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Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding
Chick Lit Review

Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding

Lucy is shocked when her husband of 16 years, Trent, announces he is leaving her. She knows that their relationship hasn’t been the best for a few years, but with careers and their fifteen-year old daughter Sam entering the teenage angst years, she never thought she would actually be heading for a divorce. Trent is tired of his boring marriage and wants his freedom- and the ability to get one his co-workers into bed. Trent has been eyeing the voluptuous Annika while on the job, but she wouldn’t give him the time of day unless he was separated from his wife. Finally on his own, Trent gets his singledom and Annika- but suddenly wonders if that is the life he truly wants. Lucy tries to pick up the pieces of her broken marriage, but when her job throws her together with a teen heartthrob actor (also her daughter’s biggest crush) Lucy’s life begins to spiral downwards.
Chronicles of a Midlife Crisis by Robyn Harding is heartfelt novel that draws readers into the lives of the characters by giving both Lucy and Trent a voice. The chapters are written in alternating point of views from both husband and wife, giving us a chance to really understand both sides and why this marriage failed. Deep emotions are revealed, self-doubt and guilt among others, and be prepared for this story to really make you think and feel for all the characters, not just Lucy and Trent. I really appreciated the ending of the novel as well, which is a rarity for me. I am usually left feeling unsatisfied in these types of relationship conflict stories, or feeling that the ending is too cliché, but I thought Harding did a fantastic job at tying all the loose ends together and giving the characters the ending they deserved. A definite recommendation from me!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 28, 2010
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Interview with Carla Neggers
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Carla Neggers

Q: When did you decide to get serious about writing?

I’ve always been serious in the sense that I’ve always been dedicated to writing the best book I can — even when I was eleven and climbed a tree with pad and pen! I entered college as a music major but graduated with a degree in journalism. After college, I freelanced and kept writing fiction. I finished a manuscript and finally got up the courage to submit a query letter to a New York literary agent. That was a big step! She took me on, and now here I am.

Q: You have over fifty novels published! Where does the inspiration for your stories keep coming from?

I’ve asked myself this, too, and I think coming up with new stories is a natural, intuitive process for me. I don’t have to hunt up ideas so that I can write. I write because I have ideas! For example, I was on vacation in Ireland a few years ago. No writing! But we visited a stone ruin and an ancient stone circle…and next thing I knew, I had a stories and characters percolating that eventually became THE ANGEL, THE MIST and THE WHISPER.

Q: Can you describe your latest novel, Cold Dawn, in twenty words or less?

Okay, let me give this a shot: A search-and-rescue expert and a smokejumper go after a deadly serial arsonist who strikes the small Vermont town of Black Falls. How’s that?

Q: Do you have a certain writing schedule you stick to?

Yes and no. I write most days and work hard, but I’m not regimented. I don’t write X number of pages a day or work X number of hours. What I get done and how long it takes depends on where I am in the book. At the beginning of a book, I tend to work more in fits and starts. I need little breaks for the story to meander and then settle. Toward the end of a book, I’ll write for longer periods at a stretch.

Q: What are you currently reading?

I just re-read the last 100 pages of MJ Rose’s THE HYPNOTIST. Fascinating book!

Q: What are your thoughts on the rise of technology for the writing industry- e-readers and self-publishing?

It’ll be what it’ll be. I love to write and I love to read, and that’s not going to change.

Q: When writing, do you often start from Chapter 1, or do you work backwards, or start somewhere in the middle?

Chapter 1, but I’ll jot down scenes or snippets of scenes that occur to me as I write. Sometimes I’ll start in on Chapter 1 with no synopsis, just to get a feel for the story; other times I’ll have a brief synopsis before I start.

Q: Are you currently working on a project?

Yes, I am. I’m deep into my latest work-in-progress. It’s a brand-new world, and I can’t wait to tell you more about it!

Q: You have been to some amazing locations around the world. Where is your favorite place to vacation?

My husband and I adore the southwest Irish coast. We stay in the pretty village of Kenmare and wander the hills of the Iveragh and Beara peninsulas. Stunning scenery, great food, wonderful people. Just love it there!

Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Write what you’re driven and love to write, but don’t postpone happiness until you achieve a certain goal. Be happy now! It’s too easy to say to yourself, “I’ll be happy when I finish a book.” Then it’ll be, “I’ll be happy when I’ve sold a book.” Then…”I’ll be happy when I make the bestseller lists.” Then…see how it works? It’s corrosive. Focus on writing the best book you can and living your life. Easier said than done some days, but,, FWIW, that’s my advice.

