Sophie Kinsella announced today on her Facebook page that she is expecting another baby next month! Click Here to read her Facebook announcement.
In my Mailbox: Week of March 7 Title: Scot on the Rocks Author: Brenda Janowitz Received: Borders Synopsis: Planning a wedding can be a trying experience... A little prewedding anxiety is normal for every bride, and Manhattan attorney Brooke Miller isn't worried. She's got the loving support of the world's greatest guy, so planning her nuptials should be a piece of cake. But that was yesterday. Today, Brooke's landed her first big case and has just discovered that the opposing attorney is none other than her fiancé, Jack. But that's okay. These two professionals aren't going to let a little courtroom sparring get their legal briefs in a bunch.... Right? Wrong! Now Jack's pulling every dirty trick in the law books, and Brooke's starting to suspect that maybe he isn't the man she thought he was. Warring with her fiancé at work and at home, Brooke realizes that she'll have to choose between the case of her life, or actually having a life. Title: Still Thinking of You Author: Adele Parks Received: Borders Synopsis: Rich has always been skeptical about falling in love. Natasha has always fully expected to. And when these two find each other, they win the entire True Love package--tenderness and hot sex and open-eyed kisses. Long weekends in bed and talk of marriage and babies. The kind of love where there's no room for secrets. That, after all, is what Tash says will keep them going strong: total and complete honesty. Now Rich and Tash are engaged, and Rich's old school friends crash into their love cocoon with big plans of celebrating, along with spouses and significant others, on a trip to a stunning French ski resort. But a lot can happen in a week that's meant to capture the free-spirited fun they all shared a decade ago. And in the glare of a whiteout on the slopes, Tash crosses paths with the one secret Rich should have kept: his colorful, vivacious, needy ex-lover, Jayne... Title: The Opposite of Me Author: Sarah Pekkanen Received: SheKnows.com Synopsis: Twenty-nine-year-old Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, lived in the shadow of her ravishingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. Determined to get noticed, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of being named VP creative director of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of eighty-plus-hour weeks, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating night, Lindsey’s carefully constructed life implodes. Humiliated, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parents’ Maryland home. As her sister plans her lavish wedding to her Prince Charming, Lindsey struggles to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible twin while she furtively tries to piece her career back together. But things get more complicated when a long-held family secret is unleashed that forces both sisters to reconsider who they are and who they are meant to be.
Q: Why did you decide to start writing? I had just finished a very demanding job and just got married. My fabulous husband suggested I take a few months off to decide what I wanted to do next and, without really thinking about it, I started writing. The result was Playing James. Q: Where do you get inspiration for your characters? Everywhere! In cafes, from friends, from films, from family. I watch people the whole time. I probably look a bit creepy and people take very wide circles around me. My husband and I spent a very memorable Valentine's evening when I was completely transfixed by the couple at the next table having an enormous - yet whispered - row. Our waiter kept missing bits as he went back to the kitchen and would ask me what happened when he came back. It went on for about 45 minutes. Q: My first book I read by you was Playing James. How did you like writing about romance with a tinge of mystery and crime involved in the plot? I love writing books with a bit of a plot! In fact I would find it hard not to. It gives a real focus for the characters - something to revolve around. Q: Do you have a favorite book or author? I love Atonement and I love Sarah Waters. I'm years behind and have piles and piles of novels next to my bed waiting to be read. It's hard to read anything when I'm actually writing so they have to wait until a holiday and then I will take between 10 and 20 with me. My poor husband, I barely utter a word for hours. I LOVE reading. Q: Is there a certain area where you get your writing done? Yes, I have a study which is covered with papers and research books. We moved house recently and I had some very posh and expensive cupboards built because I was convinced the reason that I was so messy in my office was because I didn't have enough storage. That was not the reason. The cupboards remain empty and I remain messy. Q: Is there such thing as a ‘typical day’ for you? I get up at 5 am every morning apart from the weekends and work until my children get up at about 7. Then we all get dressed and I take them to school. I start work again at 9 and finish roughly at 12. Then I pick up my little boy - who only does mornings at pre-school - and we do something together until it's time to collect his big sister. Somewhere in all that I fit in some exercise and cooking and washing. Often not very well. Q: Can you pick one of your novels that perhaps is your favorite, or you had the most fun writing? I think Playing James because I liked the sparkiness between the characters. I loved writing those conversations. Q: What is a unique fact about you that others may not know? I have a degree in maths from Bristol uni. Q: Are you working on new material right now? Yes. A change of genre. Still some mystery and some sparkiness though. It's an ambitious novel and hard to write. Q: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? Read, read and read. Take notes on structure and plot of the books you love. Decide what sort of author you want to be. Do you want to entertain or shock or thrill? Drill your book into sections and work separately on characters, plot, period detail, dialogue, scene setting, etc. Q: What would be or is your favorite place to travel? Cornwall. We visit at least four times a year. I grew up there and I adore it.
