Book Review: To Have Not

In "To Have Not," Frances Lefkowitz details her life growing up in poverty and how she learned to cope with the constant moves to different cramped apartments and how it has shaped and affected her as an adult. Early on, she created two categories of people, the "haves" and the "have nots." She found ways to keep up with the "haves" while being part of the "have nots," and eventually went to an Ivy League college before embarking on various career paths and traveling across the USA and even to Central America.

We both recently had an opportunity to read "To Have Not," thanks to BookSparks PR, and wanted to share our views on the book.

Melissa A:
I was first attracted to the cover of this autobiography, which led me to believe that the story would be as warm and cozy as the sweater the girl was wearing on the cover. However, Ms. Lefkowitz did not aim for a warm and cozy feeling while writing about the details of her past and present lifestyles. While honest and gripping, her story isn't pretty by any means. There is a lot that reminded me of "The Glass Castle," another autobiography about living with less and being forced to move a lot as a result. I also was reminded of a series I read in my youth called "The Boxcar Children," where these kids had to get creative to make-do with the little they had.

There are some parts that I really found interesting and during those, I felt I could really understand what Ms. Lefkowitz was going through and sympathize. However, there were other parts that went over my head a bit, as she grew up in a different era than I did and was raised in a completely different lifestyle than I was. So it was hard to picture those moments. I really liked that she didn't give up on herself, even when she felt the odds were stacked against her. She also had compassion for others and the desire to move past the path that was laid out for her.

While I felt there was a bit too much introspection in the form of a self-psychoanalysis, there were a lot of things I was able to take away from her situation and think about over and over. I feel the best audience for "To Have Not" is those who have also been in her shoes (maybe to a different extreme) or those who want to see how the other half live, in order to be grateful for being a "have."

Melissa P:
From the moment I picked up "To Have Not" I was hooked. I couldn't wait to find out what the author was going to do next or what adventure she was about to embark on. I love the way Frances describes the streets, her surroundings, her life. I can actually picture the hilly San Francisco streets and asphalt schoolyards that she writes about. There is so much pain but also so much triumph and strength in her brightly colored story.

I don't think you have to have grown up poor or as a "have-not" to connect with this story or with the author. Frances writes honestly and sometimes a little detached, but it works so well. Frances had the courage to believe in herself and change her circumstances on her own. I thoroughly enjoyed "To Have Not" and didn't want the story to end! Thanks Frances!

Stay tuned for an interview with Frances Lefkowitz later this week, along with a book giveaway!

Winner of "Arranged"

To find the winner, we assigned a number to each entry and had Catherine McKenzie choose one at random.


How about number 23 for the winner.

Thanks, Melissa A & P, for the opportunity to share my book, ARRANGED, with your readers, and your excellent review. Thanks for sharing your experiences & congrats to the winner.

Congrats to Sarah Marquez!

Thanks to everyone for participating. Thanks again to Catherine for the interview and for giving away a copy of her book.

Want more chances to win this book?
Stop by The Book Chick by January 28th. (Canada only.)

Also, enter Catherine McKenzie's massive giveaway to win "Arranged," "Spin," or a grand prize of a Kindle or Kobo e-reader. (US/Canada only. Ends January 31st.)

Stay tuned for a giveaway of "To Have Not" by Frances Lefkowitz this week. Also, one more week to enter our big giveaway, if you're a member of Chick Lit Central on Facebook! Catherine is giving away a copy of "Spin" there.

Stylish Blogger Award

Thanks to Queen of Reading and Lip Gloss and Literature, we have received the Stylish Blogger Award!

And now the rules of the award:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.
2. Tell us 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 super stylish bloggers this award.
4. Contact those bloggers and let them know they have won.

7 things (you might or might not know) about us:

1. Same first initial of our maiden name (Melissa P's is Smoot and Melissa A's is Silverman).
2. Same model house growing up (just two doors and one number away).
3. We both took theater classes in high school (we attended the same high school for a short period of time).
4. We both love “Coyote Ugly” and "Ugly Betty."
5. We both have sisters (Melissa P's is older, Melissa A's is younger). Melissa A is one year younger than Melissa P's sister and Melissa P is one year older than Melissa A's sister.
6. We both had dogs when we were growing up (Melissa P. has dogs now too).
7. We've both been married for almost 7 years (and our husbands are good cooks, but Melissa P's is a professional chef).

Blogs we have chosen for the award (in no particular order):
Chick Lit is Not Dead
A Cozy Reader's Corner
Book Love Blog
Crazy for Books
The Book Chick
Chick Lit Shorties
Crazy Book Slut
Girls with Books
Manic Mommy
The Write Stuff
Chick Lit Cafe
Chick Lit Plus
Write Meg!
The Book Lady's Blog
Bookfinds

Congrats to you and your stylin' blogs! Keep up the great work!
XO, M&M

Book Review: Arranged

By Melissa Amster

The topic of arranged marriages is something I'm familiar with from my Jewish heritage. I personally can't attest to them, but I know they had them back in the day. (Think "Fiddler on the Roof.") There are still shadchens (matchmakers) who operate today to arrange a proper shidduch (match for marriage). In Orthodox Judaism, there are also shorter courtships and engagements, as a couple is not supposed to so much as hold hands until they marry. So, the concept of Catherine McKenzie's latest book, "Arranged," interested me because it was about an arranged marriage. True, it was done in a different way and had nothing to do with religion or culture. Still, it was a fascinating story and nearly impossible to put down.

Anne Blythe, fresh out of a long term relationship, comes across a business card with her last name on it. She pockets it for luck and goes on her way to meet her friend for drinks. When her friend later announces that she is engaged, Anne decides to contact the company, which she assumes is a dating service. Much to her surprise, she finds out that they specialize in arranged marriages and are both confidential and expensive. She decides to go through the series of tests and they find her a match. Over the course of one week in Mexico, she meets and marries the man with whom they have paired her, much to the shock and concern of her family and friends back home. After a few weeks of marital bliss, Anne learns a new truth about her husband that changes everything about their marriage. Can she still fall in love after her trust has been betrayed?

I loved everything about this novel. It was fresh, clever, funny and Anne was so easy to relate to, even though I probably fit more into the role of her best friend. It's not often that an author can help me get inside a main character's head so well that I feel like I am that character while I am reading the story. The supporting characters are also well written and realistic and the dialogue is natural and honest. I even enjoyed the pop culture references peppered throughout (such as one about a V.C. Andrews novel). I have been recommending it to my friends even after reading the first 30 pages. I think anyone who wants a good dose of chick lit with an extra helping of substance will devour this novel in one sitting.

For an opportunity to win a copy of "Arranged," check out our interview with Catherine McKenzie. Trust me, you will want to win this one! (Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only. Ends January 16th at midnight EST.)

Interview with Catherine McKenzie and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, and now practices law there. Her first novel, "Spin" (HarperCollins Canada, January 2010) debuted at #15 on the Globe & Mail Canadian Bestseller list. Her new novel, "Arranged," is now available on Amazon and !ndigo. Catherine also runs a campaign on Facebook to turn relatively new novels into bestsellers. (Read our interview for more details.)

If you like what you've read here, you can become a fan on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. Also, enter her massive giveaway to win one of her books or a grand prize of a Kindle or Kobo e-reader. (US/Canada only. Ends January 31st.)

Along with answering all our questions, Catherine has offered to give away one copy of "Arranged" to a lucky reader in the US or Canada. (In the meantime, we can all turn this novel into a bestseller!)

MP: You practice law in Montreal, how did you get into writing fiction?
CM: I've always written poetry, and one day I just got this idea for a book that wouldn't go away, so I sat down and started writing it without any idea of what I was doing, whether I could write a whole book, whether I could write at all. That book is sitting in a drawer, but I did keep writing.

MP: Were there any challenges you faced while writing "Arranged"?
CM: The same challenge I face with any book I write: getting it finished. I find the space between 20,000-70,000 words the hardest - that's where the real work comes in.

MA: What was your inspiration for "Arranged?"
CM: I'm not sure why the exact idea popped into my head, but I'm sure it was a mix of knowing a few people who had "traditional" arranged marriages, and watching too much of "The Bachelor." I was always wondering what would lead to someone going on that kind of reality show; Arranged is just an extension of that idea.

MP: How do you like to spend your time when you are not writing or practicing law?
CM: I run. Hang out with friends and family. Watch TV. And read. I'm always reading.

