Beatriz Williams takes us on a canoe ride overseas, plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Gail Allison


**Giveaway is now closed**

In the spring of 1992, Beatriz Williams took a college course on turn-of-the-century Europe that sparked an interest in the First World War. Fast forward to summer 2007, where she suddenly met (in her head) a dashing WWI infantry officer who has dark blond hair and plays the piano. A couple years later (summer 2009) she finished up a frantic six week writing jag that ended in the first draft of “Overseas.” Fast forward again to present day, and we’re excited to see “Overseas” being published this month! Oh...in and around all that writing stuff? Beatriz completed an MBA at Columbia, worked as a corporate and communications strategist and had four children. We’re so glad she could find some time to sit down with us!

Thanks to Penguin, we have THREE ARCs to give to some lucky readers in the US and Canada.

Visit Beatriz at her website, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

Did you learn anything from writing your book? If so, what was it?
I learned a lot of things! Don't be afraid to draft quickly and let the story carry you along; you can always edit later. And don't be afraid to make your stories and characters larger than life. That's what fiction is for. Lastly, with the right amount of coffee, I can physically function on four hours of sleep, but the walls will need re-plastering.

In one sentence, what was road to publishing like?
Long and meandering, with sudden drops and breathtaking vistas, and plenty of breakdowns along the way!

If "Overseas" were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
This is a tough question for me! As a mom of four, I don't get out to see a lot of movies, and even my television is pretty limited. Kate's your girl-next-door, but with a certain timeless grace -- maybe someone like Rachel McAdams. And Eddie Redmayne, who was in My Week With Marilyn and the BBC adaptation of Birdsong, would make a gorgeous and believable Julian, though he'd have to do a little bulking up in the gym!

First chick lit novel you ever read:
"The Nanny Diaries," by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Favorite chick lit novel that's not your own:
"Twenties Girl," by Sophie Kinsella

Chick lit novel that is most like your life:
Oh, you know, the one about the mom of four who wears eight-year-old shoes and drives a minivan littered with empty juice boxes and...what's that? You say there isn't one like that?

Chick lit character you'd be best friends with:
Rachel, from "Something Borrowed." Except I'd be all hot for Dex, which is so awkward.

Would you rather have too much time or too much money?
Definitely too much time! I know at one time I used to be able to stroll around the city for a lazy afternoon, but the memory is so old it's tinted in sepia.

What is the strangest or craziest date you have ever been on?
I once went out in a canoe on the mouth of the Connecticut River with this guy who was captain of the Dartmouth heavyweight crew back in college. I figured I was safe. But first he accidentally tips the canoe over as I'm getting in, dunking me in the water. Then it turns out he hadn't factored in the tide, so we're paddling frantically back to the dock and not making any headway. For a moment there, I thought I was a goner. But I ended up marrying him, so all was not lost.

Special thanks to Beatriz for a fun and entertaining chat and to Penguin for sharing "Overseas" with our readers.

How to win "Overseas":
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 is most like your life?
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/Canada only. Giveaway ends May 13th at midnight EST.

Book Review: How to Eat a Cupcake

By Becky Gulc

"How to Eat a Cupcake," by Meg Donahue, is a book that has been sitting on my shelves for a couple of months now, calling out to me every time I walk past: ‘read me!’, ‘look at me!’ I was so pleased to start reading this book and stare daily at the lovely cover, which shows a window full of delectable looking cupcakes...yum!

This is a two-pronged novel set in San Francisco where the narrative follows both Annie and Julia, two contrasting women who were raised in the same household, once as close as sisters, well not anymore..not until events reconnect them after ten years of living separate lives.

Growing up, Julia, as the only child of the St. Clair family, never wanted for anything, and lived with her wealthy parents in a fabulous Pacific Heights mansion. Annie is the only child of the St. Clair’s housekeeper, Lucia, and whilst she resides with her warm and loving mother in the estate’s Carriage house, the St.Clairs treat Lucia and Annie very much as family, even paying for Annie to attend private school alongside Julia. However, dramatic events in Annie’s late teens turn their sisterhood sour and they soon head their separate ways.

