Kate White’s 5 Loves and a Dud

We love a good mystery.  Although most days our biggest mystery is where the hell did we set our keys down the night before or why we’ve gained two pounds after cutting carbs all week.  But today we have a GREAT mystery author for you.  And we think you’re going to love her as much as we do!

We’re thrilled that the ultra-fab Kate White agreed to share her 5 Loves and a Dud with us.  If her name sounds familiar, that might be because she’s the editor-in-chief at Cosmopolitan Magazine.  Or maybe it’s because her first novel, If Looks Could Kill, was Kelly and Regis’s first book club pick.  Or maybe you’ve already read her latest, The Sixes, and loved it as much as we did!  We hadn’t read a thriller like this in quite a while, and it was seriously refreshing.  We highly recommend that you grab a copy today!

Here’s the deal on The Sixes: Phoebe Hall’s Manhattan life has suddenly begun to unravel. Right after her long-term boyfriend breaks off their relationship, she’s falsely accused of plagiarizing her latest bestselling celebrity biography. Looking for a quiet place to put her life back together, Phoebe jumps at the offer to teach in a sleepy Pennsylvania town at a small private college run by her former boarding school roommate and close friend, Glenda Johns.

But behind the campus’s quiet cafes and leafy maple trees lie evil happenings. The body of a female student washes up on the banks of a nearby river, and disturbing revelations begin to surface: accusations from coeds about abuses wrought by a secret society of girls on campus known as The Sixes.. To help Glenda, Phoebe embarks on a search for clues—a quest that soon raises painful memories of her own boarding school days years ago.

As the investigation heats up, Phoebe unexpectedly finds herself falling for the school’s handsome psychology professor, Duncan Shaw. But when nasty pranks turn into deadly threats, Phoebe realizes she’s in the middle of a real-life nightmare, not knowing whom she can trust and if she will even survive.

Plunging deeper into danger with every step, Phoebe knows she’s close to unmasking a killer. But with truth comes a terrifying revelation: your darkest secrets can still be uncovered . . . and starting over may be a crime punishable by death.

Sound fab?  Then leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We’ll choose the winners on Sunday September 18th after 6pm PST.  Good Luck y’all!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS…KATE WHITE’S 5 LOVES AND A DUD

1. My delicious new freedom on weekends. My kids are 21 and 24 and I have all this glorious time to myself now. Oh, I adore my kids and I never minded the endless games of War and Candyland and the snake hunts through the woods on Saturdays and Sundays. And it’s sad in many respects to have them mostly off on their own. But it’s so very sweet to have time to myself again. Sitting on my porch with a book is even more blissful, perhaps, because I somehow thought it would never happen again.

2. Basil. I’ve always loved this herb but started growing pots of it a few years ago, and I can’t get enough of it. I make tons of pesto in the summer and use basil in all sorts of dishes. But one of my favorite things is a basil salad. I had one in Provence last year and though I know it sounds surprising, it’s really good as a little side dish. Just leaves of basil with olive oil and vinegar.

3. Reading plays. I love SEEING plays, especially off and off off Broadway in small theaters. But a few years ago I discovered how nice it was to read them. I carry one in my purse. Great for when you are stuck in a long line.

4. Hot weather. I not only love to just BE in hot weather, but I also find it’s easier for me to write my mysteries when it’s over 80. I have no clue why. Sometimes I think I must have lived in a very warm climate in another life. It’s helped my writing to understand this. I’ve come to see that part of getting yourself to write is knowing all the factors that make you want to do it–the right type of desk, the right time of day, etc. I call it the writer’s cocktail.

5. The crazy thing I just did in my 25-year marriage. I know from my day job (editor in chief of Cosmo) that novelty is great for long-term relationships because it releases dopamine, which mimics a feeling of infatuation. Well, I followed my own advice. My husband and I bought a house in Uruguay. Very affordable, not a big risk at all financially. But still kooky and wild to do, and it’s been exhilarating.

DUD
The Real Housewives series. They make women seem so vile and horrible. I’ve met a ton of fabulous women in my life and career, and no one even remotely as disgusting as any of those women.

Thanks Kate! xoxo, L&L

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

Tagged as: 5 Loves and a Dud, chick lit blog, Chick Lit is Not Dead, Cosmopolitan Magazine, If Looks Could Kill, Kate White, The Sixes