Book Review: Georgia's Kitchen

Kelly's Review of Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson

Author Jenny Nelson’s debut novel Georgia’s Kitchen is a gourmand and chick lit lover’s dream come true. Set in both NYC and Tuscany, Italy, the reader follows Georgia Gray on her journey to find love, courage to follow her passion and most importantly, herself.

At thirty-three years old, Georgia is head chef at one of New York City’s swankiest eateries and fiancé to Glenn, a successful lawyer. All of a sudden, her world comes crashing down around her when a slanderous restaurant review costs Georgia her job and Glenn unexpectedly calls off the wedding. With a ruined reputation and a broken heart, Georgia decides to escape from the city and spend the summer in Tuscany cooking for her former mentor.

Endless amounts of cheese, wine, and her new Italian lover, Gianni, revive Georgia and quickly have her feeling like herself again. After a fairytale summer, she is faced with the decision to take the opportunity of a lifetime or return to NYC and follow her dream – to open her own restaurant.

Nelson navigates the culinary world with such ease, one would guess she studied at Le Cordon Bleu in a former life. Her descriptions of ingredients and entrees are so deliciously detailed that you can almost taste them.

Georgia’s Kitchen tackles a number of issues to which nearly every twenty and thirty-something woman can relate. Georgia asks herself “When will I find The One?” “If I do find him, will I still be young enough to have children?” “Do I even want children?” “Should I have started a family rather than focus on my career?” Georgia’s struggle to separate societal and familial expectations from what she really wants out of life is a familiar predicament for the modern woman.

Nelson has worked as a web editor and producer for companies such as iVillage, Vogue.com and Style.com. She now lives with her husband, twin daughters and dog in Millbrook, NY and Manhattan.

Visit http://www.jennynelsonauthor.com/ for more information about Nelson and the latest news on her upcoming work.
--

Have you/will you read Georgia's Kitchen? Let us know!

The Chick Lit Bee Welcomes Shannon Hart

We are thrilled to announce that author Shannon Hart has joined The Chick Lit Bee as a contributor. Shannon will mainly write short stories for us. Her first short story will be posted soon, so be sure to check back often. We are so excited that Shannon has chosen The Chick Lit Bee as a platform to share her stories. Shannon's debut novel Until the End of Forever was published last year. Check it out and join us in welcoming Shannon to The Chick Lit Bee! Here's a bit more info about Shannon:

Shannon Hart loves to tell people she is the queen of multitasking: a general manager in marketing and PR by day, writer by night, and on top of that, a daughter, a wife and a mom to two gorgeous kids. Oh, and full time shopper too. Her writing experience started with her high school magazine – now, her novel Until the End of Forever is available through online bookstores. She is finishing up her second manuscript, which will hopefully be picked up by an agent very soon. Aside from the obvious writing, reading and shopping, Shannon is also a sitcom junkie and loves movie nights with her husband.

To learn more visit www.shannon-hart.com and follow Shannon on Twitter.

Book Review: The Kiss Test

Nancy’s Review of The Kiss Test by Shannon McKelden

Can’t help falling in love with The Kiss Test by Shannon McKelden. This hilarious novel follows two best friends, Margo and Chris, on a road trip to Graceland and Los Angeles. The Elvis-themed ebook is McKelden’s third after Venus Envy and Venus Guy Trap.

Margo Gentry is a country music DJ in New York, lives with her boyfriend, Kevin, and is obsessed with all things Elvis. Her life seems to be going well until she loses her job. As if that’s not enough, she has a huge fight with Kevin when she refuses his marriage proposal and he kicks her out. Reluctantly, Margo turns to her lifelong best friend, Chris, for a place to stay. He is a player, to say the least, but he agrees to let her stay with him even if it could present problems when he wants to bring random women home who have passed his "kiss test." When Margo tries to make a quick getaway so she won’t ruin one of Chris’s dates, she has an accident on the stairs that leaves her with a concussion. Determined to make the best of her unemployment, homelessness, and head injury, Margo decides to go on a road trip to Graceland. Since she can’t drive, Chris invites himself along to be her chauffeur and personally escort her all the way to Los Angeles after Graceland to ensure that she goes to her mother’s eleventh wedding. The road trip is anything but smooth. By the time they reach Los Angeles, Margo wonders how everything got so complicated.

