Winner of "The Tapestry of Love"

To pick the winner, I assigned each entry to a number and then asked Melissa Patafio to pick a random number in the specified range I gave her. She chose 32.


Congrats to ChristyJan, whose favorite quote is:

"You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are." ~ Alice

Thanks again to everyone for participating, Rosy for taking the time to interview with us and sending me the book to give away and Melissa P. for her terrific questions.

Please enter the other giveaways we have going on:
Three signed copies of "The Cougar Club" by Susan McBride.
Ends August 16th at 6 pm EST.

Six copies of "Perfect Blend" by Sue Margolis. US/Canada only. Ends August 17th at 6pm EST.

Getting to know...us!

Melissa P. and I wanted to take some time out of our hectic lifestyles to tell you more about ourselves. We give you the chance to learn more about authors, but what do you know about us?

First of all, we have quite a few things in common (aside from our first names, our obvious love for chick lit and same tastes in books):
*Same first initial of our maiden name (hers is Smoot and mine is Silverman).
*Same model house growing up (just two doors and one number away).
*We both took theater classes in high school (we attended the same high school for a short period of time).
*We both love “Coyote Ugly” and "Ugly Betty."
*We both have sisters (hers is older, mine is younger). I'm one year younger than her sister and she's one year older than mine.
*We both had dogs when we were growing up (she has dogs now too).
*We've both been married for 6 years (and our husbands are good cooks, but hers is a professional chef).

We decided to share five things about ourselves as individuals, as well.


Melissa A.:
1. I am Modern Orthodox Jewish. I keep a Kosher home and observe Shabbos and holidays. For more insight, check out this post I wrote on my personal blog.
2. I love Broadway musicals and have no interest in politics. However, I traded in living by Times Square to living by Capitol Hill and as Glinda says in "Wicked": "I couldn't be happier!"
3. I have a huge crush on Adam Lambert. It goes beyond any crush I've had an a celebrity in the past, including Michael J. Fox, Patrick Swayze, Joey McIntyre or David Duchovny.
4. I haven't set foot in an IHOP in 14 years because I worked there during a summer break from college and the working conditions were so horrible that I have a personal boycott now.
5.I took improv comedy classes from Comedy Sportz.

To learn even more about me, check out my personal blog!


Melissa P.:
1. I am part (and not just 1/64th!) Native American (Muscogee Creek).
2. I am obsessed with any candy that is gummy and sour, especially sour gummy lifesavers!
3. I live in Arizona but I despise lying out in the sun, it’s boring and not to mention dangerous.
4. I have a serious passion for all things dance, especially ballet and hip hop.
5. I am currently co-authoring my first novel (chick lit of course) and it’s taking entirely too long to finish. :)

You're welcome to visit my personal blog, as well!

Now that you have gotten to know us better, give us a chance to learn more about you too! If you haven't yet visited the "Getting to Know You" discussion on Chick Lit Central, please stop by and answer some fun questions!

Interview with Susan McBride and book giveaway!

Susan McBride has recently joined the chick lit scene with "The Cougar Club" (reviewed here). She has previously written mystery and young adult novels about debutantes, such as "Blue Blood." Along with writing about "cougars," Susan has become an accidental "cougar," having caught the eye and heart of a man 9 years younger and getting married to him in 2008.

Melissa P. and I have something in common with Susan too. We all grew up in the midwest (Missouri, Illinois and Indiana for her, Illinois for us). Susan also spent some time in the south and east before heading back to the midwest and calling St. Louis her home for the past 15 years. We had the opportunity to interview this dynamic woman about her book and herself and found out some fun and interesting things. She has also offered to give away three signed copies of "The Cougar Club" to some lucky readers.

MP: "The Cougar Club" is your first women's fiction novel and your second, "Little Black Dress," is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2011. Do you plan to continue writing women's fiction?

SM: Most definitely! After COUGAR came out, I signed with HarperCollins for two more women’s fiction books, including LITTLE BLACK DRESS. So I’ve got one more to do after I turn in LBD, and I’m very excited about that. I’ve always wanted to write women’s fic, and it’s so exciting that I’m actually doing it!

