Nicky Wells teaches us the trick to finding the right title...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

"Sophie’s Turn" is the exciting chick-lit debut by UK-based author Nicky Wells. It is an honest, funny and occasionally bitter-sweet story of one young woman’s entanglement with a rock star. Watch out for the upcoming review of "Sophie’s Turn" right here on Chick Lit Central! (Courtesy of Melissa A., who is reading it now and enjoying it so far.) Meanwhile, Nicky, who lives in Bristol (UK) with her husband and two little boys, is telling us how "Sophie’s Turn" started out with quite a different title when it was first conceived over six years ago… and what incisive event changed Nicky’s views regarding the perfect title for her first novel.

Nicky has two e-books of "Sophie's Turn" to give to some lucky readers anywhere!

You can find Nicky on Facebook and Twitter, as well as at her blog.

"Sophie’s Turn" is available as an e-book from Amazon.com and Amazon UK. Readers don’t need a Kindle. E-books can be downloaded using free Kindle Reading Apps for iPads, Smartphones and PCs/Macs.

Turning the Title

Finding the right title for your book can be a tricky business—especially when you’re convinced that you’ve already got it!Here’s what happened to me and my debut novel.

December 2004: I sit at my desk at home, terribly excited. My goal: to write my all-time favourite romantic novel before my baby gets born. I’ve got my characters lined up and the climax and denouement of my plot sorted out in my head. But I like to be organised (over-organised, some say), and so this thing needs a title.The first page is staring at me from the computer screen, white and virginal. The cursor is blinking expectantly: blink, blink, blink. Time ticks by and I’m frozen. I can’t start writing without a title.

Utterly unable to work owing to woeful absence of catchy title, I compile a detailed outline instead. Now a chapter-by-chapter flowchart graces my wall. But that first page is still white and the cursor is still blinking.I let my mind wander. What happens in my novel? I talk to myself; that usually helps. Suddenly, something sticks:

Full Circle.
Full Circle…
Sophie, my heroine, comes full circle at the end.
I like that.
I like that a lot!

The curse of the blinking cursor is defeated. I type, confidently and in big bold letters: FULL CIRCLE. After that, the writing flows. I have a complete draft within three months. My debut masterpiece becomes known as "Full Circle."

April 2005: My first baby is born and "Full Circle" sits on the shelf, where it remains for… six whole years. I re-read it a few times and, on several occasions and make some sweeping changes. But then "Full Circle" continues to languish on the shelf.

June 2011: My husband casually mentions having heard on the radio that it is now quite easy to self-publish one’s work via Amazon/Kindle. I don’t latch onto that notion until a few days later. But the seed sown, I am suddenly determined to publish my long-neglected novel. In fact, I am totally energised: "Full Circle" is to see the light of day, at last! I re-read, edit, reformat the entire manuscript ready for conversion to e-book. I check out legalities. I am thoroughly over-excited. And then it’s all done… except I need a cover!

July 2011: I need a cover for "Full Circle," and have set aside an evening to make one, somehow. I’ve gathered rings, a pearl necklace, a champagne flute, a backstage pass I managed to blag a few months back. I’m working the symbolism. But I’m not getting anywhere at all. I’m taking some photos but it all looks very amateurish. And it doesn’t do what I want it to do. Somehow, the title is letting me down. It’s not workable.

I collapse on the sofa next to my husband, only barely holding back tears of frustration. So close and yet so far! After six whole years, I suddenly recognise that "Full Circle" isn’t actually the catchy, memorable, meaningful title I thought it was.What now?

My husband comes to the rescue. He pushes me to think clearly about what I want the cover to say. I doodle on a page: a girl, faced with two options. What options are those, my husband nags. Easy: to marry a rock star, or an accountant. Suddenly, inspiration strikes: a picture of a signpost pointing two ways. Pink background, some grass, maybe a butterfly. My husband illustrates as I speak. We like it—a lot. In fact, it’s brilliant. The problem is that the image doesn’t at all work with the title. I take a radical decision: "Full Circle" needs to go. I need something else.

Sophie’s… Sophie’s what? The image shows a ‘choice’ but “Sophie’s Choice” already exists. Fetch the thesaurus. Think. Think laterally. Try out various combinations. And finally: "Sophie’s Turn."

