We’re pinching ourselves. Jen Lancaster on our site twice? In three months?

WTF?

Last time Jen was here–celebrating CLIND’s 3rd birthday and sharing the 5 things she’d tell her teen self–our website LITERALLY crashed (the most exciting thing to happen to us in a long time!) because y’all flooded it with over 600 comments about how much you CRUSH on her and LOVE her books.

Well, we’re prepared (and weirdly excited) that it may happen again. Because she’s baaaaack and of course giving away 5 copies of her latest- and if you ask us her funniest (we’re Gen X’ers, it was a no-brainer)- Jeneration X and sharing her 5 Do’s and a Do-Over, which, of course, are perfection. Check out #4- so amazing and makes us love her even more.

So leave a comment to be entered to win!  We’ll choose FIVE winners on Sunday May 13th after 6pm PST.  Good luck!

But first, here’s the scoop on Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult’s Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development; Or, Why It’s Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Froot Loops Are Not for Dinner: In Such a Pretty Fat, Jen Lancaster learned how to come to terms with her body. In My Fair Lazy, she expanded her mind. Now the New York Times bestselling author gives herself—and her generation—a kick in the X, by facing her greatest challenge to date: acting her age.

Jen is finally ready to put away childish things (except her Barbie Styling Head, of course) and embrace the investment-making, mortgage-carrying, life-insurance-having adult she’s become. From getting a mammogram to volunteering at a halfway house, she tackles the grown-up activities she’s resisted for years, and with each rite of passage she completes, she’ll uncover a valuable—and probably humiliating—life lesson that will ease her path to full-fledged, if reluctant, adulthood.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS…JEN LANCASTER’S 5 DO’S AND A DO-OVER

Greetings from the Jeneration X World (okay, National) Tour!  I’m delighted to be here at Chick Lit Is Not Dead again and so pleased to share this latest round of Dos and a Do-Over. Thanks, ladies – you rock!

Although I’m fairly prolific in telling people what they should and should not do, it’s nice when my advice is actually solicited instead of, um… offered anyway. (Read: communicated from the front seat of my car by way of the horn and an obscene finger gesture.)  But seriously, if some kid feels it’s imperative to post on Facebook while driving and thus endanger my life over a scintillating missive regarding her great distaste for Mondays, then it’s MY job to set her straight.

Not just for me, though.

For the future of America.

The topic of the way things ought to be has been weighing heavily on my mind ever since I began writing Jeneration X, a guide to helping reluctant adults everywhere grow up!  (I realize it’s difficult to take the great leap to maturity, but I’ve done all the hard work for you.)  This book is a bit of a throwback to my early work, meaning I’ve gotten a little too nice in my past few memoirs. But fear not… the bitch from Bitter is back!

And with that being said, here we go!

1. DO stop flying by the seat of your pants.  For the longest time, I let important things like writing a will fall by the wayside.  I didn’t want to have to face the idea of my own mortality so I evaded the whole process.  In my head, I equivocated “no will” with “no untimely demise.”  But after one particularly turbulent cross-country flight, it occurred to me that I needed more than a cocktail napkin declaring “I leave everything to my pit bull Maisy” if things suddenly went awry.  Didn’t want to do one, but I did it anyway.  Now I’m not prematurely aging from the stress of having so many loose ends, which, clearly, is a priority.

2. DO believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, but not in that “I’ve had zero formal training, yet I’m shocked I didn’t make it to Hollywood on American Idol” way.  Dream big, but understand that success doesn’t happen by accident.  Put in the effort to cultivate your talent and then you’ll be unstoppable.

3. DO your homework when it comes to your bottom line.  Now’s the time to take advantage of those lower interest rates, boring though the process may seem.  A quick caveat here – try not to get so wrapped up watching an internet girl-fight before you leave that you barely have enough time to get dressed and, thus, end up throwing on a bra that’s too tight and spend the whole refinancing meeting quietly moaning about the shackles binding your chest.  And then also remember that the bank’s reflective windows mean you can’t see in, but they can see out.  So, when you remove your bra all Flashdance-style in the parking lot, you will have an unintended audience.  I realize this is a very specific example, but trust me when I say the new bank will not be impressed with applicants who strip in the parking lot.

4. DO spread the love.  Over the years, I’ve learned that my favorite people are other authors.  You’d think that we’d all be ultra-competitive with one another so I was pleasantly surprised at what a supportive sisterhood I’ve found in wonderful writers like Caprice Crane, Karyn Bosnak, Stacey Ballis, Quinn Cummings, Sarah Pekkanen, Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin, Allison Winn Scotch, Jane Green, and Beth Harbison (and many, many others.) Writing isn’t Highlander in that there can be only one.  And this year, at Jen Weiner’s suggestion, we’re making it our job to champion up and coming authors because it’s tough sledding out there for the new gals and we want to do what we can to help them reach larger audiences.

