We are thrilled to announce that Keturah has joined The Chick Lit Bee as a contributor! She will mainly write reviews for us. Her first review will be posted soon, so be sure to check back often. We are so excited that Keturah is on The Chick Lit Bee team and we look forward to her contributions. Please join us in welcoming her to The Chick Lit Bee!
Here's a bit more information about Keturah:
At a young age, Keturah realized that she was in love with sci-fi, fantasy and comics. It wasn't until a lot later in life that she discovered a name for her interests. She is a fangirl. The relief she feels from finally belonging to a community of like-minded individuals makes her very happy. Previously, Keturah worked for a trade publisher, immersing herself in the wonders of literary fiction. Now she freelances for various publishers. Specifically, she is marketing the Miss New India reading guide. When she isn't thanking J.J. Abrams for finally giving her Uhuru & Spock, she likes movies, sushi, traveling and volunteering for good causes.
To learn more, follow Keturah on Twitter.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
20 Questions with Author Victoria Connelly
We're so excited to have author Victoria Connelly joining us today for 20 Questions! Her latest book, The Perfect Hero, will be published by Avon, an imprint of HarperCollins, on April 28th in the UK. It is the second book in her trilogy about Jane Austen addicts.
Kindle or Nook? Kindle
iPhone or BlackBerry? Neither!
Coke or Pepsi? Coke
Coffee or tea? Tea
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice-cream
Flats or heels? Flats
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
Call or text message? Call
Favorite song right now? Cheater's Town by Chris Isaak
Celebrity crush? Henry Cavill
Last movie you saw? Sabrina
Favorite television show right now? Supernatural
Favorite snack food? Crisps
Your most overused word or phrase? Hurry up! (I'm always in a hurry!)
Your hidden talent? I can make a pretty good chocolate cake!
Your biggest pet peeve? Litter
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Walking my dog somewhere beautiful.
Favorite authors? HE Bates, Miss Read, Jane Austen, Rosamunde Pilcher, Sophie Kinsella
Favorite books? The Darling Buds of May, Village School, Pride and Prejudice
Comment heard most often from your readers? I can't wait to read your next book.
About Victoria Connelly
Victoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk, England before moving to Yorkshire where she became a teacher. After marrying in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales, she moved to London where she lives with her artist husband, a springer spaniel and four ex-battery hens. She has three romances published in Germany and the first, Flights of Angels, was made into a film. Her first novel to be published in the UK, Molly’s Millions, came out in 2009. She is currently working on a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts. The first, A Weekend with Mr Darcy
, is out now in the UK from Avon and will be published in the US
by Sourcebooks in July 2011
. The second, The Perfect Hero, is available in the UK in April 2011. For more information, you can connect with Victoria on Facebook and Twitter.
About The Perfect Hero
Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can’t believe her luck, especially when she realizes that heart-throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof! Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn’t good enough, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can’t resist matchmaking. Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist? The Perfect Hero is the follow-up to A Weekend with Mr Darcy.
Kindle or Nook? Kindle
iPhone or BlackBerry? Neither!
Coke or Pepsi? Coke
Coffee or tea? Tea
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice-cream
Flats or heels? Flats
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
Call or text message? Call
Favorite song right now? Cheater's Town by Chris Isaak
Celebrity crush? Henry Cavill
Last movie you saw? Sabrina
Favorite television show right now? Supernatural
Favorite snack food? Crisps
Your most overused word or phrase? Hurry up! (I'm always in a hurry!)
Your hidden talent? I can make a pretty good chocolate cake!
Your biggest pet peeve? Litter
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Walking my dog somewhere beautiful.
Favorite authors? HE Bates, Miss Read, Jane Austen, Rosamunde Pilcher, Sophie Kinsella
Favorite books? The Darling Buds of May, Village School, Pride and Prejudice
Comment heard most often from your readers? I can't wait to read your next book.
About Victoria Connelly
Victoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk, England before moving to Yorkshire where she became a teacher. After marrying in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales, she moved to London where she lives with her artist husband, a springer spaniel and four ex-battery hens. She has three romances published in Germany and the first, Flights of Angels, was made into a film. Her first novel to be published in the UK, Molly’s Millions, came out in 2009. She is currently working on a trilogy about Jane Austen addicts. The first, A Weekend with Mr Darcy
About The Perfect Hero
Die-hard romantic, Kay Ashton, uses her inheritance to open a B&B in the seaside town of Lyme Regis and is dumbstruck when the cast and crew of a new production of Persuasion descend, needing a place to stay. Kay can’t believe her luck, especially when she realizes that heart-throb actor Oli Wade Owen will be sleeping under her very own roof! Meanwhile, co-star Gemma Reilly is worried that her acting isn’t good enough, despite landing a plum role. She finds a sympathetic ear in shy producer, Adam Craig, who is as baffled by the film world as she is. Kay thinks the two are meant for each other and can’t resist matchmaking. Then, when Oli turns his trademark charm on Kay, it seems that she has found her real-life hero. But do heroes really exist? The Perfect Hero is the follow-up to A Weekend with Mr Darcy.
