Free Book: Cutters vs. Jocks by Elizbeth Marx
Elizabeth Marx is making Cutters vs. Jocks FREE for a limited time! Be sure to check out this novella that is the prequel to Binding…
Guest Post by Casey Crow
Holiday Traditions
By: Casey Crow
Thank you, Samantha, for hosting me at Chick Lit Plus and helping me celebrate the release of my debut CAN’T FAKE THIS. I’m a huge fan of your blog, and it’s an honor to be here.
A divorcee ready to reenter the dating world, Anna Ryan is determined to be the best “product on the market,” which requires a lot more experience so she propositions sexy police officer Chase Harris to teach her how to make hot, passionate love as opposed to just having sex. He takes it a step further, instructing each lesson based on The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Anna and Chase know what will keep them busy for the Twelve Days of Christmas. What about you? Do you have any special holiday traditions for you or your family? What’s your favorite? I love the craziness of Christmas Eve at my dad’s with all the grandkids tearing into to gifts all at once. I love the excitement of my children when they wake me up at six a.m. on Christmas morning, and I won’t let them go downstairs until I can get down there with camera in hand.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Merry Christmas!
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Britney Spears Engaged
Britney Spears is saying I Do! A source has confirmed that the pop star, 30, and her former manager Jason Trawick are engaged. Trawick asked for her hand on Thursday night while celebrating his 40th birthday during a private dinner. Spears, who has previously been married to Jason Alexander (then annulled) and Kevin Federline, dropped a few hints on Twitter this morning about her big news. “OMG. Last night Jason surprised me with the one gift I’ve been waiting for. Can’t wait to show you! SO SO SO excited!!!! Xxo.”
More details sure to follow.
Blog Tour Sign Up: Chasing Rainbows by Kathleen Long
CHASING RAINBOWS
Bernadette Murphy likes her life. Really, she does. What’s wrong with carrying around an extra ten pounds from fertility treatments? Or having your dog kicked out of obedience school? Again?
What’s that saying about the devil you know? For Bernie, it’s the devil she never expected that changes everything.
Her father’s sudden death leaves a gaping void in her life and is one in a series of events that rock her world. Her husband leaves for another woman, and her best friend announces an unplanned pregnancy at the age of forty-one. Bernie’s behavior goes from acting out to out of hand, and she finds herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a confrontation at the cosmetic counter.
When her mother hands over her father’s book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded lessons in living might be exactly what she needs to survive. From dealing with her family’s grief to bonding with her best friend’s thirteen-year-old daughter, from dieting and dating to mindless almost-sex with the landscaper, Bernie discovers what her father always knew.
In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don’t.
For Bernie, the singing is about to begin.
GIVEAWAY: Build a Man by Talli Roland
How far would you go to create the perfect partner? Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the…
Pushover by Laurel Mayer
Sometimes, I get frustrated with myself when I begin to write a review on a book that I didn’t love only to find out that all the other reviews are glowing. This is the case with Pushover by Laurel Mayer. While I did like the book, I didn’t love it and can’t give it a five star review. The story follows Dani Wilder as she opens her first restaurant – in a location where a woman was allegedly pushed to her death. By Dani’s boyfriend’s former fiancée. When Dani finds out about this past lover, whom Jack has never mentioned, she begins to wonder if he is really over her and more so – did she really do it? When Rebecca sweeps back into town, she begins to spin her own web of lies and manipulate her way back into Jack’s good graces. How will Dani make it unscathed through all the drama, and can her restaurant and dream be a success?
While I thought I could love the plot and I’m all for a good mystery, this book just fell a little flat for me. I thought the writing was a bit slow and sometimes I just didn’t have that spark to keep reading. I’m really bummed too because like I said I enjoy the mystery aspects in a book, and I love reading about food. The parts that slowed me down were the flashbacks with Vic and Melinda. I thought they were a bit much. I could easily tell that Vic was highly in love with Melinda and that something devastating had happened, but all the pages of back story was just not necessary in my opinion. Jack’s character confused me a bit at times too – I couldn’t always tell what Dani saw in him – but Rebecca was great. In an evil way, of course. Her character is one that you will just hate, but need to keep reading about. Overall, I had a good time reading Pushover, but it’s not a favorite of mine. I think flashbacks can really make or break a story, and in my opinion it broke it for this one. But, I could tell that Mayer does have some great writing skills, and I will definitely check her out again!
[Rating: 3.5]
Guest Post by Aida Brassington
Ask a group of writers about how they create characters, and you’re likely to get dozens of different answers. Some people prefer to “pants” their way through a novel, or sit down with a vague idea of what the story is and who the characters are and just start writing. Some take a more structured approach.
I believe in the structured approach.
When I was preparing to write Between Seasons, a paranormal novel that tells the story of a ghost who falls in love with the woman who buys his house forty years after his death, I started with my main character. Name and physical appearance are important factors. I knew I wanted his family to be Irish Catholic, so I picked a good Irish Catholic name: Patrick Boyle. I have a different approach when it comes to physical appearance – I go searching for a photo online, someone who at least vaguely resembles the person in my head. It helps to solidify what I’m thinking. In Patrick’s case, I found a photo of a guy with feathered hair. Patrick dies in 1970, so the right hair was imperative (something I never thought I’d say!). And then it’s time to write it out: scars, eye color, hair color, jaw-line, nose, body type, height, weight, how he walks, his favorite words, nervous habits.
I’ve read arguments that this kind of stuff [link: http://damyantiwrites.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/writers-why-are-character-lists-a-waste-of-time/] is useless, a waste of time. Maybe for some writers. For me, giving a character detail breathes life into him. And when there’s a fully fleshed out character beating on the inside of my head, I’m going to be able to write him well. Sure, I could have sat down and started writing Patrick’s story, but he wouldn’t be half as real – to me or those who read the novel.