5. DO live in the moment.  I got my start as a writer when I was laid off ten years ago.  In that time while I was searching for a job, I never once just enjoyed the moment.  Granted it’s hard to unclench when the wolves are at the door, but I feel like if I’d ever stopped for one second and thought, “For the next couple of hours, I should quit worrying and just appreciate that I don’t have eleven bosses telling me what to do,” then I probably would have been a lot less intense in my job interviews.  In retrospect, I am very happy with how it all turned out, but I wish I could have cut myself a small break now and again.

And finally…

DO NOT hire the cheapest accountant you can find.  Believe me when I say this is the most expensive lesson I ever learned. Ditto for doctors and lawyers.  These are instances where credentials far outweigh savings.

So… that’s it!  Again, ladies, thanks so much for having me and don’t forget, it’s never too late to unarrest your arrested development.  I know I’ve crossed over to the dark side of adulthood, but it’s clean and nice over here and we never run out of toilet paper…

Thank YOU, Jen!

xoxo,

L&L

To find out more about Jen Lancaster, check out her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

How much do we love Jennifer Weiner?  Let us count the ways…

But before we do, we have to tell you that we love wayyy more than FIVE things about this superstar author, but we knew we had to control ourselves and limit our list. For our sake and for yours (and probably hers too or she’d think we were stalkers).

But before we start gushing, let us give you the scoop on what’s coming up for Jennifer Weiner and what you can win here today–not to mention what you can get for FREE!

Jennifer Weiner’s hit book, Then Came You, is out in paperback May 8! If you didn’t get a chance to devour this amazeballs novel (sorry, Lisa was watching Guiliana Rancic last night and her saying is stuck in her head) last year- or even if you did- snap up a copy of this book just in time for summer.(Last year, it was hailed as one of the top beach reads of the season.)

The scoop on Then Came You: An “unexpected” love story, Then Came You tells the tale of four women and a baby — and at a time when women are waiting longer to have children and the definition of “family” has changed dramatically, Then Came You is certain to strike up some provocative debates.  With her laugh-out-loud humor, startling tenderness, and spot-on characterizations, Jennifer takes readers into the hearts and minds of women everywhere in a timely story that intertwines themes of class and entitlement, surrogacy and donorship, parental rights and the definition of motherhood.

And guess what? We’ve got 5 copies to give away! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We’ll randomly select the winners on Monday, May 7 after 6PM PST.

And, that’s not all!

On May 8th, SWIM, an original ebook short story by Jennifer Weiner will be available for free download wherever ebooks are sold. SWIM is originally from Jen’s short story collection The Guy Not Taken and is also the inspiration for her forthcoming novel, The Next Best Thing, out July 3.

And that’s, of course, not all!

Be on the look out because Jen is going to be our guest to celebrate the release of The Next Best Thing and, you guessed it, we’ll have 5 copies to give away!

5 THINGS LIZ AND LISA LOVE ABOUT…JENNIFER WEINER

1. Three words: Good in Bed. We fell in love at first word with her dazzling debut!

2. She’s not afraid to speak her mind. A staunch defender of not only Chick Lit but women writers and women in general–she’s our hero! (Swoon!)

3. She live tweets The Bachelor! Bachelor watcher or not, her live tweets during this highly addictive reality show are beyond hilarious- she even Tweets about the commercials! Time Magazine didn’t name hers one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds for nothin’! @Jenniferweiner

4. Her website is not only awesome, but totally UP TO DATE.  For two anal retentive, Type-A women looking for current info, we bone out over this sort of thing. Just sayin’.

5. She is a MAJOR multi-tasker.  She’s written a bazillion books and even developed a TV show on ABC Family last year.  Hello, Superwoman!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

Our guest today: Beth Kendrick

Why we love her: Her fiction is fun and frothy!

Her latest book: The Lucky Dog Matchmaking Service

The dealio on it: Lara Madigan has a gift. She can help you find your soulmate—your canine soulmate, that is. As a dog trainer with a soft spot for strays, she’s found perfect homes for sulky Shih Tzus,  broken-down Border collies, and diabolical Dalmatians. But while she’ll always make room for one more rescue mutt, she’s not sure she’s ready to commit to another human being. Especially after her live-in boyfriend drops the bomb: He’s not a dog person.

Our thoughts: We’re complete suckers for books that include dogs.  Count us IN!

Fun fact: Liz met Beth a few years ago for coffee when she was visiting the Los Angeles area, and discovered she was just as delightful as her writing.

