The Bum Magnet by K.L. Brady

K.L. Brady's The Bum Magnet is local chicklit for Washington, D.C., residents and stars the bum magnet herself, Charisse.  She's a real estate agent with a serial dating problem, always seeming to attract the wrong kind of man and hanging onto them.  Dwayne, Lamar, Sean, and Marcus are just some of the bums in this book, but are they all bums?  That's what Charisse has to figure out, if she can get past her own hangups.

"'Charisse, a good man is like Santa Claus, believing in him feels real good until you find out he doesn't really exist.'"  (Page 1)

Brady's debut novel uses a lot of colloquial language and delves into the wrong relationships of her characters through journal entries and flashbacks, but readers may not feel a connection to Charisse right off.  She's a bristly, independent woman on the one hand, but a dependent, lonely woman on the other.  Like all of us, Charisse has her strengths and her weaknesses, but she seems to have a hard time recognizing the obvious and in many ways she goes off the deep end.

"No, to me, spying on a boyfriend was not only justified, it was a requirement.  Hey, I keep it real.  To ask me not to spy on a scheming boyfriend would be like asking a lion not to hunt, a dog not to bark, or babies not to throw up.  'Verification' was an instinctive to me (and all womankind), as giving birth."  (Page 61)

As she makes the decision to focus on herself and analyze her past relationship failures to improve her relationship capabilities, she stumbles upon the man of her "dreams," Dwayne, shortly after breaking it off with Marcus.  Things are soon spiraling out of control for Charisse when past flames reappear and past mistakes rear their ugly heads.   

"I hoped she wasn't crazy.  For some reason, I'd always attracted crazy people.  Not eccentric crazy, but wear aluminum foil as a fashion accessory crazy.  They always shared their life stories with me.  Did I have an inviting demeanor or a friendly face? Perhaps.  Although I had a deep-rooted fear that crazy people might just be naturally drawn to other crazy people, which would make me one of them."  (Page 122)

The Bum Magnet has a lot of drama, and Charisse attracts it like wildfire.  Readers will either enjoy the roller coaster ride or wonder when they can get off.  Brady has an active imagination and the dialogue will have readers giggling.  Brady's writing is entertaining and has great potential.

FTC Disclosure:  Thanks to K.L. Brady for providing me with a free copy of The Bum Magnet for review.  Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. She’s an alumnus of the University of the District of Columbia and University of Maryland University College, earning a B.A. in Economics and M.B.A., respectively. She works as an analyst for a major government contracting firm and is an active real estate agent with Exit Realty by day—and writes by night (often into the wee hours of the morning). She lives just outside of D.C. in Cheltenham, Maryland, with her son, William, and two pet Betta fish, Spongebob and Jerry, and lives to eat chocolate, shop, read, and write.

***International Giveaway Details*** 

1.  Leave a comment on this post about what new author you've found in the new year.
2.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway and leave a link on this post.

Deadline Jan. 14, 2010, 11:59PM EST

This is my 1st book for the 2010 New Authors Challenge.

Also, this another stop on the Literary Road Trip.

Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

I'm now a Jill Mansell junkie!  Perfect Timing is an ironic title for this British chicklit novel because nothing is perfectly timed in this novel, from Poppy's last minute decision to jilt her fiance hours before their wedding to finding her biological father after years of not knowing she wasn't living with him.

"'The thing is,' Poppy prevaricated, 'my room's only tiny.'

'And who am I, two-ton Tess? All I'm asking for is a bit of floor space.'  Dina was wheedling now.  'I'll sleep under the bed if it makes you happier.  In the bath, even.'"  (Page 106 of ARC)

Poppy Dunbar is a twenty-something mess of a girl, who thinks she has her life figured out until she meets Tom at a bar during her bachelorette party.  After giving Rob the brush off, she packs up and moves from Bristol to London to start her life over and to find her biological father.  She works two jobs, lands a room in a house with a famous painter Caspar French and a haughty socialite Claudia Slade-Welch, but seems content.

"'Try patches.  They worked for my agent and he was a twenty-a-dayman.'

Only a lifelong non-smoker, Rita thought affectionately, could think twenty-a-day was a lot.

'I was a fifty-a-day woman.'  She looked depressed.  'Anyway, why d'you suppose I'm wearing long sleeves? I've already got a week's supply slapped all over me.  Underneath this dress I look like Mr. Blobby.'"  (Page 391 of ARC)

Mansell's writing style draws readers quickly into the drama as they watch Poppy grow, mature, and find her center.  The dialogue between Poppy, Caspar, Claudia, and Poppy's boss, Jake, will have readers laughing out loud on their transit commutes, in their bedrooms, on their sofas, or wherever they happen to read.

Poppy is a disaster, but so are Caspar, Claudia, and Jake.  It's a wonder they ever get it together in this book.  Some of the funniest scenes are when Jake leaves Poppy along to bid at auctions and estate sales.  Readers will enjoy how easily Poppy takes leaps into the unknown and how blind she is to the love and family she has in front of her.  Mansell has another winner with Perfect Timing.

Additionally, I would like to thank Jill Mansell and Sourcebooks for sending me a free copy of Perfect Timing for review.  Clicking on title links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page, no purchase necessary.

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini is loosely based upon Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the youngest judge appointed to the bench of San Francisco and Meryton is not a town in England, but a town outside of San Francisco, California. Elizabeth Bennet is an attorney with Gardiner & Associates, and the lead attorney is not her uncle Mr. Gardiner, but her boss. California has laws about fraternization between judges and attorneys who work on the same cases, and when sparks fly between Elizabeth and Will, it becomes a sticky situation.

