Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Latest Youtube Videos

Is Instant Oatmeal Healthy?
Chick Lit Plus

Is Instant Oatmeal Healthy?

I got my daily fitness tip from Women’s Health Magazine this morning. It came while I was sitting at my desk, munching on a hearty breakfast of a toaster strudel. I clicked on the link for ‘Healthy Breakfast Ideas’ since my usual breakfast of sugary cereals or strudels isn’t the healthiest.
I read a piece on instant oatmeal, and whether it is considered a healthy breakfast. I was a little surprised to read that it is healthy; that instant oatmeal still provides plenty of whole grains, just smaller pieces so they can be cooked faster. WHM warns to watch out for the sugar content though, because the instant kind can contain more than three teaspoons of sugar.

Check out Women’s Health Magazine for more breakfast ideas!

February 24, 2010
Leave a comment
In My Mailbox Week of February 21
Updates

In My Mailbox Week of February 21

In my Mailbox: Week of February 21

Title: The Goddess Rules
Author: Clare Naylor
Received: Public Library
Synopsis:
When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and apartment) in London’s Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the whims of the rich and famous while herself living a decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends don’t understand why she even bothers. But it’s hard to fall out of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her Angel—even if he disappears for weeks at a time.
Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn’t buying any of that claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now, at age sixty, she’s given up on fame and men and lives in Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre.
After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait of her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate’s life—from the baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri’s tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon, drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And when her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets that hint at a less than divine future. Now it’s Kate’s turn to teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being fabulous.

Title: Sex as a Second Language
Author: Alisa Kwitney
Received: Public Library
Synopsis:
A teacher of English as a second language, forty-year-old Katherine Miner is an expert on idiomatic phrases and subtle verbal cues. When it comes to the opposite sex, however, she’s baffled enough to choose early retirement from the dating game. It’s not that she hates men, it’s just that she doesn’t trust them. After all, her soon-to-be ex-husband has dropped all contact with their son, and her own father disappeared from her life thirty years ago. And then Kat meets Magnus Grimmson, a tall, good-looking, tongue-tied Icelander in the front row of her class. Magnus doesn’t appear to pose any threat — in fact, he seems to understand less about women than Kat does about men. But just when Kat considers risking a little intimacy, her father reappears in her life, causing unexpected complications. Emotionally torn, Kat is left to question whom she can trust — and to realize that she still has a lot to learn about men and the kind of communication they don’t teach in school.

Title: Once Upon Stilettos
Author: Shanna Swendson
Received: Public Library
Synopsis: Katie Chandler’s life is pure magic–literally. As an executive assistant at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., she’s seen more than her share of fantastical occurrences. A mere Manhattan mortal, Katie is no wizard, but she’s a wiz at exposing “hokum” pocus, cloaked lies, and deceptive enchantments. And she’s fallen under the all-too-human spell of attraction to Owen, a hunky wizard and coworker. Owen, however, is preoccupied. Someone has broken into his office and disrupted top-secret files, and it reeks of an inside job. CEO Merlin (yes, the Merlin) and taps Katie and her special ability to uncover the magical mole.

Keeping her feelings in check while sleuthing alongside Owen, Katie is shocked to discover that her immunity to magic is waning, putting her in grave danger. Soon she’s surrendering to the charms and enchantments of everyone and everything around her, including a killer pair of red stilettos. Katie must now conjure up her natural instincts to get to the bottom of the break-in, regain her power, and win the wizard of her dreams.

Title: The Nanny
Author: Melissa Nathan
Received: Public Library
Synopsis: Twenty-three-year-old Jo Green knows that if she has to spend one more night in ultra-provincial Niblet-Upon-Avon she’ll go completely bonkers! So she answers an ad in the paper, bids her devoted boyfriend Shaun adieu, and heads off to the big city. With a new job that offers excitement; a cool car; and her own suite with a TV, DVD player, and a cell phone, how can she go wrong?
Then she meets . . . the Fitzgeralds — Dick and Vanessa and their unruly brood of rugrats who have suddenly been entrusted into Jo’s care. There’s eight-year-old “psycho-babe” Cassandra; bloodthirsty Zak, the six-year-old Terminator; and timid little Tallulah.
So what else could go wrong? How about the arrival of Dick’s children from his first marriage: teenage Toby and (gulp!) all-grown-up-and-very-nicely-at-that Josh the accountant? And now that she has to temporarily share her room with Josh, Jo’s head is really in a spin — because with her hometown beau still in the picture and a sexy possibility sleeping just a foot away, life has suddenly gotten very complicated indeed!