--
Can you relate to Victoria's interview? Have you read any of her books? Leave a comment to let us know. We love your feedback! Stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!
Labels:
20 Questions,
Author Interview
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Book Review: Swept Off Her Feet
Evie Nicholson is an antiques appraiser in London who loves the past. She works in a small shop with her annoying boss, Max, who is only concerned with money. Evie loves old items that tell a story and keep the memory of the owners alive, regardless of how much the items are worth. She feels like a fish out of water when it comes to her love for antiques, especially with her family. Her mother and her sister, Alice, are professional organizers who pride themselves on being neat, orderly, and practical. They believe de-cluttering and getting rid of old "junk" is the best thing to do. Needless to say, Evie does not exactly see eye to eye with her mother or Alice.
However, when Alice comes to Evie with the chance of a lifetime, Evie can't refuse. Alice's Scottish boyfriend Fraser's family is close friends with the McAndrews family, owners of Scottish castle Kettlesheer. As a favor to them, Evie accepts the chance to visit Kettlesheer for a week and appraise the items in their home. When Evie meets heir Robert McAndrew, they don't exactly hit it off, but he might be just the right person to cause her to reevaluate what she truly wants in life and to get over her secret crush on Fraser. As everyone prepares for a traditional Scottish ball to be held at Kettlesheer on Valentine's Day, new relationships are formed and secrets are revealed that will change everything.
Swept Off Her Feet is a delightful, engaging novel that is sure to leave readers wanting more of the Scottish castle enchantment and romance. Evie is a character who is not afraid to speak her mind, even if she is a bit different from everyone else. Her passion for antiques and stories from the past is contagious. Browne writes with such exquisite detail that it is no wonder why Evie is so enamored with artifacts and heirlooms. The Scottish traditions, especially the ball, are sure to draw readers in. Evie discovers a world she never knew before in her very own modern day fairytale. Browne's skill for writing will-they-won't-they scenes is a true hallmark of her novels. She expertly develops romantic relationships in all of her novels that will make readers swoon. Swept Off Her Feet is a whimsical escape to the Scottish countryside where you just might be swept off your feet.
British author Hester Browne has written the New York Times bestselling novels The Little Lady Agency
, Little Lady, Big Apple
, The Little Lady Agency and the Prince
, and The Finishing Touches
. She studied English at Trinity College, Cambridge. Browne loves Scottish reeling, vintage clothes hunting, and cryptic crosswords. She lives in London and Herefordshire with her Basset hound Violet. For more information, visit her at Simon & Schuster and follow her on Twitter.
To read Nancy's review of The Finishing Touches, click here.
--
What do you think of this review? Have you read or will you read any of Browne's novels? Leave a comment to let us know! We love getting your feedback!
Labels:
Book Review,
Nancy
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Stories from the Hart: BFF
BFF by Shannon Hart
Part 1
I sat there listening to Carrie ramble for a good half hour, but I didn’t really understand what she was saying. Well, OK, I might have understood but chose not to digest it. Could you blame me? She was going on and on about how wonderful her date went with my ex-boyfriend.
“And on the way back, my favorite song was playing on the radio. Oh, Zoe, it was just so magical!” Carrie said, clapping her hands together in delight.
Ugh. I wanted to barf. Look, it’s not that I wasn’t happy that my friend was finally on the road to happiness after being left at the altar by her boyfriend of eleven years. In fact, it was me who actually pushed her to move on in the first place. But did she have to move on with Jesse? Out of all the men roaming around the entire tri-state area, she had to choose my ex-boyfriend to go out with? I sighed.
“Zoe, what’s wrong? You don’t seem happy?” she asked innocently. Innocent or just playing dumb. I wasn’t entirely sure.
“Don’t you think this is all a bit premature?” I answered, trying to downplay the whole jealous-best-friend thing.
“Premature?”
“Yeah, I mean, you guys went on one date and you sound like you’re about ready to go out and marry him. I mean, let’s face it, you don’t have a good rap sheet when it comes to altars,” I blurted out without even thinking. As soon as the words left my mouth, I immediately regretted it.
