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	<title>Chick Lit Is Not Dead &#187; Lit IT girl:Debut Author</title>
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		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Deborah Michel</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/05/lit-it-girl-debut-author-deborah-michel/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/05/lit-it-girl-debut-author-deborah-michel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 May 2012 13:53:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[best debut novels of 2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[best women's fiction of 2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit is Not Dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deborah Michel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DEBUT AUTHOR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prosper in Love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's fiction]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Our latest Lit IT Girl: Deborah Michel Why she&#8217;s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown: Her writing is sharp, witty and genuine. Her debut: Prosper in Love The dealio on it: From the start, Lynn and Jamie Prosper were one of those couples that seem meant to be&#8211;so content with each other that [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/05/lit-it-girl-debut-author-deborah-michel/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Deborah Michel' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Prosper-In-Love-lo-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9651" title="Prosper In Love lo-1" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Prosper-In-Love-lo-1-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>Our latest Lit IT Girl:</strong> Deborah Michel</p>
<p><strong>Why she&#8217;s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown: </strong>Her writing is sharp, witty and genuine. <strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Her debut: <a title="Prosper in Love" href="http://www.amazon.com/Prosper-Love-Deborah-Michel/dp/0425247279/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1336015888&amp;sr=8-2" target="_blank"><em>Prosper in Love</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>The dealio on it:</strong> From the start, Lynn and Jamie Prosper were one of those couples that seem meant to be&#8211;so content with each other that they barely notice the rest of the world nodding approvingly at their wedded bliss.</p>
<p>True, Jamie has been working so hard and traveling so much as a young lawyer that he hardly has enough energy to show his devotion. Not that Lynn, a junior museum curator, has any reason to question it. But when Lynn&#8217;s old college friend turns up at a cocktail party, chinks in their marriage&#8217;s previously unassailable armor start to show.</p>
<p><strong>Teaser:</strong> <strong><a title="Check out a teaser of Prosper in Love" href="http://www.deborahmichel.net/excerpt.html" target="_blank">Read an excerpt of <em>Prosper in Love</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Our thoughts: </strong>She more than nailed this novel about and the complexities of marriage. She&#8217;s definitely an author to put not only on your radar but on your bookshelf.<strong><strong><br />
</strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Fun fact:</strong> Deborah says <em>Prosper in Love</em> was inspired in part by her own marriage.</p>
<p><strong>Giveaway: </strong>5 copies! Leave a comment and be entered to win. We&#8217;ll randomly select the winners on Monday, May 7 after 6pm EST.<strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>How to find Deborah: </strong>Her <strong><a title="website" href="http://www.deborahmichel.net/" target="_blank">website</a></strong> and <strong><a title="Facebook" href="http://www.facebook.com/deborahmichelauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR DEBORAH MICHEL</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Deborah-Michel-lo-1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9652" title="Deborah Michel lo-1" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Deborah-Michel-lo-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found “the one”?</strong> I have two different answers to this question. The first is probably forty from start to finish. I have a card catalog with all their names and info, but it’s too painful, even now, to count them up. My other answer, though, is just a few, and I can maybe even say one. I sent out my novel out to lots of agents over YEARS in a series of drafts. I had some very nice nibbles and even a long, drawn out bite. But no cigar. I thought long and hard about what I’d written and ultimately decided that everything I wanted to be in the book wasn’t quite there, so I buckled down to one last draft. Once I was done, I felt that I’d finally nailed the story, that even if it didn’t sell this time, I could finally put it away knowing I’d written the best possible version of it I could. I sent it out to three new agents—and they all responded enthusiastically. My (wonderful!) agent today happens to be the first one who—almost immediately—got back to me.</p>
<p><strong>2. What’s a line from your “favorite” rejection letter?</strong> This wasn’t exactly from a rejection letter, but one editor told my agent she simply couldn’t find the marital mishaps of a young couple compelling—that they’d only been married two and a half years, so who cared?.</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel?</strong> Definitely forcing myself through all those drafts. The trying, the waiting, the trying again, the waiting. I’d heard writers talk about the dozens of drafts they’d go through, but I never quite understood what that meant, or believed it. Of course, now I know to go through those drafts before I sent out the book!</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong> The best, and really only advice, was not to give up. Again and again I heard published authors say that they’d be in writing groups and the best writer in the group wasn’t always the one who made it, it was the one who persevered. The other best advice was to read everything (or as much as you can manage) out loud. That’s priceless. Bad advice? None really, although my father-in-law did once comment that he thought a person should be able to knock out a book in 4 months or so.</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong> Quite a bit jumping around my kitchen, squealing. And I was taken out for a great dinner by my family. We’re not counting new shoes, are we?</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong> Living or dead? I am a diehard Anthony Trollope fan. You’ll see what I mean if you read PROSPER IN LOVE. Living, I’d say Helen Simonson. When I read MAJOR PETTIGREW’S STAND I felt so happy and envious. That’s the company I’d love to be in. But I know that in a minute or two I’m going to think of twenty other crushes.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong> This is going to sound so pretentious, but Proust’s IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME. Can I count all the volumes as one book? But it’s not all high-minded seriousness—that man could write a party scenes!</p>
<p><strong>8. What’s on your iPod right now?</strong> This is another question I’m embarrassed to answer. I don’t listen to much music, never when I’m writing. But I’ve been thinking about a novel set in the 80s—I was a nightlife columnist in New York back then—so I just downloaded a lot of Chaka Khan, Rick James, Roxy Music. It’s that and Mahler. I’m a nerd.</p>
<p><strong>9. What’s your #1 stress reliever?</strong>  Pilates. I tell people (my husband!) it’s to counterbalance all that slumping over a computer. But the real reason is that my instructor often ends the session with a 10 minute foot massage.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye?</strong> Alan Cummings on THE GOOD WIFE. Or wait, can he share the bullseye with Chris Noth?</p>
<p>Thanks, Deborah!</p>
<p>xoxo,</p>
<p>L&amp;L</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F05%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-deborah-michel%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/05/lit-it-girl-debut-author-deborah-michel/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Deborah Michel' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>56</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-gooch-hummer/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-gooch-hummer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:35:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[best YA of 2012]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jennifer Gooch Hummer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lit It Girl: Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[YA novels]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Today&#8217;s guest: Jennifer Gooch Hummer Why we love her: Her dazzling debut reminds us why we love to mix it up with a great YA novel. Her debut: Girl Unmoored The scoop:  Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. It’s 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-gooch-hummer/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Girl-Unmoored-final-cover.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9572" title="Girl-Unmoored-final-cover" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Girl-Unmoored-final-cover-194x300.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="300" /></a>Today&#8217;s guest</strong>: Jennifer Gooch Hummer</p>
<p><strong>Why we love her:</strong> Her dazzling debut reminds us why we love to mix it up with a great YA novel.</p>
<p><strong>Her debut:<em> <a title="Girl Unmoored" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1936558300/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1936558300" target="_blank">Girl Unmoored</a></em></strong></p>
<p><strong>The scoop:  </strong>Apron Bramhall has come unmoored. It’s 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has traded her in for a newer model. Fortunately, she’s about to be saved by Jesus. Not that Jesus—the actor who plays him in Jesus Christ, Superstar. Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike (no one should look that much like Jesus unless they can perform a miracle or two), but suddenly he’s everywhere. Until one day, she’s stuck in church with him—of all places. And then something happens; Apron’s broken teenage heart blinks on for the first time since she’s been adrift.</p>
<p>Mike and his grumpy boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower store, Apron’s world seems to calm. But when she uncovers Chad’s secret, coming of age becomes almost too much bear. She’s forced to see things the adults around her fail to—like what love really means and who is paying too much for it.</p>
