Meredith Schorr shares her "Voice"...and her latest novel!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Today we welcome back Meredith Schorr (on her one year anniversary of her last appearance here) and her brand new novel "A State of Jane" (reviewed here). A born and bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more than she was probably supposed to, and was famous among her friends for writing witty birthday cards. After dabbling in children's stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith found her calling writing "real" chick lit for real women. When Meredith is not hard at work on her current work in progress, she spends her days as a trademark paralegal at a law firm in New York City. Meredith is a loyal New York Yankees fan and an avid runner. She also loves to read and is always on the lookout for her new favorite author. 

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

Today, she's here to talk about her favorite TV shows and give away a Nook or Kindle copy of "A State of Jane" to a lucky CLC reader located anywhere in the world!

Since Jane was studying to become a lawyer, what is your favorite crime/law TV series: 

My favorite "crime" show is Criminal Minds but my newest addiction regarding the legal field is Suits.
 

Favorite performance arts show (i.e. the voice, american idol, x factor):  

The Voice, and not only because I am in love with Adam Levine!
 

Favorite show from the 80's: 

I absolutely cannot narrow this down to one show - those were some prime television years!  Here are some of my favorites, The Love Boat, Growing Pains, Family Ties, Knots Landing and Fantasy Island.

TV show that has a chick lit feel for you:  

Drop Dead Diva.  I love that show and it could totally be based on a chick lit book!  It reminds me of something Adena Halpern, one of my favorite authors, would write.
 

Show that is most like your life: 

 I would have to say Sex and the City.  A much less glamorous version, of course.  I am in a relationship but am not married and have no children and I live and work in Manhattan.  Although I do not consistently dress up in designer clothing and attend fancy restaurant openings, my girlfriends and I spend a lot of time going out to restaurants and for drinks and while some of us are in relationships and perhaps married, we live an urban lifestyle.  Sex and the City is the only show I can think of that captures that life style. 

Guilty pleasure show: 

The Bachelor/The Bachelorette

Episode of a show that made you cry the most:

The last episode of Beverly Hills 90210.  Partly because David and Donna finally got married, but also because it was the series finale and they brought back some old characters. I felt like I was saying goodbye to my friends.
 

Show you wouldn't be caught dead watching:  

Keeping up with the Kardashians.  I refuse to contribute in any way to the fame of these talentless people.

Special thanks to Meredith for talking TV with us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win "A State of Jane":
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 TV show would you not be caught dead watching?
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. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. 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: A State of Jane

By Melissa Amster

I have heard "horror" stories about dating from girlfriends who have been there and done that. They talk about guys who never call after a couple of good dates or guys who made up a lame excuse to not go out with them anymore. These stories reminded me of my own awful dating experiences leading up to meet my husband. (There was one that packed an especially huge punch during that time.) It was enough to make me quote Carrie Fisher in When Harry Met Sally when she says "Tell me I'll never have to be out there again." I had this line going through my head over and over again while vicariously experiencing the frustrations of the main character in "A State of Jane" by Meredith Schorr.

A year after the end of her last (long-term) relationship, Jane Frank decides she is ready to get back in the game and find a serious relationship before she becomes a partner at her father's law firm. First, she needs to go to law school, which means she has to get a good score on the LSAT...while also trying to conquer New York City dating in the 21st century. At first, she thinks meeting a guy is a piece of cake, until that guy suddenly stops calling after unlimited attention during their first two dates. Then other guys prove to be a waste of time and energy. Soon, Jane's stress over meeting Mr. Right takes over her life, forcing her to re-evaluate what is truly important to her.

I really enjoyed "A State of Jane" from start to finish. I was looking for a light story after reading a rather heavy tearjerker. This definitely fit the bill, but it's not all fluffy either. The situations Jane was put through made me want to hug my husband and thank him for not being a commitment-phobe or a complete jerk. I found myself telling some girlfriends how Meredith Schorr must have been reading their thoughts when she wrote this story. It had such a true-to-life feel and took on a realistic edge that most authors are afraid to try out in lieu of giving their characters a happy ending. I wouldn't say the ending isn't happy, but it doesn't wrap up into a pretty package either. Jane was easy to visualize and I could picture Anna Kendrick playing her in a movie version of this novel.

I have no criticisms about this novel. It's cute, fun and hard to put down. Whether you've been in the dating game for a while or you've already met your soul mate, you'll be able to relate to Jane in some way or another.

Thanks to Meredith for the book in exchange for an honest review. It's currently available for $2.99 on Kindle OR you could try to win an e-book from Meredith's interview post (the giveaway is worldwide). 

Allie Kingsley thanks us for being a friend, plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Kathryn Hamilton

**Giveaway is now closed**

Join us in welcoming debut author Allie Kingsley to CLC to kick off TV month!  Allie’s professional life began in the fashion and entertainment industry as a photographer which then developed into her current career as writer and producer.  As if she isn’t busy enough, she also contributes columns to numerous publications, including HelloGiggles, an online women’s community.  Allie is bicoastal and splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.  Her tremendous amount of insider knowledge in fashion and photography is the perfect backdrop for her debut novel, “The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe,” (reviewed here) a unique story that includes character fashion style contributions from Robert Verdi and made its debut during Fashion Week in September.

You can find Allie on Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Thanks to Penguin, we have a copy of "The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe" to give away to a lucky CLC reader located in the US.

TV show you didn't watch as a kid but would have watched now: 

I used to fall asleep on my parents bed as they were watching Dallas and now I am kicking myself! High hair and wealthy cowboys? I really missed out.

Favorite reality show: 

Real Housewives of (enter city)

Favorite show from the 90's: 

Beverly Hills 90210! I had Dylan and Brandon pillow cases - which I alternated sleeping with, just like Kelly Taylor.
 

Favorite cartoon: 
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (the movie) 

Show you're looking forward to seeing the most this fall: 

I'm still holding out for those promised Arrested Development episodes that everyone swears are coming out any day now.
 

TV show that has a chick lit feel for you: 

Girls! Lena Dunham is amazing beyond belief.
 

Character from any TV show you are most similar to: 

Carrie Bradshaw and before you jump on me for being cliche - I live one block away from her fictional apartment, store sweaters in my oven, wear my largest investments south of ankle, have dated 87% of Manhattan, obsess over Patricia Field, squeal when excited, have bi-polar hair, am the eccentric one in my girl group, was broken up with via post-it - okay it was a short email but still, wear my heart on my sleeve and - oh yeah, that whole my life inspires my writing thing.
 

Favorite TV theme song:  

"Thank you for being a friend." Golden Girls!

Special thanks to Allie for making us all nostalgic and Penguin for sharing "The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe" with our readers!

How to win "The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe":
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 show from the 90s?
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. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US only. Giveaway ends October 9th at midnight EST.

Book Review: The Liar, The Bitch and The Wardrobe

By Melissa Amster

Imagine getting to work for your idol. Better yet, imagine getting to party with celebrities like you're one of the gang. Lucy Butler doesn't have to imagine these things, as she lives them in Allie Kingsley's debut novel, "The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe."

After numerous stalker-like attempts, Lucy finally scores the job of her dreams....to work with famous celebrity fashion photographer, and her idol, Stefano Lepres! However, the job isn't what she was expecting and soon she's playing his babysitter instead of his photography assistant. When he hooks her up with a famous actress, Lucy soon gets a taste of the high life (in more than one way) and learns how to step on people to get to the top. (After all, "if you're going to step on people on your way to the top, you might as well do it in stilettos...") On her quick flight to the top, she starts to forget what is really important to her and may need a rude awakening to figure out what that is.

I have been describing this novel as a cross between "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Pretty Woman." I definitely enjoyed all the "Pretty Woman" decadence that Lucy gets to experience. Who doesn't want a famous actress help them shop and pay for everything?!? Lucy was easy to relate to and I couldn't help but support her wishes to get everything she wants. Like Lucy, I was not popular growing up. I thought she was owed some "cool kid table" time for all the times she was the friend guys used to get to the popular girls. Then there were the times I feared for Lucy's life, but physically and emotionally. I became frustrated for her when things weren't going as planned. She did act bratty sometimes and I wanted to smack her when that happened, but it also made me feel bad for her at times.

I definitely enjoyed the snappy dialogue and narrative that moved the story along from beginning to end. It never got boring and I even joined her vicariously on some adventures (from the comfort of my couch). The decadence of getting caught up in a world of privilege was fun too. However, the paparazzi experiences once again reminded me why I would never personally want to be famous.

