5 Things We Didn't Know About...Jane Porter

Today's guest: Jane Porter Why we love her: She's one of our faves for good reason. Since we read Flirting With Forty, we've been HUGE fans!

Her latest: The Good Wife (The third of the Brennan sisters novels.)

The scoop: Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew...

Our thoughts: A great book. A wonderful series. You will love these characters!

Giveaway: TWO SETS of ALL THREE books from Jane's Brennan Sisters series! Leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, September 22nd after 12 pm PST.

Fun fact:This is the 4th time Jane has been our guest. She's also shared her 5 Best Evers, 5 Things she'd tell her teen self and What's on her Bucket List.

Where you can read more about Jane: Her website,her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...5 THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT... JANE PORTER

1. I love a steak dinner.  A thick, juicy steak, roasted potatoes and a crisp green salad – heaven!  My grandfather was a Texan who owned three ranches and I grew up in cow country.  In fact, it was my love for ranching that inspired me to write She’s Gone Country a couple of years ago.

2. When I was young, I wanted to be an architect.  I love to create and build new things.  I guess I’m still doing that now – creating and building… but with words.

3. I’m really into sports.  I come from a family of athletes.  My siblings and I were always involved in some way with sports and for me it was swimming.  I love to swim and I also love ball games, especially football and baseball.  I’m very happy joining my guys to watch a football game on TV but I’m happiest going to the stadium to watch a baseball game.

4. I make a mean hot fudge sundae.  I don’t have a recipe as such to follow, I like to change it up by using different flavors, powders or cream and lots of different chocolates each time so it tastes different every time.  Sometimes it’s really thick and other times, not.  But it’s dang good and my boys love it when I make them!

5. I’m a historical romance junkie.  I love to read books by my favorite authors like Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Joanna Bourne, Stephanie Laurens, and so many others.  Every time I travel or need to unwind, reading historicals is my favorite thing to do.

Thanks, Jane!

5 Things You Didn't Know About...Liz & Lisa

Are you REAAAADDDDYYYY? Ready for our week of SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION?  Get your puke bags out because we'll be all up in your grill this week, putting the shoe on the other foot and participating in the same features usually reserved for your favorite authors (but now we'll hopefully be in that group, right?). We're starting off with 5 Things You Didn't Know About...(remember that one?)

But first we wanted to remind you about The D Word HUGE ASS giveaway!  Here are the deets in case you missed them:

Here's how the contest will work-It's simple!

• Buy The D Word(only 2.99!) and email us the receipt at  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com to receive an entry to the contest. There is no limit on the number of entries. Every copy of The D Word purchased= one entry.

• And as a bonus to those who've purchased The D Word, if you also purchase a copy of I'll Have Who She's Having (only .99!!!) you will receive an additional entry.

• Just email your receipt(s) to Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com and put "launch contest" in the subject line.

All receipts must be received by TUESDAY JUNE 21st at MIDNIGHT PST and this contest open to US/Canada only.

Click HERE to see what you could win! (iPad2, anyone?)

We also have ONE more way you can win:

If you post a review of EITHER The D Word or I'll Have Who She's Having on GoodReads, Barnes & Noble or Amazon and send us the link to the review to  Lizandlisa@chicklitisnotdead.com by July 14, 2011 at midnight PST, you'll be entered to win a DXG 720p high-defintion camera. You can receive one entry for the review of each book for a maximum of two entries.  Doesn't matter if you've loved or absolutely hated the book(although we're crossing our fingers you like it...), you'll still be entered to win!  We'll choose the winner by random drawing. US/Canada Only.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS... 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT LIZ & LISA

We're pretty much an open book. Ask us anything and we'll tell you. Maybe even sometimes we're TMI. So we're wondering... is there really anything you don't know about us? I guess we'll find out...

1.  We were both black diamond skiers in college. There was a time when we could've made even Picabo Street proud. We'd head up weekly to Big Bear or Tahoe or Mountain High (anyone remember Mountain High?) to ski with abandon. We had balls o'steel as we cascaded down runs with names like "the ledge" and sometimes, don't tell anyone this, we might have even had a shot of something that started with gold and ended with schlagger (WTH were we thinking?) before taking off. But you know how it goes, after college we got busy and married and had kids. And now we're not even sure we'd recognize a ski if we saw one. And don't people wear helmets now? Gawd, that would've been nice back then!

2. We both married tall dudes from the same small, obscure town in Middle America I know.  It kind of freaks us out too.  But at least we get each other's jokes when we're talking shit about our last visit there.

3. We're both huge Barry Manilow fans. Yep, we're Fanilows.  We've been to see him several times together in concert, although someone (Lisa!) almost got us kicked out of one when she started screaming I LOVE YOU BARRY at the top of her lungs in between each song. We've also met him, although we have to say he wasn't the friendliest as he signed our Copacabana 8-tracks. But we got over it and know that "Somewhere Down The Road" we'll see him again and he'll love us.  Right?

4. We were the roomies that never were. Besties through high school until we weren't. Who knows what happened. Someone talked smack about someone else. Someone told someone else's secret (um, maybe it was Lisa). All we know is that one of us was on the phone to the college cancelling our request to be roommates. Then like all BFF's do, we made up. And when we called the college to reinstate our request to live together, we were DE-NIED. And Lisa ended up rooming with someone who sold CutCo Cutlery from under her bunk bed and refused to pay her $11 phone bill. Guess all's well that ends well. There was no way we could've shared a hot plate for a year without killing each other!

5.  We co-owned a "celebrity" cat We once randomly adopted a pet cat from Petco that ended up winning the elite Santa Monica Cat show.  His name was Ed and he became our unofficial sorority mascot, entertaining frat boys with his back flips and ability to walk on two legs. Once he disappeared for several days only to reappear during a party where everyone screamed, ED!!! (He always knew how to make an entrance) He was the toast of the town and even did some cat modeling on the side. But we were too young and naive to understand that maybe we should get paid for it? *Meow*

xoxo, L&L

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about Jessica Seinfeld

As we've mentioned before, Liz has a hard time being Top Chef of her own kitchen.  Or at least she did until she picked up Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld one day in a desperate attempt to get her kids to eat something other than pasta with butter.   And no one was more surprised than her when the kids not only ate the recipes she made from there but actually asked for more! And they had no idea that Liz had pureed veggies into each recipe.  So when Jessica's new recipe book, Double Delicious, came out-Liz had to have it!  And once again, Jessica came through with kid-friendly recipes with pureed veggies hidden in every bite! And today we're excited to have Jessica share 5 things we didn't know about her.  And guess what?  We've got THREE copies OF DOUBLE DELICIOUS to give away!  You know the drill-just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll announce the winners Sunday November 27th after 6pm EST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: 5 THINGS LIZ & LISA DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT JESSICA SEINFELD

1. My favorite appliance in the kitchen is the food processor- because you can make soups and purees and I think it’s one of those things if you don’t’ have time to chop you can quickly do it in a food processor. You can make great pasta sauce or pesto which is a great meal to always keep in your fridge for veggies or pasta.

My 5 favorite kitchen gadgets I can’t live without:

• A meat thermometer

• A zester

• A kitchen timer

• A cutting board

• And a great knife that feels good in my hand

2. I teamed up with Target for a new baby clothes line that benefits charity. The clothing line, designed by Petit Trésor for Target, is the second in a series of three that I'm debuting through a one-year, charitable-focused partnership with Target. In addition to affordable prices, 10% of each sale goes to support my non-profit Baby Buggy, a New York City-based organization I founded in 2001 that provides clothing and gear to families in need.

Over the years, I have been approached to take the Baby Buggy Brand into product but I didn’t want to do it unless it was helpful or meaningful in some way. Target is the master at making things feel and look like luxury but keeps them affordable. The new line is the most luxurious feeling cotton – sleepers and bibs and basic stuff – a really gift-able collection palette with price point between $2.99 and $16.99. I love it!