The Kiss Test is laugh-out-loud funny. McKelden’s quirky dialogue adds a flow to the book that pulls readers right into Margo’s story. The banter between Margo and Chris is expertly crafted. McKelden has the ability to make scenes so vivid and believable that readers will feel like they are there with the characters. Adding some fun new twists, McKelden successfully tells the classic story of two best friends trying to figure out if they are really just friends. This book is definitely worth reading.   

The Kiss Test is available now from Carina Press, Harlequin’s digital imprint.
 
For more information about Shannon McKelden and her books, please visit:
http://shannonmckelden.com/ 

http://twitter.com/smckelden  

http://www.myspace.com/shannonmckelden

--  
Have you read The Kiss Test or Shannon McKelden’s other books? Do you want to read The Kiss Test? Let us know!

Join The Chick Lit Bee Team!

If you have a passion for chick lit and would like to write for The Chick Lit Bee, please send an email to Nancy at chicklitbee@gmail.com to discuss details. This is an unpaid position and would be appropriate for those seeking writing experience, an outlet for opinions and creativity, and publicity. We are looking for people who can contribute on a regular basis and develop their presence and voice on the blog. Contributions can be book reviews, columns, interviews, short stories, etc. We are flexible and will work with you to ensure that your involvement with the blog is a positive experience. If you are interested, please contact Nancy by email and provide a short writing sample or link to your blog if you have one. Thanks so much!

Author Beeginnings: Melissa Senate

Melissa Senate is the author of ten novels in adult fiction and young adult fiction including See Jane Date, The Solomon Sisters Wise Up, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?, Theodora Twist, The Breakup Club, Love You To Death, Questions to Ask Before Marrying, The Secret of Joy, The Mosts, and The Love Goddess' Cooking School. Here's our interview with Melissa to learn more about how she started her writing career. Enjoy!

 

What was your favorite book(s) when you were a child? 

As a kid, I loved Encyclopedia Brown and Judy Blume’s novels, but my very favorite has always been Anne of Green Gables. That book taught me that imagination will take you everywhere.

When did you start writing? 

I started writing in high school, but my work was always met with a sneer by the snooty teen editor of the literary journal in high school and college. In my early twenties, I took a writing class taught by one of my favorite literary writers, and she also hated everything I turned in. I was so discouraged until I realized what their problem was with my voice and style: I was a commercial writer, with a commercial, fun voice. When I understood that, when I took ownership of that voice, I wrote my first novel with confidence. And sold it!

What kind of writing did you start with? (short stories, poems, articles, etc.) 

I started with short stories. I love reading stories and story collections.

When did you decide to become an author and how did you know it was the right career for you? 

I’d long had the idea for my debut novel, See Jane Date, but because of discouragement when I was so young, I just kept it my head—and heart. But after reading Bridget Jones’ s Diary in the late 90s, I realized there was a market for the type of book I wanted to write, for my voice and style. Writing See Jane Date felt so right and so wonderful and when I wrote The End on the last page, I felt such a sense of achievement. I’ve been writing ever since.

What was the most challenging part of starting a writing career? What was the best part? 

The most challenging part for me has to do with how hard writing can be. Sometimes the words just won’t come, or they come backwards, or they come in circles. But that’s also the best part, because figuring it all out is what makes writing so rewarding.

Describe what it was like to see and hold the first published copy of your first novel. Were you relieved, excited, anxious? How did you celebrate the launch? 

I was so excited! No matter a negative review here or there, or someone saying, “That’s not my kind of book (there are some serious book snobs among my own dear friends and family!), I wrote a novel—and that novel was published. I was crazy proud. I threw myself a big launch party at a snazzy lounge in my then neighborhood in New York City. It was almost ten years ago and I vividly remember every wonderful minute of it.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Believe in yourself and trust your gut. The gut knows. 

--

Thank you, Melissa!

Look for Melissa's newest novel The Love Goddess' Cooking School available on October 26th!

For more information:

Follow Melissa on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MelissaSenate 

Visit her page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelissaSenate

Visit her website: http://www.melissasenate.com/

Have you read any of Melissa's novels? Can you relate to her responses? Let us know!

Author Beeginnings: Sarah Pekkanen

Sarah Pekkanen is the author of The Opposite of Me and forthcoming Skipping a Beat. To get to know Sarah better, we asked her about how she began her writing career. Enjoy!

