Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

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Foodie Review: Special K Cracker Chips
Chick Lit Plus

Foodie Review: Special K Cracker Chips

I love chips. Doritos in particular. And of course, once you eat one, you eat….like forty-seven. I started the search for a different chip to satisfy my craving, and landed on the Special K Cracker Chips. I grabbed the Sour Cream and Onion, and I am happy to report that these are a new staple in the house! I was worried they would taste too…healthy…but I honestly didn’t taste much of a difference between these and regular chips. I compared calories between the two, and Doritos (Nacho Cheese, which I prefer) came in at 150 calories per 11 chips. Special K is 110 calories per 27 chips. It’s clear you get more chip for less calories with Special K, and you aren’t losing a tasty snack. Even my fiancé has approved the chips, and often takes a small bag with him to work to munch on when he gets hungry. If you are looking for a better for you snack, I would give the Special K Cracker Chips a shot!

October 13, 2012
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GIVEAWAY: Run the Risk by Lori Foster
Updates

GIVEAWAY: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….

Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer’s crosshairs?

October 11, 2012
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Suzy Duffy’s Guest Post
For Writers

Suzy Duffy’s Guest Post

So you want to be an author?

Wanting to write a book is a bit like wanting to be a Mom. It looks much more glamorous than it is, there’s lots of fun ways to make it happen and when you get there it’s not at all what you expected!

It’s easy to start writing a book, but believe me, it’s pretty tough to see through. You need to get your bum on that seat every day. Most writers I know think they’re at their best in the morning. Our minds are sharper and more creative. I do my other chores in the afternoon and then I edit at night when I’m not so productive but still able to work. Writing a book is a gargantuan undertaking. The first write, which is usually about one hundred, twenty thousand words is only the first write! Then you edit it again and again and again. Edit your story about twenty times, at this stage because on every re-read; you’ll find things that you missed the time before. Nothing annoys a reader more than finding an inconsistency in a story. It shatters the whole fictional world.

Now, let’s say you really have the story the way you want it. You’ve gone through it so many times; you almost know it by heart. Give yourself a pat on the back. That’s a big deal, a massive achievement. It also means it’s time to find an agent! Agents are great people, really they are – but they’re not magicians. We have to give them a product they can sell. They want you to be the next big thing just as much as you do. But they can’t force a publisher to bite. First off, check the website of the agents you like. Are they taking on new clients? How do they like to be approached – email or letter? Do as they wish. You don’t want to annoy them already! You have to sell yourself to the agent and (s)he has to believe in you before (s)he can go out and sell you into the market. It’ll probably take several attempts to get an agent you like, but hang in there, you’ll get one.

Next step is to find a publisher. There’s a huge amount of luck in finding the right publishing deal. You need to have the right type of book at the right time. Many writers fall at this hurdle. I’ve had my share of rejection letters. Every professional writer has. In the case of Wellesley Wives and the New England Trilogy, I resorted to making a deal with God! I promised that I’d give 10% of my royalties to a local charity if I got a book deal. Within a few weeks of agreeing to link up with www.fobh.org I signed a book deal with The Writers coffee Shop. Was it God? I think so.

So now, either through grit and determination, luck or God, you have a publisher. The first thing they’ll want you to do, is re-write the book according to their tastes. Remember all the editing you did at home? Well, you’re going to do that again under their in-house editorial team. You can’t be precious about your work. If they want to drop the main character and get the bad guy elevated to high standing, you ask how high. You need your publisher to love you. The manuscript will bounce back and forth between you and them maybe fifteen times. While they have it, it’s time to think about writing book two! It will take a year for your first book to actually be published and by then, both your agent and your publishing house will want to see final drafts of your second offering. This comes at just the same time as your marketing for book one heats up. You need to eat, sleep, and drink your (first) book at this stage. It’s a massive, all consuming project. Give up your social life, sleep, everything. If you don’t do the marketing, your little book will not get out and into the world.

Quite simply there are too many books being written at the moment. It’s a big job to get one up and out – just like a baby. But ask any new Mom would she do it all again, and the answer is almost always YES.

Herewith, I’ve outlined the enormous work load involved but believe me, nothing beats holding your book in your hands or getting an email from a fan. Go for it, write your story. Don’t let anything or anybody say you can’t because you can!

I look forward to reading your book.

