly coveted Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance this past summer!

Janet is very friendly and we enjoyed learning more about writing and traveling through her eyes. She has also offered to give away two copies of "Moonlight in Odessa" to readers anywhere in the world!

MA: How did you feel when you won the Melissa Nathan award?
JSC: When I learned that Moonlight in Odessa was six of 80 books to be shortlisted for the award, I was thrilled. When I bought Melissa Nathan's novel The Nanny, I learned that she died when she was only 37, and I could not stop thinking about her and her family, especially her young son. I am 39 and don't know what I would do without my mother...

The award ceremony was a charity gala in the very posh Cafe de Paris and it was lovely to meet Sophie Kinsella and Joanna Trollope, two of the judges for the award. It was an honor to win and to spend an evening surrounded by Melissa's family, friends, and fans. I was so honored when Sophie Kinsella said, 'The winner this year was Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles, which is a fantastically quirky, wry and funny story with some great characters. I highly recommend it.' What could be better?

If you would like to see some of the photos from that evening, you're welcome to check out my blog post.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
JSC: I write in the morning when my mind is fresh. In the afternoon, I read and research, then in the evening, I answer e-mail pertaining to the novel.

MA: Do you have plans for another novel?
JSC: I would like to write another novel set in Ukraine, then move on to Montana and Paris as settings. To me, the setting of a novel is a character that shapes the story.

MP: How do you like to spend your time when you are not writing or working?
JSC: To be honest, if I am not writing, I am thinking about it. Perhaps revising a scene in my head or listening to people talk and making mental notes of the cadence of their voices, thoughts that seem important to them, or funny phrases that they say.

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My friend Anca and I meet once a week to write in a café, which is always a treat.

MA: If "Moonlight..." were made into a movie, who would you cast as the main characters?
JSC: Don’t you love the word ‘casterbation’ – dreaming about would play the roles of the characters of your favorite books? To be honest, I don’t think too much about it. For Tristan, I think someone like Russell Crowe, a brute, would be interesting. I would love to see my characters on the big screen. Who do you think should play Daria?

MA: Side note...I could see Emmy Rossum as Daria.

MA: Was Emerson based on the town in Montana where you grew up? If not, have you ever been to towns similar to Emerson?
JSC: Emerson wasn’t based on any specific town. I just wanted to show the positive and negative aspects of life in a small town through the eyes of a big city girl. Personally, I live in a city now and miss small-town life.

The name of the town came from a young woman I worked with when we attended the University of Montana with. Her name was Elizabeth Emerson. I loved her positive attitude and free spirit.

MA: What was your favorite thing about living in Odessa?
JSC: My favorite thing about Odessa was without a doubt, the fabulous people that I met there. I loved my friends, neighbors, and coworkers. They were so generous and open and kind.

I also loved the sea, the lush green parks and flowers, and the French and Italian architecture.

MP: Have you gone back to visit Odessa since you left?
JSC: Yes, I have been back several times to visit my neighbors and my students. The last time I went, my husband came with me, which was a real treat.
You have been living in Paris for over ten years, do you plan on staying there permanently?
I never planned on living here. Like many Americans who come to Paris, I meant to stay for just a year. Then I kept re-applying to stay as a teaching assistant. It is hard to believe that a decade has passed so quickly. My husband and I just take things one year at a time. It would be hard for me to think that I would never return to live in America. I would love to teach creative writing at a small college in America. I love American university towns, the friendliness of the people, and taking classes – I am a life-long learner.
My husband and I spend time in South Carolina each winter -- so many colleges and activities to enjoy. This year, we were in Charleston and loved the energy of the city. We wanted to move there!

MP: What is your favorite thing about living in France?
JSC: I love that everyone, whether they are a CEO of a huge company or a waitress, has paid time off for vacation (five weeks) and health care. That may not be very romantic or sexy as an answer, but it does mean a lot to know that you don’t have to worry about how you will pay your medical bills or your children’s medical bills if disaster strikes.

MA: I read that you met your husband on your first day in France. What was that first meeting like?
JSC: The short story is that we met on my first day in France. The long story is that I had helped his brother, who was working in Montana. When I got a job in France, his brother asked him to pick me up at the airport and to drive me to Mulhouse, France, where I had a job teaching English.
I had spoken to my husband once over the phone and loved his French accent. The way he said ‘ah leetle’ instead of ‘a little’ was so charming! I was looking forward to my new job but also looked forward to meeting my friend’s older brother. We spent the day in Paris – just walking the streets and stopping in little cafes – before driving five hours to Mulhouse. At the end of the day, I was already in love and knew that we were meant to be together. And he says that knew it, too.
I think these first moments of falling in love are universal, we can all relate to them and appreciate them. That’s why I wanted to write about different kinds of love in Moonlight in Odessa, and to show the different ways we can meet and the vast impressions we can have of someone at first. Can first impressions be right? Can they be changed? It was a fun idea to explore.

