Author Profile: Donna Joy Usher

Author Name: Donna Joy Usher

Website: http://donnajoyusher.com/

Bio: Born in Brisbane, I started my working life as a dentist. After 15 years of drilling and filling I discovered there was more to life, and put pen to paper. Now I drill by day and write by night.

When not doing either of those things I like spending time with my husband and two little dogs, fishing and camping, motorbike riding, traveling, drinking wine on my deck and eating chocolate. Last year I ran my first half marathon and took up paddle boarding.

I have lived in a myriad of places: Melbourne, Perth, England, Rockhampton, Roxby Downs, Sydney, Cairns and am now situated on the New South Wales Central Coast.

Titles: The Seven Steps to Closure

Visit Donna’s tour page!

See my 4.5 star review for The Seven Steps to Closure

Author Profile: Wendy Chen

Author Name: Wendy Chen

Website: http://wendychenbooks.com/index.html

Bio: Wendy Chen writes lighthearted romantic fiction. She began writing Liar’s Guide to True Love during her frequent (and sometimes severe) bouts of wedding nostalgia. Years after planning her own nuptials, she still gets unduly giddy about attending weddings.

Wendy was a lifelong New Yorker until she decided to try out suburban life a few years ago. She now lives in Northern Virginia with her family while she works on her next novel. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

See my 4.5 star review for Liars Guide to True Love!

 Bio and photo retrieved from wendychenbooks.com

Interview with Michele Gorman

When did you know writing was for you?

Hi Samantha, hi Samantha’s fans, *waves to everyone*. Thanks for having me on the blog today! For me, becoming an author started out as a practical decision… I wanted someone to pay me for what’s inside my head without having to go into an office (or, on some days, change out of my pyjamas). We’ll ignore the fact that, given how hard it is to write books, and get them published, this wasn’t actually a practical decision at all!

So since writing wasn’t a lifelong dream, I didn’t know that it was for me until after I’d written my first book. I still cringe at the conversation I had with a writer friend, who asked about my first book, “What will you do if you don’t publish this one?” Arrogantly, I responded, “Well if I don’t, I wouldn’t bother to write another one.” How wrong I was (both about the quality of that book, and my intentions). When I got to the end, it didn’t occur to me not to write another. So I guess that’s when I knew.

How would you describe your books?

They are solidly chick lit, funny and easy to read, with characters that I’d like to be best friends with (and hopefully readers will too).

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

I think it’s that difficult middle bit, where, after the initial elation of developing the characters and storylines, and starting the book, you think, “This book stinks.” Lots of other authors I’ve talked to assure me that this happens all the time. Of course the book doesn’t really stink. The problem is that it’s nearly impossible to write a book that’s as good as the idea in your head. So I always suffer a crisis of confidence around 40,000 words. I have to silence the uncertainty and write on.

What are your favorite genres to read?

I like lots of authors, from John Irving to Talli Roland, Maya Angelou to David Nichols, Haruki Murakami to Matt Rudd and Nick Hornby. I also like non-fiction when it involves a place or a time that I know little about. So I guess I don’t really have favourite genres – I like books in which I marvel at the writing and get immersed in the story. I also love well-written, subtle humour, often with a dark twist (hence my love of John Irving).

What do you want readers to take away from your story?

Warm fuzziness, a feeling that all’s right with the world, and a lot of laughter. As a chick lit writer, I don’t think I’ll ever write an unhappy ending. The story may not turn out the way you expect, but it will always make the characters happy.

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?

That’s an interesting question. I think that lots of authors misunderstand the point of social media, which is to be social. The “buy my book” tweeters, for instance, make me grind my teeth. Before they hit that send button, they should apply this little test. If your only followers were your friends and family, would you send those tweets? No? Then why would someone with no relationship with you at all be happy to get bombarded by your hard-sell?