Carrie’s face fell. The glowing smile she had on moments before evaporated into thin air and all that was left was the face of that sad little girl next door when I was seven, who then became my best friend. When Carrie moved next door to us, I thought to myself, finally, there was someone my age in the building that I could play with. My parents and I lived in this twenty-something storey apartment building in Manhattan, and I was desperately lonely. I was the only child in the building. Then, one gloomy fall morning, Carrie and her mom moved in. I was over the moon. We became best friends instantly, and while life took us on some pretty crazy rides – including parental divorce (mine), a crazy boyfriend (hers), and hitchhiking all the way to Miami for Spring break (both of us) – the fact that we stuck together through thick and thin was what kept us both sane. Now, nearly twenty years after our first play date, I’m sitting at our favorite bar – the one we’ve been going to every Thursday since we were old enough to drink – and I couldn’t even let her be happy about one crappy little date. What kind of a friend was I?
Then again, I always got a little crazy when it came to Jesse. My life turned around the day I met him. I was an assistant at a literary agency and he was an agent who already had a few bestsellers tied to his name. On my first day, I spilled coffee on his shirt and instead of yelling at me, he pulled me aside and asked me on a scale of one to ten how nervous I was. My answer: thirty. He was only four years older than me, but he had a wealth of knowledge that I was dying to access. It helped that he was also funny and gorgeous. He taught me everything I needed to know and when he asked me out one night, I said yes without even thinking twice.
I was in love and on cloud nine until I overheard a colleague say that he had been getting close to the new intern, Joanna. I was pissed as hell. I didn’t remember the exact words of our conversation, but I did distinctly remember charging at him like a raging bull. I demanded to know if he slept with her (he didn’t) and why he cheated on me (again, he didn’t). He was so hurt that I accused him of such things and said all he did was show her the ropes. That made me even angrier because that was the same thing he did for me. I called him a commitment-phobic pig and thanks to my cheating Dad, I didn’t believe him when he denied everything. Later, I realized what an idiot I was – Joanna was apparently a lesbian – but the damage had already been done. After we broke up, I didn’t get out of bed for weeks. I took time off from work and when I came back, Jesse had already signed on with another agency. At his office farewell party, we shared a passionate goodbye kiss. As much as I wanted to beg him to give me another chance, I kept my mouth sealed.
“I can’t believe you just said that,” Carrie said, visibly offended.
“I know. That was really low. I’m sorry,” I said, genuinely in remorse.
“For once, I’d like to not be reminded of my past. Is that too much to ask?”
“I was out of line, I’m sorry. It’s just…” I stopped mid-sentence. I didn’t know how to finish my sentence, so I just stopped right there.
“What?”
I shrugged.
“Zoe, come on. We’ve been friends forever. Just say whatever it is you want to say.” Carrie folded her arms and started tapping her foot. She was waiting for an answer, and I knew I had to say something sooner or later.
“I just… I…” I began to say, but the words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
“I can wait here all night if I have to,” she commented.
I took a deep breath.
“Look, it’s just hard for me to hear about you having such a wonderful time with Jesse, OK?” I finally said.
“And… why is that?” Carrie raised her eyebrow.
“Because. Just… because.” I too, folded my arms.
“Come on, Zoe. Just say it.”
I was tempted to strangle her at that point, but decided against it for fear of getting arrested by the fierce looking off-duty policeman that was sitting in the corner.
“Could it be because… you still have feelings for him?” she asked.
--
Check back for Part 2 of BFF next week! Do you like this story so far? What do you think will happen? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! We love hearing from you!
Part 1
I sat there listening to Carrie ramble for a good half hour, but I didn’t really understand what she was saying. Well, OK, I might have understood but chose not to digest it. Could you blame me? She was going on and on about how wonderful her date went with my ex-boyfriend.
“And on the way back, my favorite song was playing on the radio. Oh, Zoe, it was just so magical!” Carrie said, clapping her hands together in delight.
Ugh. I wanted to barf. Look, it’s not that I wasn’t happy that my friend was finally on the road to happiness after being left at the altar by her boyfriend of eleven years. In fact, it was me who actually pushed her to move on in the first place. But did she have to move on with Jesse? Out of all the men roaming around the entire tri-state area, she had to choose my ex-boyfriend to go out with? I sighed.
“Zoe, what’s wrong? You don’t seem happy?” she asked innocently. Innocent or just playing dumb. I wasn’t entirely sure.
“Don’t you think this is all a bit premature?” I answered, trying to downplay the whole jealous-best-friend thing.
“Premature?”
“Yeah, I mean, you guys went on one date and you sound like you’re about ready to go out and marry him. I mean, let’s face it, you don’t have a good rap sheet when it comes to altars,” I blurted out without even thinking. As soon as the words left my mouth, I immediately regretted it.