October 26, 2010
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 24
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 24

In My Mailbox: Week of October 24th

Title: Until the End of Forever
Author: Shannon Hart
Received: From Shannon Hart
Synopsis: When Sarah Matthews keeps having recurring nightmares she begins to psycho-analyse herself in an attempt to find the reason behind them. After all, she has a perfect marriage; two beautiful children; a part-share in a little business; and everything in the world she could possibly wish for. She is totally content…or is she? Could her life be just a little too perfect? Over a friendly luncheon, Sarah suddenly has stirrings of envy for the total freedom she can no longer enjoy; and when the opportunity is offered her to go to Paris for a month to work with a photographer on the production of a series of Coffee Table books, she decides to go off and find herself. However, in the wake of tragedy she is called back home again, only to find upon her return that the relationship between her and her husband rapidly begins to deteriorate. Very much aimed at the feminine reader, this is a lovely story, and one to which very few will be unable to relate.

Title: Fourteen Days Later
Author: Sibel Hodge
Received: From Sibel Hodge
Synopsis: When Helen Grey is set a fourteen day life-changing challenge the last thing she expects is to be pushed closer to her best friend’s brother, Kalem. But how can he fall for her when he’s too busy falling prey to her mishaps and too in love with his own perfect girlfriend? How will Kalem’s Turkish Cypriot family react when they find out? Is it really possible to change your life in fourteen days?

Title: Hollywood Ending
Author: Lucie Simone
Received: From Lucie Simone
Synopsis: Trina Stewart needs cash. Fast. She’s barely got enough dough to keep her fanny off the streets, let alone any spending money for hot nights clubbing on Sunset Strip. And her job teaching English as a Second Language is seriously lacking in both pay and glamour. But not just any job will do. She’s after a real Hollywood job. The kind that makes her $100,000 in film school debt and ten years in Tinsel Town not seem like such a big fat waste of time and money. But a girl can’t fritter away all her time fretting over her next paycheck, can she? Certainly not when a man like Matiu Wulf, a sexy Maori from New Zealand, parks his oh-so-fine self in the apartment above hers while he takes his best shot at Showbiz.
If only Matiu didn’t seem so… repelled by Trina. Really, though, it’s Los Angeles that Matiu finds so revolting. He’s only in L.A. to get some scene design experience to beef up his resume, and then he’s headed back to New Zealand to follow his dreams in peace, thank you very much. That’s his plan, anyway, until he falls hard for Trina…and Trina falls under the spell of a toothy-grinned wannabe actor who charms the pants right off her.
With Matiu on a mission to win Trina’s heart, and Trina on a mission to nail down that ever elusive Hollywood job, these two soon discover that when love gets tossed in the mix, life in Tinsel Town isn’t all red carpets, after parties, and celebrity gossip. In fact, Hollywood can be a downright bitch!

October 25, 2010
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John Belushi is Dead by Kathy Charles
Chick Lit Review

John Belushi is Dead by Kathy Charles

Seventeen year old Hilda is not a typical teenager. She and her best friend, Benji, are fascinated with death, specifically dead celebrities. They visit the areas of some of LA’s most notorious crime scenes and cemeteries, collecting mementos of death. When Hilda and Benji meet Hank, a reclusive old man living in an apartment where an actor stabbed himself to death, Hilda and Hank form an odd bond. Soon, Hilda is visiting Hank by herself, becoming fascinated in his world and the secrets he keeps. When Hilda meets Jake, Hank’s downstairs neighbor who just happens to be a good looking screenwriter, Hilda begins to questions her fascination in death. Is she missing out on life because of it? When Benji goes too far one night while trying to emulate John Belushi, Hilda finally gets another perspective on living life.
John Belushi is Dead, the debut novel by Kathy Charles, is an interesting YA contemporary novel. The characters are strong, and Charles writing is clearly fantastic. This is more of a dark and edgy novel, not supernatural at all, just digs into the unhappy cases of some real Hollywood murders (the OJ Simpson case, Charles Manson murders, etc). I liked the mystery that surrounds Hank’s character, and a possible love connection between Hilda and Jake adds another layer to the story. I didn’t hate this book, but didn’t quite love it either. I didn’t get as drawn into the plot as I would have liked, as interesting and different as it was. And a little forewarning: this book does contain multiple graphic scenes of murders and death, so if you don’t mesh well with those types of scenes, I wouldn’t recommend this specific title for you. But if you are looking for something on the opposite spectrum of chick lit, I would say check out John Belushi is Dead. There is a good life lesson to be learned from the young heroine.
Rating: 3.5.5

October 19, 2010
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She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter
Chick Lit Review