Harrumph

Having said that, social media is a very fun procrastination tool for me. I love chatting with people on twitter and facebook and I’ve made several real-life friends with people who started out as facebook friends or twitter followers. If you’d like to help me procrastinate, do follow @expatdiaries or get in touch on www.facebook.com/MicheleGormanBooks

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?

I’d encourage anyone who wants to write to sit down and do it. I remember the very scary feeling when contemplating my first book (and still get a bit scared whenever I start a new one). It seems so daunting to think about writing 80,000+ words. And it IS daunting! So I break the process down into little chunks. First I come up with a one-sentence synopsis. For example, Bella Summer Takes a Chance is about a 30-something woman who is settled in her life, but realises she wants more, so she ends her decade-long relationship to follow her dreams. Then I flesh it out into a full paragraph, and that gives me the core of the story. Then I think about the characters and make sure I know how they’ll behave in different situations (because they do tend to have minds of their own and will go off in unexpected directions if I don’t know them well enough). Then I think about the main story line, then the minor storylines. Then I put it all together into a chapter by chapter synopsis. That gives me the framework to start writing. I think of completing each chapter as a goal in itself (complete with congratulatory baked goods), and since I have an outline I know I won’t get to the middle of the book and run out of ideas. Anyway, thinking about writing in little compartments like that keeps me from running screaming into the night J

What are you currently reading?

I almost always have a couple books on the go. Right now I’m reading Haruki Murakami’s book of short stories, The Elephant Vanishes, and Matt Dunn’s excellent A Day At The Office. It’s not that well-known yet in the US but is a best-seller (for very good reason!) in the UK.

Do you experience writers block? Any tips on overcoming it?

I don’t know if it’s writer’s block so much as writer’s malaise. There are days (okay, weeks) when I just don’t feel like writing. This is a problem since it is my full-time profession, so I have to make myself write. And I guess that’s my tip: you won’t always be inspired to write, but it’s important to get words on the page. You can always edit/delete them later as necessary, and often there’s at least a grain of goodness in what you’ve written. I also find that napping and jogging help me work through plot problems (not at the same time, obviously).

Where do you complete most of your writing? Any certain time of day that you prefer?

I tend to write on my sofa, so when you see photos of me in a few years, and I’m shaped like a question mark, you’ll know why.

I’ve tried lots of different writing schedules. The thing I’ve never been able to do is write in the evening. I’m a morning person, so when I’m completing a manuscript I try to write before lunch and leave the afternoon open for admin and marketing (there’s always a lot of admin and marketing). It doesn’t always work out this way, but it gives me a bit of a routine, which makes me feel better.

Are you currently working on another novel?

Bella Summer Takes a Chance just published in February so a lot of time is taken up right now with the marketing for that, but I’ve got a few ideas percolating. I’m incredibly excited about one, which might actually top Bella (and I didn’t think that could happen, since Bella is hands-down my favourite book). I’ll meet with my agent and favourite commissioning editor in a few weeks to talk through some ideas, and will then kick off a new book. I’ll also write a Christmas novella this year. I wrote my first one last year and absolutely loved doing it. It was so much fun getting to grips with the different writing style necessary for novellas, and lots of lovely author friends also write them, so we all get to be excited by their launches together. Hopefully everyone else will be as excited as we are!

Thanks so much, Samantha, for having me on the blog today, and if anyone fancies an inscribed eBook copy of Bella Summer Takes a Chance, I can sign it through http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/expatdiaries. The inscription can go straight to your eReader or email. Genius, eh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sophie’s Run Blog Tour – Guest Post & Giveaway

Come dine with Sophie and Dan: Today’s treat is… Party food deluxe and yet comfort food par excellence… Sophie’s Cheesy Fondue!