3. My family and Jerry’s are all eating together this year so I’m cooking for about 30 people. Traditionally my mom will help and we’ll serve my Grandma’s turnips, made every year and not eaten by one person, but we have to do it though. There will be kids screaming, someone will be fighting and the kids will be running all around. We’ll have turkey, apple pie (I love that) and pumpkin pie. I’m doing a whole thing on my website about Thanksgiving – how to make the simplest Thanksgiving. (Here’s the video to make the Turkey and Gravy, including recipe and tips and the video to show you how: http://www.doitdelicious.com/recipes/make_it/roast_turkey_and_gravy)

4. We love Italy. We also love Colorado and going skiing. My daughter broke her leg skiing three  years ago, so now I live in terror. We love to travel though and would love to travel around and see the world with our kids when they are older.

5. My favorite mom moment? All the times where parents have sent me an email or stopped me at school and mentioned to me something nice my kids have done for their children.  Recently a mom stopped me at school and said, “Your daughter was so nice to my daughter when it was her first day of school and welcomed her warmly.” I love that.

Thanks Jessica! xo, L&L

To read more about Jessica, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook.

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know about...Penelope J. Stokes

It's hard to believe that The Book of Peach is the first novel by Penelope J. Stokes that we've read. (She's written nine others-and that's just the fiction!)

The Book of Peach is the heartwarming, funny and equal parts sentimental novel about Peach, a former beauty queen who defiantly walked out of her mother's Mississippi home twenty some odd years ago, bound and determined never to return. How did that work out for her? Well...not exactly as planned. After a divorce, she's now back at home heartbroken and frustrated. Not a good combo if you ask Peach. To escape from living under her mother's judgmental eye yet again (and under strict orders by her therapist) she begins to journal about her life. She finds a back booth in the Heartbreak Cafe (also the title of Stokes' prior novel) where she meets some very unlikely friends. And she learns a lesson that we can all relate to-before you can move forward, you have to embrace your past.

And five of you can win a copy! Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win this women's fiction novel that makes you want to start a fire, curl up next to it and read from page one straight through to the end. (As usual, winners will be randomly selected.)

So now, without further adieu...5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Penelope J. Stokes

1. I’m older than I look, and younger than I feel. . .My publicity photo, of course, was taken in the early years of the twentieth century, just shortly after the development of color film. It is my own personal version of The Picture of Dorian Gray, in reverse–the photo never changes, while I get older by the day. But there’s an upside: I keep my privacy intact, because no one ever recognizes me in public places.

2. And speaking of privacy and public places. . .I’m an introvert. Truly. While my other writer friends flit from bookstore to bookstore, introducing themselves to managers and setting up book signings and appearances, I hide in the stacks behind towering shelves of books by dead writers. If I have a role to play–if I’m asked to speak to fifty people (or five hundred), I’m just fine. No hesitation there, no butterflies. I’ll have them eating out of the palm of my hand. But I’m absolutely no good at self-promotion.

I’ve never told my publicist this ugly truth about myself. Writers are supposed to be self-motivated little mini-me versions of Facebook, always publicizing the newest book. I was dragged onto Facebook by well-meaning friends who insisted that I had to have a fan page.

And yes, it’s the same Dorian Gray picture on Facebook.

3. And speaking of Facebook. . .I’m thinking of introducing a bill to Congress making it illegal to use facebook as a verb. As in, “I’m doing a little facebooking today.”

Yikes. Who teaches these kids, anyway?

Double yikes. I’m channeling my mother. That’s exactly the sentence she would have used. In fact, that’s exactly the sentence she did use, about nine hundred thousand times during my formative years.

4. And speaking of my mother. . .Yes, some of the details in my novel, The Book of Peach, were experiences that hark back to my own childhood.

No, I won’t tell you which ones. It’s more fun to speculate, to make up a backstory that has little or no relation to the so-called truth. Knock yourself out.

5. And speaking of childhoods. . .My father was a social worker, a weekend fisherman, and a profoundly creative soul who entertained us all with tales that grew with every telling. He had no compunction whatsoever about elaborating a story to suit his audience or his purposes. He called it storytelling. My mother called it lying.

Actually, my mother called it prevaricating. She was an English teacher. I was the only child in kindergarten who could spell, pronounce, and conjugate the verb to prevaricate without hesitation. My mother’s part in my literary upbringing was to read Edgar Allan Poe to me for bedtime stories.

My friends say that explains a lot.

Penelope, where have you been all of our lives? We love your book and you! And we can't wait to read all of your other novels!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

To learn more about the incredibly talented Penelope J. Stokes, become a fan on Facebook. And to buy The Book of Peach, click here.

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn’t know about Sweet Valley High!

Back in the 80's there were a few things you could always count on-that Lisa would be wearing high tops and a jean jacket and that Liz would have a big, fat scrunchy in her hair.  Oh, and that we'd both have our noses in the latest SVH book! The Sweet Valley High series had it all back then. Liz used to dream about naughty Bruce Patman(Is that where she developed her bad boy infatuation?), while Lisa was more of a Todd Wilkins kind of girl.  We giggled as they switched identities to mess with people and held our breath when Elizabeth was kidnapped. (We always did love the dramz...)

Long story short, we loved it!  In fact, we may go as far to even say that SVH was our first foray into chick lit.  And look how that turned out!

So imagine our excitement when we discovered that the fantabulous Francine Pascal was writing a sequel to our beloved Sweet Valley High. Fast forward ten years and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood in Sweet Valley Confidential (St. Martin’s Press), due out in March 2011.

We're dying to know if Liz is on the corporate fast track or if Jess has become a hot mess.  If Liz has become a total Facebook whore or if Jess is addicted to You Tube. And we're not the only ones, even blogger Perez Hilton is excited to see what these beyotches have been up to!!

And exclusive to Chick Lit is not Dead readers, Francine was nice enough to give us a little refresher course in all things Sweet Valley in preparation for the sequel.  We also have THREE SETS of Team Liz/Team Jess T-shirts to give away to five lucky readers. Just leave a comment and we'll pick the winners on Friday night.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Elizabeth and Jessica back at Sweet Valley High, by Francine Pascal

I wrote Sweet Valley Confidential for my fans who after all this time, are still curious to know what has become of the twins and their friends. I was curious myself. These characters were so close to me for years and I found that I wanted to delve into their reality as adults and discover who they turned out to be. Just like the people we went to high-school with there is a curiosity about where they are now and what they’re doing. I wanted to give my fans the opportunity to visit Sweet Valley one more time.

1. Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield were perfect size six twins, identical in every way—the same honey-and-sunshine hair, the same aquamarine eyes and a perfect, even feature.  The exception was that Liz’s face often wore a concerned expression in contract to Jess’ look of playful triumph.  Both mirrored who they really were.  Elizabeth worried too much and Jessica not enough.

2. Four minutes older than Jessica, Elizabeth seemed years ahead in maturity and she was more sensible, thoughtful and always there for the friend in need or the underdog. Additionally, she was organized, controlled and studious.  The perfect sister who sometimes bemoaned the fact that couldn’t let go and have a little more fun. She was always covering up for her sister and sometimes not so willingly.  Her constant defense of Jessica caused her to have more than a few fights off screen with her equally perfect boyfriend, Todd.

3. Jessica was the most popular girl at Sweet Valley High. As head cheerleader, she dated all the hot boys and most of the bad ones, too, and probably defined the term “frenemy.”  Jessica was adventurous, always looking for the next big one, sometimes even scaring herself.  Enviable in many ways, Jessica was a risk-taker with a “come hither” quality that fascinated.  But sometimes it fascinated the wrong people and then she had to run to her sister for help.