Giveaway: TWO copies!  Leave a comment and we’ll choose a winner this Monday, May 7th, after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS…5 THINGS I’D TELL THE TEEN ME

1. If he’s into you, you’ll know it; if he’s not, you’ll be confused. Boys are really not that hard to figure out.  And there are too many great ones out there to waste your time with emotionally unavailable libertines. You deserve to be with someone who adores you and whom you adore. UPDATE: I just talked to a male friend who informed me that the rule for teenage boys is: “If you like her, ignore her.”

So…maybe we’re all just destined to be confused forever?

2. Never wrestle with a pig–you both get dirty and the pig enjoys it. Some people are just not worth the time, energy and drama.  Don’t engage; walk away.

3. “Have more than thou showest / Speak less than thou knowest.” -Shakespeare You don’t need a lot of visible designer labels to validate your existence.  Joy and confidence come from within.  Discretion—both social and financial—is a powerful asset.

4. Leap and the net will appear. I know you think this whole writing thing will never pan out, and you’d be better off with a more “practical” career, but honey, here’s the thing: You’re not practical. And you never will be. Yes, you’ll have to work really hard and yes, you’ll have to do your research and pay your dues, but at the end of the day, you need to take a leap of faith and do what you love. (Oh, and your future co-workers will be canine, so you might want to start stockpiling lint brushes and Swiffers now.)

5. Travel whenever you get the chance. Globetrotting is so much easier now than it will be in 15 years, when you’ll have book deadlines, a mortgage, and a small child. Oh, and P.S.: Air travel is going to turn into a hassle and a half in the next millennium. Get out there and see the world while the getting’s good!

Thanks Beth! xoxo, L&L

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

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

So you’ve written the next great thing in fiction.  But how do you get the word out about it?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you’ve probably noticed that blog tours are the quickest and easiest way to reach your target audience.  In fact, whoring yourself around the blogosphere can be vital to your novel’s success! Only one problem: you have to get booked on the right book blogs!

How do you do that, you ask?  Well, we’re here to give you our two cents based on our own experience-what pitches make us swoon and which ones cause us to hit the delete button faster than you can say Kim and Kanye are in love.

THE DO AND DON’TS OF PITCHING TO BOOK BLOGGERS

1. Call us by name. Take the time to personalize each email you send with the book bloggers name and maybe even a few words why you think their site is a good fit or which feature you like best.  Not only does it make us feel like you’ve done your homework, but we’ll be much more likely to take a good look at your book. It’s our policy to respond to every pitch-but we make exceptions for ones that have obviously been sent to a bazillion people. Bottom line: BCCing multiple blogs in your pitch is like wearing white after labor day-tacky!  (And PS, if you start with a generic “Hi there”, you aren’t fooling anybody…)

2. DO your research. If someone runs a chick lit site, you probably shouldn’t pitch them vampire historical fiction.  Just sayin’.  Do your homework and pitch the sites that have the right audience for your book. Don’t know where to start? Check out this list of the Top 50 book blogs.

3. DO give us the 411. ALWAYS include the premise of the story in the body of the email. In fact, it should resemble something like an agent query letter-a one or two paragraph synopsis followed by a paragraph about the author and release date, etc. Just putting a link to your site or Amazon page and telling us to check it out just seems, well, LAZY!

4.  DO be sassy  We’re not going to lie-there have been books that we may have turned down if the author hadn’t sounded so fun and sassy in their pitch. If your book is fun(or even if it isn’t!), make sure you show some of that spunk in your email.

5. DO think about having someone do it for you. There are some great blog tours companies that will do all the leg work.  Check out CLP blog tours, BookSparks PR or TLC Book Tours to see if they’re right for you.

6. But DON’T have your Mom/sister/aunt/second cousin pitch it for you. Happens way more often than you would think. Seriously!

7. DON’T take it personally. Think twice before shooting off an angry email if a site has turned you down. For us, it might just not be what we feel like reading at the moment or possibly the premise isn’t a good fit for the site. Or maybe our TBR pile is a mile high and we know we won’t have time to get to your book if we request it. Bottom line: Rejection is a huge part of writing. As authors, we’ve had more than our fair share-so we totally get it! But the last thing you want to do is burn bridges.  Just keep your head up and move on to the next one.

Hope that helps!  We LOVE getting the word out about new authors and books and are truly grateful for all the support and love we’ve received over the years.  We wish all of y’all the very best with your pitches.

Now TELL US-do you have anything to add to this list?

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s guest: Devan Sipher

Why we love him: His debut novel is romantic, funny and poignant.

His debut: The Wedding Beat

The scoop: Gavin Greene isn’t only a hopeless romantic, he’s a professional one: He writes the wedding column for a prize-winning newspaper, covering A-list parties from coast to coast.  But there’s a thin line between being a hotshot reporter on assignment…and being a single guy alone on a Saturday night. Everything changes on New Year’s when Gavin meets Melinda, a travel writer with an adventurous spirit.  A moonlit walk across a Manhattan rooftop seems to seal the deal, but she slips away.
Gavin crisscrosses New York City to find her again. And he learns there’s something worse than losing the woman of his dreams—having to write an article about her wedding.

