On Tour: Taking Shots by Toni Aleo

Toni will be on tour May 14-28 with her novel Taking Shots

Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough. Let it be her job, her weight, her love life, nothing, she was convinced she couldn’t do anything right. She had walked through life for the past six years in a daze, never thinking that life could be good again after the abuse she endured from her ex boyfriend. She is lonely, sad, and depressed, that is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the Nashville Assassins, she meets the hunky hockey player who shoots a puck, shattering her world.

Shea Adler was tired of the life he was living outside of the rink. The girls, the money blowing, the drinking, everything had to stop and it all did when he met Eleanor Fisher. He had never met anyone like her. She is feisty, witty, shy, and simply gorgeous. When he laid eyes on her, it was as if he was taking the hardest hit of his life into the boards, and he had to have her.

Elli is a little skeptical of Shea, but he knows that they were meant to be together, and he needed her in his life. But Elli just doesn’t understand what Shea could see in her. She is overweight, loud, and not even that pretty, so why would someone so gorgeous and so amazing want to be with her? It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to shake Shea off, he wasn’t going anywhere, and for the first time Elli didn’t feel alone.

But could Elli throw her insecurities out the window and love Shea with everything inside of her? Or will she let a past relationship, and her family ruin any chance of her being happy?

Would Elli miss her shot at love?

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops!

Author Bio:

My name is Toni Aleo!

On Tour: Interview with a Jewish Vampire by Erica Manfred

Erica will be on tour May 14-June 4 with her novel Interview with a Jewish Vampire

The last thing zaftig middle-aged journalist, Rhoda Ginsburg, expects when she signs up for JDate is to fall for a vampire. But when she meets drop-dead gorgeous Sheldon, a Hasidic vampire, she falls hard. She rationalizes that he may not be alive, but at least he’s Jewish. Desperate to save the life of her terminally ill mother, Rhoda comes up with the crackpot idea of getting Sheldon to turn her and her little old Jewish lady friends into vampires. Who knew that they would “go rogue” and start preying on the young?

Erica Manfred’s wry humor is the perfect match for the sexy-vampire genre in this novel about the emotional intricacies of dating a hot Jewish guy who is a card-carrying member of the undead. Delicious!” –Nancy Peske, coauthor of the bestselling Cinematherapy series

“Bloodaholics! Only Erica could think of this. Clever, clever, clever.”- –Avigayil Lansmann, contributor to The Meta Arts Magazine.

With wild irreverent humor this book turns upside down and sideways all the vampire clichés and stock images. Jewish vampires keeping kosher, old lady vampires on the prowl. Above all, it’s fun! –Rachel Pollack, author of World Fantasy Award winner Godmother Night

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops! **Everyone who leaves a comment on Erica’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! If you purchase your copy of Interview with a Jewish Vampire before June 4 and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will get five bonus entries!**

Author Bio:

Erica Manfred is a freelance journalist, humorous essayist, and author.   Her most recent book is the novel,  Interview with a Jewish Vampire.  She’s also authored two non-fiction self-help books, including most recently He’s History You’re Not; Surviving Divorce After Forty.     Her articles and essays have appeared in Cosmopolitan, The New York Times Magazine, Ms., New Age Journal, Village Voice, Woman’s Day, SELF, Ladies Home Journal, and many other publications.  Erica lives in Woodstock, New York with her Chihuahua, Shadow, and her daughter, Freda. Brought up by Jewish parents who spoke Yiddish but avoided religion, she got her Jewish education at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation which welcomes Jews from all backgrounds, from atheist to Orthodox, to vampire.    Her website is www.ericamanfred.com, or visit www.jewishvampire.com

Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love

Annie Lou Riddle just wanted to move to New York and break into the fashion industry. When she got the job as personal assistant to Finola White, she thought she struck gold – but she ended up selling her soul to the devil. Her latest job for Finola is to hook her up with Nick Rossi, the hot detective that is investigating the magazine for suspicious disappearances of past employees. While Annie knows the consequences that can come with not following her bosses orders, she can’t help but be attracted to Nick. But what will happen if she crosses the she-devil diva herself?