4.  Both girls had the advantage of fabulous looks. Jessica certainly made more use of them than Elizabeth. But it helped both of them. Always more career-oriented, Elizabeth loved writing for the school newspaper, The Oracle. Even in high school she knew she wanted to be a journalist. Jessica was obsessed with fashion, glamor and social status and had no idea what she would become.  Sometimes she worried about that, but then she would find a new boyfriend and all was well again.

5.  While both girls had many friends, Enid Rollins was Elizabeth’s best friend and Lila Fowler was Jessica’s. Liz was a one guy girl and that guy was always Todd Wilkins. And, as far as she was concerned, it would always be that way.  As for Jessica, she dated just about every popular guy including Bill Chase, Ken Mathews and, of course, Bruce Patman and was always looking for the next one.  Sometimes she wondered if she would ever find the right one and be able to stop looking.

Click here to "like" SVH on Facebook. Want a sneak peak of Chapter One release of 2011’s most anticipated book? Visit SweetValleyTenYearsLater.com.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

How To Tell A Woman By Her Handbag: 5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn’t Know About Kathryn Eisman

Have you ever wondered what your handbag says about you? Did you know that the kind of purse you carry is directly linked to your personality (or "purse-onality" as bestselling author Kathryn Eisman calls it)? Maybe your bag of choice pegs you as a drama queen, self-indulgent or a people pleaser. Well, Kathryn can tell you with frightening accuracy what kind of person you are based solely on the purse you throw over your shoulder, clutch in your hand or lug into the office every morning. She's written the incredibly fun and very insightful  How To Tell A Woman By Her Handbag. (She's also the author of How To Tell A Man By His Shoes. We could probably all learn a lot from this one too, ladies!)

And you know we were dying to know what our purses revealed about us. So we emailed Kathryn a picture of each of our handbags, but did not tell her which purse was Liz's and which was Lisa's. Let's just say the results were dead-on! (remember that "frightening accuracy" remark above?)

Black Bag:

This person is unpretentious and hard working. They have a slightly rebellious nature and don't like to be told what to do (nor do they need to be because they are so very capable). Even though they come across as very strong, they are very sensitive and live in their head. The stay away from competitive women because they are already so hard on themselves that anyone one else adding more pressure on them would just be a pain in the backside.

They can be very tough on themselves and should give themselves a few more pats on the back. They like to feel empowered and like an 'equal' in a relationship- but it's very important that they let a man look after them from time to time. As I say in the book, "asking for help is a fundamental part of being self sufficient".

The Louis Vuitton Bag:

They are essentially a romantic and even a little idealistic. Some may call them a 'dreamer' but they've actually got their head firmly screwed on. She likes to take charge and is not a wall flower by any stretch of the imagination. She loves to have a good time and their greatest fear is living an ordinary life (by this they mean emotionally neutral and without the highs and lows of life). They are a very loyal friend and have high expectations of others from friendship (because they give a lot of themselves, they also demand a lot of their closest friends).

Playful and up for a laugh...sometimes life has offered them the odd 'reality check' and while it's a lot to take for someone like this...ultimately they know that all good and bad things are good...because through them is emotional growth (something they are passionate about). This girl looks like she's playing by the rules, but makes them up along the way.

And here's what she said we have in common: Both are go-getters and are more practical than they realize. They are both multitaskers- although the black has slightly more on her plate of late. They are warm and friendly, but both of them are the type of people that get better the more you know them. They seem very open, but in truth they don't share everything with the world, and are essentially quite private (although they may never admit this).

And today, we have FIVE COPIES of How To Tell A Woman By Her Handbag to give away! Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win. And we'll randomly select the winners this Thursday! Good luck!

And now, here's 5 1/2 THINGS LIZ & LISA DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT KATHRYN EISMAN….

1)      I FREAK PEOPLE OUT WHEN I DO “HANDBAG READINGS”. I have the uncanny ability to read someone’s personality (or as I say Purse-onality)  just by looking at the handbag they’re carrying. Whenever people hear about the title of my book, they immediately ask for a “bag reading”. Now, some 4,000 readings later, I can honestly say that I’ve never been wrong. I’ve done it in business meetings, on dates, at dinner parties and on live TV (like NBC’s TODAY Show). Each time- people quietly freak out because I can see things like; where they went to school, what they’re like in a relationship, if they were an only child, and what their greatest passions are. Often, I freak myself out with how accurate they are!

2)      I’M AN AUSSIE- I moved to New York at the age of 21 on a whim and never went home. I actually grew up on the beautiful beaches in Sydney, Australia and visit home over the holiday season to escape the northern hemisphere winter when Sydney it at its blue skied and crystal water best. I am now based in West Hollywood, CA and absolutely adore living here. But at the end of the day I’ve got a very self deprecating Australian sense of humor, which basically means I’m constantly making fun of myself!

3)      I’M AN “ANCHOR WOMAN” BY TRADE- I was the on-air features reporter for NBC in New York for nearly four years and had my own daily entertainment show in Australia. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing everyone from President Clinton to Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney to Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Cameron Diaz to Daniel Craig. The best part of being a reporter is visiting other people’s lives and discovering what makes them tick, and what obstacles they’ve had to overcome. That access has helped me better understand people in general and has really helped me research my books.

4)      I STARTED OUT IN A BIKINI- I started modeling in Australia at 17 years of age and was constantly booked on swimsuit and lingerie jobs. I always had a bikini in my bag to run off to castings between classes. It was a fun and crazy time because there I was walking down a catwalk at Fashion Week in designer bra and panties, when I hadn’t even been see in that level of undress by my own mother! You learn to sort of disconnect from your body in order to protect yourself. Now I am a “big sister” and the ambassador for SISTER2sister, a charity that mentors at risk teenage girls. It’s really important for me to make sure teenage girls have someone they can talk to, because I remember the feeling of being trapped somewhere between being a girl and a woman.

5)       I’M ON A MISSION- I believe people reveal themselves in details. We’re not the grand declarations of who we say we are, we’re certainly not what we tell the men in our lives- we‘re the little details that we don’t think anyone will notice;  our  bags and shoes, the way we hold ourselves, how we answer the phone. My mission is to help other women break these unspoken codes and see the world through a fresh perspective.

5 1/2) I AM OBSESSED WITH MY MAINE COON KITTEN- I recently adopted Samson from a shelter but before I met him I was NOT a cat person at all! Now I spend way too much time snuggling with him, instead of writing my next book. He sits and snoozes all day on my lap (and sometimes on my head) and at night he's a little devil - but it's love. He grows bigger everyday and will probably be over 20 pounds of pure mischief when he's fully grown...I can't wait!

To get your own handbag reading, check out Kathryn's website! And to order a copy of How To Tell A Woman By Her Handbag, click here.

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn’t Know About…Alice Eve Cohen

Every now and again, we like to detour off our normal reading path and go, gulp, more dramatic and serious (but still with a humorous tone of course). And when we read the rave reviews for Alice Eve Cohen's memoir, What I Thought I Knew, that Oprah called "darkly hilarious", we knew we had to snatch up a copy and dive in. And with Lisa being pregnant, she wants to read about all things baby. So Alice's memoir about her surprise pregnancy at the age of forty-four definitely intrigued her (and made her feel a little better about having her first child at the, er, not so young age of thirty-seven). The story: After her divorce, Alice was engaged to a great guy and raising her adopted daughter when she started experiencing strange symptoms. She was diagnosed with an abdominal tumor and rushed in for an emergency CAT scan that revealed the real cause- she was six months pregnant! But this was only the beginning of many pregnancy related shockers that were all the more difficult to deal with since she hadn't received prenatal care and didn't have insurance coverage for her high risk pregnancy. As she tried to wrap her head around what's happening and friends and doctors drown her with advice about ethics, she makes lists called, "What I Know." The best part about this book, as many who have read it agree, is that you feel as if you're reading a diary as Alice skillfully uses humor to tell what could otherwise be a very dark story.

