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In My Mailbox: Week of February 13th
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In My Mailbox: Week of February 13th

In My Mailbox: Week of February 13th

Title: Starring in the Movie of My Life
Author: Laurel Osterkamp
Received: From Laurel Osterkamp
Synopsis: STARRING IN THE MOVIE OF MY LIFE, by novelist Laurel Osterkamp, is about
two women who vie for the love of the same man. Thirty-five-year-old
Samantha acts without thinking. Her heart is huge while her sense of purpose is
small; she’s willing to fight for those she loves, but she’s never learned to fight
for herself. Eighteen-year-old Melody is cold and calculating, and she’s driven by
the desire to better herself. As these compelling yet deeply flawed women battle
for the affections of 25-year-old Nathan, he becomes increasingly confused and
torn between them.

Nathan is Melody’s English teacher, and after he saves her from being raped,
she becomes attached to him. Melody longs for the affection she’s never felt, so
she involves her friends and family in her self-invented drama, making sure she
is at once the star and the director. Meanwhile, Samantha is newly married to
Nathan. But Samantha has issues, including hang-ups about motherhood and
lingering feelings for her ex. To make sense of the world, Sam relates her life to
the themes of her favorite movies, while she independently makes a
documentary in order to jump-start her non-existent film career.

Title: The Midwife’s Confession
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Received: From Tricia Carr @ Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc
Synopsis: When Noelle Downie is found dead of an apparent overdose, her best friends Tara and Emerson are left blindsided by her death and struggling with burning questions. Everything they knew about their longtime friend—her natural calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family—portrayed a woman who completely embraced life, not someone suicidal.
Clearing out Noelle’s small home, Tara and Emerson encounter old photos, handwritten birth records, and sincere thank you notes from Noelle’s former patients—no hint that Noelle had been unstable during the years leading to her suicide. But among Noelle’s belongings, an unfinished letter is discovered—a clue to a disturbing past and an unbearable secret. With just one piece to the puzzle, Tara and Emerson commit to digging deeper for clues, slowly peeling back years of hidden deception that had been silently tearing apart their best friend.

Title: Love Struck
Author: Chantel Simmons
Received: From Chantel Simmons
Synopsis: In the vein of her popular debut and bestselling novel, Stuck in Downward Dog, Chantel Simmons brings us a funny, heartfelt story about losing the perfect life—and find a real one. When 27-year-old image consultant Poppy Ross discovers her handsome and seemingly devoted husband Parker is having an affair, she is dumbfounded. Before she can confront him, however, he is struck by lightning. When he regains consciousness, he has lost his short-term memory—including that of the affair. Given this unlikely chance to erase history, Poppy decides to remake herself in the mistress’s image, so that her husband might never be tempted to stray again. Her quest to become the perfect woman has disastrous results, however, and may just turn out to be the worst thing possible for her marriage.

Title: Voices on the Waves
Author: Jess Chambers
Received: From Jess Chambers
Synopsis: When Faye Wakefield runs a competition offering nine lucky winners a two-week stay at her beautiful farmhouse retreat in Cornwall, she promises an experience they will never forget. However, even Faye could not have imagined how bringing these people together would change their lives forever.

Just as she hoped, the competition yields a diverse mix of characters. Among them are Leah Shaw, a shy young woman with troubled eyes; the womanizing business tycoon Marcus Armitage; Karenza Jackson ruled by her deep-rooted need for independence; retired nurse Bronwyn Davis, and Patrick O’Leary, an Irishman with an affiliation for the whisky bottle.

So begins a gently unfolding story of love and illicit affairs, heartache and self-discovery. Yet, as sparks fly and the guests share their long-buried secrets, only Faye knows of her ulterior motive for inviting them all under her roof.

February 13, 2011
2 Comments
Guest Post by Cavanaugh Lee
For Writers

Guest Post by Cavanaugh Lee

Chick Lit Plus – Guest Blog
How To Balance Writing with a Day Job

My first novel, SAVE AS DRAFT, was released on February 1, 2011. I spent the past week in my home town, San Francisco, promoting the book and I just flew back to Savannah, Georgia, my current state of residence, where I had the honor of speaking to a bunch of aspiring writers this weekend. I head to Atlanta on Tuesday where SAD (as those of us in-the-know appropriately call it for short) is set. All in all, it’s been a whirlwind of a week. Had anyone told me a couple years back that I would one day walk into my local Barnes & Noble and see my dream come true – my book on the shelf at the front of the store – I would have, well, laughed out loud.

