Winners of "I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Random.org to pick TWO numbers.

Congrats to:

67-Kritter
77-Debbie (alibraryofourown)

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating and telling us what draws people to chick lit. Such a wide variety of answers!
Thanks to Jennifer Gilbert for her insight and to Engelman for sharing the book with our winners.

Check out our latest giveaways and also enter ones from other blogs and websites on our giveaways page.

Giffin it all she's got!

From Emily Giffin's Facebook author page

To celebrate International Chick Lit Month right here, we're all doing tributes to some of our favorite authors. Here is what Tracey Meyers had to say about Emily Giffin.

Someone Fantastic

It was the pastel pink and blue book jackets that first attracted to her books "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue." Had the covers not caught my eye, I don't know that I would have even given them a first look. I would never have looked to see what the books were about, which eventually led me to purchasing both of them at the same time. (Whomever it was in her marketing department that made the color recommendation deserves, at the very least, a raise! They had me, and probably many other women, pegged.)

However, like anything pretty on the outside, it's what is inside that inventively wins over my affection. Thankfully, these books were up to the challenge and succeeded with flying colors! (No pun intended.)

Seriously, how was it that I was rooting that Rachel when she was the one cheating with her BFF's fiancé? Yet, Darcy was a bitchy, self-centered twit so I guess it kind of made my allegiance to Rachel ok...right?! And that was just after reading "Something Borrowed." As I ventured into "Something Blue" I still held resentment towards Darcy -- especially in the beginning when she recapped her side of the "Something Borrowed" saga. However, something truly odd happened by the end of the book...I found that I really liked her. I found myself rooting for Darcy and hoping that she would also get her "happily ever after." (Which she did!)

Once hooked on Emily Giffin's books, purchasing a copy of her 2006 book, "Baby Proof" was a no brainier. In 2008, I took my love for Emily's books one step further by attending a booking signing for "Love the One You're With" at Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, IL.

This was the very first book signing I had ever been to, so I found myself standing through the whole event because I came too late to get a seat, which was fine, and actually turned out to be a good thing. It gave me a better vantage point to take some video and pictures.

At HOTM signing in
Naperville, IL, May 2010

Two years later, in 2010, I left work three hours early to ensure I would not only make it to my second Emily Giffin book signing at Anderson's on time, but also that I would get a seat. (I worked about an hour or so away at the time, and I feared rush-hour traffic would delay me a bit.) Not only did I make it in time, I got there before they had even set-up for the event. (Let's just say, I got a front row seat this time.) This was perfect because we were celebrating the release of "Heart of the Matter," which turned out to be a book that really spoke to me.

So why such enthusiasm for Emily's books, you ask? (If you can't answer that question, then you obviously haven't read one of Emily's books.)

Emily has the ability to create characters that are realistic, relatable and even more important, LIKABLE -- remember I was rooting for Rachel even though she was sleeping with their BFF's fiancé.

Also, she somehow takes real-life scenarios she hasn't been through herself and creates a compelling story that makes you look forward to each and every turn of events. For example, how did Emily capture the struggle one encounters when they are cheated on, like she did in "Heart of the Matter?" Or, the conflict that can arise when one individual in a marriage changes their mind about having children when the other doesn't, which is the central focus of "Baby Proof". Time and time...and time again, Emily has created characters that really bring to life the struggles many women (and couples) face on a daily basis, with such authenticity and compassion.

Additionally, the backgrounds she creates for her characters are as authentic as her the characters themselves. For example, once on her Facebook page she asked her followers a question regarding a local Chicago suburb she was using as base point for her upcoming book, "Where We Belong." Though I understand that fact checking is an important part of any writing, I believe a few "mistakes" are forgivable -- remember, this is fiction we're talking about. However, as I could see by that one simple Facebook post, Emily values authenticity in every aspect of her works.

