Lindsey Rose is a true workaholic. With virtually no friends besides a co-worker, she spends the nights sleeping in her office and is constantly trying to get further in her promising career as a top New York advertising executive. When she is passed over for a promotion and then fired after getting caught in a compromising position with another employee, Lindsey has no choice but to pack up her belongings and head back home to Maryland to live with her parents. Lindsey is the complete opposite from her twin sister, Alex. While Lindsey is the smart one with mediocre looks, Alex is gorgeous, flirty, and completely selfish. With her upcoming nuptials to a wildly rich and successful man, Alex’s life dominates in greatness over Lindsey’s. Lindsey clutches furiously to hold on to her friendship with Bradley, who crushed on her all throughout high school, but she finds out Bradley has moved on- to the complete unexpected. Lindsey throws herself into a new friendship and a new job- as a matchmaker for singles. When a devastating medical diagnosis hit the family, Lindsey is forced to take a closer look at her and her twin’s lives and the stereotypes they have been leading- and finds an unexpected twist that makes her re-evaluate the way she has been living her life. The Opposite of Me, the debut novel from Sarah Pekkanen is a heartwarming tale that brought me to tears at the end. It did seem slightly slow-paced at times, but I thought each plot twist was unpredictable. When I was positive I knew what was coming next, the opposite happened, making me enjoy this book even more. I will definitely look forward to Pekkanen’s next novel, and I am hoping maybe there will be a spin-off that follows Alex’s journey.
Lucky Santangelo is back again for another round of Hollywood romance and deceit in this Jackie Collin’s tale. Lucky, who stems from a mafia family but has managed to turn herself into one of the hottest Hollywood players, is busy planning a birthday party for her 95 year old father, Gino. She is also in the midst of opening a megaresort in the city of sin, Las Vegas, but is unaware that a long-time family enemy, Anthony Bonar is seeking revenge on the Santangelo clan. There is many subplots involved, like usual with Collins, and they bring along a hefty portion of suspense, sex, and drama. Lucky’s 16 year old daughter, Max, sneaks away from home to meet the Prince Charming she met on the internet- who turns out to be a crazed ex-actor that is holding a grudge against Lucky since she passed him over for a part in one of her past films. Anthony Bonar, a violent drug dealer, is unaware that his wife is having an affair with the Mexican gardener. Other slightly less exciting plots deal with Lucky’s best friend, an aging Hollywood actress, and her much younger boyfriend trying to maintain a relationship amidst the paparazzi and rag magazines, and Lucky’s business partner and his growing affection for Lucky, despite having a live in girlfriend. Drop Dead Beautiful from Jackie Collins covers the Hollywood scene with open eyes and no holding back. The sex scenes are raunchy, the violence is gruesome, and each plot will hook readers more and more. This was one of my favorite Jackie Collins reads, and a definite recommendation for chick lit fans.
1. What I like most about the stories I write is exploring other lives and professions. It's a way of having all the jobs I can't have now. I can also give myself skills I don't have, like being able to turn a tatty cardigan into a stylish shrug with just a few bugle beads. (That's in my next book, A Perfect Proposal, that has a lovely preppy American lawyer hero.) 2. I keep thinking I'll run out of ideas and then I'll hear a snatch of conversation, or someone will tell me something about themselves that make my antenna twitch. People who know me recognize 'the look' which means the wheels are turning and another idea for a book is being formed. 3. I think readers will enjoy Wedding Season because it's about weddings, which most of us enjoy. It also has lovely dresses, women trying new things and discovering things about each other, and especially women having a lot of fun. Also, there are some cute men, too! 4. I can't start a book until I've decided exactly where the story starts. I can have the characters, the theme, the setting, but until I know exactly that pivotal moment in their lives that sets the story going. 5. How do I get over writers' block? I take the day off, go shopping, or go for a walk, or read someone else's book. Basically, if I give my conscious mind a rest the subconscious will sort out the problem. Time off between books is good, but not always possible. 6. My early married life was spent on the water for two reasons. My new husband was an officer in the Merchant Navy and I went to sea with him just after we were married. (I was very seasick!). And later, we set up a business on the canals on Britain. We had a pair of boats and ran them as a hotel. I did all the cooking. Very hard work! 7. My bad habit (well one of them) is playing Spider Patience on my computer. I always start the day with a game and quite often play for a while before I start work. Sometimes I am thinking about what to write (which is good) but sometimes I'm just listening to the radio, which is bad! Although I might easily get an idea from a radio program. 8. My free time is spent doing flamenco dancing, singing in a choir, playing with my grandchild, shopping - the usual stuff really. 9. My best advice for aspiring writers is to read a lot and write. Don't worry if you don't get your first, fifth or tenth novel published, if you keep going you'll make it. Also read 'how to write' books as they may make the process a bit quicker. 10. I love traveling and so far haven't been to Australia. However before I can do that, I'm hoping to visit the Hudson Valley in Upstate New York as two of my books have been turned into German TV films, and they have set them there. If they do a third, I want to go and appear as an extra, for my Alfred Hitchock moment.
