Allison Winn Scotch's 5 Fall Faves

Today's guest: Allison Winn Scotch Why we love her: We've crushed on Allison since we read her novel, Time of My Life and found out these 25 things about her.

Her latest: The Theory of Opposites

The scoop: What happens when you think you have it all, and then suddenly it's taken away?

Willa Chandler-Golden's father changed the world with his self-help bestseller, Is It Really Your Choice? Why Your Entire Life May Be Out of Your Control. Millions of devoted fans now find solace in his notion that everything happens for a reason. Though Willa isn't entirely convinced of her father's theories, she readily admits that the universe has delivered her a solid life: a reliable husband, a fast-paced career. Sure there are hiccups - negative pregnancy tests, embattled siblings - but this is what the universe has brought, and life, if she doesn't think about it too much, is wonderful. Then her (evidently not-so-reliable) husband proposes this: a two-month break. Two months to see if they can't live their lives without each other. And before Willa can sort out destiny and fate and what it all means, she's axed from her job, her 12 year-old nephew Nicky moves in, her ex-boyfriend finds her on Facebook, and her best friend Vanessa lands a gig writing for Dare You!, the hottest new reality TV show. And then Vanessa lures Willa into dares of her own - dares that run counter to her father's theories of fate, dares that might change everything...but only if Willa is brave enough to stop listening to the universe and instead aim for the stars.

Our thoughts: This novel was so much fun! Definitely snap up your copy asap!

Giveaway: ONE copy. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll choose the winner on Sunday, November 17th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: Jennifer Garner's Vandalia film has optioned the rights to adapt The Theory of Opposites for the big screen!

Where you can read more about Alison: Her website, Facebook and Twitter. And be sure to check out her recent post over on Writer Unboxed about why she decided to "go indie" with this novel.

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...ALLISON WINN SCOTCH'S 5 FALL FAVES

1. Memory

There is something about the scent of fall that reminds me of returning to college. I loved my four years there, though I am certainly aware that I view that time with nostalgic rose-colored glasses. But still. There was always an anticipation, an electricity of returning to campus; of unpacking my J.Crew fisherman sweaters; of hugging friends whom I hadn't seen or spoken to in months (this was before Facebook!); of strolling under the towering trees that lined my school's main walkway and just feeling…invincible. That's what those first few days back at school made me feel. Like this year, anything was possible. So that's a pretty hard memory to beat.

2. Favorite recipe

It's funny – I have never been a cook. I lived in NYC for almost 20 years, and honestly, I never found a reason to prepare anything when I could just as easily pick up amazing gourmet food in, like, five minutes. But we moved to LA last year, and suddenly, with the farmer's market at my doorstep and that sort of holistic-mentality everywhere (which I swore I'd be immune to!), I've learned to embrace cooking. Well, baking actually. I've become that person who bakes muffins for her kids just because, and trust me, it's as shocking to me as it is to them. Anyway, not that we have particularly cold days here in LA, but everything is relative, and when the temperature drops to below 65 (hee), I break out the muffin tin. Here's a lower-fat banana muffin recipe that I got from Cooking Light and have tweaked a bit, that I make a few times a week for their school snack. The recipe is originally for banana bread, and if you did the loaf, you'd bake it for longer…about an hour.

2 cups flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar (I often mix brown and white) 1/4 cup melted butter 2 large eggs 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I use whatever my kids have in the fridge – often, strawberry or banana flavored) 3-4 ripe mashed bananas (I mash mine in my Vitamix) 1 tsp vanilla A bunch of spices – I shake in some cinnamon, nutmeg, and recently, pumpkin pie spice, which is AMAZING – just add in whatever you think sounds great Cooking spray

1.      Preheat oven to 350°. 2.      Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt, stirring with a whisk. 3.      Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into muffin tins coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 mins or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

3. Drink

This one is obvious, right? Does everyone say spiced apple cider? OMG. Yum. There are few things that are more representative of fall to me than hot cider. Okay, that's it. I have to go make myself a mug now.

4. Activity/hobby

Geez. I should say, like, apple picking or jam making or canning or something, should I? Or since I just bragged about my Betty Crocker-like skills, maybe it's pumpkin-pie making? Hmmm. Nope, none of those. Gosh, I'm stumped. One thing that I really do love to do, once the weather dips cooler, but not too cold (though I'm in LA now, who am I kidding), is to start taking longer runs outside. You know, right when the breeze hits that just-right temperature to push you out the door, even when you'd rather pull a blanket over you? Yeah, on those crisp, perfect days, I love to log in a good run. You hate yourself for doing it about 3/4 the way in, but your cheeks turn pink and when you're done, oh my god, you squint up at the sky and just think, "Hell yes." That's the perfect fall day.

5. Writing inspiration

I do always find it easier to write when the wind is breezy and the windows are rattling a little bit. Sort of like a bear in hibernation. You just want to stay inside and wrap yourself up in comfortable clothes and daydream. So I guess my writing inspiration in fall is just…fall. I hate winter, but fall goes down easy, you know? Everything is beautiful; the world is pretty marvelous; and life, until the temperature dips another 20 degrees, is pretty hard to beat.

Thanks, Allison!

Why I Still Watch Survivor (and why you should watch too) by Liz

That's right bitches. I only have time to watch two shows these days. And one of them is Survivor. I could blame my husband.  I was ready to quit after the first All Stars, sick of Jeff Probst's smug commentary as contestants heaved their starving bodies over some poorly constructed wall to grab keys or puzzle pieces or whatever.  I mean, I can't even think straight if I skip Starbucks in the morning and feel uncomfortable if I'm wearing jeans that are too low-waisted. And these people are supposed to solve a complicated puzzle in their underwear while a well-fed Jeff Probst clamors on about how awful they're performing the entire time? I secretly removed it from the DVR season pass and prayed Mike wouldn't notice next season.

But he did.

So there we were again, watching people scared shitless when left stranded at something called Redemption Island. And the next season, again.  And again. Each time I tried to rebel, tried to read a book or fold laundry or wax my lip, do ANYTHING not to watch that first episode. But sure enough, it would suck me in, and soon I'd be hotly debating whether or not Russell was a hero or a villian and wondering why people can't figure out that when you start calling yourself the the leader or the swing vote, your days are numbered. Haven't they watched this at home? JUST LAY LOW PEOPLE!

And this season, Blood vs Water.  They've brought back former players in addition to one of their loved ones and pitted them against each other.  Two brothers with a rocky past. Two kick ass moms who are in better shape than their twenty something daughters.  That creepy long haired guy in his underwear that freaked me out the first time he was on. And as always, Jeff with his khakis and smug ass smile. (Damn him!)

Each week I find myself, sitting on the bed, yelling to Aras that the creepy underwear guy has it out for him, that he needs to stop running off and meditating and start playing the effing game. I'm angry at the ex-pro football player who gives off the douchiest vibe EVEH. And I mute the TV whenever his wife Monica incessantly goes on and on about something.  And I even shed a single tear when Kat bawled her eyes out, convinced that the boyfriend that she was leaving there (Hayden from Big Brother, another terrible show I'm addicted to...) was going to dump her for getting voted off. (The relationship sounds very solid, no?)

