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In My Mailbox: Week of November 13
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 13

In My Mailbox: Week of November 13

Title: Unscripted
Authors: Natalie Aaron & Marla Schwartz
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth. Her career and her friends are all she needs. Right?
When her screenwriter ex makes a hit movie based on their relationship, Abby’s faults are projected on screens across the country. Suddenly the fact that her job depends on orchestrating hot tub hook-ups doesn’t seem so impressive.
Her friends rally to help. Zoë thinks she needs to meet a guy. Stephanie suggests an attitude adjustment. Nancy wants her to get in touch with her inner Goddess. Abby knows they mean well, but she prefers to focus on her work. Unfortunately, she’s already embarrassed herself in front of her new boss, Will Harper, who she would find totally crush-worthy if he weren’t so irritating.
Abby’s about to be reminded that life doesn’t follow a script—and good things happen when you least expect it…

Title: Good-Bye to All That
Author: Margo Candela
Received: From Margo Candela
Synopsis: Raquel Azorian has worked her way from temp to executive assistant and is this close to a promotion to junior marketing exec at Belmore Corporation, the media behemoth she’s devoted herself to. She’s learned to play the Hollywood game—navigate office politics, schmooze the right people, avoid the wrong ones, and maintain a sense of decorum even in the craziest of times. All she needs is for her boss to sign her promotion memo. Instead of putting pen to paper, he suffers a very public meltdown that puts not only his professional future but also Raquel’s on the line.
Getting to the next rung on the Belmore ladder will require every ounce of focus, but that’s not going to be easy. Raquel’s mom has decided to leave her husband and move into Raquel’s apartment, and her older brother seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into depression. Raquel has to keep her job, stop her parents from divorcing, and save her brother. In the chaos of juggling so much, she finally reaches a breaking point: there’s just not enough time for everything or for everyone. She’s going to have to choose—success at work or happiness at home. But then a chance encounter at a bookstore café leads Raquel to start planning her own Hollywood ending . . . on her own terms.
Title: Mad About the Boy
Author: Suzan Battah
Received: From Suzan Battah/Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn’t take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer’s with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he’s her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family. Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father’s successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent’s divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she’s not like the string of other women he’s known. A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn’t stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she’s all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she’s running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in other ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations. Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn’t….

Title: One Pink Line
Author: Dina Silver
Received: From Dina Silver/Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Can the love of a lifetime be forever changed by one pink line? Dina Silver’s tender, absorbing novel, One Pink Line, is the warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family, as seen through the prism of one singular, spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives, and those closest to them. With heart, humor and compassion, this debut work of women’s fiction is certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all believes in the redemptive power of love. This unique, contemporary story gives readers a dual perspective. Sydney Shephard, a sweet-tempered, strong-natured college senior is young, in love with an exceptional man, and unexpectedly pregnant. Faced with a child she never planned for, she is forced to relay this news to her neurotic mother, relinquish her youth, and risk losing the love of her life. Then there’s Grace, a daughter, who believed she was a product of this great love, grows to realize her existence is not what she assumed, and is left with profound and puzzling questions about who she really is. Spanning generations and every imaginable emotion, One Pink Line reveals how two points of view can be dramatically at odds, and perhaps ultimately reconciled. Simultaneously deeply felt and lighthearted, One Pink Line deftly mines how the choices we make are able to alter so many lives, and how doing the right thing and living honestly can bring unexpected, hard-won happiness. It’s a must-read for anyone who craves a great love story, absorbing characters, and plenty of laughs along the way.

November 14, 2011
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Happy 2nd Birthday Chick Lit Plus!
Chick Lit Plus

Happy 2nd Birthday Chick Lit Plus!

I am a bad, bad girl. I forgot a very special birthday- the 2nd birthday of Chick Lit Plus! Man, I felt like such a…

November 13, 2011
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Hair Review: Garnier Fructis Style Smoothing Creme
Chick Lit Plus

Hair Review: Garnier Fructis Style Smoothing Creme

Another day of frizz, another product fail. Darn. This time it is Garnier Fructis Style Smoothing Crème. This is a new line from Garnier, a “pure clean product” that boasted “24-hour frizz control” and “zero heaviness.” My number one complaint is that my hair is still frizzy. My second complaint is that it is heavy and weights down my hair. Double fail. I’ve stopped using this and wouldn’t recommend it if you are looking for something light to help keep your hair smooth. I wonder what I should be doing with all my failed products….any suggestions?
[Rating: 1]

November 12, 2011
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Interview with Amanda Strong
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Amanda Strong

What inspired you to write With Just One Click? The inspiration behind the novel was friends and friends of friends who have lived through similar situations.