What was your favorite book(s) when you were a child?

I adored the Nancy Drew mysteries and still have my old set in my basement. Another favorite was Little Women. My grandmother gave me a beautiful, hardback copy of that book and I cherished it. And, of course, anything by Judy Blume. I remember reading Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and feeling almost electrified - the writing was so good and real!

When did you start writing?

When I was a kid, I used to write books and send them off to publishers, then confidently wait to see them on shelves at the store! I've got an old letter on Raggedy Ann stationery that I wrote to a publisher, asking when my collection titled "Miscellaneous Stories and Poems" would be published. My niece actually found that letter tucked inside of one of my Nancy Drew books, and now it's one of my most cherished possessions. It's up on my website, at www.sarahpekkanen.com

What kind of writing did you start with? (short stories, poems, articles, etc.)

After college, I went into journalism and worked for papers including The Baltimore Sun. I did a bit of political writing, but I was the worst Capitol Hill reporter ever. Politicians didn't interest me - real people did. I wrote freelance articles for magazines, then, after my kids were born, stayed home with them. But I missed writing so much. It was like losing my best friend. So one day I began playing around with a novel.... and, after some twists and turns, I finally did get to see my book, The Opposite of Me, on a shelf at the store!

When did you decide to become an author and how did you know it was the right career for you?

I always knew I wanted to write, but it wasn't until my late 30s that I turned to fiction again. It just felt right to me - like slipping on a perfect, comfortable pair of jeans. I feel sort of itchy and unsettled when I'm not writing and I can't imagine my life without it.

What was the most challenging part of starting a writing career? What was the best part?

Fighting through days when the writing comes so slowly (and badly!). Everyone has those days. It's agonizing to even put down a few sentences, then you're sure they're the worst sentences ever written. But you need to keep going. If you abandon your work on the tough days, you'll never complete that book. And you can always go back and fix your prose - that is, if you've written something in the first place. The best part was learning editor Greer Hendricks wanted to buy my book! Greer edits Jennifer Weiner, my favorite author, so her enthusiasm for The Opposite of Me meant the world!

Describe what it was like to see and hold the first published copy of your first novel. Were you relieved, excited, anxious? How did you celebrate the launch?

Surreal and crazy and thrilling, all rolled into one! I couldn't believe it. I kept moving the book around my house - I put it on my mantle, then my nightstand table, and carried it into my car the next morning. I still love seeing it. For the launch, I did a big booksigning at my local Barnes & Noble, then went across the street to a bistro with a huge group of friends. We drank chocolate martinis and laughed and talked. I'd had my makeup professionally done and wore a new outfit, and, of course, sky-high shoes.  It was truly a dream night. Of course, the next day it was sweatpants and Grape Nuts again!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Read as much as you can - and write the sort of book you love to read, be it chick lit, a mystery, thriller..... whatever lines your own bookshelves. And try to write something every day, even if it's just 200 words. If you manage a page a day, you'll finish your book in a year. I've also got lots of information, including how I got my agent, up at my website - www.sarahpekkanen.com

--

Thank you, Sarah!

For more information about Sarah and her books, you can check out her Web site, follow her on Twitter, and visit her Facebook page.

Have you read The Opposite of Me? Can you relate to Sarah's experiences? Let us know!

Author Beeginnings: Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is the award-winning author of According to Jane, Friday Mornings at Nine, and forthcoming The Grand European. We want to thank Marilyn for taking the time to answer our questions about how she started her writing career. Enjoy!

 

What was your favorite book(s) when you were a child? 

I had lots of favorites, but I especially loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare.

 

When did you start writing?  

I always loved writing, so I was on the newspaper staff in high school and wrote articles for our university magazine, but I started writing seriously when I was about 30.

 

What kind of writing did you start with? (short stories, poems, articles, etc.)  

As a kid, mostly poems. As an adult, I had poems published in a national parenting magazine, then a few essays and articles on education (I'm a former teacher). Once I had a few major credits and was writing consistently for regional publications, I also started reviewing novels for Romantic Times and trying to learn the craft of writing novels.

 

When did you decide to become an author and how did you know it was the right career for you? 

