Sep 4, 2009

Guest Post: Jill Mansell, Author of Millie's Fling

Millie's Fling, which hit stores on Sept. 1, continues Jill Mansell's invasion of the U.S. market and stars kind hearted Millie and her friend Hester, as they search for love.

Jill Mansell, author of Millie's Fling, offered to share with my readers a bit about her writing life. Please give Jill a warm welcome:

Have you ever wondered what a writer’s life is like? Honestly, it’s so weird. There’s nothing else like it. So many mundane household tasks. If you didn’t talk to yourself you’d go mad. Just this morning I dropped a pan of new potatoes on the kitchen floor; they went rolling off in all directions and I heard myself shouting at them like naughty children. I actually told them off! Twenty minutes later, I’m trying to scrub mustard out of an empty jar because all our glass has to be recycled to save the environment. Now I like the environment, but I hate mustard. This is a distressing job for me and I’d much rather throw the jar in the trash. Spending my time doing this isn’t remotely glamorous and I’d far rather be sitting down and getting on with some work.

Then again, I say this, but I’m a writer so I’m also a professional procrastinator. Once all the mundane household chores are done, I can find any number of other things to do before settling down to write. I check the TV listings, see what’s on. Then I have some breakfast. Check my emails. Chat to everyone I know on Twitter. (My British publishers suggested I start up a Twitter account – I think they’re going to live to regret it. My writing time hasn’t so much decreased as evaporated. In a few months they’re going to ask where the next book is and I’ll point like a simpleton at my head.) Then I check the blogs I like to follow, the links posted on them... which takes me to new, as yet undiscovered places that distract me for another hour...

And then it’s lunchtime, hooray! All this serious research has made me hungry.

After this, I’ll sort out the washing, try out my new mascara (an oscillating one that tickles my eyelashes!) and repaint my toenails. Whilst contemplating what I’m shortly about to write. Soon my kids will be home from school and wanting something to eat, only nothing I suggest will be quite good enough.

OK, done a bit of writing now. Not as much as my publishers would like, but better than nothing. And you know what they say, a page a day makes a book a year. Actually I write by hand so whoever said it was either talking about a very thin book or they didn’t get their sums right.

Ooh, phone, that'll be my daughter telling me to pick her up from school. Which signals the end of my working day.

Am I doing something wrong? I’m sure Jackie Collins' life is more glamorous than this.

But glamorous or not, I've managed to write a few books and Millie’s Fling is one that’s been particularly welcomed by readers in the UK. It’s fun and frothy and will hopefully make you laugh. I hope you enjoy it!


About the Author:
Jill Mansell is one of the UK’s premiere contemporary authors who has written nearly 20 romances with multi-generational appeal and has sold nearly 4 million copies of her books in the UK. Releasing her latest novel this Fall, Millie’s Fling, Mansell’s writing style can be best described as Sex & the City meets Bridget Jones’s Diary.” She worked for many years at the Burden Neurological Hospital, Bristol, and now writes full time. She lives with her partner and their children in Bristol, England. For more information on Jill in the UK, and for information on her U.S. releases.

Sourcebooks has kindly offered my U.S. and Canada readers a chance to win 1 of 2 copies of Millie's Fling.

1. For one entry, leave me a comment about the best chicklit book you've read this year and why I should read it.

2. Blog, tweet, etc. about the giveaway and leave me a comment about doing so.

Deadline for the giveaway is Sept. 11, 2009 at 11:59PM

Good Luck!

Interested in the rest of the tour, here's the schedule:

August 31: Romance Reader at Heart Novel Thoughts Blog

September 1: A Bookworm’s World

September 2: Booking Mama

September 3: Cindy’s Love of Books

September 7: My Friend Amy

September 8: Night Owl Romance

September 9: Scribe Vibe

September 10: Books by TJ Baff

September 11: Diary of an Eccentric





33 comments:

donnas said...

Confessions of a Shopaholic - great book way better than the movie.

I posted on the sidebar and 9/6 contest post here: http://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Blodeuedd said...

Great post :)
I have only read one book so far, but the library has more Mansell, yay

Anna said...

I love her! "Professional procrastinator" totally describes me. :)

No need to enter me, but I'll post this in my sidebar for you.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Pam said...

Hmmm. I haven't read a whole lot of chick lit this year yet (that's going to have to change very soon, I think!) I really enjoyed The Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp. It was fun yet rather predictable.

melacan at hotmail dot com

bermudaonion said...

This post made me chuckle. I think Mansell's humor is what makes her books so much fun. You should read Holly's Inbox. Thanks for the great giveaway. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

The Book Chick said...

Haha- the part about Jill Mansell yelling at the potatoes rolling around on the floor made me laugh!

I just finished a great chick lit book- "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella. It was unlike anything she's written before, and I loved it! It took me less than a day to devour it :)

Please enter me into your giveaway!
jonitathebookchick@gmail.com

The Book Chick said...