Ten years later, Julia has left her prestigious job in New York City to come home to her parents so she can concentrate on planning her upcoming wedding. But why such a sudden and dramatic upheaval? Annie is a talented baker who dazzles everyone with her cupcakes; the problem is she still works for other people when she secretly strives to run her own business. A catering opportunity at the St.Clair's estate sees Annie head back to the place where so many difficult memories lay. When Julia is unexpectedly at the event and subsequently suggests opening a cupcakery together, Annie is initially reluctant, after all, she despises this woman for what she did, but is it worth throwing away her one shot at running her own business? No.

Once opened, the cupcakery becomes subject to a spate of unexplained crimes leaving Annie and Julia fearful for their lives, but will this make or break the already fractured friendship? And who does the perpetrator want rid of and why?

I enjoyed this debut novel very much. I cared about Annie as a character and wanted her to have success and be happy. I liked the fact that she wasn’t one of those characters that came across as desperate or secretly wishing to settle down and have children, she was happy in herself starting up the business and any relationships which are formed are a bonus to her. Julia, not so likeable initially, she comes across as self-absorbed and you become swayed by Annie’s own views of Julia. The more the narrative progresses through Julia’s viewpoint, the more you begin to warm to her as a character even though she still has many flaws.

I particularly enjoyed the mystery in this novel; it keeps the reader guessing throughout, you feel intrigued as to why the pair fell out, as well as who is trying to sabotage the cupcakery and why. Some unexpected twists were also thrown in which added to the enjoyment. I also enjoyed the setting, maybe I’m easily pleased but I can’t remember reading a novel set in San Francisco before and I felt like there was a really strong sense of place in this book. The best sign of enjoyment is not wanting a book to finish and I really didn’t, I felt strong ties with both of the characters by the end and just wanted to stay in their worlds and in San Francisco!

What's in the mail today, plus a giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**


Melissa A:

From HarperCollins UK:

"Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues" by Trisha Ashley



From St. Martin's Press:

"Monarch Beach" by Anita Hughes



From Michael Joseph:

"A Rural Affair" by Catherine Alliott



e-books:

Free on Amazon:

"Star Fish" by Nicola May



Now $2.99 for Kindle

"Secrets of Married Women" Carol Mason



Also $2.99 for Kindle

"True Love Way" Nancy Scrofano




Cindy:

From Wunderkind PR:

"Perfect Chaos: A Daughter's Journey to Survive Bipolar, A Mother's Struggle to Save Her" by Linea Johnson and Cinda Johnson




Kathryn:

e-book:

From Crooked Cat Publishing:



Here's something for YOUR (virtual) mailbox:
Rose McClelland is giving away TWO e-books of "The Break-up Test" (featured in Books of the Week yesterday) for some lucky readers in the US and Canada.

How to win "The Break-up Test": Tell us your favorite song about breaking up. (One entry per person). Please include your e-mail address or another way to contact you if you should win.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends May 9th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Singles

By Melissa Amster

I think I've had a date to almost every wedding I've ever attended (apart from the one where I was a flower girl, and even then I found a guy to dance with all night long). Even when I was invited to one with a guest after being newly single, I brought my gay best friend. (We were, however, seated at the most boring table.) So while I don't know firsthand what it's like to attend a wedding unaccompanied, I could still relate to five characters portrayed in "The Singles," by Meredith Goldstein....even the guys!

Beth a.k.a. Bee's wedding day is here and she doesn't know where to seat five guests who have chosen not to bring a date, even though they were invited "with guest." Hannah is one of her bridesmaids, who is trying to avoid an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, while also showing him what he missed. Vicki would rather be immersed in a V.C. Andrews novel than deal with social situations where she has to explain why she's not working at her dream job. Joe is trying to prove himself to his brother and sister-in-law, who think he's irresponsible. Phil is standing in for his mother, who is not feeling well enough to attend, but other things distract him from the festivities. And then there's Rob, who is too focused on the only girl in his life--his dog--to be there for his friends. As Bee's big day unfolds, everyone comes together in ways they never expected and their lives will change as a result.

I first have to say that Ms. Goldstein had me at the name V.C. Andrews, as I was addicted to her books for a long period of time. When I started reading the story, I felt like Ms. Goldstein had crawled into my head, as she had Hannah casting people in her life with actors and actresses. I love casting books, so I felt a kinship with her. She also had Hannah talking about something that I had discussed with a friend recently and knew that other women thought what I did. Ms. Goldstein confirmed this belief through Hannah. In the meantime, there were all sorts of things that I was expecting to happen, but it never got predictable. When I'd think something was going to happen the way I wanted it to, she'd throw a huge curveball my way. It kept me on my toes and wondering what would happen next. There was terrific use of detail that made me feel like I was right in the middle of the action. I could visualize things perfectly and even hear everyone's voices. I really liked the mood that was set throughout the story. And for even more brownie points, she set it in Maryland. The area of Annapolis that was depicted made me want to visit the capital in real life.