And if you leave a comment today, you'll be entered to win one of five copies of her memoir that People Magazine calls "a gripping story about one of the most wrenching decisions a woman can face."

And now Alice is here! Revealing 5 things that aren't in her fantastic memoir...

1.     There were two Alice E. Cohen’s in my graduating class at Princeton—Alice Eve Cohen and Alice Elizabeth Cohen. I secretly worried that the University admitted me by accident, intending to admit only the other Alice E. Cohen.

2.     In what must have been a previous life, I was part of a band called Music for Homemade Instruments. We built instruments from found objects—pots and pans, cardboard tubes, conduit pipes, you name it—and performed anywhere we were invited to play, including street fairs, National Public Radio, roof tops, and The Smithsonian Institution.

3. I’ve just been hired for an unusual job. My cousin is donating her collection of forty Pre-Columbian flutes to the American Museum of Natural History, and she has asked me to play them for a video the museum will be filming. I know how to play these instruments from my previous life as an ancient Aztec princess. One of the flutes is called the Terror Flute…It was played during ritual sacrifices of ancient Aztec princesses.

4. In another previous life, I wrote for the Nickelodeon television show, Are You Afraid of the Dark?—sort of a Twilight Zone scary show for kids. I didn’t tell the producer that I’m a total wimp, that I’m utterly petrified of horror in any medium, and that the Are You Afraid of the Dark episodes he asked me to watch terrified me. My first published book was an Are You Afraid of the Dark? novel. Until my memoir was published last year, Amazon classified me as a “children’s horror writer.”

5.     In my present life, I’m a card-carrying member of the United Auto Workers, which is very strange, since I don't own a car and barely know how change a tire. But the UAW unionized the part-time faculty at The New School, where I teach playwriting and solo theatre. So if you want your car to learn how to write plays and perform monologues, just call on me!

To learn more about Alice Eve Cohen, visit her website at website or follow her on Facebook.

xoxo,

L&L

8 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Julie Metz

We love memoirs over here at Chick Lit is not Dead,  especially the ones that read like good fiction.  You know, when you have to keep stopping and reminding yourself that these things ACTUALLY HAPPENED to the author! When Liz picked up Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz in Target a few weeks ago, she was immediately drawn to Julie's amazing story. Because let's face it ladies-there's a part of us that loves to read about other people's dirty laundry!

Julie's life changed forever when her husband collapsed in her kitchen and died in her arms, leaving her a single mother in a small town.  But that was only the beginning-she soon began to find out that he had hidden another life from her.  Her narrative is honest and insightful, her storytelling pitch perfect.  And as we did many times, you'll wonder what the hell you'd do if it had happened to you. You'll cheer for Julie as she begins to pick up the pieces of her broken life and rebuild.

But don't just take out word for it-Perfection quickly became a NYT bestseller upon it's release. AND Oprah thought Julie's story was so compelling that she invited her to be a guest!  In fact, Julie's episode is re-airing this Friday, July 30th.  Make sure to set your Tivo! Or you can find it here.

And we're so lucky that she's sharing not five, but EIGHT things we didn't know about her.  And we were excited to discover that, like us, she has more books than she knows what to do with.  And wait until you find out at what age she got her drivers license!

We also have three SIGNED copies to give away to our fabulouso readers. You know what to do-just leave a comment and we'll select the winners randomly this Friday evening.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: 8 THINGS LIZ & LISA DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT...JULIE METZ

1. I move houses more than I'd like...and every time I do...like now...I wish I didn't own quite so many books. But once they are unpacked it's like seeing old friends again.

2. I never really had a granny, but my old kitty Sweetie Pie kind of takes her place. She's a bit dottery but absolutely lovable, and still likes to show up for meals, ours most of all and always has something to say.

3. A lot of readers ask me when someone will make Perfection into a movie...the answer is, soon. I just sold the film option, so stay tuned!

4. I like telling my daughter a story about college, how we stole tea trays from the dorm kitchen one winter evening, and went sledding. Some apricot brandy was involved.

5. As a young woman I loved traveling alone and was surprisingly fearless. I still remember so many of the people I met on European trains and the chocolate covered cookies we shared—cheap and filling.

6. I finally quit smoking at 34...it took at least ten tries.

7. I learned to drive late, at 27. I have been to a hypnotist on two occasions hoping to overcome my fear of city driving.

8. I have a bit of a green thumb that always surprises me. I think it's because I talk to the plants. My mom always said it worked, so I have continued the tradition.

Thanks Julie! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

To read more about Julie, head on over to her Facebook page or find her on Twitter.

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Allie Larkin

Where do we begin? The brilliant, eye-catching book cover (it's her own German Shepard, Argo. Need we say  more?). The fantastic writing? The story that makes your heart melt over and over again? Since discovering Allie Larkin and devouring her DEBUT novel, STAY (in stores NOW), we're in love (yes, we've fallen hard- again!). STAY is the story of how heartbroken Savannah"Van" Leone, in love with her best friend's husband (ouch!), finds comfort in a dog "Joe" that she adopts from, um, Slovakia. Best part? She buys the dog over the internet while in a drunken vodka and Kool Aid haze after watching a Rin, Tin, Tin marathon. Hey, it could happen to anyone... Er, like the time Lisa picked up her home phone and called everyone in her address book (remember those?!) after drinking too many shots of Captain Morgan's that she chased with chocolate chips?!  This was in college, before cell phones, before internet. Before common sense & good taste in liquor. But we digress...

When Van discovers the pint-size dog she thought she ordered isn't so pint-sized (try 100 pounds!) she rolls with it. (At least Joe's vet is HOT!) She's someone you root for and someone you feel for. She's someone you can relate to- especially when you think of how lonely it can be to nurse a broken heart.  And when her best friend and her husband return from their honeymoon (yup, to make matters worse they recently tied the knot), Van must decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice to have the life she's always wanted.

After reading STAY, we had a million questions for this break out author. Because we're deep in the trenches trying to find an agent for our our next project and we know many of you are aspiring writers, we wanted to know everything about how Allie got her book from the computer to the bookstores. And because we're, well, US, we threw in some "hard hitting" Q's like her "GNO drink of choice".

And we have FIVE copies of her book to give away! You guys know the drill.... leave a comment to be entered and we'll randomly select the winners this Friday!

1. How long did it take to write your book?

STAY started as a writing exercise in a class in 2002.  I turned the exercise into a short story, and then filed it away for several years.  I revisited it for a writing group, and realized it needed to be a novel.  I wrote the first few drafts at a rate of eight pages a week for my writing group.  So, it took many years, but I wasn’t working on it full time until the very end.

2. How long did it take you to get your book published? What were your rock bottom moments along the way?

I had my share of rejection and mopey moments while I was trying to find an agent, but I really believed in the story and the characters, and that kept me going.

Two years ago, our dog, Argo, who is the inspiration for the dog in STAY, had a growth that turned out to be cancer. I was a wreck.  I had shelved STAY to work on something new.  But while we were waiting for his surgery date and through his recovery, there was so little we could do.  I felt like I needed to finish STAY.  I know Argo will never know one way or another that he inspired a book, but it was important to me to finish it. STAY is fiction, but it’s also a celebration of the way Argo has changed my life and made me a better person.  I’m thrilled that Argo recovered fully and has been a part of this whole process with me.

3. How did you get teamed up with your publisher? Why did you feel your publisher was a good match for you?

Rebecca Strauss, my agent, met with Erika Imranyi at Dutton, and gave her the manuscript.  Dutton is the perfect match for STAY.  They have an amazing reputation for strong commercial fiction, and give so much attention to every book they publish. Everyone I’ve worked with at Dutton cares passionately about what they do, and I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to work with them.

4. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?

I feel really lucky, because my agent has been an amazing guide through this process and it’s really helped me to make decisions I feel good about along the way.  I don’t think there’s much I would change if I could.

5. What did you do to celebrate your book deal?

My husband took me out to dinner at our favorite restaurant, and I called a bunch of friends and cried at them.

6. Who is your writer crush?

When I read NAKED in college, I was positive David Sedaris was my soul mate and we were meant for each other.  Then I got to the chapter entitled “I Like Guys.”  I guess I’m not his type, and I’m married now anyway, but I’d be open to being just friends.

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing?

Twitter and Facebook are big distractions.  Although, also useful.  When I’m feeling like I want to take a break, it keeps me home and in my office to spend a few minutes on Twitter.  Otherwise, I’d get the itch to run errands or go grab coffee, and might not make it back to my desk that day.

8. GNO drink of choice?

I love Campari & soda.  I get teased about it being an old lady drink all the time, but it’s my drink of choice anyway.  I also enjoy driving slow and going to bed early.

9. Favorite trashy TV show?

There was a BBC show called Hotel Babylon.  Most of the seasons are on Netflix.  I watched as many as I could get my hands on in an embarrassingly short amount of time.  And I plan to do it again when I can.  So fun!

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?

If @NathanFillion ever tweeted at me – war or otherwise, I’m pretty sure I’d pass out.

To find out more about this fab Lit It-Girl Allie Larkin, follow her on Twitter, Facebook and visit her website. And definitely buy her book!

Thanks so much, Allie!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Mlynowski

Teens have it so good these days.  I mean, come on. Cell phones, (we're from the "pager" era) IPods, (um, is this where we mention we remember 8-tracks?) and YA fiction.  So not only do these kids get to listen to their favorite song over and over without rewinding a tape, they also have a whole genre of fiction devoted just to them.  And the best part? There's a ton of awesome YA writers out there. (Just ask Liz-she's a closeted YA addict!) And we're lucky enough to have Sarah Mlynowski sharing 5 things we don't know about her today.  She's the author of the popular Magic in Manhattan series. Her latest YA effort, Gimme a Call is a lot of fun (AND has already been optioned by Paramount!).  It's a lighthearted read about a girl who, after dropping her cell phone in a fountain, is able to call her fourteen-year-old self and tell her all the things she wish she had known three years ago.

Want to win a copy?  We've got five! Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winner by random drawing on Wednesday evening.

And if you're just unable to embrace your inner teen, don't fret-Sarah's got some chick lit up her sleeve too.  In fact,  Me vs. Me is one of our favorite books and See Jane Write is a must read for any aspiring chick lit author!

So take a minute to get to know more about the fabulous Sarah! And wait till you see the VIDEO evidence she provided to back up one of her 5 things! Love it!

5 things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Mlynowski!

1. I speak four languages. English, French, Hebrew and Yiddish. Yes, Yiddish. I’m not kibitzing with you.

2. I’ve moved eleven times in the last fifteen years. Two countries, four cities, six roommates, one husband, and one adorable baby. So much packing tape.

3. My mom is a novelist too. She’s published four romance novels under the name Elissa Ambrose. Obviously, when I read her books, I skip over the sex scenes.

4. I hate soda. I don’t understand the appeal. I’ve never understood the appeal. Those bubbles burn. Why would anyone want to drink something that causes pain? It makes no sense.

5. I learned how to ride a bike when I was twenty-seven. My dad tried to teach me when I was a kid, but I refused to let him take off the training wheels. My husband decided enough was enough, and taught me on our honeymoon. Unfortunately, I mowed down some flowers. Unfortunately, there is video evidence-see below!

To read more about the lovely Sarah Mlynowski, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know About...Beth Harbison

Gotta love summer and all the new releases from  our favorite writers these past few months.  Between great books by Emily Giffin, Allison Winn Scotch and Jane Green, our beach bag is getting damn heavy(maybe we can find a hunky lifeguard to carry it for us?). And we'll have to make room for one more NYT bestselling author because the lovely Beth Harbison has a new book out TODAY.  Thin, Rich, Pretty is a must read! (PS: It's also her birthday! What a perfect way to celebrate!) We first fell in love with Beth after reading Shoe Addicts Anonymous and were lucky enough to have her answer 25 Things we wanted to know last year.  Thin, Rich, Pretty is Harbison's fourth novel and it follows three women as they attempt to escape the bitterness of their past. Poignant and funny, Thin, Rich, Pretty is for any woman who remembers that bratty girl who made fun of her but is happy today in spite of it.

And we've got FIVE copies of Thin, Rich, Pretty to give away.  Just leave a comment and we'll choose the winners by random drawing on Thursday evening.  How easy is that?  So don't be shy, leave a comment!

Now let's get to Beth's five things.  If you've never read her books before, we have a feeling you'll be running out to the nearest Barnes & Noble after checking out what she has to say (just the fact that she could pick us up for lunch in a limo OR a Haz-mat truck makes us love her). She had us LOLing. And that's saying a lot because we don't LOL for just anyone...I mean, we might COL(chuckle out loud) occasionally but we're definitely not LOL whores.(Although *someone* (Liz!) has developed a serious snorting out loud problem lately...)

But now, without further adieu-let's give a warm welcome to the ultra-fab Beth Harbison!

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about Beth Harbison!

1. That, when asked to come up with five things people don’t know about me, I really struggled to come up with anything.  Then I realized the no one out there really knows anything about me, so it’s not really five things you don’t know about me that I’m having trouble with but five things about me that might be interesting at all.   So, in conclusion, 1. I’m boring.

2. Except, I’m really not boring, it’s just that all the good stuff about me is secret. I can’t tell you the good stuff without being afraid you’ll blackmail me with it later, or that it will come out the night before the New Hampshire Primaries when I’m running for president and my bid for the White House will be completely ruined because my bossy publicist wanted me to get out here and trumpet myself so people will buy my books.  So 2. I’m running for President.  Someday.

3. I’d be a horrible president.  Really. I don’t understand politics that well and I can’t really keep my own money budgeted, so you don’t want me in charge of yours.  On the other hand, if Katie Couric asked me what magazines and newspapers I read, I could answer.  In fact, I would answer.  Because maybe the People Magazine, InStyle, and Allure people would give me a free lifetime subscription which, believe me, would save me lots of money.  Wait!  Did you catch that?  I was being budget conscious.  So maybe I’d be a pretty good president.  Or at least Governor of California.  Except I don’t know what to do about the oil spill, since Certain People laughed at my “lots and lots of cotton balls” idea.  Incidentally, the White House phone operator didn’t otherwise demonstrate any sense of humor at all, so I don’t think she was laughing with me, so much as at me.  So, yeah, 3. I am not the political expert I appear to be.

4. So clearly if the writing thing doesn’t work out, I’m kind of screwed as far as a career in politics is concerned too. It’s too late to join the military, though drab green is my color, and even if the Peace Corps would have me, I think the fact that I’m afraid to walk around my suburban neighborhood at night -- because of all the frogs and rabbits and shushing noises in the trees -- might indicate I’m a bad candidate for jungle living.  I actually have a commercial driver’s license and can legally drive a limo, or bus or non-Hazmat truck, but I also have a driving phobia so the CDL is really just for show now.  Really, my greatest asset seems to be that I’ve eaten at virtually every restaurant in Disney World.  And a bunch of good ones in Manhattan as well.  And D.C.  But what job consists of basically eating in fancy restaurants and going to events?  I know!  4. Would make excellent hired escort Vice­-President.

5. I don’t want to be vice-president! For one thing, I kind of like the idea of living in Florida, at least in the winter, and you just know the media would be all over me for leaving Mass Avenue and going on down to Key West for a few months every year.  President Schwarzenegger might also not be too pleased with me for that, because then he’d get a bunch of heat for begging me to be his running mate.  As he should, actually, because you totally know he’d have strong armed me into doing it because he so desperately needed someone with my charm, intelligence, and lack of easily-imitated-by-Tina-Fey annoying accent to boost his ticket.  When you come right down to it, you just know he begged me, using emotional blackmail like “the children of America look up to you and need your guidance” and “only you can pass a bill allowing dogs to vote”.  And frankly I don’t like being manipulated that way, Arnold.  So, I guess, 5. is: I’m going to just keep being a writer as long as I have readers.  But you probably already knew that.

In which case: I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do what I love every day and get paid for it.  Being a working hired escort writer.

To read more about Beth, check out her Facebook fan page or follow her on Twitter.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know About... Sarah Dunn

Today is a BIG day for us! Especially for Lisa... because one of her biggest author crushes, Sarah Dunn, is HERE. Yeah, we know what you're thinking, we have A LOT of author crushes. What can we say? We're kind of author crush whores! But hey, we'll take the label. Because we're thrilled that there are so many fantastic female writers out there to lust after.

Now back to Sarah. It all started with The Big Love. When Lisa read the story of Alison Hopkins who gets dumped-hard-when her live-in boyfriend, Tom, goes out for MUSTARD and, um, never returns. Let's just say Lisa could relate. No, none of her boyfriends went out for a condiment and disappeared, but many of them did dump her-hard. So she could feel Alison's pain. Especially when Tom calls to say he's in love with another woman AND he's been sleeping with her for FIVE months. OUCH. And now Alison, flat broke and working for a floundering newspaper, must jump back into the single world. *Sigh*

And then Sarah wrote Secrets to Happiness and we both boned out over the story of Holly Frick (love that name) who is still in love with the man she's divorcing. Double Ouch. And Holly's happily married best friend reveals she's about to have an affair...And then another woman comes to Holly asking for love advice- with Holly's EX. (Sarah knows how to build the drama!) So Holly, determined to find happiness, gets herself a much younger man (score) and a dog... And we LOVED the theme of this story that we can all relate to- searching for happiness.  And if you leave a comment, you'll be entered to WIN 1 of 5 copies of Secrets to Happiness- out in paperback now!

And now, here's Sarah... who we love even more after this mother of a newborn (she gave birth just weeks ago) *raise champagne glass* managed to find time to bust out five things and reveal, among other things, that she LOVES inappropriate TV! Have we died and gone to Heaven? Can Sarah get any better? We'll let you be the judge... (PS: Hopefully we can get more scoop about #1!)

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Dunn!

1. The book Sex and the City is dedicated to my husband, Peter Stevenson. I find this more than a little alarming.

2. The first animal sound my son Harry learned how to say was the camel’s. He still won’t meow, moo, or go woof-woof, but if you ask him what a camel says, he spits.

3. My Secret Celebrity Crush is Brody Jenner. Related to this, I suppose, is the fact that I watch a lot of age-inappropriate TV.  I’ve only recently come to terms with the idea that I am too old to be on The Real World.  I also love ‘Snapped’, a true crime show wherein ordinary women just like you and me kill their husbands.  They can’t help it.  They just snap.

4. One of my most cherished possessions is a hot water bottle shaped like a little horse that I call The Hot Pony. I bought it in Ireland, where liability issues are such that children are encouraged to sleep with stuffed animals filled with boiling water.

5. I just had a baby.  Her name is Alice. I haven’t slept for more than three straight hours in seven weeks.  I wish I could think of something more clever to say.

Um, Sarah, we think you deserve an award for even finishing these five things! And we love them!

For more info on the lovely Sarah Dunn, visit her website.

Thanks! xoxo, L&L

Five Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Jen Lancaster

So let's be honest.  No one comes up with better titles than NYT bestselling author Jen Lancaster. When we first came across Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-centered Smart-Ass, Or why you should never carry your Prada bag to the unemployment office a few years ago, the title stopped us in our tracks. Any book with that funny of a title just HAD to be good.  And it didn't disappoint!

Now on her fifth memoir, Lancaster just keeps getting better and better!  In her latest, My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover if not Being a Dumb Ass is the New Black, or a Culture-Up Manifesto, Jen attempts to achieve cultural enlightenment and gives us a front row seat to the hilarious missteps and genuine moments of inspiration she encounters along the way.

And we're as giddy as schoolgirls that she reached deep down for five things we didn't know about her.  Liz is a huge fan, even going so far as to stand in line for over an hour at a Pretty in Plaid book signing and then shamelessly forced her to take the copy of I'll Have Who She's Having that she had brought for her. (Sorry about that Jen!) But it was worth it to meet her-she was just as fabulous in person as she is in her books.

We just gave away a copy of the fabulous My Fair Lazy last week as part of our Flip for Liz & Lisa giveaway. And guess what?  We have two more copies for some lucky readers!  Just leave a comment to be entered!

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Jen Lancaster!

You guys want five things no one knows about me?  Considering I make my living by writing about myself in books, on my website, though my syndicated column, and via Twitter, that’s a little harder than it sounds, but I’ll do my best.

Okay, first… I am Always Prepared. I’m prepared to the point of needing to capitalize the first letters of the words Always Prepared for I’m that prepared.  I perpetually hurt my back and strain my shoulder because of the amount of preparations I’m always carting around in my handbag.  Of course, I have the requisite chick-stuff in my bag… lipstick, compact, wallet, keys, sunglasses, pens, notepaper, business cards, dental floss, sunglasses, mints, gum, Kleenex, Kindle, iPhone, iTouch, hand sanitizer, dog treats, combination lock, four kinds of tampons, earplugs, a spare string of pearls in case I forget to wear them, and three different tubes of mascara depending on if I’m going for fullness, length, or curl.  Yet it’s those extra items that make all the difference in terms of preparedness.  For example, right now I’m not only carting around a gossamer-thin-matches-everything cashmere Burberry wrap but also a folding Benchmade combat knife.  I mean, how many times have you found yourself chilly or in need of a sharp knife for stabbing?  Well, not me, for I am Always Prepared.

Second, apparently my friends find my preparedness an endless source of amusement. I’m often tasked with emptying the contents of my purse at parties.  And yet I’m the only one of them who can pack for seven days on the road with a single carry-on bag.  I’m pretty sure that means I win.

Third, I missed the entire summer after my sophomore year of high school due to a particularly virulent case of mono. For two months, I did nothing but watch James Bond movies and read Danielle Steel books, thus beginning a lifelong love affair with smart-mouthed British dudes, well-timed explosions, and epic, cheesy romances.  Should Hugh Grant ever make a movie where something blew up, I’m pretty sure my heart would fly out of my chest.

Fourth, despite having my last three books debut on the New York Times best seller list, I can’t quite shake the feeling that the success is fleeting. Ergo, I still have every outfit I used to wear while working as a temp.  Should I suddenly need to take a letter, make a copy, or fetch some coffee, I’m all over it.

Last, I recently pre-ordered the entire set of Mad Men Barbies. (Seriously, how does any fan of the show not want these?  I mean Don and Betty Draper AND Joan Holloway?  Come on!)  However, in order to be allowed to purchase the Roger Sterling doll – and everyone wants a lecherous old white-haired Barbie, yes? - I had to join the Barbie Fan Club.  My official collector packet came via UPS.  I had to sign for the big pink envelope and I’m fairly sure my UPS guy is still laughing at me.  Mattel even sent me an official fan club membership card.  I carry it in my purse for I am Always Prepared.

