Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Camille Noe Pagan

One of the very best perks of this gig is that we often get to read books before they go on sale.  Nothing makes us happier than when we open the front door and see the (totally hot!) FedEx guy dropping off yet another book. A few months ago, the aforementioned hot FedEx guy arrived with a copy of Camille Noe Pagan's The Art of Forgetting.  We instantly fell in love with the fabulous cover and were thrilled to discover that the story was even better. The Art of Forgetting is a must-read from an author who we think may be the next big thing in women's fiction. And she wears her Lit IT girl crown very nicely! We highly recommend that you RUN, not walk to the nearest bookstore and get yourself a copy.

Marissa Rogers never wanted to be an alpha; beta suited her just fine, thank you very much. After all, taking charge without taking credit had always paid off: vaulting her to senior editor at a glossy diet magazine; allowing her to keep the peace with her critical, weight-obsessed mother; and enjoying the benefits that came with being best friends with gorgeous, charismatic Julia Ferrar.

Sure, coming up with 15 different ways to lose five pounds month after month could be mind-numbing. And yes, Julia was a walking, talking reminder that Marissa would never be the type to turn heads. So what? There was no reason to upend her perfect-on-paper life.

But when Julia is hit by a cab and suffers a personality-altering brain injury, Marissa has no choice but step into the role of alpha friend. As Julia struggles to regain her memory—dredging up things Marissa would rather forget, including the fact that Julia asked her to abandon the love of her life 10 years ago—and to return to the sharp, magnetic woman she once was, their friendship is shaken to the core.

With the help of 12 girls she reluctantly agrees to coach in an after-school running program, Marissa will uncover an inner confidence she never knew she possessed and find the courage to reexamine her past and take control of her future.

The Art of Forgetting is a story about the power of friendship, the memories and self-created myths that hold us back from our true potential, and most of all, the delicate balance between forgiving and forgetting.

See? It sounds fab!  That's why we have five copies to giveaway-just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, June 12th after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL:DEBUT AUTHOR CAMILLE NOE PAGAN

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? Five (which isn't a lot, I know!). I was really fortunate that a publishing colleague of mine--the generous and extremely talented Allison Winn Scotch--recommended I query her agent, Elisabeth Weed. Elisabeth called me three days after I submitted to her and offered to represent me, and one phone conversation convinced me she was "the one". The rest, as they say, is history! (Btw, Elisabeth has a fabulous blog -- http://elisabethweed.blogspot.com -- where she breaks down the mysteries of publishing.)

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? I recently received a review from a trade publication that was so nasty I wondered if I'd somehow crossed the reviewer (who was anonymous, so I'll never know). I'm of the school of thought that if you can't find something nice to say, don't say anything at all--which is why I never write negative reviews on Amazon, Goodreads or other forums. A dear friend and fellow author, Sarah Jio, says horrible reviews say more about the reviewer than the author, and I try to remind myself of that when I encounter them.

3. How long did it take to write your book? Just under five months; once I get a solid idea, I write pretty quickly. That said, the revisions for TAOF took longer than the first draft did--so there are some disadvantages to writing fast!

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? My husband and I went out to a nice restaurant for dinner and had champagne. I'm a big believer in celebrating the steps along the way--finishing a draft, signing with an agent, getting the first box of ARCs, etc.--because becoming a published author is a dream come true and I want to enjoy every minute of it.

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I'm still too close to the process to know for sure what I could or should have done differently. That said, it always seems like a little more could have been done--another edit, more publicity, more networking--but at some point, you have to let go and let it happen.

6. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? Email is such a time-suck for me (as are Facebook and Twitter). When I'm writing, I force myself to enter "full screen" mode so my manuscript takes up my entire computer screen. Otherwise, I'll get online and the next thing I know, an hour will have passed.

7. Who is your writer crush? Jonathan Tropper. His books are funny and sad in the most perfect way.

8. GNO drink of choice? Gin and tonic, or a really good glass of red wine.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Tori & Dean. I so relate to Tori's Type-A dysfunction. Plus, it's a relief to see a celebrity couple be honest about their imperfect marriage.

10.What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? None of them! Even after a year+ on Twitter, I still question whether I have the hang of it. I'd get schooled by anyone I attempted to take on.

Thanks Camille!  xoxo, L&L

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

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Kaira Rouda

Happy Launch to the amazingly talented, Kaira Rouda! Her debut novel, Here, Home, Hope is a must-read for any woman who's ever thought about changing her life. Which, let's admit it, is pretty much all of us!  We'll admit that we've each had a "mid-life" crisis meltdown (or five!). So when we read, Here, Home, Hope, we were seriously LOL'ing  (and you know it takes a lot to get a real LOL out of us!) as we thought about our own lives.

So Liz was beyond honored to be asked by Kaira to blurb for her book.

And here it is... (so official!)

“A must read for anyone who's had their own mid-life crisis, Here, Home, Hope reminds us that it's never too late to reinvent ourselves.” – Liz Fenton, author of I'll Have Who She's Having, The D Word and creator of Chick Lit is not Dead

Synopsis of Here, Home, Hope: Kelly Mills Johnson is a 39-year-old mother and wife stuck in the rut of her middle-American suburban life.  A routine relationship with her lawyer husband, two uber-successful businesswomen for best friends to envy and an all-around predictable existence motivate Kelly to reinvent herself.

In an often-times humorous manner, Kelly begins diving into new projects (armed with Post-it notes and a Things to Change list), revisiting old memories and rediscovering passions.  Whether she is taking care of the anorexic teenager dumped on her doorstep, making up with an old high school friend or avoiding the boozy advances of her divorced neighbor, Kelly’s insistence on moving her life in a new direction and finding the perfect blend of home and career is inspiring and entertaining.

And if you leave a comment here, you could be one of the five lucky winners of a copy of Here Home Hope! We'll randomly select the winners after 6pm EST on Wednesday, May 4.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...LIT IT GIRL: KAIRA ROUDA

1.  How many agents did you query before you found "the one"?

Yes, well that is the question. I looked back at my files and I would guess, since 1997 – the year I first started querying literary agents – that I’ve approached/pitched about 300. That’s funny, actually. And sort of depressing if you let it be.

My first agent very much believed in my manuscript, WARNING. We met at the Antioch Writer’s Workshop and we had it sold, too, to a huge editor at a big house. The famous editor actually called me. I’ll never forget it. She loved the book. The next day, she died in a taxi in Manhattan. I didn’t have a contract.

My second agent was wonderful. I found her because she was in the same literary agency as my nonfiction agent who represented REAL YOU INCORPORATED. My second agent helped me understand what was selling, what the basic structure should be. She helped me draft the very first version of what is now HERE, HOME, HOPE. But she was, as all agents are, extremely busy. When we didn’t get a hit, she needed to move on.

So, the answer is, I haven’t found the one. Would I love to have a partner to guide my career and to help me through the next book, to help place it and make it better? Absolutely. Will that person come along? I don’t know. I guess it all depends on whether HERE, HOME, HOPE resonates with people – whether readers like it and want to read more. I hope that happens. I hope an agent comes into my life. It’s tough going it alone, it really is. But, given the choice of going it alone, or never going for it – I decided to go for it.

I’d love “the one” beside me.

2.  What was your rock bottom moment during the process?

December 13, 2010. I’m not kidding. I realized it is all up to me. I’m publishing my first novel with a small press and I don’t have an agent. I don’t have a big six publisher. For the first time in my life I don’t have a full time job. I have four kids – one in college and one about to go. I had that ….oh my goodness what are you thinking moment. It comes back, quite often. But I’m trying to climb out of the bottom.