MP: Do you ever suffer from writers block? If so, how do you remedy it?
CM: I don't think I've ever suffered from "real" writers block, though I've certainly had fallow, unproductive periods. For me, learning to write when I wasn't feeling inspired is how I ever finished a book in the first place.

MA: You've been running a campaign to make books into bestsellers. Do you feel it has been successful?
CM: It depends how you measure "success", but yes, I think it has been successful. Literally thousands of people who had not heard of the books I started out championing - "Jessica Z." and "Two Years, No Rain" by Shawn Klomparens (both really excellent) - have now heard of them, and hundreds have read one, or both of them. The group keeps growing and we're adding to the reading list (we just added "The Day the Falls Stood Still" by Cathy Marie Buchanan, and "The Last Will of Moira Leahy" by Therese Walsh). Hope your readers come check it (and the books) out on Facebook

MA: If you could have either of your books made into a movie, which would you choose and who would you want in the lead roles?
CM: I'd obviously love to sell the movie rights to both my books :)! As to who should play who, I try not to think about that because I have my own idea of what the characters look like in my head. In the unlikely event that this happens, I'm probably better off not having any preconceived notions.

MP: What is your favorite place in the world to visit? Or is there somewhere you would like to go that you haven't yet?

CM: I've loved Greece both times I've been there. It would great to explore Africa.

MA: What is your favorite thing about the month of January?
CM: Snow. It gets dark here early, and snow makes it better. Snow makes everything better, really.

MA: What are you looking forward to most in 2011?
CM: A ski trip I'm taking in March with my Dad. See my answer to the previous question.

Special thanks to Catherine for answering our questions and for providing the book for the giveaway.


How to win "Arranged":
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 if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What is the most outrageous thing you've ever done for love? Was it successful?
2. Please tell us: What are you looking forward to most in 2011?
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 only. Giveaway ends Sunday, January 16th at midnight EST.

Winners of "A Girl Like You"

To find the winners, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Gemma Burgess to pick three at random. Here's what she came up with, along with a quick message:

5
77
88

Good luck everyone...

Congrats to Kat, Linda Kish and Jeryl!

Thanks to everyone for participating, to Gemma for a lovely interview and to Charlotte from HarperCollins UK for contributing the books for the giveaway.

Stay tuned for an interview with Catherine McKenzie, where we will be giving away a copy of "Arranged." (Melissa A. is reading this book now and trust her, you'll want to enter this one!)

Interview with Gemma Burgess and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Gemma Burgess is the author of "The Dating Detox" (Avon, January 2010) and "A Girl Like You," (Avon) which is being released in the UK this week (and can be ordered from BookDepository.com with free shipping)! She currently resides in Notting Hill, but grew up all over the place (mainly in Hong Kong). She enjoys writing anti-romantic comedies for girls who like chick lit that comforts and charms without the silly fluffy bits. Her inspiration for her novels is "Sixteen Candles," which is one of her favorite movies.

Charlotte Allen (Harper Collins) kindly arranged an interview with this dynamic author and has also offered to give away three copies of "A Girl Like You" to some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

If you like what you've read today, you can check out her blog, friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.


MP: What's your usual writing routine?
GB: Wake up early. Write, read, edit, repeat. Have occasional breaks for coffee, food, exercise and jaunts to topshop.com, nymag.com and Twitter. Take a long late-afternoon break and go for a walk, take a bath or read a book. Then maybe reread what I wrote that day and write some more.

MP: Do you ever let friends or family read your work as you write or do you make them wait until you are finished?
GB: Not until I’ve finished the first draft. I edit and re-edit as I write the first draft, so things are always changing. When I’m done, I ask a few friends if they’d like to read it. Mostly I want to know when/if they get bored… I want the book to be entertaining, fast and furiously readable above all else.

I always make sure they know that reading it is optional; I know from experience that reading someone else’s manuscript can be kind of difficult. It’s just not as nice as reading an actual book.

MP: What is the best vacation you have ever taken?
GB: Tough question! Hmm… I got married in April 2010 in New York, so we had a few weeks there and a huge party with 150 of our nearest and dearest, and then we spent another two weeks in Anguilla for a honeymoon… That was pretty perfect; I hadn’t had such a long vacation since university. It was also my first break in quite a long time as the previous year I’d been freelance copywriting, editing THE DATING DETOX and writing A GIRL LIKE YOU, as well as planning the wedding…

I hadn’t had a day off for 18 months, so that made it all the sweeter. It took a while to remember how to do nothing. For the first day of so of honeymoon I was still writing to-do lists and constantly checking the time, then on the third day I had breakfast, got back into bed and slept till lunch. I was like ‘ahh, that’s what doing nothing feels like’.