I decided to try to become a published author seriously after my son was born. I needed the creative outlet and, also, I wanted to live by example, following a principle I believed in: that it's important to work hard and really pursue your passions. I wanted my child to see me doing this firsthand. As for when when I knew it was the right career, well...there were these eerie moments of certainty early on when I was writing (by hand, at first -- I didn't have a computer until after I'd drafted my entire first novel) and these moments, though rare, were memorable enough for me to believe I was on the right path. After that, when I got my first national byline, I thought, "Okay, I'm not (entirely) crazy to be doing this!"

 

What was the most challenging part of starting a writing career? What was the best part? 

The best part is getting to do something meaningful and creative every single day, and hearing from readers who tell me that something I wrote resonated for them. I can't imagine anything better than that in a career! As for the most challenging part -- it's not having nearly as much time to write as I used to because promotion and online activities take up so many more hours than they did when I was just starting out. (I am on my blog, Brant Flakes, and on Facebook, and visiting other people's blogs and FB pages WAY too often!)

 

Describe what it was like to see and hold the first published copy of your first novel. Were you relieved, excited, anxious? How did you celebrate the launch? 

I celebrated the launch about 3 different times -- there were really tasty food treats involved at each one -- LOL. As for how I felt, I was relieved, excited, anxious and about 500 other emotions all at once. On one level, when you hold that first published book, it's the conclusion of a long-held dream...but, it's really the beginning of a new journey, too. This is a complicated, multifaceted career. So, I was excited to have crossed one finish line, but I was also trying to prepare myself for the next stages -- i.e., what would reviewers think of my debut book? Would the novel make it onto any lists or win any awards? What revisions needed to be done on the second novel? What should my proposal be for the third book?

 

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Read A LOT. Seriously, read anything you can get your hands on in your genre and as much as you can outside of it, too. Then write A LOT. Write until you find the kinds of stories you want to tell and the ones that best fit your voice. There are absolutely no shortcuts in this business. Getting published is NOT a function of who you know -- I didn't know anyone in the industry when I started. You don't have to be a genius to get a book contract (or I never would have gotten one!), but you do need to work, work, work at it. I'm talking YEARS, not weeks or months. (It took me almost 8 years and five completed manuscripts before I sold one.) You need to improve your storytelling craft and your query-writing skills and your ability to network and market your work...but if you only have time for one, work on the storytelling craft. Make your story something other people will want to read -- something that matters to them because it matters so much to you.

--

For more information about Marilyn and her novels, check out her Web site, follow her on Twitter, and visit her Facebook page. 

 

Have you read any of Marilyn's novels? Can you relate to her responses? Let us know!

Harry Loves Lisa

Recently, I watched two episodes of TV Land’s new reality show Harry Loves Lisa. The show follows the lives of married couple Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. Rinna is best known for her role on Melrose Place and Hamlin is best known for his role on LA Law. Hamlin and Rinna have both been on Dancing with the Stars, which is where I became familiar with them. I thought Hamlin was boring and Rinna was annoying. That is why I was skeptical of this reality show. I didn’t think it would be very entertaining, but decided to give it a chance. I was pleasantly surprised. Rinna and Hamlin are nothing like what I was expecting. They are funny and relatively normal for celebrities. It is fun to see a Hollywood couple at a different stage in their marriage, as opposed to the newlyweds Giuliana & Bill. So far, I’m enjoying Harry Loves Lisa. If you get a chance, check it out and see if you like it too. Let me know what you think. 

Here’s more about the show:

Harry Loves Lisa
In October, TV Land will premiere the six-episode docu-soap Harry Loves Lisa, featuring pop-culture sensation Lisa Rinna and her heartthrob husband, Harry Hamlin. The series centers on the relationship between Rinna and Hamlin as they navigate the highs and lows of a devoted family living a hectic Hollywood lifestyle. Harry Loves Lisa brings to life the romantic notion that opposites attract as Lisa's playful spontaneity differs from Harry's more reserved demeanor. Audiences will watch as the two balance their differences in the midst of insane professional lives as working actors and entrepreneurs who are parenting two pre-teen daughters. One of Hollywood's most enduring couples, the Hamlins' contradictory personalities make for amazing chemistry, both on screen and off. 
Watch a sneak peak here. 