For any writer, you’ll never have a moment like it. I’m an attorney by day (a federal prosecutor), and the closest I’ve come to feeling like I felt at B&N was when I won my first criminal trial. I was an idealistic new prosecutor (I still am) when I heard the jury read the verdict aloud – “Guilty”. I sat there stunned as my co-counsel, a very seasoned trial attorney, leaned over and whispered into my ear: “Take it in. You’ll never have a first again. It’ll always feel slightly different after this.”

I’ve often wondered if he’s right. Will it feel different after SAD? I only have one book to go on so I only know how it feels now. And it’s a thrill!

It’s also simultaneously hard and wonderful to go back to your day job. I haven’t officially returned to prosecuting full-time as I still have another week and a half to promote SAD. I took two weeks off from work to devote to promotion. I did, however, return to my office for one day – last Friday – to make sure that none of my cases had imploded, check voicemails, respond to emails, etc. As I walked inside, I felt a tremendous surge of excitement and fear. And fatigue… I was pretty darn tired.

For the last year, those three words have summarized the process of writing a book while working a challenging day job, all at the same time: excitement, fear, and fatigue. It’s tough. Tough, I tell you. But, all you writers reading this already know what I’m talking about – unless you are fortunate enough to be either independently wealthy or married to a millionaire. Alas I have neither so I kept my day job.

Oddly enough, that is the question I’ve been asked the most while promoting SAD: Are you going to keep your day job as you write your second book? My immediate response was always the same:

“I would be presumptuous to assume that there will be a second book although I sure as heck hope there will be one (I mean, two). And, I would be even more presumptuous to assume that I would be paid a “Stephanie Meyer advance.” These sorts of things just don’t happen too often. So, my assumption (and presumption) is that I will likely have to keep my day job while I write my second book. Sigh…”

But is it really a “sigh”…? If a genie in a bottle granted me one wish – to be able to write full time and quit my day job – would I do it? My answer is:

I don’t know.

I don’t know?! Shouldn’t it be a resounding YES??!!!

I don’t know…

When speaking to fifteen aspiring writers yesterday, that same question was posed to me yet again:

“Are you going to quit your day job if given the chance?”

One woman volunteered:

“I mean, that’s every writer’s dream. Harper Lee’s sister and brother gave her enough money to live on for a year while she finished TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. That is the greatest gift that any writer could be given.”

Hmm. I thought about that for the rest of the day. Is that really the greatest gift that any writer could be given? A year off to do nothing but write… I think it isn’t. The greatest gift that any writer can be given, that was given to me two years ago, is this:

A great story.

Maybe the second greatest gift any writer could be given is a year off to write. Although I’m not so sure about that even. As hard as it is to work two full-time jobs, I don’t know how well I’d write if it became a “luxury.” Isn’t there some truth to the saying, “the greatest inspiration is often born of desperation?” Didn’t Hemingway write his best when he was over-worked, poor, and sleeping on a couch at The Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris? Of course, there is Harper Lee…

I just don’t know.

What I do know is this: I wrote SAVE AS DRAFT while working full-time as an attorney. I stuck to my schedule like glue – I practiced law Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 6 PM, and I wrote from 7 to 11:30 PM; on the weekends, I wrote five to eight hours. I rarely strayed from my rigid plan. I turned down late nights out with my friends at cool new bars. I declined dates from possible suitors, thereby eradicating any semblance of a love life from inception. I skipped out early on holiday dinners to go back to typing away on my laptop. I did (or didn’t do) all of these things except for one:

I did not quit my day job, nor did it even occur to me to lessen my caseload.

Why? Because our day jobs keep us grounded, remind us what is “for real,” and preserve our honest outlook on life and everything that comes along with it. Sometimes our day jobs can even inspire our writing. My story for SAD in many ways was borne from my day job two years ago. And I have a feeling my second book will follow a similar pattern. While it’s hard… so hard… to live on a little less sleep at night in order to get that chapter finished and somehow squeeze it in between cooking dinner and watching an episode of “Modern Family,” if you manage to do it – and do it successfully – you’ll appreciate the result all the more.

Yes, the greatest inspiration is often born of desperation.

Let’s face it, how desperate can one really be when she has everything she’s ever wanted in life in front of her computer screen?

So, back to that Barnes & Noble… and Harper Lee… You cannot imagine my joy at seeing that my first book – the one I wrote while working hard prosecuting crimes and fighting hard to keep our streets a safer place – was somehow miraculously placed on the bookshelf right next to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD…

(INSERT PICTURE)

Wow. Wonders never cease…

So to all of you who have to work a full-time day job in order to reach your dreams at night, I applaud you! It’s so worth it.