This is Ms. Goldstein's debut novel and while I liked a lot about it, there were some things I wanted to shed light upon so she can keep it in mind for future novels, which I hope she's working on already. I noticed a bunch of spelling and grammatical errors, as well as inconsistencies that made me go back to check that I wasn't missing something. There were a lot of flashbacks, which may have added to that confusion, as well. Also, while I could tell that Ms. Goldstein was either a V.C. Andrews fan herself or did a lot of research on her books, she also said that the main character in "Secrets of the Morning" (named Dawn, just like one of the characters in this book) was a dancer. However, Dawn was a singer. (Sorry, but I had to get on my V.C. Andrews high horse for a moment!) Even though I liked the guys' perspectives as much as the girls' sides of the story, I would have liked to see more chapters involving the girls' thoughts (even though one of the girls was an unreliable narrator at times.) I also would have liked to hear more of Bee's side of the story, since she was the bride. It would have been interesting to hear her view of everything going on around her, as she did get caught up in some of the drama.

Overall, this was a great story from a fresh new voice in chick lit. It was easy to get caught up in the characters' lives, both in their past and present forms. Everyone seemed so real and weren't afraid to show their flaws and shortcomings. I liked the interactions between the characters as their lives started coming together. I think this story has good chick flick potential and I would like to get in Hannah's casting director shoes and pick who I'd want as the main characters. (If this does get made into a movie and I was right, then I'll have the blog post to prove it!)

Bee: Bryce Dallas Howard
Hannah: Emily Blunt (she suggested it and then the image stuck)
Vicki: Aubrey Plaza (April from Parks and Recreation)
Joe: Greg Kinnear or Steve Carell (Scott Bakula was suggested in the book, but we can't go back to his Quantum Leap days anymore.)
Phil: Jason Segel
Rob: Ryan Gosling

Finally, I found out Ms. Goldstein will be in my neck of the woods soon, and I hope to meet her, as I find it empowering to be in the presence of such writing talent!

You might also like:

My "baby" is TWO!

By Melissa Amster

First my older son turned two in 2007....

Then my younger son turned two in 2010....

Right around that time, in 2010, I had another baby, but it was the virtual kind....Chick Lit Central!!!

So much has happened in two years! I want to thank all the authors, chick lit readers, followers, publishers, publicists, bloggers and especially the team of blog partners, review associates and most recently a special features coordinator. We keep growing and getting stronger and I can't wait to see where we'll be by age three (and my real baby will be two by then)! We also got the BEST present....getting to host at the International Chick Lit Month blog along with Chicklit Club, Novelicious and Chick Lit is Not Dead! Stop by there daily to see all the authors and bloggers who have a lot to say about chick lit and want to celebrate the month with all their readers.

With all the giveaways we have going on here and at ICLM, we're not doing a blogiversary giveaway. However...if we reach 800 followers by May 31st, I'll put together a fun prize package for a lucky winner! So spread the word, as all followers have a chance at such a prize!

Books of the Week--May 3rd

Thanks for checking out our newest feature...Books of the Week! There are seven of us and we can't keep up with the many review requests we receive, even though we'd love to read everything sent our way. Therefore, we have decided to give some books their time in the spotlight and introduce you to them through this new blog feature. We will be featuring two books a week. We hope you will take the time to check these books out. (Click the titles to find them on Amazon.) If you read them and want to write a guest blogger review for us, please e-mail us and we'll be glad to work with you!

Authors: We will let you know whether or not we'll be able to review your book upon your request, and hope you'll be interested in this feature as an alternative.

"The Break-up Test"
By Rose McClelland

“Fresh, funny, fab...The Break-up Test is the new Bible..”

Amy skips round to see Gav for a mid-afternoon romp. Maybe one day he’ll actually fall in love with her? Beth stares at her phone. Anytime soon it will light up like the Blackpool Illuminations, and Karl will finally get in touch about that drink. Sarah can’t believe it’s turned into one of THOSE stories you read about in women’s weeklies. Then Jamie comes along with his Break-Up Test and turns their lives upside down. Will Gav, Karl and Stephen suddenly sniff the competition and clean up their acts? And what exactly is in it for Jamie?