Our thoughts: A romcom written by a man! (*swoon*)

Fun fact: Devan’s been writing the Vows column at the New York Times for five years. According to his website, rumor has it that in the movie 27 Dresses, the actor James Marsden portrayed him — but with better hair.

Giveaway: 5 copies. Just leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win. We’ll randomly select the winners this Monday, April 30 after 6pm.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS…7 SECONDS IN HEAVEN WITH DEVAN SIPHER

Photo credit: Stacey Luftig

1.    I always walk on the sunny side of the street.  I’m not a cockeyed optimist.  I just crave sunshine.  It’s very hard for me to stay inside and write on a sunny day (not that it’s all that easy for me to write on cloudy ones).  Maybe it’s from being born in southern California.  Or it could be a Vitamin D deficiency.
2.    I’m addicted to cereal and ice cream.  But not together.  It took a lot of bowls of cereal and cartons of ice cream for me to write a book.  Of course, lots of ice cream doesn’t go well with sitting sedentary at one’s desk for hours, so frozen yogurt is also high on the list.  I recently discovered Yogurtland, which has a dozen or so flavors of nonfat frozen yogurt that you can serve yourself in any amount and any combination.  I think of it as Disneyland for frozen yogurt.
3.    I love to travel.  I’ve never traveled anywhere I didn’t want to stay.  But it’s not just what I see and do.  It’s who I am.  I like the person I become when I travel.  More spontaneous.  More open to trying new things.  So even when home in New York, I often pretend I’m visiting from out of town, stopping at any café, park (or ice cream stand) that sparks my interest.
4.     I have prepubescent taste in music.  Fortunately, there’s a steady supply of prepubescents, so there’s always new music to download onto my iPod.  But I draw the line at Justin Bieber.
5.     I like learning new things.  I learned Spanish for a recent trip to Spain.  Not well enough to actually converse with anyone, but I could read menus pretty well.  A year ago, while writing my book, I decided to learn how to make pizza from scratch (it wasn’t difficult, but it sounds impressive to people who don’t know that.)  I made pizza every day the entire winter.  I made pizza for lunch.  Pizza for dinner.  Pizza for friends.  Haven’t made it once since.
6.    If I had one wish, I’d wish for three more.  
7.    Put me near mountains or water, and I’m a happy guy.  (I mentioned I’m from southern California, right?)  Living in Manhattan, I frequently go running along the Hudson River, simply to remind myself that I live on an island.  When I’m in LA, I go running along the coast between Venice and Santa Monica.  Then I take my shoes off and walk back in the surf.  I’d like my last moment on this planet to be sitting on a beach looking out at the waves.  And while I’m putting in requests, I’d like that last moment to be with someone by my side.

Thanks, Devan!

xoxo,

L&L

If you want to find out more about Devan Sipher, visit his website and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

Our guest today: Liza Palmer

Why we love her: We fell in love with Liza when we read  Seeing Me Naked and we’ve been crushin’ ever since.

Her latest book: More Like Her

The scoop on it: In Frances’s mind, beautiful, successful, ecstatically married Emma Dunham is the height of female perfection. Frances, recently dumped with spectacular drama by her boyfriend, aspires to be just like Emma. So do her close friends and fellow teachers, Lisa and Jill. But Lisa’s too career-focused to find time for a family. And Jill’s recent unexpected pregnancy could have devastating consequences for her less-than-perfect marriage.

Our thoughts: Another winner from one of our favorite authors!  Put it in your beach bag pronto! Not to mention we LOVE the cover.

Fun fact: Liz was so inspired by Seeing Me Naked  that she wrote her first author stalkerish gushing email to Liza years ago.  She wrote back an encouraging and kind note the next day!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  Just leave a comment and we’ll choose the winners on Monday, April 23rd after 6pm PST.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS: LIZA PALMER’S 5 THINGS I’D TELL THE TEEN ME

1.  No one has it together.  Everyone is just as much of a wreck as you are, despite how great their hair looks.

2.  Tori Amos will only get awesomer.

3.  Blending in?  Normal?  These aren’t as cool as you think they are.  Standing out and being different are actually what’s going to make your life worth living.

4.  Yes, your family is just as magnificent as you think they are.  But, magnificent doesn’t necessarily mean easy or perfect.  Magnificent things rarely are.

5.  Stop wearing those batik pants.  And if you can’t stop wearing them, for the love of all that’s holy, stop pegging them.