"'So, what are you doing during the first two weeks of June?' Jane asked. Elizabeth switched the phone cradle to her other ear and spread the California Bar Journal in the desk before her.

'Um, same thing as usual. Bill ten hours and work fourteen. Go home, eat Lean Cuisine over the sink, and go to bed convinced I'm never going to meet Mr. Right. I blame Mom. Oh, and I'll probably have Lou give me a massage.'" (Page 63 of ARC)

Angelini has a brash style all her own in this modern take on these famous characters, but readers could find the explicit sex scenes and sometimes crass language tough to take if they are looking for the same Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. However, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy exhibits the dynamics of modern relationships well, from the frenzied first glimpses of attraction to the obsessive first moments together and more.

Elizabeth and Darcy spar well in the courtroom before they realize their attraction, but attorneys, clients, and readers will cringe at the biting remarks they make to one another in the courtroom following a break from the realities of California.

"'How did it go?' he asked anxiously.

'I've got competition,' Elizabeth replied.

'Lady Boobs-a-Lot?' he asked, referring to Caroline.

'Yep. She's catty too.'

'I know you. You can match her bitch-slap for bitch-slap.'" (Page 251 of ARC)

Readers will enjoy this retelling, though they should expect differences in the characters' personalities from Elizabeth's greater outspoken nature and stubbornness to Lou Hurst, Elizabeth's gay friend and confidante. Jane is in the novel with Bingley--both work at the hospital in Meryton--but their love story is more of a sideline and is derailed less by Darcy and more by Jane's need to defend her sister against Bingley's sister, Caroline.

Overall, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini could have been its own stand-alone chicklit novel without the references to Pride & Prejudice, but the modern spin Angelini gives to the characters and the plot makes the novel a quick, fun read. A great way to spend a lazy afternoon.



Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing the advanced readers copy of The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy. Stay tuned for a guest post from Sara Angelini on Sept. 28, 2009 with a giveaway.

This is the second book or third item I've completed for the Everything Austen Challenge 2009.

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

Jill Mansell has surpassed herself once again in Millie's Fling. Chicklit and women's fiction readers will enjoy this spontaneous journey in Cornwall, England.

"Having ignored his plea, Millie promptly cannoned into the lamp-post behind her. Clutching her left shoulder and trying to pretend it hardly hurt at all--ow, ouch--she wondered why her life had to so closely resemble Mr. Bean's. What she wouldn't give to be sleek and chic and in control at all times." (Page 108-9 of ARC)

Millie is a down-to-earth girl, whose life is a bit like Mr. Bean's because she tends to fall into ridiculous situations unwittingly. Her roomie, Hester, is in a long-term relationship with an up-and-coming chef, Nat, but still has a flamethrower burning for an old love, Lucas Kemp. Millie's Fling is the age-old search for love and happiness, but this serendipitous journey is rounded out with Orla Hart, a highly successful author with marital problems whom Millie befriends atop a cliff.

Happily single, Millie consistently tries to keep her roomie on the right relationship track since Hester's boyfriend has taken a job in Glasgow to further his career as a chef. By chance, Millie stumbles upon a lost wallet in the bushes--a wallet that becomes the tie between her and Hugh Emerson, a young recently widowed computer specialist. Readers will giggle, tense up, and shake their heads as Hugh and Millie fumble through getting to know one another under impossible circumstances.

"'Two more things I can't stand,' said Hugh. 'Violent women. And girls who can't take a joke.'

'I hate men who wear nasty cheap aftershave.'

'What really annoys me is getting phone calls from people putting on ridiculous accents, asking me the answer to crossword clues.'

'That isn't true!' Millie exclaimed. 'You asked me to give you the clues. You were bursting to show off how clever you were. And that's something I really can't stand in a man.'" (Page 398 of ARC)

Mansell's dialogue between Millie and Hugh is fresh and witty; some of the best sequences involve them rattling off their favorite words or their most hated things about people, particularly at times when they are awkward with one another. Although there are some cliche moments in this novel, Mansell has well-developed characters on the edge of reality who bounce dialogue off one another in a way that makes the pages fly in Millie's Fling.

If you missed Mansell's guest post about writing, check it out and enter the giveaway for this fun book.

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

Beach Trip by Cathy Holton

"Writing wasn't about telling the truth at all; it was about rearranging truth, stretching it, and warping it to fit some safe and less-chaotic world of the writer's own making. And Mel has been doing that, in one way or another, all her life." (Page 215)

Cathy Holton's Beach Trip is Southern women's fiction with a twist. Mel, Annie, Sara, and Lola were college roommates and reunite in this novel two decades later. Like the heavy surf churned up by an offshore hurricane, their relationships are wrought with tension, love, jealousy, and forgiveness. Each chapter shifts between the past and the present--the mid-1980s to the early 2000s.

"'Twenty years from now,' Annie said, looking thin and melancholy. 'I don't want to be sitting around regretting the past. I don't want to be sitting around thinking about what I should have done.'

Mel gave her a heavy look. 'Twenty years from now, none of us will remember any of this.'" (Page 5)

Each woman embarks upon their own path and makes her way in the world. Sara, Annie, and Lola each marry and have children, while Mel marries and divorces a few men and concentrates on her career as a novelist. Mel is the independent, strong-willed feminist, while Sara is a follower and tough attorney fighting for the rights of children caught in the middle of parental divorce. Lola is laid back and pushed around by her husband, friends, and mother, and Annie is obsessive compulsive and striving for perfection. Each of these characters juxtaposes the other, and these characteristics weigh heavily on their relationships in college and beyond.

"'I'm so glad you're here,' Sara said, smiling at Annie. 'We need someone to keep us in line.'

Mel swung her arm around her head like she was twirling a lasso. 'Crack that whip,' she said.

'Crack it yourself,' Annie said. 'I'm on vacation.'" (Page 25)

Holton creates deep characters with simple flaws, placing them in situations of their own making. Readers just have to sit back and watch how they make their way out. The secrets revealed by these women as they reflect on the past are sometimes cliche, but the end of this novel will leave many readers agape. Overall, Beach Trip examines the complicated relationships of women with a flare of wit, humor, and sarcasm.

If you missed Cathy Holton's guest post, you should check it out.

DON'T FORGET:

You have until Aug. 28 to vote for Charlee in the Dog Days of Summer Photo Contest. Help a Hot Dog out!

Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Welcome to a Hachette Group Early Birds Blog Tour for Sarah Dunn's Secrets to Happiness.

"A lot of life, it seemed to Holly, was turning out to be just like that. You keep walking, and you keep breathing, and then one day you notice, again, the feel of the wind on your cheek." (Page 275)

Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn focuses on the life of Holly Frick and each of the people she effects with her decisions and how their decisions impact her life in a gigantic web. From Holly's ex-boyfriend Spence Samuelson to Betsy Silverstein and her friends Amanda and Mark to her screenwriter/partner Leonard. Each of these characters is dissatisfied with their current lives and is seeking happiness and contentment in their lives.

"It was probably, primarily, mostly, the chemical hair straightening. Leonard had spent four hundred dollars to get his hair straightened with the new Brazilian hair-straightening chemical, and now it clung to his head like a wet washcloth and then spiked out at the ends down at the top of his neck, which was huge, due to the steroids he got from a pharmacist who ran an underground steroid ring out of his fourth-floor walk-up on Christopher Street." (Page 25)

Dunn has a great talent for description and character development. Secrets to Happiness delves into the various situations, emotions, friends, careers, and other elements in people's lives that they believe make them happy. Each of these characters experiences turns their preconceived notions upside down, leaving Holly, Spence, Betsy, and Amanda to make pivotal decisions.

"'I don't tell Betsy about my personal life.'

'Good. You know what? Don't tell anybody. Let's just keep this our little secret,' said Holly. 'And now I even sound like a child molester.'

'That's straight out of the handbook.'

'Page eleven,' said Holly. 'Right after the part where I lure you back into the back of my van with a box of kittens.'" (Page 21)

Overall, Secrets to Happiness reads well with a modicum of interruption from narratives that scope farther back into the lives of the characters. While some of these narratives, which mirror background checks for the characters, are well written, readers could find them distracting and unnecessary. Dunn is a talented women's fiction writer with a flare for dramatic and unconventional characters, and her ability to dig beneath the surface of these professional New Yorkers is uncanny.

Also Reviewed by:
Everyday I Write the Book Blog

Hachette Group was kind enough to offer 3 copies of Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn to 3 of Savvy Verse & Wit's U.S. and/or Canadian readers; no P.O. Boxes.

1. Leave a comment on this post about what makes you happiest about your life.

2. Become a follower of the blog or if you follow, let me know.

3. Blog, tweet, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave me a link here.

Deadline is June 18, 2009, at 11:59 PM EST

Don't forget my 2-Year Blogiversary Giveaway, go here for details.

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell

"'You can be a bridesmaid if you want.' Tom's relief was audible. 'Dear Florence. So you don't think I'm making the biggest mistake of my life?'

'If you're having fun, how can it be a mistake? The last thing I ordered from a mail-order catalogue was a non-stick saucepan,' Florence told him, 'and after a week the bloody handle dropped off.'" (Page 71)

Jill Mansell's Miranda's Big Mistake is a rip-roaring good time that will have you guffawing so loudly your friends, your neighbors, and people on the Metro will want to read what your reading.

"Sleety rain dripped down Miranda's neck as she tipped her head back to drink the lager straight from the bottle. Her short black hair, urchin-cut and currently streaked with dark blue and green low-lights, gleamed like a magpie's wing." (Page 13)

Miranda is a junior at Fenn Lomax's trendy hair salon in London, and her love life is a disaster, but she just doesn't know it yet. Her landlady, Florence, gets around in a wheelchair and is full of piss and vinegar. Her boss can be demanding, but he's really a big softie. Miranda's men--Greg, Miles, and Danny--have her twisting and turning, while love is simmering beneath the surface for Fenn, her flatmate Chloe, and her best friend Bev.

"'It isn't a smirk. I never smirk. I'm not dopey either. I just wondered, do you have a girlfriend?'

'Why, are you offering? All applications for the post in writing, please. Just send a copy of your CV and a brief letter outlining why you feel you'd be the best woman for the job. If you make the short list, you'll be invited to attend for an interview--'" (Page 167)

Mansell is adept at crafting in-depth characters with unique personalities and their actions make them even funnier. The sexual tension between Miranda and Miles and Miranda and Danny is electric, leaping off the page to zap readers through the tips of their fingers. Miranda's Big Mistake not only oozes modern romance, but also sarcasm and wit. The dialogue is sharp and the plot will keep readers moving quickly, keeping them on their toes and cheering Miranda on. Grab a copy of Miranda's Big Mistake and hit the beach.


About the Author:

Jill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marvelling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.