Hello! *waves* My name is Sophie Penhalligan. You may already know me from Sophie’s Turn, the book about how I fell in love with and very nearly married my favorite rock star. Well, my author, Nicky Wells, has released the next part of the story of my romance with Dan Hunter, lead singer of legendary rock band, Tuscq. Things don’t go quite to plan for Dan and me for a while, and Sophie’s Run will tell you about a little detour that our friendship takes. It’s all good, though, and we’re very happy indeed.

So much so, in fact, that we thought we’d take you on tour with us to show you all our favorite places throughout the entire Rock Star Romance series, and share the yummiest food with you.

Y’all know I love my food. Dan, Rachel and I are forever going out to restaurants, or cooking, or ordering meals in. It’s a huge part of our lives! Today, I’d like to share with you the best (and easiest, in my opinion) recipe for Cheesy Fondue. If you’ve never tried it, give it a go; you’ll love it! It’s basically a dish where you melt lots of cheese and then dip your bread or sausage or veg into it. It’s heavenly! It’s both elegant and comfortable. It’s a great party food!

Dan introduced me to it. Of course he did. He took it upon himself years ago to further my culinary education, and this is merely the latest addition in the portfolio. We were all a little hung over from Tuscq’s massive end-of-year gig… It was a fabulous event and the next day… The next day we all felt very groggy.

Everybody crashed out at Dan’s place after the gig, the band, Rachel and I… and a few other people. Dan has a fairly big house but even then, there weren’t enough bedrooms for all of us. It was like something out of a disaster movie, with Joe, Mick and Darren (the other members of Tuscq) and their wives camped out with sleeping bags in the lounge around the fire. Very cozy, actually.

Anyway, we muddled our way through some sort of breakfast and amused ourselves playing games on the Wii until everybody got hungry again. Do you find that hangovers crave greasy food? Mine do, and evidently so do Dan’s, because he suddenly suggested going to this little Swiss restaurant he knows in the middle of London for a cheesy fondue. Everybody jumped on the idea and within the hour, we were ensconced at a big table with several cauldrons’ worth of bubbling, delicious cheese. Pure bliss!

I’ve since learnt how to make this at home, and here goes:

To serve 4 to 6 of your friends, you need…

~1 clove of garlic cut in half

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

250 ml white wine

250 g grated Gruyere cheese (I’m told Aged Jack would be a good substitute for North American readers, but have never tried it)

250 g grated Emmental cheese (I believe it’s called Swiss Cheese in the US?)

2 teaspoons of corn flour

1 small tablespoon of Kirsch brandy

A pinch of white pepper

A pinch of nutmeg

Accompaniments:

~crusty bread that’s ever so slightly stale (i.e. from the day before). Try fancy bread like olive bread, bread with onions in or, my favorite, cranberry and stilton bread if you can find it! Cut the bread into bite-size chunks.

~olives, grapes, tomatoes

~cold meats like ham or salami

~a nice, mellow red wine

Oh and ~ you need a fondue pot, of course! I use a gas one but an electric one is just fine! If you haven’t got a fondue pot, you can do this on the hob. You just need to eat a bit faster because the cheese might set when you take it off the heat!

 

and here’s what you do. It’s really easy!

 

Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic. Add the white wine and lemon juice and heat on a high flame until the liquid is bubbling. Turn down the heat slightly and start adding the grated cheeses, handful by handful. Take care to stir and melt the cheese before you add the next handful!

When you’ve added three quarters of the cheese, dissolve the corn flour in the Kirsch and add this to your bubbling cauldron of gooey, cheesy pleasure. Then add the rest of the cheese until it’s all in. Now add a pinch of pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Keep stirring but don’t allow the cheese to boil. Stir, stir, stir, until the mixture starts to gloopify. Then you’re ready to dip and enjoy

About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!

Rock On! Nicky Wells writes fun and glamorous contemporary romance featuring a rock star and the girl next door.  A signed author with U.S. publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky is in the throes of publishing her Rock Star Romance Trilogy. Nicky loves rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters.  When she’s not writing, Nicky is a wife, mother, and occasional teaching assistant.