Lots of love,

Suzy

XX

http://www.facebook.com/SuzyDuffyBooks

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15700776-wellesley-wives

http://twitter.com/suzyduffybooks

http://www.suzyduffybooks.com/

October 11, 2012
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Author Profile: Jolyn Palliata
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Jolyn Palliata

Author Name: Jolyn Palliata
Website: http://www.jolynpalliata.com/
Bio: Jolyn’s writing career began in 2009 when she looked across the sea of cubicles at work, and thought, “I was meant for something more than this.” That thought was immediately followed by, “I wonder if I can write a novel.” Four novels and one novella later, that question has been answered. She started with Amber Eyes (Entwined Souls Trilogy – Book One), a young adult paranormal romance. They always say, with the first book, you write about what you know. And she certainly did! Drawing off her teenage years in Oshkosh, WI, Jolyn incorporated her high school and favorite haunts. She even pulled out her favorite music from back then to help recapture the teenager within.
Jolyn has absolutely no qualifications whatsoever to be a writer, other than a knack and a passion. The knack she worked hard for through betas, critique partners, writer sites, editors, etc, but the passion she’s had since she was in middle school.
Being married, and mother to one very precocious six-year-old, doesn’t leave her with a whole heckofalot of time to write – not to mention working full-time – but that is where lack of sleep comes in very handy. Jolyn has a gift of functioning on minimal sleep when totally absorbed by a writing project…although she crashes like dead weight when it’s fully completed/edited (usually 2-3 months later).
See my 4.5 star review for Amber Eyes
Visit Jolyn’s tour page!
Bio retrieved from CLP Blog Tours

October 10, 2012
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Coming Soon: The Twelve Days To Christmas by Michele Gorman
Updates

Coming Soon: The Twelve Days To Christmas by Michele Gorman

I’m thrilled to announce the birth of my newest book, The Twelve Days to Christmas! She arrived on 11th October, 2012 at 12.01am after a fairly easy labour, weighing in at 120 pages. Author and book are doing fine and her big sisters, Single in the City and Misfortune Cookie, can’t wait to welcome her into the family.
Here she is … I think she looks a bit like me, don’t you?

And since my first-born, Little Sacrifices (which of course I love just as much as his sisters) is feeling a little left out after all the chick-lit fuss around The Twelve Days’ arrival, I’d like to offer everyone this 50% off gift voucher. If you’d like Little Sacrifices, go to Smashwords by November 11th and enter voucher code LH58H. He’s available globally in all eBook formats.
Stocking stuffers for friends
If you’re thinking about cheap and cheerful personalized gifts, I’d love to inscribe books for your friends and family. I can inscribe eBooks through www.kindlegraph.com (add your friend’s kindle or email address and a note so I know who it’s from/to). And I can inscribe bookplates that you stick into the front of the paperbacks too; just go here to make a request and I’ll pop it in the post to you: http://michelegorman.co.uk/Bookplates.html
Links to the book
Paperbacks on Amazon US
Paperbacks on Amazon UK
Paperbacks (globally)
Kindle (US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain) – paperbacks are also available through Amazon Germany, France, Italy, Spain
Barnes and Noble
Kobo and Apple – via Smashwords or through the iBookstore or Kobo Boo

October 9, 2012
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Author Profile: Jane Green
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Jane Green

Author Name: Jane Green
Website: http://www.janegreen.com/
Bio: British import Jane Green is the author of twelve bestselling novels, dealing with real women, real life, and all the things life throws at them, with her trademark wisdom, wit and warmth.
A former feature writer for the Daily Express in the UK, Green took a leap in faith when she left, in 1996, to freelance and work on a novel. Seven months later, there was a bidding war for her first book, Straight Talking, the saga of a single career girl looking for the right man. The novel was a hit in England, and Green was an overnight success.
The success got even sweeter when her second novel, Jemima J, became an international bestseller. Cosmopolitan called this cheerful, updated Cinderella story “the kind of novel you’ll gobble up in a single sitting.”
Now in her early forties, Green has graduated to more complex, character-driven novels that explore the concerns of real women’s lives, from marriage (The Other Woman) to motherhood Babyville) to midlife crises (Second Chance). The Beach House and Second Chance spent months on the New York Times Bestseller list.
As well as writing a daily blog: www.janegreen.com, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Wowowow, and Self.
Most weekends see her cooking for a minimum of twenty people in her home in Westport, Connecticut, where she lives with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, filling her house with friends and looking after their animals, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Titles: Another Piece of My Heart, Promises to Keep, Dune Road, The Beach House, Second Chance, Swapping Lives, The Other Woman, To Have and to Hold, Straight Talk, Babyville, Mr. Maybe, Jemima J, Bookends,
Bio retrieved from janegreen.com

October 9, 2012
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My First 5K: Complete!
Chick Lit Plus

My First 5K: Complete!