MP: Did you experience any challenges while writing "The Cougar Club"?
SM: THE COUGAR CLUB was challenging in several respects. For one, I married a guy who’s nine years younger. When people hear that, they think the book must be autobiographical (actually, my real Cougar sister thought it was about her!). While my own situation of being an “accidental” Cougar inspired the novel, there’s none of my life in there. The fun of writing fiction is making things up. Although tiny bits and pieces of my experiences—or experiences of family and friends—might work their way into one of my novels, pretty much 99% of everything comes from my imagination. I did have trouble with the first draft being too superficial and more about the whole Cougar phenomenon. I wanted the book to be funny but about real-life changes as we grow older. So what it means to be over forty in our society and what happens if you fall in love with a younger guy (or end up alone, pursuing another kind of passion entirely). So I revised the entire book, re-doing whole chapters completely, and I’m very happy with how THE COUGAR CLUB turned out. It’s truly about the deep friendship of three 45-year-old women—Kat, Carla, and Elise—and what they’re going through on a lot of different fronts, not just in their love lives. Any woman over forty, or any woman for that matter, will find something relatable in these three ladies’ stories.

MP: After waiting almost a decade for your first book to be published, how did you celebrate when the day finally arrived and all of your hard work was rewarded?
SM: Yep, it was a long time coming! I wrote a manuscript each year after my college graduation, and it wasn’t until the eleventh book that I signed a contract with a small press after winning a contest they sponsored (with the prize being publication). It was a wonderful day getting that call, saying, “You’ve won, and we’ll be putting out your book.” I’m sure I jumped up and down and blabbed to everyone I know. I remember selling, like, 150 books at my first-ever signing (at a Barnes & Noble that no longer exists!). I felt equally thrilled when I signed my first contract with HarperCollins for my mysteries…and each contract I’ve signed since. It still seems crazy and wonderful to think I’m doing what I love for a living. Yes, it took a long time to even get where I am (and I still have so many goals ahead of me); but it was worth it.

MP: If you weren't a writer then what would you be doing?
SM: I can’t imagine not writing! It’s so much a part of me.

MP: What inspired you to to write the Debutante Dropout Mysteries?
SM: The inspiration behind that series was being a sorority pledge in the 1980s at the University of Texas with a bunch of Dallas debutantes. They would practice their curtsies in study hall and gab about their new BMWs that Daddy bought them “just because” or their recent trip via private plane to their house in the Caymans. I wasn’t a debutante, so I felt out of place. I had a ball writing about Andy Kendricks, who was raised in chi-chi Highland Park by her Chanel-wearing mother and who refused to debut. It’s fun even now when people discover those books and tell me they chuckled all the way through the series.

A little known fact: the first of my Deb Dropout Mysteries, BLUE BLOOD, was initially called STABBED IN THE BACK and then DEATH AND THE DEBUTANTE DROPOUT. I wrote it a handful of years before it sold to HarperCollins because I loved chick lit novels and I loved mysteries. So I combined the two when it wasn’t really popular to do it. But once Bridget Jones’ Diary hit big and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books became so popular, the doors opened for chick lit mysteries. BLUE BLOOD was one of the forerunners of that trend, and some booksellers didn’t know where to shelve it. So it was often placed in both the Romance and Mystery sections, which I found rather cool.

MA: If "The Cougar Club" were made into a movie, who would play Kat, Carla and Elise?
SM:I’ve actually thought about that! How about Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and Lisa Kudrow from “Friends”? I think they’d be perfect! Just don’t ask me which actress should play which character. I haven’t figured that out yet. ;-)

MA: What is your favorite thing about living in St. Louis?
SM: I’ve been in the Lou for 15 years now, and my roots are buried in the dirt. My mom grew up in St. Louis, and my grandparents lived here so we’d visit a lot. I moved around every few years when I was a kid (my dad worked for IBM = I’ve Been Moved), and I’m very happy to stay put. My husband is from here, and we love it. St. Louis is a city with a small-town feel.