What didn't work so well for me was the fashion name dropping. I may read magazines, but I have no idea what certain styles look like by name. I would have preferred more description over the names used for clothes. I had a hard time visualizing what Lucy wore, let alone the other characters. I guess that way of writing was not my style. Also, and this is the mom side of me coming out to "play," I was put off by all the drug use in the story. I may have been able to handle it from a distance, but when Lucy becomes directly involved, it just gets to be too much. I would have preferred alcohol or reckless bedroom adventures to all the drug use and abuse. How were people not brain dead by the end of the story? Maybe that's how it really is in Hollywood, but it seemed over the top to me. A few drug references here and there might have been okay, but it was practically the entire story.

Overall, "The Liar, the Bitch and the Wardrobe" is a light and entertaining read and it kept me on my toes the entire time.

Thanks to Penguin for the book in exchange for an honest review and for sharing a copy with a lucky US reader over at Allie Kingsley's interview.

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Books of the Week - October 1st

This is our new day and time for Books of the Week! 

Thanks for checking out our newest feature...Books of the Week! There are nine 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.

"Hangers, Shoeboxes and Love"
By Zizi Sadie

Abby’s life is one big, rolling montage of pleasure: partying, a stylish wardrobe with fabulous clothes, shoes with precarious heels, and um, a bit of fun with charming men, till she encounters a little dilemma with her current married beau and his son who unexpectedly falls into the picture and for her. It does not make for a pretty viewing when Abby suspects her kid sister also has a thing for her beau’s son and Abby sees her life turning into one big, messy drama. Things get more complicated when the scorned wife discovers the affair and Abby gets a taste of ‘hell’s fury’. Can Abby untangle herself from the interwoven mess and crazy spiral her carefree life is fast becoming?

Zizi Sadie can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
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"Chasing Fools"
By Aida Brassington

Relationships are complicated even under the best of circumstances. For Varda Dorfman and Tommy Campi, these are the worst of times. Varda, an illegal foods smuggler, has pissed off Anthony Carluccio, the kingpin of the local underground dinner club, and put her plans for the future in serious jeopardy. Her boyfriend Gino won't quit bugging her to get married, even though his mother hates her. Tommy, Gino's brother and the ladies man of the family, can't even introduce the love of his life to anyone: he's secretly gay and dating the son of Carluccio's biggest competition. And now Tommy's getting pressure to go public.

When Carluccio's hit man turns up dead in Varda's closet after snacking on poisonous mushrooms, all hell breaks loose. Varda's running for her life, and since his mother is dating Carluccio, Gino's convinced the only way to save her life is to finally drag her to the altar. And when people start discovering Tommy's hush-hush relationship, things really start to get interesting.

Aida Brassington can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Review: In the Pink

By Tracey Meyers

Three years ago, I found out a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Even though we weren't close, I can still remember hearing the news.  Everything stopped for a moment.  I couldn't believe it. The only other person I had known, up to that moment, to have any type of cancer was my father - who didn't make it.  I was scared, but not too long after her diagnosis she had surgery, follow-up treatment, and to this day is cancer free.

I have to admit, I wasn't familiar with Susan McBride, or any of her books, prior to reading, "In the Pink: How I Met the Perfect (Younger) Guy, Survived Breast Cancer, and Found True Happiness After 40." However, after reading a synopsis of the book, I was quite intrigued and knew I wanted to know more about Susan's life.

Unlike other memoirs I've read, from the very start I felt as though I was sitting in a coffee shop, sipping my favorite caffeinated beverage with a new friend, hearing her tell me all about the adventures life has taken her on over the past couple of years. Her stories included how she met her husband Ed and their amazing courtship, her experience with breast cancer and all that she learned from it and all about the other surprises (some bad and some great) life had for her in the years after she kicked cancer's ass.

Aside from sharing her story, Susan has also shared with readers of this book three supplement sections at the end. They cover:

•  "In the Pink" Q&A
•  Tips on Dating After Forty
•  What I Learned from My Diagnosis

Recently, I saw something that said, "40 is the new 30."  For Susan McBride, this is so true!  Aside from the conversational tone of this memoir and Susan's amazing story, what I love about this book is that it not only shares how she survived cancer, but also shows readers that 40 isn't the end like many want us to believe it is and that it  really can be just the beginning of many great things.

Special thanks to HarperCollins for the e-galley in exchange for an honest review. "In the Pink" will be available on e-book October 2 and paperback November 7th.

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