Thanks Liza! xoxo, L&L

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

Our guest today: NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery

Why we love her: Girlfrin’ writes some smokin’ hot books! *sizzle*

Her latest: Barefoot Season

The scoop on it: Michelle Sanderson may appear to be a strong, independent woman, but on the inside, she’s still the wounded girl who fled home years ago. A young army vet, Michelle returns to the quaint Blackberry Island Inn to claim her inheritance and recover from the perils of war. Instead, she finds the owner’s suite occupied by the last person she wants to see.

Carly Williams and Michelle were once inseparable, until a shocking betrayal destroyed their friendship. And now Carly is implicated in the financial disaster lurking behind the inn’s cheerful veneer.

Our thoughts: Even if you don’t normally read romance, we think you’ll love Barefoot Season-it reads more like women’s fiction.  So give it a try! You can read Chapter 1 at www.barefootseason.com!

Fun Fact: There’s a bunch of fab recipes over at her site-check them out!

Giveaway: FIVE copies!  We’ll choose the winners after 6pm PST on Sunday April 8th.  Good luck!

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS…SUSAN MALLERY’S 5 THINGS I’D TELL THE TEEN ME

Thanks so much for having me here to celebrate the release of BAREFOOT SEASON! The “5 Things I’d Tell the Teen Me” theme is very appropriate because, although BAREFOOT SEASON is adult fiction rather than YA, the best friends at the center of the story went through a major upheaval when they were teens, and they’re still feeling the reverberation of it now, in their late 20s.

So here are 5 things I’d tell the teen me…

1. Stay in touch with your friends. When you graduate high school, you’ll insist that you’re going to stay in touch with your BFFs, and you will, for a while. But then life happens. You’ll move, and they’ll move, and somewhere along the road, you’ll lose touch. You will miss them. No one will ever know you in quite the same way.

2. Stretch and use sunblock. Using sunblock keeps you young from the outside in, stretching does it from the inside out. Do both, and you’ll get carded well into your 30s. (That will become a good thing, trust me. It’s sad when it stops happening.)

3. You don’t have to try everything… People will imply that you’re narrow-minded if you don’t try stuff they want you to try. Sushi or tattoos or motorcycles or whatever. If your gut tells you something isn’t right for you, don’t succumb to the pressure. It’s okay to decide for yourself what you do or don’t want to try. Forge your own path in life.

4. …but don’t let fear stop you! Don’t mistake fear for wisdom. Just because you’re afraid of something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Do a gut check. Dig deep, and ask yourself, do I really want to? What’s beneath the fear – excitement or disinterest? If the answer is excitement, then do it despite the fear, as long as it’s not illegal, dangerous, or ridiculous. Wait, no. You can do it if it’s ridiculous, especially when you’re young. You grow by taking risks. Have faith that you can handle whatever comes.

5. Boys aren’t jerks just because they don’t want to commit. Sometimes they’re jerks, but not just because of that. My friends and I used to get so mad at boys who didn’t want to be our boyfriends. “Fear of commitment,” we said with identical sneers, as if it meant “evil.” But the truth is, a guy has the right to be single, and he should only commit when he wants to. Otherwise, you both end up in an unhappy relationship, and it’s better to be alone than unhappy. They’re not synonymous. If he’s not into you enough to commit, don’t pressure him. Let go and move on. Not every guy is the One, and you’re not the One for every guy. That’s why they call it the One.

Thanks Susan!  xoxo, L&L

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

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

So we just returned from our family Spring Break vacay. And it was fun. Lots of fun. But me? I’m not sure I was so much fun. (And it actually has nothing to do with the fact that I am now one year closer to becoming actual Cougar-aged.)

Let’s just say I learned that Travel Me, (yeah, that’s what we’ll call her- even though I’m sure my husband has about fifty other terms he’d choose) she’s no fun at all. Looking back, I’d do some–okay, probably fifty, but for the sake of this post and your attention span- at least five–things differently to make the trip more enjoyable for, ahem, everyone else. Airline personnel included. Sorry again to everyone at Southwest Airlines!

1. Trust that I’ve brought enough milk. Seriously, if I’d packed an actual cow it would have provided less. I have this disorder “issue” where I feel like we’re never going to have enough milk on the flight. What if we get stuck on the tarmac for hours on end? (I’ve read about those people- getting stuck for five, six, ten hours and then nearly each other over the last half a bag of peanuts!). So, even though we didn’t have a lot of time, we stopped at the grocery store- Whole Foods- to grab some more milk. While my husband searched for her lactose free organic whole milk (not easy to find!),  I let my baby walk around. I was right behind her, but she still walked into a crate and went sailing to the floor. Save a small cut on her forehead which looked huge to me, my baby was fine. Me, not so much! And if I hadn’t been so obsessed with the amount of milk we had, of course it wouldn’t have happened…Cue beat myself up moment #1 of a billion.

