Jennifer Weiner Giveaway + Exciting News!

Y'all know we love on Jennifer Weiner. One of our favorite books of 2014 was her novel, ALL FALL DOWN. And tomorrow, April 7th, it will be available in paperback--just in time for spring! Would you like to win a copy? Just leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered. Contest closes Thursday, April 9th at 10am PST.

The scoop: Allison Weiss’s husband has been sleeping in the guest bedroom. Her five-year old daughter’s meltdowns can only be stopped with promises that she can watch The Bachelor. Her father’s early Alzheimer’s has him thinking that Allison is still in college, while her once-distant mother cannot stop calling for help. Her big suburban house sits unfurnished, and the stress from her dream job is unbearable. This is Allison’s happy ending. . . .

When she happens upon a magazine quiz about addiction, she wonders if her use of prescription drugs is becoming an issue. Is it such a bad thing to pop a Percocet at the end of a hard day or a Vicodin after a brutal Jump & Pump class?

With a sparkling comedic touch and tender, true-to-life characterizations, Jennifer Weiner turns one woman’s slide into addiction and her struggle to find her way back up into an unforgettable tale of empowerment and redemption.

Our thoughts: We will definitely be rereading this book! One of our favorites.

Exciting news: #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner to write for The New York Times Op-Ed and Sunday Review columns! On the eve of Jennifer Weiner's paperback publication of ALL FALL DOWN, we're delighted to pass along the New York Times' announcement of Weiner’s recent appointment as a Contributing Opinion Writer.

As Capital New York reports, Editorial Page editor Andrew Rosenthal and Op-ed/Sunday Review editor Trish Hall announced that the paper will be bring on "several prominent authors (Jennifer Weiner, Roxane Gay), journalists (Texas Monthly executive editor Mimi Swartz, Judith Shulevitz) and academics (Zeynep Tufekci, William Baude, Adam Grant)." As Andrew Rosenthal stated, "We were looking for a broad range of viewpoints and subjects and backgrounds and geographical locations and every kind of form of diversity that you can think of."

Weiner's recent contributions to The New York Times – “Mean Girls in the Retirement Home” and “Another Thing to Hate About Ourselves” – rose to the top of the "most emailed" lists and have been picked up by newspapers and media outlets across the world.

Jennifer Weiner's next work – a sweeping love story titled WHO DO YOU LOVE – will be published this summer on August 11, 2015.

We're thrilled for Jennifer!

Diary of a Debut: 7 fun facts we learned on our book tour + giveaway!

We're baaaack from our book tour. Actually, we each arrived home over a week ago, but we took a much needed mental, physical and social media break (more on that in a minute). And now we're refueled and recharged and ready to share 7 things we learned while "on the road."

(Oh, and because we love you all so much, we're doing a giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post and be entered to win a surprise bundle of 10 books! The contest will close on Saturday, July 5 at 8am PST.)

1. Our readers are effing amazing!

We already knew you guys were amazing, but now we're putting an effing in front of that word because you showed up at our events! Not that we doubted you would want to be there, but we were a little nervous that only our Moms would actually fill the seats. Because everyone is so busy--especially in the summer-- and taking even a couple hours out of your schedule is a lot. So we want to say THANK YOU for putting us on your list of things to do. It means the world. And it also saved us loads of potential embarrassment.

PS:  Not to get too greedy, but while we're on the subject of how amazing you are :), if you've read and liked Your Perfect Life, we would be crazy thankful if you'd post a review on Amazon or on Goodreads. As you all know, positive reviews really, really help! And for those of you who have already done so, THANK YOU.

2. And so are other authors!

We feel so lucky to have so much support from other authors. Not only did they blurb our novel and give us shout outs when our book published, but several of them also participated in events with us and even showed up at them too! It's such a wonderful community of writers and we feel so fortunate to be a part of it. We could never list all of your names, but you know who you are and we love you! xoxo

3. We can talk with our eyes!

Have y'all seen How I Met Your Mother? Those guys have entire conversations with their eyes. And we discovered that we can do it too. Thank gawd! Because we were able to handle some sticky situations with no more than a few words spoken silently between our eyeballs. Like when we were being interviewed and that interviewer seemed to think our book was non-fiction and we had a holy shit how do we save this? mental chat. Or when we were at Rick Springfield's book signing and, at the last minute, we had a subliminal talk about how we should thrust one of our signed books upon him!

4. A slight head tilt can save the day!

We've never taken so many pictures in our lives! And a very smart author friend warned us that you will learn VERY fast how to take a good picture. So, after many, many, many terrible attempts, we finally figured out that a slight tilt of the head toward the person you are standing next to can do wonders for your face in a photo. Although when your eyes are closed and the pic still gets posted, there's no saving that. But at least it won't look like you have seventeen chins! (It feels weird to post a picture of ourselves that we think is good, so just take our word for it, k?)

5. Stick to one cocktail before an event!

We were a little nervous before our first few events, not knowing what to expect. So we might have said yes to a second drink before we were scheduled to "go on." While it definitely loosened us up, we may have been having a little too much fun out there. (We also blame the hand-held microphones that made us feel far more important than we actually are!) Our apologies to a certain someone (Liz's Mom!) we poked fun at for coming in late. We hope we made up for it when we thanked you for bringing 10 people? And a big thanks to the several people who said we should have our own sitcom. (See, it wasn't all bad!)

6. We can survive 3 weeks together!

We have to admit we were pretty worried about spending so much time together. So we took a lot of precautions to help us get through it. We didn't stay together every night, we never spoke or texted or even looked at each other before being caffeinated and we made sure to be as agreeable and flexible as possible. (We learned a lot from the mistakes made at BEA 2013! Remember Diary of a Debut: New York City edition?) And we almost made it all the way through without so much as a disagreement. Until the very last day together when we got into over, what we'll refer to as, "the great soap debate of 2014."  It's a long story but all you need to know is that someone brought someone else Starbucks an hour later and all was right in the world again.

7. We got pretty damn sick of ourselves!

In the weeks surrounding our publication, a lot was going on. And of course we wanted to share it all with you. But it finally got to a point where we couldn't upload one more photo, compose one more tweet or so much as look at our Liz and Lisa author page on Facebook. Enough was enough. We. Had To. Stop. So we took a week off to give us (and you!) a break. And we think it was a good decision, because we can now upload a pic to Instagram without spending 15 minutes debating whether the Amaro or the Sierra filter is best. (We were looking pretty tired there toward the end!)

Thanks again for everything! This has been an amazing journey which would never have been possible without your support!

2014: Bring it on!

What a year 2013 has been! From turning 40 to our publishing deal with Atria/Simon & Schuster to getting through all five seasons of Breaking Bad, it's been a year of big things. And as I bid 2013 adieu tonight while watching the ball drop in Time's Square from the comfort of my couch, I'll be thinking about the things--big and small--that I'm most excited about in 2014.

Oh and because we had to do ONE LAST GIVEAWAY this year, leave a comment about what you're excited to do in 2014 and be entered to win a bundle of surprise books! We'll choose the winner on Sunday, January 6th after 12pm PST.  Happy New Year, everyone!

1. Juicing!

Yes, you read that right. I'm that wife who asked for and is ecstatic she received an appliance for Christmas. A good friend said to me, of course you did, you're forty and you're a mom! Welcome to the club.  The hubs and I are so overly-excited about the endless possibilities this juicer will bring us you'd think we'd just won the lottery. I'll definitely be reporting back on the kale, carrot and ginger concoction I plan to try first.

2. More binge watching

We just watched the finale of Breaking Bad two nights ago. (So. Effing. Brilliant.) And I may never watch TV the same way again. In fact, I know I won't. Not having to wait a week to find out what Walter White was going to do next was one of the best things that has ever happened to this highly impatient person.  The only question is what TV show should I binge on next? Recommendations, please!

3. More blowouts

I know Liz and I have talked incessantly about and posted, er, a lot of pictures of our obsession with having someone else blow dry our hair--DryBar, oh how we love you! This blowdry thing *might* have even ended up in the book we're currently writing: The Status of All Things. I realize I'm not J-Lo and probably don't need as many blowouts as I think I do (you know, like 3-4 a week), but if any of you know a way for me to wash my hair as little as possible while still making it look great, please let me know! I smell a dry shampoo obsession coming in 2014.

4. Changes to our website

2014 will mark the 5th anniversary of this site. That's cray-cray! Oops, forgot that's one of the 7 things I'm supposed to stop saying because I'm over forty.  Anyway, be on the lookout for a redesign as well as new features! And important news about our new domain name! Stay tuned...

5. Getting published

This is so big that Liz and I don't have the words for it yet. In fact, we probably never will. All we can continue to say is we're grateful to be living our dream and so happy to have your support and  that you put up with our shameless plugs. Like these:

• You can pre-order our book here. 
• You can subscribe to our newsletter here.
• You can follow us on Instagram here.
• You can follow us on Twitter here.
• And then there's Pinterest too.

See you in 2014!

Diary of a Debut: Lessons learned in the Big Apple +5 book giveaway!

OMG you guys...we seriously heart New York City! We just returned from a fantastic trip--we had a great time getting lost as hell (more on that later) as we ran to meetings with our publisher, editor, agent and some super cool fellow authors--all of us excitedly talking about the publication of our novel, Your Perfect Life in June (there was even some clapping involved!). The best news? We saw the cover! Y'all--it's absolutely perfect and we cannot wait to show you. (Soon, we promise!)

And just when we thought we knew everything about each other, even MORE things came to the surface of our ever-evolving friendship. Much like the characters in Your Perfect Life, Rachel and Casey, we discovered (without switching bodies!) that there are always more things you can learn--even about your best friend.

Some of you may recall our trip to the Big Apple back in May. Well, without rehashing it  (because you can read all about the dramz here) let's just say it was kind of a shit show. And even though we don't mind watching other people's shit shows on TV (helllooo Real Housewives of Beverly Hills), we don't really care for it in our own lives.

The real lesson we learned?  That sometimes you need to hit rock bottom so you can build your friendship back up.  That it will be stronger once you do and you'll appreciate it more than ever.  The bottom line? We aren't perfect, and our friendship certainly isn't either.  But we wouldn't have it any other way.

And to celebrate our fabulous trip to NYC and how excited we are that our book is being published by Atria and in honor of Thanksgiving and, well, because we love you, we are giving away a bundle of 5 books by some of our fellow Atria/Simon & Schuster authors! The First Affair by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany, The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen, The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner and Forever Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winner on Sunday, December 1 after 3pm PST. xoxo

5 Lessons Liz & Lisa learned in NYC

1. Robots need love too

It's effing hard to be vulnerable. Especially now that we're forty. Talk about being set in your emotionally unavailable ways! But during a dinner that *might* have involved more cocktails than food, Lisa *might* have hugged Liz right there in the middle of The Dutch restaurant after Liz *might* have shed the first tear Lisa had seen from her since Bill Clinton was in office. And although Liz claims she hugged Lisa back, Lisa begs to differ. But it was still a hug and it was still a step. A step toward hanging up our hardware and embracing our inner softies.  And maybe even  finally abandoning our alter egos, Short Circuit and WALL E.

2. Separate hotel rooms are the key to...everything!

So who knew that this was the solution?  After we almost killed each other on the last trip-we decided a little space might do us some good.  And by space, we mean the half mile between our hotels.  At first, it felt odd, almost as if we were failing by not being able to spend 24 hours a day together for four straight days.  But when we realized how much more we LIKED each other after a twelve hour break each night, it was hard not to argue that it was the best effing decision we had ever made, not counting when we decided to get rid of our unibrows and start plucking our eyebrows back in college.

3. We are NOT photogenic AT ALL So we sort of already knew this, but, for some reason, we looked extra horrible in most of the pics we took on this trip.  Someone kept closing their eyes (Liz!). And someone else had runaway bride eyes (aka "crazy") in every other shot. (Lisa!) We ruined several great photo opportunities, including one while signing the Atria wall and another with Emma and Nicola, the fabulous authors of The First Affair. Even on the ladder in our agent's dazzling office, we couldn't get our shit together. And somewhere along the way, when the double filters stopped working (you know, when you put the photo through Instagram and then through Facebook editing too?) we gave up and started posting all of our pictures in black and white. #photofail

We finally realized the answer was to go to our beloved DryBar! After that we were instant supermodels! #drybarcustomersforlife

4. Neither of us has a freaking sense of direction!

Okay, so maybe this isn't the biggest revelation considering Lisa ONLY knew how to find places in Cali because she used the ocean as her guide. Don't even get her started on the eye rolls her husband still gives her four years after moving to the Midwest when she asks "which way is North again?" But still. We had our trusty apps that were SUPPOSED to help us, yet we STILL GOT LOST. Like when we went anywhere. And once, we even went to the wrong restaurant (turns out there were six locations) to meet someone. (Not sure we can blame that on Google Maps?) But the important thing we learned through this process is it doesn't have to lead to a murder on the corner of 47th and 7th. (See #5)

5. Pleasantries go a long way

We couldn't have a convo without biting at each other on our last trip to NYC.  This time?  We couldn't Not agree.  Lisa held the door for Liz, Liz let Lisa choose the restaurant.  "Whatever you want" became the catchphrase of our trip.  And for any of you that know us well, you know that is NOT something we usually say. Ever.

THANK YOU so much for following along on our journey and for understanding that we are human as we do it. Fights will happen. People will get lost. Bad photos will be the rule not the exception. But we're still doing what we love and that's what matters. And we couldn't do it without you! . We've only just begun this wild ride and look forward to you joining us all the way! #holdontoyourhats

xoxo

Read Pink 2013: Karen White exclusive guest post +14 book giveaway!

Today's guest: Karen White Why we love her: She's not just a fabulous writer, but she's the spokesperson for Read Pink 2013 and in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she (along with 13 other authors including Nora Roberts and Sarah Jio) is helping raise money for breast cancer research.

The scoop:  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Penguin is once again reissuing 14 of their women’s fiction and contemporary romance titles with special Read Pink seals, to promote our $25,000 donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), made regardless of sales. And Karen is sharing an EXCLUSIVE guest post with us today about what it means to her to be a part of this.

Giveaway: The entire 2013 reissue list. That's ALL 14 BOOKS (full list below)! (US Only) Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll choose the lucky someone on Sunday, October 6th after 12PM PST.

1. Karen White, The Beach Trees
2. Nora Roberts, Chasing Fire
3. Erika Robuck, Hemingway’s Girl
4. Jodi Thomas, Just Down the Road
5. Carly Phillips, Perfect Fit
6. JoAnn Ross, Sea Glass Winter
7. Karen Rose, Did You Miss Me?
8. Catherine Anderson, Lucky Penny
9. Kate Jacobs, The Friday Night Knitting Club
10. LuAnn McLane, Pitch Perfect
11. Liane Moriarty, What Alice Forgot
12. Alyson Richman, The Lost Wife
13. Sarah Jio, The Last Camellia
14. Penelope Lively, How It All Began

Where you can read more about Read Pink: Follow @BerkleyRomance and @PenguinUSA on Twitter.  Make sure to use the hashtag #ReadPink! Also, be sure to check out the website for Read Pink

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...EXCLUSIVE GUEST POST BY KAREN WHITE

EXPECTATIONS

            Most of us are raised with certain expectations.   When we are small, we know we’ll be punished or put on restriction for lying or hitting our brother.  As we get older, we learn that studying hard and doing our homework usually causes better results than daydreaming and blaming the dog for eating the essay that was due yesterday.  We know that we’ll never make the Varsity basketball team if we don’t shoot some hoops over summer vacation and show up for every practice.

As we give up our childhoods, we adopt a whole new level of expectations.  That if we keep on top of our game and work hard we’ll rise in our careers.  If we save enough money for a down payment on a house, we’ll be on our way to future financial security.  And if we eat right and exercise we’ll enjoy good health for the rest of our lives.

Unfortunately, life isn’t always as accommodating as we would like.  As the old saying goes, life is what happens when we’re making other plans.  Just when we’re moving in our expected forward trajectory, the proverbial brick wall is dropped in front of us.

As I write this, I have a close tie to five women my age who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years: a neighbor, a New York Times bestselling author, a close friend, the president of a bookseller’s association, and my sister-in-law.  You get the phone call, or the email to let you know, and you stop breathing for a moment at the suddenness of it.  The awfulness of it.  The sheer unexpectedness of it.  How could this be?

All five of these women are survivors who are inspiring examples of fortitude, perseverance, and courage.  And I think that’s where the life lesson comes from.  They fought the fight, they endured the hair loss, the surgery, the nausea from chemo. They posted silly pictures of themselves with headscarves and bandages on Facebook and I was in awe of their ability to smile.  In support, friends and family wore pink ribbons and pink shirts, and ran races and collected donations for breast cancer research.  As equally inspiring as my friends’ determination to fight their cancer, was the resolve I saw in the support of their circle of friends and family.  We were in this together.

I’m so very thankful for the doctors and the nurses, the researchers and the campaigns and fundraisers who have worked so hard to change what it means to receive a breast cancer diagnosis.  A diagnosis today includes a large helping of hope backed by science and the doggedness of those who brought us to this point.

My friends and I all joke about the indignities of our annual mammograms, and how to prepare for it we should lie down on the garage floor and ask our husbands to run over our chests with the family minivan. We laugh about having a “bosom buddy” to help remind us to do a self-exam, or we joke about our husbands volunteering to “help.”  We laugh, but we also understand that this is something we owe to not just ourselves and our families, but also to the mothers, sisters, and daughters who’ve gone before us.  Early detection is key, and we all know stories of women who caught their cancer in the first stages because of their regular self-exams and mammograms.

Last month my nephew Gavin, a First Lieutenant in the US Army, stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and sustained severe injuries including the loss of one of his legs.  The first photo we saw was of him in his hospital bed, bandaged and bruised with all sorts of tubes and wires connecting him to various pieces of equipment.  But after looking closely at the photo, we could see that despite heavily bandaged arms he was giving his trademark two-thumbs up to the camera.

Gavin’s mother is a breast cancer survivor.   She fought the fight with all the strength and courage it takes to win.  And she did—with flying colors.  She now runs marathons and is an outspoken proponent of good health and nutrition.  We are confident that her son has learned by example what it takes to not only survive this crisis, but to be stronger for it.

October is breast cancer awareness month, which is when I always schedule my annual exam.  Time to head out to the garage and lie down on the floor and tell my husband to grab the car keys.  I’ll smile at the jokes, but my smile will be full of gratitude.

To all of those who have fought the fight, or are in the middle of the battle, here’s a two-thumbs up for you.  You are not alone.  We are all in this together.

Thanks, Karen! And thank you to Penguin and all of the authors who are participating!

Liz & Lisa's Favorite Things Holiday Giveaway!

It's that time of year again. Christmas carols are playing on the radio, tree farms have popped up everywhere and, let's face it, we're all thinking about what we want for the holidays.   We thought we'd help you out with that this year and share some of our favorite things with you.  Think Blackberries (not the fruit), eReaders and video cameras, to name a few. But because we're feelin' the holiday spirit in a BIG way, we figured we'd do more than share. How about if  we channel Oprah and GIVE our favorite things to you? (*cue applause, hysterical cheering & maybe someone can even faint?*)

All you have to do to be entered in Liz & Lisa's Favorite Things Holiday Giveaway contest- and possibly win one of our favorite things below- is LEAVE A COMMENT HERE and like us on Facebook. And if you are a new fan, let us know in the comment that you leave here!  We love making new friends.

But here's the BONUS: If you refer someone to leave a comment here on our site and they mention your name in their comment and tell us that they "liked" us on Facebook, you will be entered again! There's no limit on the number of entries so refer away! The contest will run for over two weeks and we'll choose the randomly selected winners on Friday, December 17th after 9:00 p.m. EST, when the contest closes.

And now... drum roll please..

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: Liz and Lisa's favorite things of 2010

#1 The Blackberry Curve Because, what can we say, we're texting, Facebook & chatter box whores! And what better way to keep up to date than with this fabulous Blackberry?

Master your everyday with the Blackberry Curve 3G smartphone from Verizon Wireless.  Available in Fuchsia (pictured here), this smartphone is BlackBerry6 ready.  Make your everyday easier with features like 3G speed, real-time BBM chats, GPS, Wi-Fi, apps, multimedia, and more. We have one to give away to you! -A $399 value. Follow Blackberry on Facebook and Twitter.

#2 Sony eReader Because we love to swing both ways. Don't tell our paperbacks and hardcovers that we cheat on them sometimes!

The new Reader Pocket Edition is an ultra-portable, entry-level eBook reader with a five-inch full touch screen and a smart, lightweight design that’s easy to slip into a purse or jacket pocket for convenient, on-the-go reading. It is available in chic colors, including silver and pink – we have the pink one to giveaway! It is the thinnest, lightest and most stylish reader available today and is perfect for any reader on the go. And we have one to give away to you!- A $179.99 value! Follow Sony electronics on Facebook and Twitter.

#3 DXG high-def video camcorder Because we love taking video in style- and how can you go wrong with this adorable camera?

The Kensington 720p HD Camcorder is part of the Luxe Collection that combines high-definition technology and style in one camcorder that is hip, hot and haute. The Kensington 720p HD Camcorder comes in a red plaid pattern that is inspired by the latest trend in fashion that will complement anyone's taste and style. And it even comes with a matching luxury case to store your camcorder! Records high-definition video, captures still pictures up to 8MP image resolution and features a large and bright 3.0" TFT screen. So whether you're on the runway, on the street, in a party or out and about the city, capturing life in high-definition is always in style.

It’s the must-have Techcessory of the season featured on The View and ABC News, the Luxe Collection marries fashion with the latest digital camcorder technology, creating the perfect gadget for stylish moms, trend-setting teens, and fashionistas of any age.

And we have one to give away to you! - Retail value, $149.99. Find DXG on Twitter and Facebook.

#4 HollyBeth’s Organic SkinCare Basket Finally!  Something that will moisturize Liz's crazy dry lizard skin and keep Lisa's skin soft in the dead of winter.

HollyBeth's Natural Luxury is an Atlanta-based, USDA certified organic skin and body care line designed to soothe, pamper and nourish you from head to toe. The gift basket includes all of HollyBeth's best products: Chamomile and Rosemary Facial Cleanser, Rose and Geranium Facial Toner, Rose and Geranium Moisturizer, Grits and Honey Exfoliating Scrub, Eye Cream, Clary Sage Body Wash, Citrus Body Cream, Lavender Hand Cream, and the most luxurious product of all: the Hair and Body Silk. And for your home, HollyBeth's vanilla peppermint SHINE candle is perfect for the holiday season.

And this SkinCare basket can be yours- a $270 value! You can find HollyBeth's on Facebook and Twitter.

#5 Ann Roth Designer Shoes Because we're suckers for a fabulous shoe-and we love on these!

Launched in the spring of 2006, Ann Roth Shoes are luxury for the sole –and favored by one of our all-time fave authors, Emily Giffin. Featuring elegant heels, wedges and boots characterized by classic silhouettes with modern details, each pair is lovingly made in Spain by expert craftsmen. So many collections, so little time!

And we have a $200 gift certificate toward the pair of your dreams! Find Ann Roth shoes on Facebook and Twitter.

#6 McCall Wilder Holiday Dress for Girl Because we LOVE this line of clothing! So adorable!

McCall Wilder designs couture kids’ clothing  - all garments are heirloom quality; all sewn and embroidered by a dedicated team of talented seamstresses in the Atlanta area.  McCall Wilder Designs include a range of special occasion clothing – baptisms, wedding attire and holiday – as well as layette and casual clothing for children up to size 16.

McCall Wilder Designs clothing features unmatched attention to detail, including the use of exquisite, sustainable fabrics and delicate hand embroideries which are the centerpiece of our line of custom and ready-to-wear clothing. Unique features include hand work, including satin-stitched monograms, feather-stitching and bullion embroidery. All clothing is hand made in the USA from the finest natural and sustainable fabrics.

And, we have one McCall Wilder beautiful holiday outfit to give away – it could be custom or from her ready-to-wear selection, up to $150! Find McCall Wilder Designs on Facebook.

#7 Tikatok: Publish your child's own stories as a real book Because Liz is trying to get her kid's foot in the door of the publishing industry early! What a fantastic gift!

Looking for a unique, personalized gift for friends and family this year?  How about your child’s own original stories and artwork captured in a professionally-bound hardcover or paperback book for less than $20?

Tikatok, a Barnes & Noble company, is a fun, interactive online tool that inspires children to create and publish their very own books. You can order the book as a professionally-published hardcover or softcover, or email it to friends and family for the holidays.  Add a dedication and photo and you have a personalized gift created in minutes. Give as a present or display proudly on bookshelves.

And we have a $25 gift card to give away so you can make your own book! Find Tikatok on Facebook and Twitter.

#8 Crumbs Bake Shop Because nothing satisfies Lisa's prego cravings like these!

CRUMBS Bake Shop Holiday Collection Taste Pack features an assortment of six festive flavors for the Holiday Season including Peppermint Hot Cocoa, Gingerbread, Squiggle (red/green versions included), White Hot Chocolate, Christmas Good Guy and Christmas Sprinkle Mix (chocolate vanilla versions included). DELISH! Find Crumbs on Facebook and Twitter.

And we have a one holiday assortment(valued at $24) to give away!

#9 Basket of books Because no holiday list would be complete without a basket of books from some of our favorite authors!

Curl up with a good book by the fire this holiday season.  We've got novels by Jillian Cantor, Jenny McCarthy, Tim Gunn, Sarah Pekkanen, Jean Kwok and more!

Hope you enjoy our favorite things.  Happy holidays! xoxo, L&L

Five Things Liz & Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Pekkanen

We've made no secret about the fact that we LOVE Sarah Pekkanen. Her debut novel, The Opposite of Me, will be published by Washington Square Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, next week.  But before it hits bookstores, she's holding a Sarah Spike Day with a big raffle for everyone who pre-orders her book this Wednesday, March 3. So, what's in it for you if you pre-order The Opposite of Me on 3/3?  Here are the raffle prizes:

• A small, sleek HD camcorder from DXG USA’s Pro Gear line for 2010 (www.dxgusa.com). It retails for $300.  We gave them away at our Girls Night Out book signing last summer-they are AWESOME!

• A gift bag containing five hot new Simon & Schuster releases

• Five high-end, cotton t-shirts from Heart Threads Clothing (www.heartthreadsclothing.com). You pick the size, color and secret message printed on the inside of your shirt and worn close to your heart. Five winners!