Originally born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, and currently lives in Lincoln with her husband and their two boys. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, D.C.

Visit Nicky on her blog where you can find articles, interviews, radio interviews and, of course, an ongoing update on her work in progress. You can also follow Nicky on Twitter and find her on Facebook. Nicky is a featured author on the innovative reader/author project, loveahappyending.com and has joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Nicky also has author pages at Sapphire Star Publishing, Amazon and, of course, Goodreads.

Sophie’s Run

Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…

Who says that the road towards true love is straight and even?  Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.

So she has finally found the man of her dreams! Well… she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet.  But she misses her opportunity, and then her life goes crazy.  Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful.  A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life. Then, just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal.

Sophie has had enough. Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change.  Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey and eventually gets her life back on track.

Sophie’s Run is now available in Kindle edition from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, and in Paperback edition from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. You can also get the paperback at Barnes & Noble, or download Sophie’s Run onto your Nook (coming soon).

 

Sophie’s Run GIVEAWAYS

1) Standard Giveaway

Nicky Wells is giving away one delicious chocolate gift to a lucky winner in the UK or North America!

The small print: This Gift prize is a product of Unique Chocolate. The Gift prize is subject to availability in your country. If the Gift prize is not available in your country, Nicky Wells reserves the right to offer a substitute gift prize of a similar nature at her discretion. Nicky Wells will require the winner’s postal address for shipping purposes.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Bonus Giveaway

Nicky Wells offers a giveaway of one Amazon gift voucher worth $20/£15 for one lucky winner. To enter, simply share your thoughts on Sophie’s Run with Nicky. Email your comment to nickywells@sapphirestarpublishing.com and your name will be entered into the draw. Competition closes 1 May 2013.

 

Author Profile: Samantha Stroh Bailey

Author Name: Samantha Stroh Bailey

Website: http://samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.ca/

Bio: Samantha Stroh Bailey has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen. In fact, she even sent her first manuscript, Freddy the Flame, to publishers when she was ten years old. Sadly, it was rejected, but a lifelong passion to write was born.

After 15 years of teaching ESL to adults, including at the University of Toronto, she decided to live her dreams of being a fulltime writer and editor. Now the owner of Perfect Pen Communications, she not only gets to write novels, but also writes and edits for magazines, websites, businesses, students and other writers.

Her work has appeared in Now Magazine, The Village Post, Oxford University Press, Abilities Magazine, on Mommyish.com and many other publications. Samantha also has a Master of Education in Applied Linguistics.

She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children. Finding Lucas is her first novel.

See my 5 star review for Finding Lucas!

Visit Samantha’s tour page!

Connect with Samantha!

Twitter: @perfectpen

 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samantha-Stroh-Bailey/420736011289684

 

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832614.Samantha_Stroh_Bailey

 

Goodreads Finding Lucas Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13641194-finding-lucas

 

Blog: http://samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.ca/

Buy the Book!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Lucas-ebook/dp/B007VIIU6A/ref=la_B007YAN1SC_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346787522&sr=1-1

 

Interview with Cynthia Ellingsen

 

When did you know writing was for you?

 

It hit me like a handful of glitter in the third grade. My awesome teacher brought in these books covered in pretty wallpaper every Friday. They were blank inside and we were expected to fill them with brilliance. Most kids hated Fridays – I loved them!

 

How would you describe your books?

 

A girl’s night movie in written form. You bring the chocolates, I’ll bring the wine!

 

Why was Marriage Matters a book you wanted to write?

 

Marriage Matters is a story about three women – mother, daughter, grandmother – who get engaged at the same time and decide to share a wedding. More than that, it’s about the relationships between the three generations of women and the men they love. I wanted to write it because I think that love at all ages and stages is fascinating.