Mirabelle Moncur is clearly a goddess. From her enchanting looks that haven’t faded at age 60, to her commanding and domineering presence in any situation, and the way she flawlessly goes through men like sex is nothing, the women screams confident, secure, and goddess-like. Kate Disney is the opposite. Unlike Mirri, Kate will never be a film star, never be sultry, and can’t seem to get past the ‘slug’ of a boyfriend, Jake, who treats Kate like she is indispensable. When Mirri, animal activist living in Africa, moves to London, she and Kate quickly become friends, and Kate tries to be more like Mirri. She breaks it off with Jake, heads to Capri for a short fling, and begins to live her life more freely and passionately, finally beginning to take a real interest in her career as a painter. But when an old friend reveals himself as a love interest and Jake suddenly is the pining boyfriend she has always wanted, Kate is unsure what her next move will be. In the end, Mirri shows her the true meaning of love, in a very Mirri-like fashion. The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor is not only a humorous book with engaging plot twists, but also shows the struggles of someone trying to figure out what love is. Is it right to be with someone that loves you simply because you love them? That and other puzzles fill the plot and will keep readers interest hooked, especially with the supporting cast filling in any holes. I will say that I thought at times the book seemed to go on a little too long, but it only took a few more pages to get me interested in a new situation that started. The ending was particularly a jaw-dropper, and kept me thinking about the characters even after I was finished reading about them.
McSteamy is officially a father! Eric Dane and wife Rebecca Gayheart welcomed their first child together, a daughter. People.com reports the baby was born on Wednesday, and no name has been released yet. The couple has been married since 2004.
It’s another girl for Joey Lawrence and wife Chandi Yawn-Nelson. The couple welcomed their second daughter on Thursday, Liberty Grace Lawrence, reported People.com. The baby weighed in 6 lbs., 8 oz and joined sister Charleston, 3 ½.
Q: You have so many careers on your resume: author, editor, television producer, etc. How do you handle all the variety and stress that comes with those positions? I’ve always loved doing many things--it keeps life exciting. But whether I’m editing a major magazine, producing a TV show, or writing a novel, the secret is telling stories that will interest and excite people. I also remind myself regularly that life has many cycles--you can do everything, just not all at once. Once or twice I’ve written a novel while I also had a full-time job, but I don’t recommend it. Usually when I’m working on a book, I take six months or a year and write full-time. Then I’m ready to throw myself back into the media fray. Q: How were you able to break into the industry? I began writing magazine articles while I was still in college, and wrote my first book, called WOMEN AND SPORTS, the year I graduated. It’s the only non-fiction book I ever wrote. The next two books were YA novels. For me, they were a great training ground for learning how to put character and plot together. Q: Did you always know you wanted to write women’s novels? I love writing funny, spirited books that women (or anyone) can enjoy. I think my books can also be inspiring for women, helping them realize the many directions their lives can take. When my co-author and I wrote “The Botox Diaries,” reviewers marveled that our characters, who were in their 40s (aged!) were feisty and fun and liked sex. Before that, most chick lit stopped once the characters got married. We wanted to show how much fun life can be ten or more years after. Q: Where do you get your ideas for your books? I often start with a character and try to imagine her life. With “Looks to Die For,” my first mystery, I started with a question: how would a loving wife respond if her husband were accused of murder? Can you keep believing in the man you love when everyone else thinks he’s guilty? I’ve had many great experiences in my life, and I do call on those for nuggets of ideas. Then they get reshaped and changed. I think of my characters as my alter egos--doing everything I wouldn’t dare! Q: I read that you are often a speaker for women’s issues. What is one issue that you feel especially passionate about? I want women to know how many doors are open to them at every age and every stage. There’s always a next act in your life. You just the need the courage to go for it. Q: How do you spend your free time? I love being with my family--my husband and two wonderful sons. I like to travel and be outdoors--hiking is a favorite activity for our whole family. We’re lucky to live in New York, so we go to theater and music events and museums. And of course, there are always four or five books by my bed. Q: Are you currently working on any novels? I’ve just started a new one and it’s such fun to be writing again! Q: What is your favorite part about writing? Many writers say they like having a book finished, but I love the process of writing. I like thinking about my characters as I fall asleep at night, or walking down the street and envisioning what the next scene will be. You live with your characters while you’re writing a novel, and they become very real. That’s why my characters are usually fun and funny--they have to keep me entertained. Q: What advice would you give to someone who has interests in writing? Write! People often tell me about the great book they have in their head. Well, if it’s in your head, it’s not a book. Sit down and struggle with it. Write and rewrite. And then rewrite some more. When I’m writing full time, I start every day by revising what I wrote the day before, and then moving forward. I think it gets better every time. And the surprise: I’m not usually adding words, I’m taking them out to make the story faster, stronger, and a better read. Q: What is or would be your favorite place to travel? I’m easy to please in travel. I love visiting big cities--Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, London. And I’ve been enthralled by remoter spots, like Guatemala and Belize and the Corcovado region of Costa Rica. My husband and I spent a week recently hiking in the Dolomites (the Italian Alps), and it was the perfect blend of gorgeous scenery, vigorous activity, and fabulous food. I wouldn’t be surprised if it appears in one of my books soon!
Gemma Burgess lived in London throughout her twenties, working as a copywriter. It was her love of high heels that eventually got her to begin to writing, after putting her back out and being confined to a bed for three weeks. She wanted to write something that was similar to her experiences, and that could both comfort and charm other women. Burgess published The Dating Detox, an anti-romance romantic comedy. She currently lives in Knotting Hill, London and is working on her follow-up novel.
When newlywed Sylvie Mortimer gets abandoned on her honeymoon due to her husband’s demanding career, she befriends a fellow Manhattanite, Lauren Blount, who is relaxing on her divorce honeymoon. The girls, seemingly opposites, become fast friends, and Lauren introduces Sylvie to the world of the debutante divorcees- where leaving your husband is just as fabulous as marrying him. When cracks begin to show in Sylvie’s young marriage to Hunter- her husband acting secretive when he begins working with Sophia D’Arlan aka the Husband Huntress- Lauren tries to convince Sylvie that being a divorcee is not that bad. Fabulous vacations, top of the line parties, and finding comfort in other men. Lauren even has a goal for herself- make out with 5 suitable men before Memorial Day. Sylvie knows that she doesn’t want to be divorced and loves Hunter very much, but the clues of an affair are almost too much to ignore. The Debutante Divorcee by Plum Sykes is a fast-paced witty tale that is a fabulous follow up to Bergdorf Blondes. But now, instead of trying to find the Prospective Husband, readers follow two women’s very separate lives in their journey of finding love. The lifestyle of the rich and spoiled shines through again, causing for some hilarious tales, but also offers a more grounded perspective through Sylvie’s eyes. The contrasting points of view and name-dropping antics will have readers loving this novel as much as Syke’s first.