Carrie’s face fell. The glowing smile she had on moments before evaporated into thin air and all that was left was the face of that sad little girl next door when I was seven, who then became my best friend. When Carrie moved next door to us, I thought to myself, finally, there was someone my age in the building that I could play with. My parents and I lived in this twenty-something storey apartment building in Manhattan, and I was desperately lonely. I was the only child in the building. Then, one gloomy fall morning, Carrie and her mom moved in. I was over the moon. We became best friends instantly, and while life took us on some pretty crazy rides – including parental divorce (mine), a crazy boyfriend (hers), and hitchhiking all the way to Miami for Spring break (both of us) – the fact that we stuck together through thick and thin was what kept us both sane. Now, nearly twenty years after our first play date, I’m sitting at our favorite bar – the one we’ve been going to every Thursday since we were old enough to drink – and I couldn’t even let her be happy about one crappy little date. What kind of a friend was I?
Then again, I always got a little crazy when it came to Jesse. My life turned around the day I met him. I was an assistant at a literary agency and he was an agent who already had a few bestsellers tied to his name. On my first day, I spilled coffee on his shirt and instead of yelling at me, he pulled me aside and asked me on a scale of one to ten how nervous I was. My answer: thirty. He was only four years older than me, but he had a wealth of knowledge that I was dying to access. It helped that he was also funny and gorgeous. He taught me everything I needed to know and when he asked me out one night, I said yes without even thinking twice.
I was in love and on cloud nine until I overheard a colleague say that he had been getting close to the new intern, Joanna. I was pissed as hell. I didn’t remember the exact words of our conversation, but I did distinctly remember charging at him like a raging bull. I demanded to know if he slept with her (he didn’t) and why he cheated on me (again, he didn’t). He was so hurt that I accused him of such things and said all he did was show her the ropes. That made me even angrier because that was the same thing he did for me. I called him a commitment-phobic pig and thanks to my cheating Dad, I didn’t believe him when he denied everything. Later, I realized what an idiot I was – Joanna was apparently a lesbian – but the damage had already been done. After we broke up, I didn’t get out of bed for weeks. I took time off from work and when I came back, Jesse had already signed on with another agency. At his office farewell party, we shared a passionate goodbye kiss. As much as I wanted to beg him to give me another chance, I kept my mouth sealed.
“I can’t believe you just said that,” Carrie said, visibly offended.
“I know. That was really low. I’m sorry,” I said, genuinely in remorse.
“For once, I’d like to not be reminded of my past. Is that too much to ask?”
“I was out of line, I’m sorry. It’s just…” I stopped mid-sentence. I didn’t know how to finish my sentence, so I just stopped right there.
“What?”
I shrugged.
“Zoe, come on. We’ve been friends forever. Just say whatever it is you want to say.” Carrie folded her arms and started tapping her foot. She was waiting for an answer, and I knew I had to say something sooner or later.
“I just… I…” I began to say, but the words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
“I can wait here all night if I have to,” she commented.
I took a deep breath.
“Look, it’s just hard for me to hear about you having such a wonderful time with Jesse, OK?” I finally said.
“And… why is that?” Carrie raised her eyebrow.
“Because. Just… because.” I too, folded my arms.
“Come on, Zoe. Just say it.”
I was tempted to strangle her at that point, but decided against it for fear of getting arrested by the fierce looking off-duty policeman that was sitting in the corner.
“Could it be because… you still have feelings for him?” she asked.
--
Check back for Part 2 of BFF next week! Do you like this story so far? What do you think will happen? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! We love hearing from you!
Labels:
Shannon Hart,
Short Story
Monday, April 18, 2011
20 Questions with Author Sarah-Kate Lynch
Sarah-Kate Lynch is the author of Dolci di Love
, published by Plume in New Zealand in March, the US in April, and Australia in May. Sarah-Kate will be on a US book tour starting on April 21st in New York City with a launch party for Dolci di Love. She also plans to visit Denver, Albuquerque, Oakland, and San Francisco in May in support of her new book.
We're so excited to have Sarah-Kate joining us today for 20 Questions! Hope you enjoy our interview with her!
Kindle or Nook? Neither, yet.
iPhone or BlackBerry? iPhone
Coke or Pepsi? Boring old water!
Coffee or tea? Coffee. Strong. Now.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream. Or frozen Yogurt. Or chocolate.
Flats or heels? In my dreams, heels. On my feet, flats.
Facebook or Twitter? Both.
Call or text message? Both.
