Today is a VERY special day. And it's not just because we have the incredibly awesome EMILY GIFFIN debuting our brand spankin' new feature, Five Do's and a Do-Over. Or that we are giving away cool stuff, including a FLIP VIDEO CAMERA and FIVE copies of Heart of the Matter
New Features! More authors! Bigger giveaways!
And speaking of all those things, it's our pleasure to debut 5 Do's and a Do-Over with one of our ALL-TIME favorite authors. Not only has Emily Giffin written some of our favorite books, she's also incredibly fun and sassy(Not to mention hawt too!). Her best-selling books occupy prime real estate on our bookshelves and are destined to become Chick Lit classics!
And with the movie version of Something Borrowed
We're ecstatic that Emily agreed to share five things that must be done and one thing she'd like to redo. And once you've read her list, we think you'll be girl-crushing on her as much as we do-it's fantastic!
And OF COURSE we have an awesome giveaway to celebrate! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a Flip video camera or one of FIVE copies of Heart of the Matter! We'll pick the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday February 20th.
CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: EMILY GIFFIN'S 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER
5 DO’S
1. Invest in a quality camera and capture lots of random moments. Other than actually making the memories, there are few things more important to me than recording them. At times I feel as if I'm living the moment through the lens of a camera, but I never regret the photographs later.
2. Live alone at least once. It is great fun having roommates and I'm a big believer in living with boyfriends if it feels right. And of course, it is wonderful to be married and build a home and life with another person. But I will always cherish the few years of my twenties in which I lived completely alone, and I think everyone should enjoy this serenity and independence at some point in their lives.
3. Travel somewhere exotic and unexpected. There are certain obvious destinations that everyone should try to see--London, Rome, Paris, the Grand Canyon. But try visiting a place off the beaten path--a place that isn't so obvious and that few, if any, of your family and friends have ventured. For me, this list includes swimming in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, celebrating Midsummer's Eve on a remote island in Sweden, and wandering through the tiny medieval streets of Bruges. In addition to actually having these experiences, it makes for great cocktail party fodder.
4. Break a heart and have yours broken. It is part of life and everyone should experience both. So live and love with wild abandon until both happen to you at least once.
5. Cut bait on toxic friendships. Although there are few things as precious as old friends, don't become so nostalgic and sentimental that you maintain unhealthy ones. Life is too short, and if a "friend" consistently brings you down, then she isn't one. Jettison her and make room for a new one.
1 DO-OVER
One of my favorite quotes is by Mark Twain:
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
I so believe in this, but it took me a while to really internalize the truth of it. I wish I could go back to my twenties and apply this philosophy. Live life a little more on the edge, instead of chasing the next accomplishment and trying to please others. Fortunately, I finally figured this out--which is how I found the courage to quit my job as an attorney, move to London and write my first novel, Something Borrowed. It was a huge risk, but one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Thanks Emily!!! xo, L&L
Want to read more about Emily and see pictures from her last book tour? Then head here. And don't forget to check her out on Facebook and Twitter-she's a lot of fun!
We're thrilled that Emily Giffin is answering our 25 "hard hitting" questions because we heart her. In fact, we more than heart her. We have total writer crushes on her. Something Borrowed and Something Blue are two of our favorite Chick Lit books...and the novels that finally inspired us to get off our lazy asses and write that book we'd been talking about writing for, um, like, 10 years! (Thanks, Emily!) All four of her books - Something Borrowed (2004), Something Blue (2005), Baby Proof (2006), and Love the One You're With (2008) - have been New York Times bestsellers and translated into a bazillion languages! And her fifth book, Heart of the Matter, is due out in Summer 2010. (We can't wait!) Love the One You're With (LTOYW) is out in paperback now and is the perfect book to throw in your beach bag and devour while you soak up the summer rays. (PS: It's really juicy--about a girl who gets a chance at a "do-over" on her love life!)