Sarah Jio's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Sarah Jio Why we love her: Not only do we love all her novels, she's really cute. And nice. And funny too! (Girl crush alert!)

Her latest: The Last Camellia

The Scoop: On the eve of the Second World War, the last surviving specimen of a camellia plant known as the Middlebury Pink lies secreted away on an English country estate. Flora, an amateur American botanist, is contracted by an international ring of flower thieves to infiltrate the household and acquire the coveted bloom. Her search is at once brightened by new love and threatened by her discovery of a series of ghastly crimes. More than half a century later, garden designer Addison takes up residence at the manor, now owned by the family of her husband, Rex. The couple’s shared passion for mysteries is fueled by the enchanting camellia orchard and an old gardener’s notebook. Yet its pages hint at dark acts ingeniously concealed. If the danger that Flora once faced remains very much alive, will Addison share her fate?

Our thoughts: Loved it. Our fave so far!  This is a perfect gift for a friend, or better yet, to yourself!

Giveaway: One SIGNED copy.  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on June 2nd after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Sarah's last novel, Blackberry Winter, hit the New York Times bestseller list!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SARAH JIO'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS:

First: His name was Andrew. I was in 8th grade. He asked me to a movie, and the only way I was able to go, was because I convinced my parents it was a group thing (true, sort of). But it was a date. My first date. And it would also be my first kiss (a girl just has a hunch about these things). This frightened me. Andrew kept his eyes on me during the entire movie. I could feel his gaze on my cheek, burning into me like a laser beam, and I just kept eating red licorice because, basically, I was afraid of what might happen if I didn't. I mean, how does one kiss a boy?? At some point during the movie, Andrew whispered, "you sure like licorice, don't you?" (Romantic, I know.) When I couldn't stomach any more licorice, he made his move. The kiss was … a little disappointing. He had braces. I had a stomachache. Basically, it cured me of boys for a few months.

Last: Tonight! My four-year-old son, Russell, just ran into my office and said, "mama, I'd like to give you a double kiss!" It ended up being a kiss on the cheek and a kiss on the nose. Russell kisses are the best!

RISK YOU TOOK:

First: Around the age of 7, inspired by an episode of the Smurfs (of course), I tied a pillowcase onto a stick and packed it with all the essentials (bubble gum, stuffed animals) and proceeded to "run away". I made it about three blocks away from home before turning back, when I realized that this was not my smartest move.

Last: Going nanny-less! I have three boys, six and under. Life is wild here, and I have a LOT of writing deadlines. Obviously, I need childcare help, right? We experimented with babysitters and nannies for a while, but honestly, it just wasn't working for me. I tried to work outside the home, but I missed my boys. Then, in my home office, I'd hear them crying outside my door. After many months of trying to make it work with a nanny, I decided to take a huge risk and just be on duty all day, every day. That's right: Zilch childcare. I write two books a year for Penguin, so this is mildly insane, I know. But it's working. I'm mom by day (with an occasional chapter or two or magazine article written during nap hour) and then writer by night. I usually have a glass of wine with my husband, after kids are in bed (we believe in early bedtimes here), and then it's writing time! I actually look forward to this after long days doing art projects, playing legos and changing diapers. In short: What I've realized is that no one solution works for every mother. I'd love to be the type of person who could make the nanny thing work, but I'm not. (At least not right now.) I am much happier when I can be mom during the day, and writer at night. They are only young once, and my job is flexible enough to make this work. Semi-work. (Which doesn't mean I am not tired and grumpy, or that the house is sparkling clean—it's not.) I don't always have the perfect balance, but it's working now. Sort of. But, believe me, I'm looking forward to 2016—the year that all of my boys will be in full-time school and I will once again work like a regular person!

BOOK YOU READ:

First: Oh goodness, I don't remember the exact book (though I wish I did!). But, I'll tell you about a book I read as a child that I am on the hunt to find—to this day. Every week, my mom would take us to the library, and I remember checking out a series of early reader books, the first of which was titled something like "Primrose Patty." This is only the memory of my 8 year-year-old self (aka, unreliable), and as a result, I have not been able to find the book, which I assume is out of print. But, I remember LOVING these books as a girl. I adored the flower connection, and the primroses, and honestly, I think I will do something with primroses in a future novel because of this book! It left an imprint on my brain.

Last: I just picked up a copy of Christina Baker Kline's ORPHAN TRAIN, and if my kids will let me, I hope to finish this weekend.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First: (Can I just say, this is such a fun category!) OK, my first hell ya moment was cutting off my very long dirty blond hair to a short pixie and dying it platinum blonde. I know! I did this when I was 16. I paid for the cut and color at a fancy salon (not cheap) with my babysitting money. When I came home, my parents' jaws dropped. And I got equal reactions the next day at school. But I loved that I did this. I loved that I could be bold enough to make such a dramatic change and own it. Honestly, looking back, short hair wasn't my BEST look, but I'm proud that I had the guts to do it. (And of course, it was right after a breakup with a boy!)

Last: Running my first 10K! I love to run, but I'm not a competitive or a particularly long-distance racer. (Read: I won't be running a marathon anytime soon, and am happiest keeping my 4-times-weekly jogs to about 2-3 miles: bliss.) But I signed up for a 10K with my dad last year, and I although it kicked my butt, I finished (without passing out). I felt pretty awesome for weeks later. I thought about running a half-marathon for about 2.5 seconds, but then came to my senses.

AHA MOMENT

First: I probably had plenty of aha moments prior to this date, but one of the most transformative moments for me came after college when a close friendship of mine crumbled into a million ugly pieces. While my life was going well, this friend could not be happy for my successes (a new husband, new house, new job, etc.). She was there for me when I was down, but she couldn't be happy for me when I was … happy. What I took from this experience is a reminder that it's surprising easy to be there for someone who is in a difficult place (in other words, "my life is fine, but I can pat the back of someone who is going through a rough time), and yet it is much harder to cheer for someone who is achieving her dreams. True friendship transcends all of that. Look back on the history of your friendships and it's likely that the truest friend are the ones who could be happy for you when you were experiencing your greatest successes. I think it's a test of character, and friendship, to watch a pal experience crazy success/dreams-come-true and still cheer for her even when things aren't so peachy in your own life. If you have a friend like this in your own life, or you are one, xoxoxo.

Last: I have what I call a blessing and a curse: an overabundance of novel ideas. (I writer friend of mine calls this a chronic disease, and I agree!) I've learned over the years, in my sea of new ideas, to only stick with the ones that keep me up at night and haunt me by day. The theory here is that if a novel-in-progress can't excite me, as the writer, I can't expect it to do the same for a reader. Sometimes I'll get to chapter three, four or six before I realize that it's just not working. And, though it's painful, I'll ditch the work-in-progress. My rule-of-thumb is to only continue on with projects that I'm 100 percent into. Obviously, no project will be exciting all the time (after all, writing is work), but if, after a bit of time, it fails to grab me, I'm done. Onto the next idea!

Thanks Sarah! 

Meg Donohue's 5 Firsts & Lasts

Today's guest: Meg Donohue Why we love her: We crowned her a Lit IT Girl after reading her sparkling debut, How to Eat a Cupcake.

Her latest: All the Summer Girls

The scoop on it: In Philadelphia, good girl Kate is dumped by her fiancé the day she learns she is pregnant with his child. In New York City, beautiful stay-at-home mom Vanessa finds herself obsessively searching the Internet for news of an old flame. And in San Francisco, Dani, the wild child and aspiring writer who can’t seem to put down a book—or a cocktail—long enough to open her laptop, has just been fired… again.

In an effort to regroup, Kate, Vanessa, and Dani retreat to the New Jersey beach town where they once spent their summers. Emboldened by the seductive cadences of the shore, the women begin to realize just how much their lives, and friendships, have been shaped by the choices they made one fateful night on the beach eight years earlier—and the secrets that only now threaten to surface.

Our thoughts: You know we're suckers for any novel that tackles the complicated bonds between female friends. Meg handles this flawlessly in this book. We highly recommend you add this book to your beach bag this summer!

Giveaway: TWO copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win and we'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 26th after 12 PM PST.

Fun fact: You can read the first two chapters here!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MEG DONOHUE'S 5 FIRSTS & LASTS

KISS

First:  Surely my first kiss was from my mother or father in the moments after my birth. Did you expect something steamy? A good Philly girl never kisses and tells!

Last: Well, okay, maybe just this once: After a week of not kissing for fear of passing the flu to my husband, I am finally healthy and we shared a sweet kiss without the specter of plague attached. I hope.

BOOK I READ

First: It’s not the first book I read, but I remember being particularly enthralled by Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. I don’t recall the story, but I know I thought it was beautiful and very sad. I wonder if that was one of the first times I enjoyed the experience of reading something that made me sad? It seems like a monumental, and mature, moment in one’s life as a reader. (I just went online to read the summary of Bridge to Terabithia, and got something—ahem—stuck in my eye. So turns out I’m still carrying around a little seed of sadness planted by this book twenty-five years ago.)