<p><strong>Our thoughts: </strong>Loved. With a capital L-O-V-E-D.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Giveaway</strong>: 5 copies. Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We&#8217;ll randomly select the winners after 6pm on Sunday, April 22.</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;Lit IT Girl Debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Jennifer-Gooch-Hummer-headshot2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9571" title="Jennifer-Gooch-Hummer-headshot2" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Jennifer-Gooch-Hummer-headshot2-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a><strong>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;?</strong> Oh boy. Agents. Well it took me about two years and fifty-ish rejections to get my first agent. This one was at a huge talent agency and I had first queried her “boss” whom I had a college connection with. My connection ended up passing my information onto the agent she was training, and this junior agent ended up representing me. When she couldn’t sell my first book (which is now Girl Unmoored) she told me to put it aside and write another book. I did. This second novel is a chick lit and just when she started pitching it, she left the agency. I went with her to her new agency, but felt like she had given up on me. So we parted ways. I then entered the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and ended up making it to the semi-final round. I thought this would help with the agent querying process. It didn’t. After another fifty rejections, I was finally picked out of a slush pile and offered representation. The weird thing is that I ended up getting my own book deal for Girl Unmoored after submitting it to the publisher myself.</p>
<p>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?<br />
“Dear ________,”</p>
<p>Sometimes they don’t even fill in your name!</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel?</strong> Not giving up. I wrote the novel in two years and spent the next eight trying to get it published. In that time, I was constantly rewriting, querying, submitting. A sane person would have quit, but writers aren’t really sane. I ended up framing a piece of paper with “I’m quitting…. tomorrow!” on it and keeping it on my desk. I meant it too, but then there was tomorrow… and tomorrow… and tomorrow… It’s a strange but effective strategy for me to keep writing.</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong> Best: Anne Lamott’s advice to allow yourself to write the most horrible, pathetic, lame-o first draft possible. Because no one is ever going to see this draft, and inside all that awful-ness is the beautiful gem of your story that you’ll find in your second draft.</p>
<p>Worst: Quit, you’re never going to get published anyway. (But that was me saying that to myself. Luckily I didn’t listen.)</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong> Quietly, because I’m really superstitious and generally suspecting. I got the email from my publisher while we were in Maine where we live in the summer. When my husband called from France (he’s a sport broadcaster and was covering the Tour de France) he was surrounded by his co-workers so I didn’t want to tell him. But my daughters, who I’d just read the email to, made me. Just like I thought, he had the whole crew congratulate me &#8211; exactly what I didn’t want him to do. I’d had so many close calls up to that point that I wasn’t a hundred percent sure this one was going to be it. I proved myself wrong though. And have since suffered through my family’s constant reminder of what a buzz-kill I am. But now every day that I wake up knowing my book is finally published is the real celebration.</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong> David Sedaris. I needed windshield wipers for my eyes while I was reading Me Talk Pretty One Day. That man is hi-larious. He has such a gifted way of describing the most mundane yet absolutely hysterical events of every day life. I wish he’d rewrite The Constitution. That would be the best!</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong> Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong> I have no idea because we have a family iTunes account so whatever my daughters and husband have recently purchased just shows up on mine. For the past two weeks it’s been The Hunger Games album non-stop. But yesterday my nine year-old discovered Justin Beiber’s “Boyfriend” so I’m guessing I’ll be running to that pretty soon. It’s a good song actually.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever</strong>? Exercising. I swim on a master’s swim team every weekday morning at 5:30 so I’m ahead on the day. I also run or spin or go to a barre class. If I don’t work out, I’m really hard to live with.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye?</strong> AAPL   (Apple Stock)</p>
<p>Thanks, Jennifer!</p>
<p>xoxo,</p>
<p>Liz &amp; Lisa</p>
<p>To find out more about Jennifer Gooch Hummer, visit her<strong> <a title="website" href="http://jennifergoochhummer.com/girl-unmoored/" target="_blank">website </a></strong>and follow her on <a title="Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Gooch-Hummer" target="_blank"><strong>Facebook</strong></a> and <strong><a title="Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/#!/jgoochhummer" target="_blank">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F04%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-gooch-hummer%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-gooch-hummer/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut author Jennifer Gooch Hummer' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>35</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Heather Poole</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-heather-poole/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-heather-poole/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:02:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cruising Attitude]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heather Poole]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NYT BESTSELLER]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's fiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Our Latest Lit IT Girl: Heather Poole Why she’s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown: She is funny and we LOVE her insider gossip on the airline industry.  And her not&#8211;so-overnight success story (It took years to get her book deal- but her debut memoir hit the NYT bestseller list!) should be an [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-heather-poole/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Heather Poole' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Cruising-Attitude.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9471" title="Cruising Attitude" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Cruising-Attitude-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a>Our Latest Lit IT Girl:</strong> <strong><a href="http://hpoole.wordpress.com/">Heather Poole</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Why she’s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown:</strong> She is funny and we LOVE her insider gossip on the airline industry.  And her not&#8211;so-overnight success story (It took years to get her book deal- but her debut memoir hit the NYT bestseller list!) should be an inspiration to us all.</p>
<p><strong>Her debut novel:</strong> <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Attitude-Tales-Crashpads-Passengers/dp/0061986461">Cruising Attitude:Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 feet</a></strong></em></p>
<p><strong>The dealio on it:</strong> In her more than fifteen years as an airline flight attendant, Heather Poole has seen it all. She&#8217;s witnessed all manner of bad behavior at 35,000 feet and knows what it takes for a traveler to become the most hated passenger onboard. She&#8217;s slept in flight attendant crashpads in &#8220;Crew Gardens,&#8221; Queens—sharing small bedrooms crammed with bunk beds with a parade of attractive women who come and go at all hours, prompting suspicious neighbors to jump to the very worst conclusions. She&#8217;s watched passengers and coworkers alike escorted off the planes by police. She can tell you why it&#8217;s a bad idea to fall for a pilot but can be a very good one (in her case) to date a business-class passenger. Heather knows everything about flying in a post-9/11 world—and she knows what goes on behind the scenes, things the passengers would never dream.</p>
<p><strong>Our thoughts: </strong>It&#8217;s fun and we loved all the inside scoop on what it&#8217;s really like to be a flight attendant! Perfect Spring Break reading!</p>
<p><strong>Fun Fact: </strong>Heather&#8217;s mom became a flight attendant for the same airline after being inspired by her daughter!</p>
<p><strong>Giveaway:</strong> FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and you&#8217;ll be entered to win.  We&#8217;ll choose the winners on Sunday April 8th after 3pm PST.</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL:DEBUT AUTHOR HEATHER POOLE</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Poole-Heather-ap1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9472" title="Poole Heather ap1" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Poole-Heather-ap1-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;?</strong>  I never found “the one.”  (Is there even such a thing as “the one?”) No joke, I sent queries to what seemed like HUNDREDS of agents AND publishing houses &#8212; multiple times! -over many years.  HarperCollins, my publisher today, rejected one of my manuscripts not once, but twice!  I have a photo album filled with all the rejection letters I’ve received.  What&#8217;s interesting is how those letters changed over time.  Quick generic responses printed on plain white postcards eventually turned into one page letters with my name and the title of my book inserted into what I’m sure was a standard form letter and those turned into the same letters with a personal note from the agent scribbled at the bottom of the page.  Eventually I scored an “agent.”  I use that term loosely, because a year later I had to hire a lawyer to get me out of the contract.  My second agent ended up passing away before she was able to sell my book.  In the end I got a book deal without an agent after an editor at a publishing house stumbled upon my blog.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?  </strong>An agent who’s famous for being snarky once scribbled a personal note at the bottom of one of those generic rejection form letters that after reading my book about flight attendants she hoped to never have me on one of her flights.  HA!  I should mention the book was about a serial killing flight attendant.  I called it <em>Stewardeath.  </em>Almost every agent who read the manuscript said they liked the voice, but wished I could make it more “fun.”  