There are three female leads in the story. Was it difficult writing from three different perspectives? I never felt writing from three different perspectives was difficult. The stories set them apart from one another and that helped me focus on each individual character without any confusion.

How did you write the different POV’s? Did you work on one woman at a time, or tackle them all together? This might some strange, but I wrote the book exactly how it’s published. I wrote the three different women, one after the other, and followed that routine for each chapter. As a writer, I wanted to see the progress of each character step by step. I wanted to be like the reader, following their development at the same time throughout the book, almost parallel stories synchronized on three tracks set to the same pace. I also didn’t want to leave a character for too long, because I believed it was very important to give each equal time and attention.

Out of the whole writing and publishing process, what did you find most difficult? When you’re independently publishing a novel, everything falls solely on your shoulders. Each decision has to be weighed carefully, because one mistake could derail your whole project. The attention to detail, and the specific choices you make as the one person who is responsible for this novel is time consuming, stressful, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. These reasons alone make the final preparations before officially publishing a book a difficult one.

Are you working on any other writing projects? I’ve written a few articles that have been published recently all revolving around social networking. I also have started an outline for the next novel, and hope to have that finished sometime next year.

Will you ever follow-up from the characters in With Just One Click? Many readers have asked me if I would be willing to write a sequel or follow-up to the book. I would never rule anything out, because I do feel these characters have many more things left in their stories to explore.

What do you think are some of the biggest benefits of having Facebook? First, I think the ability to reconnect with old friends is the number one benefit of Facebook. I also see Facebook as an amazing tool for businesses and even authors like myself. The ability to connect with an extraordinary amount of people at a time is an unbelievable advantage.

And what are some of the biggest downfalls or Facebook? Well, I think the biggest benefits of Facebook unfortunately cause the biggest downfalls. The ability to reach out to virtually anyone and check-in on what they are doing with their lives is sometimes too tempting to pass up. This curiosity can lead to infidelity and people spying on exes, just to name a few. Facebook doesn’t have many rules to live by so that point alone makes this type of communication dangerous and one where people need to be cautious.

Where would be your dream vacation? Turks-Caicos

What is your advice to aspiring writers? This is the best time to be a writer, because of the rise of self-publishing and the ability to connect with people you wouldn’t otherwise have known through social networking(ironic, I know). Take every opportunity, always believe in yourself, and accept criticism. As with everything, I believe you can never stop learning and trying to become better. Writing is like being an artist, it’s subjective and open to judgement, but with hard work and dedication the opportunities are endless.

November 11, 2011
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Guest Post by Michele Gorman
For Writers

Guest Post by Michele Gorman

Chick Lit Plus

Why self-publishing in the US

I thought long and hard before deciding to self-publish Single in the City in the US as an eBook. After all, the book was published by Penguin in the UK and many other countries in 2010. Penguin’s team helped make it a best-seller. Surely it’s better to go with a big publisher than to go it alone? If I’m not doing so, does it mean that I’m rejecting the big publishers, as many writers have recently done?

Not really. At least, not all of them. I loved working with Penguin UK. My editor Lydia Newhouse quickly became a friend (still is), listening to my suggestions and making sure the publication went smoothly. The sales team got the book into the major retailers and my PR Helen was superb, getting us widespread publicity.

I’m self-publishing because sometimes publishers have less faith in the books, and the readers, than we, the writers, do.

You see, when Caroline and I sold book rights to Penguin (UK), we held back the US rights. We did this because I wanted a US-based publisher for Single in the City’s American launch. After all the main character, Hannah, is American. There’s a strong theme about seeing London through rather baffled American eyes. Caroline and I thought that surely it was a great fit for the US market.

The US publishers we approached had a different point of view. They were all very nice about it but said that the book isn’t right for the American chick lit market. It’s set in London. Readers won’t identify with it, they concluded.

I disagree. Isn’t it a bit dismissive, and wrong, to suggest that American women can only be interested in books that literally reflect their own lives? If that were true then only mothers of homicidal children would buy We Need To Talk About Kevin, and nobody living outside the 19th Century would bother with Jane Eyre. These books gain wide readership because they deal with universal themes (nature versus nurture, the effects of parenting, family, belonging, love). Single in the City is about taking a chance and establishing a new life. More than 5 million young American women do that every year when they move cities. It’s a fish-out-of-water story. And it’s about finding your feet in life and love. These, too, are universal themes. Those US publishers sold chick lit fans short.

