Katie Heaney is single and fabulous(!)...plus a book giveaway

I know a lot of single gals.  For many of them, it's been awhile since their last relationship.  However, the fact remains that, unlike our guest author today, they've had at least one boyfriend.

Yes, that's right!  Katie Heaney is 20-something and hasn't had a boyfriend or long term relationship.  Instead of getting down about it, this editor at BuzzFeed has turned it into an opportunity to share with other women what it is like as a "very long-term single" and how she makes light of it all. In addition to BuzzFeed and her memoir, Katie's writing has also appeared in Outside Magazine online, Vulture.com, The Hairpin, The Awl, and Glamour.com, among other places.

So please give a warm Chick Lit Central welcome to Katie Heaney!


You can Katie at Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, we have a copy of Never Have I Ever for a lucky reader located in the US.

What inspired you to write your memoir, Never Have I Ever?
I wanted to make people laugh, and I thought that some of my vaguely romantic misadventures might be a good subject for that. I was writing these hyperbolically over-analytical pieces called "Reading Between the Texts" at the time, so this topic—wondering what is ever going on in my life with regard to guys—kind of followed naturally from that.

In one sentence, what was road to publishing like for you? 
I think for me it was absurdly and unusually painless and fun.

If Never Have I Ever was made into a movie, which celebrities would you want to star as you and your best friend, Rylee? 
OK I am embarrassed about it but we have talked about this. I want to be played by Jennifer Lawrence (haha, just a small and humble request!). Rylee should be played by Ari Graynor because they look somewhat alike and I think Ari would do justice to Rylee's easy charm and tomboyish bombshell personality.

Since you talk about real life crushes in your book, who was your celebrity crush as a kid and who is your current celebrity crush?
My celebrity crush as a kid was, of course, JTT. My main celebrity crush now is probably Jake Johnson, for playing Nick Miller on New Girl.

I know Valentine's Day is over for this year, but what is that holiday like for you? Do you embrace it or avoid it? In what way(s) do you embrace or avoid it? 
Oh, I don't really care. I think Valentine's Day is a dumb holiday, and I think New Year's Eve is a dumb holiday too. I don't like a holiday that tries to make you feel bad about yourself if you don't have really cool and glamorous plans. I don't like the manufactured romanticism. I will probably eat some candy that day, but then I do that most days.

What TV show, book, or movie reminds you most of your own life? 
Maybe Broad City? I mean, I'm probably fairly different from both protagonists (though sometimes close-ish to Abbi!), but as far as being a young woman who is obsessed with my best friends, I think that might be the closest. I'm really excited about that show.

Thanks to Katie for visiting with us and to Grand Central Publishing for sharing her book with our readers.


~Introduction by Tracey Meyers
~Interview by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends February 23rd at midnight EST.

Cari Kamm travels with style....plus a giveaway!

We're very excited to welcome back Cari Kamm, author of Fake Perfect Me and For Internal Use Only, which are both FREE today only. Cari actually got married very recently and her last name is now "Fund." Let's wish her a big congrats and Mazel Tov! Cari is talking about her many traveling adventures and her birthday, which happens to be Valentine’s Day too. She’s also giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to a lucky reader anywhere in the world!

Get to know Cari by visiting her website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

I’m a Valentine’s Day baby. My childhood birthday celebrations were filled with chalky heart-shaped candies, heart-shaped love notes and most importantly Russell Stover chocolates. Growing up, it was incredible to be born on this day saturated with sweetness and love. I never felt alone. I never felt the pressure of having a Be Mine. I was always a part of the celebration. Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Birthday Cari! It’s all fun and games until you enter adulthood and the world of Is there a someone special in your life? Whoever said “Chocolate doesn’t love you back” was wrong! The marketing industry alone in the month of February could push any sane woman over the edge. The V-Day birthday girl title I once wore proudly began to feel like a curse from St. Valentine himself. I would turn a year older and have a spotlight on my relationship status. Single? Engaged? Married? Successful serial dater? It wasn’t until my early twenties I realized being born on this day wasn’t a blessing or a curse and my relationship status didn’t matter.

