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