Special thanks to Janet for answering all our questions and providing the books for the giveaway.

Thanks also to Melissa P. for asking such thought provoking questions.


How to win "Moonlight in Odessa":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted.)

For additional entries (each as a separate comment including your e-mail address, as well):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite thing about the country/province/state/city where you live?
OR
2. Please tell us: What was (or is) your most favorite job?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Giveaway ends Monday, September 13th, at 6 pm EST.

Winners of "The Home for Broken Hearts"

To pick the winners, I assigned a number to each entry and asked Rowan Coleman to pick two random numbers in the specified range I presented to her.

"Thank you everyone for taking the time to enter this competition launched on my wedding day! The two numbers I have picked at random are 8 and 57. Good luck! xxx"

Congrats to Kathryn and Heather!

Thanks again to Rowan for her lovely answers to our questions, Melissa P. for her help with this interview and Ayelet at Simon and Schuster for arranging the giveaway.

If you have a comfort food recipe handy and want to win a fabulous prize package from Stacey Ballis, then check out our latest interview and contest! (US/Canada only. Ends September 13th.)

Also, stay tuned for our "Moonlight in Odessa" giveaway and interview with Janet Skeslien Charles tomorrow!

Interview with Stacey Ballis and prize package contest!

**Giveaway is now closed**

During the summer of 2007, one of my friends introduced me to Stacey Ballis by giving me a copy of “The Spinster Sisters” to read. I couldn’t put it down and was won over by the humor and characters with whom I was able to easily relate. Upon finishing, I checked out her other three novels and found I enjoyed them a lot too. I think my favorite of these four was “Inappropriate Men.” It featured a woman who was admittedly overweight and took the reader through her crazy dating situations. It had a very honest and candid feel and also mouth-watering descriptions of food throughout. After I read all four of her books, I was hungry for more and Stacey has finally satisfied my appetite by coming out with “Good Enough to Eat” (in bookstores today). I purchased my copy in advance in hopes of winning a fabulous contest she was hosting where I could win a chance to go to lunch with her and Jen Lancaster. Can you tell I’m a fan?

Not only is Stacey Ballis a great writer, but she’s also very personable and we have had fun chatting while working on this interview. We even exchanged noodle kugel recipes because we’re both Jewish and the High Holidays are fast approaching! The other thing we have in common is that we’re both from Chicago (although she stayed and I moved away.) However, she grew up downtown and I was raised in the suburbs. I love that she writes about Jewish women living in Chicago, as I can definitely appreciate her books on both those levels. I hope you all will check out Stacey’s previous books and also take a chance to enter her fabulous giveaway, a package that includes:

*A signed copy of "Good Enough to Eat"
*A limited Edition "Good Enough To Eat" Apron
*Both items wrapped in a Freshvac Lunchpac Plus (canvas insulated lunch bag with a Freshvac container in a special zip pocket)

Check out the contest details after you learn more about Stacey Ballis and some of the things she thinks are good enough to eat.

1. Do you have any sequels planned for any of your books?
I have notes for single sequels to Inappropriate Men and Room for Improvement, four possible sequels to The Spinster Sisters which I had envisioned as a series, and a couple for Good Enough to Eat. Sadly for me, sales have never warranted a sequel to any of my books, but I always hope!

2. Which of your characters can you identify with the most? Least?
There is a little bit of me in all of my characters, just like there is always a little bit of parents in their kids. I’d say Jodi Spingold is probably closest to me in the most number of ways, even though she does a lot of things I hope I would never do. Least like me would be Hillary from Room for Improvement. Too hard edged. I’m mushy.

3. What did you do to celebrate when your first book was published?
I had a launch party at a local bar with all my friends and family, as well as get-togethers after my first couple of reading/signings.

4. Do you have any rituals for when you write your books?
I often write with the television on in the background tuned to something relevant...for "Room for Improvement," it was all HGTV all the time, for "The Spinster Sisters" a lot of Oprah, the Starting Over House and self-help talk shows, and for "Good Enough to Eat," I was all over the Food Network! Just having the right words floating around you can be very inspiring. I also often pack up and head to my family’s weekend place in the country for a week to really focus when I am getting distracted, usually towards the end of a book. And the day my author’s case arrives and I see the finished book for the first time, I always open a bottle of pink champagne!

5. If "Good Enough to Eat" were made into a movie, who would you want to cast in the main roles?
Hmmm. I think Lauren Graham would be great as Melanie. Ellen Page for Nadia. Nathan Fillion as, um Nathan (nope, didn’t do that on purpose at all...no-siree). Alfre Woodard as Delia.

