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Author Profile: Dee Ernst
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Dee Ernst

Author Name: Dee Ernst
Website: http://dernst2010.wordpress.com/
Bio: Dee Ernst was born Elizabeth Diane Ascoli in Newark, NJ. Her family moved to Morristown, NJ when she was still a toddler. She started writing stories on a battered Royal typewriter when she was about ten or twelve, and she graduated Morristown High School determined to pursue a career as a writer in some form or another (she considered advertising, but luckily came to her senses). Creative writing majors were hard to find in 1974, so she attended Marshall University as a journalism major. That wasn’t working, so she tried Education, but that didn’t quite work either. Several jobs and years later, staying home with a three-year-old and trying to figure out what to do when she grew up, Joan Hamburg on WOR radio in New York was interviewing someone who said if you wanted to know what to with your life, remember what you were playing when you were ten, and try to turn that into a career. Since Dee was writing stories at ten, she sat down and wrote her first novel. It went nowhere. Her second novel got her a terrific agent and upwards of fifteen rejection letters (She reread them all in preparation of this biography). Her third novel, Better Off Without Him, garnered even more rejection letters from a much higher caliber of editor. Undaunted, she self-published Better Off Without Him in October 2010. She is now waiting patiently for fame and fortune.
Titles: Better Off Without Him
See my review for Better Off Without Him!
Bio retrieved from dernst.com

August 2, 2012
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Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Timothe Davis
Chick Lit Review

Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Timothe Davis

Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh by Timothe Davis follows thirty six year old Jordan Spencer who hasn’t had a relationship that has lasted for longer than six months. And, that suits him just fine until his two go-to people stop having time for him. Gabby is falling for a guy that Jordan isn’t very fond of, and Chris … is well, having issues of his own. With the two of them slowly drifting further away from Jordan, he has to come up with an alternative plan and decide what to do about the loneliness that he faces without his pals. Should he fight for their friendships? Or should he let them drift further and further to the side. Only time will tell …

Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh is a dose of chick-lit about friendship, but told through a male perspective. Being a female, I found this take fascinating and really enjoyed reading about the value that certain men place on their friendships. Timothe Davis does a wonderful job at creating very real and believable friendships, and very vivid characters. I actually enjoyed this book much more than I expected. Overall, a great read from an emerging author. Can’t wait to see what Davis comes out with next.

August 2, 2012
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On Tour: The Way by Kristen Wolf
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: The Way by Kristen Wolf

Kristen will be on tour August 6-20 with her novel The Way Anna is a fiery tomboy living in ancient Palestine whose androgynous appearance provokes…

August 1, 2012
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Blog Tour Sign Up: Falling For You by Heather Thurmeier
CLP Blog Tours

Blog Tour Sign Up: Falling For You by Heather Thurmeier

Heather will be on tour in November with her contemporary romance novel Falling For You. ARC PDF files can be supplied if you would like…

August 1, 2012
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The Darker Side of Mummy Misfit by Amanda Egan
Chick Lit Review

The Darker Side of Mummy Misfit by Amanda Egan

The Mummy Misfit is back! Amanda Egan follows up from Diary of a Mummy Misfit and brings us the continuing tale of Libby, Ned, Fenella and some very wacky yummy mummies. I really enjoyed the first book, and was looking forward to the sequel. In the first book, Libby and Ned were always scourging around for money, and they were ecstatic when they were able to get their son Max into a private school, thanks to the sponsored funding. The story ended with Libby inheriting a huge sum of money from a deceased relative, and also finding out she is pregnant.
The Darker Side of Mummy Misfit starts back up with Libby and Ned in a happy marriage, pregnant with second child and Libby being happy she is with child the same time as her bff Fenella. They now have money and can afford to put Max through private school without receiving donations, and actually donate themselves now to another family in need. All is well – until Libby miscarries the baby. The miscarriage devastates Libby, throws her friendship with Fenella through a loop, and causes strain on her once blissfully happy marriage. Libby starts testing dangerous waters with another man, pulling away from Ned without even knowing why she is so unhappy. She journals her way throughout, trying to make sense of where her life is going, and wondering if she will ever be as happy as she once was.
Again, I happily read about Libby’s journey, laughing at times when the crazy mom’s at the school went a bit berserk with all their Botox, and feeling sad about Libby’s miscarriage. This book got a lot deeper than the first, definitely showing a “darker side” to Libby, one that was full of pain, neglect, guilt and remorse. I liked that the book wasn’t a downer though, there was always enough going on that would perk me back up and keep me focused on the positives. I thought this was a very worthy sequel, and both books should be checked out!
[Rating: 4]

August 1, 2012
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Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere
Chick Lit Review

Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere

Interior Decorator Madison Night has lived for years as the iconic Doris Day has her inspiration. From her looks, style, and even now career, Madison loves to pay homage to Doris. She especially has affection for the film Pillow Talk – but that very film may be the reason for recent murders in her town. When two women that resemble the blonde actress are found dead, Madison is shaken – especially because she believes at least one was meant to be her.
I am a big fan of mystery novels, and I really enjoyed Pillow Stalk by Diane Vallere. It was fast and furious, had a lot of info, characters, suspects, and even a few tangled romances. I love mysteries where I can’t figure out who the real killer is until the end, and this was one of those. The novel was well written, moved at a smooth pace, and Madison’s character was a riot. I especially loved her dog, Rock. The ending threw me just a bit, and I mean literally the last page. I believe I am correct when I say this is part of a series, and 99% positive after that cliffhanger ending. It just seemed to come a bit out of nowhere and then end abruptly, but it certainly makes me look forward to the next book!
[Rating: 4]

August 1, 2012
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On Tour: Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka
CLP Blog Tours

On Tour: Fatty Patty by Kathleen Irene Paterka

Kathleen will be on tour August 6-27 with her novel Fatty Patty Small towns, long memories. Everyone in the exclusive summer resort of James Bay,…

July 31, 2012
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Happily Ever After by Maggie Greene
For Writers

Happily Ever After by Maggie Greene

Happily Ever After

Thanks so much for having me here today!

I hear from a lot of people that they don’t like reading romances because the ending is implied. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that these books end with a happily-ever-after. That’s actually what I love about it. When I pick up a romance, I know that no matter what the characters go through, they are going to wind up together in the end.

To be fair, romance isn’t the only genre this happens in. When you read a mystery, you expect the detective to solve the crime, right? Otherwise it wouldn’t make it a very good story. We like to see good win out over evil.

We also like to see love conquer the world. I strongly believe in the power of love to heal wounds created by the rest of the world. Of course, I also believe that it is important to make the characters work to get there. So you know what you’re getting with my book. Two characters who each have a host of personal problems, who want to be together but are pulled apart by circumstances, but who find a way to overcome those issues and end up together in the end.

Alright, time for the fun part. I’m having a large giveaway as part of my blog tour. Comments on each of the stops will count as an entry in the contest. Winners will be drawn on August 1st andwill receive a gift basket from me complete with some book swag, bath products,and honey. For more details (and chances to enter), you can visit my blog (http://www.authormaggiegreene.com).Please make sure you leave an email address.

July 31, 2012
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This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor
Chick Lit Review

This Tangled Thing Called Love by Marie Astor

I received a copy of This Tangled Thing Called Love in exchange for an honest review. Claire Chatfield has the best life. She is successful, has great girlfriends, and has just received a massive rock from her now fiancé, David Lawson. David is one of the most sought-after bachelors in New York City thanks to his elite status and sizeable bank account. But Claire’s world is rocked when photos appear in a tabloid magazine of David locking lips with an aging Hollywood actress. Claire calls off the engagement, and is forced to face her true feelings – she didn’t have the overwhelming in love feeling with David. He was reliable, solid, and safe….but Claire knows she wants more. When she starts spending more time with her sex on a stick neighbor, Alec, Claire thinks she has the found the man she could spend forever with. A tango dance instructor, Alec sweeps Claire off her feet and also makes a startling connection with her career. Will Claire finally have the courage to go after what she really wants in life?
I thought This Tangled Thing Called Love was a cute and sweet romance novel. Claire is a great heroine, someone who was duped by the one she loved, but it turned out to be for the best. Claire had been ignoring her feelings about her relationship with David for too long. The POV gives readers insight on a slew of characters – Claire being the lead, but also Alec, David and even David’s fling – Claudia. I liked that we got just enough of glimpse into their thoughts – nothing too overwhelming where it was confusing. One flaw I thought was that I didn’t think there was enough on Claire and Alec’s relationship. It really didn’t come into play until the second half of the book, and I thought that was too long. The majority of the book focused on Claire and David’s relationship, but I would have liked to see more Alec in there. There were some enjoyable subplots as well, including Claire’s work and friendships, and overall I thought this was a very quick and pleasant read that I would recommend.
[Rating: 4]

July 31, 2012
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