Susan Wiggs' 5 Do's and a Do-Over

Our guest today: Susan Wiggs Why we love her: Her books make us swoon!

Her latest: Return to Willow Lake

The scoop: Sonnet Romano's life is almost perfect. She has the ideal career, the ideal boyfriend, and has just been offered a prestigious fellowship. There's nothing more a woman wants—except maybe a baby…brother?

When Sonnet finds out her mother is unexpectedly expecting, and that the pregnancy is high risk, she puts everything on hold—the job, the fellowship, the boyfriend—and heads home to Avalon. Once her mom is out of danger, Sonnet intends to pick up her life where she left off.

But when her mother receives a devastating diagnosis, Sonnet must decide what really matters in life, even if that means staying in Avalon and taking a job that forces her to work alongside her biggest, and maybe her sweetest, mistake—award-winning filmmaker Zach Alger. So Sonnet embarks on a summer of laughter and tears, of old dreams and new possibilities, and of finding the home of her heart.

Our thoughts: We think you'll love this one!

Giveaway: THREE copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, September 23rd after 3pm PST.

Fun Fact: Susan was a pioneer-she "self published" her first book when she was eight!

Where to read more about Susan: Her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SUSAN WIGGS' 5 DO'S AND A DO-OVER

1. Do follow your bliss, when it comes to work. If you engage in work you’re passionate about, the rewards will follow. Note that I said rewards, which may or may not be money. It’s quite possible that the work that brings you pleasure might not lead you to financial stability. If it doesn’t, at least you spent your time doing something you love, and that’s never wasted. And this probably goes without saying, but do your best. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

2. Do get up off the couch. Take a walk, go for a swim, row a boat, practice yoga, dance around the room. You’ll feel better and have a more positive attitude. Plus you get to have dessert more often, which in my case is the whole point of a fitness program.

3. Do share. Share your thoughts, your feelings, your good fortune, your bad days. Share with those who have less than you–indigent people in your community, homeless pets at the shelter, the harried waitress who brought you that extra hollandaise sauce for your eggs benedict this morning, the local library struggling to meet its budget...you get the idea. Sharing opens your heart and your life.

4. Do read “up.” Don’t read books that make you think, “I can do way better than that!” Read books that make you gasp in wonder at their cleverness, the beauty of a well-turned phrase, the freshness and aptness of their metaphors. Reading time is so precious–make sure your nose is stuck in a book you love.

5. Do keep your promises–to the children in your life, to your significant other, to people with whom you make contracts–publishers, for instance.

DO-OVER

I would like to have a moment back, a moment when I was apologetic and didn’t need to be, a time when I didn’t think I was entitled to something, a moment when I bought into unwarranted criticism. In those moments, I want to tell myself, Don’t apologize. You deserve this.

Thanks Susan! xoxo, L&L

Maya Bank's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Our guest today: Maya Banks Why we love her: When we're fixin' for some romance, we reach for Maya's books!

Her latest: Softly at Sunrise

The scoop: Rachel Kelly has traveled a long, hard road in her journey back to her husband, Ethan, and the Kelly family. Now, as she and Ethan are poised to move into their new home, safe behind the walls of the Kelly compound, Rachel wonders if she’ll finally be free of the ghosts that have haunted her for so long and if she’ll step into the sun after a past steeped in darkness.

Our thoughts: If you need a little romance if your life(and who doesn't?), then this one is for you!

Giveaway: THREE e-Copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners after 6pm on Sunday September 16th.

Fun Fact: Maya loves to go hunting and fishing with her family!

Where you can read more about Maya: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MAYA BANKS 5 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

1. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.

2. Enjoy life while your responsibilities are fewer.

3. Don’t take so much to heart. It’s never as bad as it seems.

4. Don’t let others define you.

5. Be fierce. Always.

Thanks Maya!  xoxo, L&L

Susan Mallery's 5 Things I'd Tell the Teen Me

Our guest today: NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery Why we love her: Girlfrin' writes some smokin' hot books! *sizzle*

Her latest: Barefoot Season

The scoop on it: Michelle Sanderson may appear to be a strong, independent woman, but on the inside, she’s still the wounded girl who fled home years ago. A young army vet, Michelle returns to the quaint Blackberry Island Inn to claim her inheritance and recover from the perils of war. Instead, she finds the owner’s suite occupied by the last person she wants to see.

Carly Williams and Michelle were once inseparable, until a shocking betrayal destroyed their friendship. And now Carly is implicated in the financial disaster lurking behind the inn’s cheerful veneer.

Our thoughts: Even if you don't normally read romance, we think you'll love Barefoot Season-it reads more like women's fiction.  So give it a try! You can read Chapter 1 at www.barefootseason.com!

Fun Fact: There's a bunch of fab recipes over at her site-check them out!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  We'll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday April 8th.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SUSAN MALLERY'S 5 THINGS I'D TELL THE TEEN ME

Thanks so much for having me here to celebrate the release of BAREFOOT SEASON! The “5 Things I’d Tell the Teen Me” theme is very appropriate because, although BAREFOOT SEASON is adult fiction rather than YA, the best friends at the center of the story went through a major upheaval when they were teens, and they’re still feeling the reverberation of it now, in their late 20s.

So here are 5 things I’d tell the teen me…

1. Stay in touch with your friends. When you graduate high school, you’ll insist that you’re going to stay in touch with your BFFs, and you will, for a while. But then life happens. You’ll move, and they’ll move, and somewhere along the road, you’ll lose touch. You will miss them. No one will ever know you in quite the same way.

2. Stretch and use sunblock. Using sunblock keeps you young from the outside in, stretching does it from the inside out. Do both, and you’ll get carded well into your 30s. (That will become a good thing, trust me. It’s sad when it stops happening.)

3. You don’t have to try everything… People will imply that you’re narrow-minded if you don’t try stuff they want you to try. Sushi or tattoos or motorcycles or whatever. If your gut tells you something isn’t right for you, don’t succumb to the pressure. It’s okay to decide for yourself what you do or don’t want to try. Forge your own path in life.

4. …but don’t let fear stop you! Don’t mistake fear for wisdom. Just because you’re afraid of something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Do a gut check. Dig deep, and ask yourself, do I really want to? What’s beneath the fear – excitement or disinterest? If the answer is excitement, then do it despite the fear, as long as it’s not illegal, dangerous, or ridiculous. Wait, no. You can do it if it’s ridiculous, especially when you’re young. You grow by taking risks. Have faith that you can handle whatever comes.

5. Boys aren’t jerks just because they don’t want to commit. Sometimes they’re jerks, but not just because of that. My friends and I used to get so mad at boys who didn’t want to be our boyfriends. “Fear of commitment,” we said with identical sneers, as if it meant “evil.” But the truth is, a guy has the right to be single, and he should only commit when he wants to. Otherwise, you both end up in an unhappy relationship, and it’s better to be alone than unhappy. They’re not synonymous. If he’s not into you enough to commit, don’t pressure him. Let go and move on. Not every guy is the One, and you’re not the One for every guy. That’s why they call it the One.

Thanks Susan!  xoxo, L&L

To read more about Susan, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter.