Mia King is not only a national best-selling author, but also a sought after speaker and workshop leader on midlife transitions as well as work and parenting. Her bursting career portfolio includes titles such as a tax manager with a Big Six accounting firm, website content copy chief for a major LVMH luxury-branded website, brand manager, life coach, cross-cultural trainer, director for a 2,000 acre retreat center, business owner, and now, author and homeschooling parent. Mia has three published novels, with a fourth in the works. The titles are: Good Things, Sweet Life, and Table Manners. Each of her books brings a heartwarming story about strong women and family, with delicious recipes included: a little bonus for all readers. Mia was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and has lived in Texas, Colorado, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Beijing, China. She attended Miss Porter’s School and Wellesley College, graduating from Rice University with a degree in Political Science. Mia currently lives in Hawaii with husband (author and mental golf expert Darrin Gee) and their three children, Maya, Eric, and Luke.
Four friends living in L.A are bored with their family lives, especially their husbands. Ringleader Victoria schemes up the perfect plan for them: an infidelity pact. Each woman will have one year to have an affair, and the only people they will confide in will be each other. Though the other friends seem hesitant at first, it doesn’t take long for them to dive in to their new lives. Victoria starts sleeping with her husband’s biggest nemesis, another agent who is always competing with Justin over clients and prestige. Eliza is following the pact reluctantly, knowing that her marriage to Declan isn’t perfect but still not wanting to be unfaithful. Until she sparks the flames with an old crush, Tyler, who also happens to be a huge movie star who is willing to give up his family life for Eliza. Helen jumps right into infidelity, sleeping with random men and even women. She was having doubts about her marriage anyways, thinking her husband Wesley was too old and boring for her, but staying together for their daughter. And LeeLee takes the pact seriously, planning to run away with her other lover, long time friend and Senator Jack Porter. Her husband Brad doesn’t care about her, and doesn’t support her financially like Jack could do for her. Splitting up the family would be difficult for her two daughters, but she was ready to think about herself. At first, each of the friends are loving their new lives, feeling the freedom and exhilaration that comes from cheating. But each of their situations takes serious turns, and life decisions need to be made. After their secrets are found out and a possible murder is committed, the women begin to wonder if they made the right choices. The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov gives a startling eye-opener to L.A’s own desperate housewives, and if you are wanting a behind the scenes the look of the steamy lives of the wealthy elite, look no further. Each woman offers her own unique problems with her marriage and family life, and once situations take dangerous turns, the book becomes even more irresistible to put down.
Marissa Price is living a great life in New York City. Always busy, she doesn’t spend as much time with her husband Paul and daughter Pansy that she would like, but both she and Paul are busy with their careers and eight-year old Pansy has plenty of activities to keep her busy. When Paul’s job suddenly offers him a position to move his family to Hawaii and secure a management position at a prestigious hotel, the family quickly packs up their belongings and heads off to paradise. Turns out, The Big Island is nothing like Marissa was expecting. The constant rainfall, the cows in the backyard, and the house that looked so beautiful and inviting online turns out to be a falling apart fixer-upper. Trying to adjust to suddenly being a stay at home mom, Marissa finds herself resenting moving to Hawaii, while Paul is having the time of his life. The strains in the marriage become evident, and soon Paul is moving out. Marissa suspects he is having an affair with his secretary, and tries moving on with her own life. This includes getting female tenants to help with the growing stress of bills, women who eventually become incredibly supportive friends. Sweet Life, the second novel from Mia King, is an inspiring story about love, family, and friendships. Wondering which life changing decisions Marissa will make keep readers engaged throughout, and the ending provides a nice surprise and happy ending for all. The supporting characters, Marissa’s housemates, are a wonderful addition, each character with an incredible story. Their struggles really seal the plot line together, making Sweet Life a favorite for chick lit fans.
Q: Is there a certain area where you do all your writing? A.. When I told my husband that I was going to quit my teaching job and write a book, he built me a den on the side of our house. It is a very quiet room, with a window right over my ancient computer, and the window looks out into the woods. I’ve done all my writing in this room. Q: What do you find most difficult about writing? A.. For me, the creative process is fun. The hard part is the mechanical part, or maybe one would call it the physical side of writing: the typing, the spell-checking, and the sitting down in a chair in front of a keyboard aspect of writing. Q: And what is your favorite part about writing? A.. Making stuff up based upon little snippets of real life. That is, overhearing a conversation between two people and spinning out a whole imagined life for them and adding action to their talk. Just making up stories is a lot of fun too, regardless of the inspiration. Q: You have four novels out, all based on the character Lilly. She is lawyer and you were a lawyer. Was she based off you in any way? A. Not really, though we do share a vegetarian diet and a wry humor and a somewhat cynical outlook.. Lilly is more of a composite of other lawyers I have known. Some of Lilly’s better character traits are based upon a couple of my former law partners too. Q: Is there going to be a 5th novel about Lilly? A.. It’s really hard to say at this point, but if there is, it will not be anytime soon. Q: On the other hand, would you want to write a novel with a new character as the heroine? A.. I’m actually doing some nonfiction writing of late, and re-doing a pre-Lilly manuscript with a strong female lead who is a librarian. Librarians always seem to know how to figure things out and find information that it seems a natural profession for an amateur sleuth. Q: I read that you graduated from law school, and then worked as a lawyer for a decade. When did you decide you wanted to start writing? A. Actually, I decided I wanted to write when I was still in grade school, but it took me a long time to make the leap. Pesky thing about earning my living held me back for decades. Q: Do you have a favorite book or author of your own? A. My answer on that tends to change with the seasons except for a few really basic books, which I consider fundamental: Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer and To Kill a Mockingbird, each of which I reread every decade. As for a favorite author, it’d be a tie between Barbara Kingsolver, Wendell Berry, and Anne Lamont. But, you know, ask me in a month and I might have discovered or rediscovered somebody new. Q: What do you like to do with your down time? A. Garden and photography. Especially, taking photographs of what I find in and around my garden. Q: Where would be or is your favorite place to travel? I hope to go to Italy someday, but I have not gotten there yet. I love the Pacific Northwest as a place to visit, and hope to see many more of the National Parks in this country.
Monica Gupta is an ambitious junior associate at the elite Steel law firm, trying to work her way up the ladder despite a bitter rival in the office. She works with Hollywood celebrities, representing them as they brave the tricky world of divorce along with the public and tabloids capturing their every move. Her newest clients, Cameron and Lydia, are proving to be a tough couple, keeping Monica more and more distracted from her own crumbling love life. Fiancé Raj won’t speak to her, and jetted off to the other side of the Pond while continuing to ignore her calls and emails. To top everything off, her irresistible ex-boyfriend is requesting Monica’s help representing his own divorce, causing more confusion for Monica about what she really wants. All Eyes on Her by Poonam Sharma is a page turner until the end, keeping readers wondering how Monica’s love life will play out. The mix of celebrities and an “average” character fits together nicely, giving chick lit readers a taste of the Hollywood hoopla. The only problem I had with this book is that the plot seemed to jump around too much. I found myself confused when story lines would end abruptly, or not enough information was given on a character. Because the main character was written so well and I felt I could really connect with her, I was able to stay interested and intrigued throughout the entire novel, wondering who Monica would eventually end up with. Look for All Eyes on Her to be overall charming- bringing you laughs and making you think.
I went to the dentist a few weeks ago and I was happy to hear I was cavity free! Coming from the girl who has cavities filled almost every time I’ve been to the dentist, I was pretty ecstatic over this news. I recently became more concerned with the health of my teeth and gums, and am making sure to go to the dentist twice a year for a cleaning and teeth check. Once I started college four years ago and didn’t have my mom making my appointments and telling me to go, I had been slacking off in that area. But the dental appointments are important, and without them you could be putting yourself in line for dangerous health risks associated with the mouth, teeth, and gums. Shape.com posted an article entitled “10 Bad (Dental) Habits to Break” and some of their tips are listed below: 1. Brushing Too Hard. This can have two different parts: using a firm bristled toothbrush and using too much pressure. By doing one or both of these, the enamel on the teeth can weaken or wear away, leading to tooth sensitivity and cavities. Shape recommends using a toothbrush with soft bristles and use gentle circular motions while brushing. Electric toothbrushes are also highly recommended. 2. The Wrong Toothpaste. Fluoride is the only ingredient you need to look for in your toothpaste. Shape says that using toothpastes that say “tarter control” can actually do more harm than good, being too abrasive on the teeth and can cause receding gums. Some highly recommended toothpastes: Mentadent ($3.29), Tom's of Maine Natural Toothpaste ($4) and Sensodyne Fresh Mint ($4.39) for sensitive teeth. 3. Not Flossing. You need to floss at least once a day in order to remove hard to reach plaque stuck between the teeth. My dentist told me to floss teeth right before I brush, because the plaque will be looser, causing the toothpaste to be able to clear it away. Floss every day, and after meals if you are able to. 4. Drinking lots of soda. Both regular and diet soda contain phosphoric acid, which can cause teeth erosion over time. Try to limit your intake of the carbonated beverages, or use a straw when you do drink, and brush teeth afterwards to minimize damage. 5. Foods That Stain. Foods that can stain other items, such as clothes or carpet, can stain your teeth as well.( Examples can include red wine, tea, and coffee.) Over time, teeth will turn a dull, yellowish color from the staining. Laser whitening or bleaching can help lift stains without removing the enamel. Be sure to check out Shape.com for the full article and schedule your appointments with the dentist!
People.com has reported that shock rocker Marilyn Manson and actress Evan Rachel Wood are engaged. Sources close to the couple have confirmed that Manson, 41, proposed to Wood, 22, while performing on stage in Paris on Monday. The couple began dating in 2006, and after a brief split in 2008, reconciled and have been together since. Manson has been previously married to burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese. Reps for both stars had no comment.
Lindsay Lohan just can’t seem to win when it comes to fashion. The actress had recently announced an expansion of her leggings line 6126 into a full clothing line, but is now being accused of copying designs from two separate designers. People.com reports that James Lillis, designer of Black Milk Clothing, pointed out the similarities between Lindsay’s “Diamond” leggings and his own “Sheer Spartan” leggings — both of which boast a signature triangle cutout at mid-thigh. Then, Fashionista.com saw the resemblance between Lohan’s geometric dress and a Jen Kao dress the star wore only last month. Kao has responded by saying, “While we are all well aware that being ‘mimicked’ or ‘copied’ has always existed in this industry, I think the evolution of it all has grown to an alarming level. It’s a shame to support the concept of taking advantage of designers who are still trying to develop a name and solidify the image of their design aesthetic.” Lohan has yet to comment on the allegations.