I can't wait until this summer, so I can get my hands on "Where We Belong." The release of a new Emily Giffin novel has become a semi-annual event that I look forward to with much enthusiasm. Since Emily is from the Chicago suburbs, I can't imagine her not making an appearance to talk about her latest novel. I'm always excited see what she has to say about her new story and all the recent experiences she has had as an author. Until then, I'll be visiting her at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review and Giveaway: Jeneration X

**Giveaway is now closed**

Jen Lancaster is finally ready to put away childish things (except her Barbie Styling Head, of course) and embrace the investment-making, mortgage-carrying, life-insurance-having adult she’s become. From getting a mammogram to volunteering at a halfway house, she tackles the grown-up activities she’s resisted for years, and with each rite of passage she completes, she’ll uncover a valuable—and probably humiliating—life lesson that will ease her path to full-fledged, if reluctant, adulthood. (Summary courtesy of Goodreads.)

See what Amy and Gail thought of "Jeneration X" and then enter to win it for yourself. Thanks to Penguin, we have THREE copies for some lucky US readers!

Amy:
So if any of you haven't heard of Jen Lancaster, or read any of her novels, you are definitely missing out. She is one of the most hilarious writers that I've also had the pleasure of meeting a couple of years ago at a New York City book signing. Speaking of meeting Jen, she is going to be doing an event with Jennifer Weiner at Bryant Park in New York City on Wednesday June 6th. Stay tuned for more details as the date gets closer.

"Jeneration X" is Jen's 6th memoir where she "gives herself and her generation - a kick in the X by facing her greatest challenge to date: acting her age."

I loved Jen's description and hilarious times she has when she's in Whole Foods. Just like Jen, I LOVE Whole Foods and man, would I love to visit the Lincoln Park store in Chicago. None of the stores near me have as many do-it-yourself food bars as this Chicago one does. I've never had the pleasure (nor do I want to) to stand behind a spoiled and picky kid ordering sushi, or deal with the crazies who come to shop after work...I'd rather shoot myself in the head.

All I know is if Jen Lancaster can go make an appointment to get a mammogram, and actually go through with it, then so can I. Now do I want to? Um no... I hear your boobs get crushed...several times. However because both my sides of the family have breast cancer, I think it's time.

You have to admit that a lot of grown-up activities, like writing and executing a will or refinancing a mortgage, can be pretty scary. Who wants to think about who should get all of their possessions when they die? And no, Jen, you can't just sign a cocktail napkin saying your dog gets all of your things...I wish life was that easy.

Jen recently appeared on New Day in Seattle to talk about "Jeneration X." You can see the video here.

Gail:
Jen Lancaster is bar-none hilarious, which is why I’m an avid follower of her blog, her twitter feed, and her facebook page. (See my tribute to her from earlier this month.)  That being said, I was a little sad to see that a couple of the stories she relays in “Jeneration X” were lifted straight out of the blog and plunked into this book. Now, don’t take this to mean the book wasn’t enjoyable. It absolutely was, and I spent a few nights waking up my husband with badly-muffled snorts and wheezes as I tried to laugh more quietly while reading about Jen and Fletch’s misadventures. I also really liked that this book had a couple of serious moments. I’m a big believer in the power of snark, but every now and again a girl’s got to be real about things. I’m personally a fan of her memoirs more than her foray into fiction, so I was super excited when I got my copy of "Jeneration X" (thanks for the mega-fast shipping, amazon.ca!). I had been pining for this book for months...ever since I pre-ordered it, in fact. I’ll definitely put this one on my re-read shelf, right there alongside the rest of Jen’s memoirs.

Special thanks to Penguin for the book (for Amy) in exchange for an honest review and for sharing it with our readers.

How to win "Jeneration X":
Tell us about the first time you truly realized you were an adult. (One entry per person.) Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win.

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

More by Jen Lancaster:

Flying the friendly skies with Heather Poole...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Today we welcome Heather Poole, real life flight attendant who has written a charming and funny insider’s account of life and work in the not-always-friendly skies called "Cruising Attitude." Heather Poole has been published in The Best Women's Travel Writing 2010. Her regular online column, "Galley Gossip: Confessions from the Jumpseat with Heather Poole," has received more than two million views and is featured on AOL's award-winning travel website, Gadling.com.

Thanks to HarperCollins we have one copy of "Cruising Attitude" to give away to a lucky reader anywhere in the US.

Visit Heather at her website and on Facebook and Twitter.