6. What is your favorite thing about living in Chicago?
EVERYTHING! Seriously, I love this city. It is in my blood and bones. As much as I enjoy travel and spending time away, coming home is always the best. The culture, the amazing food scene, music and art and everything that makes life worth living, but affordable and slightly slower paced, with something of a small town feel. I love that I am always running into people I know!

7. What is your favorite cooking show?
Hmmm, that is a tough one. Nigella Lawson’s shows are visually spectacular, and for me, I find her recipes very accessible and they work as written. But Top Chef is the one I wait for every week and miss between seasons. SO excited about Top Chef Just Desserts I can barely stand it!

8. Have you tried to make any of the recipes you've talked about in your previous or current books? If so, what was the outcome?
All of the recipes in my books, unless specifically noted, are mine and they all work well. I try very hard not to publish the stuff I make that is inedible.

9. In light of the upcoming Jewish holiday season, what is your favorite traditional Jewish food?
I love brisket, and matzo balls, but hands down my favorite is sweet noodle kugel!

10. What has been your favorite (healthy) comfort food so far?
I make a whole grain pasta dish with half pasta and half zucchini “noodles” with chicken in a light lemony sauce that I just love. (Here's the recipe.) It feels decadent and never tastes like “diet food” to me. I posted the recipe on my blog a couple of months back. And the recipes I developed for the book, especially the light mac 'n' cheese are really yummy!

Special thanks to Stacey for answering my questions and for facilitating a fun and unique giveaway. I had a lot of fun getting to know her. If you want to know even more about her, check out her blog.



How to win Stacey's special prize package:
Please do NOT comment here....
E-mail your favorite healthy comfort food recipe to Stacey at Staceyballisinfo at gmail dot com by September 13th at 5 pm CST. She'll be picking the one that sounds like the best combination of delicious and nutritious. The winner will be announced on September 15th.

For US/Canada residents only.

Book Review: The Home for Broken Hearts

By Melissa Amster

This past spring, I found Rowan Coleman's personal and fan pages on Facebook and saw the cover of her latest book, "The Happy Home for Broken Hearts." I was immediately intrigued. The cover looked adorable and the concept sounded very interesting. I've read a lot of amazing books about widows and had a feeling this would be just as amazing, especially knowing Ms. Coleman and how much I already enjoy her books. It is now being released in the US as "The Home for Broken Hearts" with a different, but equally attractive cover design. However, this is quite a change from her previous books about motherhood.

"The Home for Broken Hearts" is about Ellen, a woman recently widowed and left to fend for herself (and her 11 year-old son) financially. She lives in a beautiful Victorian home and doesn't want to let it go so easily. Her sister suggests that she should take in boarders and charge rent. The result of this suggestion creates huge changes in Ellen's life and causes her to reassess her marriage and everything she thought she knew about herself.

While this book had a different feel from her previous books, I thought it was beautifully written and carried some important messages. It touched on a topic that I've never read about in any other chick lit novel. I don't want to give anything away though! I loved how she created such interesting and contrasting characters and how they all interacted with Ellen in different ways. She even stepped outside of Ellen's world a few times to get into the heads of some of these other characters. Throughout the novel, Ms. Coleman took Ellen on an emotional roller coaster and has invited her readers along for the ride.

Overall, "The Home..." had a similar feel to a Marian Keyes novel. (Seeing as I'm a huge Marian Keyes fan, I am not complaining one bit!) I feel that Ms. Coleman has taken her writing to new heights this time around and she has even inspired me to write more, as a result. I really don't have anything to criticize, other than sometimes the introspectiveness of the characters could be repetitive. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, as I still can't stop thinking of this story and definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a refreshing and thought-provoking novel.

Winners of "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker"

To pick the winners, I assigned a number to each entry and asked Marla Martenson to pick 2 random numbers in the specified range I presented to her. She chose 11 & 32.

"Hi everybody, thanks so much for all of your comments, it was an honor for me to be interviewed on Chick Lit Central!
I hope you enjoy "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker." Connect with me on Facebook and let me know what you think!"

Congrats to Karen K and Brittany!

Thanks again to Marla for a fun and fabulous interview and for providing the books for the giveaway. Thanks also to Melissa P. for her interesting questions.

Don't forget to enter to win "The Home for Broken Hearts" by Rowan Coleman! US/Canada only. Giveaway ends Monday at 6 pm EST.

We have two exciting interviews and giveaways coming next week....Stay tuned! Have a nice Labor Day weekend!

Interview with Rowan Coleman and book giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Rowan Coleman is the bestselling author of "The Accidental Mother," along with its sequel, "The Accidental Family" and several other books about motherhood. Ever since Melissa P. and I both read "The Accidental Mother," we've been hooked! We have to rush out and get her latest book immediately when it hits the shelves. My favorite (so far) is "Mommy by Mistake." I love all the camaraderie between the friends in that story. It also had a realistic view of being a new mother. Melissa P's favorite is "The Accidental Mother" because she can relate to Sophie in a lot of ways and felt very connected to her.

We have been connected with Rowan on Facebook and were thrilled when she agreed to do an interview with us for Chick Lit Central. She has been running a short story contest that was only open to people on her side of the Atlantic. However, she also has weekly status short story challenges. Melissa P. won one of those challenges and I've been chosen as a runner up a couple of times. We both see it as an honor that she takes notice of and likes our writing skills. We enjoyed learning more about her and hope you will too. Her publisher, Ayelet Gruenspecht, at Simon and Schuster has offered to give away two copies of "The Home for Broken Hearts" to some lucky readers in the US and Canada.

Before we go on with the interview, there are two other things I would like to share:
*Today is Rowan Coleman's wedding day!!! Congrats to Rowan and her (now) husband!

*A while ago, I had asked Rowan (on Facebook) why the title of her latest book had changed for the US. Here was her reply:
"I'm published slightly differently in the US, more women's literary fiction - and so the title and cover - which I love, are a little more serious. In the Uk an upbeat chirpy cover is still the way to go here - we have a much narrower market. Literary or Commercial fiction - and I fall into the commercial section!"

Without any further ado, here is our interview:

MP: Where and when do you like to get most of your writing done?
RC: Most of my writing is done in my study, its lovely with Victorian wall paper and a real chaise longue. But if I'm really stuck I take my laptop to a cafe, the noise seems to help me concentrate.

MP: Do you have any plans to tour in the U.S.?
RC: I'd love to tour in the U.S. I've visited a few times and yours is such a diverse and fascinating country I'd love to see more or it - but so far no. Perhaps if my publishers get enough requests from readers....? (hint, hint)

MP: You recently held a short story competition and the winners receive free mentoring from you as well as other prizes, which is very generous of you. What inspired you to hold the competition for aspiring writers?
RC: Unfortunately in life talent alone isn't always enough to get you where you deserve to be, you need someone to be on your side. I want to be on some one's side and help them as much as I've been helped in the past.

MP: What was your first experience in the journey to publishing like for you? Did you face any challenges?
RC: Ironically my path to publication for my first novel was pretty smooth. I won a short story competition in a national magazine which opened a lot of doors for me. However since then I've had plenty of ups and downs. A writers life is a tough one, you need to be able to take rejection and get back up again!

MP: If you were not a writer, what would you see yourself doing?
RC: I get ask this question a lot and I find it really hard to answer - I did use to think I'd be a wedding planner, but I've recently been planning my own wedding and am in a state of near constant hysteria.

MA: Do you have any other sequels planned?
RC: Not at the moment, never say never though.

MA: If you could have any of your books made into a movie, which would you choose and who would you want to be the main stars?
RC: I would love to see "The Accidental Mother" made into a film. I'd cast Cameron Diaz as Sophie, I think she'd be great!

MA: I know you have a one year-old son. What made you decide to write about motherhood before you became a mother?
RC: Oh, well I have a nine year old daughter too. I actually only started writing about motherhood after she was born.

MA: What did you do for your hen night?
RC: We went for very posh afternoon tea and a top London hotel, the karaoke at a bowling alley, then dancing, then cocktails, then the next day I had my wedding make-up practice which was lucky as I looked terrible.

MA: What has been your favorite thing about motherhood so far?
RC: The love given and returned, it's beautiful.

Special thanks to Rowan for taking the time out of her wedding planning schedule to answer our questions, to Ayelet Gruenspecht for providing books for the giveaway and Melissa P. for sharing my love of Rowan's books and helping so much with this interview!


How to win "The Home for Broken Hearts":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted.)

For additional entries (each as a separate comment including your e-mail address, as well):
1. Please tell us: If you are a mother, what is your favorite thing about motherhood? If you are not a mother, what is your favorite experience involving somebody else's kids?
OR
2. Please tell us: What is the strangest thing you've ever done to make money?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada residents only. Giveaway ends Monday, September 6th, at 6 pm EST.

Winners of "The Stuff that Never Happened"

To find the winners, I assigned everyone numbers by the order in which the entries came in and used the Custom Random Number Generator. It chose 13 and 54.

Congrats to Heather and Bailey (the bookworm)!!!

Thanks again to Maddie Dawson for participating in this interview and providing the books for the giveaway. Thanks to Melissa P. for an excellent job on her second solo interview (and she has more solo interviews to come in September).

Be sure to enter our current giveaway for "Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker" by Marla Martenson! US only. Ends Thursday at midnight EST.