Favorite song right now? Love is Everything by KD Lang
Celebrity crush? Hugh Jackman. Met him once. Was struck dumb. Gggrr.
Last movie you saw? Made it to 8 out of 10 of the Oscar contenders.
Favorite television show right now? The Good Wife
Favorite snack food? Fresh dates. Mmmm
Your most overused word or phrase? Fresh dates. Mmmm
Your hidden talent? So well hidden even I don't know what it is.
Your biggest pet peeve? Over-use of the word "awesome."
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Is it too sad to say sleeping?
Favorite authors? AA Milne, Alan Bradley, Anne Tyler, and that's just the A's.
Favorite books? Too many to mention but just finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by Aimee Bender and loved that.
Comment heard most often from your readers? "I laughed and I cried!"
About Sarah-Kate Lynch
In addition to Dolci di Love
, Sarah-Kate Lynch is the author of House of Daughters
, Eating with the Angels
, By Bread Alone
, Blessed Are the Cheesemakers
, and Finding Tom Connor. She is also the author of the collection of short stories Bosom Buddies and non-fiction novel The Modern Girl's Guide to Life. She usually lives on the west coast of New Zealand but likes to escape whenever possible to travel the world. She is currently in New York working on her newest novel about a woman who keeps bees on her Manhattan rooftop. Sarah-Kate writes two columns for New Zealand Woman's Day and hosts a book club in Next magazine. For more information, please visit http://www.sarah-katelynch.com, http://twitter.com/sarahkatelynch, and http://sarah-katelynch.blogspot.com.
About Dolci di Love
After New York executive Lily Turner discovers a photo of a beautiful woman and two children, clearly taken in Italy, she realizes that her husband, Daniel, has a secret second family. The blow is doubly painful since Lily and Daniel are childless. In a drunken impulse, Lily tracks Daniel via Internet to the Tuscan village of Montevedova and books a ticket. After a few comical moments of culture shock, Lily finds accommodation above a bakery run by two elderly sisters. The bakery harbors the Secret League of Widowed Darners. Originally founded as a sewing circle in the 1940s, the band of lively widows quickly discovered that mending broken hearts was much more useful (and more fun) than mending socks. Lily becomes their new project: perfect, they decide, for wealthy, handsome widower Alessandro. Sparks fly, but Lily's feelings for Daniel are still unresolved when a chance meeting with Daniel's precocious six-year-old daughter complicates things. Lily falls in love with the little girl. She's also in love with the bakery and Tuscany by the time she finds Daniel.
--
Can you relate to Sarah-Kate's answers? Have you read any of her books? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! And stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!
We're so excited to have Sarah-Kate joining us today for 20 Questions! Hope you enjoy our interview with her!
Kindle or Nook? Neither, yet.
iPhone or BlackBerry? iPhone
Coke or Pepsi? Boring old water!
Coffee or tea? Coffee. Strong. Now.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream. Or frozen Yogurt. Or chocolate.
Flats or heels? In my dreams, heels. On my feet, flats.
Facebook or Twitter? Both.
Call or text message? Both.
Favorite song right now? Love is Everything by KD Lang
Celebrity crush? Hugh Jackman. Met him once. Was struck dumb. Gggrr.
Last movie you saw? Made it to 8 out of 10 of the Oscar contenders.
Favorite television show right now? The Good Wife
Favorite snack food? Fresh dates. Mmmm
Your most overused word or phrase? Fresh dates. Mmmm
Your hidden talent? So well hidden even I don't know what it is.
Your biggest pet peeve? Over-use of the word "awesome."
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Is it too sad to say sleeping?
Favorite authors? AA Milne, Alan Bradley, Anne Tyler, and that's just the A's.
Favorite books? Too many to mention but just finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Comment heard most often from your readers? "I laughed and I cried!"
About Sarah-Kate Lynch
In addition to Dolci di Love
About Dolci di Love
After New York executive Lily Turner discovers a photo of a beautiful woman and two children, clearly taken in Italy, she realizes that her husband, Daniel, has a secret second family. The blow is doubly painful since Lily and Daniel are childless. In a drunken impulse, Lily tracks Daniel via Internet to the Tuscan village of Montevedova and books a ticket. After a few comical moments of culture shock, Lily finds accommodation above a bakery run by two elderly sisters. The bakery harbors the Secret League of Widowed Darners. Originally founded as a sewing circle in the 1940s, the band of lively widows quickly discovered that mending broken hearts was much more useful (and more fun) than mending socks. Lily becomes their new project: perfect, they decide, for wealthy, handsome widower Alessandro. Sparks fly, but Lily's feelings for Daniel are still unresolved when a chance meeting with Daniel's precocious six-year-old daughter complicates things. Lily falls in love with the little girl. She's also in love with the bakery and Tuscany by the time she finds Daniel.