Also Reviewed By:

A Bookworm’s World
S. Krishna’s Books
Bookopolis
Wendy’s Minding Spot
Cheryl’s Book Nook
Booking Mama
Diary of an Eccentric
Cindy's Love of Books
Bermudaonion
Reading Adventures

Check out this giveaway:

1 copy of Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham, here; Deadline is June 10, 2009, 11:59 PM EST

Reunion by Therese Fowler

Therese Fowler's Reunion examines the secrets many of us carry and how they can direct our lives and decisions. While some could consider this a light read, it deals with a number of deep issues, including teen pregnancy.

Harmony Blue Kucharski/Reynolds is a young girl with a deep crush on a junior professor and son to her boss, Mitch Forrester. After a whirlwind romance, Mitch breaks her young heart, and she embarks on a destructive path that ultimately leads her to a decision that must be kept secret after her career begins to take off. Two decades later, fate brings them back together in Key West, Florida, and Blue helps Mitch with his pet video project about writer's like Hemingway.

"In Chicago, the snow was falling so hard that, although quite a few pedestrians saw the woman standing on the fire escape nine stories up, none were sure they recognized her. At first the woman leaned against the railing and looked down, as if calculating the odds of death from such a height. After a minute or two, though, when she hadn't climbed the rail but had instead stepped back from it, most people who'd noticed her continued on their ways. She didn't look ready to jump, so why keep watching? And how about this snow, they said. What the hell? It wasn't supposed to snow like this in spring!" (Page 13)

Blue is a complex character floundering in her decisions and striving to find true happiness, and Mitch has tried all kinds of happiness, but has been unable to patch things up with his only son. Blue's mother, Nancy, is an aging hippie still looking for love, and her sister has found a family life she can be proud of, though she still seems to have a hard time dealing with her sister's success as TV personality--much like Oprah in Chicago.

"Without the interruption of commercials or the finite images of someone else's interpretation of a story, she could more easily fit herself into the romance or drama unfolding inside a book's cover." (Page 54)

Fowler's writing is down-to-Earth and captivating. The characters pop from the page. While there are multiple story lines in this novel, Fowler weaves them well and transitions seamlessly between them. Although this book could be considered chicklit or women's fiction, there is much more beneath the surface; all readers have to do is scratch the surface.


Thanks to Pump up Your Book Promotion for providing Savvy Verse & Wit with an opportunity to review this book and be part of the virtual blog tour. Check below to find out about the International giveaway.


About the Author:

Therese Fowler has believed in the magic of a good story since she learned to read at the age of four. At age thirty, as a newly single parent, she put herself into college, earning a degree in sociology (and finding her real Mr. Right) before deciding to scratch her longtime fiction-writing itch. That led to an MFA in creative writing, and the composition of stories that explore the nature of our families, our culture, our mistakes, and our desires.

The author of two novels, with a third scheduled for 2010, Therese lives in Wake Forest, NC, with her supportive husband and sons, and two largely indifferent cats. You can visit her website or her blog.

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post about why you'd like to read this book.
2. Leave a comment on the guest post, here, for a second entry.
3. Follow this blog, and let me know; if you follow, let me know that too.
4. Tweet, Facebook, or blog about the giveaway and leave a comment here.

Deadline is June 4, 2009, 11:59 PM EST.

Don't Forget About These Great Giveaways!

1 Signed Copy of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo, here. Deadline is May 30, 2009, 11:59PM EST.

2 copies of The Wonder Singer by George Rabasa, here; Deadline is May 30, 2009, 11:59 PM EST

3 copies of Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton, here; Deadline is June 3, 2009, 11:59 PM EST.

Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton

Welcome to another Hachette Group Early Birds Tour for Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton.

What happens when a cautious, anxious New Yorker, Peggy Adams, spends time in Las Vegas for a friend's last hoorah and sends caution to the wind, gets drunk, and meets a stranger? A quickie wedding and a huge hangover, followed by a deal of a lifetime for herself and her new husband, Luke Sedgwick.

"It took multiple tries to work through this last piece of information. Man. A man. A man in bed. In her bed. No, on her bed. He lay on his back on top of the coverlet, in a rumpled shirt and a diagonally striped tie, in slacks, socks, and burnished dress shoes that looked as if they'd been polished and repolished for the past twenty years." (Page 5)

Luke is a WASP and the last of the old world Sedgwicks of Connecticut, and the last hope for an heir to the not-so-large family fortune. Luke is a writer. . . a struggling poet, with an on-again, off-again girlfriend, Nicole, that his great-aunt, Abigail, despises. Peggy is mistaken by Abigail for the relative of an old Connecticut family, though hers is from out west, and she scrambles to please her new family, while keeping her live-in boyfriend, Brock, who is afraid to commit, in the dark about her marriage.

"'A promise ring?' Bex yelled. The string of bells on the shop door jingled as it shut behind her. 'Brock gave you a promise ring? What is this, seventh grade?'" (Page 17)

Lipton has a gift for chicklit/women's fiction that is witty, fun, and vivacious. Both of these characters are anxious to break free from their current lives, but unable to make the move. Mating Rituals of the North American WASP will keep readers turning pages and will make the summer fly by. Lipton's prose paints a clear picture of small-town Connecticut and its unique characters and sets the stage for a comedic plot steeped in romance, drama, and much more.

Also Reviewed by:
Luxury Reading

Here's my interview with Lauren Lipton:

1. How hard was it to transition from writing journalistic stories to writing novels? What has journalism taught you about writing novels?