"Sophie’s Turn." That works on many levels. Sophie’s turn at pursuing happiness. Sophie’s turn—which way will she turn? How will she turn her situation around? And suddenly I know that’s it. Never mind six years of knowing my masterpiece by a different title, "Sophie’s Turn" is what it is meant to be called. And so I publish.

Special thanks to Nicky for sharing her methods behind picking a title, and a clever one at that, as well as for sharing her e-books with our readers.

How to win "Sophie's Turn":
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 was the biggest decision you've had to make? Did you feel comfortable with your choice in the end or would you do things differently if you had another chance at the same decision?
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 September 25th at midnight EST.

Winners of "Trance of Insignificance"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and used random.org to choose two numbers for us (one for Kindle and one for paperback).

For the paperback, it chose 55.

Congrats to Michele (BRN2SHOP9)!

For the Kindle, it chose 24.

Congrats to A.C.!

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 who participated.
Thanks to Jennifer Rainville for chatting with us and sharing her book with our winners.

Don't forget about our current giveaways:

"Not to Us" and "Seeing Julia" by Katherine Owen (e-book)
Worldwide; Print version available for US readers, as well
Ends 9/25 at midnight EST


"Little Black Dress" by Susan McBride
US/Canada only
Ends 9/21 at midnight EST


"I'm Not the Biggest Bitch in this Relationship" by multiple authors
US only
Ends 9/21 at midnight EST

Interview with Katherine Owen and book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

More or less, Katherine Owen is writing all the time; be it working on her next novel, blogging, posting on Facebook or tweeting. You can say she's a "write-aholic." Katherine graduated from University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Editorial Journalism and Communications. She minored in English Literature. Katherine is a member of both the "Romance Writers of America" National chapter and the "Pacific Northwest Writer's Association," the latter for which her debut novel, "Seeing Julia," won the Zola Award and first place in the association's national 2010 literary contest.

In her small amount of time when she is not writing, Katherine enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, wine and champagne, and the beautiful view from her home in Seattle. She also spends time researching photo sites for future book covers.

For some lucky readers anywhere in the world, she has one e-book of each of her novels, "Seeing Julia" and "Not to Us" to give away. (Print version is also available as an option to readers in the US.)

To learn more about Katherine you can find her on Facebook and Twitter, as well as by visiting her website.

MP: What led you from a career in high-tech sales and PR to writing?
KO: I have always had a desire to write full-time, however, real life and a trajectory rise of success in high tech sales kept me busy. A management change at my last company and a subsequent downsizing led me losing my sales job in the spring of 2009. It was as simple as this: the last one hired almost three years before was the first to be let go. Me. At that point, my customers were more upset than I was because I saw it as the chance to pursue what I always wanted to do: write full-time. I began taking classes with The Writer’s Studio and I started writing novels. The writing classes helped finesse my craft and up my game. In July 2010, I won the Zola Award and first place in the romance category (women’s fiction) with the Pacific Northwest Writers Association with my novel, "Seeing Julia."


MP: What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing "Not To Us"?
KO: The idea of "Not To Us" came to me after learning of a friend’s diagnosis of breast cancer. I was doing the dishes and staring out the window and thinking about all of this. Then, I started asking other questions, such as: What would you do if you were facing a life-threatening illness? Would you change your life’s path? What if something else happened? This kind of thinking channeled into the beginning premise for the story of "Not To Us." The biggest challenge with "Not To Us" was to avoid making the book about breast cancer. It would have been easy to get caught up in the diagnosis and the medical part of the disease and how Ellie fights it, but that isn’t the book I wanted to write. Those first questions led to the exploration of the inherent themes in the novel: love, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, and self-discovery. For Ellie, one of the main characters of "Not To Us," this involved her own personal journey—in finding out who she really is and what she really wants.

Here’s the tagline for the novel from the back cover of "Not To Us":
Her perfect world unravels, but she soon learns she can’t outrun betrayal, grief, or even cancer and revealing her secrets is the only way to keep her one and only wish.