2. Bring my baby’s photo ID. Okay, so maybe not her photo ID because, well, she doesn’t effing have one, but her birth certificate.  Because apparently there is no way she could “ever be under two.” Let me back up for a moment. We never fly Southwest Airlines (and maybe there’s a reason for that?). On the airline we usually travel, I’ve never been questioned about my daughter’s age. Looking back, I think I might have had an easier time convincing the women at Southwest I was only 21! (For the record, my daughter is fourteen months. And does look about two.) We (meaning me- the rest of the broad was fine) arrived at the gate a little frazzled because of the whole baby slamming her head into the side of a crate incident. As we were getting our boarding passes, the agent looked over at the stroller and gave her colleague a look that I took to mean: There’s no way in hell that baby is under two. Look at her mom. All frazzled. Look at that cut on her baby’s head- bet it was the mom’s fault. That mom is a liar! Let’s just say I’m not proud of everything that came out of my mouth next. But we did get on-despite my bad attitude and with the help of my pediatrican’s office faxing over proof of my daughter’s age.

3. Don’t pack the kitchen sink. I have told myself this every single time I’ve traveled. And every single time, I still have too much sh*t. If someone can please give me some tips on how to pack lighter, I’ll happily accept them! Because I clearly have a problem (you should have seen the cooler alone I brought with seven sippy cups full of milk). So let’s just say my carry-on bag was just a wee bit hard to stuff under the seat and was sticking out slightly. Which of course did not get by the Southwest Airlines flight attendant who told me my big, fat bag was too big and fat to fit under the seat and she’d need to haul it into the overhead bin if she could even lift it. Okay, so maybe that’s not what she said, but that’s what I heard. But it’s my own fault, I can’t pack for sh*t.

4. Don’t try to have a cocktail. Toward the end of a long day of traveling when the flight attendant takes your drink order, don’t order a glass of red wine. I repeat, don’t order a glass of red wine- or any wine for that matter- or any cocktail for that matter. Not even if your baby has cut her head, you got in trouble for not having her ID and your big fat bag was in people’s way. Not even if your attitude is really bad. Not even if you know it will take the edge off. Because: It. will. spill.

5. Leave my bad attitude at home. It takes up a lot of room and would leave me more space to bring more sh*t. :)

xoxo,

Lisa

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

Today’s guest: Ree Drummond

Why we love her: There’s nothing better than a woman who can write and cook!

Exciting news: Today she’s sharing an excerpt from her memoir and a recipe from her cookbook!

Her memoir: The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels  (out in paperback now)

Her cookbook: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from my Frontier

The scoop on the memoir: That’s when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room. I’ll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne Western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn’t looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I’d been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it. This isn’t just my love story; it’s a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet. It’s the story of a cowboy. And Wranglers. And chaps. And the girl who fell in love with them.

Our thoughts on the memoir: A real-life cowboy (ahem, the Marlboro Man) and  a love story? We’re sold.

The scoop on the cookbook: I’m Pioneer Woman. And I love to cook. Once upon a time, I fell in love with a cowboy. A strapping, rugged, chaps-wearing cowboy. Then I married him, moved to his ranch, had his babies . . . and wound up loving it. Except the manure. Living in the country for more than fifteen years has taught me a handful of eternal truths: every new day is a blessing, every drop of rain is a gift . . . and nothing tastes more delicious than food you cook yourself.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier is a mouthwatering collection of the simple-but-scrumptious recipes that rotate through my kitchen on a regular basis, including Perfect Pancakes, Cowgirl Quiche, Sloppy Joes, Italian Meatball Soup, White Chicken Enchiladas, and a spicy Carnitas Pizza that’ll win you over for life. There are also some elegant offerings for more special occasions at your house: Osso Buco, Honey-Plum-Soy Chicken, and Rib-Eye Steak with an irresistible Onion-Blue Cheese Sauce. And the decadent assortment of desserts, including Blackberry Chip Ice Cream, Apple Dumplings, and Coffee Cream Cake, will make your heart go pitter-pat in the most wonderful way.

Our thoughts on the cookbook: Delish!

Fun fact: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels started as a serial online memoir on Ree’s blog.

Giveaway: 5 copies of the memoir and 2 copies of the cookbook! Just leave a comment and be entered to win. We’ll randomly select the winners on Sunday, April 1 after 6PM PST.

Excerpt from The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels:

INTRODUCTION
One day a few years ago, I began jotting down the story of how I met and married my husband. I got as far as the middle of the first chapter, then abruptly stopped writing, stuck it in a drawer, and went on to other things. Sometime later, after waking up with an uncharacteristic case of writer’s block, I pulled the roughly written story out of the drawer. A regular blogger, I was brain-dead that day, and while I was certain few people would find my love story interesting, I wanted to give the readers of my site something new. I said a couple of Hail Marys, hoped they wouldn’t hate it, and posted it on my website.

To my surprise, readers responded . . . and asked for another chapter. I wrote it that same night. A second chapter led to a third, and then a fourth. Encouraged by readers of ThePioneerWoman.com, I began posting regular, weekly installments of my real-life online serial love story, complete with romantic tension and cliffhangers at the end of each episode. It became an integral part of my writing routine for over eighteen months, and my friends and readers were there with me every step of the way. I loved the entire experience. I loved going back . . . and remembering.

By the end of that time frame, I’d written over forty installments and had only gotten as far as our wedding day. I decided to end the online version at that point, then immediately began writing the next part of the story, which continues through our first year of marriage.

This book is the complete, combined story—both the rip-roaring romance novel–style saga that I posted on my website (with some new material), which begins the night I met my husband and ends when we leave for our honeymoon, and a new section, which documents the early days of our life as a married couple.

I hope you love the story.

I hope it makes you smile.

I hope it reminds you of the reasons you fell in love in the first place.

And if you haven’t yet found love, I hope it shows you that love often can come to find you instead . . . probably when you least expect it.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from my Frontier:

Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Makes one 10-inch cake

I made this cake a few years ago on a whim . . . and what a delightful whim it turned out to be. It’s a spin on strawberry shortcake, but the cake is, well, cake—not the biscuit-like disc in the classic strawberry shortcake recipe. I added cream cheese frosting instead of whipped cream, just for kicks, and it turned out to be just what the whole mess of deliciousness needed.

This is one of my father-in-law’s three favorite desserts. He likes to eat it for breakfast.

I do too, now that I think about it!

CAKE
½ cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

STRAWBERRIES
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
3 tablespoons granulated sugar

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1½ pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep (or you can split the batter between 2 pans if they’re not deep enough).

2. To make the cake batter, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add the sour cream and vanilla, then mix until just combined.

4. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda and add it to the bowl.

5. Mix it together until just combined.

6. Spread it in the pan or pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is no longer jiggly like my bottom.

7. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool completely.
8. Next, mash the strawberries with a potato masher or a fork (reserve a few for garnish if you like).

9. Sprinkle the strawberries with the sugar. Toss them around and allow them to sit for a little while.

10. They’ll give off this beautiful liquid after several minutes. Try not to drink it with a straw.

11. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a mixing bowl.

12. Mix until very light and fluffy. Warning: You’ll feel like eating this bowl of icing before you even get it on the cake.

13. To assemble the cake, use a sharp knife to cut it in half through the middle. It’s easier if you go all around the perimeter of the cake, slicing only halfway through the circle the whole way.

14. Lay the two halves cut side up.

15. And cover both halves with an equal amount of strawberries. Then—this is an important step!—place the cake halves in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. This’ll firm up the surface of the strawberries just a bit so that it’s easier to spread on the icing.

16. Remove the cakes from the freezer and place one layer on a cake stand or platter. Cover with a little less than a third of the icing.

17. Place the second layer on top, then spread the top with icing.

18. Carefully ice the outside of the cake with the remaining icing.

19. Lovely! You can certainly decorate the top of the cake with strawberry slices, too.
But I’m hungry and want to eat, so I’ll skip that part.

Store leftovers in the fridge. The cake can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

To find out more about the lovely Ree Drummond, visit her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks, Ree!

xoxo,

Liz & Lisa

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.

It’s no secret that we’re reality TV junkies.  From Top Chef to Bad Girls Club, we have to get our fix.  And usually, we’re in agreement on what to watch.  Case in point: We have both always loved American Idol. From Kelly Clarkson to Clay Aiken, we’ve religiously watched and even bought some of the contestant’s lackluster debut albums. (We’re talking to you David Archuleta!)  But recently, one of us has strayed.  Skipping AI and even (gasp!) DELETING it without watching.  This person even had the balls to ask the other who got kicked off last week (as if!).  And it wouldn’t be so bad if she was just too busy to watch-but it’s not that.  She’s cheating on AI with The Voice! So after a heated girlfight discussion about which one is best that got us nowhere, we decided to battle it out here.  And after you hear our arguments, we want you to weigh in!

Buh-bye AI, Hellloooo The Voice by Liz

Don’t get me wrong-I’m not totally hatin’ on AI.  But something happened to me last season.  And no, it wasn’t Ryan Seacrest’s hair or the judge’s inability to actually critique anyone.  Looking back, it was probably a combination of Scotty McCreery overload(Totally never got the appeal of him) and the absence of Simon Cowell. Either way, I had lost that loving feeling.