I stuck to my guns and&#8230;.well&#8230;you guessed it.  I never sold it. That’s when I started blogging.  The book business is a business after all, so I figured if I could get a following and be able to show just how many people come to my blog, maybe, just maybe, I could sell a book.  10 years and 7 million hits later an editor from HarperCollins read my blog and asked if I&#8217;d be willing to write a book for them about flight attendants.  <strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong>Finding the time.  I&#8217;m a flight attendant.  I&#8217;m also a wife and mother to a five year old.  There were times I thought I might have a nervous breakdown because I wasn&#8217;t going to make my deadline.  When I was writing I&#8217;d feel guilty about not spending time with my family.  When I was spending time with my family I&#8217;d feel guilty about not writing.  I think the hardest thing for most writers is not giving up.  Being patient but also persistent.  Recently someone asked me for writing advice.  I told him to just sit down and start writing.  It can’t be that easy, he wrote back.  Certainly there’s more to it, he added.  That’s when I informed him that it took me 10 years of writing every single day to get where I am now.  He was shocked.  Another writer came up to me at a conference to let me know she’d been querying agents for six months.   She couldn’t believe she didn’t have a book deal yet.  I tried not to laugh.  Most people get discouraged if they don’t sell their book within a year &#8211; one year! It took me ten.</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?  </strong>A passenger who turned out to be a television show writer once told me there&#8217;s no such thing as writers block, that writing is work and some days are just harder than others.  If writing were easy all those people who say they’re going to write a book someday would have already written it.  You have to put in the time.  Every.  Single.  Day.  Doesn’t matter if all you have is an hour each day and it takes 10 years to get to those oh-so-precious two little words, The End.  That time is going to go by anyway, so why not have a finished book to show in the end?</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong> I didn&#8217;t. In the beginning of my writing career I dreamed about  launch parties and celebrating at a special restaurant in Beverly Hills. I read about in <em>People</em> Magazine, which turned out to be right next door to my second agent’s office.  But when my book finally published, just spending time with my family without feeling guilty about not writing was celebration enough.   To be honest, writing a book is so much more than the final product.  People have no idea what it truly takes to not only write a book, but then also sell the book, and then market the book to readers I never dreamed my book would make the <em>New York Times</em> bestseller list, but it did, and I still didn’t celebrate.  I did, however, stare at the newspaper for a few hours in an effort to let it sink in.  It still doesn’t feel real.</p>
<p><strong>6. </strong><strong>Who is your writer crush?  </strong>Walter Kirn, the author of <em>Up in the Air</em>.  But we have very little in common.  I’d be afraid to actually meet him in real life.  Recently I’ve become fascinated with Marguerite Duras, author of <em>The Lover</em>.  If she were still alive today I’d reach out and try to contact her.  Her life story is so interesting.  Someone should make a movie about it.  The writer I’d most like to have lunch with is Helen Fielding, author of <em>Bridget Jones’ Diary</em>, which is the best chick lit book ever written!  I’d love nothing more than to channel some of her creative energy.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?  </strong>One of those worst case scenario books.  The one that focuses on deserted islands.  I’m practical like that.  If I could have two books, I’d add <em>Madame Bovary</em> to the list.  I love that book.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?  </strong> I&#8217;d rather tune in to Pandora.  My favorite &#8220;writing&#8221; station is Everything But the Girl.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?  </strong>Running or walking on the beach.  Just getting outside and breathing fresh air.  Listening to moody girly music also helps.  I like songs that feel raw, songs that are more about the lyrics than the music.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?  </strong>What’s that? I’m Googling &#8220;Entertainment Weekly bullseye&#8221; now.</p>
<p><em>Thanks Heather!  xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Heather, find her at her <strong><a href="http://hpoole.wordpress.com/">website</a></strong> or on <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Poole/167744036590864">Facebook</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/heather_poole">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F04%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-heather-poole%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/04/lit-it-girl-debut-author-heather-poole/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Heather Poole' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Meg Donohue</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-meg-donohue/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-meg-donohue/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:00:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How to Eat a Cupcake]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Meg Donahue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's fiction]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Our Latest Lit IT Girl: Meg Donohue Why she&#8217;s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown: We LOVE books about food and friendship. Double yum! Her debut novel: How To Eat a Cupcake The dealio on it: Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-meg-donohue/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Meg Donohue' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/How-to-Eat-A-Cupcake.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9462" title="How-to-Eat-A-Cupcake" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/How-to-Eat-A-Cupcake-198x300.jpg" alt="" width="198" height="300" /></a>Our Latest Lit IT Girl: <a href="http://www.megdonohue.com/">Meg Donohue</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Why she&#8217;s fit to wear the Lit IT Girl crown: </strong>We LOVE books about food and friendship. Double yum!<strong><br />
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<p><strong>Her debut novel: <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Eat-Cupcake-A-Novel/dp/0062069284">How To Eat a Cupcake</a></em></strong></p>
<p><strong>The dealio on it: </strong>Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clairs&#8217; housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia&#8217;s San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls oblivious to class differences could—until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.</p>
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<p>A decade later, Annie bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother&#8217;s death, and a painful secret jeopardizes Julia&#8217;s engagement to the man she loves. A chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, but when a mysterious saboteur opens up old wounds, they must finally face the truth about their past or risk losing everything.</p>
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<p><strong>Our thoughts: </strong>Deliciously satisfying, we think you&#8217;ll devour this debut!</p>
<p><strong>Fun Fact:</strong> Just out this month, How To Eat A Cupcake has already gone into a THIRD printing. You go, girlfrin&#8217;! *gives virtual high five*</p>
<p><strong>Giveaway: </strong>FIVE copies!  Leave a comment and we&#8217;ll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday, April 1st.</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL MEG DONOHUE</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/headshot.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9463" title="headshot" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/headshot-203x300.jpg" alt="" width="203" height="300" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;? </strong>I simultaneously queried about six agents and ended up receiving offers of representation from two. Luckily, they were the two at the top of my list! I was thrilled.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?</strong> An agent wrote that I was a “really terrific writer” and that she’d be cheering me on “from the sidelines!” Which, all in all, was a very nice way to say “No thanks.”</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong>I was lucky enough to have a contract to write the novel in advance of actually writing the novel. A looming deadline was a great motivator, but it was also a nerve-wracking. I had days where I worried if the faith my editor, the wonderful Jeanette Perez of Harper, had in me was unfounded. I worried I was going to let her—and myself—down. So I think the hardest part was believing in myself even on the days when the writing simply would not flow…and trusting that as long as I was disciplined I would still meet my deadline, bad days and all.</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong> One really great piece of advice I received was to look for an agent who expressed enthusiasm for nurturing my career rather than just the possibility of negotiating a single book deal. The idea of finding an agent who could serve as a career advisor really struck a chord with me and ultimately led me to sign with the smart, savvy, and generous Elisabeth Weed.</p>
<p>I honestly can’t think of any bad advice that’s been offered to me! I must have blocked it out.</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong> With a cupcake, of course! And champagne. My favorite pairing.</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong> I have two right now. J. Courtney Sullivan’s MAINE was my absolute favorite book of 2011 and I have had a huge crush on her brain ever since reading it. I’m also totally in love with Amanda Eyre Ward’s writing style. I read their books and feel a sense of awe and delight and, yes, a healthy dose of envy. They are so talented! I’d be totally star struck if I ever met either one.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong> I’d want to have Siri Hustvedt’s THE BLINDFOLD. I read it for the first time as part of a college course on contemporary women writers and found it mysterious and beautifully written and utterly mesmerizing. I’ve read it over and over again since college and it never gets old.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong> I’m attempting to become a runner so my most-used iPod playlist at the moment is all upbeat dance tracks. I particularly love Keri Hilson and Kanye West’s “Knock You Down” right now. It gets me moving—no easy feat!</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong> List making. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I make a list of what I need to get done. It helps me to feel a little more in control. I’m a big fan of lists.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?</strong> Mark Ruffalo. That is one cute man! And he does far too good a job of staying out of the limelight. I want pictures, Mark! Don’t be shy.</p>