You can read more about the lovely Jen Lancaster at her website or follow her on Twitter so you don't miss her sassy tweets!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know about....Julie Buxbaum

Julie Buxbaum might just have the best book covers evuh! The cover for her novel, After You, (out in paperback now) tells a story all its own. If we saw it in the bookstore, we'd pick it up instantly and flip it over to read the back, wanting to know more. (which is what you should do next time you're in Target. It was just picked as a Target Breakout Book!) And that's exactly what Lisa did when she noticed Julie's first book, The Opposite of Love in Barnes and Noble. And she's so happy she did!

For us, the cover is half the battle.  And with both books, Buxbaum doesn't disappoint. Her novels grab you from the moment you see them sitting on the shelf at your favorite book store to the moment you turn the last page, sorry to see the story end.

After you is the gripping story eight-year-old Sophie who witnesses her mother Lucy's death. Lucy's best friend, Ellie, immediately travels across the Atlantic ocean to help Sophie who's stopped speaking and whose father has retreated to drinking to deal with his own grief. To help Sophie, Ellie turns to the book, The Secret Garden. And as she begins to discover things about her best friend's life, she also must face things about her own- things her best friend didn't even know. Anyone who's had a past full of regret, a best friend or a lost love will relate to this book. And if you'd like to win one of five copies, leave a comment here!

We're thrilled to be learning more about this talented author. Just like so many of our other fave's, she's got a great sense of humor. And, apparently, so does her husband (wait 'til you find out how he proposed!). So....drum roll please... here's 5 Things we didn't know about...Julie Buxbaum.

1. I have the handwriting of a six year old. Somehow, I have gotten through high school, college and law school, and yet I’ve never learned how to hold a pen properly. That should really be on the SAT.

2. I know this is blasphemous, but I hate to shop. Despise it. Not only because my body is incredibly disproportionate—my top half and bottom half are more than a little mismatched, which definitely makes the shopping thing harder—but mostly because I hate to make any decisions.  In fact, would prefer to never have to make any decisions at all.  About anything.  Even what topping to put on my pizza. Or whether I want pizza at all.  Maybe I want chicken. Or tacos.  See, hate decisions.  Hate them. And thus, shopping too.

3. I am that person who shows up at the airport, only to find out their flight is tomorrow, or yesterday, or ten minutes ago. Shortly thereafter, I am that person who cries at the check-in counter.

4. I’ve read THE SECRET GARDEN at least one hundred times. Which is why it plays such a huge role in AFTER YOU.  I think it is as close to a perfect book as you can get.

5.  After meeting my husband for the first time, I turned to my best friend and said, “You never know who you’re going to meet that’s going to change your life.” Little did I know, though, that seven years later, after kidnapping me and whisking me off to Tahiti, he would propose.  But that’s not the interesting part.  Upon taking me to the most romantic spot on the planet, how did my future husband pop the question? Did he get down on one knee and declare his abiding love in a move that would be befitting the setting?  Nope.  He thought it was a much better idea to moon me.  Yup, my husband proposed via lipstick on his butt.  Of course I said yes.

To learn more about Julie, follow her on Twitter and Facebook. You should also check out her sassy new blog, Julie has writer's blog.

xoxo

5 (More) Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know About...Jane Green

She's baaack!

The Queen of Chick Lit is paying us another visit and we're rolling out the red carpet! (She is the Queen after all!) Last time, she made us this entertaining video (with appearances by her children and other glimpses into her home life!) and today, she reveals five more things that have us LOL'ing. (And we don't just LOL over anything, people!)

It's no secret that we love us some Jane Green. Not just because she's a talented author, but she's also personable and just downright nice. So it should come as no surprise that her latest novel (out now!), Promises to Keep is also at the top of our list! It's a story about the hard choices we have to face, about having to be your parent's child long after you've grown up and about the enduring nature of love. And not only do we think you should buy this book because it's fabulous, but also because 20% of the royalties go to City of Hope!

But you know us, we're giveaway whores too... so of course we have FIVE copies of Jane's novel in our hot little hands. Just leave a comment here and you could be the proud new owner of Jane's latest masterpiece.

And if you're not already following Jane on Facebook or Twitter, you should. You can get constant updates about her life (she's a mother of SIX) and her books (Promises to Keep is her 12th!). Plus, she's hilarious. As you'll see below...

5 (more) Things Liz and Lisa Didn't Know about...Jane Green!

1. I am allergic to exercise. Truly. I have been through phases in my life when I try, but...but...I just can’t be bothered.  A couple of years ago I quite liked running on a treadmill. I never made it past a mile or so, but it felt quite good. And then I stopped. I spend many nights lying in bed planning to exercise in the morning, and then morning comes and...I still can’t be bothered.

2.  I cry when I laugh. Always. This makes mascara-wearing a bit of a liability, and I do not go anywhere without at least four tissues in my bag.

3.  I have the patience of a fruit fly, with no attention-span whatsoever. I spent many happy hours at school daydreaming out of windows, and am still not entirely sure how I passed any exams at all. Now they would have diagnosed ADD, but then it was just endless report cards saying: must try harder.

4.  Turning forty was one of the best days of my life. Turning forty-one, however, was miserable. I was so geared up about turning forty, it never occurred to me that I was going to continue growing older. Turning forty-two, thankfully, was fine. And if you tell me I look thirty five I will be your best friend forever.

5. According to my husband, I am not a very good driver, but I think I am the best driver in the world. Many people have been known to ride in the passenger seat with one hand hovering on the door handle. I am ashamed to admit I once sent a jogger flying over a hedge. Twin B also claims car sickness whenever he’s in the back, but I think that’s just attention-seeking...

Thanks again, Jane!

xoxo, L&L

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Claire Cook

Summer is FINALLY here and we are so ready for some great beach reading. (Now we just have to find time to make it to the beach!)  And with so many fantastic releases from our favorite authors, (And some great debuts too!) they'll be plenty to choose from.

Speaking of great new releases, Today we're learning five things about fabulous bestselling author Claire Cook!  She's the author of SEVEN ENTERTAINING NOVELS (including Must Love Dogs, which was made into a movie starring our girl crush Diane Lane!).  Her latest,  Seven Year Switch follows sassy single mom Jill as she tries to pick up the pieces after her husband leaves her to raise her daughter by herself.  It's an inspiring tale about starting over, finding strength and rediscovering love.  Perfect for a summer getaway!

Not only is Claire revealing five things, she made a video (complete with music-we're impressed!) about the five things we don't know about her. We're loving it and have a feeling that you will too.(She has a very interesting past job that involved a leotard!  She's been on the Today show!)

And don't forget to connect with Claire on Facebook and Twitter too-she hosts lots of cool giveaways and we know y'all love getting free stuff!

And...To celebrate the release of Seven Year Switch, we are giving away FIVE copies.  You know what to do-just leave a comment to be entered!

So sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy!  xoxo

9 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know About...Allison Winn Scotch

She's not just a majorly talented, New York Times bestselling author with three fabulous books under her belt. Allison Winn Scotch also has serious celebrity radar (case in point: she saw Tina Fey, Ben Stiller AND Cynthia Nixon in the same week!).  She picked her husband up! (Wait till you find out where...) And she has quite a thing for cereal... We're SUPER excited about Allison's latest novel, The One That I Want available everywhere TODAY! We both loved the wonderful story about Tilly Farmer, a girl who's seemingly perfect life begins to fall apart after an old childhood friend gives her the gift to see into the future. Liz was unable to put it down-she finished it in one day flat! (A new all-time record, btw...) And Lisa has already read it twice! Redbook Magazine loved it too, choosing it as a June Book Pick and we agree- it's a must-have for your beach bag this summer!