She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter

Shey Darcy is having a hard time adjusting being back home in Texas. After living in New York City, working as a supermodel with her photographer husband and three sons, Shey is shocked to learn that her husband is leaving her- for another man. Unsure of where else to recover from her heartache, Shey flees to Texas, back to her country roots. Life doesn’t get easier for Shey after the move though. Her teenage sons have trouble adjusting to their new lives as well, Shey’s Southern Baptist mom won’t stop hounding her about her broken life, and Shey’s love from her teenage years enters back into her life- and Shey realizes she may not have stopped loving him.
When I read that She’s Gone Country by Jane Porter focused on a mother struggling with issues within her family, I worried I wouldn’t be able to relate well to the main character- as I am without a husband or children. But Shey’s story wrapped me in and commanded my attention throughout. The love story may have been a bit too overpowering between Shey and her ex-crush, Dane, but I really enjoyed the ending for these characters. As for the motherhood aspect, even though I am not a mom, it was so easy for me to understand the struggles Shey was feeling and coping with. Porter’s writing feels straight from the heart, like Shey opened up her diary for all to read. It is because that emotion, that vulnerability from the main characters, that makes this story so fantastic. A definite recommendation from me for She’s Gone Country!
Rating: 4.5/5

October 15, 2010
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Author Profile: Robyn Harding
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Robyn Harding

Author Name: Robyn Harding

Website: http://www.robynharding.com/
Bio: Robyn Harding grew up in Quesnel, a logging town in northern British Columbia. To relieve her small town angst she turned to creative writing, hoping to become another S.E. Hinton and publish a novel at seventeen. After high school, creative writing was relegated to a hobby and Robyn moved to Vancouver. She studied English Literature, journalism, and then marketing, eventually landing a job at an advertising agency. After seven years in the industry, Robyn left to raise her two young children and work as a freelance copywriter. During this time, Robyn began to write fiction again. In 2004, she published her first novel, THE JOURNAL OF MORTIFYING MOMENTS. Since then, Robyn has continued to write: fiction, nonfiction and screenplays.
Currently: Robyn currently lives in Vancouver, B.C. with her family.
Titles: the Journal of Mortifying Moments, Unravelled, The Secret Desires of a Soccer Mom, Mom, Will This Chicken Give Me Man Boobs?, Girls Night Out, My Parents Are Sex Maniacs, and Chronicles of a Mid Life Crisis.
Bio Retrieved from www.robynharding.com

October 14, 2010
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Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many by Heather Wardell

Madeleine-Cora Spencer, or MC, gets a little too drunk one night and decides to sign up for a reality dating show. Her love life is nothing to boast about, so why not? When she is chosen for the show, reality isn’t what it seems. Instead of a Bachelor-esque type dating show, MC is forced into the jungle with seven of her exes! Just when MC didn’t think having her personal life displayed on public TV was bad enough, another ex enters the picture- the one she may still be in love with.
Seven Exes are Eight too Many by Heather Wardell paints a realistic picture of reality TV. Lies, schemes, backstabbing, and not just among teammates, but the production crew as well! The behind the scene look of a craze that has swept society is an interesting concept for a novel, and with Wardell’s excellently placed humor and knack for bringing characters to life, it works. The main character may be slightly (mostly) neurotic, but her flaws only make her that much more relatable for readers. The seven exes each have distinct personalities, and I could easily love them or hate them. A few areas left me a little unsettled though: the concept of the reality show and the producer lying about what the contestants signed up for, and the ending. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but the finale episode didn’t do the story justice, in my opinion. Still an excellent novel from the always clever Heather Wardell, and I would recommend you check out Seven Exes are Eight too Many.
Rating: 4/5

October 13, 2010
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Author Profile: Michele Gorman
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Michele Gorman

Author Name: Michele Gorman

Website: http://www.michelegorman.co.uk/Welcome.html
Bio: Michele Gorman grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in rural northeastern USA. Trying to go the useful direction in college, she pursued accounting and went on to work as an auditor. Gorman then moved to Chicago, and while working for the bank realized she was not in the field she desired. So she went back to school, receiving a master’s degree in sociology, and met a great man- who then moved to London. For three years they continued a long long distance relationship, until Gorman eventually crossed the Pond to be with him. In early 2006, Gorman became an official citizen of Britain, and currently lives in London.
Titles: Single in the City
Bio Retrieved from www.michelegorman.co.uk

October 12, 2010
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Author Profile: Kathy Charles
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Kathy Charles

Author Name: Kathy Charles

Website: http://www.kathycharles.com/index.html
Bio: Kathy Charles worships at the church of pop culture. At the age of ten she dreamt of being the female equivalent of Steven Spielberg, barking into a megaphone while a crew of hundreds rushed around a sound stage doing her bidding. When she discovered being a director meant getting up early, she turned her attention to writing, where you can keep your own hours and there is no chance of going over budget.

Currently: In addition to writing, Kathy currently works in the film industry in Australia where she lives with her husband, cat and pug dog.
Titles: John Belushi is Dead.
Bio Retrieved from www.kathycharles.com

October 11, 2010
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