MP: What is your usual writing routine?
KO: I try and write every day. The key word in that sentence is “try”. It takes a lot of effort to sit down every day and get meaningful words onto the page. There are a thousand interruptions. Each time that happens; it takes supreme effort to get back on track.

I am an avid reader as well, but I focus on reading as a writer to improve my craft. This is especially helpful when I am stuck upon something in my own work in progress. If the plot isn’t coming together, studying other people’s work releases me, somehow, to rediscover or embrace something new and refine my own style. For example, I love Dylan Landis’s work. She’s the author of "Normal People Don’t Live Like This." What is amazing about her writing is her ability to move the story forward with just a few sentences. It astounds me every time I go back and read her work in how fearless she is. Landis fully expects readers to put together what is happening in the story by just a few sentences or a paragraph with very little background information. It’s so inspiring. Reading other authors work as a writer often gets me back on track, helps me refine my own work, and expands my own writing style.

MA: If you could choose one of your books to be made into a movie, which would you pick and who would you cast in the lead roles?
KO: Some of my readers have already started talking about wanting to see "Seeing Julia" as a film, so I would choose that novel to be made into a movie. These are my personal choices for the actors to play in the roles if a film were to be made of "Seeing Julia":

Jaimie Alexander as Julia Hamilton
Henry Cavill as Jake Winston
Elsa Pataky as Kimberley Powers
Chris Hemsworth as Dr. Bradley Stevenson
Megan Fox as Savannah Bennett

MA: If we were to visit you in Seattle, where is one non-touristy place you would take us?
KO: I would take you on the Bremerton to Seattle Ferry ride because crossing Puget Sound by boat and approaching Seattle from the west side will take your breath away. And then, you’ll understand exactly why I live here.

MP: What would you say has been your favorite memory from the summer of 2011?
KO: Every year, we visit the Oregon Coast and rent a beach house in Pacific City. Time with my family in this brand of paradise is the ultimate. Our biggest worry is who is going to mix the first drink; once breakfast is finished. (We always try to wait until at least 11:30 a.m.) For me, there is no better place to be than on a beach watching the waves, the surfers, and the kids, and basking in the glorious sun to the mesmerizing sound of the Pacific.

MP: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
KO: I would love to take a trip to Australia. I’ve always had a penchant for a vast land, a varied culture, and a sense of adventure. Australia seems to be a unique combination of all three of these things. And, if I ever visited there, I’m pretty sure I could come up with a storyline or two for a novel.

MA: What piece of clothing have you owned the longest?
I have a long black wool coat trimmed in black velvet. It’s a classic, still fashionable; and I break it out every winter.

MA: What do you enjoy doing during the autumn months?
Fall always represents a time of change—renewal—for me. It’s my favorite time of year. I hope to finish my third novel, "When I See You," and begin my fourth one, "Finding Amy," before winter sets in.

MA: What do you do to stay motivated?
KO: To stay motivated, I keep writing. And, if the writing doesn’t come easily, I read someone else’s work. My contemporary fiction is a little edgy, sad, and sometimes funny. In other words, I tend to write dark; yet, readers respond to it saying they love my work. I keep going because of my fantastic readers. I’m in awe of the reviews that I’ve received for both "Seeing Julia" and "Not To Us," and so moved by the praise for my work. It spurs me on to write more stories.

Thanks to Katherine for allowing us to get to know her better and for sharing her books with our readers!

How to win "Seeing Julia" or "Not to Us":
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: If you could change your career path, what field would you change it to and why? If you have not yet started a career, what path are you going to pursue?
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 September 25th at midnight EST.

A town without a library...Help Needed!

When a natural disaster strikes, it can either pass some towns by or become a destructive force in others. While the towns that get hit hard receive media coverage, it’s mainly focused on large or well-known metropolitan areas. Schoharie County in upstate NY is the victim of both Hurricanes Irene and Lee, which destroyed their local libraries. Since they are such a small town, they have only received local media coverage, but never made national news. There was an article on CNN, but it would have been missed if you didn't know it was there. (Eatocracy.) They need all sorts of items, including tools, batteries, storage supplies, gloves, food, clothing, cleaning supplies, etc.