Writing a news feature has more in common with writing a novel than I'd expected. For both, you need an arresting first sentence (or first paragraph, or first chapter). You need a structure that leads readers through the story, and you need strong characters (or sources in journalism). The plus of writing a novel is that you can invent all the facts!

Working as a journalist gave me research skills for which I'm deeply grateful, and got me used to writing every day, whether I feel like it or not, in any environment. I could write sitting on the floor of the Port Authority Bus Terminal if I had to. (Though, yuck.)

2. Some writers extensively research their charcters or settings, do you spend a lot of time researching or so you simply let your imagination flow?

I let my imagination flow. Unfortunately, it always flows into areas I know nothing about. I'll think, "I simply must set a scene at the annual Yale-Harvard football game!" -despite never having been to a Yale-Harvard game. This happened over and over while I was writing Mating Rituals of the North American WASP. I researched everything from how to apply roofing tar to the medical treatment of a stroke to the way to decant old port. And I found a Yale alum friend who took me to The Game.

3. Do you have any obsessions you would like to share?

My only current obsession is with getting some sleep. The time just before a book's publication is nerve-wracking. I keep waking up worrying, "What if it's a flop?"

4. In terms of marketing, what have been the most successful modes of marketing for you and your books? How would you describe your relationship with the blogging community?

When my first novel, It's About Your Husband, came out in 2006, I had no idea how important the Internet was in getting the word out. I quickly learned how influential sites such as Goodreads, in which readers recommend books by word-of-mouth, are. And even in the two years since then, the influence of book bloggers like you has grown geometrically. As far as my relationship with the blogging community:
I don't know how you all feel about me, but I would like to give you ladies a big hug.

5. What is the best piece of writing advice you've received and how did it help you?

An editor at the Wall Street Journal once told me I overwrote--that is, I used 10 words when one would do and tried too hard to be clever. He was right. After that, I toned myself down.

6. Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what were your top 5 songs while writing Mating Rituals?

Oddly enough, I might be able to write in the middle of the Port Authority, but music and TV distract me.

7. Are you working anything currently and could you share some tidbits about your latest project?

I'm just starting a third novel that's more ambitious (and hopefully more serious) than the first two. It's a retelling of a century-old novel-of-manners set in modern-day New York. It's daunting, but I'm looking forward to diving in.

I want to thank Lauren for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions, check out the giveaway below.


About the Author:
Lauren Lipton is the author of two novels, It's About Your Husband (2006) and Mating Rituals of the North American WASP (2009). She is also a freelance journalist who specializes in style, business and trend stories.

She is currently fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor at ForbesWoman magazine. She has also contributed features on society and media to the New York Times Sunday Styles section. A former Wall Street Journal staff writer, she reported on copycat brides who steal their friends' wedding ideas, pajama parties for grown women, and luxury homes with his-and-hers garages.

Born in Providence, R.I., Lauren grew up in the North County of San Diego and in Los Gatos, Calif., before moving to Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and anthropology from Occidental College and a master's degree in print journalism from the University of Southern California. Check out her Website, her blog and her Facebook Fan Page.

Giveaway Information:

Hachette Group is offering 3 copies of Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton for U.S. and Canadian readers of Savvy Verse & Wit.

1. To enter leave a comment on this post about the review or the interview.
2. For a second entry, let me know if you follow the blog in Google Reader, Bloglines, Rss, etc.
3. For a third entry, blog or Twitter about this giveaway and leave me a link here.

Deadline is June 3, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST

Don't Forget About These Great Giveaways!

1 Signed Copy of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo, here. Deadline is May 30, 2009, 11:59PM EST.

2 copies of The Wonder Singer by George Rabasa, here; Deadline is May 30, 2009, 11:59 PM EST

GIVEAWAYS ARE NOW CLOSED!

Also Reviewed By:  
You've Gotta Read This! 

 

Interview With Jill Mansell, Author of An Offer You Can't Refuse

I want to provide a warm welcome to Jill Mansell, who is stopping by Savvy Verse & Wit as part of her tour with Sourcebooks. I had an opportunity to interview her, and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions. If you missed my review of An Offer You Can't Refuse, check it out.

1. On average from the first word on the page to publication, how long was the process? What tips could you offer aspiring authors about the process?

I spent a while finding my genre, but once I’d decided to write the kind of books I liked to read myself – contemporary women’s fiction with drama and humour – it was fairly straightforward. I was working full time in a hospital and had a hectic social life, so writing was confined to an hour or two whenever I could squeeze it in. It took me two years to write the whole book, about 160,000 words. It was rejected by the first agent I sent it to, who said that too much happened in it. The second agent turned it down, saying that not enough happened in it! The third agent phoned me up and told me she loved the book and knew she could sell it. That was one of the happiest moments of my life and twenty years later she is still my agent.

Tips for writers – experiment with different writing styles until you find the one that suits you best. I’ve tried so many times to write in the first person, but it just doesn’t work for me and I’ve now accepted that I am a third-person writer. Experiment with genres too. I tried to write straight romance but found I couldn’t keep the comedy out of my novels, which was why they were rejected time and time again. My biggest tip is to use a time-line when plotting out your novel. This keeps characters and events under control and stops you getting to the end of the book then realising you’ve left some vital aspect or character out!

2. Most writers will read inspirational/how-to manuals, take workshops, or belong to writing groups. Did you subscribe to any of these aids and if so which did you find most helpful? Please feel free to name any "writing" books you enjoyed most (i.e. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott).