Last: Speaking of beautiful and sad, the last book I read was Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. This book haunted my dreams over the course of time that I read it. I found it to be quite devastating, in part because Atkinson’s characters are so vivid and whole.

RISK I TOOK

First: I think some of the earliest risks I took were with humor. Being funny takes guts—you put yourself out there, and hope your sense of humor will resonate with others too. Sometimes there’s nothing scarier for a kid than just opening her mouth and speaking; fear of rejection can be a muzzle. Looking back, I realize that the jokes that fell flat (and there have been many over the years) were actually confidence builders. The world didn’t end when I swung and missed. I learned to laugh at myself and the cricket-filled dead air that follows an unsuccessful stab at humor, and that ability to laugh, shrug, and move on has served me well.

Last: My last big risk was when All the Summer Girls was published. I spend a long span of time working on a book in private; releasing it into the public sphere is both scary and exciting.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First: When I was in graduate school for creative writing, the Gettysburg Review published one of my short stories. It was the first time I was paid for my fiction, and the story attracted the attention of a couple of agents. I remember feeling very much like it was the start of my dream coming true. I was right, if only in that the experience gave me the confidence to continue believing in myself. Last: In April, my husband and I left our kids with his parents and went to Palm Springs for my birthday. We read for hours in the sun, swam, hiked, ate delicious food, and had Bellinis every morning. It was glorious. Hell ya!

AHA! MOMENT

First: During a back-to-school shopping trip with my mom when I was in middle school, she asked if I cared what brand my clothes were. The truth was that I did care about the brand of my clothes—I wanted to be cool, sue me!—but just my mom asking the question was enough to remind me that the coolest kids are the ones that march to the beat of their own drum, the ones that do things their own way, in pursuit of their own brand of happiness. Her question has served as a bit of a touchstone over the years.

Last: I’m in the early stages of working on my third book, and while I have had the general story arc in mind for a while, it has taken some time to feel like I have a handle on the important details that take a story from an idea to a novel. Lately, I’ve had a few breakthroughs, my protagonist is revealing herself, and many of the more intricate plot points are finally coming together and taking shape. I’m excited!

Thanks, Meg!

Rory Samantha Green's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Rory Samantha Green Why we love her: We heart discovering new authors!

Her latest: Playing Along

The scoop: Two Lives. Two Continents. One Song…

Then: George Bryce was an awkward, English schoolboy fantasizing about being in a band. Now: George is frontman of Thesis, an overnight indie scene sensation. Intense, creative and self-deprecating, his childhood dreams have all been fulfilled – so why does George still feel so lost?

Then: Lexi Jacobs was a confident Californian high school cheerleader, planning her future marriage and a meaningful career. Now: Lexi is searching for substance in a life full of mishaps. Cautious, bemused and rapidly losing the control she used to rely on, none of her teenage dreams have delivered and she’s left wondering, “What next?”

Follow George and Lexi as they navigate their days thousands of miles apart. Fly with them from London to LA and back again, as George copes with the dynamics of his tight knit band and loose knit family, while Lexi juggles her eccentric new boss, bored best friend and smother mother.

Even though there’s an ocean between them and their worlds couldn’t be further apart, George and Lexi are pulled together through music, and their paths appear determined to cross. The question is – when?

Our thoughts: Fun summer reading for sure!

Giveaway: TWO copies! Leave a comment and we'll choose winners after Noon PST on Sunday, May 19th.

Fun Fact: Her mom is bestselling author Jackie Collins!

Where you can read more about Rory: Her website, Twitter or Facebook.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...RORY SAMANTHA GREEN'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS:

First: Must I really start here?! I think I wrote ‘Playing Along’ to try and compensate for the lack of romance in my adolescence! My first kiss was when I was 16 years old. I went on a date with a waiter at my dad’s restaurant. I’d had a crush on him for months. Every time he placed a Caprese salad in front of me, my heart somersaulted. After dinner he dropped me home very early and clearly had no intention of kissing me goodnight, but I leaned in anyway, forever hopeful. The result was an awkward and cringe worthy bumping of mouths, and I went to bed that night with a very crumpled ego. It shouldn’t rightly be categorized as a kiss at all, it was more like a bruise, but there it is, stamped on my timeline, a reminder that as much as we wish it to be – life is rarely a movie!

Last: My husband is under strict orders to kiss me every time he leaves the house in the morning – even if the path to my lips is scattered with two lanky teens, backpacks, discarded homework sheets, one jumping dog and a lone converse high top.  He has become adept at navigating the obstacles! So my last kiss was this morning – short and always very sweet.

RISK I TOOK:

The first risk I took was going to an adventure playground with Laura Agnew when I was 8 years old. Problem being, I wasn’t very ‘adventurous’ and my courageous attempt to clamber up a climbing frame and swing from the monkey bars, resulted in me catching my jeans on a nail and ripping a hole in them noticeable enough to advertise my underwear to the ‘whole’ of London. I was utterly mortified. If the first ‘kiss’ didn't illicit your sympathy, surely this play date gone awry will have done the trick?!

The last risk I took was going white water rafting with my family in Costa Rica over spring break. My reluctance to be ‘physically’ adventurous has lingered, and I often have to push myself to take risks beyond the page. White water rafting was so exhilarating though! I loved every wet, heart pumping second and I impressed my kids by not falling out of the raft (they were assured that I would!)

BOOK I READ:

The first book I remember reading was “The Enchanted Wood” by Enid Blyton. It was my mother’s favourite book when she was a girl and she passed on her love of it to my sisters and I. The book tells the story of two sisters and a brother who happen upon a magical wood, where they climb a tree and discover a world of wonderful and eccentric characters and embark on zany adventures. I became lost in that book and it has forever sparked my imagination and inspired my love of story.

I just finished “Where’d You go Bernadette” by Maria Semple. It tells the story of  a girl looking for her mother by piecing together correspondence. It is utterly brilliant! Laugh out loud funny, satirical, poignant, exquisitely well observed. I was smitten.

HELL YA MOMENT:

My first Hell Ya’ moment was when I won the reading competition at my school when I was a timid eleven year old. I was the youngest competitor and read a passage from Judy Blume’s ‘Superfudge’.  We were judged on our ‘reading performances’. It was an unexpected victory - the rise of the underdog! My sister cried in the school assembly (like I was winning an Oscar) and I had to walk in front of the entire school and claim a shiny silver trophy. It was my first and last time ‘winning’ anything, but it came via my passion for reading, which made it all the more delicious.

My last Hell Ya’ moment was when I uploaded my book, Playing Along, to Amazon and began my publishing journey. It had been a long time coming and I reveled in the sense of empowerment and liberation I felt taking the book’s destiny into my own hands!

AHA MOMENT

My first Aha moment was when I was eleven years old again (clearly a momentous year!) and I used to sit on summer afternoons with my friend, Christina, on the balcony of her flat writing lyrics to the music she played on her guitar. I remember feeling so grown-up and drenched in happiness – realizing the profound joy that can come from expressing yourself through writing and sharing creativity with a friend. I guess I channelled that part of myself when I was writing George.

My last Aha moment was when I listened to some of the women in the reflective writing workshop that I lead, write and read about their on-going battles with loud and nasty inner critics. So many of us are linked in the struggle to be a little kinder to ourselves. We often follow a path of self sabotage instead of self care. I am always deeply moved by the courage it takes to be honest and vulnerable and I learn something every week from the women who come to Write To Be You. It really is a privilege to be witness to the birth of so many heartfelt words. I’m a lucky woman!

Thanks, Rory! 

Jamie Brenner's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest: Jamie Brenner Why we love her: Her novel immediately sucked us in.

Her latest: The Gin Lovers

The scoop on it: What price would you pay for happiness? For Charlotte, freedom from her marriage might be the one thing she can’t afford.

It’s 1925, and the Victorian era with its confining morals is all but dead. Unfortunately, for New York socialite Charlotte Delacorte, the scandalous flapper revolution is little more than a headline in the tabloids. Living with her rigid and controlling husband William, her Fifth Avenue townhouse is a gilded cage. But when William’s rebellious younger sister, the beautiful and brash Mae, comes to live with them after the death of their mother, Charlotte finds entrée to a world beyond her wildest dreams – and a handsome and mysterious stranger whom she imagines is as confident in the bedroom as he is behind the bar of his forbidden speakeasy.

Soon, Charlotte realizes that nothing is as it seems. Secrets are kept and discovered, loves are lost and found, and Charlotte is finds herself on the brink of losing everything — or having it all.

Our thoughts: Love that it has that "Downton Abbey" feel to it! With a whole lotta sexy mixed in!

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win and we'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, May 19th.

Fun fact: Jamie Also writes under the pen name Logan Belle!