I know I’ve written the best novel I can. I’ve done the best I can. I’ve partnered with the best publisher, publicist, event planner and support folks I can. My family is behind me. I have hope.

3.  How long did it take to write your book?

About 2 ½ years.

4.  What did you do to celebrate your book deal?

With a bottle of champagne and a walk on the beach with my husband, my biggest fan.

5.  Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?

I truly believe things happen when you’re ready; if I had been ready sooner, I would have published the novel sooner. That said, I wish I would have had the confidence to publish the novel sooner.

6.  Who is your writer crush?

Jenna Blum. She’s an adventurer, an author of amazing range and a great supporter of other authors. That said, I’m also enamored with Eleanor Brown, Beth Hoffman and, from a very far distance, Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult who stick up for women writers whenever they can. Love that!

7.  What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing?

My new puppy, Tucker. I cannot stop smiling at him. He is a living, walking Teddy Bear.

8.  GNO drink of choice?

Dirty martini. Stuffed olives. But most of the time, it’s Chardonnay. California, preferably.

9.  Favorite trashy TV show?

Housewives of ______ fill in the blank. I am fascinated, but not usually remembering to tune in. When I do, love it. I do have Bachelor/Bachelorette moments, too.

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?

Whichever celeb happens to be denigrating women at the moment…pick one. There are many. That sounds snarky, but it drives me crazy. We need to stand up for ourselves, for other women. Stick together.

Thanks so much for having me here!

You're welcome, Kaira! xoxo, L&L

For more information about the incredibly talented Kaira Rouda, visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Sarah Jio

Girl Crush Alert!  We're so excited that our latest Lit IT Girl pub day is finally here!  Because we read an ARC of Sarah Jio's fantastic debut a few months ago and have been crushin' on her bigtime ever since.  And Sarah is also a successful freelance writer-she is the health and fitness blogger at Glamour.com! We're thrilled she's accepted out Lit IT Girl crown, and we have a feeling she's going to rock it better than Kate Middleton! Already in it's THIRD printing before it's release, The Violets of March(out tomorrow, Tuesday April 26th) is women's fiction at it's best: a fun escape with a dash of mystery and a spoonful of romance.  We raced through this enchanting novel and think that you will too!

In The Violets of March, A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author.

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.  Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

Trust us on this one-you will enjoy this book!  And we have FIVE copies to give away!  You know the drill-just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Wednesday night after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: SARAH JIO: LIT IT GIRL

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? My agent story is an unusual one. I had been working with a great, established NYC agency, but after my agent left to pursue another career outside of publishing, I decided to take the leap and find a new agent, rather that work with her replacement, who had little experience with women’s fiction. I’m so glad I decided to take that scary risk and look for new representation, because it led me to Elisabeth Weed, my agent extraordinaire, who I believe has a bit of magic in her fingertips. And, I got lucky and didn’t have to do a big search. A magazine writer friend of mine, Allison Winn Scotch, kindly introduced me to Elisabeth, and I knew she was a great fit for me. We worked together to make THE VIOLETS OF MARCH sing, and then she sold it in less than a week at auction. I know writers who are uncertain about and unhappy with their agents, and I just feel so fortunate to work with someone who is so talented, hardworking and genuinely fun and enjoyable to collaborate with.

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? Every writer will tell you that editing a book can be painful and grueling. After I began working with my agent, she provided detailed edit notes and suggestions about how to improve my novel. The work I had to do was substantial and required a lot of rethinking of characters, plot and execution. There were a few times that, honestly, I stared at my computer screen and thought ‘how the heck am I going to do this? I better just throw in the towel right now.’ But I kept at it because I believed in the story and in my dream of publishing a book. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on myself!

3. How long did it take to write your book? Initially, I wrote the first draft very quickly—as in a few months. But the editing process took close to a year.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? Nothing special, which sounds really lame, I know. But I had two young children at the time (I have three now), and going out and doing something big wasn’t an option. But, I do have a funny story about my German book deal (VIOLETS will be coming out this fall from Heyne, a division of Random House in Germany). I got an email on my Blackberry from my agent while I was on the cereal aisle at Trader Joes. I had a 3 year old in the back of the shopping cart, and a 1 year old in the front, and I scrolled through the email on my phone frantically to read the details of the deal. I nearly passed out with excitement right in front of the instant oatmeal. I think I threw a bottle of good wine in the cart to take home for that night (but you know Trader Joes—nothing too fancy!).

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? Yikes, I don’t know. I’m still learning so much, and I feel so fortunate that—so far—things have gone very well. I adore my editor, my agent, my book’s cover, and I’m proud of the story inside the cover. There’s so much about publishing that is out of the author’s control, however, and I’m learning to roll with the punches.

6. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? Facebook, Twitter, repeat.

7. Who is your writer crush? Camille Noe Pagan, who, coincidentally, is also a debut author! Her book, The Art of Forgetting, is out in June from Dutton. Funny thing, Camille and I share an agent and an editor. We’re also the same age, write for the same magazines, and were just pregnant at the same time. Clearly, she’s my East Coast twin. And I adore her for encouraging me and supporting me through the pre-publication process. I also happen to think she’s a phenomenal writer.

8. GNO drink of choice? Dirty martini. Extra dirty. Extra olives.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. It’s a shameless Monday night ritual—the one night I do not write.

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Hilarious question. A Twitter war with any celeb would scare my pants off, I’m afraid. I’m a little shy. But I’ll just say that a back-and-forth with Charlie Sheen would sure be interesting, wouldn’t it? I’d stop short of calling myself a rock star from Venus, though.

Want to read more about the fabulous Sarah Jio?  Head on over to her website or find her on Facebook and Twitter!

Thanks Sarah! xoxo, L&L

Lit IT girl: Debut Author Cindy Jones

Many people believe that Jane Austen was the original Lit IT girl.  And we've LOVED many of the adaptions of her novels over the years.  (Clueless is our favorite movie EVEH!)  She's also inspired many great books(Jane Austen Book Club comes to mind).  So all of you Jane Austen lovers will be happy to discover we've crowned Cindy Jones, author of My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Parkas our latest Lit IT Girl!  And we think you'll love this delightful book! Lily is caught in a cycle of loss:  her mother died of cancer, her boyfriend left her for an earth mother, and she’s been fired from her job for reading Jane Austen novels when she should have been routing payroll tax deposits.  When the opportunity arises to travel to England to re-enact Mansfield Park, she thinks she may finally realize her dream of living in a novel.  But even in England, where Lily is immersed in a literary festival so rich it seems Jane Austen is present, her problems find her.  Lily must summon her resources and confront painful truths before she is demoted to the role of secondary character in her own life.

And FYI: Cindy worked with Bingley’s Teas Ltd. to create a tea named after her protagonist, and now she's promoting her book through tea parties:  Tea with My Jane Austen Summer.  she believes that tea enhances the reader’s connection with the novel and raises the book from a solitary read to a social event. Book clubs can host their own Tea with My Jane Austen Summer using ideas and recipes offered on her website www.cindysjones.com!

Sound good?  Leave a comment here and you'll be entered to win a copy!  We'll choose the winners on Friday April 8th after 6pm PST. So. Freakin'. EASY!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL CINDY JONES!

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I knew my agent was “the one” when I heard her speak at a writer’s conference.  Rather than dash off a query, I took her advice to heart and spent two years finishing and polishing my ms until it was ready.  Eight queries resulted in five rejections, three requests to read the entire ms, and two offers of representation.  I signed with “the one”.