Gosh, I can’t now remember the names of all the how-to-write books I devoured – most of them, probably! We’re always searching for the one that will answer the unanswerable questions, aren’t we? And cast its magic spell! But I attended a local evening class in creative writing and loved it, especially for the camaraderie and the sheer relief of finally meeting other people who had the same urge to write that I did. This was in the days before the internet so I’d never known any other writers before that. We supported each other when the rejection slips arrived and celebrated each other’s successes. Twenty-odd years later, several of us are still in touch and we meet for lunch. Four of us are now published novelists.

3. How do you stay fit and healthy as a writer?

Fit and healthy? Yikes! I’m lucky in that I don’t do much at all but so far I seem to be surviving. I eat a lot of junk while I’m writing (by hand, with my Harley Davidson fountain pen, in big writing pads.) I sit on my sofa with my feet up on the coffee table and the TV on (for research purposes.) I joined a gym a couple of years ago but never found it enjoyable and ended up making more and more elaborate excuses as to why I couldn’t get there.

4. Do you have any obsessions that you would like to share?

Writing obsessions? Or general ones like: Can’t eat two biscuits, it has to be three? OK, I plan my books initially in beautiful leather-bound decorative notebooks and my handwriting while I’m doing this is completely different to my normal handwriting. I don’t plan the whole book in advance, just a certain amount, enough to start the ball rolling. I have several beautiful fountain pens I use for my novels. My mum used to type my books for me and now my daughter is doing it. (Not out of love, I hasten to add. I have to pay her.) I can’t compose fiction onto a screen – it has to flow out of the end of the pen for me. I write the story first and divide it up into chapters afterwards. Oh, and there’s still nothing lovelier than starting a fat, pristine, brand new writing pad!

5. Please describe your writing space and how it would differ from your ideal writing space.

I write in our living room when I have the house to myself. Big room, red painted walls, French windows leading out onto the garden with sports fields beyond, so I can hear the sports being played while I’m working. If the kids are home from school they banish me upstairs to the bedroom, which is also rather beautiful. There, I sit up in bed to work and have an uninterrupted view of the sportsmen playing soccer, tennis, and cricket in the sports fields over our fence. It’s a tough job, this writing business.

What kind of view would I choose if I could have anything? Exactly the same, but with snow-capped mountains in the distance. I love mountains but sadly we don’t have any in this corner of England. A surfing beach would be pretty cool too. With plenty of fit surfers. Could you arrange that for me? Thanks so much!

6. What current projects are you working on and would you like to share some details with the readers?

I’ve had twenty books published here in the United Kingdom, but I’m just starting out in the United States. The next one to come out over in America is one of my absolute favourites – it’s called Miranda’s Big Mistake and has made more readers laugh and cry than almost any of the others. (I do love making people cry!) Set in London, England, this book features a hairdresser, a journalist who passes himself off as a street beggar, and the world’s most irresistible racing driver. Miranda’s Big Mistake will be in stores in June!

So this has been me. I do hope you’ll look out for my book, An Offer You Can’t Refuse. If you enjoy sparky, feel-good fiction, give my work a try. Fingers crossed, you might like it. I do hope so!

Thanks again, Jill, for stopping by Savvy Verse & Wit, and sharing your thoughts with us about your writing process and obsessions. Good Luck with your U.S. publications.

***Giveaway***

Sourcebooks has offered 1 copy of Jill Mansell's An Offer You Can't Refuse to one lucky U.S. or Canadian reader.

All you have to do is comment on this post with something other than "pick me" or "enter me."

If you missed the review, you can leave a comment there for another entry.

Deadline is April 11, Midnight EST.

An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell

I received my ARC of Jill Mansell's An Offer You Can't Refuse from Sourcebooks for review.

An Offer You Can't Refuse is witty, charming, engaging, and Chicklit to the max.

"'I didn't know reading could be like that, I had no idea. I've just never been a booky person. All these years I've been missing out.'

'Ah, but now you've seen the light.' . . . 'You've become one of us. Welcome to our world; you're going to love it here.'" (Page 100)

For a reviewer this was a treat to find in a book, this is definitely how many of us feel about books and reading, and reading these lines instantly cemented my attention to this book.

Lola is a young girl in love with a boy, Dougie, whose family is wealthy and whose mother hates her guts. His mother makes her an offer that she can't refuse, so she takes it and says goodbye to the love of her life in a "Dear John" letter. Fast-forward to the present day and we find Lola has grown up physically, but still wears the same teenage, low-cut clothes and finds herself being mistaken for a prostitute when she walks into London bookstore after living in Majorca for about a decade. Eventually, Lola becomes more grounded and is the bookshop manager, but just as she thinks her life is stabilizing and in a good place, things get all topsy-turvy again.

This novel starts off in Lola's past, but readers may find that more background is necessary, particularly where her relationship with Dougie is concerned. The only drawback of this novel, which really isn't one, is that Lola's story is pushed to the sidelines quite a bit as the Sally's story takes center stage. However, Mansell carefully weaves the narration back to Lola and the resolution of her story. Readers may want to see more of Dougie, since he is one of the main characters but does not share equal narrative footing with the other narrators: Lola, Sally, and Lola's friend Gabe.

"Aloud she said, 'I'm guessing you don't go into many bookshops.'

'Me? No way.' Proudly the boy said, 'Can't stand reading, waste of time. Hey, fancy a drink?'

'No thanks. Can't stand drinking, waste of time.'

He looked shocked. 'Really?'

'Not really. But drinking with you would be a huge waste of time.' Lola excused herself and made her way over to the bar where Gabe, whose leaving party it was, was chatting to a group of friends from work." (Page 37, 38)

Mansell's writing is engaging, and though some of her characters, like Lola and Dougie's sister Sally, are shallow at first, the complications in their lives force them to look beyond their own lives and come to terms with themselves, their families, and their love lives. Mansell's An Offer Your Can't Refuse is recommended for readers who love British humor, chicklit, and are in need of summer reading.


About the Author:

Jill Mansell lives with her partner and children in Bristol, and writes full time. Actually that’s not true; she watches TV, eats fruit gums, admires the rugby players training in the sports field behind her house, and spends hours on the internet marvelling at how many other writers have blogs. Only when she’s completely run out of displacement activities does she write.


***Giveaway***

Sourcebooks has offered 1 copy of Jill Mansell's An Offer You Can't Refuse to one lucky U.S. or Canadian reader.

All you have to do is comment on this post with something other than "pick me" or "enter me."

Deadline is April 11, Midnight EST.

Come back tomorrow for my interview with Jill Mansell and another opportunity to enter the giveaway!

Also Reviewed By:
A Bookworm's World
Diary of an Eccentric
Booking Mama
Book Escape
Reading Adventures

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

I received my copy of Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews from Book Club Girl for her BlogTalk Radio Show on March 25 at 7PM. Check at the end of this post for my thoughts on the show.

About the book (from the author's Web site):

Chef extraordinaire Gina Foxton doesn't expect anything to be handed to her on a platter. After years of hard work, the former runner-up Miss Teen Vidalia Onion is now the host of her own local Georgia public television show called "Fresh Start," and she's dating the show's producer.

But when her show gets canceled, and she catches her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the boss's wife, Gina realizes that she's meant for bigger and better things. The Cooking Channel is looking for its next star, and Gina is certain that she fits the bill. Trouble is, the execs also have their eye on Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" Tate Moody, the star of a hunting, fishing, and cooking show called "Vittles." Tate is the ultimate man's man, with a dog named Moonpie and a penchant for flannel shirts. Little does Gina know, though, that she and Tate are soon to embark on the cook-off of their lives.

Mary Kay Andrews' Deep Dish stars Gina Foxton an older sister who is eager to please, cautious, and naive when it comes to men. Tate Moody is the man's man, grills, hunts, and loves the outdoors. Throw these two in a pot and stir. The results are hilarious, spicy, and steamy. In addition to these polar opposites, you have Gina's ex, Scott, who is out for himself and every woman he can get his hands on; Gina's sister, Lisa, who operates without a compass, is passionate, and unable to commit; Val, Tate's chain smoking, pressure cooker; Moonpie, Tate's adorable pooch; and let's not forget D'John, the gay, hair stylist and makeup artist with a heart of gold.

As an aside, one of my favorite character was Moonpie; he seemed to soften the edges the characters create for themselves in an attempt to defend themselves against pain. D'John, the makeup and hair stylist for Gina and Tate, is outrageous, and he provides each of the characters an anchor and support column. Mary Kay Andrews does a great job creating well rounded main and supporting characters.

"'Oh, my God,' Lisa said. 'D'John is so awesome. I love his place. And he always gives me samples of the coolest makeup and stuff. Lemme go too, okay?'

'Deal,' Gina said. 'Just one thing.'

'What now?'

'While I'm in the shower, you change your clothes. We are not leaving these premises with you dressed like some hoochie-mama.'

'D'John's gay, Geen,' Lisa said. 'He so is not looking at me that way.'" (Page 75)

The impending cancellation of Gina's regional cooking show, pushes her into a reality show cook-off with Tate Moody, who has a successful outdoor hunting and cooking show. Food Fight is where the fun really picks up and Gina is forced to go out and forage Eutaw Island for ingredients before she can whip up a meal and dessert to impress three famous cooks, one of whom hates her guts. Tate Moody is in for the fight of his life even in spite of his hunting prowess as he is forced to make amazing meals out of regular household ingredients, including Frosted Flakes, to impress three judges, even one who hates his guts.

Deep Dish is a look at how one woman can dig deep within herself to find the courage to take ahold of her life and her destiny as well as a book that examines how each of us holds something back from the world and will only reveal our own personality gems to those we love.

Some of the best parts of this book occur when the reality show begins, and though some of the plot is predictable, it is done in a refreshing and new way. Southern cooking is the crux, and readers will be exposed to cuisine they may not see otherwise. Gina's flashbacks to her family life and her mother's cooking are vivid and enjoyable. These sections will likely remind readers of times when they smelled certain foods that evoke memories from their childhoods. If you need a light read, this is the book for you.

Book Club Girl's Show:

I really love how much food plays a role in Mary Kay Andrews' life and her relationship with her husband. Though she hasn't thought about writing a cookbook, she would be open to the idea. My favorite little tidbit was about her writing space and how she hangs up all her book jackets on the walls of her writing space to keep herself motivated and writing. And Moonpie is based upon her setter Wyatt--too adorable for words.

About the Author:

Mary Kay Andrews is the author of the New York Times bestselling SAVANNAH BREEZE and BLUE CHRISTMAS, (HarperCollins) as well as HISSY FIT, LITTLE BITTY LIES and SAVANNAH BLUES, all HarperPerennial.

A former reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she wrote ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series, under her "real" name, which is Kathy Hogan Trocheck.

She has a B.A. in newspaper journalism from The University of Georgia (go Dawgs!), and is a frequent lecturer and writing teacher at workshops including Emory University, The University of Georgia's Harriet Austin Writer's Workshop, the Tennessee Mountain Writer's Workshop and the Antioch Writer's Workshop. Her mysteries have been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, Agatha and Macavity Awards.

Married for more than 31 years to her high school sweetheart, Tom, she is the mother of 24-year-old Katie Abel and 20-year-old Andrew. After a three-year hiatus in Raleigh, NC, she and her husband recently moved back to their old neighborhood in Atlanta, where they live in a restored 1926 Craftsman bungalow.

Check out her blog here.

Also Reviewed By:
Redlady's Reading Room
Diary of an Eccentric

Interview with Phyllis Schieber, Author of The Sinner's Guide to Confession

I want to welcome Phyllis Schieber, author of The Sinner's Guide to Confession, to Savvy Verse & Wit. If you missed my review of her novel, check it out here. There's also a chance to win her novel at the bottom of my review.

Without further ado, here's my interview with Phyllis:

1. Most writers will read inspirational/how-to manuals, take workshops, or belong to writing groups. Did you subscribe to any of these aids and if so which did you find most helpful? Please feel free to name any "writing" books you enjoyed most (i.e. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott).

I think writing groups are great. I studied writing with the late Hayes Jacobs at The New School for Social Research. In fact, I wrote Willing Spirits, my novel that will be re-released in paperback this coming March, in Hayes's class. I took several writing classes with him and then applied to his seminar. I remained in that seminar for almost ten years.

I used Elizabeth Benedict's The Joy of Writing Sex when I was working on The Sinner's Guide to Confession. I've read many books about writing, such as Writing Fiction by R.V Cassill, Fiction Writer's Handbook by Hallie and Whit Burnett, A Writer's Life by Annie Dillard, On Writing by Eudora Welty, and I loved Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.

These are some great books for writers to check out. Many of us have read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, but I would love to pick up some of these other fiction writing handbooks. Thanks for the recommendations, Phyllis.

2. A great deal of writing advice suggests that amateur writers focus on what they know or read the genre you plan to write. Does this advice hold true for you? How so (i.e. what authors do you read)?

I was an English major in college, so I've read all the classics, of course. I also have an M.A. in Literature, so I've covered a lot of ground. I love Carol Shields, Fay Weldon, Shirley Hazzard, Alison Lurie, Anne Tyler, Alice Hoffman, Dorothy Allison and Jane Smiley. I seem to be drawn to women writers. I have read and loved Richard Yates, the short stories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Yasunari Kawabata. I love different works for different reasons.

3. With Sinner's Guide to Confession, did you have a playlist that you used while writing to keep you inspired? And if so, what are the top 5 songs on that list? If you don't listen to music while writing, do you have any other routines or habits?

I do listen to music when I write, bit it's typically classical. It doesn't distract me. I can listen to the same CD all day. In fact, I can listen to it all week or all month. I just push replay. I like Bach and Mozart. But I also love the soundtrack to the movie Frida and the soundtrack to The Piano. I listen to Andrea Bocelli because his voice is so sweet. And sometimes I'm in the mood for Otmar Liebert, an amazing guitarist. I also listen to opera as well. My son is studying voice with the intent to be an opera singer, so I am trying to hone my taste and knowledge of opera.

I tend to have opera or classical music on when writing poetry. It seems to inspire me, though I prefer Dvorak. I do love Bocelli's voice.

4. In terms of friendships, have your friendships changed since you began focusing on writing? Are there more writers among your friends or have your relationships remained the same?

I dedicated The Sinner's Guide to Confession to “Everyone who asked.” It was sort of a jab at the people who never ask me about my writing and a tribute to those who do. I have a few friends who are writers, not many. Most of my friends are not writers. However, I have some really good friends who never ask about my work. That amazes me. I think it's because they don't know what to ask. They don't understand that you ask about writing the same way you would ask about any job. “So, how's your work going?” That's all it takes. I've more or less trained my closest friends to ask me about my work the same way I would ask about their jobs. I think those relationships have grown. Two of the four people who read for me are not writers, and their insights and criticisms are extremely helpful.

I wonder if non-writer friends are afraid that writing is too personal to ask about or that they feel writing is just a hobby? An interesting question.

5. How do you stay fit and healthy as a writer?

I don't. I try to, but I struggle. I am just getting back to yoga. I have a stationary bike that I do get up and use when I am writing for a long stretch. I'll do ten minutes on the bike. I like to put my legs up against the wall periodically and stretch out. Yoga is the best exercise for me. I also take twenty minute naps at intervals. I just stretch out on the floor in my office, and I'm out. I love those naps.

6. Do you have any favorite foods or foods that you find keep you inspired? What are the ways in which you pump yourself up to keep writing and overcome writer's block?

Perseverance is the only way to overcome writer's block. If you wait for the muse to sit on your shoulder, you're in trouble. I find that the more I write, the less I have writer's block. Food doesn't inspire me. I like to eat because it tastes good. I like coffee when I write and tea and soup, but only if it's homemade. That's easy to eat while I'm working. Otherwise, I'll take a break and have something.

7. Please describe your writing space and how it would differ from your ideal writing space.

I'm happy with my writing space. We converted half the garage into an office for me. It's quite nice with floor to ceiling built-in bookcases, lots of framed posters and photographs on the wall. I have an old armoire that I use as a storage unit. I have a nice big chair for reading, an old desk and a great Herman Miller chair. It's a nice office, very comfortable. I have one window, but I usually keep the shade drawn because I am too easily distracted. In my other house, my office was in a space in a converted attic, really high up. I liked that a lot too.

Thanks to Phyllis for joining us. I wish her well with her latest novel and her future projects.