What was the most challenging part of writing "Cruising Attitude?"
Finding time to write. I’ve been talking about writing a book for years. After awhile even close friends and family didn’t take me seriously when I’d talk about it. I’m a flight attendant, wife and mother. It’s not easy balancing all that without also trying to find time to work on a book. When I was writing I’d feel guilty about not spending time with my family. When I was spending time with my family I’d feel guilty about not writing. I should also mention it took a few years to realize the first book I was working on was the wrong book, even though every agent and publishing house told me this multiple times. I didn’t believe them. Turns out they were right! Blogging helped me find my way. When you blog you get immediate feedback from readers. You learn what they like and what they want to know more about. It’s why I now tell struggling writers to know who their market is and to give them what they want.

Who are two authors who inspired you to write?
Writing really starts with reading. The first author who truly captured my attention was Judy Blume. In grade school I checked out every single one of her books after reading "Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret." I couldn’t get enough of her. That’s how my love of books with a strong female voice began. The book that inspired me to start writing was "Catcher In the Rye," although as I read it I don’t think I was completely conscious that I wanted to write. But the conversational tone is what got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could do that - on a much lower level of course! Sarah Dunn’s "The Big Love" is the book I kept on my writing desk to use as motivation when I first began writing, the perfect combination of "Catcher in the Rye" meets the best of chicklit.

What do you think the key is to a successful chick lit novel? Lots of sexiness? A studly hero? Plenty of angst?
A strong voice people can relate to. Although we’re more connected because of cell phones, Facebook, twitter and the like, we’re also more disconnected than ever before. This is why I think reality TV is so popular today. Writing something that’s real and true, something that people can relate to on an emotional level, is more important than ever before.

What did you do to celebrate when you first heard that you were going to be published?
Because I got my book deal before I’d finished writing my book, I decided not to celebrate until I had typed The End. Then when I finished writing the book I decided not to celebrate until I saw my book at the bookstore sitting on a shelf. When that day finally came I took about 100 photographs of myself holding it in the aisle.

TV series that feels most like chick lit:
I miss Sex and the City so much! Which reminds me to DVR that new show Girls.

If "Cruising Attitude" was made into a movie, who would you cast yourself?
Emma Stone would be my fantasy me!

Favorite chick lit novel you ever read:
"Bridget Jones's Diary," of course! Which reminds me I need to read that book again. I want to channel a little bit of that energy in my next book.

What about your flight attendant career inspired you to write?
I don’t know if I would have been as persistent and patience if not for the woman who walked on board my flight and claimed not to be a “psychic” but instead possess a gift she enjoyed giving away. She told me I had a message and my name would be well known. “I’m an actress!” I exclaimed in first class. “You’re a writer,” she corrected. I figured if I was supposed to be a writer I should probably start writing. That’s what I did as soon as got to my Seattle layover hotel. Pen in hand I started writing the first book, which now might become the third book, Stewardeath, about a serial killing flight attendant. After reading the manuscript an agent who is famous for being snarky scribbled on the bottom of a form letter rejection letter that she hoped to never have me on one of her flights. HA!

Can you share any advice for aspiring authors?
Write, write, write, write.... Doesn’t matter how long it takes to finish the book, just keep writing. Do something every day that gets you one step closer to your ultimate goal. If that means you only have time to write one sentence, than write that sentence! It took me 10 years to get to where I am now. I’m pretty sure most of my friends and family never thought I’d ever finish the book, let alone have that book end up on the New York Times bestseller list a week after it was released! (I still can’t believe that happened.) Take it from me, dreams really do come true.

Special thanks to Heather for giving us the flight insight with "Cruising Attitude" and to HarperCollins for sharing this book with our readers.

How to win "Cruising Attitude":
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: What is the craziest thing that happened to you on an airplane? OR What is your favorite chick lit novel about traveling?
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.

US only. Giveaway ends May 28th at midnight EST.

Winners of "Arranged" and "The Singles"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry (one per person for "Arranged") and asked Random.org to pick FOUR numbers (three for "The Singles," one for "Arranged).

For "Arranged," it chose 14.

Congrats to bn100!

For "The Singles," it chose 5, 58 and 81.

Congrats to Cari-Bella Creations, Cher B and Erica (wordywon)!

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating!
Thanks to Meredith Goldstein for chatting with us and to Penguin for sharing "The Singles" with our winners!
Thanks to HarperCollins for sharing "Arranged" with our winner!

Check out our latest giveaways and also enter ones from other blogs and websites on our giveaways page.

There's nothing stupid about Caprice Crane, but her humor is contagious!

From Caprice Crane's
Facebook author page

To celebrate International Chick Lit Month right here, we're all doing tributes to some of our favorite authors. Here is what Kathryn Hamilton had to say about Caprice Crane.

I was first introduced to Caprice Crane when a friend sent me "Forget About It" as a gift last year. I really enjoyed it and loved the twist on the amnesia storyline. I have since purchased the other three novels that Ms. Crane has published: "Family Affair," "Stupid and Contagious" (which is currently in development to become a half-hour sitcom on a major network!), and the 2011 release, "With A Little Luck." I admit that I haven’t gotten very far in my reading, but what I have read so far reminds me of why I was drawn in by her writing in the first place. In 2013, Caprice Crane will be releasing a young adult novel entitled "How to Be a Hater" that I know I will purchase despite not being the target audience.

I started following Ms. Crane on Facebook several months ago, and reading her hilarious and witty (and sometimes a little outrageous) status updates is honestly what clinched me as a fan. Her sense of humour carries over into everything she writes, and it’s so refreshing; I always know that I’m going to smile when Ms. Crane is behind the pen. One of Ms. Crane’s greatest talents is that she combines her amazing humour with messages of hope for the characters in her novels. Although I have not communicated with Ms. Crane directly, I get the sense that she is a down-to-earth and approachable person, and I would love to hang out with her sometime.

Caprice Crane is not only a novelist, but has also tried her hand at screenplays and writing for television. I was watching the first season of 90210 (the new revamped version) when I happened to catch Caprice Crane’s name as the episode writer. I was delighted! Unbeknownst to me, Ms. Crane wrote a total of three episodes for the first season of 90210 (which are honestly the stand outs of the season) and also a couple for the revamped Melrose Place. She also wrote the screenplay for the feature film Love, Wedding, Marriage starring Mandy Moore and Kellan Lutz.

I look forward to catching up on my Caprice Crane novels, and can’t wait to read more in the future! Here’s to much continued success for this wonderfully witty author!

You can catch up with her on Facebook and Twitter, and of course get updates on her personal website.

Book Review: The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken

By Gail Allison

Self-doubt has a way of penetrating into the deepest corners of your life, so when Zoë Clark’s fiancé dumps her after 10 years together (and on the eve of their wedding!), she immediately becomes more hesitant about most aspects of her life. Her near-bipolar boss doesn’t help matters either, and that, combined with a sudden raise in her rent, has her flailing for a lifeline. So when she receives a bouquet of roses at her desk from a guy who works in the building opposite hers, she’s stunned. And when they start dating and Oscar starts showing himself to be more and more perfect, she’s thrilled. After years of mind-numbing, demeaning tasks while pursuing the perfect job match for her clients (she is a legal headhunter), she may have inadvertently stumbled across the ideal match for herself, but could Oscar possibly be as perfect as he seems?

With "The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken," Mari Passananti has crafted an engaging and easy read about a girl learning to find her feet in the big city. The story is somewhat slow in the beginning, but once I got to the halfway point it definitely picked up and started to grab my attention a bit more. Ms Passananti’s writing style is engaging, and the parallel that’s built into the story between Zoë’s personal and professional life was certainly a nice touch.

That being said, I was really hoping this book would grab me by the collar and demand my attention when I started reading it. Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely don’t regret reading it, and as the characters grew throughout the novel, it definitely blossomed as a story. I wish there had been perhaps a touch more character development nearer to the beginning, but maybe that’s just my need for instant gratification kicking in. The story works very well as it stands, too.

This is a great read for a day when you can really sink into a novel. Ms Passananti builds an entire cast of characters who are believable and you really want to get to know a bit better. Even some of the bit players in this novel went through changes and metamorphoses, which I think helped the realism of this book. Everyone’s read those books where no one changes but the heroine, and that’s just not real life. With multiple moving parts, this book was more like real life than a few I’ve read, for sure.

If you’ve ever wondered if your perfect guy is out there, this is definitely the book for you.

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