I had a difficult time getting into Devilishly Hot by Kathy Love. It started off strong, but after a few chapters I just lost interest. I didn’t really understand the paranormal twist with the devils and all that. Clearly, that’s the plot, but nothing was really explained about the merging of mortals and devils, so I was confused most of the time along those lines. It got a bit steamy with the romance scenes which I don’t mind at all, but overall it was more of a fizzle for me.

Rating:

Blog Tour Sign Up: Showbiz by Ruby Preston

Ruby will be on tour in August with her chick lit novel Showbiz. Please use the sign up form below if you would like to be included. Print books will be available for US/Canada residents, and Kindle and PDF copies will be available worldwide. I will contact everyone chosen to participate. Thank you!

“Set amid the twinkling marquees of modern day Times Square, Showbiz, is a juicy behind the scenes glimpse into the delicious and malicious world of Broadway.”

After four years in Manhattan, slaving away as the under-appreciated apprentice to the brilliant but ruthless “King of Broadway,” Scarlett Savoy is finally on her way to becoming a Broadway producer in her own right. But then, a shocking suicide turns Broadway on its head. Scarlett finds herself at the center of the storm as everything she thought she knew about the business of Broadway begins to unravel. A chance meeting with an influential gossip columnist sparks romance – but can he be trusted? Scarlett is forced to decide to what lengths she’ll go, who she’s willing to become, and what she’ll sacrifice, to achieve her Broadway dreams.

“This page-turner is packed with Broadway gossip, opening night intrigue, backstage romance, and the colorful characters that inhabit American musical theater.”

Ruby Preston is a young Broadway producer currently working on several new musicals on the Great White Way. She couldn’t be more thrilled to be living her dreams in the Times Square trenches of Manhattan.

**Ruby’s tour is now full. Thank you to everyone who signed up!**

Love By Design by Liz Matis

While romance isn’t my most-read genre, every once in a while I like to open a steamy book. And Liz Matis sure gave that to me with her novel Love By Design when she signed up for CLP Blog Tours. I really liked this book because it seemed like a mixture of chick lit and romance – with reality TV, male strippers, and lots of hot and heavy scenes. The main characters are Victoria and Russ, who get thrown together when Victoria’s co-host on the reality show Design Intervention must take a leave of absence. Russ, the heartthrob aussie, takes his place, and sexual tension at work is at an all time high. Victoria and Russ try for some time to ignore their feelings for each other, but after falling into bed together, they know they can’t keep ignoring the chemistry. This was a fast read that kept me entertained from the first page to the last, and definitely one for romance lovers.

Rating:

GIVEAWAY: Prosper in Love by Deborah Michel

A good marriage lasts forever…until it doesn’t.

From the start, Lynn and Jamie Prosper were one of those couples who seem meant to be—so content with each other that they barely notice the rest of the world nodding approvingly at their wedded bliss. But sometimes, even in the very best of marriages, all it takes is a mischievous outsider to bring the perfect couple toppling off the top of the wedding cake…
True, Jamie has been working so hard and traveling so much as a young lawyer that he hardly has enough energy to show his devotion. Not that Lynn, a junior museum curator, has any reason to question it. But when Lynn’s old college friend turns up at a cocktail party, chinks in their marriage’s previously unassailable armor start to show.
Suddenly, without meaning to, Lynn and Jamie have both acquired divorce lawyers. And those benevolent onlookers—meddling in-laws and competitive friends alike—eagerly bear witness to each new misstep. Is love really enough to make a marriage last?

I have one print copy of Prosper in Love by Deborah Michel up for grabs! To enter, please leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen on Wednesday May 9. Please note this open to US/Canada residents only. Thank you to Erin @ Penguin Group for sponsoring this giveaway!