At the age of twenty-two I moved to the concrete jungle of New York City to attend NYU. I was alone in one of the biggest cities in the world. A small town girl from West Virginia, I went from one stop light to one million in a snap. This fear of being alone offered the biggest birthday gift ever. Here came the lesson of self-worth. Ta-dah!

When I started to face my fears alone, I started to realize who I was and what I was capable of achieving. For my twenty-second birthday, I celebrated my life with the gift of personal growth. With baby steps of course, I greeted each new birthday year with a challenge that would break routine, test strengths and expose weaknesses. I took this personal time to attend a Broadway show, enjoy lunch at a new restaurant in the city and eventually made myself spend a weekend alone in Long Island at a yoga retreat. I started to feel like the very warrior I was asked to pose.

From my twenties through my mid thirties, I’ve expanded my personal growth journey from weekends to two weeks trips. As I write this post, I reminiscence about my weekend trips to Chicago, Miami, Vermont, to walking down a snowy Champs Elysees in Paris devouring a warm chocolate croissant, to a writing retreat in Carmel, swimming in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, jungle excursions in Costa Rica, rainy days in London, getting mugged in Argentina, many mezze platters in Abu-Dhabi and my travels throughout Italy.

These travels have been my greatest gifts to me and from me. Connecting to people, cities and cultures has allowed me to grow both mentally and emotionally. It’s ignited a fire within me for self-discovery that even the darkest moment couldn’t extinguish. Traveling has allowed this metamorphosis of the woman I am today and has taught me to be present, to be connected, and to be grateful.

As a writer, I’ve tested my characters self-worth. If you’ve read Fake Perfect Me or For Internal Use Only, then you’re familiar with their inner struggles. Each of my characters are a piece of me and my journey.

And no matter what life presents me, nothing and no one can take away my personal growth. These experiences are embedded within me. These moments are a part of my DNA and continue to shape my character daily. Unlike a material item, it can’t be lost or stolen. It’s not attached to anyone, but me. These are my memories and their value doesn’t depreciate.

No journey is too small or large to create personal growth. Whether you take an afternoon, a weekend, a week or more. Travel somewhere. Travel anywhere.

February 14, 2014 marks my 36th year. I’ve hopped a flight to Israel with my husband and you can bet I ordered a glass of wine and opened up a heart-shaped box of chocolates. My husband gets those few leftovers with the weird orange or pink fillings and risks losing a finger if he dare touch that caramel filled square. I’m not sure if a lifetime is enough to fully learn who we are and experience all the world has to offer, but it’s never too late to start your personal growth journey. The one thing I hope my birthday says about me (besides that I’m addicted to Mr. Russell Stover) is that I’m not only passionate about experiencing who I am, but I want to know who I can be.

Wishing you much love this Valentine’s Day.

XO

Cari

Thanks to Cari for visiting with us and generously sharing her books and a fabulous giveaway with our readers!

~Introduction by Amy Bromberg

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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Open worldwide. Giveaway ends February 19th at midnight EST.

Rosie Blake is our "New Girl"...plus a book giveaway

Not only is Rosie Blake new to the chick lit scene, but she also looks like Zooey Deschanel (at least in this picture, she does). Doppelgangers, anyone?!?

We are pleased to introduce you to Rosie today, as she is here to talk about a holiday we either dread or embrace (yes, we're talking Valentine's Day here) and share about her debut novel, How to Get a (Love) Life.

Rosie spent her university years writing pantomimes based on old classics, such as a successful showing in 2004 of Harry Potter: The Musical (complete with moving opening number, "In my Cupboard I will Stay"). She went on to write a winning short story in the La Senza/Little Black Dress Short Story Competition and was shortlisted in a few others including the 'Women and Home' annual competition and the Daily Mail 'Opening Paragraph' Competition. She started writing novels and after some false starts, and horrendous jobs that she wishes to keep a closely guarded secret (or write about in the future), she wrote How to Get a (Love) Life, which was published in January by Novelicious Books. (Bio adapted from Goodreads.)

Rosie likes baked items, taking long walks by the river and speaking about herself in the third person.

You can find her at Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to Novelicious, we have THREE e-books of How to Get a (Love) Life for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

Making the Most of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day ... oh it's a minefield, isn't it? But it isn't meant to be. It's meant to be fun, a bit of silliness, an excuse to focus on that part of your life. It is NOT to be taken that seriously.