<p><em>Thanks Meg! xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Meg, check out her <strong><a href="http://www.megdonohue.com/">website</a></strong> or find her on <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meg-Donohue/145378748881528?sk=wall">Facebook</a></strong> or <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/megdonohue">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F03%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-meg-donohue%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-meg-donohue/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Meg Donohue' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>66</slash:comments>
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		<title>Lit IT girl: Debut Author Sarah Pinneo</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-sarah-pinneo/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-sarah-pinneo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:23:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit is Not Dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Julia's child]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lit It Girl: Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sarah Pinneo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's fiction]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chicklitisnotdead.com/?p=9252</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Trying to feed our kids healthy food can be a full-time job in itself.  I don&#8217;t know about you, but it&#8217;s something we are constantly stressing about-all the organic, whole grain and fiber rich labels at the store make our heads spin! Which is why we really loved Julia&#8217;s Child, Sarah Pinneo&#8217;s fun fiction debut [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-sarah-pinneo/' addthis:title='Lit IT girl: Debut Author Sarah Pinneo' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Julias-Child-book-cover.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9253" title="Julia's Child book cover" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Julias-Child-book-cover-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a>Trying to feed our kids healthy food can be a full-time job in itself.  I don&#8217;t know about you, but it&#8217;s something we are constantly stressing about-all the organic, whole grain and fiber rich labels at the store make our heads spin!</p>
<p>Which is why we really loved <em><strong><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/julias-child-sarah-pinneo/1102499752">Julia&#8217;s Child</a></strong></em>, Sarah Pinneo&#8217;s fun fiction debut novel about Julia, a mom who is heading up a startup organic children&#8217;s food brand.  It&#8217;s a fast-paced read that&#8217;s perfect for the beach(um, hello, it was 80 degrees in LA this past weekend!).  We&#8217;re ecstatic that Sarah agreed to strike a pose and wear our Lit IT girl crown-we think you guys will love her!</p>
<p><em><strong>Here&#8217;s the 411 on Julia&#8217;s child:</strong></em> Julia Bailey is a mompreneur with too many principles and too little time. Her fledgling company, Julia&#8217;s Child, makes organic toddler meals like Gentle Lentil and Give Peas a Chance. But turning a profit while saving the world proves tricky as Julia must face a ninety-two-pound TV diva, an ill-timed protest rally, and a room full of one hundred lactating breasts. Will she get her big break before her family reaches the breaking point? In the end, it is a story about motherhood&#8217;s choices: organic versus local, paper versus plastic, staying at home versus risking it all.</p>
<p><strong>Sound good?  We have FIVE copies to give away!  Just leave a comment and we&#8217;ll choose the winners on Sunday, March 11th after 6pm PST. Good Luck!</strong></p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR SARAH PINNEO</strong></p>
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	<a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sarah-Pinneo-cr.-Michael-Lake.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-9254" title="Sarah Pinneo cr. Michael Lake" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sarah-Pinneo-cr.-Michael-Lake-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>
	<p class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit: Michael Lake</p>
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<p><strong>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;? </strong> For me, you have to ask that question this way: how many agents did you have before you found “the one.” And the answer is three! The first one handles only cookbooks. So we were great together, until the minute I finished my novel. But it wasn’t a bitter divorce. We keep in touch. My second agent couldn’t sell my first novel, and then he fired me—by email—immediately after reading the second.</p>
<p>But somehow I scraped myself up off the floor and queried widely for <em>Julia’s Child</em>. And in only 60 days I had three offers of representation. I learned something valuable from that experience—that it really isn’t personal.</p>
<p>My third agent, bless her, is amazing. I say a little prayer for her health on a daily basis.</p>
<p><strong>2. </strong><strong>What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?</strong>  Rejection letters are mostly alike: “not for me,” etc. So I tend to remember them more for their speed than their contents. There is a certain New York agent who always ranks among the “Top 10 Most Non-Responsive agents” list maintained over at QueryTracker.net—meaning that he can’t even be bothered to reject anyone.</p>
<p>Well!</p>
<p>I sent him a snail mail query, dropping it into an Upper East Side mailbox on a Tuesday morning. By Wednesday afternoon my SASE had made it, complete with tiny 1/4 page pre-printed rejection, into my Upper West Side mailbox. I’m not quite sure how he pulled it off, unless he has a mole in the Post Office. He couldn’t wait to get my query off his desk.</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong> I had so many things I wanted to say—points I wanted to make. But that’s not what drives a good novel. So (with my editor’s help) I cut a lot of things that didn’t move the story forward. All my trade reviews have praised the book’s fast pace, which feels like a victory.</p>
<p><strong>4. </strong><strong>What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong> The best and worse advice is the same: to have a thick skin. I get it, I really do. You can’t feel too strongly about rejection and stay sane in this business. But nobody tells you where to get a thick skin. Amazon doesn’t even sell them. I’ve looked.</p>
<p><strong>5. </strong><strong>How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong>  The call came at about ten in the morning, and my husband popped open a bottle of champagne even before I hung up the phone. Isn’t he a great guy?</p>
<p><strong>6. </strong><strong>Who is your writer crush?</strong> Carl Hiaasen. Any man who can write really funny novels about South Florida while also writing terrific investigative journalism is a man after my own heart. I hope I get to meet him some day</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong> Well, if <em>How to Survive a Desert Island</em> weren’t available, I guess I’d opt for <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>. It’s my literary comfort food.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong> I’m listening to Girlyman’s <em>Through to Sunrise</em>. I love that song.</p>
<p><strong>9. </strong><strong>What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong> A cool flute of Prosecco. I could use one right about now.</p>
<p><strong>10. </strong><strong>Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?</strong> The sisters of Downton Abbey. In a perfect world I would have Mary’s waist, Edith’s bust and Sybil’s smoky voice.</p>
<p><em>Thanks Sarah! xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Sarah, head on over to her <strong><a href="http://www.sarahpinneo.com">website</a></strong> or find her on <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Julias__Child">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F03%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-sarah-pinneo%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/03/lit-it-girl-debut-author-sarah-pinneo/' addthis:title='Lit IT girl: Debut Author Sarah Pinneo' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Molly Shapiro</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/02/lit-it-girl-debut-author-molly-shapiro/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/02/lit-it-girl-debut-author-molly-shapiro/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:00:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DEBUT AUTHOR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Molly Shapiro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Point Click Love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[women's fiction]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chicklitisnotdead.com/?p=9189</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s rare, but occasionally we experience love at first word.  When we pop open a book and fall madly in love with the very first sentence, the narrative so addicting that we&#8217;re turning the pages as quickly as possible.  We don&#8217;t quite know how to put our finger why certain books make us swoon, we&#8217;re [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/02/lit-it-girl-debut-author-molly-shapiro/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Molly Shapiro' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/12072964.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9192" title="12072964" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/12072964-194x300.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="300" /></a>It&#8217;s rare, but occasionally we experience <em>love at first word</em>.  When we pop open a book and fall madly in love with the very first sentence, the narrative so addicting that we&#8217;re turning the pages as quickly as possible.  We don&#8217;t quite know how to put our finger <em>why</em> certain books make us swoon, we&#8217;re just freakin&#8217; happy that we found another one that does!</p>