--
Can you relate to Sarah-Kate's answers? Have you read any of her books? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! And stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!
Labels:
20 Questions,
Author Interview
Friday, April 8, 2011
20 Questions with Author Allie Larkin
Debut author Allie Larkin joins us today for 20 Questions. Her novel Stay
is about friendship, love, and a German Shepherd named Joe.
Kindle or Nook? iPad
iPhone or BlackBerry? iPhoneCoke or Pepsi? Coke
Coffee or tea? Coffee!
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Fro yo!
Flats or heels? Converse count as flats, right?
Facebook or Twitter? Both! I can't choose!
Call or text message? Call
Favorite song right now? These Pages by Chris Pureka
Celebrity crush? I'm not sure I'd call it a crush, but after watching The Riches, I kind of think Eddie Izzard is magic.
Last movie you saw? I just re-watched St. Elmo's Fire.
Favorite television show right now? The Riches. I've been watching it on Netflix. It's just beautiful.
Favorite snack food? Popcorn with olive oil and hot sauce.
Your most overused word or phrase? Seriously.
Your hidden talent? I can hang four spoons on my face at the same time.
Your biggest pet peeve? Anyway should not be plural.
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Anything active: hiking, biking, backpacking, rock climbing
Favorite authors? Willia Cather, John Steinbeck, Pat Conroy, Claire Cook
Favorite books? Song of the Lark, The Bean Trees, Of Mice and Men, The Lords of Discipline, Bridget Jones, Seven Year Switch, Pippi Longstocking
Comment heard most often from your readers? That they stayed up too late reading STAY because they needed to know what happened. It always makes me smile.
About Allie Larkin
Allie Larkin lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat. She is the co-founder of TheGreenists.com, a site dedicated to helping readers take simple steps toward going green. Stay is her first novel. For more about Allie and her work, please visit her website, her blog, her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.
Savannah “Van” Leone has loved Peter since the day they met. The problem is, Peter has loved Van’s best friend, Janie, since the moment they met. And now they’re walking down the aisle, with Van standing nearby in a Halloween orange bridesmaid dress, her smile as hollow as a jack-o-lantern. After the wedding, Van drowns her sorrows in Kool Aid-vodka cocktails and reruns of Rin-Tin-Tin, and does what any woman in her situation would do: She buys a German Shepherd over the Internet. The pocket-sized puppy Van is expecting turns out to be a clumsy, hundred-pound beast that only responds to Slovakian. Van is at the end of her rope—until she realizes that this quirky giant may be the only living being who will always be loyal to her, no matter what. And thus begins a friendship that will alter Van’s life in ways she never imagined. Joe leads Van to Dr. Alex Brandt, a rugged vet with floppy blond hair and winning smile. But just as things are starting to heat up, the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, forcing Van to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to have everything she ever wanted.
Book Trailer
Can you relate to Allie's answers? Have you read Stay? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! And stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!
Labels:
20 Questions,
Author Interview
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Book Review: Stay
Megan's Review of Stay
by Allie Larkin
Savannah (Van) Leone has been secretly in love with Peter since the first day of college, but somewhere along the way, Peter fell in love with Van’s childhood best friend, Janie. Stay opens during Peter and Janie’s wedding where Van is forcing herself to play cheerful maid of honor while she is reeling over the reality that her chances with Peter are truly over.
The problem is, Van hasn’t just lost a love interest. Over the years of her unspoken crush, Peter became a close friend. Now, her two best friends have each other as best friends. Furthermore, the wedding—located close where Janie and Van grew up--has reopened Van’s grief over the death of her mother just a few years before.
As Janie and Peter depart on their honeymoon, Van returns to her condo in Rochester, New York, where she gets drunk and sobs herself to sleep, knowing she is truly alone in the world. But, in the morning, as recovers from her hangover, she recalls the re-runs of Rin Tin Tin she watched the night before…and the German Shepard puppy she ordered from a Slovakian Web site.
The puppy Joe—who turns out to be a loving, but fearsome-looking brute of an animal who answers only to Slovakian police dog commands—is the catalyst for Van getting her life on track. Things really turn around once Van starts to date Joe’s cute and wholesome veterinarian. But when Janie and Peter’s less-than-ideal honeymoon ends, Van is forced back into her supporting role, which goes against everything she loves about her new, independent life.
