Our guest today: Kim Barnouin
Why we love her: She's sassy and knows how to eat right--what's not to love?!
Her latest: Skinny Bitch in Love
The scoop: Clementine Cooper is a born vegan, committed in every way to the healthy lifestyle she was raised with on her father’s organic farm. But how bad could a little butter be? Bad enough to get the ambitious and talented sous chef fired when an influential food critic discovers dairy in Clem’s butternut squash ravioli with garlic sage sauce. Though she was sabotaged by a backstabbing coworker, Clem finds herself unceremoniously blackballed from every vegan kitchen in L.A.
Like any vegan chef worth her salt, however, Clem knows how to turn lemons into delicious, cruelty-free lemonade cupcakes. She launches the Skinny Bitch Cooking School in hopes of soon opening her own café in an empty space near her apartment. But on the first day of class, sexy millionaire restaurateur Zach Jeffries puts a fork in her idea with his own plans for the space—a steakhouse. Clem is livid. For a carnivore, Zach is more complicated than she anticipated. He’s also a very good kisser. But could dating one of the most eligible bachelors in the city—and a meat-eater—be as bad for Clem as high-fructose corn syrup? Shouldn’t she fall instead for a man who seems to be her perfect match in every way—like Alexander Orr, a very cute, very sweet vegan chef?
Our thoughts: Fun, fun FUN! Whether you are a foodie or not, you'll be charmed by this one.
Giveaway: One copy! (US Only!) Leave comment and you'll be entered to win! We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on June 23rd.
Fun fact: Kim is the co-author of the mega NYT bestselling Skinny Bitch books.
Where you can read more about Kim: Her website, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...KIM BARNOUIN'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS
Kiss
First: I was in 6th grade and I had such a crush on a boy named John. We were outside one day and I ran up and kissed him really quick on the lips then ran home! He eventually broke my heart and started "going out" with another girl.
Last: I kissed my husband of ten years, last night to say goodnight. It would have been a morning kiss but he had to be at work really early this morning and our son was in ourbed and he didn't want to wake us up.
Book
First: My mom used to read Winnie the Pooh to me every night when I was little. It was my favorite book for many years. We would read the book in my bed until I fell asleep,as a parent now I'm sure my mom was so sick of reading the same book night after night!
Last: The Shack by William P. Young. It was given to me a few years ago and I had noidea what it was about. It totally shocked me, not only because it wasn't what I wasexpecting but because it was such a fantastic book. The story is so heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. It will always be one of my favorites.
Risk
First: I was probably 15 years old when I got a huge Mohawk. It was in the 80's when everyone was into Madonna and Wham!, and here I was all in black with a blackMohawk. It was risky in my suburban town in Maryland, there weren't many people looking like that. I didn't care what people thought of me, I was just going through my own crazy rebellious phase.
Last: Doing a fiction book! I'm not known for fiction so it was a risk doing something new. I just had a feeling that it was time to do something different. I guess I take a risk each time I write a new book, because you never know what's going to be well received and what isn't.
Hell ya Moment
First: I was about 19 years old and I was modeling part time. I was doing a pretty big fashion show in Washington D.C and I remember walking out on the runway in a black sequined dress and seeing tons of people watching me. It was a pretty big high, I felt like the bomb at that moment. Especially after coming off the Mohawk phase!
Last: A few months ago my son won an award at school for creativity. I was in the auditorium taking pictures and he didn't know I was there. When they called his name Iwas a slobbering mess, and he stood up there in front of everyone looking at his award in disbelief. I was like, "yeah, that's my boy"!
Aha Moment
First: A number of years ago I read the book Real Magic by Wayne Dyer. I remember being completely floored by what he was saying, it is basically about the power to achieve our dreams and to live the life we really want to live. No one had ever told me before that I could do or be anything I wanted. It all clicked for me and ever since then magic started happening in my own life.
Last: I was about to turn 40 and I had heard many women talk about how things really changed for them in their 40's, that it was a really great time in their lives, etc. I was skeptical. Then one day when I was 41 it hit me, I totally got what those women were talking about. I had been feeling such freedom for the past few years, in the sense of being comfortable with who I was as a woman, and in my marriage and life in general. I don't have any of those old hang ups I had in my 20's and 30's. I'm not saying I have it all figured out, but I just feel so much better in my own skin than I ever have in my life.
Thanks, Kim!