 

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

 

Getting emotionally attached! In Marriage Matters, June is by far my favorite character. She’s the feisty, 72-yr. old grandmother who rocks a pair of stilettos. Her heart is as big as the one that lights up on the Eiffel Tower in Sleepless in Seattle. (That happens, right? Or am I making that up?) Anyway, she is an absolute delight of a character and the hardest part about writing is eventually, letting characters like June go.

 

What are your favorite genres to read?

 

Contemporary! I remember reading Bridget Jones’ Diary and being like, “Whaaaa? You’re allowed to write like that?” Thus, it began.

 

What do you want readers to take away from your story?

 

Joy! I hope that my readers will find the love stories in Marriage Matters, as well as the relationship between the mother, daughter and grandmother, fun and heartfelt.

 

I am getting married myself this year! What is some advice you have for brides-to-be?

 

That’s awesome, congratulations!! Advice for brides-to-be: Wear comfortable shoes, take lots of pictures and remember: Your wedding is a celebration of your love! Have fun and enjoy the day.

 

What is your favorite wedding show to watch? I love Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings!

 

The Bachelor! I know, I know. That’s not technically a wedding show but I think it counts. In Marriage Matters, there are all sorts of nods to The Bachelor, including a very sweet rose ceremony of sorts.

 

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?

 

Social media rocks. I love the ability to connect with my readers in such a chatty, fun fashion. You can find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cynthiaellingsen and Twitter at https://twitter.com/CynEllingsen

Come say hi!

 

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?

 

Fall in love with the art form. Read in the genre you write for. Spend time with your characters. Spend time on the page. Most of all, keep writing! That’s what it’s all about.

 

 

Author Profile: Beth Gutcheon

Author Name: Beth Gutcheon

Website: http://www.bethgutcheon.com/

Bio: Beth Gutcheon grew up in western Pennsylvania. She was educated at Harvard where she took an honors BA in English literature. She has spent most of her adult life in New York City, except for sojourns in San Francisco and on the coast of Maine. In 1978, she wrote the narration for a feature-length documentary on the Kirov ballet school, The Children of Theatre Street, which was nominated for an Academy Award, and she has made her living fulltime as a storyteller (novelist and sometime screenwriter) since then. Her novels have been translated into fourteen languages, if you count the pirate Chinese edition of Still Missing, plus large print and audio format. Still Missing was made into a feature film called Without a Trace, and also published in a Reader’s Digest Condensed version which particularly pleased her mother. Several of her novels have been national bestsellers, including Still Missing, More Than You Know, and Leeway Cottage. All of the novels are available in new uniform paperback editions from HarperPerennial.

Recent Titles: Five Fortunes, More Than You Know, Leeway Cottage, Good-Bye and Amen, Gossip

 

 

Author Profile: Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Author Name: Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Website: http://www.lorivernifogarsi.com/

Bio: Lori Verni-Fogarsi has worked as a freelance writer, journalist, columnist, and seminar speaker for more than fifteen years. Momnesia is her first novel and she is the author of Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs, which has been widely acclaimed in its genre. She is a happily married mom of two and step mom of two more.

See my 4 star review for Momnesia!

Lori’s next novel, Unexpecting, will be on sale Spring of 2013!

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue – 9 Sweet Books for You!

Love is in the air . . . and it can be on your Kindle, too!

Do you want to fall in love with a good book this Valentine’s Day weekend? How about 9? Then don’t miss this special promotion. For four days only (February 14th – February 17th), 9 popular Chick Lit authors will be lowering the prices on their favorite rom-coms to 99 cents on Amazon.com! At that price (A bottle of wine costs more!), why not sample them all? Some delicious literary treats await you, and unlike chocolates these goodies are calorie-free!

And guys: If your sweetie is a book-lover, you’ll make her Valentine’s Day by gifting her with one (or more) of our fun, romantic stories!