If you're single and still searching, or not, it can still be a great day to get out, dress up all fancy and celebrate the relationships within your own life. It's love innit and everyone loves a bit of that. Take Nicola Brown's advice, main character in my novel How to Get A (Love) Life, and branch out this V Day.

Coupled up and want to celebrate? Fed up with the compulsory evening out staring at one another over the quintessential sad tea-light? Why don't you branch out from the usual romantic dinner route and do something a little different on February 14th?

I love a date where you get the chance to hang out together and share something. How about a spot of ice-skating? Wrap up all snuggly, hold his gloved hand in yours and spend a good half hour falling over each other on ice. It might get giggly, silly and will ALWAYS end in a hot dog and chips. Winner.

Loathe ice-skating? Why don't you both branch out and do something artsy together. Design yourself a teapot in one of those paint-your-own places. Every time you whip out the Earl Grey, you'll smile at the memory. Or make a photo collage of the last year together for your wall. Talk about those moments, remember the places you've been and celebrate a year of love and romance. Also, if the photos are thin on the ground, it will offer perfect excuse and motivator to book something in the future.

Bored of sitting inside and avoiding the heart strewn restaurants of February 14th? Call your friends and arrange a fancy dress themed dinner party at yours. Fancy dress is basically like magic, it makes everyone feel better. And there will be dinner (or takeaway). And friends. What’s not to love? End. Of.

How about making your own movie or music video? Once again, costumes are essential and lashings of makeup too. You could make your very own rom-com special (or recreate scenes from your favourite) and have a real giggle while doing so.

Or, get your girls all together and head to a bowling alley. You're allowed those cushions in the gutters if you're really bad and you can laugh at each other whilst doing your best Naked Gun impressions, "Strike One". This also ends in hot dog and chips, which (as we’ve already figured out) are the key to happiness.

Good luck my friends! Whether you’re single, attached or really, really bad at bowling, may your February 14th bring you much joy, laughter and loving.

Thanks to Rosie for a lovely guest post and to Novelicious for sharing her book with our readers.

~Introduction by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open worldwide. Giveaway ends February 18th at midnight EST.

Reader Spotlight: Purr-fect

This year, we're doing "Reader Spotlight" posts on a bi-weekly basis. We want to feature readers who have been actively following CLC for a while. We're hoping you can get to know some new friends this way. One of the joys of having CLC is that readers have connected with each other, as a result. That's one of the reasons it was started up in the first place...to bring chick lit fans together from all over the world! We've made some amazing friends because of this blog and we hope you'll get to do so too!

If you'd like to be spotlighted sometime this year, please contact us.

See our previous Reader Spotlight posts.

Note from Melissa A: I've known Kat for a while through Facebook and her comments on our giveaway posts. She also sends me recommendations via Goodreads a lot. I think this is the first time I'm putting a face to her name, since I mainly see a cat in her profile picture. It has also come to my attention that she recently had a birthday, so send some belated birthday wishes her way!

Name: Kat Duncan
Age: 26
Location: Glasgow, UK

How did you find Chick Lit Central?
I follow a lot of blogs, and authors so one of those were featuring chick lit central and I thought I'd join.

What are your top FIVE favorite chick lit novels of all time?
My top five favorite chick lit novels of all time are: Melissa Hill – Before I Forget, Lisa Becker – Click, Rachel Schurig – Three Girls and a Baby, Kat Lee – Full Measure, and Adele Parks – Men I've Loved Before. Some of these authors I have just recently discovered but would definitely class them as all time favorites!

What do you do when you're not reading?
When I’m not reading, I volunteer in a charity shop and befriend for a epilepsy charity. I like to go to the cinema and comedy gigs and occasionally a concert, buy books, go for meals and watch films or TV shows at home with my partner. I’m also quite competitive so like to play cards and scrabble. I have started going to some author events and it's fun hearing how books have came about!

Visit Kat on Facebook.