Nancy

ABC Family Brings Books to Life

ABC Family premiered Pretty Little Liars, based on the series of young adult novels of the same name by Sara Shepard, over the summer, receiving outstanding ratings. It’s a huge hit for the network and will be back on January 3rd, which might be why they are developing two more series based on young adult novels. One of them is based on another novel from Sara Shepard called The Lying Game. This novel hasn’t even been published yet (release date is December 7^th) and ABC Family has already picked it up. The other series in development is Nine Lives, based on the young adult novels in the Nine Lives of Chloe King series by Celia Thomson. ABC Family seems to be actively seeking out popular young adult novels to bring to the screen. The network also aired Huge, based on the novel of the same name by Sasha Paley. Ten episodes were shown over the summer but, unfortunately, it has not been renewed for another season. How will Nine Lives and The Lying Game do? Only time will tell, but if they are anything like Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family will have two more hits.
 
Another notable new project from ABC Family is The Great State of Georgia from author Jennifer Weiner. Weiner wrote several novels, including In Her Shoes, Good in Bed, and her latest Fly Away Home. Unlike the dramas discussed above, this show will be a half-hour sitcom. It will follow in the footsteps of the network’s current, hugely successful half-hour comedy Melissa & Joey, which just had its first season extended to an unheard of 30 episodes. ABC Family has struggled in the sitcom area with shows like Roommates and Ruby & the Rockits, which both failed to make it to second seasons. However, they have struck gold with Melissa & Joey. Hopefully, The Great State of Georgia will be able to make it on a network that only has one popular sitcom under its belt.

Here are some descriptions from ABC Family of these new projects:

Nine Lives: a one-hour drama based on the book series The Nine Lives of Chloe King, by Celia Thomson. Chloe King is looking forward to celebrating her 16th birthday with her friends and single mother, just like every other year – until she starts developing heightened abilities (super speed, agility, hearing…claws), and discovers she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. Chloe soon learns she’s part of an ancient race who have been hunted by human assassins for millennia —and that she may be their only hope for ultimate survival.   
　
The Lying Game: a one-hour scripted drama based on the upcoming novel by Sara Shepard – the author who wrote the books Pretty Little Liars is based on! This new series will follow Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who can't catch a break. She finds out she has an identical twin sister, Sutton, who - unlike Emma - was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on their birth mother. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Emma soon learns that Sutton has gone missing and could be in trouble. Now, Emma must decide whether to come clean to Sutton's family and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister's true whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place.

The Great State of Georgia: a comedy series about an exuberant plus-sized performer from the south and her science geek best friend who try to make headway in New York City. Pilot writers are Jennifer Weiner (author of the best-selling novels Good in Bed and In Her Shoes) and Jeff Greenstein (Desperate Housewives, Parenthood, Friends and Will & Grace).

What do you think about these new shows? Are you looking forward to them? Do you think networks will continue to develop novels for television? Do you watch Pretty Little Liars? Did you watch Huge? Do you know of any other shows based on novels? Let us know!

Nancy

Friday Flick: Life As We Know It

Life As We Know It starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel came out in theaters today. I highly recommend it. I was a bit skeptical going into it and thought it might be another awful romantic comedy since I felt like I got the entire story from the commercials. But, I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it and I think you will enjoy it too. If you haven’t seen any of the many commercials over the past few weeks, it is basically about two single people (Heigl and Duhamel) who have to raise their deceased best friends’ one year old daughter. You can probably guess how this movie ends but the journey the characters take to get there is well worth it. I don’t want to ruin any of the movie for you since it is already somewhat predictable, so I’ll keep this short. Go see Life As We Know It if you get a chance. I think even guys will like this one.

Have a great weekend! And don’t forget to play Find That Quote here. We’ll announce the winner on Monday!

Nancy

Let's play Find That Quote

We think it's about time for The Chick Lit Bee to play a game with readers. Games are always fun, right? Definitely. So, here's the deal. The name of the game is Find That Quote. We are going to list several words as clues to help you find the quote that we are referring to in Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. We aren't talking about Shopaholic & Sister or Shopaholic & Baby or any of the other books in the series. We are talking about the original, first book in the series. Many of you have probably read it, which will be a definite advantage for this game. All you have to do is leave your answer (quote and who said it) and your name in the comments section for this post and then we will randomly choose one winner on Monday from the correct answers. If you are announced as our winner, send us an email at chicklitbee@gmail.com and we'll email you back with a $5 Amazon gift card. It's that simple! So, grab a copy of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Find That Quote!

--

Here are your clues:

Lollipop

Blossom

Five

Discount

Wealthy

All

Lumber

One

Humans

Three

--

Good luck!

The Chick Lit Bee Team

Giuliana & Bill: Real-Life Romantic Comedy

I am really looking forward to reading the new book by Giuliana and Bill Rancic, I Do, Now What?: Secrets, Stories, and Advice from a Madly-In-Love Couple. I first saw Bill on The Apprentice several years ago and was somewhat familiar with Giuliana as the host of E! News. But I really became a fan of theirs when I started watching their reality show Giuliana & Bill, dubbed the Style Network’s real-life romantic comedy. They are such a quirky, fun couple who seem like genuine people, sharing their lives with the public. I am usually a bit skeptical of celebrities who let the public into their private lives, especially because of the whole Newlyweds disaster with Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. However, Giuliana & Bill are different. If you have watched their show, you know what I am talking about. If you haven’t watched it, you should tune in on October 11^th when the show’s third season premieres. They are so down-to-earth and deal with actual issues and tough situations that couples face. They have been open about their struggle to conceive and will reveal how they are dealing with a miscarriage on the new season of their show. Some might disagree with their decision to detail such painful, private issues but I think they are brave to share their story that could, in some way, help others. Their show documents the good times and the struggles of a real couple, which is so refreshing. Giuliana and Bill prove that celebrities are human just like everyone else and their lives are not all glitz and glamour. I really hope they beat the Hollywood odds and stay together.

To learn more about Giuliana and Bill, check out their Twitter accounts, @GiulianaRancic and @BillRancic

Have you watched their show or read their book? What do you think about their decision to open up about their private lives? Do you think they are sincere? What other reality TV couples do you watch? Please share your thoughts with us.

Nancy

Book Review - Time of My Life: A Novel

Elise’s Review of Time of My Life: A Novel by Allison Winn Scotch

We all take certain paths in life and occasionally look back and wonder…what if I had taken the other path? In Allison Winn Scotch’s Time of My Life: A Novel (a New York Times bestseller!!) we see firsthand what happens when Jillian Westfield is given the opportunity to escape her “boring” life as a suburban wife and mother and find out what might have happened if she had chosen to take a different, maybe more exciting, path.

Jillian is transported (via massage table) into the past to a time before she met her husband when she was dating the exciting Jackson and working as an advertising executive in Manhattan. As a suburban mom Jillian idealized this time in her life, and relishes the chance to relive it again and maybe even change her future. Jillian is faced with old (and new) choices as she navigates her past and is given the chance to really see what might have happened had she never married Henry or given birth to the lovable Katie.

This book is for anyone, in any stage of life, who has ever wanted a “do over.” Scotch carefully depicts the excitement, anxiety, and agony that Jillian experiences as she relives her past decisions. She creates a lovable, yet conflicted, character that you can root for. Jillian’s journey isn’t an easy one, and Scotch guides readers through an emotional and poignant roller coaster ride. 

Allison Winn Scotch has contributed freelance articles to many magazines, including InStyle, Glamour, Self, Shape, Parents, and American Baby, and is also the author of The Department of Lost & Found  and The One That I Want. For more information about the author or Time of My Life you can visit the book’s website or the author’s blog or follow her on Twitter. To learn more about other books published by Random House you can visit their website.

--
What do you think of this review? Do you want to read Time of My Life? Have you already read it? Do you want to read Scotch's other books? Let us know! 

First vs. Third: Which POV is better?

The point of view (POV) from which a story is told is a very important part of any novel. The trademark style of chick lit is first person conversational. The protagonist tells the story like she is the reader's best friend. All of the details are very personal to the main character. The first person POV can really connect readers to the main character on a deeper level. In a recent interview with Sophie Kinsella, she said that fans of her Shopaholic series told her they often ask themselves, "What would Becky do?" They are, of course, referring to Becky Bloomwood, the charming protagonist who tells her stories directly to readers through Kinsella's use of the first person POV. This is an example of how much readers can become attached to characters and love them as if they were real friends. Can the same be said of characters whose stories are told through third person POV? I enjoy different writing styles and different points of view. However, I have noticed that my favorite books are in first person. Is that just a coincidence or another example of how important the conversational tone is to chick lit? The advantage of third person is that several different characters' points of view can be featured throughout the book. This gives readers more of a whole picture of the story, rather than only seeing the story through the eyes of the main character's personal account. However, the first person POV allows readers to be so close to the story that they almost feel like they are part of it.