You can find Rose McClelland on Facebook and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What Happiness Looks Like"
By Karen Lenfestey

Joely Shupe had a vision of what her thirties would look like: she’d be the mother of two, finger painting with her kids during the day and cooking dinner for her loving husband at night. Instead, the onset of lupus robbed her of her optimism and her chance for happily ever after. Now she’s a single mother unable to provide for her young daughter.

To make matters worse, her ex-fiancé, Jake, shows up--unemployed and reeling from a personal tragedy. He claims he’s ready to parent the daughter he abandoned five years ago. Joely is more interested in Dalton, a devoted father to his own son, who offers to take care of her the way no man ever has. Should Joely risk her daughter bonding with someone new or with the man who broke her heart?

One thing is for sure: this is not the life Joely expected. Is it time to adjust her idea of what happiness looks like?

"What Happiness Looks Like" is available on Kindle for $2.99. Also, check out Karen's first novel, "A Sister's Promise," about a woman who makes a promise to her dying sister that might tear apart her own marriage. (Available for $2.99 on Kindle, as well.)

Visit Karen Lenfesty on Facebook and Twitter.

There's more to Sweden than Ikea...Introducing Kajsa Ingemarsson along with a book giveaway!

Introduction by Kathryn Hamilton

**Giveaway is now closed**

Read all about it! Kajsa Ingemarsson is here to spread the “News!”

Joining us today is Kajsa Ingemarsson as she celebrates her first North American release “Yesterday’s News.” Kajsa has already enjoyed tremendous success throughout Europe and is touted as the #1 non-crime writer in her native Sweden! “Yesterday's News” is her 9th and most popular novel, and is in the process of becoming a feature film. Before becoming an international fashion model and tv/radio host, Kajsa was employed by Sweden’s secret police (involved with counterespionage and diplomacy). She currently hosts The Weakest Link in Sweden. We are excited to have Kajsa share her wonderful stories about finding ways to become a hero in your own everyday life.

You can find out more about her at this website.

Thanks to Smith Publicity, we have TWO e-books of "Yesterday's News" to share with some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

Describe your writing in three words.
Entertaining, inspiring and energizing

How are you similar to or different from Agnes in "Yesterday's News?"
Agnes is very insecure and dependent on people around her. She doesn’t think she is really worth being loved, so she settles with less than she should. I am not like her in that sense, I think I’m a rather self-secure person. But she likes food, and so do I!

What was the most challenging part you had to write for "Yesterday's News?" How did you get through it?
It’s difficult when your characters start doing stupid things and behave self-destructively. You really want to interfere and help them: No, don’t do that! I think Agnes should stand up straight long before she does. Throw out the boyfriend, file a police charge against the sexist boss and then quit the job! But she has to make her own mistakes. Luckily, though, I can decide where to end the story!

Another difficult part to write was the death of an important figure in Agnes' life. I don’t like to kill people in my books, but it was really necessary for it to happen so that Agnes could wake up and start changing things in her life.

What is your usual writing routine?
When I’m in a period of writing, I usually write every day – office hours. I need regularity in my writing, otherwise I lose grip of my story.

What do you think the key is to a successful chick lit novel?
It has to engage the reader’s feelings. It can be scary or funny or sad or anything, but it has to connect with the reader’s soul in some way.

What is the first novel you ever read?
I don’t remember actually. Perhaps some Agatha Christie ...?

What is your favorite movie based on a novel?
Hm, difficult question, but I think “Lord of the Rings” are fantastic adaptions.

What theme would you like to see more of in chick lit novels to give them an original flair?
Happiness. It’s really difficult to describe that feeling without becoming a cliché, but, oh, how lovely it is to read about happiness when it’s done with finesse!

What is your favorite novel that was not written by you?
I have a lot of favorite novels, but one I come to think of right now is "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Among classics, I love the Russians, e.g. Michail Bulgakov’s "Master and Margarita."

If you could take us on a tour of your town, where would we go first?
To Vurma, my favorite coffee shop – they’ve got lovely cinnamon buns!

Special thanks to Kajsa for a lovely interview and to Smith Publicity for sharing "Yesterday's News" with our readers.

How to win "Yesterday's News":
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 favorite item from Ikea?
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 May 8th at midnight EST.