I need to point out that my first novel received at least 21 rejections and would have gotten more except I retired it to a bottom drawer where it died a quiet death.  What happened between my two novels?  I surrendered.  Not only did I listen to the advice of writing professionals and published friends, I acted on that advice.  I think pushing beyond my personal blind spots led to success in the marketplace.

2.  What was your rock bottom moment during the process? The day I received eight swift rejections from editors, shortly after the initial submission, I thought I was finished—not only with this novel—but as a writer.  After wallowing in grief for several hours, I discovered I was unwilling to allow my dream to die.  I returned to the rejections and studied the editors’ comments for a pattern.  After finding one, I applied it to my manuscript, cut the middle 150 pages (again) and pushed my imagination two excruciating levels beyond its personal limit.  A year of revisions later, the book sold.

3.  How long did it take to write your book? I spent five years writing My Jane Austen Summer, taking so long because I was on a steep learning curve.  Twice I cut the middle 150 pages and threw them in the recycling bin.  The next book has been much easier to write since I learned hard lessons on the first.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? I had a quiet dinner with my family, lemon shots with my book club, and champagne with my women’s guild.

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I would not do anything differently.  Raising four sons, I could not have spent the time it takes to write and promote books when they were younger.  Writing got as much attention as I could give it at each step of my children’s development and, I would have to say, the timing has been good.

6. Who is your writer crush? Peter Cameron, The City of Your Final Destination.

7.  What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? The internet is a terrible distraction.  Why negotiate thorny plot issues when I can chat with friends on Facebook, check blog stats, and surf my favorite sites?  It often takes more self-discipline than I can muster to ignore the call of the world wide web.

8.  GNO (Girls Night Out) drink of choice? Chardonnay.  I love a freezing cold glass of dry, mellow, nutty, buttery, chardonnay.

9.  Favorite trashy TV show? Gilligan’s Island.  I will never forget the episode when The Skipper and Gilligan produced Hamlet as an opera set to the music of Carmen.  The fragments of great music and literature sent me on a voyage of discovery, seeking original sources.  I now realize episodes like those influenced the childhood plays I wrote using fragmented fairy tales.  Now I fragment Austen.  Next:  Keats.  I will have succeeded if my work sends one person on their own voyage of discovery.

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? I’m a Twitter newbie (@cindysjones) so it would be best to pair me with someone similarly disadvantaged.  Say, Mr. Darcy.

Thanks so much Cindy!  xoxo, L&L

To read more about Cindy, head over to her website or find her on Twitter!

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Karen Bergreen

Between life, kids, babies, breast pumps, careers and running this site, we've always thought we've had a lot of sh*t on our plates.  But that was before we met our latest Lit IT Girl, Karen Bergreen.  Not only is she a debut author, she's also a stand-up comedian, former lawyer AND stressed-out mom!  We are officially handing our over-committed crown to her! Karen's debut novel shows off her wicked sense of humor.  Following Pollyis the perfect combination of laughter and mystery!

Would you call Alice Teakle a stalker?  Or just someone with an, um, healthy obsession with golden girl Polly Linley Dawson?  No one much notices Alice: not her boss, not the neighbors, not even her Mother.  Besides, everyone follows Polly: her business selling high-end lingerie you can imagine only her elegant self wearing, her all-over-the-social-pages marriage to movie t follows her a little more….closely.

And when she loses her job and starts to follow Polly Dawson one Manhattan autumn afternoon, Alice stumbles on the object of her attention sprawled dead on the floor of a boutique.  Alice is forced to become truly beneath anyone’s notice. Invisible, in fact. Because she’s accused of murder.

But can another obsession help save Alice with the fallout?  Charlie is Alice’s longtime unattainable crush.  He might be able to help her out of the mess she’s in…in return for a favor or two, that is.    And how will Alice find out if Charlie is really the man Alice thinks he is?

We think you'll LOVE this hilarious novel.  That's why we have FIVE copies to give away!  Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win.  We'll choose the winners on Friday night after 6pm PST.

And stay tuned-next week we'll be rolling out a new feature with one of your FAVORITE authors.  Can you guess who?

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL KAREN BERGREEN

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I was very lucky.  A close friend in publishing enjoyed a draft of a novel (never to be published-believe me, it's better this way) to a well-regarded literary agent.  The agent thought I had some talent. I happened to mention my idea for a new novel: a loser with promise becomes addicted to following people, and one of them ends up dead. She urged me to drop the 368-baby I had produced and instead start from scratch.  She took me on.  I felt incredibly lucky.

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? I'm glad this is your next question because I am not that lucky.  The agent from the last question (there is no need to learn her name as you will soon realize)  had problems with the book, namely,  I needed a plot. She tried to tell me this, but she couldn't speak my language and I couldn't speak hers.  She dumped me.  I didn't tell anyone for three days.  Not my husband, not my friends, which is a big deal as I am not a private person.  Finally, I told my friend, Victoria Skurnick, the one who had introduced me to the agent to begin with.  Victoria, prominent in publishing, had recently become an agent herself.  She offered to take a look at my plotless novel.  She fell in love with Alice and because she knew me, she knew how to tell me exactly what I needed to do to transform the pages into an actual book.

3. How long did it take to write your book? I wish I could say I wrote it on a napkin at The Olive Garden for the 23 minutes I waited for my Sicilian Scampi, but it was more like two years.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? I stopped hating myself for 24 hours. The best part was this:  Polly in the novel is Alice's arch enemy from college, someone who has prospered in the face of really bad behavior; I have a couple of people like that in my own life and when they asked me "How is that novel of yours going?" I savored saying St. Martin's 2010.

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I would have made it about vampires.

6. Who is your writer crush? Susan Isaacs.  And when I met her, I, the chattiest person in town, had absolutely nothing to say.  After twenty minutes I uttered, "Duh, I really liked Almost Paradise."

7.  What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? You ask the question incorrectly?  It should be: what isn't your biggest distraction while writing? Then I could say, with confidence, "taking my kids to the park."  I hate the park, by the way.  I am likely to be distracted by TV, which is sacred, hunger, boredom, sickness, health, and getting the mail.

8.  GNO drink of choice? champagne or a rich red wine.

9.  Favorite trashy TV show? I don't watch TV. just kidding.  Is the Good Wife considered trashy?  I love that.  I like things that get canceled.  I loved Mercy on NBC.  I was in deep love with James Tupper.

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Bill Maher because he is the only person I violently agree and disagree with.

Thanks Karen! xo, L&L

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

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Giulia Melucci

You know we love a good memoir.  And we've had plenty of great ones on the site this year!  So when we came across Giulia Melucci's I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti: A Memoir of Good Food and Bad Boyfriends, we knew we HAD to read it. and after we read it, we knew we HAD to crown Giulia as the next Lit IT Girl.

When Giulia moved out of her family's Brooklyn home, she dreamed of finding the perfect guy-but fresh ingredients proved scarce.  After years of dating, she found herself with a heap of tempting recipes she used to both seduce her men and console herself when the relationships ended. From an affectionate alcoholic, to the classic New York City commitment-phobe, to a hipster aged past his sell date, and not one, but two novelists with Peter Pan complexes, Giulia has cooked for them all. She suffers each disappointment with resolute cheer (after a few tears) and a bowl of pastina and has lived to tell the tale so that other women may go out, hopefully with greater success, and if that’s not possible, at least have something good to eat.

You'll love Giulia's hilarious commentary and your mouth will water as she prepares each recipe. (She even includes them for you to try yourself!)  Fun and heartwarming, we think y'all will enjoy this delicious memoir.

And we've got FIVE copies to give away!  You know what to do-leave a comment and we'll choose the winners on Sunday night after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL: GIULIA MELUCCI

1.  How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I was turned down by three; the fourth was the charm. The one who took me on was perfect, and all those others would have been wrong. Just like all the men who turned me down were all wrong for me and the one I’m with is just right.

2.  What was your rock bottom moment during the process? Getting rejected by agents was discouraging, but not for long. I believed in my project and I knew the right one would come along. (Again, like love, because everything is like love.) I found having the book out more painful than the business part and the writing part. Then it was just out there and there was nothing I could do for it. Lots of people liked it; a few did not. It was out of my hands, my baby had flown the coop. I had a hard time letting go. I became obsessed with checking my Amazon numbers. I did all the things you shouldn’t do.

3. How long did it take to write your book? It was a year of writing and a month of recipe testing. I had lots of dinner parties that month.

4.  What did you do to celebrate your book deal? I think I went home and cleaned the kitchen the night it happened. Though a couple of nights later I had planned a party for work friend who was moving to Hawaii. I expanded that event into a little fete for me too. I celebrated with my friends from Harper’s Magazine, where I had been working when it all went down.

5.  Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I knew plenty about publishing already, having worked in the business for nearly 20 years, still, that didn’t stop me from having huge expectations. I thought I was above all that but I was not. I was very happy with the amount of attention my book got. But I was certain it would coast on the New York Times Best Seller list for months. It did not. That was disappointing. Still, I can’t say I wish I had lower expectations. I’m happy that I had the biggest dreams for my book. If I wasn’t going to, who would?

6.  Who is your writer crush? Rob Sheffield, who wrote Love is A Mix Tape and Talking to Girls About Duran Duran. There was a piece about him in the New York Times “Beliefs” column a couple of weeks ago. It was about his Catholicism and it mentioned he was looking for a church in Brooklyn. I wrote right away to tell him about my fabulous Brooklyn church. He hasn’t written back yet. Maybe he thinks I’m stalking him. “Rob, I’m very much in love with my boyfriend. I only worry for your soul!”

7.  What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? I do not shut down the internet. I go back and forth from the page, to my mail, Facebook, Twitter. Oh, and I need regular snacks.

8.  GNO drink of choice? Wine, red or white depending on my mood, the weather, and the menu.

9.  Favorite trashy TV show? GOSSIP GIRL!

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Make Twitter love, not Twitter war. That’s what I always say.

Thanks Giulia!  xo, L&L

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

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Okay, so this is Lisa talking. I have a MAJOR girl crush/writer crush/mom-to-be crush on Aidan Donnelley Rowley. It was when I discovered her website and started reading her intelligent, humorous and very candid blogs, that the girl crush began. Then her debut novel,  Life After Yes was published. And that was it. There was no turning back. I was head over heels. (Aidan, I promise you that I am in no way a stalker type-I blame my pregnancy!) And then she started sharing stories on her blog of being pregnant with her third baby. And being the total first time prego sap that I am, have loved following along with her journey. Hence the the mom-to-be crush. Not surprisingly, when I shared Life After Yes with Liz, she also felt mad love for this incredibly talented author. And we knew we had to ask her to be our guest here at Chick Lit Is Not Dead. And she said yes.  She's here today telling us everything from how she got her first agent to her GNO drink of choice...

But first, Life After Yes begins: "I'm choking. I can't breath. The air's as thick as cream and smells like peanut oil. Everything is White. I begin to see shapes: the smooth surface under my elbows, the big box in front of me with the soft blog, my own trembling hands. I'm in my office but there are no windows or doors. Just walls." (Talk about a first page that draws you in!) Life After Yes is the story of Quinn O'Malley, a  young attorney, who, after losing her father, finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Her boyfriend wants to get married and whisks her off to Paris to propose. But Quinn's not so sure. It's a fabulous story of life and love in chaos. 

And five of you will get the chance to win a copy! Just leave a comment and we'll randomly select the winners on Thursday.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL AIDAN DONNELLEY ROWLEY:

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I queried fifteen (maybe twenty?) agents before securing representation for Life After Yes. After weathering several rejections, I was preparing to send out a second wave of letters when I received a request for a partial submission. Soon after, I submitted the entirety of the manuscript. And then, shortly after, an offer! Just recently, after much thought and soul-searching, I signed with a wonderful new agent, Brettne Bloom of Kneerim & Williams. I am thrilled to be working with her now on my second novel.

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? Just a few months after polishing Life After Yes and sending out my first slew of queries, my father died of cancer. This also happened to be a time when I was receiving several rejections from agents I’d approached. Needless to say, it was a rotten period of my life. I decided to put my writing dreams on hold to take time to grieve and to take care of myself (I was five months pregnant with my second daughter). Two weeks after I lost Dad, I got an offer for representation for Life After Yes.

3. How long did it take to write your book? I wrote my book on and off for more than three years. There were large chunks of time in which I did no writing at all (my first pregnancy is a prime example; I think I spent twenty hours per day sleeping and/or ordering obscure and ultimately useless baby items online!), but I always came back to my pages, often with a fresh eye and focus.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? This might sound odd, but I don’t remember many details! It was right before Christmas and I had a newborn at home and I think I was still struggling from sleeplessness and postnatal mental mush. I am sure I had a few celebratory cocktails that evening!

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I would have stressed a bit less and enjoyed a bit more. I look back at certain stages – the title search, the cover search, the quest for blurbs – and I can literally taste the anxiety I felt then. I realize now that so much of the publishing process is out of the author’s control and we should surrender a bit to its ebbs and flows. Publishing a book is in its own right an immense and incomparable privilege; I wish I had been able to keep this critical bit of perspective throughout.

6. Who is your writer crush? This is a tricky one because there are so many fabulous writers out there these days. Among many others though, I love Claire Messud, Elizabeth Strout, and Jhumpa Lahiri. I adore reading and swooning over the words and worlds of fellow authors.

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? My two little girls are by far by biggest (and best) distraction. I feel so lucky to have the flexibility to write when I want, but the problem is that it is very hard for me to not spend time with my girls given the choice. I do not stick to a fixed writing schedule, and I’m trying to be better about self-discipline, but it’s tough. Now that I am pregnant with number three (another girl!), I fear that my ambitions for increased productivity are a bit laughable.

8. GNO drink of choice? Easy! Pinot Grigio. This was one purely autobiographical element of Life After Yes. Quinn, my protagonist, loves her Pinot Grigio. I like to think I have my consumption habits better under control than my fictional friend, but I do like to indulge. I have not had a sip of Pinot in twenty-two weeks and I miss it. Just a little.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Recently, I have been craving trashy television and watching it every single night before bed. My poor husband is not thrilled with this. I blame my current viewing habits on the pregnancy and tell myself that there must be something redeeming about these programs (some kind of existential protein or iron?) that I am missing in my life. Lately, I have been quite loyal to the Kardashians and our nation’s sundry Real Housewives. I do worry that I am exposing my unborn child to a symphony of utter junk, but I try to make up for it by blasting classical music while writing.

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Perhaps inconsistent with my above answer, but I do not even know what celebs are on Twitter! I have no problem savoring the celebrity weeklies (religiously) and checking various gossip blogs, but I have not (yet) explored the celebrity angles and avenues on Twitter. I am not even sure what a “Twitter war” is, but it sounds intriguing!

Thanks, Aidan! xoxo, L&L

For more information about the lovely and talented Aidan Donnelley Rowley, check out her website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Eve Marie Mont

We've been loving all the fantastic books about dogs lately.  From Stay by Allie Larkin to You Had Me At Woof by Julie Klam we've been in doggy heaven.  And this week is no exception!  Today, the fabulous Eve Marie Mont, debut author of Free to a Good Home, is hanging out with us here at  CLIND. And let's just say, she's definitely Lit IT Girl material! In Free to a Good Home, Noelle Ryan works as a veterinary technician at a New England animal shelter, helping pets find the perfect homes. If only it were as easy to find the same thing for herself. After discovering that she can’t have children—and watching her marriage fall apart after a shocking revelation by her husband—Noelle feels as forlorn and abandoned as the strays she rescues.

We enjoyed Free to a Good Home and think you will too.  It's funny and touching at the same time-no doubt the reason we finished it in record time!

And now you have a chance to win this fabulous book. Just leave a comment and you'll be entered to win one of FIVE copies.  So. Freakin'. Easy!

SO... read on to discover more about the fantastic Eve-we think you'll enjoy her answers as much as we do! (Anyone who makes a Dawson's Creek reference is a friend of ours for life!)

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS:  LIT IT GIRL, EVE MARIE MONT!

1. How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I wrote a novel before Free to a Good Home that never got published, and I probably queried over 50 agents for that one. My search for representation for this book was a little more focused, hovering around the 30 mark. After six months of nibbles and rejections, I followed up with a handful of agents who hadn’t responded yet, and one of them said my manuscript must have gotten lost in their vetting system. So I sent it to her again, she read it, loved it, helped me revise, then signed me on at Kimberly Cameron & Associates. Her name is April Eberhardt, and she’s a pro!

2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process? My earlier novel was ultimately rejected by every agent I sent it to. One small publisher requested the full manuscript, and I spent two months with my fingers crossed, hope and anxiety coursing through my veins. Finally, the editor wrote me a letter saying they couldn’t publish my book because my characters drank too much, and the love interest was not “sufficiently paramount” in the heroine’s life. In hindsight, they probably weren’t the right publisher for me, but it was a crushing moment all the same.

3. How long did it take to write your book? Because Free to a Good Home was my second book, I didn’t obsess about it quite as much as the first. It took me about a year to write the book, then my agent and I revised it for two months to get it polished for editors.

4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? My husband bought me a bottle of champagne and St. Germaine, and we went to our favorite BYOB and ordered every course on the menu. On my release day, we went on a field trip to local bookstores where my husband took dorky pictures of me holding my book.

5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I’m an introvert by nature, so I’m still unsure about social networking. When I first got my book deal, I started a website, Facebook page, and blog without really knowing how to utilize them. Looking back, I wish I’d found a mentor who could have guided me through the process. I also wish someone had given me the magical formula for getting a book blurb!

6. Who is your writer crush? Right now, probably Jonathan Tropper. His books are so smart and funny, but there’s tons of heart there. My brooding high school self would have said Neil Gaiman. Oh, and Elizabeth Berg is still my all-time favorite.

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? Often when I’m writing, my dog will lie next to me and lean her head against my arm while I’m trying to type. Book blogs also suck considerable time. And Goodreads—love that site!

8. GNO drink of choice? My standby is a gin and tonic, but if it’s a special occasion, I’ll ask for a White Cosmo. If the bartender doesn’t know how to make it, it’s Grey Goose vodka, white cranberry juice, St. Germaine, and a splash of lime. Tastes like lychee fruit!

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Definitely Vampire Diaries. My husband totally makes fun of me for this because I am so not a vampire junkie in general. I only read the first Twilight book, never watched an episode of True Blood, and didn’t read Anne Rice, even when everybody and her grandmother were reading Anne Rice. But there’s something about Vampire Diaries that makes me giddy. I like to think it’s not just that every character is ridiculously good-looking. Incidentally, one of the writers, Kevin Williamson, also wrote Dawson’s Creek, a guilty pleasure of mine ten years ago. He’s brilliant at playing with the audience’s allegiance to the characters—I never know who to root for from week to week.

10.  What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? My brother set me up a Twitter account just before my book came out, but it remains sadly neglected. I’m not much of a fighter by nature, but one of my feistier characters would love to have a go at the guy who called Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak pornography.

Thanks Eve! xo, Liz & Lisa

To read more about Eve, head on over to her website.  Or you can also find her on Facebook!

Lit IT Girls: How Not to Marry The Wrong Guy

We wish we had met our latest Lit IT Girls, Anne Milford and Jennifer Gauvain, years ago!  Their debut how-to book, How Not to Marry the Wrong Guy: Is He The One or Should You Run? A Guide to Living Happily Ever After could have *really* come in handy during our jackass dating phase.  All we can say is Thank God we never actually walked down the aisle with any of them! While there are hundreds of books about how to find the right guy, there are virtually none on how to detach yourself from the wrong one. So whether you're engaged, in a serious relationship, or a serial dater looking for Mr. Right, these girls can help you decide if you should take the plunge or run screaming in the other direction!

And we LOVE the fact that How Not to Marry The Wrong Guy was originally self-published and then picked up by a major publishing house.  Because you know we're suckers for a good Cinderella story!  And it doesn't hurt that they crush on our girl Emily Giffin and love Grey Goose or a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc. So read on to hear more about why the fabu Anne and Jennifer deserve their Lit IT Girl Crown!

Have a friend who could use their advice? (Not you, of course! *wink wink*)Then leave a comment for your chance to win one of FIVE copies!  We'll pick the winner by random drawing on Thursday night!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRLS ANNE MILFORD AND JENNIFER GAUVAIN

1. How long did it take to write your book?

Anne: I started interviewing women who married the “wrong guys” in January of 2000. However, my family and my freelance clients were my priority….so the stack of yellow notepads and questionnaires kept getting shoved back on the shelf in my office. As my three kids got older—and I faced a lull in freelance work—my husband encouraged me to write the book I had been talking about for so long! At the same time, I decided I needed a therapist to help me interpret the interviews and write the book.  I wanted to make sure that the finished product delivered sound and credible advice that was backed up by practical experience. Fortunately, I met the right coauthor! (Part of the deal is that I get free therapy, too!)

Jennifer: Within days of our first meeting we were sending writing samples back and forth via email.  Our first draft probably took about one year to complete. Our self-published version, How to Marry the Wrong Guy, was released in May of 2009. After Broadway Books (Random House) picked it up, our editor gave us about 8 weeks to edit and tweak the second version.

2. How long did it take you to get your book published? What were your rock bottom moments along the way?

After hearing so many horror stories about finding an agent, we decided to go for it and publish it ourselves. We literally maxed-out our credit cards paying for printing, our website, graphic design, etc.  Our husbands were extremely supportive even though our newly-founded publishing company was broke!  (It really does pay to marry the right guy!)

The first edition was launched in May of 2009. A fairy godmother placed it in the hands of the man who would eventually become our agent. He watched as we received a lot of local (and some national) media attention and believed that he could help us bring it to a wider audience. He suggested some changes and we wrote a revised proposal/outline in July and August. He shopped it to several publishers and we ultimately sold the North American Rights at auction in October 2009. We know we were really lucky…but it’s also a perfect example of that old saying: Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

Jennifer: I don’t know if I would call it “rock bottom” but there were certainly days when I just could not find my creativity and would sit and stare at a blank screen for hours.  We also planned a huge release party at a local indie book store.  The first printing was completely wrong and had to be re-done.  We weren’t sure we were going to have books to sell!  There were typos that we missed and we just had to go to print regardless.  It was pretty nerve-wracking, especially being the perfectionist that I am.

Anne: I think there were two rock bottoms for me. The first was when another author agreed to give me some advice and she told me no less than 15 times how much she hated our title. I finally had to say—politely of course—that while I appreciated her advice, she was not in my target audience and I wasn’t going to change it. She was pretty harsh and it really brought me down. Good thing I didn’t listen to her because that title was the first thing that caught our agent’s attention! The other time was when we participated in a “pitchapalooza” event at our local book festival. We had one minute to pitch our book to a literary agent/author in front of about 50 other people. I was so disappointed that we didn’t win the big prize—a meeting with an agent at a renowned literary agency. We went out and drowned our sorrows over several plates of tapas and a pitcher of sangria. We didn’t let it stop us, though. We picked ourselves up and kept moving forward—and it paid off!

3. How did you get teamed up with your publisher? Why did you feel your publisher was a good match for you?

Our editor at Broadway Books, Hallie, received the pitch letter and proposal from our agent. From the beginning, she believed in the book and advocated on our behalf. We were so thrilled that our editor, marketing rep and publicist were smart and fabulous single women living and working in NYC. They shared our mission and did a great job marketing and promoting How Not to Marry the Wrong Guy. They had such great ideas—it was a wonderful collaboration all the way around.

4. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?

It was an amazing journey—and we are excited to see what happens next. We don’t think we would do anything differently. However, if we had known how much work was involved in the distribution, sales and marketing of a self-published book (on top of our families and our day jobs) it might have scared us off.  We are glad that we were so clueless!

5. What did you do to celebrate your book deal?

When we received our first advance check, we treated ourselves (and our husbands) to dinner at Tony’s, one of the nicest restaurants in St. Louis.

Jennifer: The day the book hit stores nationwide; I surprised Anne and took her to the Four Seasons Hotel for a massage and rooftop lunch.  We never treat ourselves to such indulgences and it was such a wonderful day!  Then it was back to reality, cleaning our houses and driving carpool.

Anne: I was a nervous wreck the day of our auction and must confess that I ate about eight  mini “100 Grand” candy bars as I waited for the bids to come in! 6. Who is your writer crush?

Jennifer: Easy.  Liz Gilbert.  I was reading Eat, Pray, Love right before I met Anne and I was instantly attracted to her writing style and a bit jealous of her ability to travel without any hesitation.  I immediately wanted to go get fat in Italy, live in an ashram and visit the places in Bali that she described.  I felt like a cyber stalker, wanting to know everything about her.  I longed for the spiritual connection she described happened to her while she meditated.  I meditated a lot while I was writing and had some of my most creative moments while doing so.  Would love to thank her for that some day!

Anne: I have three writer crushes right now. Jen and I went to see Emily Giffin at a fab event at Saks Fifth Avenue a few weeks ago.  She was gorgeous, smart, and funny. I envied the huge turnout of adoring fans (not to mention the great books she keeps turning out!)  Another crush is Susan McBride. She’s a St. Louis-based author (most recent book: The Cougar Club) who has been a huge source of advice and inspiration for us. My non-fiction crush is Amy Spencer, the author of Meeting Your Half Orange. Her optimistic approach to dating is wonderful and I am recommending her book to everyone who wants to find the right guy (once we help them get unstuck from the wrong one, of course!)

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing?

Jennifer: Definitely chocolate and wine are my biggest vices while writing and otherwise!  Writing at home is a huge distraction.  I would try to sit down and write and then think about the six loads of laundry that were sitting in the basement or the junk drawer in the kitchen that needed to be cleaned out.  Needless to say, writing is much more fun than cleaning!

Anne: Ditto on the chocolate. I have even gone so far as to have Jennifer drop a candy bar off at my home office window! (Which she does with a smile—love her!) My other vice is the internet—I can’t stay off Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc. Lately I have started going to the resource room at the library to unplug.

8. GNO drink of choice?

Jennifer: Vodka tonic (Grey Goose) with extra lime!

Anne: Perfectly chilled Sauvignon Blanc

9. Favorite trashy TV show?

Jennifer: Maybe I should have included this as my biggest vice!  Pretty much any show on Bravo but especially Housewives of the OC, and New York, and Patti Stanger’s Millionaire Matchmaker are my top choices.  I love observing pop culture and relationships.

Anne: I hate to admit it but I can’t resist Tori and Dean or the Kardashians. I really miss Kendra, Bridget and Holly living under one roof, too! I love you Puffin!

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?

Jennifer: Difficult to narrow this down to just one!  Any of the male celebs who have come out recently, cheating on their wives like Tiger, Jesse James, Larry King, John Edwards, in fact, I think John Edwards was the worst behaved so I would love to have a few words with him!

Anne: I don’t want to get in a mean Twitter war, but I would love to send some relationship advice to Kourtney Kardashian, Tori Spelling and Heidi Montag just to name a few. Oh wait, I might get mean with Kate Goesselin!

Thanks Jennifer and Anne!  xoxo, Liz & Lisa

To read more about How Not To Marry The Wrong Guy, head on over to their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Jenny Nelson

In case you haven't noticed, we LOVE books. But what you may not have known is that we also LOVE food. So when we find a great book about food, we get pretty damn excited.  Which is why we're so happy to have debut author Jenny Nelson as our latest Lit IT Girl. Her novel, Georgia's Kitchen, comes out TODAY. And we've been crushing on her since the day we were lucky enough to read an advanced copy! In Georgia's Kitchen, Thirty-three-year-old Georgia Gray is a soon-to-be married head chef until, well, she’s not. The story takes place in New York and Tuscany and will capture you instantly- sucking you in until the very last page. Trust us, this book is a must-read for any woman who’s ever nursed a broken heart, been kicked when she was down, and needed to look inwards to find the strength to persevere (um, that’s all of us!). Click here to get your copy!

And we loved Jenny's background too. She was part of the founding team of iVillage.com and is senior producer at Vogue.com. How cool, right?  And we think you'll love her as much as we do after reading about her journey to publication.

And because she's so damn awesome, Jenny also has an incredible launch week contest! When you order Georgia’s Kitchen the week of the book’s release (Aug 3-6^th), and email your receipt to jennynelsonauthor@gmail.com, you’ll be entered to win this fantastic giveaway.

What are the prizes, you ask? Well, let us tell you!

A basket full of books! Everyday Italian by Giada DeLaurentiis, After You by Julie Buxbaum, Super in the City by Daphne Uviller, She’s Gone Country and Flirting with Forty by Jane Porter, Girls in Trucks and Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch , I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert!

Magazines! You'll also be entered to win a one year subscription to the food magazine of your choice: Food and Wine; Bon Apetit, Fine Cooking or Everyday with Rachael Ray!

AND a $50 gift certificate to Crate & Barrel!

So what are you waiting for?  Head on over to Barnes & Noble RIGHT NOW and get your copy! Want more details?  Then head on over to Jenny's facebook page!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL:  JENNY NELSON!

How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? So many I can’t even count. I essentially went to Agentquery.com and searched for any agents based in New York who were accepting new submissions in women’s fiction. I started with any agents I’d heard of, then moved on from there. One day I sent out ten queries. I was way too impatient to wait for any of them to respond before sending out my next round, so my mailbox was very quiet for a long time before – wham – I started getting deluged by, at first, rejections, then some interest and by the end, I had a bunch of offers. I’m convinced that perseverance – and a really good query letter – is key.

What was your rock bottom moment during the process? I never received a totally devastating rejection letter and I didn’t come close to landing my dream agent only to have her change her mind at the last minute, so nothing truly terrible happened during the process. The first few rejections hit pretty hard, but after that I toughened up and began looking at it as a game – how many rejections will I get today? How many requests for partials? For fulls? It was sort of fun to keep a running tally.

How long did it take to write your book? Years. It’s hard to say exactly, because when I first started it wasn’t a full-time thing – I wrote whenever I could sneak it in while caring for my twin daughters. Once I finished the manuscript I spent a long time revising it, and after I signed with my agent, still more time revising it. Let’s just say this day has been a long time coming!

What did you do to celebrate your book deal? I jumped up and down with my kids for a while and then went to dinner with my husband at our favorite Italian restaurant. We brought along a very special bottle of wine we’d been saving for just such an occasion and ordered (and ate!) a ridiculous amount of food.

Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I think I would have really cranked it out, allowed myself to write a first draft that was just that – rough and unpolished. Hopefully I’ll bring this lesson to book number two!

Who is your writer crush? Sebastian Junger. A man who courts danger, can string together a mean sentence and looks like that can do no wrong.

What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? Email and the internet, no question. I’m a big online shopper (and a big returner too!) and I spend way too much time looking for the perfect fill-in-the-blank for myself, my daughters, my husband, my house, my mother, etc.

GNO drink of choice? My old reliable is a glass of Sancerre, but lately I’ve been bitten by the cocktail bug. I recently had an amazing Pisco Sour, but I’m partial to anything with champagne in it. Prosecco with a splash of St. Germain is another fave.

Favorite trashy TV show? Just one? I love the Real Housewives New York version, but the D.C. one looks like my cuppa tea and I’ll definitely be watching that. Bethenny Getting Married, Top Chef (which I don’t consider all that trashy), and The Rachel Zoe Project, which starts up again the same day Georgia’s Kitchen comes out.

What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Oh, this is a toughie. Mel Gibson? That Spencer guy? Laura Ingraham? Truthfully, I’m not a good enough tweeter to win any sort of war, and I’m a pacifist to boot!

Thanks Jenny! xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Become Jenny's tweep on Twitter here and become a fan of Georgia's Kitchen on Facebook here.

Lit IT Girls: Debut Authors of Feng Shui Love

Okay, so you know how we love us some feng shui.  In fact maybe we're more than a little obsessed with all things fountain, crystal and sage. Lisa believes it was feng shui that led her to her husband and Liz can be known to go ape sh*t if someone so much as blinks at the fountain in her wealth corner. So when we discovered a book called Feng Shui Love by Joni Davis and Lisa Hyatt, we were smitten. The cover is sassy, the story is wildly entertaining and it's written by two women! Can you think of a better combo? *wink* *wink*

We couldn't! And that's why we asked these two debut authors to be the next Lit IT Girls featured on Chick Lit Is Not Dead. (Oh, and we also couldn't resist the fact that they're also Housewives fans!)

We fell in love the story and know you will too. Lily Chamberlayne is on her second honeymoon when her heart gets ripped in two by her husband (some romantic trip, huh?). Turns out, her hubby was having a very cliche' affair with his trashy assistant. So Lily, the eternal optimist searching for true love, packs up and moves in with her childhood friend, Brooke, who's also newly single. Throw Lily's eccentric feng shui loving mother into the mix (she shows the girls how to get the men they want by simply rearranging some furniture) and and you've got laughter, love and lots of available men!

And if you leave a comment you'll be entered to win one of FIVE feng shui prize packages which include an autographed copy of Feng Shui Love , a Feng Shui Love t-shirt, a crystal heart for your love corner and a bagua card bookmark! As usual, we'll randomly select the winners in two days (this Thursday).

Now, here's our Lit It Girls, Lisa & Joni:

1. How long did it take to write your book? FOREVER!!! Originally we thought we'd just whip it out in a few months, but then divorces, single motherhood, dating again, long procrastination breaks, and unproductive writing retreats to the beach all seemed to keep getting in the way... In the end, maybe 3 years?? We lost track.

2. How long did it take you to get your book published? What were your rock bottom moments along the way? Our situation was a little unique, Joni is an Entertainment Attorney and after reviewing multiple client book deals, we decided to go with an independent publisher the first time out of the gate, and luckily Joni ran in the same circles with the head of our publishing company, who had expressed interest in the story before we were even finished with it. As for the rock bottom moments, one in particular was when we actually sent the wrong final draft file back that was ready to go to print. It ended up being distributed at our book launch, and included a rather embarrassing typo. The sentence was supposed to read something like "I'd be so much more excited for you if I didn't feel like crap" but with all the final editing back and forth, it ended up reading "if I didn't feel like I have to crap". We can still hear Joni's sister's words ringing in our ears, "Girls, I told you not to use that word at all, that's what you get for not changing that crap!" Fortunately it was just a very small preview amount slotted for our party and has since been corrected... Thanks Dave!

3. How did you get teamed up with your publisher? Why did you feel your publisher was a good match for you? We actually met with him early on by chance, and had the opportunity to regale him with some of our funny feng shui stories of how our main character was using it to revamp her life, and he said if we ever finished it to let him know!  So I guess you could say we had him at hello.

4. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? We should've had more of a web presence before the book was even released. Heck, we should have more of a web presence now! Your site has definitely inspired us, we're making a mid-year resolution to get on it!

5. What did you do to celebrate your book deal? We both immediately put the book cover photo in our wealth and fame areas!

6. Who is your writer crush? Lisa: For me, there are just too many to narrow down to one.  Joni: I know it's an extreme departure from chick lit, but I'd have to say Edgar Allan Poe. I've been to his house, I can recite Annabelle Lee by heart, and I've even turned my daughter into a big fan. When it was her turn to choose in kindergarten story time, she brought The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe. The teacher laughed watching her struggle to carry it in!

7. What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? It doesn't take much, we're both Pisces. It's in our nature to be easily distracted!

8. GNO drink of choice? Any red wine will do for us. We're just happy when we can still get together for a GNO.

9. Favorite trashy TV show? Real Housewives any city, Rock of Love, and we can't wait for The Ultimate Merger. Donald Trump as a matchmaker?? ...That we've got to see!

10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? Honestly we can't imagine twit war-ing with anyone since we're both extremely non-confrontational, not to mention technologically challenged.

To get more scoop on Feng Shui Love, check out the Facebook page!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Kim Wright

We think finding a new author to love is the best thing, well, EVEH.  And when we crush on a book, we crush hard.  We think about it when it's not around, we talk about it incessantly to all of our friends and we try to spend as much time with it as possible. So when our publicist suggested we read Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright, we were ecstatic to discover how beautifully written her debut was.  We were in love!  In fact, Liz's husband begged her to stop talking about it on their trip to Cabo. (We think maybe he was just jealous that she wrote Kim a love note after she finished it?)  Liz also chose it as a  hot summer beach read over at SheKnows.com!

In Love in Mid Air, Elyse Bearden’s marriage is already in trouble when she meets a handsome stranger on her flight home from Arizona. Her husband, a doting father to their young daughter but an inattentive husband, has been communicating with her via post-it note for far too long and seems content with having sex in the kiss-less "X" position once a week.

So it’s not surprising when she starts a torrid affair with the man she meets in row 29-somehow trying to recapture the excitement she feels is sorely missing from her marriage and her life in general. Love in Mid Air is honest and captivating-one of the best books we've read this year. Want to know more?  Check out the book trailer!

And we're lucky enough to have FIVE copies of Love in Mid Air to give to our fantastic readers!  Just leave a comment and we'll pick a winner by random drawing on Thursday night.

And we're so excited that Kim agreed to be a Lit IT Girl!  Because we discovered that, not only is she a genius author, she loves Grey Goose and trashy TV just like us!  And her journey to publishing should give every aspiring author hope.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL KIM WRIGHT!

How many agents did you query before you found “the one”?

I lost count.  Although several of my friends had published books, I had this nutty idea I was going to make it on my own and not ask anybody for favors.  You know, “If the book is good it will make it on its own merits”  - that sort of insanity.  After thirty something agents turned me down, I called my friend Alison Smith, who had written a highly successful memoir called Name All the Animals, and was like “Um, gee, um, would you introduce me to your agent?”  And he’s turned out to be the perfect fit.  It’s funny because he was on my radar screen all the time.  It’s like traveling the world in search of the perfect man and marrying the boy next door.

What was your rock bottom moment during the process?

During that long hunt for representation I got a lot of rejection, but one of them stands out.  I’d walked to the mailbox and the envelope was thin so I figured it wasn’t good news.  But the agent hadn’t just said no, she’d gone on for a whole page scolding me for writing a book that she thought glorified affairs and divorce.  It started out with “This shameful story….”  I literally sat down in the middle of my driveway.  For a minute I thought I was going to pass out.  My therapist still has a copy of that rejection letter in my file!

How long did it take to write your book?

I never know how to answer this because I wrote a very long, very bad first draft of the book and then put it down for two years.  When I picked it back up I did a brutal revision, slicing out big sections and pretty much building it back up from scratch.  That took a couple of years and then there was the aforementioned hunt for an agent and then, once my agent sold it, the publisher held it for two more years before it was released.  So if you count the fallow periods it took ten years;  I think I actually worked on it for five.

What did you do to celebrate your book deal?

Went to New York and met everyone from the publicity team to the foreign rights team to the receptionist down in the lobby.   Then after being this complete networking fool, I went off on my own and just sat there and let it sink in.   I remember sitting at the bar of the St. Moritz thinking “I have a book.  I actually have a book.”

Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?

Honestly, nothing.  I made bunches of mistakes but looking back it all seems like a necessary part of the journey.  I might have swallowed my silly country pride and asked my friends for help sooner.

Who is your writer crush?

Tom Perotta!  His “Little Children” was a huge influence on “Love in Mid Air.”  I recently friended him on Facebook and am trying to decide how to stalk him without it being too obvious.

What’s your biggest distraction or vice while writing?

Sudoku.  It’s like crack cocaine for me.

GNO drink of choice?

Grey Goose vodka, very cold and straight up.  It was what I was drinking when I was sitting in the St. Moritz thinking “Holy Mother of God, my book is actually going to be published.”

Favorite trashy TV show?

I love reality TV.  Dancing With the Stars, Top Chef, Project Runway, The Biggest Loser. My latest guilty pleasure is this show called Chopped on the Food Channel.  They give chefs these mystery baskets with strange ingredients like gooseberries, chocolate, bell peppers, and calamari and they have to make an appetizer using them all.  Great stuff.

What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck makes me nauseous.  So she might not be that fun to war with, because I’d be livid the whole time.  Love in Mid Air recently came out in Australia and I heard Germaine Greer is mad at me about some things I said about feminism in an interview and that’s sort of cool.  I think in the long run, I’d like to have a Twitter war with someone I respect.

Thanks so much Kim! xoxo, L&L

To learn more about Lit IT Girl Kim Wright, head on over to her website or find her on Facebook.

Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Kate Rockland

We've discovered all kinds of things about our favorite bestselling authors here at CLIND.  But we'd also like to introduce you to some fabulous debut authors too.  Because who doesn't love to find a wonderful new writer? So we're rolling out a brand spankin' new feature called Lit IT Girl: Debut Author that will showcase the very best and the brightest of the class of 2010 and beyond. And because we're also obsessed interested in finding a home for our manuscript, we thought it would be fun to find out how these authors got their foot in the door of the publishing world.  But don't worry, we'll still be asking all the hard-hitting questions our readers want answered (like their GNO drink of choice and who they'd choose to have a celeb Twitter war with).

We're kicking off with fabulous Lit IT Girl Kate Rockland, whose debut novel, Falling is Like This is a rock and roll love story. (Proof: she even got a shout out from Courtney Love!)  It's a comedic and touching account of an affair with a rock star that every girl dreams about. Emily Giffin is a fan too, calling her a "new rock star in women's fiction"!  With credentials like these, we have a feeling Kate is going to have no problem living up to her Lit IT Girl title.

Check out Kate's sassy answers to our Qs and leave a comment for a chance to win one of FIVE copies of Falling is Like This!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIT IT GIRL KATE ROCKLAND:

How many agents did you query before you found "the one"? I had Ryan in mind from the get-go. I mean, the guy loves New Jersey punk bands, how could I go wrong? I used to work at Rolling Stone books, and he would come in and pitch us books. I was a lowly Editorial Assistant (basically a glorified secretary) and he would always be really nice to me when he came in the office. I have a big mouth, and I'd tell him I was planning on writing this chick lit book about a girl who falls in love with a guy in a band, and he'd say as soon as I wrote it I should contact him, so I did. After I'd written about one page. And Ryan said, "Um... it has to be a little longer."

What was your rock bottom moment during the process? I really never felt overwhelmed. It was really hard work, all those edits, but I actually felt really lucky. I mean, come on! I was getting my book published! It was a lifelong dream. Any author who complains about having to work on their book is spoiled.

How long did it take to write your book? It took me six months to type one version which was way too short. I remember tying into Google, "how long is a novel?" A short novel is about 60,000 words, if your readers are curious. My editor and I went back and forth, she had edits about every 3 months for a year or so, and I'd totally give the manuscript a makeover each time. She was always right. Damn it.

What did you do to celebrate your book deal? I used the money to pay for part if my wedding. I married Joe a year ago. I feel that was money well spent!

Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently? I would have started doing PR a long time ago. I waited until the last minute. Good thing you girls are having me on Chick Lit is Not Dead! Other then that, I really don't think I would have done anything differently. Getting a book published is such a crazy thing, that its almost like concocting a wicked witch brew in a cauldron. If you change one ingredient, you might make a potion that turns your hair blue!

Who is your writer crush? I have a huge crush on John Irving. I named my rescue cat Garp. I don't care that he writes about bears and wrestling constantly. He can dress up in a bear suit and wrestle me anytime he wants.

What's your biggest distraction or vice while writing? My cats Elizabeth and Garp bring me their balls, they play fetch like dogs. They constantly want me to throw the ball to them and then chase it. I keep telling them I am a very important and distinguished writer who could be working on the next Pulitzer but they don't care.

GNO drink of choice? I love Chardonnays from California. It makes me imagine I am sitting in a vineyard, the breeze whistling through my hair, the smell of grapes and earth in the air. When really, I am sitting in the same old dusty Irish bar I always sit in, down the street from my house.

Favorite trashy TV show? I LOVE TLC. Anything on TLC. My husband makes fun of me because I love shows about 800 pound people who have to be carried out of their houses on whale stretchers, or children born with two faces, or shows about dwarf families. I love medical abnormalities. I feel like if I have watched those shows so many times that if I ran into a woman on the street with an elephant trunk for a nose I'd be totally cordial to her. That was totally not PC, but there you are.

What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with? I would like to tell Heidi she is crazy for getting all that plastic surgery. She is a shit role model and should be locked to a stretcher and sent to another country, the way Thailand did with Billy Idol in the 1980's when he was doing too many drugs. I liked Heidi's previous long Jay Leno chin just fine. It gave her face character. Now she looks like a barbie doll on crack.

So read more about the lovely Kate Rockland, head on over to her website!

xoxo, Liz and Lisa