What do you think? Which POV is better? Can readers connect better to stories told in first person? Are third person stories taken more seriously than first person stories? Do you have any examples of exceptional first person and/or third person chick lit?

Nancy

Bee Our Guest: Author Lucie Simone

Lucie Simone is the author of short story A Taste of Italy and novella The Waterdance. Her forthcoming debut novel, Hollywood Ending, is set for release on October 19th from her own independent press Simon and Fig. She also has four book projects in the works and a blog. Lucie was kind enough to write our first guest post. She discusses her inspiration for Hollywood Ending, the process of writing the book, and the ups and downs on the road to publication. We hope you enjoy reading about Lucie's journey from idea to print. 

--

Hollywood Ending…From the Beginning

I began writing my first novel, Hollywood Ending, in May 2003 right after graduating from a prestigious film school with a Master of Fine Arts. Just like my main character, Trina, in Hollywood Ending, I could not find a job even remotely associated to my very costly degree, and instead taught English as a Second Language. So, basically, Hollywood Ending grew out of my frustration with life in Hollywood and my never-ending search for something more.   

I eventually found a somewhat more lucrative day job, though no nearer to Showbiz than teaching English was, and spent my spare time scribbling away at my desk on a little 5x8 notepad and transferring all those ramblings to my computer once I got home after work. Essentially, my story started out as a long, meandering rant with a little romance and comedy thrown in for good measure. And it was pure crap.

Luckily, I recognized the garbage that was my manuscript and joined a writing group where I learned so, so much! Having studied screenwriting in Film School and not prose, I was in the head space of a screenwriter - not an author. For instance, I routinely left out descriptions of people and places (in screenwriting, this info is minimal and left up to the director to fill in visually), I did little to transition the reader from one scene to the next, and I knew nothing about how to “chapter” a book. In my original manuscript, my chapters were simply scenes, which meant I had about a hundred of them!

There were several times when I abandoned Hollywood Ending in favor of writing something else, including my short story, A Taste of Italy, which garnered me an award from the New York Book Festival for Best E-Book, and my novella, The Waterdance. But I just couldn’t give up on Hollywood Ending. I’d put my heart and soul into it, and even though I’d tried to shove it in a sock drawer and never look at it again, it just kept gnawing at me.

It took a lot of work, a lot of educating, and a lot of time to sculpt my novel into something I could be proud of. It went through four massive revisions, including a change in tense, POV, and the elimination of two main characters. Hollywood Ending went from one woman’s diatribe on the hard-knock life that is Hollywood to a tale of ambition and love and how the two are often mutually exclusive where Showbiz is concerned. So, in August 2009, I sent it out into the world where it was promptly rejected by fifty-one literary agents!

But those rejections weren’t because of the quality of the work. In fact, most of them were accompanied with glowing critiques, calling my story “fresh” and “entertaining” and “fun.” So, what was the problem? After a lot of thought on the topic, I came to the conclusion that two factors were at play in scoring me those rejections. First, I was relatively unknown. Yes, I’d had two stories published, but they were e-books. And like it or not, agents still don’t give much clout to electronic literature. Secondly, and probably more importantly, my book is Chick Lit, which, according to the publishing industry, is dead-on-arrival.

What’s a girl to do? Give up? Stuff that manuscript in the sock drawer for good? Or, put her money where her mouth is? I chose the latter, forming my own small press and publishing Hollywood Ending as my first release. I know that Chick Lit is not dead. I read it. Almost exclusively. And new books are released regularly. So, I’m putting Hollywood Ending to the test. Can it please other Chick Lit readers? Can it hold its own amongst heavy-hitters like Jennifer Weiner and Sophie Kinsella? Okay. Let’s not get crazy. I know my sales won’t come anywhere near those giants, but maybe I can make my money back. And maybe I can even make a profit – enough to publish other Chick Lit books by other authors who are getting snubbed by New York despite having a “fresh” and “entertaining” story. Only time will tell. And that time is now!

--

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Lucie! 

What do you think of Lucie's post? Have you had any similar experiences? How was your journey different? How do you know when to persevere with your manuscript despite rejections and when to let it go? Please share your thoughts with us.