One thing that really helps motivate me to workout is the clothes I’m wearing. It might sound silly, but if I just have on a ratty pair of sweats and old t-shirt, I really don’t feel like going to the gym. But once I put on my nice fitting yoga pants and Under Armour workout tank, I feel motivated to get in there and get working. Fitness Magazine released an article about finding the right workout clothes for your body shape, and the suggestions included are fabulous. They have tips for pear shapes, apple, rectangle, and hourglass figures. Check out the article here to find your best fitness clothes!
Six caliente chicas are back again in the follow-up novel from The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. This time, the friends are together for a reunion at a posh New Mexico resort, and the secrets each girl is keeping from one another makes this an engaging plot. Usnavys, a plus-sized married mother and sex blogger, is having an affair because she finds her husband too boring. Lauren, a successful journalist, is struggling with bulimia and a boyfriend who unbeknownst to her is also dabbling in something on the side. Rebecca, a magazine publisher, is coping with the fact that infertility may cause her to never have a child with her husband. Sara, host of her own TV show, is dealing with her abusive ex-husband that has re-entered her life. Elizabeth is struggling to make things work with her partner and their newly adopted son, all while her feelings are growing for fellow friend Lauren. And Cuicatl, the wild rock star, is struggling to stay on top of the charts and find a man to finally settle down with. Each woman’s personal story gives the reader something new, whether that be love, betrayal, fear, or despair. Dirty Girls on Top by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is a fast-paced tale giving readers an inside look on these different woman and the adversities they are facing. I found at times following six different story lines was a challenge, but the captivating tales were enough to keep me pushing through. I found towards the end I wasn’t able put the novel down, as a near tragedy hits the group and forces life decisions to be made. Dirty Girls will make readers think, tap into an emotional side, but still gives off a fabulous and funky chick lit vibe.
Do you wonder about how to get all the essential nutrients from your food? I know I do, and I often just turn to vitamins as my easy way out instead of investigating healthy food choices. Shape.com posted an article titled, ‘The Nutrients You Need,’ and lists 8 essential nutrients, and better-where to find them. Check out some of my favorites below, and head to Shape.com for the complete list! Eat This: Walnuts & Almonds. Walnuts especially are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help stave off depression, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. Shape recommends toasting the walnuts to help get more flavor, and toss in your salads or on top of yogurt. Eat This: Kiwi. This fruit has been found to be the densest, which means they are high in vitamins and minerals. And research has shown that adults who ate two kiwifruits a day for a month lowered their triglycerides, which can lower the chance of heart disease. Drink This: White Tea. White tea has been found to be even more powerful than healthy green tea, helping prevent cancer. Shape recommends buying loose white tea leaves such as Yinzhen Silver Needle White Tea ($30 for 4 ounces; inpursuit oftea.com).
Summertime is right around the corner (finally!), and my favorite accessory of the summer is sunglasses! I have three pairs from last season sitting in my car, but I decided I don’t like any of them anymore- of course. So I am looking forward to shopping for some new shades this week. Fitness Magazine put out an article on finding the best shape of sunglasses for your face. It’s a great article, with advice on the most flattering shapes for your face and even some suggestions thrown in there. My face is more of an oval shape, so my best glasses would be an aviator type. I never would have tried on aviators, but I will give them a shot when I shop! Check out the full article here to find your best sunglasses!