February 11, 2011
5 Comments
Ashlee Simpson-Wentz Files for Divorce
Chick Lit Plus

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz Files for Divorce

While her sister’s romance heats up, Ashlee Simpson’s has hit the ice. The singer filed for divorce from her husband of two and half years, Pete Wentz. People.com released this joint statement from the couple, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to file for divorce. We remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our No. 1 priority. We ask that everyone honor our privacy as we navigate this next phase of our lives.”
Simpson, 26, cited “irreconcilable differences” on documents filed with the L.A. Superior Court on Tuesday, and is seeking spousal support. She is also seeking full primary physical custody of their 2-year-old son, Bronx, with visitation for Wentz, and dropping the hyphenated Wentz from her last name. The youngest Simpson daughter married Wentz, now 31, in May 2008 and welcomed Bronx in November.

February 10, 2011
1 Comment
Beware: Authors Bashing Reviewers
Updates

Beware: Authors Bashing Reviewers

Well, well, well. My, my, my. Where to begin? I was having a favorable Wednesday until I was alerted via Twitter that an author was bashing me- publicly. My first thought was, that can’t be right! Who would do such a thing? I clicked on the lovely link to find a post on the blog Authors Helping Authors titled “Authors Beware of Unprofessional Reviewers.” Again I thought to myself, Am I unprofessional? That can’t be right! Who would do such a thing? If you haven’t read the post yet, I suggest you do, and let me know what you think. I didn’t want to write anything in response to such a massacre of character, but watching this whole thing blow up online…well, I have to.
Sylvia Massara contacted me and asked me to review The Other Boyfriend. She contacted me, not the other way around, just so we’re all clear. I agreed, read the book, and gave my review. If anyone thinks my review is inappropriate it, let me know. I have been blogging for close to two years now, and I never once have gotten a response like this to a review. I have written reviews before for books that I didn’t like, I don’t like every book I’ve read. But I have never, nor will I ever, bash an author on a personal level. I don’t name call them, demoralize their character, or put them down in any way. I read something I don’t like, I will always add something positive to the review, which I did in Sylvia Massara’s case. Also, when I write these critiques, they are my hope that the author will read them and take something away from what I am saying. I have received many emails back from authors thanking me for taking the time to read and review their work. Thanking me for putting critiques in my review, and noting that they will keep that in mind for the next novel they write. I work as a freelance editor, and have received multiple job requests from authors who read my reviews and understand what I am trying to say, and how I am trying to help them.
As for the name calling Sylvia so kindly added to her post. Calling book bloggers, myself in particular, a “smartass” “unprofessional” and “trashy.” Again, let me point to my review of The Other Boyfriend. I never said anything to this manner about Sylvia, I even said I would look forward to reading her next novel. Putting me down by saying I’ve probably never wrote anything but “a grocery list.” Why does she think I’m a book blogger? I started Chick Lit Plus because of my passion for reading and writing. I love getting the opportunity to read books and write my own articles on topics that interest me. I love working with authors and other readers to promote books. I will point out here the obvious- I am not paid to be a book blogger. Sure I can hope I receive a measly $10 in commission from Amazon each month- by promoting author’s books. I have to take time out of my day to read the countless number of books I receive. I have to take time out of my day to write the reviews, profile the authors, come up with interview questions. I have to take the time out of my day to post to my blog, to keep my posts fresh and new. I work full time at a hospital, receive many freelancing jobs on the side, and still need to have somewhat of a life. I have family, friends, and a boyfriend who constantly tries to get me to shut down my computer at a decent time at night so I can get some sleep and stop working. Who am I working for? Authors. For free.
And about me never writing more than a grocery list. First, I hardly ever write grocery lists. I prefer to wander up and down every aisle so I don’t miss anything. Second, if you took a look at my blog, you could see I write a bit more. I have many articles that I’ve written for Chick Lit Plus, and for other sites as well. Third, I am in the process of writing my own book. I can’t spend quite as much time each day that I would like to on my manuscript because I am too busy reading, writing reviews, and maintaining my blog. Did I mention that I pay a yearly fee to keep my blog running? Is any author going to pay me for that? I didn’t think so.
To wrap this up, I am horrified by Sylvia Massara’s post. The blatant unprofessionalism, the name calling, and the finger pointing at myself and the lovely Rowena with Book Binge. If you didn’t like my review, send me an email letting me know. Give me a chance to explain myself before you try to discredit me from the book blogging world and basically call me a fraud. Sylvia- did you happen to see the Mailbox post I put out just this morning? It has your novel Like Casablanca in it. More promoting, just for you. You can believe that will be taken down and your novel deleted from my Kindle. Thank you for warning me to stay away from you and your tainted words. And by “laughing your way to the bank with your huge royalty checks” makes all your readers sound like your minions, doing nothing more but paying your bills. A huge thank you to all the fabulous people who have been supporting me throughout today. A special shout out to all the book bloggers, who work so hard and don’t receive enough credit for what they do. I feel truly special to have joined your world and can proudly say that I am an avid reader and a book blogger.

February 10, 2011
46 Comments
In My Mailbox: February 9
Updates

In My Mailbox: February 9

In My Mailbox: Week of February 9, 2011

Title: Like Casablanca
Author: Sylvia Massara
Received: From Sylvia Massara
Synopsis: What does internet dating and Casablanca have in common? Nothing, unless you go to Rick’s Cafe and find out what dating blogger, Cat Ryan, is up to. Cat’s doing research for her internet dating blog, and the place she chooses to meet her many dates is Rick’s Cafe in Sydney. But what of its disturbingly handsome owner, Rick Blake? What does he think, seeing her with a different man each time?

Title: Personally I Blame My Fairy Godmother
Author: Claudia Carroll
Received: From Charlotte Allen @ Avon Publicity
Synopsis: Jessie Woods absolutely believes in fairytale endings. So would you if you had a recession-proof career as a daredevil TV host, a palatial pink mansion, and the dream boyfriend.

But, quicker than you can say Cinderella, her life falls to pieces and suddenly her prince isn’t quite so charming, her party-loving friends disappear and even her faithful friend Visa no longer loves her…

Utterly heartbroken and jobless, Jessie is forced back home, to live with her stepmum and two evil stepsisters.

Title: Save As Draft
Author: Cavanaugh Lee
Received: From Amanda Ferber @ Simon & Shuster
Synopsis: Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011
From: Izabell
To: Reader
Subject: Save as Draft
Are we Facebook friends yet? I’m the wactress (waitress/actress) turned lawyer who lives her life online. (Don’t we all these days?)
Anyway, I’ve got this problem. . . . There’s this guy. His name’s Peter. He’s my best friend and co-worker, and we just started dating, which is potentially a huge mistake. But, that’s not all. There’s this other guy, Marty. I met him on eHarm, and he ran with the bulls in Spain. I can’t get him off my mind. What a mess. I’d love your advice if you can take a second out of your crazy, high-tech life. Shoot me an e-mail. Or text me. Or BB messenger me.
And friend me if you haven’t already! You can find me on Facebook under Save as Draft.
Izabell

Title: Irresistible Forces
Author: Brenda Jackson
Received: Via Amazon Kindle Shop
Synopsis: One week of mind-blowing sex on a beautiful Caribbean island. Of all the business proposals financial tycoon Dominic Saxon has heard, Taylor Steele’s is definitely the most tempting. All Taylor wants in return is for Dominic to father her baby. No strings, no commitments.just a mutually satisfying arrangement. Make that very satisfying. For a man with no intention of marrying again, it sounds ideal.

Taylor wants a baby, not a relationship. And sexy, intelligent Dominic seems like a man with perfect genes. Turns out, Dominic has perfect everything. Their “procreation vacation” is a whirlwind of sensual ecstasy. But when it’s over, will either of them be able to say goodbye?

Is it time for her to give up on the dream – or will Jessie learn that happy endings can come in the strangest of places?

February 9, 2011
2 Comments
Double Delicious Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld
Chick Lit Plus

Double Delicious Cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld

I am no culinary genius. Not by a long shot. When I am looking for a recipe (which isn’t often) I’m googling “fast, easy, few ingredients” in the search engine. My life is extremely hectic and I don’t have a lot of time to spend grocery shopping and cooking meals. When I received the new cookbook from Jessica Seinfeld called Double Delicious! I promised myself to try at least two recipes. The front of the cookbook claimed simple recipes for complicated lives, and healthy recipes on top of that. I try my best to incorporate healthy whenever I can- whole grain noodles here, reduced fat butter there- so I thought this cookbook could possibly turn into my best friend.
No luck. I can’t even find one recipe that I would cook. They all have at least ten ingredients, which to me, is frightening. The steps are complicated, and there weren’t a lot of recipes that I was excited about attempting to make. Plus, many of them needed a vegetable puree. Do you know how long it takes to make a vegetable puree? I did after I looked it up. These recipes are not simple. I didn’t attempt making any of them so I’m not sure on the taste of any of the dishes. But if you are looking for a cookbook with fast and simple recipes, I would not add Double Delicious! to your list.
Rating: 3