I did! My first 5K is complete 🙂 The Color Run was such a fun experience. There were 27,000 people registered in Des Moines, and the atmosphere just screamed party. It was a great way to ease into the running world! I ran with my girlfriend Holly, and we tried our best to look pretty ridiculous – as you can see from our picture! At the end, we were a mess! We ran through four color stations along the run, where people were having a great time throwing the paint on us, and then at the end once we finished we participated in a color throw. The paint wasn’t like what you paint a room with it, it was a more dust-like paint. Everyone who registered got a packet of the paint, and once you finished, you got to throw it in the air and have the colors rain down. Combined with thousands of people doing it at the same time – bananas. I literally lost my vision during the color throw, it was CRAZY!! But overall, a great experience, and I am definitely hooked. Holly and I are running another 5K in November (BRRRR!) and our award at the end – chocolate! The run is sponsored by a chocolate store in Des Moines, and proceeds go to the John Stoddard Cancer Center – a win/win there. I’ve had a lot of fun blogging about my first 5K experience, and I hope to share some more with you after my second race!

October 8, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 7
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 7

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Enchanted by Starlight
Author: Tina L. Hook
Received: From BookSparks PR
Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for…Grace, Skylar and Alina are connected by destiny when an enchanted comet crosses the night sky. As their most secret ambitions ignite, their ordinary lives take a magical detour down a powerful but dangerous path.

Grace, emerging from her dejected childhood, develops the power to make men fall in love with her. Skylar leaves her impoverished past behind and pursues the social status she has always longed for. Without dreams of her own, Alina covets the power to unravel other lives and seeks revenge. As they crash into and slip away from each other in a cycle of envy, deception and love lost, these three women are forced to look deeper into their own hearts for the true meaning of enchantment.

Title: From Notting Hill With Love…Actually
Author: Ali McNamara
Received: From Sourcebooks
Synopsis: She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy …wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant. Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiance David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now …When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill – the setting of one of her favourite movies – Scarlett jumps at the chance. But living life like a movie is trickier than it seems, especially when her new neighbour Sean is so irritating. And so irritatingly handsome, too. Scarlett soon finds herself starring in a romantic comedy of her very own: but who will end up as the leading man?

Title: Meant To Be
Author : Karen Stivali
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Sometimes you’re already committed to the wrong person when fate finally brings you the right one.
When NYU professor Daniel Gardner’s career-obsessed wife convinces him to move to the suburbs, he hopes it’s a first step toward starting the family he longs to have. Instead of domestic bliss he finds his neighbor, Marienne Valeti. She loves her freelance design job, but must contend with a growing sense of isolation created by her husband’s indifference. A penchant for good books, bad movies, and Marienne’s to-die-for brownies sparks a powerful bond between them. Passion simmers, but they resist its lure, surrendering only in the seclusion of their minds. Their friendship helps them weather every hardship, from divorce to widowhood, leaving them both secretly wondering if it can survive a first kiss.
Author’s Note: Meant To Be is listed as Women’s Fiction with Strong Romantic Elements. It strongly crosses genres with contemporary romance and will appeal to many fans of romance novel—it is an atypical friends to lovers story with a strong romantic arc and a happily ever after ending. This book deals with adult issues and contains graphic/mature language and explicit sex scenes. If it were a movie, it would be rated R. Although I am also a published erotic romance writer, this book does not contain erotic content.
Title: Happily Ever Before
Authors: Aimee Pitta & Melissa Peterman
Received: From Aimee Pitta & Melissa Peterman
Synopsis: Two sisters, one drunken pact and a choice that changes their lives forever.

HAPPILY EVER BEFORE is best described as the comedic literary love child of the hit film’s Bridesmaids and Baby Mama. It is the story of two sisters, who while watching a Lifetime movie marathon (of course!) make a drunken pact that has more unconventional consequences than anything Lifetime could program.

HAPPILY EVER BEFORE, a fractured fairytale, tells the story of Grace, the free spirit older sister, who promises Clair, her wound-too-tight younger sister, that she’d have her baby, should the need ever arise. But she certainly never thought she’d have to “deliver”.

Now everyone, from Clair’s WASP-y in-laws to Diane, Grace and Clair’s mom, who has put her own life on hold, to Clair’s husband, Henry, who has a compulsive need to give Grace bizarre and overly personal pregnancy gifts, to George, Grace’s best friend who now needs to find a new drinking buddy, are dealing with situations they never dreamed of.

As the sisters are faced with hormonal surges, new romances, and a calcium enriched diet, they are forced to navigate this new family dynamic and test their sisterly love in ways that keep the reader laughing out loud.

October 7, 2012
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Author Profile: Ellen Byerrum
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Ellen Byerrum

Author Name: Ellen Byerrum Website: http://www.ellenbyerrum.com/ Bio: Ellen Byerrum writes the popular Crime of Fashion mysteries, set in bustling Washington, D.C., The City That Fashion…

October 6, 2012
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