And that’s why I’m self-publishing. I believe it’s the right decision for this book in this market. Like Hannah, I’m taking a leap of faith.

November 10, 2011
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Author Profile: Tess Hardwick
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Tess Hardwick

Author Name: Tess Hardwick

Website: http://tesshardwick.com/
Bio: Tess Hardwick is a novelist and playwright.S he has a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California.
Like her main character in Riversong, Tess is from a small town in southern Oregon. She currently lives in Snoqualmie, Washington with her husband, two small daughters and a teenage stepson. She is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window.
She was an active member of the theatre community in Seattle as an actor and director during the late nineties. In 2000 she wrote her first full-length play, My Lady’s Hand which subsequently won the 2001 first place prize for new work at the Burien Theatre.
A voracious reader, Tess’s favorite thing to do is to curl up on a rainy and read. She also enjoys movies, theatre, wine, food and spending time with friends and family.
Tess is busy working on her second novel, an historical fiction set in 1930’s Alabama inspired by a short story written by her great-grandmother.

See my review of Riversong

Bio Retrieved from tesshardwick.com

November 10, 2011
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 6
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 6

In My Mailbox: Week of November 6

Title: Thank You For Flying Air Zoe

Author: Erik Atwell

Received: From Erik Atwell via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman.
On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth?
As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

Title: The Brenda Diaries

Author: Margo Candela

Received: From Margo Candela

Synopsis: Meet Brenda…A temp with a bad attitude, but an excellent work ethic.

Working assignments all around Los Angeles, Brenda was the official purse holder for a high powered event planner, has had an employer ask about her ovulation cycle, worked as a kiosk gypsy at an upscale mall and suffered as the reluctant muse for a frustrated architect who’d rather write screenplays on company time.

Off the clock, Brenda’s boyfriend and best friend compete for her attention while she spends a little too much time with guy she met on a job. Brenda’s positive she can handle it all, but sometimes work and life get to be a bit too much even for someone as organized as Brenda.

The Brenda Diaries. All the dirty details of Brenda’s not so tidy life.

Title: Home For Christmas

Author: Cally Taylor

Received: From Cally Taylor

Synopsis: Beth Prince has always loved fairytales and now, aged twenty-four, she feels like she’s finally on the verge of her own happily ever after. She lives by the seaside, works in the Picturebox – a charming but rundown independent cinema – and has a boyfriend who’s so debonair and charming she can’t believe her luck! There’s just one problem – none of her boyfriends have ever told her they love her and it doesn’t look like Aiden’s going to say it any time soon. Desperate to hear ‘I love you’ for the first time Beth takes matters into her own hands – and instantly wishes she hadn’t.
Just when it seems like her luck can’t get any worse, bad news arrives in the devilishly handsome shape of Matt Jones. Matt is the regional director of a multiplex cinema and he’s determined to get his hands on the Picturebox by Christmas. Can Beth keep her job, her man and her home or is her romantic-comedy life about to turn into a disaster movie?

November 8, 2011
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Guest Post by Samantha March: Writing Goals
For Writers

Guest Post by Samantha March: Writing Goals

When I first decided to really buckle down and write a book, I didn’t have any idea what that would entail. I thought I would write a few chapters a day, clean it up/edit a bit, and boom! Published. That’s not really how it worked out for me. About three years ago, I started to get the itch to write. I had told myself that if I went to a “real” college, got a fancy degree, and still wanted to write, I would follow that path. But even before I slipped on my cap and gown and moved the tassel from the left to the right (or is it the right to the left) I had already begun to outline my plot and develop characters. I just couldn’t wait.
My ambition to write a few chapters a day quickly met the real world. Going to school, working three jobs (at a gym, hotel, and hospital) did not add up to chapters being written. I was lucky if I got in two hundred words a day. Some days, I was too exhausted to even look at a computer screen. And did I mention I didn’t own a computer as this time––I was using the computer lab at my school to get my writing done, and saving my work to flash drives. So that only added to the challenge. A year went by––a whole 365 days––and my book was just over halfway written. Something needed to change.