MA: Are you still close with your best friends from high school? If so, how has your friendship changed or evolved over time?
SM: I’m really not close with anyone from high school. I envy women who’ve had lifelong friendships (like the characters in THE COUGAR CLUB). I’ve made some great friends here in St. Louis, and I have other friends that I met through my books or online that live far away. It’s so amazing having that support system. It’s very much like family. I don’t think all friendships are meant to last forever. But when you find good friends who “get” you and who stick by you, you want them to be around as long as possible!


MA: You have mentioned that you are older than your husband. Are there generational differences that come in to play that you both have found humorous (such as misunderstanding, jokes between you, etc.)?
SM: We’re only 9 years apart so there isn’t really a generation gap (in my mind, that’s more like when you’re 20 years apart). Ed’s very smart and aware. His dad is a professor, and his mom was a teacher. So there aren’t many things I bring up in conversation that make him go, “Huh?” The main thing is that he shares my sense of humor, and we crack each other up all the time. We like a lot of the same movies and have very similar interests. The main thing that happens to remind me that he’s younger is how often he gets carded! About half the time we go out to eat, he’s asked for ID when he orders a beer. He’s 36 but he has such a baby face! I can’t wait ‘til he goes gray, that’s for sure.

MA: What is your favorite media portrayal of "cougars?" (Specific TV show, movie, etc.)
SM: Wow, it’s scary that nothing leaps out at me. Maybe I don’t watch enough TV or see enough movies! I think most Hollywood portrayals of older women and younger men use the stereotypical Cougar, like Samantha in “Sex & the City.” In real life, there are more cases where it’s incidental that women over forty end up with younger guys (like me!). I know with my generation of females, it’s less of a big deal to go out with someone younger, and younger guys are definitely more interested in older women. I don’t think Hollywood has caught up to that yet. I do know they nearly changed the name of “Cougar Town” because of the negative image connected to the C-word these days. I’m very glad they decided to keep it. Maybe Courteney Cox, playing a mid-forties woman who’s single and dating younger men will make people realize that’s just part of life now. Age isn’t as important as a lot of other qualities, like compassion, honesty, loyalty, and trust (just to name a few!).

If anyone wants to email Susan McBride or find out more about her books, they can visit her website or find her on Facebook.

Special thanks to Susan for a lovely interview and a great book that she has offered to give away.

Thanks always to Melissa P., whom I know will enjoy "The Cougar Club" as much as I did.



**Giveaway is closed**

How to win "The Cougar Club":
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: Which celebrity crush of yours would make you into a "cougar"?
OR
2. Please tell us: What is your longest friendship?
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, August 16th, at 6 pm EST.

Girlfriend power!

I've been thinking a lot about the female friendships in chick lit novels lately. Over the last few months, I even blogged about my own views of female friendship (in my personal blog):

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

The Deep Side of Female Friendships

I am currently reading “Simply from Scratch” by Alicia Bessette. There was a part in the book where Zell (the main character) talks about another woman being her best girlfriend even though they don’t get manicures together or shop for little black dresses. I thought that part defined something I was talking about in my personal blogs about female friendship. However, I also feel that some of the female friendships I’ve witnessed in books, television shows and movies are all about the fun and frilly “girlfriend” stuff, even when there is more to the friendship. It is what inspired me to write the first personal post about such relationships.

Prior to “Simply from Scratch,” I had read “The Cougar Club” by Susan McBride. The whole novel explores the dynamics of a lifelong friendship between three women and how one of the women moving far away didn’t change that friendship. They were able to pick up where they left off and they seemed to have fun together, no matter what else was going on in their lives. They were also there for each other during the not-so-frilly times.

A few months ago, I had read “The Opposite of Me” by Sarah Pekkanen and then asked in our interview why she didn’t give Lindsey (the main character) any close female friends. Sarah replied that since her book was about exploring the relationship between her and her sister, she felt giving Lindsey a close female friend would detract from the focus of that relationship. She did find a female for Lindsey to confide in outside of her sister, but it was a different kind of friendship than one would normally expect from a chick lit novel. However, it worked perfectly for “The Opposite of Me” and didn’t detract from the story about Lindsey and her sister.