Where you can read more about Jamie: Her website, Twitter and Facebook!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...JAMIE BRENNER'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: It was September 13, 1985. Yes, I know the exact date because the MTV Video awards were on. It happened at my house. I was standing with my “boyfriend” in the kitchen next to the dishwashing machine. I could hear Dire Straits on the tv in the other room. I couldn’t even enjoy the moment because I kept wondering if my braces were bothering him.

Last: This morning, with my fiancé. My last, my best, my always.

BOOK I READ

First: Amazing question. I don’t know the exact first book I ever read. I remember reading books in first grade and my teacher telling me they were books for fourth graders. It was the first thing I ever took pride in. The first specific books I remember reading were the Frank L. Baum Wizard of Oz books and the Nancy Drew series.

Last: The Island by Elin Hilderbrand. I devoured it. My next will be one by her, too. I just have to decide between her slew of bestsellers!

RISK I TOOK

First: I wanted bangs but my mother said no. So I cut them myself. I got punished and the bangs looked terrible. I’m just thankful that even though the end results were bad, it didn’t stop me from taking more risks!

Last: Quitting my job to write novels full time. Only slightly more terrifying than the  moment when the scissors cut into my six year old hair.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First: April 6, 1986. The boy I’d liked since 7th grade asked me out.

Last: The day I saw a copy of my first novel, Blue Angel.  My publisher sent me a box of advance copies. I showed it off like a newborn baby. And then I put it on my bookshelf next to Judith Krantz.

AHA! MOMENT

First: The boy who asked me out told me he loved me. I was fifteen, and I realized that I was going to have a “life” after all. Things didn’t only happen in books and movies.

Last: When my fiancé kissed me for the first time. I realized that I could still feel fifteen again.

Thanks, Jamie!

Bridget Siegel's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Bridget Siegel Why we love her: She makes politics fun! (and sexy too...)

Her latest: Domestic Affairs

The scoop: When twentysomething political fund-raiser Olivia Greenley gets tapped to work on the presidential campaign of Georgia governor, Landon Taylor, it’s her dream job. Her best friend in the world is the campaign manager, and Taylor is a decent, charismatic idealist, with a real chance to be a great leader. Sacrificing her sleep, comfort, friends, family and income for a year to make the world a better place is the right call, but what happens when both Campaign Lesson #1, No Kissing the Boss, and Lesson #2, Loyalty Above All, go down in flames before the first primary?

Bridget Siegel, veteran of the John Edwards and President Obama campaigns, vividly captures the idealism and chaos, as well as the emotional heat and corruption, of the candidate’s bubble. What becomes of Olivia’s best friends when she must keep from them the biggest secret of her life?   Is the candidate a true romantic or a political hypocrite? How far can she go to justify her happiness?

Our thoughts: Fun! A total guilty pleasure!

Giveaway: TWO copies! (US only).  Leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on May 13th.

Fun fact: MAJOR multitasker alert! Bridget has worked on political campaigns at the local, state, and national levels. A graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, she is now an actor, writer, and political consultant.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BRIDGET SIEGEL'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: I had the cliché first kiss at summer camp. There's a good chance I was wearing a tie-dyed shirt and some bedazzled jean shorts.

Last: I just did one of those running jump into my boyfriend's arms kisses. You know the ones that look so graceful and romantic in your head but wind up hurting his back and your forehead when you clumsily fall over in reality. I didn't mind though, we had just booked a trip to Disney this summer and that's worth any injury. Disney World is my hands down favorite place. I'm that girl who goes to London and says "wow, this looks just like Epcot".

BOOK I READ

First: I'm not sure on my very first book-it may have been the big Richard Scarry book at my grandma's house- but the first book that really took hold of me was Gone With the Wind. I carried it with me, which, you know, in pre e-book days wasn't such a small load, every day of the fourth grade. I loved everything about it from the language to the dresses. It was the first time I realized a book could transport you to a whole new world. I think I was Scarlett O'Hara for at least three consecutive Halloweens, and every day in between in my head.

Last:
This week I had the chance to read two great books not out yet so get your pre-ordering skills on! I read Lindsey Kelk's new book About a Girl, which was funny and sweet. She writes characters with such old-school gumption. Not to mention they say things like "rubbish" and "swings and roundabouts". I read it with a British accent in my head, which makes me feel like I have gumption too. The other was my friend Alberto Hazan's medical thriller Dr.Vigilante. He's an actual ER doctor who wrote about an ER doctor who spends his nights going after the abusers and molesters who bring patients in to him during the day. It's poignant, scary and it sneaks in some intense romance. I'm still shaking a little thinking of it

RISK I TOOK

First: I tried a ski race when I was a little kid. My younger brother went down before me speeding past the gates like it was the easiest thing in the world. I followed after and the second I hit my first slab of ice I panicked and snowplowed down the rest of the hill. It wasn't my best showing. It was also when I realized just because my brother makes something athletic look easy, does not mean it is.

Last: I try to do new things all the time but I think the last major risk I took was quitting politics to go for an acting career. I was lucky enough to have a lot of supportive people around to help me through it. I haven't won any Oscars yet but even on the bad days, actually going after my dream is the best life I could ask to lead. Though, now that I think about it, the leather pants I wore the other day weren't exactly a non-risk.


HELL YA MOMENT

First: The first one I can remember (when I was old enough to say "hell") was hitting a homerun in little league. I always played for terrible teams. They used to call us pinwheel- because that's what the other teams looked like going around the bases on a continual loop. We probably lost that game 15-1 but the feeling of the ball hitting that perfect place on the bat and soaring was definitely a hell yeah moment.

Last:I just recently found out I'm going to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune and I think I actually might have screamed "hell yeah". Understand, it's not like a lottery thing, I had to go through many audition stages. I think the process is probably somewhere between what you'd have to do to get on Jeopardy and the Price is Right- like a mildly intelligent jumping around sort of thing. I believe my experience as the mascot at my college really helped, at least with the enthusiastic cheering part. And, I may or may not have made a "Wheel of Fortune Workout Video" where I dressed in workout clothes and a WOFW headband. Now I practice every day. I'm feeling pretty confident I'll win a million dollars and a trip to Hawaii. Or maybe Disney.

AHA MOMENT

First: When I was a kid I wanted to be an actress, a singer, a teacher, a tennis player and a Mets catcher -- in various orders depending on the season. But in the third grade my next door neighbor, Sue Lebow, took me to a county democratic lunch and I had my first introduction to politics- aha! Come to think of it, working in politics was sort of like being an actress, singer, teacher, tennis player and Mets catcher all at once so I guess it worked out.

Last: When you delve into new careers with no real prep for them you have aha moments all the time because there's just so much new to learn (I had at least 4 learning how to be on Twitter #confusing) but I think the most recent lesson that's stuck with me is advice my friend Gabrielle gave me about dating. I had gone on one date and felt the need to decide immediately whether or not it would work, which retrospectively I had done often. "There's something between a first date and marriage," she had told me. I know that seems pretty obvious but I think so many times in life I rush to make a decision instead of living through it with an open mind. I've tried to really change that and it's led me down paths I don't think I would have ever walked otherwise. I learned that sometimes the best things are those you couldn't even imagine, so don't make decisions before you've seen the real options (not only the ones you can think of). There's a lot of life in between the first date and marriage.

Thanks, Bridget!

Beth Kendrick's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Beth Kendrick Why we love her: Her books remind us of summer--so fun and entertaining.

Her latest: The Week Before the Wedding (Out tomorrow: May 7th!)

The scoop on it: After enduring a chaotic childhood, Emily McKellips yearns for a drama-free life, complete with a white picket fence. Her dreams are about to come true: She has a stellar career, a gorgeous house, and a fiancé any woman would die for. But as friends and family arrive in picturesque Valentine, Vermont, for her wedding, an uninvited guest shows up.

Ryan is Emily’s first husband from a disastrous starter marriage. They wed on a whim, only to discover that combustible chemistry couldn’t ensure a happily ever after. But Ryan is no longer the headstrong boy she left behind. He’s now a successful film producer who just happens to be scouting a resort in Valentine with his adorable retriever in tow.

As the bridesmaids revolt and the mothers of the bride and groom do battle, Emily is surprised to discover new sides of both her ex and her fiancé. She thought she had life and love all figured out, but the next seven days might change her mind—and her heart.

Our thoughts: Loved! Throw this novel in your bag when you take your next vacay!

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, May 12 after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of The Week Before the Wedding here.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...BETH KENDRICK'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

1. Kiss:

First: The actual boy next door. Very sweet and adorable. We were four years old, and we made a solemn vow that someday, we would wed.  This vow lasted right up until we were placed in different kindergarten classes.

Last : My oafish red rescue dog, Friday. He pounced on me while I was trying to do sit-ups this morning and slobbered all over my forehead. (Cue Katy Perry: I kissed a dog and I liked it…)

2. Risk you took:

First: After growing up in New England, I decided to head off to a liberal arts college in Minnesota because--wait for the dazzling brilliance of my 17-year-old brain at work here--I wanted to see the Northern Lights. Yep. That was the rock-solid foundation upon which I based my future. And it’s all worked out beautifully, so I regret nothing!

(Fun fact: I finally did see the aurora borealis two weeks before graduation. Had to wait four years, but it was worth it.)

(Fun fact #2: The steamy opening scene of The Week Before the Wedding is actually set at that college in Minnesota. There are these underground tunnels connecting the dormitories, and even though they’re now sealed up and forbidden to students, the hero and heroine sneak in there and…oops, I’ve said too much already!)

Last: I just started working a on a new book. (It’s kind of a spin-off of The Week Before the Wedding; the heroine’s bridesmaid was so fun and irrepressible that my editor and I decided she needed her own story.) Every time I turn in a book, I vow that it will be my last, that now I will shape up and do something “practical” with my life…and then I open a new Word file and start another chapter one. I don’t have a problem, okay? I CAN STOP ANY TIME I WANT.

3. Book you read:

First:  My childhood favorite was Muncus Agruncus, a Bad Little Mouse, and as the title suggests, it’s about a mouse who wreaks havoc on someone’s clean and orderly home.  He floods the bathtub, trashes the dollhouse, tromps through a birthday cake. He’s a renegade rodent who lives by his own rules and escapes to safety at the end. He does what he wants!  I still have the book, I still read it with my kid, and it’s still awesome.

Last: Right now, I’m in the middle of Data: A Love Story by Amy Webb. It’s the funny, fascinating memoir of a tech-savvy journalist who was fed up with the horrors of online dating and figured out strategies to “game” the system so she could search out—and attract—the most compatible prospects. So interesting from a cultural, psychological, and mathematical perspective.

4. Hell ya! moment:

First: There are a lot of these, but one that stands out was buying my first house and finally getting a dog after years of living in apartments with no-pet policies. I scoured Petfinder.com until I found the perfect little terrier named Murphy (it was not unlike online dating, actually). I got to snuggle him on the sofa, I got to train him and take him to the park…and I got to pay his exorbitant surgery bills when it turned out he had a shattered hip from his previous life on the streets. Adulthood rules!

Last: During a recent trip to Disneyland, I went on a rollercoaster that goes upside-down. Normally, I’m loath to commit to anything scarier than the spinning teacups, so this was a big deal. (Full confession: I did it because my preschooler dared me to.) And I loved it!

5. Aha! Moment:

First: I was on a V.C. Andrews kick in middle school (who wasn’t?) and one of the other classroom moms warned my mother that she shouldn’t allow me to read Flowers in the Attic. On the drive home, my mom said, “I’m not into censorship”, and assured me that I was old enough to choose my own reading material. That was a lightbulb moment for me; I realized that language has power, and that my mother trusted me with that power. What I read has an effect on me. What I write might have an effect on somebody else. Use language thoughtfully and responsibly.

Last: My kickboxing instructor recently told the class, “You’ve gotta learn how to take a hit”, and I think this applies to writing and to most areas of life, really.  Getting punched in the face now and then is inevitable.  You can’t duck every jab. The important thing is to figure out how to absorb the blow and pick yourself up, over and over.

Thanks, Beth!

Marci Nault's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Marci Nault Why we love her: We love the way she writes about friendship and love and everything in between!

Her latest: The Lake House (Out May 7th!)

The scoop: Achingly tender, yet filled with laughter, The Lake House brings to life the wide range of human emotions and the difficult journey from heartbreak to healing.

VICTORIA ROSE. Fifty years before, a group of teenage friends promised each other never to leave their idyllic lakeside town. But the call of Hollywood and a bigger life was too strong for Victoria . . . and she alone broke that pledge. Now she has come home, intent on making peace with her demons, even if her former friends shut her out. Haunted by tragedy, she longs to find solace with her childhood sweetheart, but even this tender man may be unable to forgive and forget.

HEATHER BREGMAN. At twenty-eight, after years as a globe-trotting columnist, she’s abandoned her controlling fiancé and their glamorous city life to build one on her own terms. Lulled by a Victorian house and a gorgeous locale, she’s determined to make the little community her home. But the residents, fearful of change and outsiders, will stop at nothing to sabotage her dreams of lakeside tranquility.As Victoria and Heather become unlikely friends, their mutual struggle to find acceptance—with their neighbors and in their own hearts—explores the chance events that shape a community and offer the opportunity to start again.

Our thoughts: A wonderful summer read!

Fun fact: Marci Nault is also the creator of 101 Dreams Come True, a website about going after your “bucket list.” On the site visitors can follow along as Marci accomplishes items on her list and documents her journey.

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, May 5th after 12pm PST.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MARCI NAULT'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

1. Kiss

My first kisses were on the kindergarten bus. Every morning my mother would braid my long, blonde hair that reached the back of my knees. When I stepped onto the bus the boys would tug on my braids and then pull me into their seats and kiss me. I would push them away and say, “I hate your guts!” My mother always worried I wouldn’t be invited to the prom because by then I would’ve told every boy in my class how much I hated him.

In the end the hair proved useful. I had my mother put my hair in two ponytails with three braids on each side. When the boys tried to grab me I spun around really fast and smacked them with my hair.

This wasn’t exactly my last kiss, but it’s a better story. I was at Carnival in Rio stuck in the subway (long story). Hordes of people were dancing and singing while moving past me.

Then all of a sudden the most beautiful man I’d ever seen walked right up to me, told me I was beautiful, dipped me back and kissed me full on the mouth. (It turns out that this is a Carnival tradition.) He lifted me back up, took my hand and placed it on his bare, fit chest and said, “My heart beats for you.” I looked down at his gorgeous body; his tight buns shown off in black, boxer brief type swim trunks, and admired the Brazilian male form. Along with the sexy boxers was a pink tutu around his hips, a fluffy pink bikini on his chest and a tiny pink tiara in his thick, black hair. (Yes, costumes and drag are also a Carnival tradition.)

2. Book you read

Green Eggs and Ham was the first book I ever read on my own. I was four and so proud that I could read. I’ve had my nose in a book ever since.

The last book I read was Gone Girl and though I loved it, I was upset with the ending – great discussion piece though. Read it for yourself and decide.

3. Risk you took

First Risk I ever took was when I was fourteen and my brother took me rappelling. I was terrified of heights and was a bit of a momma’s girl. I remember leaning back, having to actually sit in mid-air trusting the harness and rope, while looking down the 120-foot drop. I was terrified, but then I was zipping down and bouncing off the rocks having the time of my life. After that I became addicted to taking risks.

The last time I took a risk was deciding to drive in Rio de Janeiro. I was starting a two-month trip through South America right after Christmas 2012 and didn’t realize that Rio was one of the biggest destinations for New Years. The hotels were all booked, and the closest place I could find in my price range was a four-hour drive south of Rio in a coastal town called Ubatuba.

Driving in Rio wasn’t recommended, but what else could I do? Within fifteen minutes of being on the road I began to feel like I was in a video game with cars weaving, beeping, and speeding while people crossed the highways dropping fruit. I became lost and the only thing I could do was wait until I found a large gas station to ask for directions.

At the station, the men were shocked that I was driving alone. Four of them tried to help me by playing charades (I didn’t know any Portuguese). Somehow I found my way and the next day I was sitting on a beach, drinking coconut water and staring at gorgeous men playing volleyball. (Brazilian men are some of the most beautiful in the world.)

4. Hell ya moment

My first Hell ya moment was when I decided to take volleyball lessons. I was so horrible at this sport that guys would push me off the court at backyard barbecues in order to keep the ball away from me. Embarrassed and tired of being pushed around I took an after dark course at the local high school. When I returned the following summer to play with my friends I jumped up and spiked the ball (well as strong as I could put it down at that time) right between two of the guys that had shoved me off the court.

My last Hell Ya moment: I run an online bridal boutique www.Elegantbridaldesigns.com and I went to a wholesaler show with really exclusive lines that tend to stick their noses up at online stores. I was determined to get what I needed from the show so instead of feeling like I didn’t belong I pretended that they needed me more than I needed them. I walked away with the three new distributors I wanted. Fake it till you make it.

5. Aha moment

I was in Yosemite for the first time and had climbed the rocks of one of the popular waterfalls to get away from the crowds below. I had a pool of water all to myself and a view of the entire valley. I stood feeling the mist from the waterfall and the wind from the valley and thought, “This world is awesome. I want to see it all.” From then on I was addicted to travel.

My last Aha Moment was at the Adult Nationals Figure Skating Competition in Scottsdale, AZ in April. I was about to perform for five judges and a huge crowd, and my nerves were getting the best of me. I kept thinking about everything that could go wrong and how badly I might perform. I had a chat in my head and said, “You love to skate. Go out and have fun and forget about being perfect. Skate for the love of it.”

My friends all said that I had the cheesiest smile on my face that lit up the arena as I neared the end of my program. I let go of the expectations and just lived for the moment and took the bronze medal.

I’m trying to take this attitude into my writing and life.

Thanks, Marci!

Leslie Lehr's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Leslie Lehr Why we love her: Her writing is heartfelt!

Her latest: What A Mother Knows

The Scoop: Michelle Mason can't remember that day, that drive, that horrible crash that killed the young man in her car. All she knows is she's being held responsible, and her daughter is missing.

Despite a shaky marriage, a threatening lawsuit, and troubling flashbacks pressing in on her, Michelle throws herself into searching. Her daughter in the one person who might know what really happened that day, but the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of those closest to her, even herself. As her search hurtles toward a shattering revelation, Michelle must face the biggest challenge of her life.

A poignant story of the unshakable bond between mother and child, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

Our thoughts: You'll be thinking about this one long after you finish!

Giveaway: One SIGNED copy!  Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, May 12th after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Leslie won a student Emmy while attending USC's School of Cinematic Arts!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LESLIE LEHR'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

Kiss

First: A boy on the swim team who had braces. I thought it went fine, but he broke up with me five minutes later because I had braces too. He was afraid we would get our lips locked.

Most recent kiss? When my husband was passing by my office, I asked him what to write about that and he came in and kissed me. He has really soft lips.

Book

First: Are You My Mother  - the one where the little bird asks everyone, even a tractor, if it his mother. So sad – and so happy when he finds her. Hmm. Maybe that’s why I write about mothers so much. Wanting one, being one, needing one.

Most recent book?  Is This Tomorrow, by Caroline Leavitt. The release is the same day as What A Mother Knows. She’s an amazing storyteller and a real sweetheart. We are hoping to do some events together.

Risk

First: Hitting Send on an email to invite a man I hadn’t seen in twenty years for a cup of coffee. I was networking at a lot of coffee meetings, so I told myself it was just business, but secretly I hoped he was single. I stared at the Send button for a good ten minutes before I clicked it.

Latest risk I took? When he emailed back and said he’d buy the coffee, I dressed up in black sundress and high heels. Our coffee lasted three hours. He was single.

Aha! Moment…after that

I’d made it clear on that coffee date that I would never get married again, and he had never married at all, so four years later, when I told him I changed my mind and I didn’t want to keep dating unless marriage was a possibility, he started laughing. He said not getting married was my idea, and he showed me an old newspaper article he had clipped a month after that coffee meeting, entitled “How to Buy A Diamond Ring.”

Latest Aha! Moment:I just finished chemo for breast cancer and lost all the things that me feel beautiful – especially my long hair. I felt guilty, as though I had seduced my husband by looking as beautiful as possible - ever since I strolled into that coffee shop in my black sundress. But he still thinks I’m beautiful. So the aha moment is that he saw more in me than I did. And that there really are good guys out there. And good people as well - so many people have reached out to me, it’s been a revelation. We are beloved and we are not alone.

Hell ya moment

First: When I learned to read, it felt like playing hooky. I got a book for my ninth birthday and hid out for the rest of my party to read it. My mom was mad, but I got away with it. Now when I read, I still feel like I’m playing hooky, and I still get away with it. But now I get to call it ‘research.’

Recent Hell ya moment- A book reviewer emailed me halfway through reading What A Mother Knows and said she was laughing and crying and couldn’t put it down and her boyfriend was getting annoyed. She emailed again in the morning, excited about the ending - she read it in two days. At first I was bummed that I spent years getting the story right, and she read it in two days.  Then I thought, isn’t that the point? Hell ya!

Thanks, Leslie!

Susan Wigg's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Susan Wiggs Why we love her: Her books are a great escape! (And how cute is she?!)

Her latest: The Apple Orchard

The scoop: Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their rightful owners. People like Annelise Winther, who refuses to sell her long-gone mother's beloved necklace—despite Tess's advice. To Annelise, the jewel's value is in its memories.

But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. So Tess is shocked when she discovers the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. And that she has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel.

The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she's never heard of.

Against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. A place where falling in love is not only possible, but inevitable.

And in a season filled with new experiences, Tess begins to see the truth in something Annelise once told her: if you don't believe memories are worth more than money, then perhaps you've not made the right kind of memories.

Our thoughts: Dive into this one at the beach this summer!

Giveaway:  TWO copies! (US only) Leave a comment to be entered.  We'll choose the winners after 3pm PST on May 12th.

Fun Fact: Check out the cool pics of Susan's "Hell Ya" moment Honk Kong adventure!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...SUSAN WIGG'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

First: Ah, the magic happened at a school dance, with "Stairway to Heaven" (what else?) playing and the lights low and swirling with color. I was wearing a purple and amber jersey minidress (I always remember what I wore). He was shorter than me and he had a boner. Of course he did. We were thirteen and we were slow dancing.

Last: My amazing husband, who loves kissing as much as I do. We’re really good at it. And we do slow dance. It was not exactly like the first, but he did have a boner. (tmi, but you asked!)

BOOK I READ

First: THE CARROT SEED by Ruth Krauss. The simplest, most hopeful story ever. I was really little, age 4, I think, an early and voracious reader.

Last: PARIS: A LOVE STORY by Kati Marton. It’s a memoir. She was married to Peter Jennings and then to Richard Holbrooke, a diplomat whose untimely death made headlines. And she’s fascinating in her own right. I loved her short, heartfelt book about my favorite city.

RISK I TOOK

First: Gosh, I don’t recall the first. Being the middle child of three, every day was filled with risk. I had a big brother who dared me to do stupid things and a little sister who would tell on me. I recall making cardboard wings and jumping off a barn roof into a pile of hay. That didn’t work out so well. And skiing down a run marked “Experts Only” was fun but disastrous.  Another early risk had to do with writing. I read part of a story I’d written to a friend, and she begged to hear more. It was an amazing moment.

Last: It sounds cheesy, but every time I sit down to write, it feels risky. In writing a novel, you show so much of your heart, and you just have to trust that putting it out in the world like that is the right thing to do. This morning I wrote a scene involving a verbal fight between two characters, and it made me completely uncomfortable, which means it was hitting close to home. I only hope I can redeem these two.

HELL YA MOMENT

First: Being raised by “hell yeah” parents, I can’t recall the actual first time. I do remember that feeling at my very first rock concert. I was scandalously young and I followed my big brother to a Rolling Stones concert at Foret Nationale in Brussels, Belgium, where we were living at the time. There was a riot outside the venue, mounted police were being jostled on their horses, and someone drove a Fiat through the doors. The Stones started to play “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and the world seemed to change color before my eyes.

Last: Doing shots of Jaegermeister and getting a tattoo in a divey parlor in Hong Kong. Really. Check out my right ankle next time you see me. Photos HERE!   (The symbol means "yes" so it definitely was a hell yeah moment)

AHA MOMENT

First: Wow, so many of my “moments” have to do with writing. This one–grade three, Mrs. Green’s class. I was way ahead in reading, so she let me read “Harriet the Spy.” PLEASE have your kids read this novel by Louise Fitzhugh, and never let them see the truly bad movie adaptation. It’s about a girl whose life is changed by writing. I wrote my first story then (photo here) I remember finally “getting” the shape of a story, which is so simple–beginning, middle, end–but so tricky to nail.

Last: Watching my dad’s struggles with Parkinson’s. He and my mom live in my town, not far from me. It’s a devastating illness, yet he greets every day with a smile, and lives his life. He sends emails to his grandkids, has people over, works on little projects, sits quietly with my mom. They’ve been married 59 years and the “aha” for me is this–life can always be wonderful, no matter what’s happening to you or around you. But sometimes you have to dig deep inside to find the joy.

The dedication page of THE APPLE ORCHARD is a little surprise for my parents. Think they’ll like it?

Thanks, Susan!

Amy Shearn's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Our guest today: Amy Shearn

Why we love her: We dig her fresh narrative!

Her latest: The Mermaid of Brooklyn

The scoop: Formerly an up-and-coming magazine editor, Jenny Lipkin is now your average, stretched-too-thin Brooklyn mom, tackling the challenges of raising two children in a cramped Park Slope walk-up. All she really wants is to survive the sweltering New York summer with a shred of sanity intact. But when her husband, Harry, vanishes one evening, Jenny reaches her breaking point. And in a moment of despair, a split-second decision changes her life forever.

Pulled from the brink by an unexpected ally, Jenny is forced to rethink her ideas about success, motherhood, romance, and relationships. But confronting her inner demons is no easy task. . . .

Our thoughts: Dive in this witty and heartfelt novel this weekend! You won't regret it!

Giveaway: Two copies! Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win--we'll choose the winners on Monday, April 22nd after 8am PST.

Fun Fact: The Mermaid of Brooklyn is a Oprah.Com April book pick!

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...AMY SHEARN'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

Kiss

First: Let me just say that Jewish overnight camp in the Wisconsin woods circa 1992 was a heady time. The poignant Extreme ballad “More Than Words” was playing constantly, everywhere, as if piped in from the trees. And finally a boy liked me. I remember thinking I had been waiting forever for a boy to notice me. I was going into eighth grade. Obviously, it had been like MONTHS between the start of puberty and now – what was taking all the boys so long to notice a quiet, awkward, bookish girl who never spoke to them or even really looked at them? But finally this boy LIKED me liked me, and we were sitting outside by the creek and he leaned in and sort of smeared his mouth on my cheek area. Later that night, I was informed by my more streetwise cabin-mates that I was supposed to have turned my head to trickily French him. I was mortified, both at my lack of savvy, and at the idea of French-kissing him. Even though I didn’t really have any opinion whatsoever of this boy, I remember lying awake in my upper bunk aglow with that surreal excitement you get when your life seems to have gotten magical all the sudden.

Last: Tonight at bedtime, my two-year-old son announced he was a cat and then passionately licked my face. Not totally dissimilar to my summer camp kiss, actually. Except that I really, really love this boy.

Book

First: I taught myself to read when I was around 3 by obsessively staring at Mercer Mayer’s Just For You, which I assumed was the most hilarious and yet meaningful work of literature ever. I have a distinct memory of lying on the basement floor of my parent’s house, rubbing my feet over a rough place in the concrete, and having it all click, and realizing, with something like ecstasy, that I could read.

Last: I’ve just begun Jessica Francis Kane’s luminous short story collection This Close. It’s been a while since I read a collection of stories, and it’s such sheer pleasure. She packs tremendous insights into these narrative jewels.

 Risk

First: I have never been a risk-taker, really, so I had to wrack my brain here. I did have a much-cited (literally, almost every time I see my parents) misadventure in fifth grade, when, after watching 3 or 4 other kids do it, I went down the new banana-yellow twisty slide backwards. This was forbidden, and I got caught, and was benched. Benched! This horrifying punishment involved having to sit on a bench for a few minutes. It was my first and last time getting benched at Lincoln Elementary School. And that’s what you get for taking risks. Just kidding. Sort of.

Last: Writing this novel felt like a big risk. As noted above, I’ve always been a bit of a goody-two-shoes, an inveterate conflict avoider. Like every mother, I want to be seen as the perfect mom and wife, because of course I want to be the perfect mom and wife. But that whole parenting situation is just so difficult and fraught – honestly, even if you are a pretty happy mom, which I think I am -- that I wanted to write about how hard it is, taking care of small children and maintaining your sanity and sense of self. I wanted to say the things that all my mom friends say to each other, but that I had never read in a novel. And I wanted to inhabit a character who was trouble and difficult, because I find those characters interesting. But then, you know, you have to deal with people saying things like “I read your book and now I’m so worried about you! Is the main [depressed, manic, cheating] character you?”  Oy.

Hell Ya! Moment

First: The summer I was 20 I backpacked around Europe by myself, and I remember the whole time as one big HELL YA! I was breaking up with my long-time boyfriend, I was proving I was independent and brave, I was seeing the world and meeting people and I spent about $5 the whole time and I know the life-changing college trip is a total cliché but it was truly amazing. I have no idea how I did it. I don’t know that I could handle it now.

Last: My daughter is just starting to read on her own, and every time she reads a sentence or recognizes a word I do a little internal cartwheel. It’s so exciting to watch it all coming together, and to think of all the adventures that await her in library stacks.

Aha! Moment

First: I was probably 7 or 8 the day I was pestering my father while he was trying to write something and he handed me a notebook and said, “Here, you can start your own journal.” I wrote down some pertinent information about my cat, Daisy, and then reread it and enjoyed the process so much that I then wrote some more and then some more and soon I was filling notebooks with stories.

Last: As a mom-blogger, I’ve probably written 15 different essays/articles/blog posts about how moms shouldn’t be so hard on themselves, without truly internalizing this myself. It’s all very easy to say, but then…you know how it goes. Then the other night I realized I was having these crazy bedtime struggles with my 4-year-old for no real reason other than that I felt she ought to go to bed by 8:00pm and that in the back of my mind there was some voice – Super-Nanny, maybe – chiding me for not having enough control to maintain this bedtime. And then for some reason I had a moment when I asked myself if I really cared when she went to bed. If she’s quietly playing with paper dolls at 8, isn’t she maybe just winding down slowly? Since she has a hard time calming down to sleep, shouldn’t I let her do that work to learn how to calm herself down, as the end goal really is to have her know when she’s sleepy and put herself to bed? I realized that if she was busy coloring or something that I didn’t actually care when she went to bed, I just thought I should care, and that I was waging this nightly battle (that inevitably ends with me asleep in the toddler bed alongside her) for no real reason. So we did bath time, tooth-brushing, stories, all the bedtime things, and then I just let her chill out and tell the dog some stories until around 9 she told me she was ready for bed and wow, what a revelation! There’s motherhood in a nutshell: you don’t even realize that by trying to do something The Right Way you’re making yourself miserable. I’m always telling other moms not to be so hard on themselves, not to judge their parenting, to do what feels right. So maybe I should follow my own advice for once.

Thanks, Amy!

Alyson Richman's Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Alyson Richman Why we love her: She's writes beautifully! Can't wait to read her other novels!

Her book: The Lost Wife

The scoop on it: A rapturous novel of first love in a time of war-from the celebrated author of The Rhythm of Memory and The Last Van Gogh.

In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers...

Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

Our thoughts: We were sucked in by this engrossing book about love and war!

Giveaway: 5 copies! Just comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, April 21st.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...ALYSON RICHMAN'S FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS:

First Kiss:   My first kiss was on the playground to a boy named Kevin Bisch when I was in the fourth grade.  We were standing in the middle of the grass clippings; he was this lanky kid with great hair, wearing a Doors t-shirt and a pair of wrangler cords.  There must have been some strange fertilizer in the grass that day, because we both ended up being writers.  He's now a screenwriter in LA.  Rumor has it, he's still wearing the same outfit.  Some of us just have an innate sense of style at nine.  Certainly not me!

Last Kiss:  This morning, as I was leaving to take the children to school, I pulled open the shower door and stole one from my husband. He still had shaving cream on his face and a head full of shampoo.

RISK I TOOK:

First Risk I took:   When I was sixteen, I tried out for the boys wrestling team in boarding school.  I was never much of an athlete, but I knew that I'd be good at wrestling since that's how I had to defend myself from my two brothers over the years. To get the full effect of this, you need to imagine that I looked very much like Gumby dressed in a Laura Ashley dress.  I'd change in the girls locker room into my singlet (wearing a turtleneck and tights underneath).  I think I won half my matches due to the sheer shock my appearance gave my competitors.

Last Risk I took:   Every book that I undertake has a certain element of risk.  "The Lost Wife" felt extremely risky for me because writing about the Holocaust is inherently very daunting.  You want to make sure that every aspect of the research is done properly.  For the entire book tour, every time a survivor raised their hand, I was petrified they were going to tell me I had made a mistake in the text regarding some historical detail.  You can't imagine how relieved I was to hear how they instead thanked me for writing the novel.

HELL YA! MOMENT

First Hell ya moment:  It has to be the moment my editor called and told me "The Lost Wife" was a best-seller.   For years, I always thought of myself as the writer who'd be driving around in a van handing out my books to whomever would take them.

Last Hell ya moment: Getting my last book contract.  It's so wonderful to now have the support of Penguin/Berkley for my next two books.  To feel like someone wants to invest in your career, after so many years of hard work, is immensely satisfying.

AHA! MOMENT:

First Aha moment:   With writing, it had to be discovering that what you take out of your drafts is just as important as what you put in.   I always describe my editing process as taking a palette knife and carving out the mud.  For me, writing is very much like painting.  You need to find ways to bring light into an otherwise dense canvas.

Last Aha Moment:  When I was having a nervous breakdown about the first draft of my next book, “Dragonfly,” and I was complaining to my husband all the reasons I was overwhelmed with it.   He looked at me with great sensitivity and said:  "I've been married to you for fifteen years and you say the same thing with EVERY book you write.  It will work out.  You have time.  You can do it."  The boy deserves a medal.

Thanks, Alyson!

Deborah Cloyed's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Deborah Cloyed Why we love her: We've been fans since we read her debut novel, The Summer We Came to Life.

Her latest: What Tears Us Apart

The scoop on it: Love lives in the most dangerous places of the heart.

The real world. That's what Leda desperately seeks when she flees her life of privilege to travel to Kenya. She finds it at a boys'orphanage in the slums of Nairobi. What she doesn't expect is to fall for Ita, the charismatic and thoughtful man who gave up his dreams to offer children a haven in the midst of turmoil.Their love should be enough for one another-it embodies the soul-deep connection both have always craved. But it is threatened by Ita's troubled childhood friend, Chege, a gang leader with whom he shares a complex history. As political unrest reaches a boiling point and the slum erupts in violence, Leda is attacked…and forced to put her trust in Chege, the one person who otherwise inspires anything but.In the aftermath of Leda's rescue, disturbing secrets are exposed, and Leda, Ita and Chege are each left grappling with their own regret and confusion. Their worlds upturned, they must now face the reality that sometimes the most treacherous threat is not the world outside, but the demons within.

Our thoughts: A powerful novel!

Giveaway: Two copies! Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, April 14th after 12pm PST.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...DEBORAH CLOYED'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

FIRST KISS:  In third grade, a boy named Brant gave me the quintessential piece of paper bearing the Check Boxes of Like (yes or no), and with my affirmation we were officially in puppy love.  Sitting cross-legged on my parents’ living room floor, we put a blanket over our heads so he could peck me on the lips. Then we giggled like maniacs until my Mom came to see what we were up to.

LAST KISS:  I’m an early riser, my boyfriend a night owl.  He kisses me goodnight in the wee hours, to a groggy mmmmm-hmmmm-luvvvvyoutoooo, and I good-morning kiss him first thing in the morning to a similar refrain.  Which I just did.

BOOK YOU READ

FIRST BOOK I READ:  My childhood was a veritable blur of books.  The first one I remember being obsessed with was My Side of the Mountain.  I told my mom I would be living in the backyard from then on.  That she pretended to tolerate.  Cooking acorn pancakes in her kitchen, she did not.

LAST BOOK I READ:  I’m reading The International Bank of Bob, about a travel writer who put $20,000 into Kiva.org, one $25 microloan at a time, then goes to visit loan recipients across the world, including in Kenya (where What Tears Us Apart is set and where I lived before the election violence broke out).  Read this book!  The author performs a soul-searching yet inspirational examination of some of the world’s trickiest problems of poverty and violence.

RISK YOU TOOK

FIRST RISK I TOOK:  If you ask my older brother, I came out of the womb a reckless risk-taker.  I had a disturbing lack of fear of heights, spiders, the dark, claustrophobia, any of the usuals.   My earliest risk-taking memories, all before age five – of breaking my nose on a jungle gym, getting bit by a snake in a creek, falling out of a tree – it’s hard to remember which came first.  My parents put me in gymnastics and the whole family settled in for a lifetime of worry.

LAST RISK I TOOK:  Well, I calmed down a bit after two near-death drowning experiences in Central America (hence my debut book The Summer We Came to Life) in my twenties.  The risks I take now are of the more mundane variety.  Six weeks after foot surgery, I just hobbled up four flights of stairs balancing a tray of two flower vases, two wines glasses, two pizza boxes (don’t judge), and four coffee cups.  Nothing fell and broke, miraculously.  But in retrospect, that was pretty risky.

HELL YA! MOMENT

FIRST HELL YA MOMENT:  Funny but the first thing that springs to mind is when I learned to read.  As in – WHOA. There’s a whole world inside this book, and I can go in it all by myself. Like an empty amusement park.  And since I was a library junkie from age three, I knew it meant endless solo adventures to come.  I could picture it.  Hell ya.

LAST HELL YA MOMENT:  A cozy, snuggly Easter Sunday, with yummy food and good company, topped off by the Game of Thrones premiere?  Hell YA.

AHA! MOMENT

FIRST AHA MOMENT:  Thinking this through, I realize my first aha moment is the same as my first hell ya moment.  Such is life.

LAST AHA MOMENT:  I’ve been banging my head against the wall, working out the plot for my next novel.  Finally, last week sitting on my porch, I had the AHA moment I’d been waiting for.  An AHA that will make this an incredibly fun, eerie, epic book to write.  But that’s all I’m saying… for now.

Thanks, Deborah!

Liza Palmer's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Liza Palmer Why we love her: We've loved Liza since we read Conversations with a Fat Girl

Her latest: Nowhere but Home

The scoop on it: The strategy on the gridiron of Friday Night Lights is nothing compared to the savagery of coming home . . .

Queenie Wake has just been fired from her job as a chef for not allowing a customer to use ketchup . . . again. Now the only place she has to go is North Star, Texas, the hometown she left in disgrace. Maybe things will be different this time around. After all, her mother—notorious for stealing your man, your car, and your rent money—has been dead for years. And Queenie's sister, once the local teenage harlot who fooled around with the town golden boy, is now the mother of the high school football captain.

Queenie's new job, cooking last meals at the nearby prison, is going well . . . at least the inmates don't complain! But apparently small-town Texas has a long memory for bad reputations. And when Queenie bumps into Everett Coburn, the high school sweetheart who broke her heart, she wishes her own memory was a little spottier. But before Queenie takes another chance on love, she'll have to take an even bigger risk: finding a place to call home once and for all.

Our thoughts: We love her witty writing. And this story is the perfect blend of heart and humor.

Giveaway: 2 copies! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, April 14th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: Check out her blog where she reveals behind the scenes details about her books (including  the town her latest novel was based on) and her life.

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

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIZA PALMER'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

Kiss

My first kiss was probably with some poor unsuspecting neighbor and my most recent kiss was… the same, some poor unsuspecting neighbor.

Book you read

The first books I read were some combination of Miffy at the Zoo, Fletcher and Zenobia, Where the Wild Things Are and Goodnight Moon.

And the last book (play?) I read was Much Ado About Nothing.  (And the Joss Whedon movie version…hello?!  Can it surpass the Italian tanned loveliness of the Branagh version?  WE SHALL SEE.  Here’s what I do now:  Fillion will definitely do better than Keaton as Dogberry.  “Let it be known that I am an ass”… I CAN’T WAIT.)

Risk you took

The first risk I took was my entire childhood.  My Mom has informed me that she should have invested in a ceremonial plaque that saved her preferred seat in the Emergency Room.

The most recent risk I took was ordering the Cobb Salad at the Westside Tavern.  It’s hard to do a good Cobb.  (Verdict?  Loved it.  Highly recommend it.)

Hell ya! moment

My first Hell Ya moment - I actually asked my Mom about this and she said, “What about when you decided not to go to Kindergarten.  Walked in through the front door and right back out the back.”  I asked her what brought me back – what convinced me to stay.  And she said they’d just started this new pilot program where kids could dictate stories and teachers would write them down and make books out of them.  I didn’t know that… very cool to know writing has always been there for me.

My latest Hell Ya moment?   I mean, that Cobb Salad was pretty great, but…  it was probably when Nowhere but Home came in the mail.  The package was on my stoop and I thought maybeeeee – tore it open – and there it was.  I got emotional immediately and I haven’t let it out of my sight since. There’s just nothing like holding that finished book in your hands.  Yes, I’m kind of crying even writing about it.  (NERD)

Aha! moment

My first AHA moment – I mean, you are giving little kids and moreover people’s memories a lot of credit here.  Okay, isn’t a baby’s first AHA moment just Peek-a-Boo?  Oh, there’s my mom!  She’s not gone… wait, she’s gone again!?!?  So, first AHA moment was playing Peek-a-Boo with my Mom.

My most recent was that I just needed to shut up and be happy.  I will over think everything and I realized (after over thinking it, of course) that I was thinking my way right out of pleasure and happiness.  To balance out the instability of publishing and writing, I had to make a concerted effort to take in beauty, get outside and shut my brain off.  Yes, that’s a beautiful sunset.  No, you don’t need to write an entire blog post about it or take a picture of it for Instagram.  Just… enjoy it.

Thanks, Liza!

Mary Kay McComas's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Today's guest: Mary Kay McComas Why we love her: Her writing is soulful...

Her latest: Something about Sophie

The scoop on it: Answering a call that summons her to a stranger's deathbed, a reluctant Sophie Shepard is too late to hear what he was so anxious to tell her. What was so important that a dying man would think of her in his final moments? With the help of Dr. Drew McCarren, Sophie begins to dig into her past, setting off a chain of events that chills the quiet town of Clearfield, Virginia to its roots.

With part of her wanting nothing more than to put Clearfield behind her and run back home, Sophie knows she won't rest until she discovers the truth. But growing closer to the residents also means uncovering their dark secrets: about the woman who gave her up for adoption, the mysterious part these strangers played, and the life she never knew she nearly had.

Something About Sophie is an unforgettable story about the power of love...and the things people will do, both right and wrong, to protect it.

Our thoughts:  A must read on your Spring Break!

Giveaway: 5 copies. Leave a comment and be entered to win. Winners will be selected on Sunday, April 7th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of Something About Sophie here.

Where you can read more about Mary Kay: Her website or Facebook.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...MARY KAY MCCOMAS' 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

KISS

FIRST: Ugh. My first non-family kiss was an icky wet peck from a boy I didn't really like in 8th grade at our 'Graduation Dance'. We were slow dancing to The Beach Boys' Surfer Girl and to this day whenever I hear it, I get the willies.

LAST: My last kiss was so much better! My husband of 35 years and I kissed this morning before he left for work.

BOOK I READ

My first book was Dick and Jane. I memorized it: See Dick. See Dick and Jane go. See Dick and Jane and Spot. It was a childhood thriller that kept every first grader of my acquaintance on the edge of their seats. It ends well though: See Spot and Puff run and play.

The last book I read was Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by the clever Lois McMaster Bujold. It's the latest in the Vorkosigan Saga series, all of which are wonderful. And they're science fiction, which is incredible because I never read science fiction ... well, not the space alien, neuro-blaster, shuttleport kind. However, the hero of the Bujold books (many of the secondaries, too) define the word 'character' in its every sense and they're laugh out loud funny as well. Strong, distinct personalities and humor ... my kind of book in any dimension.

RISK I TOOK

FIRST: If this refers my first physical risk then there is an old family story of my dad being up high on scaffolding, painting our two story house and sort of keeping an eye on me at age 3 or 4 playing with my dolls on the lawn below. He got called away briefly -- "for 5 minutes" he always said -- and when he came back my pink baby bed was as white as our house and his paintbrush was in the grass beside it ... and not with the paint can, high up on the scaffolding, where he'd left it. My last huge physical risk was having a 9cm aortic aneurysm repaired a few years ago. It sort of put all my other physical risks in perspective.

But I actually think that emotional risks present themselves more often and have higher stakes. My first clear memory is of my first day of first grade and watching my mom drive away without me -- I didn't die on the spot, so I have to imagine that my first risk came shortly after that when I had to figure out how to cope with the teacher and the other kids. I was painfully shy.

LAST: I do, however, have a clearer memory of my last emotional risk which was to apologize to a friend. Not the 'oops, sorry' kind of apology that's mostly just good manners -- but a real act of contrition for being thoughtless and possibly hurting her feelings. I was fairly certain she'd forgive me but still, it wasn't easy.

HELL YA MOMENT

FIRST: I was the third of six kids and while I was never neglected I did sometimes feel a little ... overlooked. But I had this aunt who lived in Seattle and from the time I was about 10 years old she would ask me to come stay with her for a few weeks in the summer -- just me, no one else. I mean, ever. None of my sisters or brothers were ever asked to stay with her, just me. I felt very special and it was more than just a hell ya moment for me. Every year it was an Oh-hell-ya!-I'm-leavin'-and-you-all-have-to-stay-home-to-do-summer-chores! moment.

LAST: I think my most recent hell ya moments have involved my children. A college graduation -- hell ya it was worth the sacrifices. A good solid grownup job -- hell ya, you're ready and hell ya, they're getting the best guy for the job! And hell ya, I'm turning your room into my arts and crafts studio!

AHA MOMENT

I think my first Aha! moment -- the one that made the greatest impression on me anyway -- was when I finally realized that not doing well in school doesn't mean you're not intelligent, it just means your talents are elsewhere.

My latest aha! came a few weeks ago -- though I feel I should have pick up on it years ago. It explains SO much. My friends and I were out shopping -- for purses. I hate to shop, so naturally my more fashion conscious pals are responsible for making sure I'm not so tacky they feel they must sneak off and leave me in the ladies room. So ... purses ... they kept trying to foist these big bulky diaper bag looking things on me and I kept gravitating back to the clutch wallets. Finally, our purse guru stepped in and said, "She'll never carry one that big ... she's too tall." We stared at her. She held out her hands, it was Purse Shopping 101 to her. "She already feels like she takes up more than her fair share of space, a big bag only makes it worse." Well, I don't know if her theory is all that sound but the rest of the afternoon, and since then, I have been so aware that big and tall women tend to carry small to medium sized purses -- and that thin and average to short women carry suit cases. Just watch ....

Thanks Mary Kay!

Nicole Baart's 5 Firsts and Lasts

Sooo excited to debut another brand spankin' new feature!  Now we're asking our favorite authors to share the first and last time they've done--things like risks they've taken or kiss they've shared.  And the answers are JUICY!  so make sure to stay tuned! xoxo, L&L Our guest today: Nicole Baart

Why we love her: We can't put her books down!

Her latest: Sleeping In Eden (Out May 21st!)

The Scoop: On a chilly morning in the Northwest Iowa town of Blackhawk, Dr. Lucas Hudson is filling in for the vacationing coroner on a seemingly open-and-shut suicide case. His own life is crumbling around him, but when he unearths the body of a woman buried in the barn floor beneath the hanging corpse, he realizes this terrible discovery could change everything. . . .

Years before Lucas ever set foot in Blackhawk, Meg Painter met Dylan Reid. It was the summer before high school and the two quickly became inseparable. Although Meg’s older neighbor, Jess, was the safe choice, she couldn’t let go of Dylan no matter how hard she tried.

Caught in a web of jealousy and deceit that spiraled out of control, Meg’s choices in the past ultimately collide with Lucas’s discovery in the present, weaving together a taut story of unspoken secrets and the raw, complex passions of innocence lost.

Our thoughts: We promise you'll race through this thoughtful, intriguing book!

Giveaway: Five SIGNED copies, yo!  Just leave a comment here and you'll be entered.  We'll choose the winners on March 31st after 8am.

Fun Fact: Well, not really a fun fact--but Nicole is another wonderful S&S author caught up in all the B&N/S&S bulls*it going on. So PLEASE support her and this book by posting it and telling your friends!

Where to read more about Nicole: Her website, Facebook and Twitter!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...NICOLE BAART'S 5 FIRSTS AND LASTS

Kiss

My first kiss was in my best friend’s car. Front seat, people, get your minds out of the gutter. ;-) My best friend was a boy, and I had been in love with him for years. However, that much anticipated first kiss? A little underwhelming. I didn’t know what I was doing and it was sloppy and confusing.

My most recent kiss was a couple of hours ago. The love of my life and my husband of almost fourteen years caught me in the laundry room and we got a bit carried away... At least, until our two-year-old squeezed between us shouting, “Squish me! Squish me!” Nothing like the timing of a toddler.

Book you read

I can’t remember the first book I read, but my earliest memory of a truly gripping read was in fourth grade. My cousin and I had sleepovers nearly every weekend and we loved to lounge on small mountains of pillows and read to each other. One of our first picks was a library paperback called To Catch a Golden Ring. In my memory it’s an Outsiders themed sort of book, with a truly shocking tragedy that gave me nightmares for years. My cousin and I wept over it.

The most recent book I read is The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I read it to my boys and we all adored it. I may or may not have cried like a baby and embarrassed my nine-year-old. (Though I think he was blinking back tears, too.)

Risk you took

When I was a little girl, my neighbor and I befriended a widowed farmer who lived down the street. We loved helping him collect eggs and try to catch the wild kittens that were born in the barn. We also loved playing in his haymow, and daring each other to do increasingly wild things (rappel down the side of the barn on a rope, climb the wide slats of the barn as high as we could go, etc.). Stretching the length of the haymow was a beam about five inches wide. At one end, the hay was stacked so high you could climb right onto the beam. At the other end was a 15-20 foot drop onto a wood plank floor. My friend was a gymnast and used to cartwheel across the beam. I was (still am) terrified of heights. But over the course of a summer I conquered my fear and learned to race across the beam full tilt. I was pretty proud of my accomplishment, though I’d never knowingly allow my own children to do something so dangerous!

One of the biggest risks I took recently was dancing in a local fundraiser spin-off of Dancing with the Stars. I was a last-minute add when one of the dancers broke her ankle, so my partner and I started off at a disadvantage. For ten days, we danced every night for at least two hours. I lost almost ten pounds and had blisters over nearly every inch of my feet. It was exhausting and terrifying because I am not the world’s most coordinated person... My rather ironic (and thankfully short-lived) nickname used to be Grace. But it was an absolutely amazing experience and one I wish I could repeat!

Hell ya! moment

I’m sure this isn’t my first Hell ya! moment, but it certainly sticks out in my mind... I wasn’t the most popular girl in my high school by a long shot (think gangly, awkward, Coke-bottle bespeckled girl aka the dorky Taylor Swift protagonist in the “You Belong With Me” video--only not nearly as cute), but my senior year I had a brief but thrilling romance with a gorgeous boy from another school. Gor. Geous. When I walked into my senior prom on his arm it felt like the climax of every classic click flick. I felt gorgeous by association. Of course, I’m probably the only one who remembers it that way!

One of my most recent Hell ya! moments happened when Publishers Weekly reviewed my 2012 release, Far From Here. I have a short wish-list of things I would love to accomplish in my career, and one of them was to receive a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Their anonymous reviews and reputation for sometimes brutal honesty make them a publication that I deeply respect... and kinda fear. But when my agent called to tell me that the review of Far From Here was live, and that it was a starred, featured review, I went a little ballistic. As my son would say, it was beast.

Thanks, Nicole!