The Voice was at the right place at the right time.  I love the fact they choose their talent based on well, talent, rather than relying on what they look like-and it was always interesting to see the judges kick themselves when they didn’t turn their chairs around only to discover some hot piece of ass on the other side at the end of the song.  And because of that, I think the crop of contestants on The Voice are more talented.  Not to mention more interesting and diverse.(Do you really think AI would have put that bald chick through last year?  Come on.)

And The Voice seems determined in building people up rather than bringing them down.  Conversely, AI’s Hollywood week had more medical emergencies than a underage rave this season, always with the cameras right there to catch the drama and bring it to you in slow motion.  I’m sorry, but watching a sixteen-year old fall off the stage in a diabetic coma is not my idea of entertainment.

Okay. *climbs off high horse* Now I’m going to list the REAL reasons why The Voice freakin rules:

1. Adam Levine is freakin’ HOT.  Even though I know he’s probably the biggest douchebag ever, I’d let coach me anytime, anywhere, about anything.  Just sayin’. And did any of y’all see that spread of him in Entertainment Weekly? Wow. Let’s just say he gave all new meaning to the words, “six pack” and made me rethink how I feel about men with tattoos.

2.  Cee Lo Green is nuts.  His Dr. Evil impression with the cat is odd to say the least.  And his team kinda sucks-What’s up with that weird chick that wears the headband and the Wayne’s World impersonators? But hey, every show needs their Paula Abdul.

3. Christina Aguilera’s boobs.  I tune in just to see what they will be doing each week.  Seriously. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for a nipple to pop out last week!

4. Carson Daly is a much cooler version of Ryan Seacrest.  Let’s face it, overall, the eye candy factor is much better over here. (Sorry Lisa, Steven Tyler and his man scarves do NOT do it for me!)

5. Pip.  I love the shit out of this guy and his bow ties. And his name is PIP!  It doesn’t get any better than that.  Take that Phillip Phillips and your gravelly, super sexy voice.  Do you think he could rock a bow tie and suspenders? Or sing show tunes? I think NOT!

Bottom line: The Voice rules, AI drools!

I Still Love American Idol by Lisa

Don’t worry, American Idol, I’ve got your back. Well me and twenty-eight MILLION other people that is. Now when Simon left, I was sure the show was going straight to the toilet. I mean, without  his contestant smack downs and strange Brit appeal, what would happen? Turns out, the show got even better! (Sorry, Simon! Hopefully that whole Howard Stern thing will work out).

Shows like the Voice are trying hard to overtake it and arguably The Voice does bring certain things to the table that AI doesn’t….

Idol certainly doesn’t have a resident LAP CAT like Cee Lo Green’s (Meow!). And it also doesn’t boast a washed up second string host like Carson Daley (*cough* Total Request Live was like 1,000 years ago!).

But what it does have is an ELEVEN year history of success and it’s plucked small town farm girls from obscurity and catapulted them into incredible fame (Carrie Underwood, anyone?) Not to mention its other success stories including Chris Daughtry and Kelly Clarkson. I respect Idol because it stays true to what it is. A show that’s looking for talent while putting on a good show. And although there have been times when the cameras didn’t need to be rolling (people puking during Hollywood week) it is, afterall, a reality show people!  And here’s why, when push comes to shove, I choose my beloved Idol over The Voice.

1. Phillip Phillips. Ahhh. There’s nothing like a Josh Lucas knock-off to get this cougar’s heart pumping. After I googled him and discovered he was 21, I let the inner roar out completely. Not to mention he’s freakin’ talented (um, tell me you guys downloaded his rendition of Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out after last night’s performance?!?!) and his family loves the sh*t out of him. (His dad cries!)

Y'all can't argue with beautiful

2. Steven Tyler. Okay, this one you guys may not understand. And maybe he looked like he raided Captain Jack Sparrow’s closet last night. BUT… there’s something about the feathers in his hair, his eyeliner and even his creepy comments that give me a sense of joy–not to mention cause me to have an unexplainable crush on him. Sure, maybe he always says the same thing– “That was beautiful”–but he has a microphone covered with flowers. Not to mention, he’s Steven effing Tyler, bitches!

3. Jennifer Lopez. Does she ever look less than perfect? (Last night’s leather skirt was to die for!) And twins? Really? WTF? She’s so freakin’ gorgeous that I don’t even care what she’s saying to the contestants. Plus, she actually has very sound advice for the contestants. Go Jenny from the Block! She’s earning every penny of her 15 million dollar a year salary if you ask me.

4. The mentors. By mentors, I mean Diddy. As in Puffy. Sean Puffy Combs. P. Diddy. Diddy. Did y’all see him last night? These mentors make the show for me. Okay, maybe Diddy makes the show for me. But still…

5. Did I mention Phillip Phillips?

What do YOU think?  AI or The Voice?  Tell us!

xoxo, Liz & Lisa

©2012 Chick Lit Is Not Dead. All Rights Reserved.