It took me some time, but I was able to figure out little plans and deadlines to help keep me on track. I realized that I write effectively in the morning as opposed to the afternoon or night (shocking, since I hate mornings). So I carved out pieces of time each morning to write. I didn’t give myself an impossible goal, I just told myself to write from 6:30-8:00 each morning. Nothing spectacular, nothing huge. But with that little goal, I found myself writing each morning, cracking my knuckles first thing and excited to dive back in. This plan has been working for me ever since. Sometimes, I add some new goals in here and there. Finish chapter 9 by Friday. Introduce Emily’s character by Wednesday. Finish all revisions by December 7. This bigger goals help keep me on track and help me maintain a look at the bigger picture. I’ll give an example of some deadlines I have imposed on myself for book number two:

November:

Monday-Friday: write 7:30-10:30
Introduce Henry/Kevin conflict by November 3
Figure out Carmen’s big secret by November 7
Finish Chapter 15 by November 15

*If you’re wondering what “figure out Carmen’s big secret” means, it literally means figure out what Carmen, one of my supporting characters, is hiding. I still haven’t figured this out. I hope she tells me soon.*

You may also be wondering why I only write three hours a day. It’s all I can do. Really. I work full-time, I run ChickLitPlus, CLP Blog Tours, freelance editing services, and have two more websites/businesses underway for launches next year. Oh, yes––and I also just published Destined to Fail and am feverishly trying to do my own marketing. Then I have a life on top of that. Sometimes. So, three hours is the best I can do. But, when you really put your mind to something and work hard, it doesn’t seem that bad. It isn’t unusual for me to write 3,000 words a day, which I think is great. I am hoping to have book #2 out by late spring of next year. Now that I have been through the process and know what works for me, the second time around has already been much easier.

My advice is to create your own goals. Keep in mind that you might have to tweak them along the way. Maybe you realize you write better at night. Switch it. Maybe you realize you work better by giving yourself word count goals. Shoot for what is feasible to you. Don’t make your goals based on someone else’s. We all lead different lives, have different jobs and families and responsibilities, so none of our goals and deadlines should look the same. But keep yourself motivated, and keep writing!

November 6, 2011
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Guest Post by Bethany Ramos
For Writers

Guest Post by Bethany Ramos

3 Ways to Increase Your Odds of Getting Published

Every aspiring writer is dying to get published. But not every writer will be published. So what separates a published writer from a non-published writer?

The good news is that getting published can be simple if your work is polished, ready to submit, and what agents or publishers are looking for.

The world of publishing can seem daunting and overwhelming at first. But if you check out the following tips, it may shed some light on what it takes to get published successfully. At the very least, you can prevent wasted time from barking up the wrong tree, not to mention the heartache caused by rejection after rejection after rejection. We’ve all been there…

1. Don’t give up! This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you have to try and try again. And try again. And try again if you want any chance of getting published. When I sent out both of my manuscripts for my chick lit book and my children’s book, I literally e-mailed more than five hundred agents and publishing houses each.

That is over one thousand e-mails in total! You need to be seriously committed to sending out your work for representation. And as it always is in life, just when you start to give up hope, you’ll probably hear back from agent or publishing house with some good news. Don’t give up just yet.

2. Personalize your query letter. Of course, I didn’t write a thousand individual query letters because that just doesn’t make sense. I had a basic query letter that I sent out to agents and publishing houses, but I also did a little bit of homework on agent blogs and websites to see what work they represented.

At the beginning of your query letter, it is best to identify with an agent by mentioning the work that they represent or that you are a fan of one of their authors. I also made sure to personally connect with agents in Colorado since my chick lit book is set in Denver. Do whatever it takes to stand out.

3. Think outside of the box. Both publishing houses that I have worked with so far are small publishers that work one-on-one with writers. This was an excellent way for me to break into the industry.

I did e-mail hundreds of agents and publishing houses and received numerous rejections. I finally broke down and started searching deep in the recesses of Google to find publishing houses that published chick lit and children’s books. It was then and only then did I receive legitimate interest in my work from small publishers that were willing to walk me through the publishing process.

Bottom line? Getting that first publishing contract is one of the most rewarding moments of your life. But it doesn’t come instantly. Be prepared to receive rejection and keep forging ahead. Just at the moment when you think that your manuscript is totally worthless is probably when you will hear something positive back from a literary agent or publishing house!

Bethany Ramos is the author of the chick lit novel 5 Stages of Grief and is under contract to publish her children’s book Lions Can’t Eat Spaghetti. She also reviews chick lit books on her blog ChickLit-Books.com.

November 4, 2011
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