February 21, 2010
Leave a comment
Chick Lit Author Irene Zutell
Chick Lit Authors

Chick Lit Author Irene Zutell

Irene Zutell started her career as a newspaper reporter, writing on police and city hall news. After becoming bored with that work, she became a travel writer, touring continents and countries including some of her favorites: Paris, St. Petersburg, Dubrovnik, Prague, Florence, and Rome. After years of writing and traveling, Zutell moved to Los Angeles and started a career as a reporter for People magazine, writing human interest articles and following celebrity lives.
Irene Zutell has three books published: They’re Not Your Friends, I’ll Never Have Sex With You Again!, and Pieces of Happily Ever After. Her writing has also been featured in Us Weekly, The New York Times, The NY Daily News, and Newsday. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

February 21, 2010
Leave a comment
Chick Lit Author Cathleen Holst
Chick Lit Authors

Chick Lit Author Cathleen Holst

Born and raised in Atlanta, this “Georgia Peach” has her stilettos firmly planted in the south. Despite whisking her characters off to glamorous places like New York City or Beverly Hills, she has no desire to relocate herself to a city where good ol’ fashioned sweet tea is not readily available. However, she would have her boarding pass in hand in a New York minute for a shopping trip off Rodeo Drive.
Cathleen currently resides in a small suburb of Atlanta with her extremely patient husband (and former high school sweetheart) of five years with their three children and two, sometimes over-the-top, rambunctious dogs. She has been writing stories as long as she can remember, and to this day is still perfectly happy to be left alone in a room making stuff up. (Much to the dismay of her husband as he often has to do the lion’s share of the cooking.)
Although her love of literature is not confined to one particular genre, it has always been the “feel-good” stories that have resonated with her the most. Calling her stories “chick-lit” does not offend her in the least. All stories, whether they’re an edge of your seat mystery, a decadent regency-era romance, or heart pounding thriller or sci-fi, have their place in our hearts. And for Cathleen, these frilly (yes, sometimes a bit frivolous) delightful easy reads are as perfect as the cherry sitting atop a banana split.

February 21, 2010
Leave a comment
Chick Lit Author: Plum Sykes
Chick Lit Authors

Chick Lit Author: Plum Sykes

Plum Sykes was born in London, one of six kids, and has a twin sister Lucy. She graduated from Worcester College, Oxford with a degree in modern history. Sykes began her career in fashion by working as a fashion assistant at British Vogue. She then moved on to be a contributing editor on fashion for American Vogue after moving to New York.
Plum Sykes love for fashion helped develop her first novel, Bergdorf Blondes, which focuses on New York socialites living their couture lives. Blondes quickly hit the bestseller lists, and paved way for Sykes second novel, Debutante Divorcee. Sykes is married to British entrepreneur Toby Rowland and they have a daughter together, Ursula.

February 20, 2010
Leave a comment
Are Teeth Whiteners Safe?
Chick Lit Plus

Are Teeth Whiteners Safe?

Teeth whitening has become increasingly popular throughout the years, with more and more people purchasing over the counter products and getting costly procedures done at their dental offices. But just how safe is bleaching your teeth?

At the start of my college years I joined the bleaching craze. I bought a huge box of white strips and eagerly came home and placed one on the top and bottom rows of my teeth. Within just a few days I could tell a difference with my teeth color. I was thrilled that it was working and I didn’t just waste $35. But then, something happened. If I was chewing food that was either real warm or cold, my teeth would ache. Eating ice cream or other cold treats were out of the questions. Even taking drinks from a water bottle or cup became a painful process, and I had to start drinking everything out of a straw because the pain was too bad on my teeth. I had suffered from sensitive teeth in the past, but this was an extreme pain that was making the small task of eating or drinking nearly impossible.

After researching my problem on the internet, I scheduled an appointment with my dentist to see what was going on. Turns out, the white strips were slowly stripping my teeth of their enamel, causing intense sensitivity. I had to immediately stop use of the strips and after time the sensitivity disappeared and my mouth felt back to normal.

That was four years ago. A few months back I bought a different type of tooth whitener; this was a gel that I placed over my teeth with a q-tip and let sit for five minutes once a day. This process took longer to turn my teeth a whiter color, but I have experienced no pain or sensitivity, just better looking teeth.

So what are the differences with teeth whiteners and how can you be sure you are getting a safe product? I found an article on Yahoo! Health that helped answer some of my questions, and the answers made me less confident in my daily whitening routine. Research has shown that using an at home whitening procedure for 2 weeks at a time once or twice a year should have no long term effects, but those chances decrease if you use a whitener daily. Also safe: a one time visit to the dentist for a whitening procedure, or a dentist prescribed whitening tray worn at a night a few weeks out of the year.

The dangers of tooth whitening are more than just pain and sensitivity, but can include gum irritation, bluish enamel, uneven whiteness, and can even lead to needing a root canal. This can occur if the bleach seeps into a crack in the teeth or an unfilled cavity.

So what is the safest method for whitening your teeth? The American Society for Dental Aesthetics states they are only comfortable recommending a custom fit whitening tray from a dentist. The tray will help keep the bleach from spreading on the gums and other tissue in the mouth, decreasing any harmful effects. If you do want to try an at home treatment to save money, check with your dentist first. There might be a cavity that needs taken care of before you start bleaching, or other dangers lurking in your mouth that your dentist would recommend against doing a teeth whitening kit.

Source: Laurel Naversen Geraghty, Prevention

February 19, 2010
5 Comments
Is Running in the Cold Harmful?
Updates

Is Running in the Cold Harmful?