<p>The book we&#8217;re salivating over?  <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Point-Click-Love-Molly-Shapiro/dp/0345527631">Point, Click, Love</a></strong></em> by <strong><a href="http://mollyshapiro.com/">Molly Shapiro</a></strong>.  We LOVED it.  We want you to grab a copy of your own RIGHT NOW.  It&#8217;s fun and crass yet also thoughtful and insightful. If we actually posted reviews here, we&#8217;d give it a gazillion stars!</p>
<p>So OF COURSE we had to crown Molly as our next <strong>Lit IT Girl</strong>!  Who better to carry on our tradition of wearing the debut author tiara?</p>
<p><em><strong>Here&#8217;s the breakdown on Point, Click, Love:</strong></em> Best friends and fellow midwesterners Katie, Annie, Maxine, and Claudia are no strangers to dealing with love and relationships, but with online dating and social networking now in the mix, they all have the feeling they’re not in Kansas anymore. Katie, a divorced mother of two, secretly seeks companionship through the Internet only to discover that the rules of the dating game have drastically changed. Annie, a high-powered East Coast transplant, longs for a baby, yet her online search for a sperm donor is not as easy—or anonymous—as she anticipates. Maxine, a successful artist with a seemingly perfect husband, turns to celebrity gossip sites to distract herself from her less-than-ideal marriage. And Claudia, tired of her husband’s obsession with Facebook, finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome co-worker. As these women navigate the new highs and lows of the digital age, they each find that their wrong turns lead surprisingly to the right click and, ultimately, the connection they were seeking.</p>
<p>Sounds great, right?  So leave a damn comment so you can have a chance to have a copy of your own!  We&#8217;ll choose FIVE winners on Sunday February 26th after 6pm PST. We&#8217;re crossing our fingers for you!</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHOR MOLLY SHAPIRO</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_2882.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-9193" title="IMG_2882" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_2882-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;? </strong><strong></strong>I had been through the whole agent search process before with my first two unpublished novels. (I didn’t have an agent for my book of short stories, <em>Eternal City</em>.) So with <em>Point, Click, Love</em>, I really knew what I was doing and had a good idea about who would be right to represent this book. I drew up a list of my 10 top choices and queried them first. Luckily, one of them decided to take me on.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?</strong><strong> </strong>My rejections were all fairly cordial and kind. For me, the worst was getting no response at all. The silence was deafening.</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong><strong></strong>Not knowing if anyone was ever going to read it. Because I had written two unpublished novels previously, I knew that the chances that this book would ultimately share the same fate were pretty good. But even though I was realistic about the difficulties of getting published, I had this completely irrational feeling that this time would be different. Writing <em>Point, Click, Love</em> was more fun and I felt more connected to the characters. Deep down, I thought others would feel the same way—and they did!</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong><strong></strong> When I was studying creative writing at Columbia, Charles Baxter came to talk to us. He told us that he wrote three novels before getting his first published, and that made a real impression on me. I thought about that when I was unable to get my first two novels published, and it made me realize that sometimes it’s better if everything we write doesn’t make it into print. It also gave me the strength and confidence to keep on trying.</p>
<p>Another guest speaker at Columbia, an editor at a much-celebrated literary magazine, said something that really bothered me. She said that she believed that a really great piece of writing would always be found and published, even if it was sitting at the bottom of a huge slush pile. I know she was trying to be encouraging, but she ended up making me feel like if I didn’t get published, it was simply because I just wasn’t good enough. Personally, I believe that there are tons of great stories and novels out there that will never see the light of day.</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong><strong> </strong>I was in Seattle with my two kids visiting our very close friends when I found out. So that evening we all hopped into their little speed boat and rode from Lake Washington to Lake Union. We docked at our favorite Japanese restaurant and ate sushi and drank wine overlooking a gorgeous marina, the sun setting in the background. Pretty much perfect.</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong><strong></strong> I have lots of favorite writers, but in the chick lit genre, I’d have to say Helen Fielding. I think <em>Bridget Jones’s Diary</em> is the most well-written, funniest, and most entertaining piece of women’s fiction I’ve ever read. I also give her credit for writing a fabulous film adaption. I’ve watched that movie more times than I care to admit.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong><strong></strong> <em>The Moviegoer</em> by Walker Percy. My absolute all-time favorite. Reading it at age 17 was life-changing.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong><strong></strong> I’ve got a wide variety of stuff on my iPod, from Ella Fitzgerald to Ciara to Glen Hansard to Justin Timberlake. But the best is when my 12-year-old son, Harry, surprises me by putting a new song on there. The other day I was working out and all of a sudden MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” started blaring in my ears. I couldn’t stop smiling as I imagined Harry dancing around the kitchen to it.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong><strong></strong> Definitely going to the gym!</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?</strong><strong></strong> Jon Stewart. He never fails to crack me up and always manages to stay relevant. As far as I’m concerned, he can be in there every week.</p>
<p><em>Thanks Molly! xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Molly, head on over to her <strong><a href="http://mollyshapiro.com/">website</a></strong> or find her on <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mollyannshapiro">Facebook</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/molly_shapiro">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F02%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-molly-shapiro%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/02/lit-it-girl-debut-author-molly-shapiro/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Molly Shapiro' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>45</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Lit IT Girls: Debut Authors Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/01/lit-it-girls-debut-authors-natalie-aaron-and-marla-schwartz/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/01/lit-it-girls-debut-authors-natalie-aaron-and-marla-schwartz/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:40:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blind Date]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit is Not Dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DEBUT AUTHOR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Making The Band]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marla Schwartz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Natalie Aaron]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sweet Home Alabama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Bad Girls Club]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unscripted]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chicklitisnotdead.com/?p=8925</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We been searching long and hard to find which debut authors should rock the Lit IT Girl crown in 2012.  And when we came across Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz, we knew they were destined to wear it! We love the fact that they are great friends that decided to write a novel, just like [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/01/lit-it-girls-debut-authors-natalie-aaron-and-marla-schwartz/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girls: Debut Authors Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/unscript.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8926" title="unscript" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/unscript-189x300.jpg" alt="" width="189" height="300" /></a>We been searching long and hard to find which debut authors should rock the <strong>Lit IT Girl</strong> crown in 2012.  And when we came across <strong><a href="http://www.unscriptedbook.com/">Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz</a></strong>, we knew they were destined to wear it!</p>
<p>We love the fact that they are great friends that decided to write a novel, just like us.  And their debut eBook, <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unscripted-ebook/dp/B005UPRLM0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1325526427&amp;sr=1-1">Unscripted</a>,</strong></em> is funny as hell!  Natalie and Marla are reality TV producers that have worked on shows such as <em>Blind Date</em>, <em>Starting Over</em>, <em>Making the Band</em>, <em>Bands Reunited</em>, <em>Bad Girls Club</em>, <em>The Judds</em>, <em>Ruby</em>, <em>Sweet Home Alabama</em> and <em>Little People, Big World</em>. And their inside knowledge of producing reality TV is one of the many things that makes <em><strong>Unscripted</strong></em> great.</p>
<p><em><strong>Here&#8217;s the dish on Unscripted: </strong></em>As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth. Her career and her friends are all she needs. Right?</p>
<p>When her screenwriter ex makes a hit movie based on their relationship, Abby&#8217;s faults are projected on screens across the country. Suddenly the fact that her job depends on orchestrating hot tub hook-ups doesn&#8217;t seem so impressive.</p>
<p>Her friends rally to help. Zoë thinks she needs to meet a guy. Stephanie suggests an attitude adjustment. Nancy wants her to get in touch with her inner Goddess. Abby knows they mean well, but she prefers to focus on her work. Unfortunately, she&#8217;s already embarrassed herself in front of her new boss, Will Harper, who she would find totally crush-worthy if he weren&#8217;t so irritating.</p>
<p>Abby&#8217;s about to be reminded that life doesn&#8217;t follow a script—and good things happen when you least expect it&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Sound fun?  It is!  And we have 5 eBook copies to giveaway.  Just leave a comment and you&#8217;ll be entered to win!   We&#8217;ll choose the winners on Sunday January 15th after 6pm PST.  Good Luck!</strong></p>
<p>And without further adieu, we present to you the first 2012 Lit IT Girls!</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL: DEBUT AUTHORS NATALIE AARON AND MARLA SCHWARTZ</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Natalie-Marla.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8927" title="Natalie-Marla" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Natalie-Marla-300x204.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;?  </strong>We probably queried about 20 agents. It was a long and slow process but a lot of fun at the same time (one of the joys of writing with a partner).  We will let you all in on a shameful secret of ours.  When mailing out our queries, we did not just shove each envelope into the mailbox at once.  We decided to make a little ritual of it.  So, at about 10 p.m. one night, we took our group of carefully stuffed and addressed envelopes to the post office.  And each time we dropped one into the mailbox, we shouted out the name of the agent, sang a song (if you can call it that) about why they should represent us, and did a mini “happy” dance to accompany each query.  We’re sure if a security guard had spotted us, we would have been carted off to the nearest jail for drunk and disorderly behavior (we were actually sober).  In the end, we got very, very lucky and had a couple of offers.  By no means was it a bed of publishing roses after that, but at least our little ritual got the ball rolling for us.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?</strong> We actually tossed each one of those away as soon as they came in.  We were trying to stay as positive as possible, and not let every “no we don’t like you or your book” letter be a punch to the stomach (which of course it was).  So if there were any great lines, we have systematically erased them from our brains.</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong> The hardest part was actually getting started.  It’s like working out.  You go to bed every night, and think to yourself, ”Tomorrow is the day, dammit!  Tomorrow I am going to go to the gym.  I’m going to eat healthy, drink a ton of water, and start on a brilliant vitamin regime.”  And then the sun rises, you hit the snooze button, you go into work, and lo and behold, some schmo brings in donuts.  That’s how writing was for us.  We talked about our book for ages.  We even sat down together many times and tried to write it but realized that we were not going to get anywhere until we outlined.  Once we outlined everything (and by the way, Marla’s husband Matt mistakenly erased three months of work by placing a magnet next to her computer) we were ready to begin the really hard work of putting actual words to paper.</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Best:</strong> Be patient. We’re used to the fast paced world of TV Production and it was difficult for us to adjust to the, errr, more leisurely pace of the publishing world<em>.</em></p>
<p><em> </em><strong>Worst:</strong> We can’t really think of any bad advice…we’ve been lucky to have some great people in our corner.</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong></p>
<p>Since Marla’s husband Matt had sacrificed many Saturdays to the Book Gods, he was instrumental to our celebration. The three of us went for an expensive but delicious meal at Mario Batali&#8217;s restaurant &#8211; Osteria Mozza. We ate and drank far too much and for the first time in months we were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief!</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Marla–</strong> right now, I’d have to say Sara Gruen and Kathryn Stockett.  And I’m not sure if “crush” would be the right word.  More like, “who do you envy?”  And not because of their success, but because they were both able to create these amazing worlds in which you can completely immerse and lose yourself in.  I am so enamored by authors like these, and wish I had a pinky’s worth of their talent.</p>
<p><strong>Natalie–</strong> For me, right now it’s Tina Fey.  I read “Bossypants” in one sitting and was laughing from the moment I started reading the blurbs on the back of the book to a few hours later when I finished. Thanks to Tina Fey, we now have a definitive answer for every jackass who ponders the difference between male and female comedians: “The men urinate in cups. And sometimes jars.”</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Marla–</strong> Wow, that is not an easy question!  These days, I rarely read a book twice.  It takes me months to read a novel (I work full-time, have a crazy two-year-old and oh ya…a husband) so when I do finish one, I don’t really have time to revisit old favorites.  But there is, however, one book in the last ten years that I have gone back to time and time again and that is, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Oh wait!  Can I pick two?  Well, I’m going to anyway!  My second choice would be “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.”  I think those two books would keep me somewhat sane on a desert island.</p>
<p><strong>Natalie–</strong> Over the weekend, I was casually asked, “who’s your favorite band?” and I nearly had a panic attack. I can never whittle any of my cherished musicians, books, movies, or TV shows down to an absolute favorite – so I’ll go with the first two that popped in my mind. (What?  If Marla gets two, then so do I!) <strong>My first choice is <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>.</strong> I love Lizzie’s self-deprecating wit, and Darcy is the standard by which I judge all heroes. I’ve read it countless times and never tire of it. <strong>My second choice is <em>A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius</em> by Dave Eggers.</strong> I recently re-read it and it reaffirmed how much I love this book. As someone who lost a parent at a young age (and was similarly afflicted with a nagging fear of dying young), I found great relief in this memoir. And hey, if the Preface and Acknowledgment sections of a book left me crying with laughter, I can easily count that book among my favorites.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Marla–</strong> “Plans” by Death Cab for Cutie<em>.  </em>Love love love those guys and this has been my favorite album for years!</p>
<p><strong>Natalie–</strong> “Your Protector” by Fleet Foxes. Their eponymous album is always in rotation on my iPod.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Marla–</strong> Probably any form of chocolate I can get my hands on; reading; and sleeping (something that I never realized I would miss so desperately after having a child).</p>
<p><strong>Natalie–</strong> Bitching with friends is always helpful (especially if accompanied by a great meal and an adult beverage!) Otherwise a good book or movie can take the edge off.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the Entertainment Weekly bullseye? </strong>Three words: <em>Winter is Coming</em>.</p>
<p>Last Fall’s crop of new TV shows were lackluster at best so we’ve been pinning our hopes on the return of “Game of Thrones.” At the end of last season, we wanted to read all the books so we could find out if Joffrey dies a horrible death (and by we, we mean Natalie since Marla has already established her reading speed) but after much debate, we decided to remain spoiler free. We can only hope that Sansa’s poor direwolf, Lady will be resurrected as a White Walker and return to eat Joffrey alive. But don’t tell us!  Is it April yet?</p>
<p><em>Thanks Girls!  xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Natalie and Marla, head on over to their <strong><a href="http://www.unscriptedbook.com/">website</a></strong> or find them on <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/unscriptedbook">Facebook</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/Unscriptedbook">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
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<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2012%2F01%2Flit-it-girls-debut-authors-natalie-aaron-and-marla-schwartz%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2012/01/lit-it-girls-debut-authors-natalie-aaron-and-marla-schwartz/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girls: Debut Authors Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Samantha March</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/12/lit-it-girl-debut-author-samantha-march/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/12/lit-it-girl-debut-author-samantha-march/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:06:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit is Not Dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit Plus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Destined to Fail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Samantha March]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Lit IT Girl has always been one of our fave features.  Because what&#8217;s more cool that discovering a brand spankin&#8217; new author? Um, Not much! Today we&#8217;re featuring the lovely Samantha March, debut author of Destined to Fail.  Samantha also runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog Chick Lit Plus (which we love!). And we&#8217;re thrilled that [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/12/lit-it-girl-debut-author-samantha-march/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Samantha March' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/destined-to-fail-samantha-march.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8768" title="destined to fail samantha march" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/destined-to-fail-samantha-march-194x300.jpg" alt="" width="194" height="300" /></a>Lit IT Girl has always been one of our fave features.  Because what&#8217;s more cool that discovering a brand spankin&#8217; new author? Um, Not much!</p>
<p>Today we&#8217;re featuring the lovely <strong><a href="http://www.samanthamarch.com/">Samantha March</a></strong>, debut author of <em><strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Destined-Fail-Samantha-March/dp/0615546927/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1323315830&amp;sr=1-1">Destined to Fail</a></strong></em>.  Samantha also runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog <strong><a href="http://chicklitplus.com/">Chick Lit Plus</a></strong> (which we love!). And we&#8217;re thrilled that she&#8217;s wearing the Lit IT girl crown! (she&#8217;s totally rockin&#8217; it, btw!)</p>
<p><strong><em>Here&#8217;s the deets on Destined to Fail:</em></strong> Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, but befriends two new girls at college. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.</p>
<p><strong>Sound up your alley?  Well, then leave a comment-we have FIVE copies to give away! We&#8217;ll choose the winners on Sunday December 11th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!</strong></p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL SAMANTHA MARCH</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/samanthamarch.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-8769" title="samanthamarch" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/samanthamarch.jpg" alt="" width="153" height="300" /></a>1. Tell us about your decision to self-publish.  </strong>It really wasn’t a tough one, actually. When I first started writing, I thought I would query and go the traditional route. Fast forward three years, a recession, and a rising eBook and self-publishing industry, and I started to think differently. Through my book blog <a href="http://chicklitplus.com/">ChickLitPlus.com</a>, I was meeting and working with more and more self-published authors. I saw that being self-published doesn’t mean failure or weakness. To me, it means taking what you want and making it happen. I’m not good at the waiting game. If I want something, I am going to go for it.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; agent rejection letter?</strong> Well, I actually only queried three agents, so I don’t have a big stack of letters to choose from. I was pretty much set on self-publishing once I finished my book, but I thought I should at least give trying the query process a try. I knew my heart wasn’t in it though. I wish I had some good lines to give!</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong>When I first started writing, I was really writing with an audience in mind. As I continued to write, I kept thinking about readers, what they would think about this character and that decision. It took all the fun out of writing, and I thought multiple times about giving up. Then, I saw an author on Twitter say that you need to write for you, not for someone else. I let those words sink in, and the spark was back. I write my books because they are my stories that I want to tell. I can’t constantly think about what others will think, what the feedback will be like, or I’m sure I would have never finished.</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong> I have received some great advice along the way from fellow authors, and am extremely lucky to have their input. I don’t know if this is really considered advice, but I was given a lot of helpful tips––from where to buy ISBN’s to how to navigate Smashwords and great recommendations on helpful people along the way, i.e. book formatters or cover designers. I am very self-sufficient and I think I can do anything, but this process and getting a book published made me realize there were many facets where I needed help. And there’s nothing wrong with that!</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book launch?</strong> When my eBooks were released, I went a bit crazy. It was a week-long celebration! Special dinners with the boyfriend, a massage, a new watch, and Friday and Saturday night celebrating with friends. Too much? Wait until my print books are out––who knows what will happen then!</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong> Is it weird if I say Ann M. Martin? A “writer” crush to me is crushing on someone’s writing abilities, and I have looked up to Ann since I was seven years old. I was a total BSC fanatic.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong> Mine! Too egotistical? Darn it. One of my favorite books (going back to BSC) is BSC IN THE USA. I love reading about all the different places the girls got to see! That book could keep me entertained for a long time.</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong> Beyonce “Love On Top” is on repeat.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong> I’m a big fan of massages. Working out can always help me relieve stress, especially kickboxing. Or else yoga!</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?</strong> This totally not a writer answer, but I can’t not say the Green Bay Packers! I am a huge cheesehead, and this team is on fire!</p>
<p><em>Thanks Samantha! xo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Samantha, head on over to her <strong><a href="http://www.samanthamarch.com/">website</a></strong> or find her on <strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samantha-March/104518512989033">Facebook</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/SamanthaMarch23">Twitter</a></strong>.</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2011%2F12%2Flit-it-girl-debut-author-samantha-march%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/12/lit-it-girl-debut-author-samantha-march/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Samantha March' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>33</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Lit IT Girl Isabelle LaFleche</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/10/lit-it-girl-isabelle-lafleche/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/10/lit-it-girl-isabelle-lafleche/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:17:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Every Damn Post We've Posted]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit is Not Dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Isabelle LaFleche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[J'Adore New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LIT IT GIRL]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chicklitisnotdead.com/?p=8548</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We&#8217;ve got another fab new author for y&#8217;all today!  And to make things even more fun, we&#8217;ve switched up our Lit IT Girl Qs too.  We think you&#8217;ll dig Isabelle Lafleche and her debut novel, J&#8217;Adore New York!  It&#8217;s stylish, sassy and fun-a great book to curl up by the fire with. Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s up with [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/10/lit-it-girl-isabelle-lafleche/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl Isabelle LaFleche' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/JAdore_cover.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8542" title="J'Adore_cover" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/JAdore_cover-191x300.jpg" alt="" width="191" height="300" /></a>We&#8217;ve got another fab new author for y&#8217;all today!  And to make things even more fun, we&#8217;ve switched up our Lit IT Girl Qs too.  We think you&#8217;ll dig <strong><a href="http://isabellelafleche.com/">Isabelle Lafleche</a></strong> and her debut novel, <strong><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jadore-New-York-Isabelle-Lafleche/dp/0062092693">J&#8217;Adore New York</a></em></strong>!  It&#8217;s stylish, sassy and fun-a great book to curl up by the fire with.</p>
<p><strong><em>Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s up with J&#8217;Adore New York:</em></strong> Offered the chance to transfer to her law firm’s New York City office, stylish Parisian lawyer Catherine Lambert jumps at the opportunity—a fashion devotee with her finger on the pulse of style, she sets her sights on conquering Manhattan’s high-flying worlds of glamour, law, and love tout de suite. But soon, the non-stop New York minute filled with monster bosses, lecherous clients, and vindictive secretaries begins to take its toll. That is, until one handsome and powerful client begins to change her world for the better…only to throw it all into jeopardy with one surprising request. Perfect for fans of <em>Bridget Jones’s Diary</em>, <em>The Devil Wears Prada</em>, and <em>Sex in the City</em>, Isabelle Lafleche’s breakout novel <em>J’adore New York </em>is a rollercoaster of struggle and romance from the city where dreams come true.</p>
<p><strong>Sound fab?  Then leave a comment and you&#8217;ll be entered to win one of FIVE copies!  We&#8217;ll choose the winners on Sunday October 16th.  Sorry, open to US residents only!</strong></p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL ISABELLE LAFLECHE</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Isabelle-LaFleche-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8543" title="Isabelle-LaFleche-2" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Isabelle-LaFleche-2-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;? </strong> I actually don&#8217;t have an agent; I found a publisher on my own. As for the publishers, I probably queried 30 or so.</p>
<p><strong>2. What&#8217;s a line from your &#8220;favorite&#8221; rejection letter?</strong>  We&#8217;re not interested in your story but we see  &#8221;lots of potential.&#8221;  Good luck!</p>
<p><strong>3. What was the hardest part about writing your debut novel? </strong> The rewrites and corrections were pretty intense and brutal. In order to get to the finish line, I consumed gargantuous amounts of Red Bull ( don&#8217;t try this at home, it&#8217;s bad for your health!)</p>
<p><strong>4. What is the best/worst advice you received while you were trying to break into the book biz?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Best: </strong>A friend in the publishing business suggested I contact a local publisher instead of going international. It was definitely the right thing to do for me.</p>
<p><strong>Worst:  </strong>To send your manuscript  to agents and publishers quickly in order to get your foot in the door.   Any novel needs time to mature and evolve. It&#8217;s important to have several trusted friends who will provide honest feedback read it first. No one gets it right the first time, not even the pros.</p>
<p><strong>5. How did you celebrate your book deal?</strong>  With a Lady Dior handbag that I wear all the time. (Five years of blood, sweat and tears makes it worth it, <em>non</em>?)</p>
<p><strong>6. Who is your writer crush?</strong>Candace Bushnell. I love how her writing keeps evolving and how she keeps surprising us with fabulous New York stories.</p>
<p><strong>7. If you were stranded on a desert island and could have only one book, what would it be?</strong>The Great Gatsby. I can&#8217;t get enough of that rarified world. I&#8217;m thrilled that a remake of the movie is currently in the works with Leonardo Di Caprio!</p>
<p><strong>8. What&#8217;s on your iPod right now?</strong>Jazz, The Black Eyed Peas, Adele, and lots of French music.</p>
<p><strong>9. What&#8217;s your #1 stress reliever?</strong> Running with Lady Gaga blasting in my ears. Nothing beats that.</p>
<p><strong>10. Who/what would you place in the center of the <em>Entertainment Weekly</em> bullseye?</strong> Twitter is abuzz with reports that Marc Jacobs has been confirmed as the new Creative Director of Christian Dior,  however at this stage no official sources have been released. I think it would be a fantastic move!</p>