**The winner is Jennifer Starr!**

Beauty Review: Lip Plumping Shop

When I was asked by the Lip Plumping Shop to review their product for the beauty section on CLP, I jumped at the chance. I use many different lip plumping lip glosses, so I definitely wanted to give this a try. I guess I didn’t quite read the concept behind the Lip Plumping Shop when I said yes, because I was surprised a few weeks later when a pink pump arrived in my mail. A bit taken aback, I was wary to try out the device. Putting something over my lips and suctioning them seemed a bit off to me. But because I had agreed to review the product, I gave it shot. Using the lip glosses provided as well as the device, I used the products as directed for one week. And? Well, I actually did notice results! I was surprised, I’ll admit, but it seems the products do work as they say. I stopped using the products after that one week of use though. I’m not sure how comfortable I feel with the suction on my lips and since I have a fairly full pout anyway, I really don’t need something extreme. I will say I let a girlfriend try it out as well and she loves it, so I guess it probably just depends on your comfort level.  If you do try out this unique  product, I just recommend really reading the instructions first before you use it.

On Tour: Lucky Charm by Marie Astor

Marie will be on tour May 7-21 with her novel Lucky Charm

Twenty-eight-year old Annabel Green is about to tie the knot with her college love, an aspiring author Jeremy Blake, but her plans for an ideal wedding are rudely interrupted when she catches Jeremy kissing his gorgeous book agent.

Shell-shocked by Jeremy’s betrayal, Annabel retreats into the quiet routine of TV dinners and solitary evenings. It is then that Annabel’s best friend, fashion designer Lilly Clayton, sets herself on a mission to draw Annabel out of her shell. In an attempt to persuade Annabel to keep an open mind on dating, Lilly takes Annabel for a stunning makeover, but after Annabel passes on a date with a dashing entrepreneur, Lilly decides that more drastic measures are needed. Lilly invites Annabel to see a palm reader who gives Annabel a lucky charm that is supposed to help her find true love.

A few weeks later, during her trip to Paris, Annabel meets a handsome Parisian, and as the two embark on a whirlwind romance, she starts to believe in the power of the talisman the palm reader has given her. But what Annabel doesn’t know is that Lilly is hiding a secret that could unravel her faith in her newly found luck in love.

Please visit CLP Blog Toursfor all the tour stops!

Author Bio:

On Tour: Vivid by Andrea Murray

Andrea will be on tour May 7-28 with her novel Vivid

When Vivian Cartwright was five years old, she witnessed her mother’s death.

Now, sixteen-year-old Vivian only wants a normal life—hard to accomplish when you possess the power to control energy. Her entire life she has feared her power and its connection to her mother’s murder. She has kept her ability a secret from everyone except her guardian, Charlotte, who has hidden Vivian from the man responsible for her mother’s murder.

Her secret is safe until Vivian subconsciously defends herself at school using her power. After this first use of her gift in many years, Vivian’s power seems to take on a mind of its own, increasing in strength and demanding to be used. This increase in power also brings dreams of her mother’s death and the mysterious man connected with it. When she is assigned to tutor the would-be boyfriend of Trista Parmer (a.k.a. the biggest diva in school), Vivian cannot deny the electrifying connection that she feels for the boy, Easton Garrett. In her desire to get Easton away from Vivian, Trista doubles her efforts to humiliate Vivian, forcing Vivian to use her supernatural gift over and over. With each use, Vivian fears she is losing control and discovers her powers are growing—maybe too much—bringing her unknowingly closer to the man who murdered her mother.

Please visit CLP Blog Tours for all the tour stops! **Everyone who leaves a comment on Andrea’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! If you purchase your copy of Vivid before May 28 and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will get five bonus entries!**

Author Bio:

Guest Post by Caroline Burau

Thank you to Caroline Burau for her guest post on self-publishing!

Self-publishing: The good news is, it’s all you! And the hard part is, it’s all you.

Having my memoir, Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat picked up by a well-respected publisher in 2006 was a huge thrill. I signed a contract, finished my first draft, and immediately the wheels started turning.