Read a review of Between Seasons, and you might see people talking about how they were touched by his loneliness, confusion, and despair but taken with his quirky late teen attitude. They like the true to life characters and real feel of the dialogue. I doubt I could have managed that without serious work up front on characterization. Patrick is engineered in a very specific way.
What do I suggest for good character building, regardless of whether you’re a pantser or a plotter?
Make a decision about your character’s ethnic background before you choose a name. No one is going to believe a sixteen-year-old Amish girl is named Shaniqua D’Amico.
While detailing physical attributes is good to do before you start writing, at least write down these details as you make them up during writing. Why? It stops you from giving your main character blue eyes in one chapter and green eyes in another.
Decide up front if your character is going to have any speech affectations or nervous reactions – a lisp, a word he or she uses frequently, the habit of chewing his nails when he’s nervous, a face twitch when someone says the word “moist.” Again, it helps with continuity and reduces the need for edits later on.
Nothing’s worse than reading a book that begins with a character who speaks like he’s in the third grade but suddenly switches fifty pages in to a character who comes off like he’s a Harvard educated Ph.D. Don’t let yourself get caught in that trap!
Want to judge whether Patrick Boyle is well-written as a character?
Try: BETWEEN SEASONS
$3.99 in electronic formats at Amazon US [http://www.amazon.com/Between-Seasons-Aida-Brassington/dp/0615562264] | Amazon UK [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Between-Seasons-ebook/dp/B0061G3HHA/]| BN [http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/between-seasons-aida-brassington/1107065107] | Smashwords [http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/100552]
$12.99 at Amazon in paperback [http://www.amazon.com/Between-Seasons-Aida-Brassington/dp/0615562264/]
The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken by Mari Passananti
Zoe Clark is devastated when her fiancée ends their decade long relationship right before their over the top wedding. When his reasoning for calling it off is admitted, Zoe feels shaken and no longer trusts her judgment when it comes to men. But then comes Oscar. Oscar, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect man. Successful, wealthy, charming, and the chemistry is there. But is he too good to be true? Zoe turns to her BFF’s for help, Angela and Kevin, but turns out one of them is hiding a secret from Zoe that will send more shock waves through her dating life.
The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken by Mari Passananti is a book meant for the women. Zoe’s story is bound to touch you in some way, either making you think about your own life, what it is you really want, or giving you the confidence in being alone. I enjoyed watching Zoe’s transformation, from having to be part of a two-some, to thinking her life will only be complete once she finds the perfect man, to finally realizing that being alone is okay. Though the beginning started pretty slow for me, the ending really picked up when it came to what Oscar was hiding. The foreshadowing in the story gave me a good idea as to what it was, but it was still gripping to read about. Overall, I enjoyed watching Zoe go through her journey, and The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken is recommended by me!
[Rating: 4]
My November Birchbox Review
Last month, I signed up with the online company Birchbox. A girlfriend introduced me to the idea, and I thought I would love it. I have received one Birchbox so far, and it looks like I will not be wrong. I have decided to do reviews each month on the products that I receive. But first, you might be wondering what exactly Birchbox is. According to their website:
“Birchbox delivers the best products and the best insider secrets, without any fuss. Every month Birchbox members will receive a curated box of luxe beauty samples. Each box will span beauty categories and deliver exciting products that fit into both your day-to-day routine, and into those days when you want to turn up the drama a notch.”
Sounds fun right? So last month I signed up, took the beauty profile, and anxiously awaited my box. Here is what I received:
1. Alex & Isabelle Classic Hair Ties
2. Jouer Lip Enhancer
3. kate spade new york Twirl
4. Thymes Body Lotion
5. Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection
Now for the reviews:
1. Alex & Isabelle Classic Hair Ties- There are a fun spin on regular ole elastics. They won’t snag your hair either, a huge plus, and they look cute around your wrist. It’s almost like you’re wearing a bracelet, but you can use it to pull back your hair if needed. They come in an assortment of colors, so you can buy your favorite or get them all!
2. Jouer Lip Enhancer- My favorite product in the box. Not only will this help plump your lips without the ouchy tingly feeling of a regular plumper, it also moisturizes the lips- which I desperately need right now as the winter settles in. It also is just a very sheer pink color, so it looks good on. I love this stuff!
3. Kate Spade New York Twirl – My second favorite product in my box. Holy amazing smell. The first time I tried it, I ecstatically ran to my boyfriend and made him sniff my wrists. The description states that this fragrance is versatile, and I completely agree. I have worn in at work, on nights out, and when I have just been relaxing at home. And the bottle is adorable!
4. Thymes Body Lotion – I have used this on my hands mostly, but did use it on my entire body after a shower one time. The lotion has shea butter and Vitamin E packed into it, and I look for both in my body lotions. It smells great and seems to stay on my body long after I apply it.
5. Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection – This nail polish (I received Twila, the sparkly blue color) boasts that it lasts up to 50% longer than regular polish – and I think they are telling the truth! I applied the polish to my toes about three weeks ago, and I still have yet to see any cracks or peeling in the polish. I don’t wear a lot of polish because of the fact that it never seems to stay on, so I would definitely give more colors in the collection a try.
And that is my first Birchbox. My December box has already been shipped, and I can’t wait to see what I am getting. I love the element of surprise, and the low cost of only $10 (free shipping) to get these samples. What better way to try out products instead of wasting money on full size bottles and not liking them? Plus, with the reviews you write, you can earn points to redeem for full size products. Win-win for me! If you haven’t signed up yet, you can easily do so by following this link. More to come next month!