<p><em>Thanks Isabelle!</em> <em>xoxo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Isabelle, head on over to her <strong><a href="http://isabellelafleche.com/">website</a></strong> or find her on <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabelle-Lafl%C3%A8che/153216884693881?sk=wall">Facebook</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabelle-Lafl%C3%A8che/153216884693881?sk=wall">Twitter.</a></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr /><small>Copyright &copy; 2008<br /> This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. <br /> The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:<br /> )</small><iframe src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fchicklitisnotdead.com%2F2011%2F10%2Flit-it-girl-isabelle-lafleche%2F&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=true&amp;width=450&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:450px; height:80px"></iframe><p>&copy;2012 <a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com">Chick Lit Is Not Dead</a>. All Rights Reserved.</p>.<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/10/lit-it-girl-isabelle-lafleche/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl Isabelle LaFleche' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>36</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Jennifer Close</title>
		<link>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/09/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-close/</link>
		<comments>http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/09/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-close/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:00:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Liz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Every Damn Post We've Posted]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lit IT girl:Debut Author]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick liit is not dead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chick Lit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chick lit blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Girls in White Dresses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jennifer Close]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chicklitisnotdead.com/?p=8444</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We read a lot of good books.  But every once in a while we read a book we LOVE from page one.  A novel that we want to shout from the rooftops, Read this freakin&#8217; book NOW! So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re doing now.  We might not be standing on a rooftop, but imagine us picking [...]<div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style addthis_32x32_style" addthis:url='http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/09/lit-it-girl-debut-author-jennifer-close/' addthis:title='Lit IT Girl: Debut Author Jennifer Close' ><a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a><a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a><a class="addthis_button_email"></a><a class="addthis_button_print"></a><a class="addthis_button_compact"></a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><p><a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Cover-Image-978-0-307-59685-7.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-8446" title="Cover Image 978-0-307-59685-7" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Cover-Image-978-0-307-59685-7-201x300.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="300" /></a>We read a lot of good books.  But every once in a while we read a book we LOVE from page one.  A novel that we want to shout from the rooftops, <em>Read this freakin&#8217; book NOW!</em></p>
<p>So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re doing now.  We might not be standing on a rooftop, but imagine us picking up our megaphone and screaming at the top of our lungs to go grab a copy of <strong><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girls-White-Dresses-Jennifer-Close/dp/0307596850">Girls in White Dresses</a></em></strong> by Jennifer Close.  Seriously.  The narrative is so refreshing, so fun, so <em>exactly</em> what we needed!  *picks up megaphone again* We LOVED it!</p>
<p>And we&#8217;re thrilled that Jennifer is wearing the Lit IT Girl crown.  Because there&#8217;s nothing we like more than discovering a new author and telling y&#8217;all about it!  And how excited were we to discover that she shares our GNO drink of choice!!!</p>
<p><em>Here&#8217;s the skinny on Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close</em>: Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and doll-sized cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working at a mailing-list company, dizzy with the mixed signals of a boss who claims she’s on a diet but has Isabella file all morning if she forgets to bring her a chocolate muffin. Mary thinks she might cry with happiness when she finally meets a nice guy who loves his mother, only to realize he’ll never love Mary quite as much. And Lauren, a waitress at a Midtown bar, swears up and down she won’t fall for the sleazy bartender—a promise that his dirty blond curls and perfect vodka sodas make hard to keep.</p>
<p>These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, <em>Girls in White Dresses</em> pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.</p>
<p>Sound good?  Then leave a comment, yo!  We have FIVE copies to give away!  We&#8217;ll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday, September 25th.  Good luck!</p>
<p><strong>CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS&#8230;LIT IT GIRL JENNIFER CLOSE</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_8445" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 300px">
	<a href="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Jennifer-Close_5530-%C2%A9-Michael-Lionstar-1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-8445" title="Jennifer Close_5530 © Michael Lionstar-1" src="http://chicklitisnotdead.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Jennifer-Close_5530-%C2%A9-Michael-Lionstar-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a>
	<p class="wp-caption-text">Photo Credit: Michael Lionstar</p>
</div>
<p><strong>1. How many agents did you query before you found &#8220;the one&#8221;?</strong></p>
<p>I sent out query letters to about seven agents.  My plan was to start with a small group of amazing agents and send out more from there.  One of these agents was Sam Hiyate, who had signed three of my friends from grad school.  I met Sam in person at a book launch party, and we had a great talk about my writing and plans.  I promised to send him the finished manuscript when it was done, and I did just that.  He enjoyed my writing, had a good vision of what kind of a book he thought it would be, and most importantly wanted to sign me.  So I stopped there!</p>
<p><strong>2. What was your rock bottom moment during the process?</strong></p>
<p>There wasn’t really a rock bottom moment during the whole process…which I realize is very lucky!  I think in general, the hardest part was waiting.  After my agent sent out the book to editors, I felt so helpless!  Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long (it was less than a week) but that time was so hard!</p>
<p>And then when the book was totally done, and the ARCs were sent out to stores and reporters, and I just had to wait all over again.  There was nothing more that I could do and I just had to sit at home and hope that people read it and enjoyed it.  It’s a really scary feeling to send this thing you’ve been working on out into the world and hope it does well.  Also, I guess I’m not a very patient person!</p>
<p><strong>3. How long did it take to write your book?</strong></p>
<p>It took just under three years before it was sold to Knopf and after that, I did some pretty serious edits with my editor.  It’s really fun to look back at the early versions of the book and see how it’s transformed and come together.  Every step made it a better book.  Sometimes, I just had to walk away from it for a few weeks and then come back to it with fresh eyes.</p>
<p><strong>4. What did you do to celebrate your book deal?</strong></p>
<p>I was so overwhelmed!  It didn’t even seem real at first.  For the first day, I was so excited and shaky that I couldn’t even have a glass of champagne to celebrate…and believe me, I always want a glass of champagne!  But a couple of days later, I went to New York to meet my editor and went out with a group of my girlfriends and we had an amazing time.  It started to sink in that it was really happening then.</p>
<p>It’s become a little bit easier to celebrate the little things along the way: finishing the edits, getting the ARC’s, getting a foreign deal, and then of course the day it came out.  My fiancé and I usually just go to a nice dinner with lots (and lots) of wine.</p>
<p><strong>5. Knowing what you know now about publishing your first novel, what would you have done differently?</strong></p>
<p>I think I would have tried to enjoy the process a little bit more.  But that’s really hard to say, because even though it’s such an amazing experience, it’s also really nerve wracking and it always felt like there was something to be worried about.</p>
<p><strong>6. What&#8217;s your biggest distraction or vice while writing?</strong></p>
<p>Everything.  Everything is a distraction!  I’d have to say Facebook and Twitter are the two worst.  I try to really stay off of them for long stretches of time and make myself sit at my desk and just think and write.</p>
<p><strong>7. Who is your writer crush?</strong></p>
<p>I have so many.  Lately, I read Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Ellissa Schappel, which was amazing.  Funny and heartbreaking at the same time.  I’m also reading A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano, which I can’t put down.  It’s so engrossing and well done.  And Ann Packer has always been one of my favorites…Ann Lamott too.  Lot’s of Anns!  I’m also a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld.  And I think I’ll stop here, before I name 20 more people.</p>
<p><strong>8. GNO drink of choice?</strong></p>
<p>Grey Goose and soda with a splash of grapefruit.  I call it “The Jennifer.”  J</p>
<p><strong>9. Favorite trashy TV show?</strong></p>
<p>Oh lord.  This is embarrassing.  There’s lots.  Lately, I’ve been watching Giuliana and Bill.</p>
<p><strong>10. What celeb would you love to have a Twitter war with?</strong></p>
<p>No one!  Twitter freaks me out a little bit.  I’m just coming around to enjoying it for all of the nice messages that people send back and forth.  As for anything other than that, I’m out!</p>
<p><em>Thanks Jennifer!  xo, L&amp;L</em></p>
<p>To read more about Jennifer, head on over to <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/jenniferclose">Twitter</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Girls-in-White-Dresses/224550550915583?ref=ts&amp;sk=wall">Facebook.</a></strong></p>
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