MP: What is the biggest challenge you faced while writing your last book?
GB: Self-doubt! Always self-doubt. I have hand-wringing moments when I gnash my teeth and wail and scream at the sky and think I should stop bothering with this writing thing and do something else. I’m like a little Greek tragedy heroine. Only with a laptop.

MP: Do you ever suffer from writers block? If so, how do you remedy it?
GB: Not really, thank God. I did once – after my first attempt at a second book drove itself into a ditch. I had to abandon it and start again. For a few weeks I was overcome by panic and an empty brain. I lay on the floor a lot, stared at the ceiling and said ‘this is FUCKED’ very loudly.

Getting over it was, in the end, pretty simple: I forced myself to open the laptop and type. I started to write conversations that I thought sounded funny and real, and characters grew out of that. Then I started thinking about how I, and a lot of my friends, left a long-term boyfriend at the end of our 20s and had to start being single from scratch. And I thought about Roxanne, which is one of my favourite films. And A GIRL LIKE YOU came out of that.

If I get a bit tired of working on a particular manuscript – which isn’t exactly writer’s block, but can be just as irritating - I just work on another project for awhile. I wrote a sitcom pilot with a screenwriter buddy that’s currently doing the rounds, and I’ve almost finished a film script. It’s fun: flexing another writing muscle.

MA: Which of your main characters can you relate to the most?

GB: Sass in THE DATING DETOX. Her personality and attitude to most things in life is basically me. None of the things that happened to her, happened to me, however – it is not autobiographical! - and of course a lot of aspects of her personality are exaggerated to make it more interesting to read…

Abigail in A GIRL LIKE YOU is very much like I used to be, though it took me about nine years to figure out the stuff she finds out in six months. Ah, the joy of fiction…

MA: If you could make a movie of either of your books, which would you choose and who would you cast as the lead characters?
GB: Oh yikes. I have no idea… hmm. Mila Kunis is pretty damn funny and sparky. So is Kristen Bell. She’d need to have the right attitude and humour. Emma Stone is funny, too… There’s a bit of a dearth of non-teen female-driven comedies, right now, have you noticed? There are some really funny movies being made, but the women are either harpies or whores (see: Hangover, The). "Whip It" was awesome, so was "Going The Distance." Drew Barrymore seems like a very funny woman. Where was I? Oh yes, movies. I don’t know, who do you think?

MA: What was it like living in Hong Kong vs. living in London? What cultural difference sticks out the most for you?
GB: I love them both! They’re similar in many obvious ways, particularly in that very international, and full of people from all over the world who want to work and play as hard as they can. There’s an energy that’s addictive. They’re very international, and culturally, they’re more similar than you might think. Hong Kong was a British territory until 1997.

The main difference is – and no one ever believes me about this – that Hong Kong is really cosy and compact… London is HUGE. You can drive for hours and not reach the edges. Hong Kong just isn’t that big. I like a city you can cuddle.
Out of interest, I just looked it up: Hong Kong is 1,092 square kilometres, and only 25% of that is the city and the rest is undeveloped, and London is 8,382 square kilometres, almost all developed. So there you go. (Wow. What a fascinating interview I am, huh? You must be so glad you’re reading this.)

MA: If you were stuck on a deserted island, what is the one piece of entertainment you'd want to have with you?
GB: A laptop with an eternal battery, so I could write... Or my husband, Fox. Does he count as entertainment? He is very loud and charming.

MA: What new years resolution do you plan to keep this year? Did you keep any last year?
GB: Nope. I never make resolutions, as I always know I won’t keep them... That sounds horrifically self-indulgent, doesn’t it? Well. I fear it is true. I am.

Special thanks to Gemma for answering our questions and to Charlotte Allen for arranging the interview and providing the books for the giveaway.


How to win "A Girl Like You":
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 if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What new years resolution do you plan to keep this year? Did you keep any last year?
2. Please tell us: If you were stuck on a deserted island, what is the one piece of entertainment you'd want to have with you?
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 Sunday, January 9th at midnight EST.