Q: I read on your website that at first you didn’t try to make it as a writer for fear of failure. What finally made you change your mind and go for it? Partly it was failure of another sort. After going into debt to get a teaching degree, I realized that teaching really is the most important job in the world … but I’d never be happy in a classroom. And partly – mostly – it was because no matter what job I did, my brain insisted on making up stories. At a certain point, they just had to make their way onto paper. Q: How did you celebrate landing your first publishing deal? I’d been dreaming about the Big Moment for years. There’d be a phone call, and I’d jump up and down with excitement, then I’d call my husband at home, and we’d pop open a bottle of Dom Perignon. (Which we’d have to buy first – I don’t exactly have Dom sitting around the house.) But it didn’t work out that way. My agent received an offer long before I expected to hear anything, but it was for much less than we’d hoped for, so we countered. Rather than celebrating, I spent the weekend worrying that the offer would be withdrawn (even though my agent assured me it wouldn’t). After a few days, the money got a little better, but before I’d decided to accept it, another editor jumped into the bidding. There was a lot of back-and-forthing until I wound up with a nice two-book deal. By then, the initial excitement had passed, and my husband was out of town on a business trip. I think we drank a belated bottle of champagne (nothing too expensive), but I can’t really remember. Q: You write books for both teens and adults. What do you enjoy about writing for both? While the books are quite different, my experience of writing them is pretty much the same. I’ll start with a primary character and a unique situation and go from there. I do enjoy getting to write about a greater range of characters and topics, plus I get a kick out of my teen fan mail. Teens are far less inhibited about contacting authors than their adult counterparts (or maybe they just have more time). An awful lot of them request help with book reports. Q: What do you hope readers take away from your novels? If my readers come away from my books with a greater or different understanding of themselves or their worlds, great – but my only solid goal is to provide a happy escape from reality. The best letter I ever received was from a soldier’s wife. She said she and her best friend lived in constant fear for what could happen to their husbands in Iraq, but that they loved my books because they made them laugh and forget their troubles, at least for a little while. Q: Just Like Me, Only Better will be out in April. What can you tell us about this book? I’m really excited about this book, and not just because in its review, Booklist called me “an author to watch.” (Up until now, apparently, I have been an author to ignore.) Just Like Me, Only Better tells the story of Veronica Czaplicki, a suburban single mom and substitute teacher who gets hired as a part-time celebrity double for an imploding young starlet named Haley Rush. Since Veronica is forbidden to tell anyone about her job, she must live a kind of double life: getting spray tans and going to film premieres during the day; eating macaroni and cheese and watching videos at night (because she can’t afford cable). The story is filled with twists and turns, Hollywood glamour and Hollywood dysfunction. Q: Are you currently working on another novel? I’m writing a book about three women dealing with parenthood issues. The story is told from three different points of view, which is a first for me. Q: Where do you find your ideas for characters and plots? I’m always looking for plot ideas, so pretty much everything that I read or observe goes through my “Can I use this?” filter. A few years ago, my husband told me about a business associate who bears such a striking resemblance to Jack Nicholson that people ask him for his autograph – and who has a daughter who works as an Angelina Jolie impersonator. I didn’t immediately say, “Hey! I’m going to write a book about a celebrity double!” But the inspiration was there when I needed it. Q: What is one of your greatest personal achievements? I have a happy marriage and two great kids. Q: What would be your advice to aspiring writers? Understand that it takes years to develop your craft, and don’t rush to publication. Also, be prepared to take criticism – and learn from it. Q: You have lived a bit all over the US. Which was your favorite, and where would you love traveling to? After college, I spent five years in Boston. I love it there: the sense of history, the architecture, the intellectual spirit. I even like the weather. I never would have left, but I fell in love with my now-husband, which kind of messed up my plans. As for traveling, I went to France last spring – Paris and the Loire Valley – and I can’t wait to go back … someday.
Lucy Jo Ellis is just a small town girl trying to make it in the fashion world of New York City. When disaster strikes at one of the hottest fashion shows, Lucy Jo is blackballed from the fashion community and ready to give up on her designing dreams and head back to Minnesota. Wyatt Hayes IV, a Harvard-educated anthropologist, is looking for a comeback with a possible book deal and hoping to get revenge on his socialite ex-girlfriend. He decides to conduct a social experiment- turning underdressed, uneducated, and underpaid Lucy Jo into the belle of each and every ball. The city of New York is riveted by this new arrival, except for Wyatt’s ex, who is determined to figure out Lucy’s secret and spill it to all the top magazines. The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark is a modern day story of Pygmalion, and the hate the antagonists feel for one another causes some hilarious scenes throughout their journey together. The writing is solid, and just when I kept thinking I would know the ending, I was surprised at the turn the plot would take. I thought this was a charming tale, with engaging characters and over-the-top parties that will keep chick lit readers hooked throughout.