So, yes, I watch Survivor. And damnit, you should too. (Please! I need someone to talk with me about it!)

What show are you still holding on to?  Project Runway? Grey's Anatomy? #makemefeelbetter

Laura Spinella's 5 Fall Faves

Our guest today: Laura Spinella Why we love her: She writes great characters!

Her latest: Perfect Timing

The scoop: What’s a Jersey Girl to do when she moves to Catswallow, Alabama? Isabel Lang finds the answer in an unlikely bond with the musically gifted Aidan Roycroft. The two share everything from a first kiss to startling family secrets. But when Aidan is accused of a violent crime, the two flee to Las Vegas where Isabel’s future comes tumbling down.

Seven years later, the past is buried, including any relationship with Aidan. Isabel is busy running a radio station and closing in on commitment with Nate Potter, a guy who defines ideal. Life seems cozy until new station management demands a sudden-death ratings grabber, putting everyone’s future on the line. What should be a simple solution leads to a stunning revelation as Isabel is forced to call on the past and the only rock star she knows.

Our thoughts: Another winner from Laura--we think you'll love this one!

Giveaway: Two SIGNED copies!  Leave a comment and we'll choose the winners after 8am on Sunday, November 11th.

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

LIZ AND LISA PRESENT...LAURA SPINELLA'S 5 FALL FAVES

Favorite memory

Hmmm, I guess I’m supposed to say the day my kids were born. I think it makes me a crappy mom if I don’t. But it’s not a favorite. I mean, those are cool memories, (don’t get me wrong, they’re exceptional kids) but it was also painful and messy and I didn’t look so great—really. I liked it much better after they returned the cleaned up babies. I liked it even more after they slept through the night. Realistically, I have a collage of favorite memories: the way the air smells in Bayport, my hometown. It’s on the Great South Bay, so it’s salty with a hint of marsh that’s really not terribly pleasant. Yet, it’s home. The noise on game day in Athens, Georgia—numerous memories are attached to that, not all of them printable. And I suppose, if a favorite memory requires sentiment, holding a fresh out of the box copy of my first novel, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER. There’s a lot to be said for something falling out of your brain and into a tangible book that makes it truly validating.

Recipe

My favorite would be the one where somebody else prepares it (preferably a 5-star chef) and then somebody else cleans up the mess.

Drink

Now we’re talking. I am an admitted wine lover… whore. Is there a difference? We actually belong to the Zagat wine club, so every 14 weeks they send a new case. It’s like a treasure chest delivered to your front door! After blowing through a case or two in less than the suggested14 weeks, I called to ask if we could switch to their 10 week wine club. The befuddled operator’s response? “Ma’am, we don’t have a 10-week club, but perhaps you should look into a 12-step program…”

Activity

Wait for it… wait for it… Are you watching me write? We’re you anticipating a different answer?

Writing inspiration

The rolled up sleeves of my OB-GYN’s dress shirt. Now, you may think this visual relates back to favorite item number one, or is simply twisted. It’s neither. It’s more a euphemism for the strikingly ordinary. I’ve always been hyper-tuned and unduly attracted to body language, mannerisms, repetitive phrasing, verbal ticks, clothing, facial expressions, the gait of a stride, etc… In certain instances these everyday things stick in my brain, and from there they begin to form characters.  For me, the character is the anchor and the story unfolds around him or her. In PERFECT TIMING, I had a picture of Aidan Royce, my protagonist, for years before I ever imagined his story. After a while, the other pieces and characters drift in from the edges and take their place.  Then, if I’m lucky, there’s a, “Well, what if…” moment, and we’re off!

Thank you so much to Liz & Lisa for letting me visit with Chick Lit is NOT Dead! It’s blogs like theirs that keep fingers typing and books rolling! Thank you, ladies!          

Kristina Riggle's 5 Fall Faves

Today's guest: Kristina Riggle Her latest: The Whole Golden World (Out today!)

The scoop: Seventeen-year-old Morgan Monetti shocks her parents and her community with one simple act: She chooses to stand by the man everyone else believes has exploited her—popular high school teacher TJ Hill. Quietly walking across a crowded courtroom to sit behind TJ, and not beside her parents, she announces herself as the adult she believes herself to be.

But her mother, Dinah, wants justice. Dinah is a fighter, and she believes with all her heart and soul that TJ is a man who took advantage of her daughter. He is a criminal who should be brought to justice, no matter what the cost to his family.

Rain, TJ's wife, is shocked that her handsome, loving, respected husband has been accused of a terrible crime. But has her desperation to start a family closed her eyes to the fault lines in her marriage? And can she face the painful truths about herself and her husband?

Told from the perspectives of these three remarkable women, The Whole Golden World navigates the precarious territory between childhood and adulthood, raising questions about love and manipulation, marriage and motherhood, consent and responsibility. It's a novel both shocking and unforgettable in its power.

Our thoughts: A mesmerizing story, we highly recommend curling up by the fire with this book!

Giveaway: TWO copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, November 10th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: You can read an excerpt of The Whole Golden World!

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

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...KRISTINA RIGGLE'S 5 FALL FAVES

I love fall! Though, my husband always teases me that I love each season when it’s new. The beginning of winter excites me, too, but don’t ask me about winter come mid-March and I’m still stepping around slush piles up here in Michigan.

At I write this, though, the maple trees are just starting to blush red, and the chill in the air is a welcome balm after all those muggy summer days.

1. Memory

To me, fall means Halloween. Here are a couple of favorite old costume memories…

I borrowed a 1920s-style flapper costume from a girlfriend in high school to wear on Halloween. It was so short (of course! It was a flapper dress!) that my mom insisted I wear shorts under it. I took the shorts off the minute I was out of sight. Sorry, Mom.

My other favorite Halloween memory is borrowing a dance outfit from a different girlfriend, in middle school. She was a real dancer, who took classes and performed and everything. I even borrowed her tap shoes, and went around tap-tap-tapping through the halls in this hot pink, sequined, fringey outfit. It even came with a derby style hat, also sequined. I loved it. People kept asking me to dance, and I’d reply, “If I could dance, it wouldn’t be a costume.”

2. Favorite recipe

I’m not much of  a cook, but I have started a tradition where I bake a treat for my kids on the first day of school. This year, I’d just learned a neat trick for chocolate chip cookies: add some coconut. Not only is it tasty,  but the additional texture makes them come out extra thick and moist. So that’s my tip. Hardly groundbreaking I know, but like I said, I’m not exactly Top Chef fodder here.

3. Drink

Hot apple cider, even better with a bit of caramel in it. When I was pregnant for my second child, I used to stop at the coffee shop after every obstetrician appointment and treat myself to a giant caramel apple cider.

Oh, and Sam Adams Octoberfest. Yum.

4. Activity/hobby

Every year we take our kids to a local apple orchard for cider, donuts and a hay ride, and we’ve had great luck with finding a day to go when the weather is pleasantly cool and the sky is bright. Michigan is just gorgeous in the fall.

5. Writing inspiration

Between my own school memories and now sending my little kids off to school, fall always gives me a renewed sense of industriousness. Sure, summer is great with all the barbecues and vacations and the beach. However, just like how I love having parties -- but I love just as much when they’re over and we’ve cleaned it all up and gotten back to normal -- I appreciate the renewed focus on work. Especially since I love my work, which is writing books for you all to enjoy!

 Thanks, Kristina!

5 Things I'm (not so) thankful for by Lisa

Happy November! Or in my house, Movember! It's a month of thanks and I have so many wonderful things to be grateful for. From my family to my friends, I could make a list a mile long. But I thought I'd have a little fun and share some of the things I am (and am not so) thankful for. Because sometimes, they go hand-in-hand.

1. I am thankful that...

Not only am I an anal retentive organizational be-yotch, but I married a man who likes shit just as buttoned up as I do. Take for example, our holiday bins. Yes, we have holiday bins. You should see them. They are glorious! From Thanksgiving to St. Patrick's Day and everything in between, every special occasion has its own clear plastic home, labeled and stacked accordingly.

Not so thankful for...

The fact that I walked into our workout room after hours of organizing our holiday bins and found myself momentarily confused. I said to the hubs, "What is this place?"

2. I am thankful for...

Blowouts...because they are just, well, the key to a happy life. (If mama's hair is happy, everyone's happy, right?)

Not so thankful for...

The hubs' reaction when I told him I hadn't washed my hair in six (okay, 7) days because I had gotten such an amazing blowout, er, that many days before.

3. I am thankful for...

Family game night. It's fun, it sparks my (uber) competitive side and I can drink wine while doing it.

Not so thankful for...

My inability to win. I can't even claim victory in Memory or Battleship. I am even embarrassed to admit I can't excel at Chutes & Ladders. (Hmm...maybe I should blame the vino?)

4. I am thankful for...

Mani pedis because they just feel so damn good. (Extra massage, please!)

Not so thankful for...

The fact that I cannot remember the last time I had one. Enter gnarly toe nails so bad they conjure the image of a wildebeest's hoof. I always said I would not be that mom whose "upkeep" would become virtually non-existent (the blowout was a fluke y'all!). But here I am--toe nails for days, a workout room I don't recognize and no one to blame (publicly) but myself.

5. I am thankful for...

My lifelong friendship with Liz and that I get to write books with her... But I'm most grateful for the fact that we do not look like this anymore! (See photo.)

Not so thankful for...

The fact that I only see her a few times per year. *Cue sobs. No wait, I don't cry. I'm a robot, remember?*

But seriously, VERY thankful this month--and always--and plan to appreciate it all--the good, the bad and the ugly! (Although I draw the line at my wildebeest feet!)

What are you thankful (and not so thankful) for?

Flash Giveaway: Sue Watson's Younger, Thinner, Blonder

Giveaway: 1 signed copy of Younger, Thinner, Blonder by Sue Watson The scoop: Have you ever wondered what it's like to have everything?

Tanya Travis doesn't have to. As host of TV show 'The Truth with Tanya Travis,' she has glamour, luxury, success and public adulation while solving the problems of Britain's great unwashed every morning on her TV show. However, things are not all they seem and Tanya's life of designer kitchens, Prada handbags and myriad TV awards is as difficult behind the scenes as those of her TV show guests. Tanya is hounded by the press, constantly reading damning headlines about her own life, looks, and body. But when she reads about her partner's weakness for young blondes and problems mount on her show, Tanya's carefully constructed celebrity life begins to come apart at the seams. Her only lifeline is 'Celebrity Spa Trek' a reality show in the Himalayas 'Where bad celebrities go good.' But can clean-freak Tanya cope with no hot water, starvation, exhaustion, heartbreak and the sheer showbiz bitchiness of a celebrity trek through the Himalayas? Even with her relationship in crisis, cellulite on overdrive and career on the line, Tanya can't face the thought of prime time exposure with a desperate gaggle of C-List wannabes...but does she have a choice? A sharp, witty novel about our celebrity obsessed culture from the author of bestselling Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes.

Our thoughts: So much fun. Sue's books are the perfect escape after a long week. Happy Friday!

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

Leave a comment by Sunday, November 3rd at 12pm PST to be entered to win.

Jane Porter Flash Giveaway!

Today's author: Jane Porter Why we love her: Because she's Jane Porter! Duh!

Her latest: Take Me, Cowboy

(Only .99, get your copy of Take Me, Cowboy >>)

The scoop: When Jenny Wright’s fiancé leaves her standing at the altar in a Vera Wang bridal gown she can’t afford, she’s humiliated and heartbroken. To have Marietta hero bull riding champ Colton Thorpe witness her shame makes the rejection even more devastating.

Jenny and Colton grew up in the same rough neighborhood and they both left home right after school to pursue big dreams. Now they're both back, with Colton as the celebrity chair for the 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo, and Jenny in disgrace. Sexy, rugged Colton didn't get to be a national champion by chance. He's a man that takes risks and goes after what he wants. During the rodeo weekend, Colton makes it clear he wants Jenny. Flustered but flattered, Jenny finds it difficult to resist his charm. But what happens when the rodeo ends and Colton leaves town? Will she dare to dream again?

Giveaway: A $10 Starbucks gift card + a signed copy of THE GOOD WIFE!

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

Leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winner on Saturday, November 2nd after 12pm PST

Puppy Love by Liz

My name is Liz, and I'm a animal-aholic.

Yes, it's true. I think I may have an addiction to cute furry things with four legs. (reptiles need not apply!)

I've been bringing home strays for as long as I can remember--whether it was a kitten I rescued from under a dumpster or a dog I chased down a busy freeway while wearing three inch heels, I've always desired to save every single animal. And considering we had two dogs, two mice and three fish, I was already well on my way! (Chickens and pigs, I'm coming for you next!)

In hindsight, the hubs should have known better than to send me solo to the pound with the kids.  I *may* have told him that we were just going to *look* at cats.  We had recently discovered some mice--and not the sweet little ones that ran nonstop on that kickass wheel in their luxury cage, but the kind that had gnawed their way into the rice krispies.  I used this tidbit of information to convince my husband that this meant we MUST immediately bring home the toothless, drooling tomcat that currently resided at the kids' music school. He countered with the idea of simply purchasing mousetraps, but I argued that getting eaten by a formerly homeless cat with no teeth would be a much more dignified way for a mouse to die.

He rolled his eyes. I chose to interpret this as agreement.

But alas, the homeless cat was nowhere to be found that week.  Or the next. So I packed the kids after school one day and headed to the shelter. Apparently, we had stumbled in during Catapooloza--cats were $5 each!  And the second was free!  I texted this discovery to the hubs.  He did not respond.

But as we sauntered down the hallway to Cat Cottage, our eyes were drawn to a crying puppy curled up in her cage.  Most of her hair was missing and her eyes drawn and defeated. We crouched down to get a closer look-- it was clear that she had a terrible case of mange. Our last dog we rescued had also been mange-ridden, but not nearly as bad.  This poor pup was missing over half her fur and seemed severely malnourished. The kids eyes filled with tears and they named her Lily on the spot.

Needless to say, we never made it to Cat Cottage. I bought mousetraps on the way home.

Twenty five pounds and several overpriced vet visits later, Lily is finally starting to resemble the dog she was meant to be--she's transformed from a scared little girl who trembled as she gulped her food to a confident young lady who loves life and other dogs.  Her hair is almost grown back in, revealing an incredible golden coat that feels like silk when you rub her belly.

And we couldn't be happier.  The hubs has even gotten over the fact that I *may* not have officially *asked* him  before bringing Lily home.(Answer your texts, damnit!) And in return, Lily has stopped peeing on the floor each time he pets her.  Last week, our vet whispered in Lily's ear how lucky she is.  But I like to think that we are the lucky ones. (Except for the the two "presents" she left by my bedroom door this week--I could do without that...)

What about you?  Love animals? Have a good rescue story?  Tell me!

Snarky Mommy's 5 Fall Faves

Today's guest: Snarky Mommy (Amy Sprenger) Her latest: Over My Dead Potty

The scoop: If your potty training checklist includes training pants, flushable wipes, plastic tarps for covering furniture, a stack of US Weekly magazines and a case of wine, then this is the book for you.

The author of "BABY BUMPS: The Almost, Barely, Not-Quite True Story of Pregnancy, Bed Rest and One Bat Shit Crazy Family" and the award-winning blog "Snarky Mommy," Amy Sprenger is sure to have you howling with laughter and cringing in sympathy as she slogs through the toilet training trenches.

From unsuccessfully convincing her six-week-old baby to pee in a toilet to Cloroxing her own excrement-encrusted leg, Sprenger rolls with the punches and takes readers along for the ride.

Our thoughts: Aside from having the best. title. ever., it's one of the most hilarious books we've read in a while. Be prepared to laugh your ass off!

Giveaway: 2 e-copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners after 12pm PST on Sunday, November

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

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...SNARKY MOMMY'S 5 FALL FAVES

MEMORY:

Ironically, fall reminds me of my pregnancy with my first baby, Jack. In the beginning of October 2006, I had emergency surgery in the 20th week of my pregnancy to sew my cervix shut. My doctor strapped me to my bed for the next four months and I had only my TV and a window for entertainment. The view from my bed for the entire fall was of the tree across the street and I watched as it turned from green to yellow to orange to brown. I still look out that window from time to time, see that tree and am instantly transported back to the horrible fall full of bad daytime television and our never-ending home reconstruction project. Of course, the horrible fall turned into an amazing winter with the full-term birth of our healthy son. (You can read that whole saga in my first novel, Baby Bumps: The Almost, Barely, Not-Quite-True Story of Pregnancy, Bed Rest and One Batshit Crazy Family. http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bumps-Not-Quite-True-Pregnancy-Batshit/dp/1937349446 )

RECIPE:

Nothing says fall quite like apples and I love making (and consuming) apple crisp. My kids also like making (and consuming) apple crisp, which is cute, but takes twice as long and means three times as much clean up.

Here's the recipe how we make it our house:

10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup water
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup melted butter
2 children fighting over who is able to stand RIGHTNEXT to Mommy on step-stools
1 child prostrate on floor screaming because she got shoved out of the way when trying to stand RIGHTNEXT to Mommy
1 glass wine (red or white) Directions
: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C). Use nice Mommy voice to remind children not everyone can stand RIGHTNEXT to Mommy and everyone will get a chance. Tell 3-year-old she can not touch the oven; tell 5-year-old if she continues to shove her sister off the stool, she will not get to eat any apple crisp; tell 7-year-old to stop touching his sister.
Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Explain to 7-year-old that while you’re sure his knife skills are excellent, you will not be handing paring knives to anyone under the age of 30. Ask 5-year-old through gritted teeth to stop coughing on the pan of apples. Step over 3-year-old, who is still crying on the floor about the injustice of not standing RIGHTNEXT to Mommy. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Try to make sure each child has a turn to put an ingredient in the bowl. Pour water evenly over all ingredients. Pour wine into glass, but do not consume as 3-year-old has to go potty. Admonish the other two sous chefs not to touch anything when 3-year-old insists, “Mommy wipe me!” Physically hold 3-year-old at sink to ensure she washes her hands. Wash your own hands twice for good measure. Return to kitchen and find 5-year-old with her face in the pan of apples “smelling them.” Weigh chances of contamination, but consider them nil after heat of baking.
Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Referee resulting fight after 7-year-old grabs the baking powder out of turn. Consume wine in one gulp, then crumble ingredients evenly over the apple mixture. Consult clock and decide it is definitely not too soon for a second glass of wine. Pour another. Calm hysterical 3-year-old down after she claims injustice in amount of helping allowed. Look up to see 5-year-old leaving the bathroom without washing her hands. Physically lead her to the sink and show her where the  soap is kept, because she has clearly never used this bathroom in her life. Wash own hands again because, eww, you were just in the bathroom and who knows what those kids have touched?
Place pan in oven after screaming, “GET AWAY FROM THE OVEN! I HAVE TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES TO STAY AWAY FROM THE OVEN!” Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes. Consume second glass of wine while listening to children whine, “When will it be ready?” every 15 seconds for 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream to two of three children after one was sent to bed without dessert privileges for punching a sibling in the kidneys. Eat half the pan alone after children have gone to bed.

DRINK:

I recently made the most ridiculously awesome Apple Pie shots for a pub crawl we hosted with friends. The recipe calls for heating a gallon of apple juice and a gallon of apple cider with six cinnamon sticks. Once it reaches a boil, turn off heat and add a bottle of Everclear. Oh yes, Everclear. The whole bottle. We're kicking it college-style up in here. Pour mixture into insulated thermoses and serve as shots. (Please note, when friends ask what is in this toasty deliciousness, smile demurely and claim they're really weak and girly. Your friends will curse you the next morning after consuming multiple shots.)

ACTIVITY:

My favorite fall activity is avoiding the cold. As we live in Chicago, fall goes one of two ways: 80 and sunny or 30 and raining. There is no in between. Last year, I wept with joy one Saturday when I realized my daughter's soccer game was at a field directly next to the parking lot. I sat in the warm car and when she scored a goal, I jumped out and screamed and clapped. After giving her big thumbs up, I got back inside the car. Seriously, there was no reason for us to both stand around in the cold and she was staying warm running around. I sacrificed my nether regions to push this child out, I'm not sacrificing my toes to frostbite in October.

WRITING INSPIRATION:

I love to eavesdrop on other people to steal snatches of conversation for works in progress. I'm currently writing my third book, "Yes Mommy" about the month I stopped saying no to my kids. yes, (I am an insane person.) I often write at my local Starbucks and with the weather getting cooler, people spend more time indoors, which results in even more conversations for me to listen in on. Last week I heard one college girl say to another, "He's Czech and Mexcian, so we call him the Czechixan!" if I can't find a way to work that into some upcoming work, I don't deserve to call myself an author.

Thanks, Amy!

Jennifer Weiner's latest Halloween eShort story!

Today's author: Jennifer Weiner Her latest eShort story: Disconnected

The scoop: Shannon Will is nearing thirty and has already made six trips to rehab (not that anyone's counting). But this time, she swears, will be different. She'll clean up her act, go to meetings, find a sponsor, make a clean break with her past -- starting with a new phone number.

But old ties aren't so easy to sever. When Shannon's new phone starts getting messages she was never meant to see, Shannon has to decide whether to risk getting involved, or stay safely disconnected.

Gripping, suspenseful and smart, DISCONNECTED is a riveting tale of addiction and obligation, secrets and redemption.

Our thoughts: Love her Halloween-inspired eStories! The perfect fun read to kick off Halloween week!

Fun fact: This year's eShort story has a special treat -- it features a character that will make an appearance in Jennifer's highly anticipated forthcoming novel, All Fall Down, coming this April 1st, 2014.

Get your copy of Disconnected! And pre-order All Fall Down!

Flash Giveaway: Mine by Katy Evans

Giveaway: Two copies (US & Canada) of Mine by Katy Evans (Out November 5th!) The scoop: “I will do anything to make her MINE.” —Remington Tate

In the international bestseller REAL, the unstoppable bad boy of the Underground fighting circuit finally met his match. Hired to keep him in prime condition, Brooke Dumas unleashed a primal desire in Remington “Remy” Tate as vital as the air he breathes . . . and now he can’t live without her.Brooke never imagined she would end up with the man who is every woman’s dream, but not all dreams end happily ever after, and just when they need each other the most, Brooke is torn away from the ringside. Now with distance and darkness between them, the only thing left is to fight for the love of the man she calls MINE.

Our thoughts: We love us a sexy new adult novell! And this one (the sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel, Real) is such a delicious escape!

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

Leave a comment by Saturday, October 26th at 12pm PST to be entered to win!

Flash Giveaway: Fae by C.J. Abedi

Giveaway: TWO e-copies of Fae by C.J. Abedi The scoop: The battle between Light and Dark is about to begin.

Caroline Ellis' sixteenth birthday sets into motion a series of events that have been fated for centuries. A descendant of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the lost colony of Roanoke, and unaware of her birthright as the heir to the throne of the Light Fae, it isn’t until Caroline begins a tumultuous relationship with Devilyn Reilly that the truth of her heritage is revealed.

Devilyn is the only Fae who is both of the Light and of the Dark, and struggles to maintain that precarious balance to avoid succumbing to the power of the Dark within him.  He is the only one who can save Caroline from those who would destroy her and destroy all hope for unity among the Fae. He promises Caroline that he will protect her at all costs, even when it means protecting her from himself.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Caroline and Devilyn, FAE draws on mysteries, myths and legends to create a world, and a romance, dangerously poised between Light and Dark.

Our thoughts: we loved diving into this unique world filled with mystery, romance and suspense! It's even been called the next Twilight!  Definitely keep this series on your radar!

Fun fact: C. J. Abedi is actually a sister writing team: Colet and Jasmine Abed.

Where you can read more about C.J. Abedi: Their website, their publisher's website, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

Leave a comment to be entered. We'll choose the winners after 12pm PST on October 24th.

My two cents about the terrible two's by Lisa

Girlfriends, they don't call it the terrible twos for nothing. Since my daughter turned two and a half, I've had my fair share of tantrum taming. (And my own share of tantrums! And wine drinking, but that's a whole other Oprah!) I've even violated my own (not so) strict policy: Never negotiate with this terrorist that has taken over my toddler's body. (Let's just say I find Goldfish to be very affective.)

So, while I am most definitely losing this battle, I have promised myself that I will. not. lose. this. war.

But having said all of that, this is my war to lose, right?  My toddler to tame? My life?

So if this is the case, why does Mrs. Susie Q Stranger feel she can insert her two cents as she looks at me with her wide patronizing eyes while I'm bribing offering my daughter those famous little cheddar crackers so she won't climb out of the cart and say, I'm sooooo glad those days are over!

I don't know. There's just something about that statement that gets under my skin. While I'm sure it's meant as a "I'm a mom too so let me tell you that there is light at the end of the tunnel" moment, it rubs me the wrong way.

So here's my two cents. This woman doesn't know me. She doesn't know my daughter. And she most definitely doesn't know how hard it was for me to get pregnant. She doesn't understand that while this terrible two thing is something I bitch about (yes, Liz has fielded many calls) it's something I laugh about even more. The thing is, I'm not looking to fast forward the clock (that's already moving so quickly) to a time when I know I'll have a whole other set of challenges--like when my daughter transforms into an eye-rolling teen who wants to be with her friends 24/7. And after my daughter is grown and out of the house and I witness a mother and her teen going four rounds over how short a prom dress should be, I won't say to her, I'm sooo glad those days are over.

I'll take this time. The good, the bad and the ugly. Because I know it goes by "like that." I may be my toddler's hostage now but I'll be back in command soon enough! #famouslastwords

(PS: She says she will free me if I cancel all naps, all bedtimes and all attempts to help do anything! Or simply send Cinderella anything and she says she'll let me go...#pleasehelp)

What about you guys?  Does it bother you when strangers make remarks?  And did your kids go through this too? #makemefeelbetter

This is 40 by Liz

Confession: I turned 40 two weeks ago. And it freaked me the hell out.

Initially, I had approached the big 4-0 with excitement. A reason to throw a kick ass party! It really IS the new 30!  Supposedly, I'm going to become sexually empowered! And according to all those quotes y'all post on Facebook, I won't have to give a shit about what other people think anymore!  Sounds awesome!

And yes, the party was fabulous.  We jumped up and down on the dance floor like we were twenty-one again.  We drank without worrying about waking up early the next morning.  We did things in the photo booth that shouldn't be captured on camera. I felt invincible--totally ready to make 40 my bitch!

But when my actual birthday rolled around a few weeks later, I started to feel a little something else too. Depression. I found myself pondering my own mortality. I started to wonder, are my best days behind me? Is it all downhill from here?  And the most important question: Will I ever be able to eat cheesecake again without my ass expanding? (Answer: probably not...)  In short, I became very funkalicious (and not in a good way!)

As women, many of us have been programmed to believe that our looks are what make us valuable.  And I'm not gonna lie, I've bought into this idea over the years--and I truly believe it's a huge part of the reason I fear aging.  Because why else would I?  Financially I'm better off than I was in my 20's.  And my husband in no way resembles the douchebags I dated in 1998.  I love watching my kids grow up right before my eyes, sprouting from toddlers to school age children to little mini adults. And next June, I'm going to fulfill a lifelong dream when our first novel, Your Perfect Life is published by Atria Books. In so many ways, 40 is fabulous.  It's not the end. In fact, maybe I could even argue that it's just the beginning.

So, here's to 40.  It may not be perfect. I may not be able to remember why I walked into a room half the time or be able to even LOOK at mashed potatoes without gaining weight. Or maybe I can't recover from a girls night out the way I used to, but dammit, that's okay.  Because I'd like to think I'm wiser, kinder and incredibly more patient than I was fifteen years ago.  And at the end of the day, isn't that what really matters?

What do you think about aging? Love it or Leave it? Tell me!

Jamie Brenner's (aka Logan Belle) 5 Fall Faves

Our guest today: Jamie Brenner aka Logan Belle Why we love her: Her writing delights us!

Her latest: The novella Now or Never

The scoop: Claire is looking forward to some romance now that her son is finally off to college. As a devoted single mother she desperately needs to get her groove back and make up for lost time. But a sudden crisis has her wondering if her sex life will be over before she even goes on her first date.

When Claire meets Justin, she cannot understand why the handsome, charming guy who can get any woman he wants is so preoccupied with her and her dilemma. What is wrong with him? And why is he pushing Claire so hard to complete her sexual bucket list?Figuring out Justin and the getting through her ‘now or never’ list of fantasies just might get Claire her real life happily ever after…

Our thoughts: Fun, fun FUN!

Giveaway: Two E-copies!  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!  We'll choose the winners on Sunday, October 20th after 8am PST.

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

Liz & Lisa present...Jamie Brenner's 5 Fall Faves

Memory

I moved to New York City on Halloween day, 1996. My apartment was in Bank Street in the West Village. I will never forget the energy of the neighborhood that day – the crisp air, the decorations in ever shop window, the police barricades on Sixth Avenue in preparation for the annual parade.  I felt like I’d just landed in the center of the universe. And this time of year always brings me back to that exhilaration.

Favorite recipe

My favorite fall recipe, for the past ten years, has been a very simple pumpkin bread recipe that I got from one of my daughter’s nursery school class cookbook projects. But I’ve recently gone gluten-free, so this year I’m trying something a new recipe from Martha Stewart Living:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) ** Martha recommends King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour for this bread.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add pumpkin and buttermilk and beat until just combined.

STEP 2

Transfer batter to pan, smooth top, and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 15 minutes (cover with foil if overbrowning). Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

Drink

At restaurants this time of year, I start switching from wine before dinner to coffee with Bailey’s after dinner.  For daytime, I reward myself after a good writing morning with a Pumpkin Spiced Latte at Starbucks.

Activity/hobby

I grew up in Philadelphia in a family of rabid Flyers hockey fans. For me, fall is always hockey season. It’s the only professional sport I watch. It took me a long time to be able to root for the Rangers. And when the two teams play each other, I’m still a Flyers girl at heart.

Writing inspiration

I love fall/winter fashion. Walking up and down Madison Avenue and seeing all the creative store windows: Chloe, Chanel, Dolce and Gabanna, Michael Kors, Tory Burch. The visual inspiration always triggers stores in my mind about the characters who might wear these dramatic, expensive, gorgeous outfits. (I’ve attached a photo of a pic I snapped outside of Dolce and Gabanna last weekend)

Flash Giveaway: Cristin Terrill's All Our Yesterdays

Giveaway: TWO COPIES of Cristin Terrill's All Our Yesterdays The Scoop: You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Our thoughts: You know we have secret love for YA -this one is great!

Leave a comment to be entered--we'll choose the winners after Oct 12th at Noon PST.

Read Pink 2013: Karen White exclusive guest post +14 book giveaway!

Today's guest: Karen White Why we love her: She's not just a fabulous writer, but she's the spokesperson for Read Pink 2013 and in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she (along with 13 other authors including Nora Roberts and Sarah Jio) is helping raise money for breast cancer research.

The scoop:  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Penguin is once again reissuing 14 of their women’s fiction and contemporary romance titles with special Read Pink seals, to promote our $25,000 donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), made regardless of sales. And Karen is sharing an EXCLUSIVE guest post with us today about what it means to her to be a part of this.

Giveaway: The entire 2013 reissue list. That's ALL 14 BOOKS (full list below)! (US Only) Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll choose the lucky someone on Sunday, October 6th after 12PM PST.

1. Karen White, The Beach Trees
2. Nora Roberts, Chasing Fire
3. Erika Robuck, Hemingway’s Girl
4. Jodi Thomas, Just Down the Road
5. Carly Phillips, Perfect Fit
6. JoAnn Ross, Sea Glass Winter
7. Karen Rose, Did You Miss Me?
8. Catherine Anderson, Lucky Penny
9. Kate Jacobs, The Friday Night Knitting Club
10. LuAnn McLane, Pitch Perfect
11. Liane Moriarty, What Alice Forgot
12. Alyson Richman, The Lost Wife
13. Sarah Jio, The Last Camellia
14. Penelope Lively, How It All Began

Where you can read more about Read Pink: Follow @BerkleyRomance and @PenguinUSA on Twitter.  Make sure to use the hashtag #ReadPink! Also, be sure to check out the website for Read Pink

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...EXCLUSIVE GUEST POST BY KAREN WHITE

EXPECTATIONS

            Most of us are raised with certain expectations.   When we are small, we know we’ll be punished or put on restriction for lying or hitting our brother.  As we get older, we learn that studying hard and doing our homework usually causes better results than daydreaming and blaming the dog for eating the essay that was due yesterday.  We know that we’ll never make the Varsity basketball team if we don’t shoot some hoops over summer vacation and show up for every practice.

As we give up our childhoods, we adopt a whole new level of expectations.  That if we keep on top of our game and work hard we’ll rise in our careers.  If we save enough money for a down payment on a house, we’ll be on our way to future financial security.  And if we eat right and exercise we’ll enjoy good health for the rest of our lives.

Unfortunately, life isn’t always as accommodating as we would like.  As the old saying goes, life is what happens when we’re making other plans.  Just when we’re moving in our expected forward trajectory, the proverbial brick wall is dropped in front of us.

As I write this, I have a close tie to five women my age who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years: a neighbor, a New York Times bestselling author, a close friend, the president of a bookseller’s association, and my sister-in-law.  You get the phone call, or the email to let you know, and you stop breathing for a moment at the suddenness of it.  The awfulness of it.  The sheer unexpectedness of it.  How could this be?

All five of these women are survivors who are inspiring examples of fortitude, perseverance, and courage.  And I think that’s where the life lesson comes from.  They fought the fight, they endured the hair loss, the surgery, the nausea from chemo. They posted silly pictures of themselves with headscarves and bandages on Facebook and I was in awe of their ability to smile.  In support, friends and family wore pink ribbons and pink shirts, and ran races and collected donations for breast cancer research.  As equally inspiring as my friends’ determination to fight their cancer, was the resolve I saw in the support of their circle of friends and family.  We were in this together.

I’m so very thankful for the doctors and the nurses, the researchers and the campaigns and fundraisers who have worked so hard to change what it means to receive a breast cancer diagnosis.  A diagnosis today includes a large helping of hope backed by science and the doggedness of those who brought us to this point.

My friends and I all joke about the indignities of our annual mammograms, and how to prepare for it we should lie down on the garage floor and ask our husbands to run over our chests with the family minivan. We laugh about having a “bosom buddy” to help remind us to do a self-exam, or we joke about our husbands volunteering to “help.”  We laugh, but we also understand that this is something we owe to not just ourselves and our families, but also to the mothers, sisters, and daughters who’ve gone before us.  Early detection is key, and we all know stories of women who caught their cancer in the first stages because of their regular self-exams and mammograms.

Last month my nephew Gavin, a First Lieutenant in the US Army, stepped on an IED in Afghanistan and sustained severe injuries including the loss of one of his legs.  The first photo we saw was of him in his hospital bed, bandaged and bruised with all sorts of tubes and wires connecting him to various pieces of equipment.  But after looking closely at the photo, we could see that despite heavily bandaged arms he was giving his trademark two-thumbs up to the camera.

Gavin’s mother is a breast cancer survivor.   She fought the fight with all the strength and courage it takes to win.  And she did—with flying colors.  She now runs marathons and is an outspoken proponent of good health and nutrition.  We are confident that her son has learned by example what it takes to not only survive this crisis, but to be stronger for it.

October is breast cancer awareness month, which is when I always schedule my annual exam.  Time to head out to the garage and lie down on the floor and tell my husband to grab the car keys.  I’ll smile at the jokes, but my smile will be full of gratitude.

To all of those who have fought the fight, or are in the middle of the battle, here’s a two-thumbs up for you.  You are not alone.  We are all in this together.

Thanks, Karen! And thank you to Penguin and all of the authors who are participating!

7 Seconds in Heaven with Mark Ellwood

Today's guest: Mark Ellwood Why we want to spend 7 Seconds in Heaven with him: Any man who not only wants to go shopping is our kind of guy!

His latest: Bargain Fever: How to Shop in a Discounted World (October 17th)

The scoop: A spirited investigation into the world of bargain hunting and how shoppers and sellers try to one-up each other

When Coca-Cola offered the first retail coupon in the 1880s, customers were thrilled. But today, one in four American shoppers will buy something only if it’s on sale, and almost half of all merchandise carries a promotional price. The relentless pursuit of deals has totally disrupted the relationship between buyers and sellers.

In this playful, well-researched book, journalist Mark Ellwood investigates what happens to markets when everything’s negotiable. From the haggling bazaars of Istanbul to Black Friday at a mall in upstate New York to pinnacles of global luxury such as Hermès and Louis Vuitton, sellers and shoppers are engaged in a constant game of cat and mouse.

Price consultants use the latest findings in neuroeconomics to fool shoppers into thinking they’ve gotten a great deal. Consumers, on the other hand, are more empowered than ever by technology, from coupon apps to strategic Twitter analysis. And some brands resist the trend entirely, opting to set their unsold merch out to sea and shred it rather than slash prices.

Enlightening as it is entertaining, Bargain Fever offers invaluable insights into how shopping works today.

Our thoughts: Fascinating. Informative. Juicy.

Giveaway: Two copies!  Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, October 6th after 12 pm PST.

Where you can read more about Mark: His website and Twitter.

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...7 SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH MARK ELLWOOD

1. Liz & Lisa: How did you get into being a retail expert/why did you write this book? Not to sound sexist, but dare we point out that you are a man writing about shopping for an audience, we're assuming is made up of mostly women? :)

Mark Ellwood: I've always loved shopping - I'd take retail therapy over analysis any time. I'd rather haggle for a leather couch than sit on one.

I think it's all down to my childhood.  I grew up (very happily) as an only child, with a mother for whom shopping was a sport. Going to the shops was my family's answer to walk in the park: only far more fun, a lot less grubby and with a bigger chance of grabbing a great deal on a pair of jeans.

As I was dragged, solo, from store to store by my mom, I realized early on that I had a choice: hate shopping and in the process much of my childhood, or embrace it and start having fun. I opted for the latter.

What's more, my mom is from Scotland, a nation famous in Europe for its love of a bargain. I still tease her that when she puts two 5 pound notes in her wallet, she's secretly hoping they might breed, Giant Panda-style. Nothing makes her happier than a surprise price adjustment on a Sunday afternoon. I inherited that, too.

2. L& L: Tell us more about this concept of "buyagra" (we think we might have it!)

ME: Picture it. You're sitting in a restaurant, and you order a slice of chocolate cake. Delicious, sure, but no big deal. Imagine being in that same cafe and the delighted surprise you feel when the owner remembers it's your birthday; a free slab of molten lava cake appears, candle flickering merrily.

In the former case, your brain is happy. In the latter, it's ecstatic, and is surging with a special chemical called dopamine. This is a much misunderstood hormone, often assumed to be Dr Feelgood Juice. It isn't. It's better to think of dopamine as Bonus Juice; it essentially spritzes in your brain every time the situation's better than you expected.

The commonest time that happens? The sight of a 50% OFF sign, when the cute dress you were planning to buy is a better deal than you could have hoped. Some of us are more powerless under buyagra's thrall than others - one in four people, in fact. They are the shopaholics who have a harmless genetic variant that basically turbocharges buyagra's impact on their brains. It's biological for those women, who camp out overnight for Black Friday bargains.

3. L&L: What's the #1 mistake we make as shoppers?

ME: No one should ever, ever, ever pay full price for anything. Did I say *ever*? Whether it's Googling for a coupon code before checking out online, or simply asking a store clerk sweetly "Are there any discounts I should know about today?" the rule is simple. If it's not at least 10% off, my wallet stays shut and so should yours.

My latest obsession is PoachIt, a button that installs in your browser and you hit any time you're hovering on a product page - completely free, it will retrieve any coupon code or discount that exists anywhere online right now for that item.

4. L&L: What's the #1 shopping secret everyone should know?

ME: Until about 1980, prices were set using what was known as the cost-plus model - companies took what it cost to make, say, a wine glass and used a simple equation to work out the retail price. Say it cost a buck to make each glass, then final price would be 2.5 times that - $2.50.

Then everything changed when a wily German invented the idea of market-based pricing - basically, "What can we get away with charging for that?" Suddenly, it didn't matter that the glass cost a buck to make - it mattered how much it looked like it was worth. Let's make it $10, because it's got a designer label on it. How else did a classic Chanel flap-over bag cost $2,850 in 2008 then just two years later be marked $4,100 (a rise of 44%)?

That price inflation, which happens in every industry now, is the reason shelling when something isn't on sale is so redundant. The ability to discount is built-in to every price.

5. L&L: What's your feeling on buying clothes on eBay or from a second-hand store?

ME: Resellers are a wonderful resource: eco-friendly (less wastage on fast fashion that's worn twice and thrown into a landfill) and bargain-priced (that Vuitton bag on consignment will be less than half its cost brand new). The only challenge is that the boom in consigning has also birthed a boon for fakes, and the industry's infested with knockoffs.

Online, giveaways that something might be more Luis Vuttion than LV are blurbs that keep reiterating "100% authentic" - it's the shopping equivalent of a guy on a first date who's overemphatic about how he has no feelings for his ex (If it were true, you wouldn't need to keep on saying it). To be safe, buy from a reputable reseller with a reputation and guarantees - one of my favorites is Fashionphile.com. It's an Aladdin's Cave of cut-price designer purses.

6: L&L: Complete this sentence:When I'm not writing, producing or presenting, I'm _________.

ME: I'm shopping. Honestly. My favorite place for a bargain is the basement of the Strand bookstore on Broadway in downtown Manhattan, where review copies are illicitly offloaded at half price. The moment I come across my own book on those shelves will be a meta discount moment. And yes, I'll probably buy a couple of copies.

7. L&L: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

ME: I speak fluent Italian, despite looking as British as Harry Potter. I spent chunks of my childhood in Tuscany, and I picked up the local lingo so I could play with the other kids on the beach. It's served me well, as I love Italy so much (the shopping's amazing, of course).

It's also delicious as most Italians assume anyone blonder than Sophia Loren won't understand a word they're saying, as their language isn't exactly spoken worldwide. I've eavesdropped on the most outrageous conversations in Venice or Rome, whether hotel clerks wondering out loud whether to upgrade my room (I waited til they finished, and then replied sweetly I'd love una camera con la veduta) to waiters complaining about other diners (never me, so far at least)

Thanks, Mark!

Jennifer Chiaverini's 5 Fall Faves

Today's guest: Jennifer Chiaverini Why we love her: She is a wonderful storyteller!

Her latest: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker (Out in paperback September 24th!)

The scoop: New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini’s compelling historical novel unveils the private lives of Abraham and Mary Lincoln through the perspective of the First Lady’s most trusted confidante and friend, her dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckley.

In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. A gifted seamstress, she earned her freedom by the skill of her needle, and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln by her devotion. A sweeping historical novel, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincoln’s days.

Our thoughts: This book grabbed us from the first page and didn't let go. It's an engaging story that we think you will love!

Giveaway: TWO copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, September 29th after 12pm PST.

Fun fact: She's the author of twenty-two novels!

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

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...JENNIFER CHIAVERINI'S 5 FALL FAVES

1. Memory

I have many favorite fall memories, but on this cool Wisconsin morning I think first of one of our family traditions—driving out to a local farm to pick apples and pumpkins. I recall vividly the sweet taste of the fruit, the fragrance of windfall apples on the ground, the buzz of the bees in the sunshine, and the creak of the rusted handle of the red Radio Flyer wagon as I pull my sons through the orchard and pumpkin patch.

2. Favorite recipe

When the weather turns cooler, I crave all things gingerbread. Usually I try to eat healthy, but when I want to indulge, I make a batch of gingerbread muffins:

Ingredients:

3 ¾ cups Hodgson Mill 50/50 Whole Wheat & White Flour 1 cup Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Baking Soda 1 Tbsp Cinnamon 1 Tbsp Nutmeg 1 Tbsp Ground Ginger 1 ½ cups Land O Lakes Light Butter ¾ cup Egg Beaters (or 3 eggs) 1 cup Molasses 1 cup Hot Water 1 11.5 ounce bag Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin cups with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large bowl.
3. Place butter in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave. Stir in Egg Beaters, molasses, and hot water.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Mix just until ingredients are blended. Stir in white chocolate chips, if desired.
5. Fill muffin tin cups ⅔ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Makes 30 muffins.

3. Drink

If you want me to be very specific, my favorite drink was bottle of Achaval-Ferrer Quimera 2007 that I enjoyed with my husband and a few traveling companions at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness, Scotland. A marvelous wine shared with good friends in a beautiful setting—what more could I want from a drink? More generally, I like the occasional glass of red wine over dinner, and a strong English Breakfast tea with milk in the morning or on a rainy fall afternoon.

4. Activity/hobby

I love to run. My favorite racing distance is the half marathon, but I'm planning to run my first full marathon in November. I've long considered attempting a full marathon, but I've hesitated out of worry that I'd collapse before crossing the finish line. After the terrible bombing at Boston Marathon earlier this year, however, I resolved to commit myself to a full marathon as a tribute to the courage of those who were killed, injured, or lost loved ones. It's a small act of defiance and solidarity with other runners and those who cheer them on, to show that no one can take away our joy or destroy our community.

5. Writing inspiration

I take inspiration from the many strong, courageous women who have played significant—though often unsung—roles in American history.

Thanks, Jennifer!

5 Things We Didn't Know About...Jane Porter

Today's guest: Jane Porter Why we love her: She's one of our faves for good reason. Since we read Flirting With Forty, we've been HUGE fans!

Her latest: The Good Wife (The third of the Brennan sisters novels.)

The scoop: Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew...

Our thoughts: A great book. A wonderful series. You will love these characters!

Giveaway: TWO SETS of ALL THREE books from Jane's Brennan Sisters series! Leave a comment to be entered to win. We'll select the winners on Sunday, September 22nd after 12 pm PST.

Fun fact:This is the 4th time Jane has been our guest. She's also shared her 5 Best Evers, 5 Things she'd tell her teen self and What's on her Bucket List.

Where you can read more about Jane: Her website,her blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

LIZ & LISA PRESENT...5 THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT... JANE PORTER

1. I love a steak dinner.  A thick, juicy steak, roasted potatoes and a crisp green salad – heaven!  My grandfather was a Texan who owned three ranches and I grew up in cow country.  In fact, it was my love for ranching that inspired me to write She’s Gone Country a couple of years ago.

2. When I was young, I wanted to be an architect.  I love to create and build new things.  I guess I’m still doing that now – creating and building… but with words.

3. I’m really into sports.  I come from a family of athletes.  My siblings and I were always involved in some way with sports and for me it was swimming.  I love to swim and I also love ball games, especially football and baseball.  I’m very happy joining my guys to watch a football game on TV but I’m happiest going to the stadium to watch a baseball game.

4. I make a mean hot fudge sundae.  I don’t have a recipe as such to follow, I like to change it up by using different flavors, powders or cream and lots of different chocolates each time so it tastes different every time.  Sometimes it’s really thick and other times, not.  But it’s dang good and my boys love it when I make them!

5. I’m a historical romance junkie.  I love to read books by my favorite authors like Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Joanna Bourne, Stephanie Laurens, and so many others.  Every time I travel or need to unwind, reading historicals is my favorite thing to do.

Thanks, Jane!