While the community has been pulling together, neighbor helping neighbor, to clean, muck, tear down and rebuild homes and local farms, there are little resources currently to help the libraries that also were severely damaged from the storms.

Therefore, Chick Lit Central is posting this message in hopes that you can help Schoharie County's libraries. Right now, they need money for rebuilding, set-up and maintenance costs. If you can contribute any funding to their library (via your own pocketbook or by starting a fundraiser in your town or at your school) or even pass the word along so that other people can help them if they have the means to do so, this would mean the world to their community. They’re a small farming town, so reading is a huge pastime for the residents and they rely heavily on their libraries to fulfill their reading needs.

Please let us know how you can help or feel free to contact Jamie Craig or visit her Facebook group for ways to help.

Here are some local articles from their town:

Watershed Post

DailyGazette.com

This is a link to their county’s weekly newspaper with several local stories:

Times Journal

Websites for libraries:

Schoharie Library

Middleburgh Library

Thank you for any help you can provide, from donating books to just passing this message along.

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

**Giveaway is now closed**

Melissa P:

Got this from Melissa Hill, who will be visiting CLC this fall.



Melissa A:

Got this from Anna David, who will be visiting us in October.

Got this from Sonya Safro at Random House for review:

Isabel Wolff will be back for a visit in November.

e-book:

Got this for free from Smashwords (limited time deal):



Gail:

Got this from J.F. Kristin for review:



Becky:

Sent by Dee Ernst for review:



Dee will be visiting us in November, as well!

Amy:

Won this from three blog contests (A Novel Review, The Girl from the Ghetto and Girls Just Reading). Since I don't need all three, I'm sharing one with a friend as a gift and giving one away to a lucky reader in the US or Canada.



How to win "Little Black Dress":
Tell us the last thing you won (it doesn't have to be a book). If you didn't win anything that you can remember, tell us something you'd like to win. Please include your e-mail address or a way to contact you.

US/Canada only. Ends September 21st at midnight EST.

Blogs of the week

Our recent feature is "Blogs of the Week." Each week, we will feature a reader blog (which has to be sent to us) and an author blog (which can either be sent to us, or we'll pick one at random). This is our first week doing it and we hope to keep the momentum going for a while. Please check out the blogs we are sharing. I'm sure the bloggers would love some friendly comments on their posts or a follow.

To have your blog featured for a future shout out, please e-mail us. The blogs can be anything: personal, book themed or something else you're interested in that you write about (movies, fashion, pets, career, etc.)

Reader:

Books Etc.

Kaley Stewart has been surrounded by books for as long as she can remember and loves to review and talk about them to anyone and everyone. In her blog, Books Etc., she reads and reviews mostly chick lit novels, but there are a few other types of novels thrown in throughout (ie "The Help," "Discovery of Witches"). There will also be occasional posts that are about a book, series or author and won't strictly be a review (Such as some posts about Harry Potter.) You can follow Kaley on Twitter.

Author:

The Cozy Chicks are five authors of chick lit-ish cozy mysteries.

They are:

Ellery Adams / Jennifer (JB Stanley)
Deb Baker / Hannah Reed
Lorna Barrett / Lorraine Bartlett
Kate Collins
Maggie Sefton
Leann Sweeney
& Heather Webber / Heather Blake

They blog every day of the week on whatever topic tickles their fancy. Whether it is about curling up with a good book, recipes...or even baseball! You never know what we're up to until you visit. Visit them on Facebook and Twitter.

Winner of "Diary of a Mummy Misfit" (e-book)

To find our winner, we assigned a number to each entry and used random.org to choose the number for us. It chose 21

Congrats to Kim!

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 who participated.
Thanks to Amanda Egan for her witty guest post and for sharing her e-book with our winner.

Don't forget about our current giveaways:

"I'm not the Biggest Bitch in this Relationship" by various authors
US only
Ends 9/21 at midnight EST

"The American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin
US/Canada only
Ends 9/19 at midnight EST

"Paris, Baby!" by Kirsten Lobe
Ends 9/19 at midnight EST

"Trance of Insignificance" by Jennifer Rainville
E-book: Worldwide
Paperback: US/Canada only
Ends 9/18 at midnight EST