Finding Lucas by Samantha Stroh Bailey - Daytime talk show producer Jamie Ross is beyond fed up with her toxic bad boy turned metrosexual boyfriend. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, she goes on a hilarious, at-times disastrous, and totally life-changing hunt to track down the ”one who got away.” But are some loves best left behind? http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Lucas-ebook/dp/B007VIIU6A

Blog: http://samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.ca/

 

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister – Handling the problems of hysterical hypochondriacs, lovelorn neurotics, and compulsive man whores is all in a day’s work for super-shrink Pilar Alvarez. But can she deal with her crazy Cuban family, a trio of unsuitable suitors, and a threat to her practice without ending up on the couch herself?  http://www.amazon.com/In-Need-of-Therapy-ebook/dp/B008N6Z36Y 

 Blog:

http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/

 

Rita Hayworth’s Shoes by Francine LaSala – Jilted bride Amy’s down on everything until she convinces herself to purchase a cute, ridiculously expensive pair of second-hand shoes. Once she does, life starts looking up, and she falls into an unexpected new romance with the last man she’d ever expect to love. But can a pair of shoes really be magic? And is her new prince really just a frog? http://www.amazon.com/Rita-Hayworths-Shoes-ebook/dp/B007ZHVB1I/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

 Blog:

http://clippingsintheshed.wordpress.com/

 

Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie – When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can’t wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together–or will she break under the pressure? http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-the-Rules-ebook/dp/B008UZYPLW

 Blog:

http://www.catlavoie.com/blog

 

The Green Ticket by Samantha March – College junior Alex Abrams scores her dream job at the ripe age of twenty, but her good fortune quickly turns disastrous when she realizes her job is filled with lies, betrayal, and cover-ups. Keeping up with classes, her girlfriends and a budding romance, Alex feels the pressure – but will she overcome the challenges? http://www.amazon.com/The-Green-Ticket-ebook/dp/B00AI02BO0

 Blog: http://samanthamarch.com/blog/

Unmasking Maya by Libby Mercer - Disgraced New York fashionista, Maya Kirkwood, is fashioning herself a new life as an artist in San Francisco when she’s hired to do an installation of her work by dorky, yet dashing dotcom executive, Derek. The sparks soon start to fly, but this could mean disaster for Maya – a woman with an explosive past and far too many secrets.

http://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-Maya-ebook/dp/B00AN7CCV0

 Blog: http://libby-mercer.blogspot.com/

A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr - Jane Frank is newly single after nine years and looking for a second chance at love. But when she dives head first into the NYC dating scene and finds it infested with flakes who are interested today and gone tomorrow, it may be time for Jane to turn the tables! http://www.amazon.com/A-State-of-Jane-ebook/dp/B009CDVZ64

Blog: www.meredithschorr.com/blog

True Love Way by Nancy Scrofano - When her high school sweetheart, Josh, suddenly returns after twelve years in Paris, Marlo Spencer travels to her hometown to try to rekindle their relationship. But when dreams of a blissful reunion are shattered as old secrets and betrayals are revealed, can she forgive and forget, or will true love find a different path to her heart? http://www.amazon.com/True-Love-Way-ebook/dp/B007VA4AZI

 Blog: http://www.chicklitbee.com

Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone - Lauren Tate’s perfectly planned life quickly unravels at the seams when a smear campaign threatens her career as a top TV executive, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart goes missing. http://www.amazon.com/Picture-Perfect-ebook/dp/B0093H0326

 

 Blog:

http://luciesimone.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

Chick Lit Launch on WattPad

Wattpad Partners With BestSelling
Author Marian Keyes to Launch New ‘ChickLit’ Genre

The world’s largest online community of readers is celebrating everything ChickLit during the month of
February, with dozens of free stories and a writing contest judged by Marian Keyes.