And to launch The One That I Want, Allison is giving away some FABULOUS PRIZES if you order it between now and June 4th.  Send her the receipt and you'll be entered to win cool stuff like a Blackberry, a Flip camera, a bag of great summer reads and more! Head on over to her website or Facebook page for all the deets!

And that's not all!  We have FIVE copies of The One That I Want to give away!  Just leave a comment on this post to be entered!

Allison took time out of her uber-busy schedule not just to share 9 things about herself that we didn't know, but to make a video to reveal these things to us! (Thanks, Allison!)

And that's not as easy as it may seem. Think lighting, wardrobe and, of course, content. Well, we think she nailed it from start to finish. (But of course she did! We're beginning to think she's good at everything she does-she even has awesome tweets!) And we have no doubt you'll love this video as much as we do.

So, pull up a chair and watch and be prepared to learn some pretty interesting things about Allison. And don't forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win a copy of The One That I Want!

xoxo

5 Things Liz & Lisa Didn't Know About...Hyatt Bass

We first heard about debut author Hyatt Bass  (btw, what a great name!) when Allison Winn Scotch tweeted about her last year. With an endorsement from one of our favorite authors, we snatched up The Embers immediately and also started following @HyattBass on Twitter (when we tweeted her, she tweeted back!).  And from the first page, Hyatt's novel was incredibly satisfying. Her writing is engaging and real. As is the story of Emily whose engagement makes her take a difficult look at how her family has been torn apart since her brother passed away. The story moves between past and present over the course of sixteen years and is told from the perspectives of Emily, her father and mother as they all come to face the many buried secrets in the family.

The Embers is out in paperback today. And if you leave a comment here, you know what that means! A chance to win a copy of this fantastic novel. We say it's perfect timing for the holiday weekend!

So here she is.... the fabulous Hyatt Bass! (And PS: If she wasn't already fabulous enough... guess who she's married to? The writer of the hilarious movie, Date Night!)

1) The Embers actually started out as a screenplay (I’d written & directed a film, 75 Degrees In July).  When the script for The Embers didn’t work, I had a crazy idea to try writing it as a novel.  Ironically, the book is now out to filmmakers, and I think it would make a great film.

2) My son (5 at the time) had a melt-down when he found out People magazine had chosen The Embers as one of its “Get Set For Summer” books of 2009 but had excluded his “book.”  Who saved the day?  My filmmaker husband of course, writer of Date Night and Shrek Forever After, who offered to make a movie of our son’s book with his Flip camera.  I wrote this essay about it at The Daily Beast.

3) My great passion outside of my work and my family is The New York Women's Foundation.  I also met up with women’s funds all over the country during my book tour, and it was one of the most rewarding parts of publication.

4) Until I was 18, I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer. I decided to go to college instead, but I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to take that other path.

5) Before our children were born, my husband and I used to take each other on birthday road-trips to surprise destinations. The hotel in The Embers is based on a combination of places we visited this way.

To find out more about the incredibly talented Hyatt Bass, visit her website.

xoxo

5 Things Liz and Lisa didn't know about... Katie Fforde

So many great authors and books to choose from....so little time. Or at least that's how we feel over here at CLIND.  And that's why we love to bring you the latest and greatest titles by both up and coming and blockbuster authors. Hope you had a chance to check out Emily Giffin's fabulous video we posted earlier this week and soon we'll be rolling out a new feature that will showcase debut authors.  (They'll even give us a few tips on how they got published-we're taking notes!) Today we're excited to have bestselling author of over fifteen novels, Katie Fforde, sharing five juicy tidbits. (She knows Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman! Germans love her!) Her latest novel, Wedding Season, is about a wedding planner who doesn't believe in love. (Cue irony!) It's a fun, sassy read that will fit perfectly in your favorite beach bag this summer-Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of three copies of Wedding Season!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS:  5 THINGS LIZ & LISA DON'T KNOW ABOUT KATIE FFORDE

1. I went to ballet school with Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman. She had hair so long she could sit on it.

2. I can lick my nose with my tongue and clap with one hand. But I don't do these things in public.

3. As part of my research for Wedding Season, I had my colours done. I know now I suit coral red and I shouldn't wear black, but  I sometimes cheat with black. I watched a lot of Bridezillas and also discovered the 'Lindy hop'.

4. My book 'Highland Fling' was turned into a German TV movie. It is now set in the Hudson valley, NY. Where they also have a highlands.

5. My forthcoming book 'A Perfect Proposal' is partly set in New York and Connecticut. My heroine is a poor English girl and my hero is a preppy New York lawyer. Sparks fly as they cross into each others worlds.

To read more about Katie head on over to her website or click here to follow her on Twitter.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

5 Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about... Meg Cabot

Have we ever mentioned the majuh love we have for NYT bestselling author Meg Cabot? Between Liz's slight obsession with her YA novels (Um, does Princess Diaries ring a bell for anyone?) and Lisa's love for her Chick Lit Queen of Babble series , we consider ourselves huge fans.  Not to mention how we crush on her witty tweets and Facebook updates.  And once you see the, um, creative way she approached her five things, we think that you'll be girl crushin' on her too. And we also have an AWESOME giveaway to share with y'all! Just keep reading to find out what it is...

But first, we have to tell you about Cabots's latest YA release. It's high fashion with a touch of sci-fi. In Runaway, the dramatic conclusion to the bestselling and acclaimed Airhead novels, Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself. And we all know that no one does YA better than Meg Cabot! Click here to read more about the Airhead series.

And the fabulous giveaway we mentioned?  A Bare Minerals Extreme Glimmers eyecolor set and Airhead Prize pack that includes Airhead, Being Nikki and Runaway. Just leave a comment to be entered.  This contest will run for two weeks so be sure to tell all your friends to head over for their chance to win!

*Cue Drum roll*

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: 5 THINGS LIZ & LISA DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MEG CABOT!

Since I’ve been blogging circa 2003 (and everything that’s not on my blog is either in my books or on my Twitter), it’s hard to think of five things everybody doesn’t already know about me!

But as a thank you to Chick Lit Is Not Dead for having me here today, I’ll give it a try: The 5 photos no one has ever seen of me (for good reason)!

I’ll admit I came up with the concept for Runaway (which has a modeling/murder theme) because I hate getting my photo taken.  In fact, it was during a book tour that I came up with the idea for the Airhead series... a brain transplant.  Because I would rather have one of those (into Heidi Klum’s body, of course) than deal with getting my picture taken.

That’s because for every good photo of me, there are at least five terrible photos of me.

I call into evidence the following:

1. I have a lazy eye. Not a charming Paris Hilton, if-I-tilt-my-head-the-other- way-it-will-be-all-right lazy eye.  An I-look-like-I-just-had-ten-beers Lazy Eye.

This was taken at the vet’s office.  I wasn’t drunk.  But I look like I am.

2. I also have what my mom calls the Mounsey Squint (her maiden name is Mounsey).  Here’s a good example.  It’s how I look in most photos that readers have taken with me at book signings.  It’s why they always go, “Oh, your eyes were closed.  Can we take that again?”

Don’t bother.  My eyes are actually open.  It’s the Mounsey Squint:

3. Because of this, I have grown pathologically afraid of having photos taken of me at any time. This is how I now react whenever anyone comes close with a camera, and I’m not on tour and REQUIRED to smile:

4.  If there is nothing handy to cram over my face, I am apparently not above resorting to charming expressions like this one in the hope that the photographer will just go away (all of our vacation albums are filled of photos of me looking like this):

5.  In a sly effort to combat all of the above, the last time I had my author photo done, my publisher sent over professional fashion photographer Ali Smith, her assistant, this makeup artist, and her ten-ton arsenal of equipment.

Don't worry Meg, we aren't very photogenic either! To read more about the hilarious Meg Cabot, click here!

And check out what Lisa wrote about Meg over at Barnes and Noble!

xo, Liz & Lisa