Stay is a magnificent book that contains many of the elements that make chick lit books such enjoyable reads, but has underlying themes that add value beyond what is found in a typical beach read. Van is an endearing, honest, and humorous protagonist who excellently represents a single woman in the not-quite-established, post-college years. Her clothing is always dirty, the house messy, and she always has Kool-Aid on hand for mixing with vodka.
“I didn’t even own a mop, so I got down on my hands and knees with a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels and scrubbed a floor that hadn’t been more than spot-cleaned in the two years since I moved in. I pulled out dried-up ziti from under the stove, and a baker’s dozen of dehydrated peas from under the refrigerator. The scary thing was that I hadn’t even eaten peas since I moved into the condo, so I’d actually pulled someone else’s dehydrated peas out from under my refrigerator.”
Allie Larkin does an excellent job of keeping Van on the brink of despair, primarily through loneliness and isolation. In addition to the situations of the plot, Van is a grant writer who works from home, and therefore rarely leaves her condo. Also, once Joe arrives from Slovakia, his scary physique turns Van’s neighbors into enemies. With all this underlying tension, Van is quick to cry, panic, and snap at people, all things that seem out of character for her. This makes her seem all the more real and easy to relate to.
Here, Peter makes small talk that halts a tense exchange between Janie and Van:
“I wished he hadn’t interrupted. I was feeling combative. I knew I was really more angry at Peter than Janie, but I was itching for an excuse to escalate everything to the point of storming out and leaving them stranded.”
One of the best parts of Allie Larkin’s writing is her succinct descriptions of characters that instantly give her readers a tangible sense of not only the character, but Van’s relationship with that character.
Here, Van has just entered the condo of the homeowner’s association president, who has just sent her a nasty-gram about her dog:
“There was a framed watercolor of a duck wearing a kerchief and a big floppy hat in the entrance way. The condo smelled like meatloaf…I heard whispers in the other room, and then Mr. Wright walked over. He was wearing a smoking jacket over a white undershirt, and his salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back into a bouffant. I fixed my attention on the duck until I knew my smirk was under control.”
An interesting aspect of Stay is the back-story of Janie and Van’s childhood. Janie’s family lived on a ritzy estate in Westchester, New York and Van’s mother was their housekeeper. Van and her mother lived in the carriage house on the property. Despite the housekeeper-employer relationship, the two moms were close friends and Janie’s mom often acted as a parent toward Van. But after her mother died, Van’s resentment of the situation caused her to stop speaking to Janie’s mother, which in a way, was like loosing two mothers. The volatile repair of Van’s relationship with Janie’s mother is expertly woven into the present story.
Stay is Allie Larkin’s first novel. Check back later in the week when Allie will answer our 20 Questions. You can keep up with Allie on her Web site, Facebook page, and by following her on Twitter.
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Have you read Stay? Share your thoughts with us. We’d love to hear what you think!
Labels:
Book Review,
Megan
Friday, April 1, 2011
20 Questions with Author Adele Parks
Bestselling author Adele Parks joins us today for 20 Questions. Adele's new book Men I've Loved Before
was published yesterday in paperback in the UK from Headline Review, a division of Hachette UK.
Kindle or Nook? Book - every time!
iPhone or BlackBerry? iphone, although I currently own a Blackberry, I long for an iPhone and as soon as my contract is up with my Blackberry, iPhone will be the way for me. My husband has an iPhone and I love it. I know everyone says it but really, they are just intuitive.
Coke or Pepsi? Diet coke
Coffee or tea? Tea. White, no sugar.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Frozen yogurt but this is mostly a US thing, isn't it? I love visiting Pink Berry when I'm in the States!
Flats or heels? Flats in real life, heels in my imaginary life!
Facebook or Twitter? Both
Call or text message? Call if possible.
Favorite song right now? 'Make You Feel My Love' by Adele (the other one, obviously). It's beautiful. She's so talented, soulful and frank. Love it. I'm a big softy and am weak for love songs.
Celebrity crush? Jake Gyllenhaal. Yes, yes please!
Last movie you saw? My son and I watched 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.' It is a 2006 Japanese animated science fiction/romance film. The film focuses on a high school girl who inadvertently gains the power to travel through time and begins using it frivolously to fix problems. It was directed by Mamoru Hosoda. It's joyful.
Favorite television show right now? I'm hooked on 'My Lion Family' showing on National Geographic Channel (I know I sound really square) but this show is about a guy who is basically the lion whisperer. His life's work is preserving the endangered white lion but he lives amongst them, almost like he's part of the pride. Mind blowing. It's stunning.
Favorite snack food? I don't snack really. I'm an all or nothing sort of girl.
Your most overused word or phrase? "Net, net". It means 'at the end of the day.' My old boss used to say it all the time. Like her, I'm a woman who likes conclusions and action points.