There are a lot of chick lit novels that explore the dynamics of female friendships. Some have women paired up with one close female friend and others feature clusters or groups of women. The former can be seen in the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, most Sue Margolis novels, “Firefly Lane” by Kristin Hannah and “Best Friends Forever” by Jennifer Weiner. The latter can be seen in “The Chocolate Lover’s Club” by Carole Matthews, “Mommy by Mistake” by Rowan Coleman, and “Chasing Harry Winston” by Lauren Weisberger.

I enjoy the opportunity to read about different female friendships, whether they’re the “girlfriend” type, the deep type or a combination of both. Some remind me of my own friendships, as well. I feel that stories about close female friends have definitely found a niche in the chick lit genre.

Now it’s your turn: What is your favorite novel focusing on female friendships?

Guest Blogger Book Review: Me vs. Me

Guest blogger Antonietta Toth reviewed "Me vs Me" by Sarah Mlynowski:



"Blowing out the candles, pennies down a well. People made wishes all the time.
How was I to know that mine would come true?"

Gabby Wolf thought she had made a decision: To leave her comfortable, uneventful life with her boyfriend in Phoenix for her dream career as a producer at the Number 1 News channel in New York. However all this changes two nights prior to her departure by her boyfriend, Cam, taking her out to a desert for a meteor shower and proposing to her! Now Gabby is faced with a confrontation: settle down, jobless, with her loving fiance or live the fabulous single life pursuing her dream? The evening of the proposal, as she lays in the back of Cam's truck, she makes a wish on a shooting star that she could have it all. Never did she expect for it to come true!

The book interchanges between her life in Phoenix, with her new fiance Cam, and her new life in New York. It's comical to read about Gabby living each day twice. In one realm, Cam's overbearing mother is planning Gabby's wedding, while in the other she's a successful single producer trying to play the field. As time moves on, all of this becomes overwhelming to Gabby. Heather, her New York roommate, is unbalanced, and Cam becomes clingy. Gabby realizes what's really most important to her and has to figure out how to make the two worlds become one.

Sarah Mlynowski does an excellent job switching back and forth between both realms, especially in the minds of the readers. It is an enjoyable, science fiction chick lit tale that readers can relate to. It is a fun fantasy of "what ifs" and hard choices, that this character gets to live through. It's definitely a good, quick read with a creative story-line.

Antonietta Toth is a literacy teacher in an inner city school, who has a true passion for reading and writing.

Winners of "Simply from Scratch"

For this giveaway, I assigned numbers to each entry and asked Alicia Bessette to choose the winning two. She chose:

44 & 68

"Thanks so much to all the folks who participated in the giveaway contest. I really appreciate your interest. Simply From Scratch is available now at major bookstores. And watch this week's issue of People magazine -- "Simply From Scratch is a Great Read."

Thanks again!
~Alicia"

The winners are Nicole C. (whose favorite dessert is cheesecake) and Susan (who loves to bake homemade apple tarts).

Congrats!

Thanks again to everyone who participated, Alicia for the interview and giveaway and Melissa P. for helping with the interview.

We currently have two other giveaways going on (Both are US/Canada only):
One signed copy of "The Tapestry of Love" by Rosy Thornton. Ends Thursday at midnight EST.

Six copies of "Perfect Blend" by Sue Margolis. Ends August 17th at 6pm EST.

Featured author: Sue Margolis (Tribute, Book Review and Giveaway)

By Melissa Amster

I first discovered the joy of a Sue Margolis novel when my friend gave me “Apocalipstick” to read on my honeymoon. It was clever and funny and I couldn’t put it down. After I finished, I craved more of her novels and polished off “Spin Cycle” and “Neurotica” shortly afterward. Since then, I’ve read almost all her novels. For some reason, I managed to miss “Breakfast at Stephanie’s,” but that will be remedied soon…especially if it is anything like her other novels. There's also a novel called "Sisteria" but I haven't been able to find it in the US.