Wattpad has officially added ChickLit to its genre lineup.
With 13 million monthly users, the company is hoping to introduce a new generation of readers, people
primarily reading on phones and tablets, to ChickLit.
“I am so excited that ChickLit is coming to Wattpad, because Wattpad is such a positive forum.” said
Marian Keyes, bestselling author of This Charming Man and The Mystery of Mercy Close. “ChickLit gives so
much pleasure, and it is such a friendly form of fiction. We live such busy lives — running around, catching
trains, or waiting for buses. With this launch on Wattpad it means that we will always have access to a
friendly voice no matter where we are.”
Ahead of the paperback publication of her new novel The Mystery of Mercy Close, Marian Keyes is sharing
two powerful short stories and a series of neverbeforepublished
Q&A’s with the women of her muchloved
Walsh family novels (Watermelon, Rachel’s Holiday, Angels, Anybody Out There, The Mystery of Mercy
Close). Wattpad is also featuring dozens of stories curated from existing talent within their community. Like
many of the works found on Wattpad, the ChickLit content is diverse, spanning traditionally humourous to
memoirstyle
to paranormalinspired
and everything in between.
As part of the celebration, ChickLit writers worldwide will also have the opportunity to submit their own
stories in a contest to be judged by Ms. Keyes. Five finalists will have the privilege of having their work read
by Marian Keyes with the winning entry to be featured on Wattpad.
“We’re excited to give ChickLit fans an easy way to find great stories for free and to discover new writers
before they are stars.” says Allen Lau, CEO of Wattpad. “It’s a real honor to have Marian Keyes help us
celebrate ChickLit as we showcase the genre to a global audience.”
Readers can start browsing ChickLit stories at www.wattpad.com/ChickLit. To follow Marian Keyes and see
her featured content, visit her profile www.Wattpad.com/MarianKeyes.

About the Contest

The submissions process for the short story contest begins on February 11th, 2012, and judging will take
place after the contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on March 11th, 2012. Those wishing to enter themselves into
the contest must write their content on Wattpad, not exceeding 15,000 words, and submit the link of their
completed short story to chicklit@wattpad.com. The top 5 short story finalists will be judged by Marian
Keyes with the winning entry to be featured on Wattpad. Award details can be viewed on Wattpad at
www.welovechicklit.com.

About Wattpad

Wattpad is the world’s largest community of readers and writers. Everyday, over 13 million people find great
fiction and share their own creative writing on Wattpad. It’s a new form of entertainment that connects
readers and writers through storytelling. Best of all, it’s entirely free. With thousands of new stories added
every day, an incredibly active community of readers, and the ability to read on your computer, phone, or
tablet, Wattpad is the only place that offers a truly social, and entirely mobile reading experience. Find over
10 million stories on Wattpad, spanning all genres of creative writing — including Mystery, Romance, SciFi,
Poetry, and ChickLit.
www.wattpad.com

About Marian Keyes

She stormed into print in 1995 with Watermelon, creating a genre which she has dominated and redefined
ever since. Now a number one global bestseller, Marian has written thirteen books which are published in 39
languages, selling over 25 million copies worldwide between them. Marian is truly one of the only authors
writing in her field who is read by both fans of commercial and literary fiction. Her writing deals with a variety
of modern ailments, including addiction, depression, domestic violence, the glass ceiling and serious
illness, yet her books are always written with strong themes of compassion, humour and hope. At the heart
of her international achievements sits the much loved
and hotly anticipated
Walsh Family novels, of which
her latest novel, The Mystery of Mercy Close, introduces fans to the fifth and youngest Walsh sister, Helen.
Marian Keyes’ novels include Watermelon, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, Rachel’s Holiday, Last Chance
Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story, Anybody Out There, This Charming Man
and The Brightest Star in the Sky, Mammy Walsh AZ
to the Walsh Family. She has also published two
collections of journalism, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, and a cookery book, Saved By
Cake.
Her most recent book, The Mystery of Mercy Close, is published in paperback on April 11th 2013 by
Penguin Books UK.

 

Check out the video featuring Marian Keyes or visit the ChickLit Page on WattPad!

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