Book Review: Weightless

By Gail Allison

Hanging out on the fringes of her 10-year high school reunion, Annabel isn’t surprised when no one comes racing up to her with squeals of “Oh my gosh I haven’t seen you in sooooo long!!!” She’s planning to spend the party the same way she spent her high school career: hiding in the shadows and hoping that no one, especially Christy Blake, notices her. Christy Blake was a bully who specialized in making Annabel (or AnnaBall as she was known) feel terrible about herself. Annabel managed to pull herself out of the mire of horrible feelings and find a career that is fulfilling, as well as lose 70 pounds, but she still feels the barbs that Christy Blake stuck into her ten years ago.

So when her high school crush Jack Winslow mistakes her for the infamous Christy Blake at the reunion and asks her out, her high school sensibilities kick in and she says yes…without bothering to correct his mistake. One thing leads to another, and Jack and Annabel become closer and closer, and end up falling in love. Unfortunately Annabel has never corrected the initial case of mistaken identity. Instead, she has come back with half-truths and tricky answers to his questions about her life in and after high school as Christy Blake. It’s a precarious house of cards, and Annabel’s counseling people at her job about how important it is to find inner beauty and peace, yet living the complete opposite. Will Jack be able to deal with it when the truth finally comes crashing down between them?

Michele Gorman’s short story, Weightless, is a really fun read. The premise is easy to follow, and even though there are multiple cringe-worthy moments, you never really want to put it down. I think Ms Gorman chose the right route when she decided to tell this tale as a short story. I feel like a full novel would just drag out the situations a little too much. This was the perfect vehicle for the given plot line. She managed to inject humor, tension, and enough details that you never felt like you were missing out on anything into the 40-ish pages of this story.

Weightless is a well-told story that flows comfortably and reads easily. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, why not treat yourself to this charming little gem? It’s currently FREE through February 14th (see details below) and if you miss that special offer, it's still only $1 for Kindle and I promise it won’t give you cavities or go straight to your hips. And that’s the honest truth.

Thanks to Notting Hill Press for the book in exchange for an honest review and for offering it as a FREE download on Smashwords! Use the coupon code ZH34Q (not case-sensitive) between now and Friday to take advantage of this generous offer! After that, it is available for $1 at the following sites:

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Barnes and Noble

You can also check out the first two chapters here!

More by Michele Gorman:

Book Review and Giveaway: The Art of Falling

By Kathryn Hamilton

For dancers, movement is more than what they do; it is in every fibre of their being. It is a way of life. What happens when a dancer is stripped of the movement that comes so naturally? Penelope Sparrow is faced with exactly this scenario when she survives a 14-story fall that should have killed her. In the months following, she must contend with a body that is in significant pain, frustrating rehabilitation, and the reality that dance may never be a part of her life in the same way again. The Art of Falling is a beautifully crafted story of one woman’s struggle to redefine her life, herself, and her relationships.

As readers, we are drawn to books for many reasons. The cover catches our eye. The synopsis intrigues us. Or sometimes, it can be as simple as the author’s name. Aside from the fact that dance has fascinated for me years, I was drawn to Kathryn Craft’s debut novel equally due to how she spells her first name. The Art of Falling is the first in what I’m calling “The Kathryn series” of reviews. The reason behind choosing this novel may seem trivial; however, I was far from disappointed.

Ms. Craft is a former dancer/choreographer. Her expertise, as well as love of dance, is woven into the very thread of the story. The way in which she describes movements denotes a passion for dance that can only come from experiencing it first-hand. This also translates into creating a flawed character in Penny that the reader has compassion for, rather than disdain. It is clear from the beginning that Penny has significant issues regarding her body. She not only has an unhealthy relationship with food but feels that her body has betrayed her since she has an atypical dancer’s body (tall and with hips). Readers can certainly empathize with Penny. There is an incredible amount of pressure for women especially to conform to a very narrow view of what the body should look like; this is heightened in the dance world. I felt that Penny’s obsession with weight and how “different” she was interfered with her ability to truly appreciate her gift as a dancer and her inherent creativity for choreography. In many ways, this can be said of most of us; we are so busy focusing on what is “wrong” with us that we don’t acknowledge often enough the myriad of ways in which we are wonderful and how being different can be a gift and an inspiration. Redefining the self and self-acceptance are relevant themes throughout the course of this novel.