February 8, 2011
1 Comment
The Other Boyfriend by Sylvia Massara
Chick Lit Review

The Other Boyfriend by Sylvia Massara

Sarah Jamison is done being patient. She has waited long enough for her lover to finally break up with his girlfriend. Jeffrey has been promising to break up with Moira for ages, but keeps citing business reasons to wait, as Jeffrey and Moira are partners in their network marketing business. Sarah decides to get proactive, enlisting best friend Monica to help devise a plan to break up Jeffrey and Moira for good. Monica thinks adding the dashing Mike Connor to the mix is the right idea. But instead of breaking up Jeffrey and Moira, the plan begins to backfire on Sarah. Along with the help of Sarah’s internet hacker mother, Rosepurple, Sarah finds the true identity of Jeffrey, and realizes her relationship with him was never meant to be.
I wanted to like The Other Boyfriend by Sylvia Massara. But it was hard to. While I thought the plot could have gone a lot of different ways, it turned out to be exhaustingly predicable and one-dimensional. The business that Sarah, Jeffrey, and Moira are in is a big part of the story, but it was never explained. I had no idea what they were doing, and each time business was talked about, I just became confused. And the book should have been run through an editor. I got tired of reading about Mike’s “sea-green eyes” for every description. It was a fast read, but too predictable for me to recommend.
Rating: 2

February 7, 2011
9 Comments
In My Mailbox: Week of February 6th
Updates

In My Mailbox: Week of February 6th

In My Mailbox: Week of February 6th

Title: Lucky Stiff
Author: Deborah Coonts
Received: From Cassie Ammerman @ Tor/Forge
Synopsis: Lucky O’Toole—Head of Customer Relations at The Babylon, premier mega-resort on the Vegas Strip—thinks it’s just another night in Las Vegas. A tractor-trailer has spilled its load of a million honeybees, blocking not only the Strip but the entrance to her hotel… the District Attorney for Clark County—apparently the odd man out of a threesome on the twelfth floor—is hiding in the buff in one of the hotel’s laundry rooms… and Numbers Neidermeyer—one of Vegas’ less-than-savory oddsmakers—is arguing with Las Vegas’ ace private investigator, the Beautiful Jeremy Whitlock.
The next day, Lucky discovers Ms. Neidermeyer was tossed into the shark tank at the Mandalay Bay Resort as a snack for the Tiger Shark. When the police show up at the Babylon with a hastily prepared search warrant, applied for by the District Attorney himself, and Jeremy lands in the hot seat, Lucky realizes her previous night was far from routine.
Amid the chaos of fight weekend, the hiring of an eccentric new French chef, and her madam mother’s intentions to auction off a young woman’s virginity, Lucky is drawn into a deadly game where no one is what they seem, a game that will end only when she discovers who made fish-food out of Numbers Neidermeyer.
Lucky O’Toole and Fabulous Las Vegas—life doesn’t get any better.

Title: Scotland By Starlight
Author: Nancy Volkers
Received: From Nancy Volkers
Synopsis: Cassie Wrentham is on her way to Scotland again… but this time it’s not vacation. She’s moving in with Ralph Macnair, the charismatic Scotsman who stole her heart. But Cassie wouldn’t be Cassie without doubts. Will she find a job in a tight U.K. economy? Would marrying Ralph now be only for convenience’s sake? Will she fit in, make friends, make a life there? Or will it all fall apart? Bursting with a lively cast of characters, all with their own stories and challenges, Scotland By Starlight follows Cassie and Ralph from the new beginnings of their intense relationship to a conclusion like no other.

Title: Know It All
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Received: From Sarah Mlynowski
Synopsis: From the bestselling author of MILKRUN and ME VS ME comes a story of friendship, flip-flops…and fortune telling.

Shaun’s new roommate, Dee, claims to be a little bit psychic (“Can you be a little bit psychic? Is that like being a little bit pregnant?”) Dee insists that Shaun’s ex-boyfriend Brahm is about to meet and fall in love with someone new. A redhead. At Jeremiah’s. Shaun doesn’t believe in psychics, and even if she did, she’s over Brahm. Definitely over him. But maybe she should head over to Jeremiah’s just in case…

*KNOW IT ALL originally appeared in the collection GIRLS’ NIGHT IN.

February 6, 2011
1 Comment
Challenge:Post Reviews:February
Updates

Challenge:Post Reviews:February

February Challenge Reviews Look back at January Reviews Please note this is not the sign up page. To sign up, click here Only signed up…

February 4, 2011
47 Comments