Sue Margolis seems to have a no-fail formula for her books. There’s the down-to-earth female main character, who usually has some sort of interesting career (like the woman who ran an upscale baby goods store, or the woman whose flower shop got picked for a film). Then there are the eccentric secondary characters, which include best friends, co-workers, parents, siblings, etc. There are also a lot of crazy mix-ups and laugh-out-loud moments that come from her characters’ witty dialogue and scenes that would rival the best sitcoms. Usually there’s a Jewish element. In the past, her main character has been Jewish. Lately, that has transferred to secondary characters. The references are still there, but I hope she comes out with another Jewish main character in the future. That’s what drew me to her initially, as well.



Another thing that grabs me about her novels are her catchy titles. Sometimes they're play on words, but they just stand out. My favorite of all her titles is "Original Cyn."

Finally, there’s the love interest. She makes the relationships between her heroines and their love interests so intriguing. There’s the emotional aspect, which makes me think of my first dates with my husband. It includes lots of fun conversation and dates that don’t seem to end. Then there are her trademark “romantic” scenes which leave me blushing every time and wanting a cigarette, even though I don’t smoke. Yes, they’re that hot! (If you think some of the scenes from “Fly Away Home” by Jennifer Weiner were steamy, then you’re in for a real treat with Sue Margolis’ novels.)

While I love Sue Margolis' novels, I've noticed that she doesn't have much of an online presence. She's not on Facebook or Twitter and I've never seen an interview done with her. I contacted Sharon Propson from Random House to inquire about Ms. Margolis' latest novel, "Perfect Blend" and possibly being able to do a giveaway to promote the book. In response, Sharon sent me an advanced copy of "Perfect Blend" to review and promised SIX more to some lucky readers who may or may not already know the joy of reading her books.



"Perfect Blend" has all the elements that make a Sue Margolis novel what it is. There's Amy, the down-to-earth woman who works at a coffee shop, wants to be a journalist and has a young son thanks to the help of a "frozen pop." The eccentric secondary characters are almost too many to name. Brian is her close, platonic male friend and the owner of the coffee shop where she works. He loves "Seinfeld" and takes after the characters by breaking up with girls over minor flaws. There's also her uptight perfectionist sister who finds ways to criticize her at every turn. The Jewish element comes from Zelma, the other lady who works at the coffee shop. She spouts off Yiddish phrases and encourages everyone to eat more. (Usually a bagel and lox will do the trick!) The funny scenes are all over the place and a lot of the laughs come from the children in the story. (Of course, I busted up the first time I heard the word "moobs," which plays an integral part in the story too.) Finally, there is Amy's romantic interest, complete with the perfect first date and some steaming hot scenes throughout. (The part I could relate to initially was that she and her love interest didn't like coffee but loved hot chocolate. When my husband and I started dating, he asked me out for hot chocolate because we weren't coffee people either. So this definitely made me think of our first date!) Of course, no novel is without its share of complications for the main character, and "Perfect Blend" is no exception. It's what keeps the readers on their toes!

I really enjoyed this novel. It was cute, funny, romantic, sexy and even tugged at some emotional strings. There was one part that was predictable, but even that had a twist. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Margolis' work in the future and hope she'll come out of the woodwork someday so that I can learn more about her (and share that knowledge with all chick lit readers). In the meantime, I plan to check out "Breakfast at Stephanie's." Sue Margolis is a clever writer and it's always a treat to read her novels.

Now for your treat....If you would like a chance to read "Perfect Blend," here's how to win a copy:

**Giveaway is now closed**

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 "first date" story?
2. Thanks to Amy's friend Brian, there were a lot of "Seinfeld" references in this book. What is your favorite episode of "Seinfeld?"
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.

Open to residents of US and Canada only. Giveaway closes August 17th at 6 pm EST.

Thanks again to Sharon Propson of Random House for the review copy and for facilitating the giveaway!