As important as a strong lead character is to any novel, so too are the supporting characters. Here again, Ms. Craft has created a cast to surround Penny that helps to explain how she came to be where she is and shapes the person she is to become. Most notable is her contentious relationship with her mother and her unlikely friendship with Angela, a young woman living with cystic fibrosis who Penny meets in the hospital. It is through Penny’s interaction with these various individuals that the reader understands two underlying themes: things/people are rarely as they seem and most profoundly, everything, regardless of how painful, happens for a reason. Events occur to bring people together in such a way that one would be hard-pressed not to believe in fate.

Perhaps what I loved most about this novel is that fact that finding romantic love was not a central focus of the story line. Although romance is, of course, an aspect that I enjoy about chick lit, it was a refreshing change.

If The Art of Falling is any indication, we have much to look forward to from Kathryn Craft. The artistry she utilized as a dancer easily carries over into the literary world. Whatever captures your interest about the novel, Ms. Craft’s story telling keeps you drawn in for an emotionally satisfying page turner.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one book for a lucky reader in the US or Canada!

How to win:

Please tell us about the last time you danced OR your favorite dance scene from a movie or TV show.

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends February 17th at midnight EST.

You might also enjoy:

Book Review and Giveaway: Twisted Sisters

**Giveaway is closed**

Reagan Bishop is a pusher. A licensed psychologist who stars on the Wendy Winsberg cable breakout show "I Need a Push," Reagan helps participants become their best selves by urging them to overcome obstacles and change behaviors. An overachiever, Reagan is used to delivering results.

Despite her overwhelming professional success, Reagan never seems to earn her family’s respect. Her younger sister, Geri, is and always will be the Bishop family favorite. When a national network buys Reagan’s show, the pressures for unreasonably quick results and higher ratings mount. But Reagan’s a clinician, not a magician, and fears witnessing her own personal failings in prime time. (And seriously? Her family will never let her hear the end of it.) Desperate to make the show work and keep her family at bay, Reagan actually listens when the show’s New Age healer offers an unconventional solution…

Record Nielsen ratings follow. But when Reagan decides to use her newfound power to teach everyone a lesson about sibling rivalry, she’s the one who will be schooled…(Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Amy Bromberg:

If you know me from Facebook and/or Twitter, then you’re definitely aware that I’m a #JenLancasterAholic (yes, I made up this hashtag) to the MAX! I would love to be part of a girl’s lunch with Jen and Caprice Crane. They’re very good friends and both are hilarious. I’d be cracking up so hard, I’d be peeing in my pants. I had the pleasure of meeting Jen during BEA 2012. #hugeauthorcrush here!

Boy, is Reagan a trip. Half of the time I wanted to strangle her, and the other half I wanted to hug her and tell her everything’s going to be okay. She thinks she knows it all, from her career to the people in her life, especially her sister, Geri. But not until Reagan literally gets to walk in Geri’s shoes, does she realize that in fact she barely knows anything about her.

Unfortunately I don’t have siblings so I cannot relate to sibling rivalry. Growing up when I went to play at friends’ houses, I did see some and it wasn’t too pretty.

I love the way Jen weaves humor into the story in a real way, making Reagan, and all of the characters relatable and funny.

If you’ve been reading some heavy, serious books lately, and need to take a break and laugh a little bit, then definitely get Twisted Sisters. If like me, you’re a Jen Lancaster fan, well then....um...what are you waiting for?!?!?!??!?!?

Tracey Meyers:

Sibling rivalry is surely something I can relate to, so when I heard Jen Lancaster's latest novel centered around this very topic I knew I'd have to read it.

True to form, Jen delivers another well-written story that has an important underlying message that not only gets you thinking, but also showcases her humor and wit.  Also, as someone from the Chicagoland area, it was fun to see all the references to popular local neighborhoods and places. The character were true to life and relatable - something that I feel is very important to any story whether it is fiction or non-fiction. 

Thanks to Penguin for the book in exchange for an honest review...and for sharing a copy with one lucky US reader!

How to win:

Please answer one of the following questions (even if you answer them all, it still only counts as one entry):
1. If you have a sister, what is your relationship with her like?
2. Which celebrity would you want to have as your sister?
3. What is your favorite sister relationship from a TV show or movie?

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US only. Giveaway ends February 16th at midnight EST.

More by Jen Lancaster: