What makes Becky laugh?

The authors aren't the only ones answering questions about what they find funny. All of us at CLC are doing it too! Here are associate reviewer Becky Gulc's answers!

Funniest chick lit novel?
"The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic"


Funniest book character (chick lit or any kind)?
Becky Bloomwood, "Shopaholic" Series

Favorite comedy film?
"50 First Dates"

Funniest TV show?
"Celebrity Juice"

Funniest song?
"The Chicken Song" - Spitting Image

Funniest quirk you had as a child?
I used to jump over the bottom step on the staircase in case Freddy Krueger got me. No rationale reason!

Funniest thing you heard a kid say?
That his sister came out of his mum's bum.

Funniest thing that happened to you recently?
Not to me as such, but when my dog decided to jump over a stream rather than get his toes wet he didn't quite make it it was very funny (he was fine!) - on the video of it he looks like he's a kangaroo wannabe!

Funniest misunderstanding?
Generally relates to misspelling or misunderstanding my surname!

Strangest thing you find funny?
Playing hide-and-seek with my dog in the woods.

Favorite inside joke you have with anyone you know?
Shake Shake Rooney. Between me and my dog!

Favorite comedian?
Lee Evans

Favorite humorous quote (from a movie)?
'We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"' Dumb and Dumber

Funniest TV or movie character?
Albert Brennaman, Hitch.

Favorite joke?
A man walked into a bar....Ouch.

Book Review and Giveaway: J'adore New York

**Giveaway is now closed**

It's never easy to be the new girl in town, and this difficulty is escalated in the competitive and fast paced world of corporate law, as Catherine Lambert finds out on her first day in New York, after transferring from a more laid back law environment in Paris. She barely has a chance to drink a cup of coffee before being sent off to a small town to do research. Then she comes back to a series of bosses who have various expectations of her and aren't always nice about what they want. On top of that, she also has to deal with a creepy client, backstabbing assistants and her disapproving mother. Soon, she finds romance with a wealthy man who is able to wine and dine her, but when he takes a step too far, Catherine has to figure out what she truly wants for herself.

Melissa A:

Law may be reason, free from passion, but for Catherine Lambert, it is never free from fashion!

I really enjoyed reading "J'adore New York" by Isabelle Laflèche. It had a feel similar to "The Devil Wears Prada" with the fast paced life, the difficult bosses and all the fashion name dropping. It also had a fun and complex romantic element. It was well written in that it was compelling and I didn't want to put it down. I love how Catherine tried her hardest to be the best lawyer possible and also felt she had to second guess herself at times. Her assistant and gay best friend, Rikash, was a lot of fun too. He reminded me of a past coworker who used to be my fashion consultant, as well. And speaking of fashion, Ms. Lafleche described clothes so perfectly that I felt like I was the one shopping for them. She allowed me to be vicariously well-dressed, as a result.

While I realize that a book about law is going to feature shop talk, so to speak, I also felt that this shop talk was only geared toward other corporate lawyers. I felt lost during the times Catherine and the other lawyers were using lawyer terms. It didn't cause me to lose interest in the story though, and I appreciated Catherine's attempts to explain the terminology to someone with no experience in the field of corporate law. The other issue I had was with the story wrapping up a little too neatly, in an almost unbelievable "fashion." However, I wanted only good things to happen for Catherine after reading about all the torture she had to go through to get to that point.

"J'adore New York" is as fast paced as Catherine's career and readers are taken along on the ride with her. It's easy to get lost into her world, to sympathize with her various plights and to cheer for her when something good does come her way. I was glad I had the opportunity to read this novel and get lost in Catherine's world, even when mine is just as busy sometimes.

Melissa P:

When I first had the chance to interview Isabelle Lafleche last year, I was already dying to read "J’adore New York." The name alone was enough to hook me. It’s no secret to those that know me that I love both New York and Paris, my two favorite places on earth. Top it off with fashion and crazy bosses and this book is a page turner! I loved every word, I couldn’t get through it fast enough. Literally. I just started a new job at a very large financial firm, and just couldn’t seem to find extra time in the day to devour this amazing book as quickly as I would have liked. I also was able to sympathize (and commiserate) with the main character, Catherine, about the long hours and extremely high (and unreasonable in her case) expectations. Not that my job is anywhere near as crazy as Catherine’s, but I could literally feel her stress as I read. It’s hard to navigate a new place alone, especially when you don’t know who you can trust, if anyone.

Although the book is close to 400 pages, it absolutely flies by. For me it went too fast and I really hope that we will see Catherine again in the future. I appreciated her willingness to appease the most awful, backstabbing colleagues so she can be up for partner someday and also avoid getting her head ripped off. She may not have wanted to, but I respected her for sucking it up and paying her dues, but I also wanted her to put some of the many antagonists in their place! I felt as torn as she seemed to be. All of the characters were really well developed and I felt the drama, panic, and excitement that Catherine must have been feeling, having just moved to a new country with a fast paced new job.

For any of you that loved “The Devil Wears Prada”, this book is definitely for you. Go out and get it immediately, you will not be sorry. Great job to Isabelle for giving us a stylish, funny, and adventurous read.

Thanks to Crystal Patriarche from BookSparks PR for the review copy and for sharing a copy with a lucky reader from the US or Canada, right here!

How to win "J'adore New York":

Tell us who you think is the worst fictional boss (can be from books, television or movies). Please include your e-mail address or another way to easily contact you if you should win.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends October 10th at midnight EST.

Winner of "Pushover"

To find our winner, we assigned a number to each entry and had random.org pick one number. It chose 74.

Congrats to Susan (suzebomb)!

Here's a message from Laurel Mayer:
My sincere thanks to Melissa A. and Melissa P. for hosting me this past week. It was truly a thrill to be featured on Chick Lit Central, and a distinct pleasure to write a guest post for the site. I am amazed and delighted by the enthusiasm and kinship that resides in the chick lit world. Authors, especially newbies like myself, are so fortunate to have the support of loyal readers and spirited champions of our novels like Chick Lit Central. I have enjoyed being “on location” with you, ladies, and am excited to be giving away my debut novel, PUSHOVER, to one lucky winner. The response to the contest has been incredible, and I appreciate every person that has submitted an entry and shared their favorite childhood location. I have enjoyed reading your comments and thank you for your interest in PUSHOVER. And to the winner, pack your bags and get ready to be swept away to a larger-than-life world...if only in your imagination.

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 to Laurel for her fascinating guest blog post and for sharing her novel with our winner.

Don't miss our current giveaways:

Both are worldwide!

"The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out" by Jen Tucker
Ends 10/9 at midnight EST

"Just Friends with Benefits" by Meredith Schorr (e-book)
Ends 10/9 at midnight EST

How we benefit from Jen Tucker's bad day...plus a book giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Jen Tucker claimed she only wrote for kids, until a rather "off" day (and some encouragement from her publisher) inspired her adult memoir, "The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out." She has been writing since the age of four by creating little books to leave under her mom's pillow. As an adult, she went on to work at the Children's Museum in Indianapolis, Indiana and then wrote two children's books. She's a mother of three who considers herself to be a "married single parent" because her husband travels so much. And having a young daughter means she never gets to escape from all things Hello Kitty related. Jen is really friendly and enjoys writing e-mail "novels." She is also extremely funny, which is why she fits in perfectly with our humor theme this month.

Because she is so kind and giving in every aspect of her life, she extends her kindness to our blog by offering to give two copies of "The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out" to some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

You can find Jen on Facebook, Twitter and at her website.


Funniest chick lit novel?
My friend Erin told me that I had to pick up a book that she could not stop laughing about, and referred to as “true chick lit.” When I read the first sentence of this novel, I was hooked. How could I not be? “Loreen Murphy hadn’t meant to hire a male prostitute in Las Vegas.” I answered that sentence aloud with my own retort of, “NO! She did NOT!!” I even covered my mouth as I laughed, knowing this was going to be the start of something great! Beth Harbison’s "Secrets of a Shoe Addict" reeled me in and it was jackpot gold! If laughter is the best medicine, then Beth Harbison has the right prescription.

Funniest book character (chick lit or any kind)?
Hands down, or should I say credit cards down, the funniest character has to be my girl, Rebecca Bloomwood. Even though you know she needs a serious crash course in debt dieting with Suze Orman, you want her to outwit the nitwit bill collector! Sophie Kinsella, on behalf of women everywhere who have maxed out of their credit cards because they couldn’t resist (*AHEM* not that I know anyone like that), thank you.

Favorite comedy film?
Can I cheat and tell you that I have two? I guess I just did! The funniest “old school” comedy film has to be "Caddyshack." We have watched that movie every year, for 20 years, while on vacation at the beach with my husband’s family. We use the one liners at dinner (“You gonna eat your fat?”) and on the golf course (“Oh Mrs. Crane, you’re a little monkey woman.”). That cheeky gopher strutting his stuff to Kenny Loggin’s lyrics shows the potential of a Solid Gold dancer. He steals the show.

From this century, my other movie choice would be "The Hangover." Baby Carlos, Mike Tyson tiger-napping, a naked dweller in the trunk of a car, and the “Doug” song. Need I say more?


Funniest TV show?
"Modern Family," hands down. I think it is the most cleverly written show on television. The character’s quirks and sticky family situations keep me howling. It is the freshest comedy to come along in a very long time. There is no way I can be mad at my husband, Mike, for having a crush on Sofia Vergara. I mean, have you seen her? Yowza!

Funniest song?
I am laughing as I type… Weird Al’s "Bedrock Anthem." It is a parody of The Red Hot Chili Pepper’s song "Give it Away Now," which is married with a salute to "The Flintstones." You must look this one up on YouTube right this minute! Well, empty your bladder first and then watch it. You will thank me, on both accounts.

Funniest quirk you had as a child?
I think around the age of eleven I went through a phase where my friends said my laugh sounded like a machine gun. Yeah, that was not good for a girl to hear who already suffered from preteen image issues.

Funniest misunderstanding?
My friend Vicki is a super busy girl. We text several times a week. One of the funniest misunderstandings I have been a part of came from one of our finger-led conversations. Forgive the text lingo below, but I wanted to set the mood.

JEN: I love you Vic, have a great week!
VIC: You 2! I luv you lots like tater tits.
JEN:???
JEN: WTH? You luv me like tater tits?
VIC: DAMN YOU AUTO CORRECT!
VIC: I luv lots like TATER TOTS!
VIC: STUPID SMART PHONE!!!

Strangest thing you find funny?
So I think I might be a weirdo, because I don’t know if I find strange things funny. I have a really good sense of humor, but I am baffled thinking of an answer to this question. Mike thinks it’s funny to watch videos of people stupid enough to document themselves getting hurt. Then, they show the entire world via the internet their obvious Mensa memberships. I can’t stand that! My son Ryan thinks the words “tenderloin” and “beef brisket” are hysterical. Seriously Ryan?!? Our oldest son, Wil, records his burps on his Nintendo DS and plays them for me at different speeds and tones. I think all three of these humans are strange, and funny. Does that count?

Funniest TV or movie character?
The funniest character has to be the one portrayed by Wesley Snipes in the movie, "Too Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar." He transforms into Noxeema Jackson, a drag queen on her way to California to compete in a Hollywood pageant along with characters portrayed by Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo. Three macho guys in gorgeous designer duds, and they pull it off with such finesse that you will be jealous they walk in heels better than you. The one-liners by Snipes will keep you in stitches. Rent this now!

Favorite joke?
This is a joke my best friend Nancy told me years ago. Please note that I am blonde, and so I am allowed to repeat this joke according to the blonde code of conduct manual.

A blonde calls 911.
“Quick! Please send the fire department! The house across the street is burning down!”
“Yes ma’am! Right away! We need to know where it is. How do we get there?”
“DUH! Big red truck?!?”

Special thanks to Jen for making us laugh and for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win "The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out":

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 your funniest wrong-facing wardrobe moment? (Inside out, backwards, mismatched socks/shoes...anything goes!)
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.

Giveaway ends October 9th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Bumped

By Gail Allison

Imagine life as you know it being flipped over. Once, you were the city’s “it-girl”, invited to all the right parties and knowing all the right people. You were dating Mr. Right (of course), and you were pretty sure that everyone knew exactly who you both were because you were working the right job in the right industry. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was all upside down. Sibylla Nash explores this mess in “Bumped,” and comes up with some very interesting answers.

Elle Nixon is a publicist in LA. She works with some of the music industry’s biggest stars, and makes sure her name is known in all the right circles. She’s dating Diego Rivera, a high-powered investor, and loving her life. Elle has never needed to worry about the future: she’s got everything she needs in the present. But when Diego doesn’t return home from a business trip as expected, Elle gets the shock of her life. Feeling run-down, Elle stops by her doctor after returning home from a business trip to Paris, and find out that she does not, in fact, have a low-grade bug. She is pregnant. She texts Diego to call her asap, but is meeting him later that day at the airport, where she’s planning to share the “good” news. Neither Diego nor Elle was planning on a baby, so a huge question mark is thrown into the mix. When Elle goes to meet Diego at the airport, she can’t find him anywhere. Assuming she had somehow missed him, Elle races out to Diego’s house, only to find the place crawling with FBI agents. Diego is all of a sudden at the epicentre of a huge investigation: it seems he has swindled his investors out of a LOT of money. Now Elle is pregnant and alone. She has no idea where Diego is, her roommate has just announced that he’s selling their apartment, and (just to throw another monkey wrench into the mix) she goes postal on someone at work, and is summarily dismissed.

This is a story of a middle-aged woman who has always known life to be nothing but superficial trappings, learning to find her legs. It’s about watching a grown-up learn to grow up and be responsible for her actions.

What could have been a very linear story branches out here and there. Even though it’s told in first person, we end up learning a lot about Elle and the people she realizes will always be there for her. Elle finds out what genuine friendship and support looks like for perhaps the first time in her life. It’s written empathetically enough that at times I wanted to smack her for being ridiculous, but other times I was ready to jump up and celebrate with her, when she finally got it right and figured out what she was going to do with herself.

The only bumps (pun totally intended) that I ran into in this book were the choppiness of some of the sentences, but if you can get past it and keep reading, I think it sort of adds to the charm. Elle’s life was never as simple as she thought it was. She had a lot of issues just lurking beneath the surface of her successful facade. The choppy sentence structure and occasional dips into street slang sometimes force you to go back and re-read a paragraph just to ensure you’ve got the right idea from it, but it also keeps you from getting too comfortable with the novel. It almost mirrors Elle’s situation. The book feels like it’s happening in fits and starts, much like everything that’s going on with her. It’s choppy and not quite comfortable, but then again, neither is life.

If you’re still undecided about "Bumped," let me add this little sweetener: this novel is available on Kindle for only 99 cents through Amazon. For less than a dollar, it’s a fantastic deal! Take a chance on this one.

Winners of "Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and had random.org pick three numbers. It chose 9, 45 and 50.

Congrats to Britt T, Jennifer S and ADR527!

Here's a message from Sue Watson:
"Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes" is my debut and as a first time author it can be difficult to engage new readers, and it’s a big ask for someone to part with hard earned cash on a book by an author they’ve never even heard of. I am grateful to everyone at Chick Lit Central for enabling me to share a little of my story with potential readers and if you buy the book or kindle and enjoy my writing, I hope we’ll be together for a long time. Congratulations if you’ve won a Kindle of "Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes" and a really big thank you for taking part and showing interest in my book. It’s wonderful blogs like Chick Lit Central that get new authors like me ‘out there’ and facilitate and nurture the relationship between author and reader. I am currently doing UK signings in book stores and one day it would be amazing to travel further and say hello to readers – not strangers – simply friends I’ve yet to meet, who have taken a chance on me. Thank you!

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 to Sue for a lovely chat and for sharing her rather tasty sounding novel with our readers.

Don't miss our current giveaways:

"Just Friends with Benefits" by Meredith Schorr (e-book)
Ends 10/9 at midnight EST


"Pushover" by Laurel Mayer (e-book)
Ends tonight at midnight EST

Becoming friends with Meredith Schorr...plus a book giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

"Just Friends With Benefits" is the epitome of chick-lit, and the title of a humorous debut novel by Meredith Schorr, released September, 2010. Meredith's love for writing began about seven years ago when she realized she was actually having fun composing work-related emails. She found herself writing funny birthday cards. Amy Bromberg met Meredith several years ago, through Meredith's chick lit meetup group, while she was editing and revising her novel, and submitting to publishers...and look at her now. Meredith lives in New York City, where her 9-5 job is working as a paralegal. Some of her passions include routing for the Yankees, running, and spending time with family and friends.

Meredith is kicking off humor month at Chick Lit Central by telling us some things that make her laugh. She also has one e-book of "Just Friends with Benefits" to give a lucky reader anywhere in the world (and residents of the US and Canada also have the option of a paperback).

You can find Meredith on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and her website.

Funniest chick lit novel?
"Watermelon" by Marian Keyes

Funniest book character (chick lit or any kind)?
Becky Bloomwood ("Shopaholic" series - Sophie Kinsella)

Favorite comedy film?
Too many to choose just one, so I'll cheat - "The Hangover," "Parenthood," "Clueless," "Bridget Jone's Diary," "Superbad"

Funniest TV show?
"Seinfeld"

Funniest song?
"Rapper's Delight" - Sugarhill Gang

Funniest quirk you had as a child?
I used to take out my frustrations by biting people. I'm not sure my victims found it as much quirky as diabolical...I grew out of it in about 2nd grade.

Funniest thing you heard a kid say?
I'm not around kids too much so I'll quote myself. When I was about six years old, I stayed at my grandparent's house for the weekend and cried the entire time. My grandma told me she wasn't having me overnight again until I was at least 16. Apparently, I pouted, placed my hands on my hips and declared, "you'll be died by then!" I was appalled when I heard that story but my grandma thought it was hilarious. And thankfully, I was wrong and my grandma was not "died" by the time I was 16.

Funniest thing that happened to you recently?
I was walking along a crowded NYC street. It was a breezy day and after a gust of wind, my dress flew over my head and I mooned much of 34th street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. I looked around to assess the damage and kept walking as if nothing happened. Accidentally mooning people once? A total fluke - It happens, right? A moment later, I felt another gust of wind, rushed to hold the bottom of my dress down and in doing so, dropped my phone. When I bent down to pick up the phone, guess what happened? Yup, my dress flew over my head again. So, in the span of about 60 seconds, I flashed my panties twice. I was just happy I was wearing them.

Favorite inside joke you have with anyone you know?
My boss and I were in the elevator at our previous law firm. We were eavesdropping on two women in the elevator, not on purpose but if you converse on an elevator, you have to expect others to listen! One woman told the other how she was introduced to someone recently and discovered they had a really good "rappaport" We assumed she meant to say "rapport". I bit my lip and stared at the ground trying to avoid eye contact with my boss. As soon as the women exited the elevator, the two of us looked at each other and burst out laughing. Whenever I tell him about a new friend, he asks if we had a good rappaport. (Perhaps you had to be there but it sure was funny at the time.)

Favorite joke?
My roommate from college told this joke about a grandma. It wasn't the funniest joke ever, but for some reason (probably too much cheap beer), I liked it and made her tell it often over our four years of college. I don't remember it exactly, but I found one online that's a lot like it:

Grandmother and granddaughter were in the bank when three bank robbers walked in and held it up.
"All the ladies down on the floor," one handsome robber commanded.
"My grandmother too?" the little girl asked.
"Yes, your grandmother too!"
"All the ladies on the floor, pull up your dresses."
"My grandmother too?"
"Yes, your grandmother too! All ladies will now remove their panties."
"Surely you don't mean my grandmother too?" asked the little girl.
Becoming angry, the handsome robber shouted, "YES, YOUR GRANDMOTHER TOO! Now, all the ladies on the floor are to spread their legs apart."
When the little girl started to ask if her grandmother was included, her grandmother snarled, "YOU HEARD WHAT THE MAN SAID!"

My roommate's version was funnier, but it still makes me giggle.

Thanks to Meredith for making us laugh and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win "Just Friends with Benefits":
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: Which chick lit novel do you think is the funniest?
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.

Giveaway ends October 9th at midnight EST.