I posted your giveaway on my sidebar over at www.book-chic.blogspot.com as well!

jonitathebookchick@gmail.com

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I don't know if Twenty Boy Summer is considered more chick lit or YA, or maybe YA chick lit! But it was the best I've read this year. Very poignant and great writing. (Author Sarah Ockler)

nbmars AT yahoo DOT com

A Bookshelf Monstrosity said...

Please enter me in your giveaway! I suppose Jodi Picoult could be considered chick lit, although i hate that term! The last of hers that I read was The Tenth Circle.

I also tweeted: http://twitter.com/fitz12383/status/3762341439

Thanks!
Amanda
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

No need to enter me -- just wanted to say how much I loved Millie's Fling! Mansell is a really funny, talented writer, and I'm definitely grabbing more of her books in the future. :) Whoever wins is in for a treat!

Linda said...

A chick lit book that I read and enjoyed this year -- Making Waves by Cassandra King. I really liked the character development, but was a bit let-down with the ending. I'm ready for a really good chick lit. Hope I win Millie's Fling.

Anonymous said...

Nice to meet another procrastinator! I'm not sure how chick lit is defined but I like the Bailey Weggins series by Kate White.
stacybooks at yahoo

Jenny N. said...

The Shopaholics series. I wasn't going to read it but I saw the movie and finally caved earlier this year and I now love the series.

jen4777[at]hotmail.com

Bridget said...

Just posted on Win A Book. Don't enter me, please.

KR said...

I read some of the SisterChicks books. I enjoyed them!

mj.coward[at]gmail.com

mrsshukra said...

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham was really fun and I still can't get over the fact that HD is a man!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series. I've read all but one. I like to think though that they are mystery :) So for my Chick Lit response, I will say Remember Me? and Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. Her stuff is great!

And I've added a link to my sidebar at http://kariannalysis.wordpress.com/
with the contest on it. :)

heatherzilla said...

I just read Twenty Boy Summer. It was sweet, sad, and takes you back to the time of first love and best friends.
heatherzilla(at)care2(dot)com

jill mansell said...

Hi everyone,
Many thanks for all the lovely comments. Jonita, glad my potato-crisis amused you - they were VERY naughty potatoes!
I've just read Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella and loved it too. Did you know she used to write as Madeleine Wickham?
Hope whoever wins Millie enjoys it!
Love
Jill x

throuthehaze said...

I enjoyed Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster. She is funny and insightful.
throuthehaze at gmail dot com

traveler said...

Thanks for this lovely giveaway. I read Blame it on Paris and enjoyed it greatly. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

M.A.D. said...

Mary D
zenrei57 (at) hotmail (dot) com

So far I'd say Hollywood is Like High School With Money by Zoey Dean! I totally loved this one, and you would, too :) It is such a fun read with enjoyable characters, catty protagonists, and glitz galore!

Thanks for the chance to win and have a Safe & Super holiday weekend~

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

I guess I don't really know what chicklit is. I just read Sooner or Later by Debbie Macomber and thought it was the best one she's writte to date, I flew through it.

I'm a follower.

I posted this to my blog, dancealertreads.blogspot.com

Sue said...

Can You Keep a Secret? was a fun one. I'd already read all of the Shopaholic books, but I really loved this one, too. Sophie Kinsella just writes a fun, funny book!

Thanks for sharing this one.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Froggy said...

hmm..the best chick lit book..I read so many books its hard to pick just one..the shopaholics are great!

Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
http://froggaritavillesbookcase.blogspot.com

Froggy said...

I added a link in my sidebar under contests!

Froggy
froggarita@gmail.com
http://froggaritavillesbookcase.blogspot.com

Jo-Jo said...

My favorite chick lit so far this year would have to be Beach Trip. I just loved that book! I haven't read anything by Mansell yet so I would love a chance to win this one.
joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm not sure if this is really considered a true chick-lit book but none of the guys in my family have had any interest in reading it so I consider it chick-lit. The book was The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It is about deep devoted love through the ages. I loved it! I think you would, too!!
wandanamgreb[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Have you read any books by Denise Hildreth?

Would love to read this one. Thanks.

karen k
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I loved Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal. It's romantic and has recipes - what more could you ask for, LOL?

jgbeads(at)gmail(dot)com

M. said...

Two books I really enjoyed were 'Just One of the Guys' by Kristan Higgens and 'I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti'. Not sure if either of these is strictly chicklit, but both have a chicklitish spirit, if that makes sense, and I had a little glow after finishing them.

Ms. Mansell seems very funny. I'd love to check out her work.

mayamissani AT yahoo DOT ca

Stitchin in the Sip said...

I like Summer Physic by Jessica Adams.

Thanks for contest!!!

ryspenc@yahoo.com

Jo-Jo said...

I blogged about your contest here.
joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com