Your hidden talent? I'm good with babies. I can always soothe them.
Your biggest pet peeve? Bad manners.
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Talking (is that even an activity??) with my family.
Favorite authors? Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh, Muriel Spark
Favorite books? Too many to pick…currently in love with The Betrayal (Helen Dunmore), Hand That First Held Mine (Maggie O'Farrell), My Last Duchess (Daisy Goodwin)
Comment heard most often from your readers? My readers often wonder where I get my ideas from.
About Adele Parks
About Men I've Loved Before
Kindle or Nook? Book - every time!
iPhone or BlackBerry? iphone, although I currently own a Blackberry, I long for an iPhone and as soon as my contract is up with my Blackberry, iPhone will be the way for me. My husband has an iPhone and I love it. I know everyone says it but really, they are just intuitive.
Coke or Pepsi? Diet coke
Coffee or tea? Tea. White, no sugar.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Frozen yogurt but this is mostly a US thing, isn't it? I love visiting Pink Berry when I'm in the States!
Flats or heels? Flats in real life, heels in my imaginary life!
Facebook or Twitter? Both
Call or text message? Call if possible.
Favorite song right now? 'Make You Feel My Love' by Adele (the other one, obviously). It's beautiful. She's so talented, soulful and frank. Love it. I'm a big softy and am weak for love songs.
Celebrity crush? Jake Gyllenhaal. Yes, yes please!
Last movie you saw? My son and I watched 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.' It is a 2006 Japanese animated science fiction/romance film. The film focuses on a high school girl who inadvertently gains the power to travel through time and begins using it frivolously to fix problems. It was directed by Mamoru Hosoda. It's joyful.
Favorite television show right now? I'm hooked on 'My Lion Family' showing on National Geographic Channel (I know I sound really square) but this show is about a guy who is basically the lion whisperer. His life's work is preserving the endangered white lion but he lives amongst them, almost like he's part of the pride. Mind blowing. It's stunning.
Favorite snack food? I don't snack really. I'm an all or nothing sort of girl.
Your most overused word or phrase? "Net, net". It means 'at the end of the day.' My old boss used to say it all the time. Like her, I'm a woman who likes conclusions and action points.
Your hidden talent? I'm good with babies. I can always soothe them.
Your biggest pet peeve? Bad manners.
Favorite activity when you’re not writing? Talking (is that even an activity??) with my family.
Favorite authors? Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh, Muriel Spark
Favorite books? Too many to pick…currently in love with The Betrayal (Helen Dunmore), Hand That First Held Mine (Maggie O'Farrell), My Last Duchess (Daisy Goodwin)
Comment heard most often from your readers? My readers often wonder where I get my ideas from.
About Adele Parks
Adele was born in Teesside, NE England. Since graduating from Leicester University, where she studied English Language and Literature, she has worked in advertising and as a management consultant. In 2010, Adele was awarded an honorary doctorate of Letters from Teesside University. She always dreamed of being a writer and her first novel, Playing Away
, was published in 2000. That same year the Evening Standard identified her as one of London's 'Twenty Faces to Watch.' Adele is often described as one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. One and a half million copies of her work has been sold in the UK and her books have been translated into 25 different languages. She has published nine novels in nine years, all of which have been Times Top Ten bestsellers. Men I've Loved Before is her tenth novel. Adele is known for her trademark, up-front, tell-it-as-it-is style of writing. For more information, please visit http://adeleparks.com, http://twitter.com/adeleparks, and http://www.facebook.com/OfficialAdeleParks.
About Men I've Loved Before
Neil and Nat seem to be perfectly matched. They hate marmite and the opera. They love reality TV and the missionary position. And they both absolutely do not want children. At least that’s what Nat thought. But now Neil seems to have softened to the prospect of dirty nappies and sleepless nights, and he’s practically begging her for a baby. Nat tries to ignore his change of heart and won’t explain her reasons for hating the idea, she can’t, she's hiding a terrible secret and very great fear. Are they that compatible after all? As the cracks start to show, Nat wonders if Neil really is the man of her dreams. Or is it possible that someone from her past could actually be “the one”? Nat’s little black book, filled with the names and addresses of previous lovers, could hold the answers she’s looking for. Or it could be a one-way ticket to all kinds of trouble. How do you know when you’ve met the one you’re meant to be with? And is a match made in heaven a realistic dream for mere mortals?
To read a sample chapter, click here.
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Can you relate to Adele's answers? Have you read any of her books? Leave a comment to let us know. Thanks! And stay tuned for more of 20 Questions!
Labels:
20 Questions,
Author Interview
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