• A 30-minute phone consultation with Sarah, in which she'll explain, step-by-step, how she got signed by a literary agent and publisher. This will include an editorial critique of your manuscript of up to 40 pages. If you're not interested in writing a novel, you can gift this prize to anyone you choose.

• This last prize is one a character in her book, Lindsey, would especially like:  A $35 gift certificate to MAC cosmetics (Lindsey is a fan of their eyeshadow) and a gorgeous red bustier from Affinitas Intimates. It would probably look best on a woman, but we won't pass judgment if the guys want to win it!

If you want to be entered in Sarah's raffle, here’s what to do:

1) On Wednesday, March 3, order The Opposite of Me online from places including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or Powells.com. If you buy more than one book, you’ll get more than one chance to win.

2) Email your receipt within 24 hours to this address: sarah@sarahpekkanen.com and make sure to put CONTEST as the subject line.

3) Wait to hear if you are one of the winners!

Now for the even bigger news…#1 New York Times bestseller Jennifer Weiner, author of seven blockbusters including Best Friends Forever and In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture staring Cameron Diaz, is supporting The Opposite of Me by holding an extraordinary giveaway of her own! Please visit Jen’s website for the details of how she is giving a free, autographed copy of one of her books to everyone who orders The Opposite of Me!

Remember, these are separate giveaways. So you can enter Sarah's raffle, or Jen’s giveaway, or both! The possibilities are endless!

If you’d like to read the first chapter of The Opposite of Me, a Redbook magazine book club pick, it’s on Sarah's website, www.sarahpekkanen.com. And trust us, it's as good as everyone is saying it is!

And just when you thought things couldn't get ANY better, we also asked Sarah to share five things we didn't know about her.  And, if it's even possible, we think we love her even more after reading them!  We think you will too.

Five Things Liz and Lisa didn't know about...Sarah Pekkanen!

1. I was rejected as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, despite the fact that I have a Rain Man-like ability to solve puzzles with no letters showing. I’m still bitter; I really wanted to spin that wheel!

2. I wrote part of The Opposite of Me at Chuck E. Cheese. I’ve got three young boys, so I bring my laptop with me wherever I go and squeeze in snatches of writing time. I’ve got this system down at Chuck E.’s: I keep all the tokens on my table and my kids have to come to me every time they need one. So they’re checking in every couple of minutes, and in the meantime, I’m pecking away on my laptop.

3. The Opposite of Me isn’t even the slightest bit autobiographical. The first thing people ask me when they hear the premise of my book – it’s the story of twin sisters who are complete opposites – is whether I’m a twin. Nope; I don’t even have a sister. But I've always been intrigued by the complex relationships my friends have with their sisters, so I tried to make the relationship of my main characters, Lindsey and Alex, as juicy and competitive and loving and tangled as possible. I've heard about twins who are so close that they create their own language, and can feel each other's pain from miles away - but I wondered what would happen to twins who were completely different. What if two sisters had nothing in common, but were constantly being compared? How would that shape their relationship?

4. I started writing books when I was a kid. A few years ago, my niece discovered an old letter I’d written on Raggedy Ann stationery asking a publisher when my book, titled, “Miscellaneous Tales and Poems” would be published. I carry that letter with me every time I go to New York to meet with my publisher, as a reminder that dreams really do come true. Well, at least some dreams. Brad Pitt has yet to show up on my doorstep wearing nothing but a toolbelt and a knowing smile and asking me if I need anything fixed. So maybe it’s only G-rated dreams that come true.

5. When I'm not writing, I love to run marathons and study Latin and organize the clothes in my closet by color and season. Naw, not really. I watch reality TV and eat too much chocolate and worry if my butt looks fat in my favorite jeans.

To read more about Sarah, head on over to  www.sarahpekkanen.com or become a fan on Facebook.

xoxo, Liz & Lisa