One question that often arises in the cold winter weather is the safety of running in the frigid temperatures. I noticed that when I run outside or even just walk outside when the temperature dips below freezing that my lungs start to almost burn and it can become pretty painful. But a post on FitnessMagazine.com can bring relief to runners- there is no danger when running outdoors. The burning sensation may be irritable, but is simply because the air you are breathing in is colder than the air in your lungs. The lungs begin to work to try to make that air coming in warmer, which can cause rapid water loss, therefore making you feel that burn. While there is no danger, you can try to wear a scarf around your nose and mouth to sidestep any irritation.

February 16, 2010
Leave a comment
Healthy Foods That Can Make You Fat
Chick Lit Plus

Healthy Foods That Can Make You Fat

As I was reading the February issue of my favorite magazine- Cosmopolitan of course- I started reading the article ‘These Healthy Foods Can Make You Fat.’ I figured I would see the usual culprits such as salad loaded with dressing and croutons, but I was really surprised to see all that made the list. Here were the biggest surprises for me:
1. Dried Fruit. What? Fruit is always good for you..or I guess not. Dried fruit is not as good for you as fresh fruit because it has been dehydrated and is much denser. The example that was given was that fresh grapes have 60 calories, while dried raisins pack 460 calories! Big difference.
2. Sushi Rolls. I’m always hearing about the sushi diets and other crazy seafood tricks celebrities are doing to stay in shape, but sushi rolls will not help thin your waistline. Sure there are veggies and seaweed that are healthy, but many of the rolls are filled with cream cheese or mayo that is definitely unhealthy. Most sushi rolls can have up to 600 calories- and that’s before the soy sauce!
3. Wraps. Cosmo said that most wraps unrolled can reach up to 1 foot across- a fact that made my mouth drop! That is a whole lot of tortilla shell! No matter what healthy foods you put into the wrap, there is no denying that 1 foot of tortilla is not healthy- and add in the mayo or dressing- most wraps reach up 300 calories.

What were the other “healthy” offenders?
• Granola
• Bran Muffins
• Half-and-half
• Bottled Teas
• Veggie Burgers
• Rice Cakes
• Juice
• Diet Microwave Meals
• Salads
• Tofu

Check out this month’s Cosmo for the full article and other healthy tips!

February 16, 2010
1 Comment
Interview with Irene Zutell
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Irene Zutell

Q: Why did you decide you wanted to be a writer?
A: I couldn’t think of anything else I was competent at!

Q: Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?
A: Usually, there’s a bit of real life mixed in with the fiction. I’m from New York, but I find a lot of my inspiration in my new hometown-Los Angeles. There’s so much to write about here. I really is crazy here. For instance, we live on a cul de sac in the valley, and right on the hill above us is a house that was used in porn movies. So, we’d be sitting outside listening to moaning. It was very surreal.

Q: I just started reading Pieces of Happily Ever After. Where did the idea for that story come from?
A: This woman–Vera Moder–who lived a few blocks from us was dumped by her husband for another woman–Julia Roberts. She was all over the tabloids. Her husband, Danny, eventually married Julia . I wanted Vera to do a nonfiction book with me. But when she wouldn’t, I decided to fictionalize it. Imagine going through a break-up and having it very public? And imagine having to read about your partner’s romance in the tabloids? I thouht it was a great jumping off point for a novel about a lot of other stuff–mothers and daughters, aging, love, romance, etc.

Q: Is there a typical day for you?
A: I wish I had a typical day. I wish I could say I get up at 5 a.m. and write until noon. But I don’t. I write when I can. I write when my kids are at school, or at night, or right now as they play outside. I usually don’t move until I have to because I know that at any moment, someone’s going to cry or fight or be hungry.

Q: What is your favorite part about writing?
When it just flows and I’m in that zone where I’m totally lost in the story.

Q: You have been a correspondent for PEOPLE and US Weekly. What did you take away from those experiences?
A: When I first started working for People, I thought it would be a joke–just something easy to do for a whle. Was I wrong. It was the hardest job. Being a reporter for People, I learned to pay attention to detail and to think fast. I learned that you really can never have enough details for a story and you’ve got to constantly be coming up with creative ways to draw a subject out.

What were some of the favorite stories you worked on?

A: Even though I covered mostly the celebrity beat, my favorite stories were always the human interest type–like the girl who awakened from a coma after months and months, or the veternarian who spent weekends on Seattle’s Skid Row taking care of the homeless’ pets.

Q: If you hadn’t been a writer, what do you think would be your career?
A: I have no idea.

Q: Are you currently working on any future novels?
Sure. I have some things in the works, but right now I’m ghostwriting a book.

Q: What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
Never give up. Listen to the voice in your head instead of what other tell you.

Q: What is or do you think would be your favorite place to travel?
I used to be a travel writer, so I love traveling. Anywhere. I love European cities like Paris, St. Petersburg, Dubrovnik, Prague, Florence, Rome. But I also loved a trip I took a while back throughout Alaska. I went to Tahiti on my honeymoon, which was just incredible. And I love road trips through northern California.

February 16, 2010
1 Comment