During the six months leading up to publication, someone other than me did a whole slew of things I didn’t fully appreciate at the time. A gorgeous cover was designed, drafts of the book were edited multiple times (some with, some without my input), advanced copies were sent out to numerous media outlets for reviews, and respected authors were picked to provide blurbs. As if this wasn’t enough, about a month before the release date, a lovely young lady name Jana called me and introduced herself as my publicist. My publicist? I have a publicist? Jana took care of booking readings, signings, radio, newspaper, and TV interviews.

In short, I wrote a book, participated in the editing process, then basically made sure I showed up when and where I was told to go. The pace got somewhat rigorous, and I fought my own nerves at every single appearance, but it was a wonderful ride that I know many writers would kill to experience.

And then it was over. One day, I called Jana about a request I’d gotten for a reading at a local library and she broke the news: “I’m not your publicist anymore.” I was aghast! But it was nothing personal. My time was up; she was on to the next new title.

Over the years, I continued doing occasional readings and appearances for Answering 911. In 2011, I completed a novel, Sugarfiend, and hoped that my status as a published author would give me an advantage. After querying more than two dozen agents and getting little to no response, I felt like giving up.

Novels, I was told, are more numerous and therefore harder to sell than memoir or nonfiction. I would have to be patient. I’m not big on being patient. Self-publishing seemed the logical choice.

And it’s been great . . . but it’s been slow. Why? Because I’m it. I’m the writer, editor, cover designer, marketing department, publisher, and publicist. If it wasn’t for my husband’s technical know-how and marketing background, I might truly be overwhelmed.

To start, I had to get over my biggest fear: that because the book hadn’t been picked up by a “real” publisher, it wasn’t any good. But over the course of four meticulous full edits, I at last reached a point where I not only liked Sugarfiend, but enjoyed it. That’s when I knew it was ready.

From there, I formatted the book for three different self-publishing formats: Kindle, Nook, and CreateSpace (for the trade paperback.) It was time-consuming and taxed my scant technical know-how. (Again, husband! To the rescue.)

Now that the book is available, the responsibility of getting the word out is all mine.  Media outlets tend to look askance at self-published works. They get a lot of queries from people looking for publicity, and without a reputable publisher’s seal of approval, it’s hard to get them to pay attention.

So, while my royalties are much higher with my self-published book (70-50 percent versus 10 percent or less with a traditional publisher) the number of units sold will inevitably be much lower. But thanks to the power of social media, newspapers, radio, and TV no longer hold a monopoly on information. Plenty of self published authors have used Facebook, Twitter and other outlets to drum up huge word of mouth.

To get the word out, I now blog regularly for www.women.com and as a guest blogger for anyone who will have me (like this awesome site). It’s fun, and it keeps my writing chops up. I stick to sites where I think my target audience will find me: women, sugar “addicts”, and lovers of humorous fiction. I also hired a web designer to set up my own author blog and web site (www.carolineburau.com) a central location for fans to check out both books, read updates, and link to my social media pages.

In short, the great part is that it’s all up to me. And the hard part is that it’s all up to me.

It’s too soon to tell whether I made the right choice. I still entertain fantasies of Sugarfiend getting the attention of some big exec at Penguin, getting signed to a 50,000-unit first-run, then being adapted for a major motion picture (which I’ve already decided must star Kat Dennings.)

But mostly, I’m glad I can say to fans of my first book and anyone else who asks, that Sugarfiend is out there and ready for the world to enjoy. And I didn’t wait for anyone’s nod of approval. I did it for myself.

Caroline Burau is a freelance writer in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and author of Sugarfiend http://www.amazon.com/Sugarfiend-ebook/dp/B0071BFKOW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328076456&sr=8-2  and Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat. http://www.amazon.com/Answering-911-Life-Hot-Seat/dp/0873516028/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328076456&sr=8-1

You can also follow her on Twitter (@carolineburau)

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